Business Growth Lab

With the rise of digital advancement and automation, people appreciate personalization even more. 

In this episode, search engine marketing expert, Damon Burton shares with us how he has grown his business and how you can use these techniques to grow yours. We delve into the practical ways to create genuine relationships with your clients, balancing automation and personalization, and the importance of SEO for your business. 

With SEO, when you write good content, solve problems, and answer questions, it will future-proof your SEO. If you can provide content that solves problems uniquely, you can rank uniquely. 

But with the information overload of what you have to do for your business to grow, this may cause analysis-paralysis. Instead of overthinking things, try taking imperfection actions and start. 

Start in order to figure out what’s going to work. Once you start, don’t give up. 

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Search Engine Optimization (4:00)
• People want to work with people they can trust (08:09)
• The importance of transparency (8:30)
• Justifying your rates (9:36)
• Niching down (12:33)
• Starting with high ticket prices (12:43)
• Building relationships with your clients (14:20)
• Balancing automatization and personalization (15:00)
• Anti-automation (18:25)
• Removing decision fatigue (19:55)
• Automate the systems but not the relationships (20:11)
• Creating a team before taking on big talents (24:30)
• Client retention (30:48)
• Providing transparency with your clients (31:26)
• Educating your clients and setting expectations (32:46)
• How SEO applies to coaches and mentors (35:09)
• You can’t rank uniquely without providing something unique (36:36)
• Google wants to provide an answer to user’s problems (37:16)
• Google’s auto-complete results (39:40)
• Using answerthepublic.com (40:35)
• Google can only rank what it can read (42:50)
• Voice search (43:29)
• Repurposing your content (44:34)
• Doing one thing really well (45:28)
• You have to start (50:15)
• Reach out to your fellow entrepreneurs (51:25)

For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/209-automate-systems-not-relationships-with-damon-burton

Typically, marketing is all about connecting to as many people as possible with the hope that someone will buy your product or service. 

The Dream 100 strategy uses a different approach. If you use it, you make a list of just 100 ideal clients and focus your marketing on these people. How different would your business be if you implement this strategy? We’re about to find out.

In this episode, we launch the Dream 100 Challenge. We will use social media (specifically LinkedIn) to find our dream client avatars, practise a nurture-before-connecting approach, and create a system to follow up on these prospects. We’ll be doing the challenge for a month and reporting on our results by October. Want to join this exciting challenge? Listen to this episode for the parameters.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• What is the “Dream 100” and who is Chet Holmes? (01:52)
• Your business doesn’t need as many customers as you want (04:44)
• Ideal client avatar vs. dream client avatar (06:30)
• Questions to ask when you want to determine your dream client? (08:23)
• The “Dream 100” Challenge (10:58)
• Using social media to find dream client avatars (12:04)
• Nurture the relationship before connecting (13:53)
• Systemise the workflow (17:35)
• A commitment to join the challenge (21:03)

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes

Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group.

CONNECT WITH SAMANTHA RILEY

SamanthaRiley.global

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CONNECT WITH TIM HYDE

Win More Clients

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For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/208-the-dream-100/

Have you ever wondered how to use case studies to grow your business? 

Case studies are used by businesses to show how their product or service has been implemented successfully by their customers and clients. They are an invaluable asset that establishes social proof of the results people could likely achieve by working with you.

In this episode, Anfernee Chansamooth shares 5 ways you can use case studies to grow your business. 

When you understand just how valuable case studies are in educating your prospects and increasing conversions, you won’t think twice about investing in case studies for your business. 

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Is your content producing the results you want for your business? (2:49)
• Are you investing your energy in the right place? (3:15)
• The power of using case studies (4:49)
• Case studies vs Testimonials (5:20)
• Fake and negative reviews (6:29)
• Ways you can use testimonials for your business (7:48)
• Using a case study interview to create a blog post (8:45)
• Posting your case studies on your social channels (11:27)
• Using your case studies in your email list (11:36)
• Putting your case study in your nurture sequence (12:30)
• Case studies in your presentations (13:20)
• Using case studies in your sales process (15:21)
• Case studies to frame your discovery calls (16:59)
• Understanding what your prospects want (18:37)
• Uncover your client’s pain points (18:57)
• Case studies must share tangible results (21:04)
• The art of soliciting good stories (22:57)
• Sharing relatable case studes (25:47)
• Allocating a budget to re-market your case studies (29:59)

For full show notes and links visit:  https://samanthariley.global/podcast/207-5-ways-to-use-case-studies-to-grow-your-business-with-anfernee-chansamooth

Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group.

Your website is the backbone of your business. It is a way to position yourself online as an authority through a strong and professional destination.

Sure, you may have your social media accounts but they are rented space. At any moment, these social media accounts can be shut down. In order for your business to succeed in the online marketplace, you’ve got to have a professional website.

In this episode, we delve into the importance of a website for your business and understanding what your website is for and where it sits in your marketing process. We also dive into the mistakes that a lot of business websites make and how to optimize your website for growth.

Without a strong website, you are missing out on opportunities for customers to identify who you are. 

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• How important is a website for your business? (2:20)
• You don’t own your social media accounts (3:23)
• Understanding what websites are for and where it sits in your marketing process (4:43)
• Websites for authority positioning and lead generation (5:39)
• Turn traffic into inquiries (6:05)
• Collecting email addresses (6:55)
• 75%-96% of people will never go back to your website (7:10)
• Lead magnets in exchange for your prospects email address (7:46)
• Are you making the 3 biggest mistakes?(9:06)
• Do you need a contact form on your website? (13:09)
• Not positioning yourself as an authority and not collecting leads (15:57)
• Single-page vs multi-page sites (16:33)
• Essentials of your business website (18:23)
• Your services and programs (21:22)
• Blog or podcast? (22:13)
• Contact page (22:50)

Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group.

For full show notes and links visit: Samanthariley.global

Business plans that were made 3 or 4 months ago may come off as dissonant today. With today’s financial and economic crisis, it is critical for businesses to think about their audience and what they’re going through. Understanding their client’s needs and how these needs have shifted in the last few months is key to pivoting your business.

In this episode, we delve into marketing as a holistic approach and re-aligning your business through authentic connection, understanding, and empathizing with your audience. 

Businesses can set themselves apart and thrive in today’s crisis through a holistic marketing approach by understanding that every little task is part of a bigger strategy and that everything is connected.

As an entrepreneur, collaboration, not competition is key.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Marketing is a holistic approach (1:46)
• Doing the deeper work with your ideal client avatar (2:45)
• Trial and error (3:02)
• The biggest opportunity for businesses right now (3:33)
• Connection, understanding, and empathy (4:52)
• Connecting with your audience on a deeper level (5:17)
• Human connection cannot be automated (5:30)
• Reaching out to your audience (5:55)
• The Law of Reciprocity (6:30)
• Pivoting from your audience’s perspective (6:45)
• Copy-catting (6:57)
• Being visible as a leader (7:46)
• Authentic leadership (8:25)
• Empathy with small business owners (9:18)
• The importance of a support network (14:55)
• Out of adversity comes opportunity (17:50)
• Collaboration over competition (18:36)
• Using the online space for your business (19:16)
• Monetizing your skills (20:09)
• Where should people focus when building a knowledge-based business? (21:44)
• Low-leverage pivoting (23:27)
• Getting your message out clearly (24:46)
• Online program creation (30:39)
• The massive influx of e-learning (32:31)
• Finding your community (34:26)
• Being emotionally invested in your client’s outcome (35:27)

Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group.

For full show notes and links visit:  https://samanthariley.global/podcast/205-out-of-adversity-comes-opportunity-with-jonathan-callinan

The first few months of 2020 felt like business as usual, then the rapid escalation of the pandemic forced a massive overnight transition into remote work. Six months in, some are now wondering what the “new normal” is going to look like.

In this episode, we discuss what business owners should be focusing on right now -  having the right mindset, reframing your goals, and optimizing your systems and processes in your business. Tha pandemic has made us more deliberate about where we are taking our businesses and our brands. 

Rather than seeking to turn back the clock and returning to normal, let us instead implement the lessons we can take from this experience in order for us to move forward both in our businesses and our lives. 

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• The concept of the new normal (1:56)
• The desire to go back to the way things were (2:10)
• The new normal is something that is right now (2:57)
• What does your new reality look like? (4:19)
• We need to act more conservatively (4:58)
• Setting goals (5:45)
• Pivoting and realigning (7:09)
• Predicting as far as we can (7:44)
• Surviving and thriving in the recession (8:05)
• Opportunities in the adversity (8:17)
• This is a wealth-distribution event (8:34)
• What business owners should be focusing on right now (9:10)
• Attracting the wrong audience (10:04)
• Zone of trust (11:19)
• Why cutting marketing budgets is dangerous (11:30)
• Mid-year planning (12:59)
• Contingency plans and continuity plans (14:39)
• Being more deliberate about where you’re taking your business (16:40)
• Online learning (16:48)
• Looking at your systems and processes (17:48)
• Going back to your old ways is a dangerous place (18:29)
• The right mindset (19:20)
• Reframe your goals and how you are going to achieve your goals (20:16)

Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group.

For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/204-the-new-normal

Staying top of mind and making sure that current and prospective customers are aware of your brand is important for any type of business, but even more so  during COVID lockdowns. 

Giving promotional products is one way to keep engaging your customers. 

But what type of gifts will effectively connect you with people you can’t meet face-to-face? 

When you think of promotional products, do you immediately think of another mug, pen, or notepad with your company’s logo on it? Are cheap promotional products less effective than expensive ones?

In this episode, I speak with Oksana Koriakova, marketing and brand engagement maverick and entrepreneur, about how to wow your clients using promotional gifts. 

Oksana freely shares her expertise, ideas and methods for using promotional products as part of your marketing strategy. 

Get out those free notepads and pens you’ve received at past conferences as this episode is chock full of tips you won’t want to miss. 

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• How to wow your clients using gifts (01:37)
• Top of mind and awareness are critical during COVID (03:22)
• Who leads your “thank you” department? (04:54)
• What do you do before and after your service? (05:26)
• You are not your customer (06:29)
• You don’t need a million-dollar budget, you just need to be smart (07:07)
• Use five-sense marketing for more engagement (07:24)
• Find the right product to take your customer on a journey (10:20)
• Oksana’s 5-step ‘Purpose Before Product’ process (11:33)
• Maximising bulk promotional products but still giving customers what they value (12:59)
• Tips to help your existing customers to refer you (15:22)
• Promotional products to effectively promote digital events and your company’s messages (19:50)
• You need a system and research so you can take your customers on a journey (28:13) 
• By adding value to your service, you may end up helping other businesses even through virtual means (31:58)

For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/203-promotional-products-to-effectively-market-your-company-with-oksana-koriakova

Today’s advanced digital age has changed the way we find clients and do sales. Using social networks to find, connect with and nurture sales prospects is an art that must be practiced. With the numerous platforms online, LinkedIn is the largest online networking site in the world.

Putting up a profile and posting content isn’t enough. What’s important is to really connect with people coming from a place of genuine generosity.  

In this episode, we assess how you can use your LinkedIn profile to attract clients and help grow your business by optimizing your profile, creating content that relates to your ideal client, and genuinely connecting with people.

Connect and converse with people as if you were in a room with them. LinkedIn is the world’s largest networking site. So treat it like one.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Nailing one social media platform before picking up more (2:55)
• Opportunities on LinkedIn (4:14)
• Your LinkedIn headline (6:12)
• Should your LinkedIn profile be your online resume? (7:04)
• Position your LinkedIn profile as a sales resource (7:26)
• Incongruence is a red flag (8:00)
• Using your banner as prime real estate (9:00)
• Commenting on other peoples content (10:30)
• Your about section (12:23)
• Reflecting the pain points of your ideal clients on your profile (13:06)
• Remember you call to action (13:40)
• Should you offer a lead magnet on your profile? (14:07)
• The importance of having a website (16:29)
• Positioning yourself as the authority (17:28)
• Publishing regular content (18:10)
• Long-term strategy: Building trust and authority (19:09)
• How often should you post content on LinkedIn? (19:43)
• Having a good mix of content (20:26)
• The Rule of Thirds for photos and videos (21:15)
• Engage with people (22:52)
• Treat LinkedIn as a networking site (24:04)
• Connecting from a place of genuine generosity (25:10)
• Know, Like and Trust (21:52)

Join the discussion thread for this episode over at The Thought Leaders Business Lab Community Facebook Group.

For full show notes and links visit:  https://samanthariley.global/podcast/202-amplify-your-results-on-linkedIn

Sales can sometimes be associated with money-grabbing and greed. Because of this mindset, many coaches sabotage themselves because they don’t want to be seen as that sleazy person. This mindset can make asking for money difficult for entrepreneurs.

In this episode, we chat with the Queen of Sales Mindset herself, Christine Schlonski.  We deep dive into the sales power formula and debunk the mindset of sales being sleazy and slimy, and give tips for you to understand how you can sell and still be authentic in the process. It’s not about the money but what money can do for you.

The more money your business has, the more you can do with it to help yourself and others around you.  When your cup is full the more you can learn, grow, and give, and money is just the vehicle for this. 

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• It all starts within (6:07)
• Sales Power Formula (6:21)
• The more money you have, the more choices you have (8:13)
• You can’t give from an empty cup (10:00)
• It’s about what money can do for you (10:06)
• Transform money into something better (11:50)
• The more your cup is full the more you can learn, grow, and give (12:02)
• Being clear on what is important to you (12:25)
• The effects of bliss and happiness vs frustration (13:27)
• Look at what you are giving and what are you asking (14:14)
• Keeping calm and staying focused (15:35)
• Getting clear on your values (16:42)
• Show up as the best version of yourself (16:50)
• Connect with people and exchange ideas (19:08)
• Don’t buy into everything (19:40)
• What can you do today to support someone on their journey? (20:35)
• Recognize and see your own value (22:07)
• Value for clients (26:45)
• The richer people are, the more they value their time (30:20)
• The ripple of impact (31:28)
• Surrounding yourself with the right people (35:29)
• The more you say NO, the more you can say YES (39:30)

For full show notes and links visit: https://samanthariley.global/podcast/201-heart-centred-selling-with-christine-schlonski 

Today’s episode marks a huge milestone as we are celebrating our 200th episode of the Thought Leaders Business Lab. 

Thank you so much for being part of our journey!

In this episode, we feature our listeners who have supported us throughout our 200 episodes and the questions you asked about our experiences and learnings as partners in business and life.

WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• Fun facts of the Thought Leaders Business Lab (1:32)
• Is the term “life partners should never be business partners” a myth? (4:57)
• How do you work through your disagreements? (8:43)
• Do you call each other on your BS when it’s needed and how do you help each other stay focused and in your zone of genius? (12:28)
• Risk tolerance levels when working together (21:57)
• How do you keep your business boundaries? (29:00)
• Burnout (29:17)
• Marriage comes first, business comes second (33:23)
• Not operating in your optimal state (34:20)
• Blocking your calendars out (35:08)
• The quality of your life depends on the questions that you ask (37:47)
• The biggest question we ask each other during these times (38:29)
• What are the biggest opportunities that entrepreneurs can take advantage of? (41:13)
• Re-aligning more often to stay on track (46:36)
• Communicating self-sabotages to each other (50:06)
• Empowering one another (53:35)
• How do you keep the flame in your relationship? (54:30)
• How do you honor each other’s energy? (57:51)
• How did you know it was time to start together in your business? (1:01:00)

For full show notes and links visit:  https://samanthariley.global/podcast/200-celebrating-200-episodes/