The Financial Gravity Podcast

Perry Marshall is a marketer extraordinaire, and is famous in the marketing world for his books on Google Adwords, and advertising on Facebook. Many of his customers come to him to figure out how to turn clicks into customers, but in today’s episode, he will be sharing more about his insight into the 80/20 principle, and how it applies to marketing. Listen to Perry deconstruct one of the fundamental laws of not just economics and the marketplace, but the universe, and pick up some great tips on how to leverage that, to grow your business!

Key Takeaways:

[:20] John welcomes his guest for this episode — Perry Marshall.

[2:10] Perry gives us his elevator pitch about what he does.

[4:04] What exactly is the 80/20 principle from a global standpoint, and how has Perry applied it directly to marketing?

[6:16] 80/20 isn't merely an economic rule of thumb; it is a law of cause and effect all over the universe. Perry explains with an example.

[9:00] It's easy to see the 80/20 in hindsight, but how can you use 80/20 in advance?

[13:08] Combining the principle of the hyper-responsive customer and 80/20, gives you a very predictable set of behaviors from these customers.

[15:11] John poses Perry a question based on an example that's relevant to many — if you increase the price on an existing product, does the 80/20 rule still apply?

[21:00] John shares his own experience of buying a company built around a software. His experience fits the 80/20 rule perfectly!

[22:56] Perry suggests looking into what band of financial value hasn't been harnessed to raise the value of a company.

[26:14] Perry talks about finding the levers that were previously invisible. What lever would make a customer buy an espresso machine as opposed to an espresso?

[32:40] Guessing is never a good idea when it comes to choosing between ideas. One person can almost never guess what thousands of people will like or not like.

[37:03] It's easier to work with the world that is, instead of the world that should be.

[42:35] Perry gives a living example of the split-test, something marketers should always do to determine where the market wants to go.

[47:30] Just by observing what happens in the marketplace, good marketers can identify some huge levers that allow them to flow with the natural way the market is moving.

[48:47] John has a story to share about Perry!

[49:59] Perry has a special offer on his book — buy it for $.01 + shipping, and get some bonuses with it! Get it from his website!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Financial Gravity

The Financial Gravity Podcast with John Pollock

Ultimate Guide to Google Adwords, by Perry Marshall

Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising, Perry Marshall and Keith Krance

80/20 Sales and Marketing, by Perry Marshall

Pareto Principle

Brian Kurtz

Michael and Teresa Blaes are a couple who run a marketing company, but what’s interesting about them is that they are both blind. As blind marketers in a visual world, they help business owners see and correct the blind spots in their marketing. In this episode, Michael, Teresa, and John discuss the challenges that come with running a business, and the advantages that their handicaps have given them. Tune in to find out how marketers can make their websites and content suitable for the accessibility community, and tap into a huge market.

Key Takeaways:

[:20] John introduces his two special guests for this episode — Michael and Teresa.

[1:11] What is Michael and Teresa's elevator pitch? What do they do?

[1:57] How did Michael and Teresa first meet? It was not love at first sight!

[3:33] How have Michael and Teresa learned to balance living, and working together in the business?

[6:04] Having very clearly defined roles helps to reduce conflict.

[7:57] Michael and Teresa run a marketing business. How can they understand marketing if they can't see? How do they build visuals?

[12:03] Should marketers focus on designing their websites around copy first, and then worry about the pretty pictures later?

[13:56] What other unique abilities do Michael and Teresa have, that separate them from other marketers?

[18:52] What are some things that Michael and Teresa are not good at? How do they work together to balance their weaknesses out?

[22:47] There's a huge market out there for the accessibility community. How can marketers design their products and services, to make them more accessible?

[28:19] Technology has helped the accessibility community quite a bit. Michael and Teresa share their experiences.

[31:32] What are some technologies that have enabled Teresa and Michael to be more effective in the workplace?

[37:08] Is there a need to divide between web design and web engineering? Teresa's anecdote reveals how important it really is.

[42:29] John hopes accessibility will not become a "peanuts" situation, where it is required in government regulation, but from a marketing standpoint, it does make sense to increase accessibility to tap into a huge market.

[44:05] Have Teresa and Michael found Amazon's Echo Dot product, and found it useful in their lives?

[48:40] You can contact Michael and Teresa via their website, and do check out their podcast, the Small Business Puzzle Podcast. They're also offering listeners access to a cheat sheet with ideas you can use on your website — check out the link in the notes!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Financial Gravity

The Financial Gravity Podcast with John Pollock

Two Blind Marketers & Associates

TRACTION: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth, by Gabrien Weinberg and Justin Mares

Downcast

ROCKET FUEL: THE ONE ESSENTIAL COMBINATION THAT WILL GET YOU MORE OF WHAT YOU WANT FROM YOUR BUSINESS, by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters

iPhone

Applevis.com

Buffer

Social Jukebox

Amazon Echo Dot

The Podcast Report with Paul Colligan

Small Business Puzzle Podcast

Small Business Puzzle Podcast - Cheat Sheet

Hussain Manjee is a close friend of John’s, and a part of his Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) group. Hussain’s primary company is DHD Films, but he is also the Managing Partner of Video Plus Print, a company that is revolutionizing video and print technology by combining the two in a way that has never been done before.  Tune in to find out more about what Hussain’s company is doing in the video content space, and how it could boost your company’s business.

Key Takeaways:

[:19] John introduces his guest for this episode — Hussain Manjee.

[2:02] What is Hussain's origin story? He shares the origin of his name and his family background.

[3:48] Hussain's primary company is DHD Films. What exactly does DHD Films do, and how did Hussain make the migration to his video plus print business?

[6:07] The technology behind Hussain's video plus print business is amazing.

[7:03] Hussain's company actually invented this technology of putting a screen on essentially something that can be discarded in 2009!

[8:31] Hussain gives a quick case study about how this technology has an incredibly high open rate of 700% — people not only open this mailer, they also share it with others in their network!

[10:40] What makes Hussain's team so successful is they not only have the technology, but they also have the content that makes this product so powerful for clients.

[11:24] What was Hussain's entrepreneurial journey like?

[15:00] Hussain talks a little about partnership and using wedding films as a springboard to prepare himself to enter the corporate space.

[18:10] One of the reasons why Hussain's company never had to fight the commodity game is because they believe in being really innovative.

[19:32] The idea of planned obsolescence comes up here — if you don't find a way to make yourself obsolete, your competition definitely will.

[20:35] The next new thing Hussain's company is working on is hologram products!

[21:30] Did Hussain have an experience where he thought it was the end of his entrepreneurial journey, but it wasn't? His franchising business did not end perfectly, and he shares some insights.

[24:15] John and Hussain discuss problem solving — if something goes wrong, find out what went wrong, so that you can fix it and never have it happen again. Remember too that your problems can be a gift to others, who can learn from your mistakes.

[27:04] What is Hussain's superpower?

[30:07] What is Hussain's major weakness that he has had to figure out a way to compensate for?

[32:52] What are the apps and technology that Hussain can't live without?

[38:48] John winds down this episode with a personal anecdote of his friendship with Hussain.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Financial Gravity

The Financial Gravity Podcast with John Pollock

Video Plus Print

DHD Films

Video Plus Print e-Product Brochure

Delivered from Distraction, by Edward Hallowell

Evernote

Optimize

Audible

Headspace

The IRS taxes gambling profits, but they still take a loss for March Madness.

Key Takeaways:

[:22] The NCAA’s college basketball tournament, March Madness, has become an unofficial national holiday season.

[1:02] College basketball players don’t get paid, but the average salary in the NBA tops $5,000,000.

[1:26] The IRS cashes in on March Madness through gambling.

[2:01] Gambling winnings are taxable, and gambling losses are deductible — but only to the extent of gambling winnings.

[2:40] One research firm estimates that March Madness costs the economy $1.8 billion in lost productivity.

[3:47] There’s not a lot of planning we can do for March Madness windfalls, but what we can plan on is playing hard to help you keep your hard-won money. Contact Financial Gravity with your tax plan questions.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Financial Gravity

Shama Hyder is the CEO of the Marketing Zen Group, a marketing and PR company that serves clients globally. Named one of the top entrepreneurs by Businessweek in “25 under 25,” Shama is also a bestselling author, and has won many awards in the entrepreneurship field. Shama shares her story of being an immigrant in the U.S., and how that has shaped her as an entrepreneur. Tune in to this episode to learn more about Shama’s perspectives on social media, marketing, and the future of the digital age.

Key Takeaways:

[:20] John introduces his guest for this episode — Shama Hyder.

[1:40] Shama comes from a family of entrepreneurs and a family of immigrants. How has that informed who Shama is now? How has her background shaped her?

[3:06] Shama immigrated from India when she was 9, and so has experiences from her native country.

[4:17] For Shama, it was harder to move from New York to Texas, than it was to move from India to New York. She shares her experiences.

[6:37] Moving between different cultures taught Shama to roll with the punches.

[7:00] The Eastern education system taught Shama discipline, which made it easier for her to add creativity and teamwork aspects that the U.S. education system emphasizes.

[9:24] John shares his attitude toward education with his children — it's a means to an end.

[10:28] Shama wrote her thesis on Twitter, when there were only 1000 people on Twitter. What fascinated her about that?

[13:33] Shama wanted to work for a company that focused on that industry, but it didn't exist.

[16:12] Shama's passion as a kid was people and studying them. It's her superpower!

[18:00] Why didn't Shama end up in sociology instead of communications?

[19:30] One of the reasons Shama's company, Marketing Zen, has grown, is because they're good at figuring out what's now and what's next.

[22:05] Shama believes that a lot of people get caught up in what's next, but that they forget to consider what's happening right now.

[26:19] Shama shares a story about turning a negative situation into a positive one, and a marketing success!

[29:40] It is easy to blame the administration for the way things are, but they actually have a really small role. It is more important to see the opportunity and adapt to the situation.

[31:35] Shama was named one of the top entrepreneurs by Businessweek, "25 under 25". It's easy to see the benefits of that, but what were some negative aspects of that?

[36:30] Where is Marketing Zen now? Where does Shama see the future going, as it relates to social media and marketing?

[39:56] Being an entrepreneur is exceptionally artistic. The combination of commerce and creativity requires a lot of artistry, and that is lost on a lot of people.

[43:16] What app or technology is Shama using that she'd like to share with us?

Mentioned in This Episode:

Financial Gravity

The Financial Gravity Podcast with John Pollock

Shama Hyder

Marketing Zen

Slack

Today our host, Ed Lyon, gives us a brief but interesting look at the British territory Gibraltar. At first it seems that he may be advocating moving there to shelter taxes, until he reveals a larger country that most don’t realize is a tax haven, as well.

Key Takeaways:

[:20] In Roman mythology, the hero Hercules uses his divine strength to smash through the mountain that used to be Atlas. In so doing, he created the Rock of Gibraltar.

[:45] Gibraltar has been a key military crossroad throughout history. It is also a natural paradise and home to Europe’s only wild monkeys.

[1:06] Britain seized Gibraltar from Spain in 1704, and a treaty was issued in 1713.

[1:16] Winston Churchill issued an order to keep the population of wild monkeys up during World War II.

[1:43] How does tiny little Gibraltar make a living?

[2:47] Gibraltar is probably not a true tax haven, still its low taxes have made it home to 30,000 people and 30,000 corporations.

[4:08] The citizens of Gibraltar have some unconventional tax collectors — the wild monkeys.

[4:44] The United States is ranked the number three tax haven in the world. So, you don’t need to move offshore to save money on taxes, you just need a plan. Call Financial Gravity to make that plan.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Financial Gravity

John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing is a certifiable genius. He is a marketing genius and a rockstar in the marketing community. He has recently published a new book, SEO for Growth, about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how it affects the growth of your business. In this episode, John and John discuss the need for a fresh new way of looking at the concept of SEO and how to best take advantage of it to grow your business to new heights. Tune in for all the information you need about SEO, and more!

Key Takeaways:

[:17] John introduces his guest for this episode — John Jantsch.

[:57] John Jantsch is trying to get people to rewire their brains a little when it comes to SEO. He explains more.

[3:15] The days of the Yellow Pages and pretty ads that spoke to people are gone. Google is just trying to deliver relevant content to its users!

[5:25] John Jantsch's new book has 10 pages of testimonials at the very beginning! What was his thinking behind that?

[7:32] How do we need to rewire our brains, whether it’s related to selling a product nobody has heard of, or appearing on the first page of search engine results?

[12:16] There are a few questions you need to answer when it comes to building your website: Who exactly are you trying to attract? What do you want them to do when they get to your website? What's the biggest problem that they have?

[14:00] John Jantsch ends each chapter with an expert to watch in that strategy. What was his thinking behind that?

[19:00] One of the biggest contributing factors to SEO is backlinks — The best form of link building today is networking.

[21:01] How do we have to think about things as they relate to SEO? John Jantsch explains with the example of the tax blueprint.

[28:32] One of John Pollock's frustrations with the info-marketing world is everybody will teach you how to do something, but nobody does anything. How does John Jantsch deal with that?

[31:00] Pure traffic to a website is not the objective — relevant traffic is!

[32:34] John Pollock encourages you to follow the experts in John Jantsch's book like a sycophant!

[33:33] After learning about what the experts are doing, if all you want to do is to get someone else to handle it for you, what do you do?

[36:21] Is there any certification program in the SEO world that eliminates the need to ask the right questions?

[38:40] John Jantsch knew when he wrote the book that some business could spring from it.

[40:57] John Jantsch's company has created a really robust audit to help you identify the issues in your online presence, and produce a roadmap for what your priority fixes are, and recommendations for ramping up your marketing. Check out the link to the Total Online Presence Audit for more information.

[45:20] Buy John Jantsch's books SEO for Growth, and Duct Tape Marketing — they're great resources for you to have!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Financial Gravity

The Financial Gravity Podcast with John Pollock

SEO for Growth, by John Jantsch

The Financial Gravity Podcast with John Pollock, Episode 31: Abundance 360 - Looking to the Future

Search Engine Journal

Search Engine Watch

SEO for Growth

Duct Tape Marketing

Duct Tape Marketing, by John Jantsch

In recent years, Americans have lost their thrifty, self reliant attitudes and adopted a “just throw it away and buy a new one” lifestyle. Sweden has noticed a similar trend amongst its citizens, and has decided to use their tax laws to change it.

Key Takeaways:

[:18] For generations, Americans fostered a culture of thrifty self-reliance and repair.

[1:04] We have become a “throwaway” society.

[1:44] Sweden has seen a similar trend.

[2:01] Sweden has passed a new law, cutting taxes on “fixing things.”

[3:41] These tax incentives should encourage Swedes to buy higher quality products, and repair them when they break.

[4:00] The new law will cost Sweden a significant amount of money.

[4:15] How is your tax plan looking these days? Is it still shiny and new? Or is it starting to show some wear and tear? Tax planning is an ongoing process that needs periodic maintenance and tuning. Let us help you. Visit FinancialGravity.com for more information.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Financial Gravity

In this episode, John talks about a conference he went to in January, called Abundance 360. This conference has been held for the last 5 years, and John has attended the last 2 of them. It is a technology conference that looks at trends within various technologies. Next year, they plan on doing a whole segment on education, and where technology in education is headed. Tune in to hear more about new technologies and companies you should look out for in the months ahead!

Key Takeaways:

[:17] Today's episode is going to be a little different — John will be talking about a conference he attended in January, Abundance 360.

[4:59] There were very fascinating technologies shown at the conference, including "Pilot," an in-ear language translation device, and a computer that can identify and diagnose skin diseases better than humans.

[7:28] Follow Peter Diamandis, the brain behind the conference. He predicts car ownership will be dead by 2025!

[11:05] Primitive human emotions are not going to change, and neither will human needs.

[11:52] Drones! Technology is heading in the direction of autonomous drones.

[13:01] John highlights some companies to keep your eye on, such as Juicero, Dreamscape, Focus at Will, Saw (3D Printer), Lifecore, Bolt Threads.

[21:13] The world is going to have tons of artificial intelligence. We're going to be seeing a convergence of technologies that will result in more intelligent AI.

[23:45] Quantum computing is computing without chips — the magnitude of computing power is going to skyrocket in the next few years. Watch out for that!

[25:44] Expect to have a planet-wide digital nervous system. Everyone is going to have the power to do whatever they want.

[27:21] Augmented reality is something that's going to be game-changing technology.

[31:05] Virtual reality is also making huge leaps in terms of what can be done, and replacing real life interactions.

[33:06] 3D printing and robotics have seen huge upswings from last year's conference to this year's conference.

[35:03] The prospect of all these technologies being combined may be scary for some, but remember that Hollywood takes things to its natural scary conclusion, because it makes for better movies.

[37:30] There are three innovation factors — constraints, youthful attitudes, and small groups.

[39:00] The conclusion of the conference was that autonomous cars are in our future; there's no way around it. The banking industry is about to get wiped out, like the real estate industry.

[42:23] Understand that there's technology coming that could wipe you out, and you need to plan for it.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Financial Gravity

The Financial Gravity Podcast with John Pollock

Abundance 360

Futurism

Peter Diamandis

XPRIZE

Juicero

Focus @ Will

Lifecore

Bolt Threads

YouTube

Sprint: Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days, by Braden Kowitz,
John Zeratsky and Jake Knapp

Today our host, Ed Lyon, Chief Tax Strategist at Financial Gravity, gives us a history lesson on 1924. In that year Congress made several changes to tax rules, and, most notably, provided lots of gossip material when they published the names of top earning Americans.

Key Takeaways:

[:18] Every year the IRS gives us a peek inside the wallets of the highest earning 400 Americans.

[:47] Although they disclose lots of juicy facts, the IRS guards one set of facts very carefully.

[1:01] Who are the 400 highest earning Americans?

[1:42] In the Roaring ‘20s income tax wasn’t the big deal it is today.

[2:40] In 1924 Congress decided to shake things up.

[3:29] Who were the top earning Americans in 1924?

[5:30] Why on earth would Congress pass a law making federal income tax bills public?

[6:16] Most of yesterday’s fortunes have faded into history.

[6:28] The key to paying less, is planning. If you don’t have a plan, call us and get one. Find us at Financialgravity.com.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Financial Gravity