Marketer of the Day with Robert Plank: Business Growth & Entrepreneur Stories

Marketer of the Day with Robert Plank: Business Growth & Entrepreneur Stories

By Robert PlankBusinessEntrepreneurshipMarketingManagement
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Marketer of the Day with Robert Plank: Business Growth & Entrepreneur Stories episodes

  • People Don’t Buy During The Holidays?
    I don't lose any sleep over this, but I roll my eyes when someone says...
    November and December are slower months!
    No one is online during holiday time...
    Don't even bother marketing or sending emails until January...
    Don't you want to take some time off?
    And my answers are:
    Of course I take time off -- that's what scheduled blog posts and scheduled autoresponder emails put in the queue in advance are all about (bonus if people can't really tell if they're live or pre-scheduled)...
    Many people (not you personally, but others) are working too hard and not working smart enough. They could get a lot more done in less time AND possibly use these few days off to plan their next move or squeeze in an hour here and there...
    What about eBay? Amazon? Retail stores? There are tons of people buying. And if you say that's apples and oranges because I run an online business... well... aren't there some people out there who are using this end of the year time to look into running their own online business?
    Sure, grandma won't buy an e-book or course but grandma might give those grandkids gift cards or money that they'll use to build their business
    This is the last chance for many business owners to lock-in their purchases (business write-offs) for tax time -- for example, I bought myself Google Glass (now discontinued) during the holidays one year...
    And most importantly, what's the difference if you setup a web page in late December 2016 that gets sales in January 2017? February or March 2017? You have to set it up in the first place...
    "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." -- Zig Ziglar
    What's the easy answer? You need to setup, at the very least, an opt-in page and a sales letter using Paper Template.
    Of course take a bunch of time off to get that perspective, recharge your batteries and figure out your next move... but what counts is not so much thinking or planning, but ACTION...
    Setting up a web page that sells something is the best ACTION you can take this holiday season, and using WordPress plus Paper Template is the best way to do it quickly while also having all the little features you need.
    5 min
  • Why Are You Emailing Me On Christmas?
    "Why are you emailing me on a weekend / holiday?"
    That's the response I get every now and then and I hope that's a response you get in your business -- why is that I hope you get it?
    Because if people are unsubscribing from your list, if you have (a small percentage) of refunds, if (a few) people have some nasty things to say about you and your values...
    Then it means you've actually done some things in your business and you've built a big list of buyers...
    Very few people treat their online business like the machine that it can be and should be and it's some wasted potential.
    For example: what if you spent 20 minutes and grabbed 12 interesting YouTube videos? Maybe yours or maybe you found them... either way... schedule one in your blog for the first Friday in January 2017, another for February 2017, etc.
    Those are 12 touches you've just made with you and your subscribers...
    And how about this: go into your email autoresponder (you do have one and you are building a list, right?) and schedule a message for that Saturday sending people to your blog post, and maybe even a quick Sunday one reminding them to check it out if they missed it.
    If you have a product or membership site for sale, or heck, even a 2.99 Kindle book... I'm guessing that you haven't promoted it for a solid 5 days in a row lately!
    Look at the second week in January. Think of four pretty good reasons or interesting things about your Kindle book. Schedule a quick email for Monday with a subject line and 5 sentences saying... you probably have this problem... here's the solution and it's in my book...
    Tuesday... you might have problem #2 and here's solution #2 and the details of that solution are also in my book... repeat for Wednesday and Thursday...
    On Friday, don't worry about piling on even more information... just say... I've been giving you these solutions all week, it's shit or get off the pot time, here's my book.
    That right there is a whole week you can take off your business in 2017 and no one will ever have to know. Come back and see how many sales you brought in...
    Very few people take advantage of scheduled emails and they're available in every email autoresponder service. Schedule some emails to help fill out the calendar and keep "touching" those customers (but not in a weird way)...
    You can get content cranked out easily (I have a system for writing blog posts called R.A.T.G.U.M. and one for email marketing called P.A.I.N.T.) if you follow some sort of a template or system... and then let the machine (that autoresponder sending emails on a schedule) do the rest...
    And there's even better news: every autoresponder also has a "sent" folder... so... you can take the greatest hits of your email marketing and pile them into a follow-up sequence so that any new subscriber to your list gets your best stuff...
    I happen to think that MY best stuff is contained inside this course:
    Time Management on Crack
    More than a few people have told me that this is the guide they re-visit every year when they want to refresh and renew the important marketing stuff. I hope that's not too braggy and I also want you to check it out as soon as you see this, even though it's holiday time.
    (The holidays are a great time for me to go through a course, read some stuff, or watch some videos so that I get a little bit of a break from all the "usual" stuff.)
    14 min
  • Online Business Success: Why Some People “Make It” With Internet Marketing (And Others Don’t)
    This scares the heck out of me and maybe you can relate...
    I'm not sure how long you've been building your online business, buying courses and plugins, how long you've been on different marketers list and seen the affiliate contests and big launches...
    I ask myself these sorts of super scary questions all the time:
    "If such and such had a million dollar launch back in 2014, why haven't I heard anything from them since?"
    "If this other marketer made 2 million dollars in a day back in 2012, why are all their websites dead and gone just 5 years later?"
    The short answer is that they didn't systematize and checklist-ify their business using something like this:
    Time Management on Crack
    Tons of internet marketing names have completely disappeared from the face of the planet and I don't think they were abducted by aliens... so why do some people seem to:
    Have made money back in the day but seem to be struggling now (not really mailing or promoting)...
    OR: Been super successful back then but now I can't find any websites or even what I bought from them...
    What's the difference? Here's what I think it is...
    1. they actually have a way to make consistent money over time (as opposed to the huge launch where 30% goes to refunds and 60% to affiliates)...
    ... A launch of any kind with affiliates is a great way to build a list, but if you don't monetize that list into some recurring passive income within a few months, you'll find that the list goes cold/stale and you'll have to rebuild it every year...
    2. they have fun with this internet marketing thing (hint: seeing money come in every day from your efforts is a huge way to have fun with your business)
    There are going to be up's and down's in your business and what's frustrating sometimes is that you DON'T get paid while you're building something (sales letter, product, membership site) but then you DO get paid after it's done -- so you have to "have faith" and enjoy the adventure, be an entrepreneur and rise to the challenge to overcome whatever obstacle is in front of you
    3. they reinvent themselves every few years: I see some people trying to teach article marketing and "how to make an e-book" using the same stuff they taught 10 years ago...
    It's perfectly ok to sell your best and classic stuff, and if it's still selling, keep promoting it! It would be a waste to just throw away old products and websites if they still deliver great value... BUT...
    I believe that you and your business are screwed if you aren't looking to reinvent yourself every 3-5 years or so.
    I used to be known as just a PHP programmer
    Then a WordPress person
    I sold low priced plugins for a while
    Then transitioned into high ticket courses
    Then built software into our courses
    And now we're building some software-as-a-service tools such as Website Remote
    4. and finally, successful people use systems, templates, and checklists so they can get those daily repetitive tasks (writing content, creating videos, running webinars) completed (those add up to a lot over time) AND have fun doing what pays the bills and get to the creative and weird stuff...
    I take tons of time off in my business and you don't even know it because everything still runs... emails still go out, membership sites take orders and the help desk tickets are still answered. All those recurring payments come in every morning, and I want that for you too.
    If you feel like in 2016 you could have done more, you were burned out every once in a while and didn't know why or how to avoid it (or shorten the burnout length of time) next time, if you weren't having fun, if you felt like you started more things than you finished... and you want to CHANGE THAT in 2017, then I believe this is the guide for you:
    Time Management on Crack
    9 min
  • 209: The New Brand You: Work with Your Ideal Clients and Discover What You Were Made to Do with Julie Broad
    Julie Broad from Have More Influence asks, "If money wasn't a factor, what would you do?"
    Julie Broad is a Canadian entrepreneur, real estate investor, and author. She holds an MBA and has been recognized with the Top 20 Under 40 award for Vancouver Island. Julie started her career in sales and developed a "Freedom 35" plan to create financial independence through real estate investments. She successfully built a real estate training and investment business, and later transitioned into helping entrepreneurs build their personal brands. Julie is the author of two books: "More Than Cashflow" and "The New Brand You," both of which became Amazon bestsellers. Her work focuses on helping introverts and new entrepreneurs learn effective selling and branding strategies.
    She wants to help you serve instead of sell and think about how you can help others. As a result, you can become the name people know about a given subject. She also tell us about her adventures in real estate, book publishing, online training, and more.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JetVD7-w84
    Quotes:                                                                                                                                   
    “When I shifted my focus to how I could help this person instead of how I could secure the deal or win the client, everything changed for me.” – Julie Broad
    “Ultimately, I think it all comes back to taking action, because I wouldn’t have figured out any of these things if I hadn’t taken action.” – Julie Broad
    “It's hard to play both roles. If you're constantly thinking that this person might not do the work or invest in you, then you won’t be able to fully commit and genuinely coach them.” – Julie Broad
    Takeaways:
    02:34 Create content that reveals real, unfiltered stories to stand out in your industry.
    08:36 Use partnerships and existing platforms to jumpstart your business growth.
    14:04 Take consistent action and be willing to pivot when your current strategy isn't working.
    23:49 Build a brand that attracts clients instead of chasing them through traditional sales methods.
    28:49 Focus on serving others rather than selling, which makes communication easier for introverts.
    Resources
    Have More Influence (Blog)
    The New Brand You (Book)
    36 min
  • 208: Authority Selling: Win the “Zero Moment of Truth” Game and Use Your Authority Positioning Assets to Get More Business with Mike Saunders
    Mike Saunders from MarketingHuddle.com (author of the book Authority Selling) tells us about the Zero Moment of Truth.
    Mike Saunders is an authority marketing strategist who helps business owners enhance their competitive edge by building expertise and authority. He is the host of Business Innovators Radio and the author of "Authority Selling," a book published with an endorsement from Tom Hopkins. Mike runs Marketing Huddle, a company that assists entrepreneurs in developing their professional brand through strategic positioning. He specializes in helping clients create authority positioning portfolios and has a unique system for helping professionals become published authors without writing a single word.
    Every business has a "Moment of Truth" where a customer discovers if that business delivers on their promises or not. These days, the "Zero" Moment of Truth exists -- where your future customers check the online breadcrumbs of your business before they even interact with you. Mike tells us how to educate those customers and provide a consultation as opposed to an outdated presentation or sales pitch.
    For practical ways to turn that educational approach into useful business relationships, read The Go-Giver in practice, including Mike’s approach to helping prospects before the first sales conversation.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEUGNpmiuRU
    Quotes:                                                                                                                                   
    “You can start as the big fish in a small pond, and as you develop and grow, that pond expands, becoming larger and larger over time.” – Mike Saunders
    “It's about establishing yourself as an expert and authority by taking on the roles of educator and advocate for your target audience.” – Mike Saunders
    “People are busy, and they carefully choose how to spend their moments of time.” – Mike Saunders
    Takeaways:
    04:14 Know your target audience precisely, not just a broad group of potential customers.
    10:53 Being interviewed on a podcast builds more trust than simple advertising or coupons.
    14:27 Modern consumers research businesses thoroughly before making first contact, known as the "zero moment of truth".
    18:06 Having a book, media mentions, and speaking engagements increases your perceived value and expertise.
    22:41 You can create a book without writing by being interviewed about your business expertise.
    32 min
  • 207: Publish a Book and Discover Your Ideal Audience with Jan Bear
    Jan Bear is a professional book publishing consultant who specializes in helping independent solopreneurs write and publish books. She has expertise in book design, interior layout, and guiding authors through the writing process. Currently, she is working on a book titled "You, Author" which aims to help people who don't see themselves as traditional writers create compelling books. Jan runs Author Impact Publishing, a website dedicated to helping professionals use books to attract clients and build their business reputation.
    Jan Bear from Author Impact Publishing has three simple questions for you:
    Who's your audience
    What do you want to accomplish with your book?
    What does this book have to do with your career over a lifetime?
    By having a clear plan for your book, and knowing your goals, you can avoid many of the usual author mistakes such as trying to "writing for everybody" AND you can publish something with consistency that matches the mood of your reader.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PQM_pzQpZA
    Quotes:                                                                                                                                   
    “If you're trying to write for everyone, remember that there is no such thing as "everyone"—it's simply an abstract idea. However, by narrowing down your audience to a specific group, you can refine your approach and shape the direction your book takes.” – Jan Bear
    “You don't need to sell a single copy of your book if you're using it to attract clients and enhance your reputation. In other words, if you're earning profits through related opportunities, you can give away every copy of your book.” – Jan Bear
    “You always need another pair of eyes to make sure your book is good.” – Jan Bear
    Takeaways:
    05:19 Identify your specific audience before writing a book to create a focused, impactful message.
    13:19 A book can serve multiple purposes beyond sales, such as attracting clients and building professional reputation.
    16:05 Book design matters - font choices and interior layout can subtly influence reader perception and engagement.
    24:38 Get outside help to overcome writing roadblocks, whether through editors, proofreaders, or support groups.
    23:25 Don't let perfectionism or rushed writing prevent you from completing your book.
    31 min
  • 206: Overcome Adversity: Find Centeredness, Calm and Focus with Heather Choate
    Heather Choate was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 29 while ten weeks pregnant.
    Heather Choate is a bestselling author and entrepreneur who overcame significant personal challenges. After being diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant with her sixth child, she fought through treatment and maintained her writing career. Her memoir, "Fighting for Our Lives," ranks in the top 10 women and Christian memoirs on Amazon. Heather now runs the Panda Sphere Project, an online coaching business where she helps others develop mental strength and overcome personal obstacles. She is a mother of six children and has built multiple successful businesses while navigating her health crisis.
    By overcoming this unexpected adversity (as well as other up's and down's) Heather was tested to the max. During this time, she mastered using deep meditation (and visualization) for focus (and strength), anchoring (for confidence), and quiet focused times during the day (for calmness and clarity). Tune in to discover how to listen to your own voice, do what you love, and follow your passion.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yrLT8Tgu4Y
    Quotes:                                                                                                                                   
    “We live in the distraction age, so it's really hard to stay focused unless you do that training time.” – Heather Choate
    “Life is short; we don't know how long we'll be here. Therefore, we need to do what we love, pursue what fulfills us, and find passion and meaning in life.” – Heather Choate
    “We know the answers to our questions better than we realize; we just need to trust ourselves and rely on our gut feelings or intuition.” – Heather Choate
    Takeaways:
    01:32 Use anchoring techniques to tap into positive emotional states when you need confidence.
    10:01 Visualization and mental preparation can help you stay calm during high-stress situations.
    15:26 Find work that truly fulfills you, even if it means making significant career changes.
    19:38 Take time for quiet self-reflection to understand your true goals and desires.
    21:35 Seek mentorship and coaching to gain clarity and overcome personal challenges.
    26 min
  • 205: Branding: Strategically Focus Your Pricing, Content, Client Acquisition, Company Culture, Business Model, Customer Experience, and Identity with Natasha Davis
    Natasha Davis is a branding expert and consultant who helps companies develop strategic visual, auditory, and emotional branding. She is the author of the book "Be Unleashed: Unleashing Millionaire Mindset and Build Your Brand," which she co-wrote with six other entrepreneurs. Natasha runs Impact Branding Consulting and has been in business for 11 years, specializing in working with healthcare, agencies, and service professionals. Her expertise focuses on helping micro and small businesses understand the critical differences between marketing and branding.
    Natasha Davis from Impact Branding Consulting says that many business owners confuse marketing (psychological minutiae that let people know your business is present, i.e. t-shirts) with actual branding (pricing, content, client acquisition, culture, business model, expertise you have, identity).
    Don't do so many things that you can't differentiate yourself in a unique way! Branding is the difference between being seen as a "Target" business or a "Dollar Store" business. Decide what type of client you want, and then develop a profile of what that ideal client looks like.
    Identify that ideal client's commonalities and observable behaviors (business size, industry, where they hang out, social networks, how to get in touch, follow-up) and characteristics (what you can only identify by talking to them -- if they're ready to get started and how accountable and coachable they are).
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_15dl6DKqZU
    Quotes:                                                                                                                                   
    “Branding transforms a company from merely being recognized to establishing true brand equity. Only by developing brand equity can a business scale effectively and be acknowledged as a well-suited company.” – Natasha Davis
    “The foundation of any business is its clients. If your clients aren't happy, your business won't thrive, and your finances will struggle.” – Natasha Davis
    “An ideal client is one who values your work and recognizes that they are investing in the solutions you have developed.” – Natasha Davis
    Takeaways:
    02:28 Branding goes far beyond logos and websites - it's a strategic approach to defining your business's core identity and value.
    12:07 Pricing should be a strategic decision based on the type of clients you want to serve, not just matching competitors' rates.
    15:23 Identifying your ideal client requires understanding both observable behaviors and hidden characteristics that make them a perfect match for your services.
    17:49 Different industries require unique communication approaches, and understanding your target market's communication style is crucial for successful client acquisition.
    21:25 Investing time in research and preparation before implementation can save significant money and increase business success.
    Resources
    Impact Branding Consulting (Website)
    Be Unleashed (Book)
    The Difference Between Marketing and Branding (Blog Post)
    31 min
  • 204: Solve a Problem with Non-Fiction or Entertain with Fiction: Sell More Amazon Books, Attract Reviews and Increase Book Sales with Jim Kukral
    Jim Kukral is an experienced internet marketing professional with nearly 20 years of expertise helping small and large businesses grow online. He has worked with major companies like FedEx, Sherwin Williams, and Progressive Auto Insurance. Jim is an author who has published over 10 books, including a traditionally published book with Wiley and Sons. He runs Author Marketing Club, a website that provides tools and training for book authors looking to market their work effectively.
    Publisher Jim Kukral from Author Marketing Club wants you to create a non-fiction book to solve a problem, or a fiction book to entertain. Jim lays out a scenario where he targeted a big group to solve a problem with a clear title, as in, "Social Media Marketing for Real Estate Agents." In the book, he explained what business owners should do, and provided a free 15-minute phone consultation in the back of the book to close clients.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8m9CpjSp1U
    Quotes:                                                                                                                                   
    “There are two main reasons people use the internet: first, to solve a problem, and second, to be entertained.” – Jim Kukral
    “The greatest thing about Amazon and selling books online is that the market is controlled by the readers.” – Jim Kukral
    “People prefer to hire individuals they feel comfortable with—those they know, like, and trust. A book helps establish and strengthen that trust.” – Jim Kukral
    Takeaways:
    02:39 People use the internet for two core reasons: to solve problems or be entertained, which directly maps to nonfiction and fiction book purposes.
    05:45 Writing a book with a clear, direct title that describes exactly what it does can help attract the right audience and build credibility.
    12:23 Revealing all your professional secrets in a book won't hurt your business - most people still want someone else to do the work for them.
    18:52 Success in book publishing requires writing in a genre with a large market and creating multiple books to build a sustainable income stream.
    20:50 Digital publishing allows authors to update and improve their books based on reader feedback, making the writing process more dynamic.
    26 min
  • 203: Write a Book, Become a Bestseller, and Iterate Your Way to Kindle Publishing Success with Tom Corson-Knowles
    Tom Corson-Knowles is an international best-selling author and entrepreneur who specializes in Kindle publishing. He founded TCK Publishing, an independent book publishing company, and created the Ebook Publishing School. Tom has written multiple books, including the Kindle Publishing Bible and a book about Facebook marketing for business owners. He helps authors write, publish, and market their books through his training courses and publishing services.
    Tom Corson-Knowles from TCK Publishing and Ebook Publishing School has great news: it's easy to publish lots of content and scale your business by approaching Amazon publishing in a scientific, step-by-step mindset:
    Write down a list of 20-40 book ideas in a tool such as EverNote
    Research: find the marketplace gaps and see how similar books are selling
    Hook: narrow down one unique idea and craft a clear message
    Brainstorm: develop your promise and decide what readers want to know (these are more than just chapters, they include additional videos and checklists)
    Speak out the book (you can even use your smartphone)
    Editing/revision
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUq3OwBDFeI
    Quotes:                                                                                                                                   
    “Business has never been easier than it is today. There has never been a time in human history when it has been simpler to start a business, make money, publish books, or write books.” – Tom Corson-Knowles
    “You need to focus on what you can control in life, rather than dwelling on what you cannot control.” – Tom Corson-Knowles
    “A great book is crafted by offering something uniquely valuable. It must stand out, as writing another generic "me-too" book won't make an impact.” – Tom Corson-Knowles
    Takeaways:
    06:24 Research market gaps and reader needs by carefully studying book reviews on Amazon to create unique, valuable content.
    10:39 Don't get stuck in planning; take action quickly and iterate your book development process, treating it like climbing a mountain with changing perspectives.
    18:47 Schedule dedicated time for book writing, treating it like a critical appointment that you cannot miss.
    26:46 Success in publishing requires perfecting multiple elements: book title, cover, description, keywords, reviews, and branding.
    29:28 Choose evergreen book topics that remain relevant over time, avoiding rapidly changing technical markets.
    Resources
    TCK Publishing (Website)
    33 min

About Marketer of the Day with Robert Plank: Business Growth & Entrepreneur Stories

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Marketer of the Day with Robert Plank is a daily business podcast for entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, consultants, agency owners, coaches, authors, speakers, and expert-led service businesses that want…