Interview

856: Best Seller Listers: Optimize and Upgrade your Amazon Product Listings with Mac Schlesinger

March 10, 2022

Do you want to be your customers' first choice when it comes to Amazon purchases? With changing purchasing preferences, it's time to invest in building an outstanding Amazon product listing. Product listing optimization based on SEO characteristics assists brands in ranking higher as well as increasing traffic, which enhances visibility and conversion rates.

Mac Schlesinger is the founder of Best Seller Listers, a marketing company that helps Amazon sellers create high-performing product listings. He has also started Seller Centry, a service that monitors Amazon seller accounts to prevent suspensions. In addition, Mac co-founded the Amazon Powwow, a popular in-person event series for Amazon sellers. Today, Mac shares his journey into the world of Amazon selling, discussing the importance of treating your Amazon business as a real company, not just a side hustle.

Quotes

“If you really want to win, you have to be fully in it to win it.” - Mac Schlesinger

“You really have to build it as a real business, focus on it, and be competitive because there are so many competitors out there.” - Mac Schlesinger

“It's up to you. It's your money and your decision. But let me tell you, try doing it yourself and see if you're good at it.” - Mac Schlesinger

Takeaways

11:52 Treat your Amazon business as a real company, not just a side hustle. Invest the necessary time, money, and effort to build a sustainable business.

13:23 Avoid the "get-rich-quick" mindset when it comes to selling on Amazon. The market is highly competitive, and success requires a long-term, strategic approach.

16:02 Outsource tasks and services that are not your core expertise. Focus on your strengths and let professionals handle the rest to maximize efficiency and growth.

20:31 Be prepared to invest a minimum of $10,000 to start an Amazon business, with the understanding that more may be needed for highly competitive products or extensive marketing.

23:55 Overcoming shyness and building a personal brand can be a powerful asset in the Amazon seller community, as it helps you connect with and serve your target audience.

Resources

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855: Strategic Communications, Public Relations, and Online Marketing Strategy to Gain More Visibility with Amanda Berlin

March 9, 2022

Want to gain more Visibility to connect with more people? Then you need an effective PR and Marketing Strategy. But how do you leverage them to widen your audience?

Amanda Berlin is a business consultant, visibility strategist, and podcast host who has worked with clients for over 20 years. She previously worked in the corporate world of public relations, helping large companies like pharmaceutical and financial firms increase their visibility. Now, Amanda uses her expertise to help entrepreneurs and small business owners raise their profile and grow their impact through strategic partnerships, speaking opportunities, and media appearances. Today, Amanda discusses the three key pillars of visibility that she recommends for her clients: collaborations and alliances, speaking events, and media placements.

Quotes

“PR is based on earned visibility—visibility that you earn by positioning yourself as an expert and having valuable ideas to disseminate.” - Amanda Berlin

“The fastest track to visibility that generates leads, new clients, and revenue is through collaborations and alliances.” - Amanda Berlin

“All of us have something important to contribute, and it is our responsibility to do the work to make our voices heard.” - Amanda Berlin

Takeaways

00:56 PR (public relations) is about building relationships and earning visibility, not just paid advertising.

04:16 Visibility tactics should be tailored to your specific business goals, whether that's client acquisition, validation, or long-term awareness.

11:26 Collaborations and strategic partnerships are one of the fastest ways to build trust and credibility with a new audience.

14:03 Speaking opportunities, both on stages and through hosting your own events, can also quickly generate trust and lead to new clients.

14:43 Media placements are valuable for validating your expertise, but should be part of a broader visibility strategy.

25:48 Raising your voice and making yourself visible, despite the discomfort, is a responsibility to support the people who need your expertise and ideas.

Resources

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854: The Rule of 26: Charge What You Are Worth, Attract New Clients, and Grow Your Business with Michael Buzinski

March 8, 2022

Why should you ensure that your website marketing focuses on the client? How can you optimize your marketing for a million-dollar practice? Need more results from your website? If you want to grow your business faster, you need a revenue growth plan.

Michael Buzinski is the CEO of Buzzworthy, a website marketing company. He is a lifelong entrepreneur, a digital marketing thought leader, and a Best-Selling Author. Michael Buzinski was dubbed a "visionary marketer" by the American Marketing Association. Today, Michael discussed his "Rule of 26" concept, which outlines a simple three-step digital marketing strategy to double a service-based business's revenue from its website.

Quotes

“The rule of 26 states that if you increase the unique traffic to your website by 26%, then increase the conversion rate of that traffic by 26%, and increase your average value per client by 26%, you'll achieve a compounded output of 100% more revenue from your website.” - Michael Buzinski

“Nine times out of ten, I hear, 'If I raise my prices, I'll lose my clients.' And I usually respond with, 'Those aren't the right clients.' If you can't charge what you're actually worth, you do not have good clients.” - Michael Buzinski

“If you try to talk to everyone, you will become no one because you can please some of the people some of the time, but you cannot please all the people all the time.” - Michael Buzinski

Takeaways

01:09 Increasing the average value per client, conversion rate, and website traffic by just 26% each can lead to a 100% increase in revenue for a service-based business.

05:12 Raising prices may cause some clients to leave, but those are likely not the right clients for the business. Focusing on the right, high-value clients is key.

16:29 Clearly defining the specific problem the business solves and the target audience is crucial for effective marketing and standing out from the competition.

23:25 Regularly reviewing and updating the business website to ensure it reflects the current offerings and messaging is essential for maintaining a strong online presence.

25:21 Providing a clear, compelling customer journey and brand story on the website can significantly improve conversion rates.

Resources

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853: Leverage Your Podcast: Promote, Boost, and Build Profitable Interview Connections with Lyndsay Phillips

March 7, 2022

Are you afraid of podcasting? Do you get burned out when producing your podcast? The number of people who listen to podcasts, as well as the number of podcasts that people listen to, is growing in tandem with the growth of podcasts.

Lyndsay Phillips is the founder of Smooth Business Growth, a company that specializes in helping entrepreneurs leverage the power of podcasting to grow their businesses. Lindsey is also the host of the "Leverage Your Podcast" podcast, where she shares her expertise on using podcasting as a marketing tool. Today, Lyndsay talks about the benefits of podcasting and shared her insights on how to effectively promote and leverage a podcast. She emphasizes the importance of consistency, strategic promotion, and utilizing various platforms to reach a wider audience.

Quotes

“There is always room and time to launch a podcast, start podcast guesting, or simply use it to grow your business.” - Lyndsay Phillips

“It's amazing how many people do not email their list when a new episode comes out. You want to nurture your list, be top of mind, and showcase that you're an expert and connected in the industry.” - Lyndsay Phillips

“You have to be realistic about your goals and expectations going into it. For me, when I first started out, it was about getting my name out there, meeting other people, and growing my email list.” - Lyndsay Phillips

Takeaways

00:57 Podcasting is still a growing and viable marketing channel, with room for new entrants to find success.

04:39 Consistently promoting podcast episodes across multiple platforms and channels is crucial for building an audience.

06:44 Leveraging email marketing to nurture your list and keep them engaged with your podcast content can be a powerful strategy.

21:17 Having a system and checklist in place for podcast promotion and repurposing content can help streamline the process and ensure consistency.

25:05 Focusing on the core goals and objectives of your podcast, rather than getting caught up in minor details, is the key to getting started and finding success.

Resources

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852: Outranking Content Writing Tool: Consistently Publish Popular Content with Pankil Shah

March 6, 2022

Being a writer or simply someone who wants to write for content creation is difficult for many individuals. Not because they don't know how to do it, but because they fear they won't be able to hold the reader's attention from the minute they begin reading the material.

Pankil Shah is the CEO and co-founder of Outranking.io, an AI platform that helps writers, editors, and SEO professionals create impactful web content. With over 10 years of experience leading product and growth for startups, Pankil is an entrepreneur and SaaS product and content marketing expert. Today, Pankil discusses Outranking.io's AI-powered writing assistant that helps create factual, SEO-optimized content for web pages, blog posts, landing pages, and more.

Quotes

“The problem with AI is that it's trained based on old data, so it doesn't really know the new concepts or what happened today.” - Pankil Shah

“Many tools out there do an excellent job at one thing, and that thing is brainstorming. You are going to read through the entire output and then modify it according to your needs.” - Pankil Shah

“This is the one piece of advice I give to all marketers creating content: Ditch the editors that focus solely on keyword density and look elsewhere. That's not how you create content for 2021.” - Pankil Shah

Takeaways

00:49 AI-powered writing tools need to be able to generate factual, up-to-date content, not just fictional or outdated information.

07:40 Leveraging AI to assist with research and content structure can save writers significant time and effort.

09:34 A modular, step-by-step approach to content creation, with guidance from the AI, is more effective than simply generating an entire piece of content at once.

15:48 Optimizing existing content can be just as important as creating new content, in order to maximize search engine visibility and traffic.

19:45 Focusing on user intent and readability is more important than just targeting specific keywords when creating content.

Resources

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851: Wunderkind: Find Fulfillment and Unleash Your Own Individuality in the Workplace with Alli Trusell

March 5, 2022

People management and ensuring that qualified workers, are assigned in their optimal position of competency are crucial to achieving exponential growth in the following years. Simply preventing obstacles in the process is vital for sustainability and efficiency, as is supporting people in feeling valued, excited, and committed to the work they accomplish.

Alli Trusell is the Chief of Staff at Wunderkind, a fast-growing SaaS and marketing firm. She is an expert in communications, people management, culture, and performance. Today, Alli discusses the changing landscape of the workplace, the importance of aligning employees' values and passions, and the strategies companies can use to retain top talent in a highly competitive job market.

Quotes

“There's a real emotional connection to taking a new job that we haven't seen before. It's a harder thing to combat from an attrition perspective. We really have to align with people's values.” - Alli Trusell

“I would much rather hire someone who is passionate, driven, and curious about what they're going to be doing than someone who is cookie-cutter perfect from a resume perspective.” - Alli Trusell

“Be happy in what you do. It's something you have some control over. If you're not happy at your job, consider finding one that brings you joy.” - Alli Trusell

Takeaways

00:39 Companies need to focus on aligning employee values and passions to retain top talent in a highly competitive job market.

11:01 Managers should encourage open communication, provide opportunities for growth and development, and ensure employees are not overworked or burnt out.

16:38 Personalized experiences and a focus on the customer can help brands stand out in a crowded digital landscape.

18:57 Embracing diversity of thought and background can foster innovation and create a positive work culture.

19:47 Passion, curiosity, and a willingness to tackle challenging problems are highly valued traits in potential hires.

Resources

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850: Savvy Pro Web: Boost Your Website’s Lead Generation Performance with Sean Rosensteel

March 4, 2022

Business growth can be a long-term and challenging process and many successful small business owners are continuously looking to expand their customer base and grow their businesses. One of the elements of growing a business is having access to a steady stream of leads, and business owners should invest in this necessary evil called "digital marketing."

Sean Rosensteel is the founder of Savvy Pro Web, a company that builds professional websites to increase credibility, generate leads, and win clients. As a lifelong entrepreneur, Sean shares his expertise on the importance of empathy and understanding your customer's journey when creating an effective website. Today, Sean talks about the strategic approach to website design, emphasizing the need to focus on solving the visitor's problems rather than just promoting your own business.

Quotes

“What we really need to be doing is expressing empathy for the visitor, the prospect we're serving, whether we have a service business or a product business.” - Sean Rosensteel

“Marketing is trial and error. That's been my experience. I've been a marketer for roughly 15 years, and to me, it all boils down to trial and error.” - Sean Rosensteel

“If your website isn't effective, if you have a website that doesn't work, you're just going to get the same results, and you'll just end up paying more for it.” - Sean Rosensteel

Takeaways

01:11 Focusing on solving the visitor's problems, rather than just promoting your own business, is key to creating an effective website.

03:22 Understanding your customer's journey and their level of expertise in your industry is crucial for using the right language and approach on your website.

13:12 Adopting a trial-and-error mindset and setting clear budgets and timelines for marketing experiments can help you make data-driven decisions.

21:52 Ensuring your website is effective and converting visitors before investing in traffic-driving strategies is a more efficient approach.

26:12 Leveraging existing traffic and optimizing your website can often yield better results than constantly seeking new sources of traffic.

Resources

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849: Agency Survival Guide: Productize a Service Business and Stand Out in a Crowded Market with Max Traylor

March 3, 2022

I have a question for my fellow founders, small business owners, and entrepreneurs: Do you work for your business or is your business working for you? Do you wish you had a business that could develop quickly, be extremely profitable, and scale without you? Do you have a wonderful concept but aren't sure how to turn it into a product that will generate a reliable, regular cash stream?

Max Traylor is a coach, consultant, and strategy expert who helps productize consulting services. He is the host of the interview show "Beers with Max" and the author of the book "Agency Survival Guide: How to Productize Consulting Services and Do Other Things Better Too." Today, Max discusses the importance of building a business that aligns with your personal life, the power of positioning your knowledge as a premium offering, and the strategies for finding and targeting your ideal clients.

Quotes

“The lesson to my five-year-old business self would be to put your personal life first and build a business that works around your personal life, not the other way around.” - Max Traylor

“The money you make has nothing to do with what you do. It has to do with who you're selling to, who you're working with, and what they perceive the value to be.” - Max Traylor

“Don't wait for your best clients to show up; you have to go get them. If you're not staring at a list of your next 40 ideal customers, you're doing it wrong.” - Max Traylor

Takeaways

01:14 Building a business around your personal life and lifestyle is key to achieving work-life balance.

03:47 Positioning your knowledge and expertise as a premium offering allows you to charge higher prices and create scalable revenue streams.

09:18 Embracing the mindset that "no" is the start of a valuable conversation, not the end, can help you overcome limiting beliefs about pricing.

12:36 Actively pursuing and targeting your ideal clients, rather than waiting for them to find you, is crucial for business growth.

18:36 Maintaining a consistent pipeline of 15-20 new prospect conversations per month is a good target to ensure a steady flow of new business.

23:13 Defining what "growth" means to you personally, whether that's increased revenue or more personal time, is crucial for setting the right goals.

Resources

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848: Impact Speaker Academy: Communicate and Monetize Your Message with Odell Bizell

March 2, 2022

Want to improve your public speaking and communication skills? While most diverse speakers and trainers focus on theories, definitions, and intangible rhetoric, Odell's presentations and training focus on skills leaders can learn and apply. When you hire him, you get an energetic, dynamic, and knowledgeable speaker that teaches skills that will help you thrive in diverse settings and situations.

Odell Bizell is a business coach who teaches entrepreneurs and small business owners how to double their income with public speaking. He is the author of 10 books and has partnered with over 240 colleges as a motivational speaker. Odell has also worked with the military to teach communication skills to emerging professionals in 45 states. Today, Odell talks about the importance of making your customers feel something in order to increase the likelihood of them buying from you. He shares a case study of a client who used observational humor and an "anti-campaign" to market his services.

Quotes

“If you can't evoke an emotional response from your customer or client, the likelihood of them buying from you is very low.” - Odell Bizell

“Instead of just saying, ‘Well, I am so great,’ try this approach: ‘Hey, let's see what makes things so great about you. What's your job like? What's your lifestyle like?’ This way, you gather all the data.” - Odell Bizell

“Think about what you truly represent and embody in your life. Then, identify events and opportunities that align with and support that outcome.” - Odell Bizell

Takeaways

00:58 Connecting with your audience on an emotional level is crucial for increasing sales and conversions.

05:32 Observational humor and "anti-campaigns" can be effective marketing strategies to stand out and engage your target audience.

11:01 Focusing on speaking with your customers, rather than just talking at them, is essential for building trust and rapport.

17:18 Reverse-engineering your approach by identifying your ideal clients and their needs is key to creating effective public speaking and marketing campaigns.

21:48 Providing monetary incentives for existing clients to attend your events can be a powerful way to deepen relationships and generate new leads.

Resources

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847: Grow Your Profits, Business, and Life with Tim Redmond

March 1, 2022

When you become a business owner, your main goal is to establish your brand and grow, but turning a small business into a big one is not easy. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen overnight. Growth is an ongoing process that requires hard work, patience, and dedication. There's no particular step or secret way to surpass other businesses in the industry or achieve immediate success.

Tim Redmond is the founder of Redmond Growth Consulting, a business growth company that helps service-based businesses like contractors, doctors, lawyers, and accountants to increase their profits, streamline their operations, and gain more freedom in their lives. With over 20 years of experience in business coaching and consulting, Tim has helped numerous clients transform their businesses and achieve remarkable results, such as one plumber client who grew his monthly revenue from $100,000 to $500,000. Today, Tim shares his insights on how businesses can break out of the scarcity mindset and embrace an abundance mindset, focusing on improving lead generation, pricing, sales processes, and building effective teams.

Quotes

“We're created to create, yet often we go in kind of checked out. Instead of acting upon our surroundings to make our world operate and behave the way we want, we become more victimized by what's going on.” - Tim Redmond

“If you have a service company, the more you serve, the more you make, and hopefully the happier people are. That's creating wealth.” - Tim Redmond

“Your business doesn't require as much work as you think it does. If you have systems in place and create a cadence in your business, it can run more efficiently.” - Tim Redmond

Takeaways

01:02 Businesses can transform their operations and profitability by improving lead generation, pricing, sales processes, and building effective teams.

06:12 Maintaining regular communication and getting customer reviews can unlock significant untapped revenue potential for service-based businesses.

11:18 Implementing systems and creating a structured cadence in the business can reduce the time and effort required, allowing business owners to work less while earning more.

16:35 Shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset can unlock new possibilities and help business owners achieve their desired goals.

21:27 Dreaming and clearly defining what one wants their business to provide can unleash the brain's creativity and lead to exciting new opportunities.

Resources

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846: Relationship List Building: Grow Your Network with Corine Lafont

February 28, 2022

Having a firm plan for what you want to accomplish is similar to having steadfast strategies for winning a conflict. We must be adaptable and malleable to embrace the changes and challenges that life throws at us. Only those who are persistent and consistent in their acts in achieving their goals in this lifetime get rewarded.

Corine La Font is a PR practitioner with over 10 years of experience. She is a Toastmaster since 2012 and has held the position of PR manager at the division and district level. She is also the host of the Between The Lines Podcast. Today, Corine talks about the importance of building authentic relationships in business, being adaptable and open to new opportunities, and the value of providing quality over quantity when it comes to networking and content creation.

Quotes

“Be liquid, be flexible, be open, be malleable, be resilient. Don't be so tight about anything, because things may come that are better, and you could just ignore them because you're so fixated on this particular part.” - Corine Lafont

“You have to keep at it; you build it, and you build it. I have loads of content that I need to distill and do a lot of work with, but you just can't stop. You have to know what really matters to you the most.” - Corine Lafont

“Don't gripe, stop complaining. We don't have time for that; it actually makes you get older, wither away, and live a very Grinch-like life. Let's come back to the childlike bliss, joy, and innocence that we are supposed to be living.” - Corine Lafont

Takeaways

02:08 Building authentic relationships and being open to new opportunities is key to business growth and success.

12:23 Measuring results is important, but quality of relationships and experiences should be prioritized over pure numbers.

21:33 Consistency and discipline in showing up, even when you don't feel like it, can lead to long-term benefits and freedom.

25:17 Maintaining a positive, grateful, and adaptable mindset can help entrepreneurs navigate the ups and downs of running a business.

26:03 Providing value to others, rather than focusing solely on personal gain, can lead to unexpected and rewarding collaborations.

Resources

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845: Generate Leads For Your Business through Facebook Ads with Bob Regnerus

February 27, 2022

Traditional marketing methods like email blasts used to do the trick, but today's landscape has become more competitive and information-rich, making it tougher for businesses to track, reach, and connect with potential customers. Lead generation, which is all about sparking and capturing interest in a product or service to build a sales funnel, helps businesses nurture prospects until they're ready to buy. It's a valuable strategy for any business, big or small, in both the B2C and B2B sectors.

Bob Regnerus is a digital marketing expert and the author of the book "Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising." As a sought-after expert in Facebook advertising, deep funnel, and video marketing strategies, Bob shares his insights on how businesses can effectively leverage Facebook ads to generate leads for their business. Today, Bob talks about understanding the customer journey and creating targeted, engaging content to connect with your audience on Facebook.

Quotes

“The fact is, if you do certain things right, you do the fundamentals right, you are going to get responses.” - Bob Regnerus

“We can bid better than you. We could probably target better than you, but the one thing we can't do better than you is creative.” - Bob Regnerus

“What it's really about these days is the fundamentals of marketing: connect with people on multiple media and use Facebook to reach out to people.” - Bob Regnerus

Takeaways

02:59 Focusing on the fundamentals of marketing, such as connecting with your audience on multiple media channels, is crucial for success with Facebook ads.

03:57 Using the power of Facebook's algorithm to get your content in front of the right people, by optimizing for specific actions like conversions or video views, can improve your ad performance.

07:43 Understanding the customer journey and creating targeted, engaging content at each stage of the funnel is more effective than trying to make a direct sale to a cold audience.

15:49 Building trust and authenticity through the use of personal, storytelling-based video content can help cut through the noise and connect with your target market.

21:33 Short, entertaining video content that emotionally connects with the audience and provides value can help build trust and reduce resistance to marketing offers.

Resources

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844: Brybe: The #1 Marketplace for Freelancers and Influencers with Igor Fedenkoff

February 26, 2022

The interests of small and medium-sized businesses, as well as influencers, were not effectively represented in the market. The majority of the platforms were designed by engineers and included a variety of analytical and search functions.

Igor Fedenkoff is the co-founder of Brybe, a platform that connects freelancers and influencers with businesses. With over a decade of experience as a serial entrepreneur, Igor has a background in creating successful startups in the healthcare and hospitality industries. Today, Igor discusses how Brybe aims to provide a more user-friendly and cost-effective alternative to existing freelancing platforms, focusing on the needs of both small businesses and digital professionals.

Quotes

“We're brand new and built by marketers, not engineers. This is an extremely well-based, but on the back end, a very complex engine.” - Igor Fedenkoff

“Influencer marketing is great and is going to grow. I think smaller influencers actually have a much larger chance of succeeding because they're local and a lot more engaged.” - Igor Fedenkoff

“We take it upon ourselves to make sure that people make an educational decision by promoting themselves with Brybe.” - Igor Fedenkoff

Takeaways

01:14 Brybe aims to provide a more user-friendly and cost-effective alternative to existing freelancing platforms, focusing on the needs of both small businesses and digital professionals.

09:24 Smaller influencers can be more effective than larger ones due to their higher engagement rates and more targeted audience.

12:30 Brybe takes an active role in educating its users, including providing legal guidance and fraud prevention measures.

17:20 Brybe is expanding its platform to include online coaches, covering a wider range of digital creators and services.

18:17 Hiring freelancers and influencers through Brybe can be a cost-effective way for businesses to run advertising campaigns and access specialized skills.

Resources

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843: Secret SEO Growth Hacks: Rank on the First Page of Google and Get Traffic Easily with Brandon Gaille

February 25, 2022

Expanding your window of opportunity requires you to establish a presence in the digital realm. For some, generating leads and boosting website traffic have proven difficult.

Brandon Gaille is the founder of RankIQ, an AI-powered SEO toolset tailored for bloggers and small businesses with a blog. He has over 5 million monthly visitors from over 100,000 first-page Google rankings. Brandon is also the host of the "Blogging Millionaire" podcast, where he teaches SEO growth hacks and monetization strategies to over 20,000 bloggers. Today, Brandon talks about the importance of focusing on low-competition, high-traffic keywords for successful SEO.

Quotes

“What we do is identify the words, basically saving someone 100 hours they would have to spend on keyword research, and then make sure they don't have user error.” - Brandon Gaille

“If you're a blogger and you're starting out, and it's just you, you only have so much time. If you try to do too much, your content won't be the most comprehensive, and you won't rank well.” - Brandon Gaille

“You can rank for really low competition keywords. But if you never get people to backlink to your site, you're going to struggle to get there because each site has a zero to 100 score that most people call domain authority.” - Brandon Gaille

Takeaways

02:25 Focusing on low-competition, high-traffic keywords is crucial for successful SEO and driving traffic to your blog.

05:00 Using the right tools for keyword research can save you significant time and effort compared to using tools designed for paid advertising.

12:51 Consistently publishing one high-quality blog post per day can lead to rapid growth in traffic and rankings, as opposed to sporadic posting.

17:19 Regularly updating and maintaining your top-performing content is just as important as creating new content to prevent losing hard-earned rankings.

22:18 Building a diverse backlink profile through strategies like appearing on podcasts and using HARO can significantly boost your domain authority and search rankings.

Resources

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842: Startup Essentials: Start and Manage Your Own Business with Alex Genadinik

February 24, 2022

Are you concerned about the numbers in your business? What are the key areas in which you should concentrate your efforts in order to grow your business? Perhaps one of the reasons you started your business was to make a difference in the world, providing and assisting people with their needs.

Alex Genadinik is a top 1% Udemy instructor, teaching business, marketing, productivity, and professional skills. With over 500,000 students and 125 courses, he is a prolific creator, having also published 15 books on Amazon and amassed over 2 million views on YouTube. Today, Alex shares his journey of scaling back peripheral activities to focus on his core Udemy business, as well as his exploration of new frontiers like the Metaverse and NFTs, balancing experimentation with prioritizing what's working best.

Quotes

“If you don't try new things and keep your head down just working, which is what most of us usually do, you will miss the new Bitcoins, the new Metaverses, the new trends. That's where, not always but very often, the rewards are very disproportionate.” - Alex Genadinik

“If something is working, really give it a great effort because it's super competitive. If it's not, it's going to be, and you're going to get ahead.” - Alex Genadinik

“If you have a lot of these kinds of things, at some point, it becomes this focus, and it's really damaging. This is exactly the antithesis of where we started, where it's like, let's do 80/20 of really good focus.” - Alex Genadinik

Takeaways

07:38 Focusing on forward-looking, unique topics can be more profitable than competing in saturated, low-barrier-to-entry markets.

11:46 Adapting to the changing dynamics of established platforms like Amazon is crucial, as they may become less profitable over time.

17:31 Identifying and pursuing new, emerging opportunities can provide significant growth potential, even if the current landscape is uncertain.

25:59 Balancing experimentation with prioritizing what's working best is crucial for business growth, requiring dynamic decision-making.

31:22 Pursuing creative passions like music can be the hardest challenge, but also the most rewarding if the product truly resonates with the audience.

Resources

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841: Sell Your Online Business: Engineer Your Way to Success with Joe Valley

February 23, 2022

Most people start an online business because they want the opportunity, autonomy, and money that comes with being an entrepreneur, but they typically find that they're stuck on a hamster wheel and can't get off. It's a different kind of issue for individuals trying to exit their business, and they don't know where to begin and have no notion how much their company is genuinely worth.

Joe Valley is the co-owner of Quiet Light Brokerage, an online M&A advisory firm. He has bought and sold a half dozen of his own companies and is the author of the best-selling book "The Exit Printers Playbook." Today, Joe discusses planning your business exit early, understanding the true value of your business, and maximizing the sale price through strategic accounting and financial management. He shares insightful stories of entrepreneurs who successfully sold their online businesses, highlighting the key factors that contributed to their success.

Quotes

“True wealth is built by selling a business, rather than by building and operating it on a daily basis.” - Joe Valley

“Your business is likely your most valuable asset, so why in the world would you go it alone?” - Joe Valley

“If you're going to set an exit goal in dollars, you need to know what the current value is, so you know how close or far you are from that.” - Joe Valley

Takeaways

01:31 Focusing on both writing a book to share expertise and running an M&A advisory firm can be an effective dual-track approach for an entrepreneur.

04:40 Planning your business exit early is crucial to maximizing the sale value.

12:45 Understanding the true value of your business, including proper accounting and financial management, is key to getting the best deal.

22:24 Seeking guidance from experienced advisors can help entrepreneurs avoid common mistakes and achieve their exit goals.

25:50 Treating your business as a separate entity, rather than just a source of personal income, can lead to greater long-term success.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:02 — 41.4MB) | Embed

840: Make an Impact, Start your Business and Pursue Your Passion with David Finberg

February 22, 2022

David Finberg is the founder of Peaks Digital Marketing, a digital marketing agency that has generated tens of millions of dollars in revenue for its clients. With over 20 years of experience in website development and search engine optimization, David has been making websites since he was 9 years old. Today, David shares insights on the importance of website speed and how it can impact your search engine rankings, user experience, and overall business success. He discusses strategies for optimizing website speed and using split testing to improve conversion rates.

In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Finberg shares actionable strategies for improving website performance and conversion rates. He highlights tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, Google Optimize, Hotjar, and Crazy Egg to analyze and optimize sites, demonstrating how small changes—like refining hero content, simplifying forms, and adding social proof—can significantly boost conversions. Finberg encourages business owners to continuously experiment, measure, and iterate to maximize the value of existing traffic while complementing broader SEO and marketing strategies. Peaks Digital Marketing offers free audits and fractionalized marketing support, and Finberg actively shares insights on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn under David A. Finberg.

Quotes

“If we can better convert the traffic we already have, that’s a one-time fix that can dramatically improve all of your marketing channels.”

“PageSpeed is not just a ranking factor, it’s a conversion factor. Faster sites build trust, engagement, and confidence in your brand.”

“Small changes above the fold—like images, social proof, or simplifying forms—can triple your conversion rate without increasing traffic.”

“Start eating the elephant piece by piece. You don’t have to do it all at once—focus on data-driven experiments to improve your site continuously.”

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:54 — 46.8MB) | Embed

839: GreenPal: Create Apps, Solve Problems, Start and Grow Tech Startups with Bryan Clayton

January 25, 2022

Bryan Clayton is the CEO and founder of GreenPal, an online marketplace that connects homeowners with local lawn care professionals. Prior to starting GreenPal, he owned a landscaping company for 15 years. Today, Brian talks about the journey of bootstrapping GreenPal from the ground up, sharing insights on building a successful business without outside funding and the importance of focusing on customer needs and revenue growth.

In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Clayton discusses GreenPal’s approach to creating a seamless marketplace for homeowners and service providers. The app leverages data from Google Street View, aerial imagery, and Zillow to help landscapers provide fast, accurate quotes, streamlining payments and scheduling while maintaining a low take rate of 5–10%. Clayton also highlights the importance of vetting professionals, tracking repeat bookings, and creating a flywheel effect that promotes top-performing contractors. By adding value at every step—from lead generation to payment and rebooking—GreenPal differentiates itself from traditional directories. For homeowners and service providers alike, the platform saves time, reduces friction, and helps professionals build sustainable businesses. GreenPal is available on the App Store and Google Play, and Brian engages with users directly via Instagram @BrianMClayton.

Quotes

“Bootstrapping means funding the business off of its own revenue. Revenue is the best form of financing because it keeps you focused on what really matters—the customer.”

“Once we saw 30 people sign up on a Saturday, we realized people could discover this thing and use it, and if we could get 30, we could get hundreds more.”

“We offer a business in a box for landscaping professionals—they can plug in, get their first 100 customers in a couple of months, and improve their livelihood.”

“If you’re thinking about starting a business, get in the game. It’s never too late—you didn’t miss it.”

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:12 — 25.1MB) | Embed

838: Tactics vs. Strategies: Boost Your Social Engagement and Develop Consistent Traffic with Paid Ads, Funnels, and Tracking with Oliver Feakins

January 20, 2022

Oliver Feakins is the founder of Trusted Search Marketing (now TrackFive), a digital marketing agency that offers best-in-class SEO, paid search, and social media services, as well as recruitment marketing. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Oliver has established himself as an expert in the field of digital marketing. Today, Oliver discusses the challenges faced by marketers in the current digital landscape, particularly the impact of changes in platforms like Facebook and Google. He emphasizes the importance of adaptability, continuous testing, and a multi-platform approach to ensure consistent traffic and engagement for businesses.

In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Oliver shares insights into building sustainable marketing strategies that go beyond quick wins or flashy tactics. He emphasizes the importance of landing pages, video content, and continual A/B testing to optimize conversion rates, highlighting tools like Optimizely, Unbounce, and Surfer SEO for effective experimentation and content optimization. Oliver also discusses adapting to SEO trends, including conversational search and natural language processing, and the critical distinction between strategy and tactics—ensuring that all marketing efforts are guided by a coherent, long-term plan. His agency focuses on partnering with clients who are committed to best practices, scalable growth, and measurable results, making strategy, testing, and platform diversification core principles of their approach. For more information or to explore working with Oliver, visit trustedsearchmarketing.com.

Quotes

“It’s not that your ads are getting stale or your landing pages are stale—it’s that your competitors are releasing ads and pages that convert better than yours.”

“The foundation is strategy first. You can have tactics, fads, and trends, but without the why, you’re just throwing things at the wall.”

“Keep it simple. A clean, to-the-point landing page often converts better than a complicated page with a hundred bells and whistles.”

“Success in digital marketing comes from continual testing, iterating, and adapting, not from set-it-and-forget-it campaigns.”

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:58 — 30.4MB) | Embed

837: Remote Work From Home Masterplan: Implement the Entrepreneur Lifestyle with Mike Arnold

January 18, 2022

Mike Arnold is a work-from-home entrepreneur with expertise in business management, business development, time management, strategy, efficiency, and coaching. He is the author of the book "Slacking Off," which aims to help people be happier and more efficient while working from home. Today, Mike talks about the challenges of working from home, including the need to have a plan and set boundaries to avoid distractions and maintain productivity. He emphasizes the importance of prioritizing self-care and being present during work tasks to ensure optimal performance.

In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Mike shares practical strategies for thriving as a remote worker, emphasizing the need for a personal plan, boundaries, and focus. He stresses that success in remote work comes from dedicating time to yourself first, managing distractions intentionally, and being fully present in meetings and calls. Mike highlights his book, Slacking Off, which provides exercises and insights to help remote workers analyze their habits, maintain work-life balance, and create personalized productivity strategies. He also discusses the broader impact of his work in medical technology, helping patients recover from home while providing efficiency for healthcare providers. Key takeaways include the importance of self-discipline, structured interaction for camaraderie, and mastering the balance between personal well-being and professional output.

Quotes

“The biggest principle is that when I’m 100% dedicated to me first, my performance is amazing. When I feel great, the rest of the day is effortless.”

“Working from home requires planning and intentionality—freedom without a plan often leads to wasted time.”

“Everyone benefits from understanding how they ‘slack off.’ Take a day, avoid work, and write down what you do—that’s the first step to mastering remote work.”

“Distractions, Zoom fatigue, and lack of camaraderie are real challenges, but structured focus and purposeful engagement can overcome them.”

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:13 — 31.5MB) | Embed

836: PodMatch: Network with Podcast Guests and Hosts to Build Your Reach, Influence, and Traffic with Alex Sanfilippo

January 13, 2022

Alex Sanfilippo is the host of the top-rated entrepreneurship podcast "Creating a Brand" now Podcasting Made Simple and the founder of PodMatch, a free service that connects podcast guests and hosts for interviews. Today, Alex discusses the importance of podcasting for building relationships and trust with listeners, as well as the challenges of finding guests and being a guest on other shows. He also shares insights on his new platform, Podcast SOP, which helps podcasters streamline their episode release process.

In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Alex discusses his current projects, including Pod Match and Podcast SOP, which streamline podcast guest matching and episode management. Pod Match connects hosts and guests efficiently, while Podcast SOP provides podcasters with a checklist-driven system to organize and track each episode’s production, including media uploads and real-time template updates. He shares practical strategies for pitching podcasts, emphasizing leading with value, making meaningful requests, offering credibility, and making it easy for hosts to say no. Key takeaways include treating podcasting as a consistent practice, focusing on serving audiences, and leveraging technology to reduce stress and improve workflow. Listeners can explore his work at creatingabrand.com, podmatch.com, and podcastsop.com.

Quotes

“People do business with who they know, like, and trust. Podcasting gives you the chance to develop that know, like, and trust in a way that a website or ad never can.”

“Lead with value, make a meaningful request, offer credibility, and make it easy for someone to say no. That’s the formula that gets responses.”

“Podcasting is practice—your goal is to serve people and help solve problems. If you focus on that, the rest falls into place.”

“The biggest reason podcasters fail is workflow stress. If you make releasing episodes easier, you make podcasting sustainable.”

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:40 — 30.1MB) | Embed

835: Leading Teams Effectively to Grow your Business with Amy Anderson

January 11, 2022

Amy Anderson is the Co-Founder of Wild Coffee Marketing, a widely respected and creative industry leader. She sees the unique opportunity to leverage creativity to transform both brands and entire organizations across multiple sectors. With her extensive experience as a marketing executive, Amy brings a strategic and client-centric approach to her work. Today, Amy talks about building a strong marketing team and developing a clear strategy before diving into implementation.

In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Anderson discusses her current work helping businesses accelerate growth through strategic marketing, content creation, and team management. She explains the value of fractional CMO services, emphasizing that her team functions as client-side marketers who both develop strategy and implement campaigns, covering channels from social media to video and AI-driven marketing. Key takeaways include the importance of time-blocking, clarity breaks, focused strategy before execution, and maintaining empathy and compassion for team members. Anderson encourages businesses to “not let great get in the way of good,” starting with practical, measurable actions that can be scaled and refined over time. Listeners are invited to learn more and explore her services at wildcoffeemarketing.com.

Quotes

“Your company’s own database is the most valuable asset you have, even if those leads seem cold; staying top of mind is critical.”

“Not letting great get in the way of good is key—deploy your work, iterate, and improve over time.”

“Empathy and compassion towards your team is essential, especially in a market with so much movement and chaos.”

“Marketing is simple: who are you, saying what, to whom, and when—everything else is execution around that core principle.”

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:15 — 32.5MB) | Embed

834: Built to Sell: Create a Business That Thrives On Its Own with John Warrillow

January 6, 2022

John Warrillow is an expert on helping business owners build, accelerate, and harvest the value of their businesses. He is the author of several books, including "Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You," "The Automatic Customer: Creating a Subscription Business in Any Industry," and "The Art of Selling Your Business: Winning Strategies and Secret Hacks for Exiting on Top." Today, John discusses his recent focus on launching a new product that aims to help entrepreneurs document their standard operating procedures, a crucial step in building a business that can run without the founder's constant involvement.

In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Warrillow discusses his current focus on helping entrepreneurs build businesses that succeed without their constant involvement. He highlights the risks of cross-selling multiple products and the importance of remaining disciplined in offering one differentiated service or product to maximize business value, illustrated by the story of Stephanie Breedlove, who sold her $9 million niche business for $54 million. Warrillow also shares the philosophy of treating a business like a child, nurturing it to independence. He promotes his books, including Built to Sell, The Automatic Customer, and The Art of Selling Your Business, as well as free resources and tools available at builttosell.com/marketer to guide entrepreneurs in systematizing their businesses and increasing long-term value.

Quotes

“Most of us entrepreneurs are Quick Starts; we’re great at starting things but not at systematizing them.”

“The biggest mistake most entrepreneurs make is cross-selling existing customers new things instead of focusing on the one thing they do best.”

“Think of your business as a child—you want it to grow into a happy, functioning entity that can succeed without you.”

“Once your business can succeed without you, you have all the cards: sell it, delegate it

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:15 — 26.1MB) | Embed

833: Have Meaningful Customer Surveys and Conversations to Create Meaningful Ideas with Darshan Mehta

January 4, 2022

Darshan Mehta is the founder of iRESEARCH, an insights platform to quickly and affordably extract insights from consumers worldwide. He also runs ConnectQuick.com, an app for instant connections and engaging interactions. Darshan has over 25 years of experience in branding, marketing, insights, strategy, and technology. Today, Darshan talks about tapping into consumer conversations to uncover valuable insights that can help businesses make informed decisions. He emphasizes the power of using humor and observations to understand consumer behavior and shares a case study of how a retailer improved their sales by adjusting their store hours based on customer insights.

In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Darshan explains how AI Research’s platform allows businesses to extract insights affordably and at scale, combining focus group-style conversations with survey validation. He stresses the importance of understanding the full customer experience, from pre-purchase research to post-purchase engagement, and how companies can use these insights to improve products, services, and marketing strategies. Darshan also discusses his upcoming book, Getting to Aha: Why Today’s Insights Are Tomorrow’s Facts, which explores how to identify and leverage actionable insights for business success. To learn more, listeners can visit ai-research.com or contact Darshan directly at DM@ai-research.com.

Quotes

“An insight is the combination of things put together that helps you understand what motivates or triggers consumers to act.”

“Most people nowadays are no longer buying products and services—they’re buying experiences.”

“When you have a group engaged in a conversation, patterns and commonalities emerge that let you validate or challenge your suspicions before scaling.”

“Sometimes simplicity and just doing it, guided by what your market is telling you, is the best way to reach the North Star you’re seeking.”

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:45 — 23.8MB) | Embed

832: Brand Strategy 101: Market and Product Research, Product Design, and Brand Awareness with Michael Keplinger

December 30, 2021

Michael Keplinger is the founder of SmashBrand, an agile brand strategy agency that specializes in market research, product design, and testing for consumer-packaged goods. Today, Michael shares his expertise in building successful CPG brands, highlighting the importance of leveraging partnerships, conducting thorough consumer research, and taking a strategic approach to branding and packaging to differentiate products in crowded marketplaces.

In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Michael shares his approach to brand strategy, including real-world examples like reimagining packaging for Red Gold canned tomatoes to capture attention and engage a younger, millennial parent audience. He explains that successful CPG branding requires a combination of market research, design, testing, and ongoing optimization to reduce risk and maximize shelf impact. Smash Brand works primarily with mid-sized CPG brands that need to make bold moves to stay relevant and competitive. For more insights, case studies, and resources, Michael directs listeners to smashbrand.com and his LinkedIn profile, where he shares examples of his agency’s work and thought leadership in the CPG space.

Quotes

“What gets me excited is putting a really good product on the shelf, not just what’s in the box, but how people perceive it.”

“Consumers have a lot more choices today, so elevating your brand and connecting emotionally with your audience is key.”

“The first objective is to stand out on the shelf, and then you bring your message and story forward.”

“Testing is an integral part of every step we do, helping clients make bold moves without risking their market share.”

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:28 — 22.6MB) | Embed

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