The Profit Loop With Alisa Conner

Selfishly, I am creating this week's podcast so that I have a reference to send people to when I get the questions again.  :D But for all of you, this is a resource for starting and creating your own podcast. 

Episode 65 is all about what you need to get started with your own podcast.  But, in case you were thinking of opting out of this episode, it's work giving the first few minutes a listen, because they apply to any type of content creation you may have in mind.  You can give it a listen here.

about starting a podcast is really my biggest tip this week.  Go give the first few minutes a listen to find out what you NEED to know before starting your podcast.  You can do that here.

Here's the breakdown of other resources:

In this week's episode I give you the break down of each of these microphones, but here are the top 3 I recommend as well as the one I suggest you provide or have your interviewees attain.

ATR2500 - Around $100 with the filter and arm (I have this one)

Blue Snowball - Around $45

Blue Yeti - Around $150 without the filter and arm

Guest Mics:

Vogek, Logitech, MPow, Runmus

You need a way to record, that's where software comes in.  I give you the lowdown on the freebies and why I chose Screenflow, but if you listen to the entire episode you will have a better idea of what will work for you.

Audacity

GarageBand (MAC only)

Screenflow (I use this)

Adobe Audition

Zoom(interviews) (I use this)

Skype (interviews)

The great debate over intros and outros happens over here in Episode 65. Here are the resources you will need if you choose in favor of adding an intro or outro. As well as, whether or not you want to create it yourself or have it done for you.  It's important to use only royalty-free music because just like photos or videos, the fines can be hefty for using someone's copyrighted work.

Free Music Archive

Free Music Soundtrack Archive

YouTube Audio Library

Free Sound Project

Music Radio Creative

Audio Jungle

There are really only two choices here, edit yourself (which = many many hours of YouTube tutorials) or hire someone to edit for you.  I give you the entire scoop over here in Episode 65. But the software for recording mentioned above in all instances (minus Zoom and Skype) have editing abilities as well.

So you won't want to host your podcast on your website because it will slow things down to a crawl.  I recommend using one of these podcast hosts to keep things neat and tidy and help rank your podcast so people can find it.  Keep in mind you get what you pay for and that there are also some "all in one" solutions out there.  I don't have any experience with them, so I am not going to recommend one of those. They all offer different features, so do your homework and see which one will work best for you and what you want to do.

Podbean

Lybsin

Soundcloud

Blubrry

Simplecast

Last but not least, I covered transcripts and show notes:

I recommend at the minimum creating show notes to increase traffic to your website.  You can get a good example of what that looks like, well, from this post.  :D  If you want to kick it up a notch, consider adding a transcript either download or as a separate page.  Here are the two resources I recommend for that.  If you want the inside scoop on the difference and the benefits, listen to this week's episode here.

Temi

Rev

The other resource I mention is Searchi which makes your audios and videos searchable.  Currently invite-only, but never hurts to get on the list. The skinny on that is also in the episode.

That's the low down on all things podcast.  I hope this becomes a resource for you to dive into your own podcasting adventure.

What did you think about this episode?  

Come share your results on the Facebook Page and let me know how your life is shifting.

Because it's the day before Thanksgiving (when this is going live) I thought it timely to talk about gratitude.  That one simple word when put into action will propel your business and your life faster than any tip, technique, trick or marketing process out there.  I challenge you to create a gratitude journal and use it every day to recount new things you are grateful for and watch your life and business change.  But, this is more than just well thoughts and wishes.  Which is why I wanted to bring the perspective of science and hermetic teachings to the equation. Because science is definitely involved and is the reason this simple technique works when others do not.

In Episode 64 I dive into science, the Kybalion and all things energy.  Because what holiday would be complete without a little talk about energy?  Give it a listen here.

Here's what I have learned by studying the energy of gratitude for the last year and learning more about energy and vibration. For more details, check out the entire episode here.

Connect to the vibration of abundance.

Ask yourself, are you only grateful when good things happen to you? When you receive payment for a client? When you get a new client? Or are you grateful for all the blessings that come into your life all the time? Things like fresh water to drink, that the sun came up, that snow is watering the earth to make water for you to drink. If it is the former, the likelihood that you are tuned into the frequency of gratitude is slim. 

We are all energy, and as such vibrate at a specific frequency.

99% of our bodies are made of atoms.  Hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and some other stuff.  If we are energy, which science says we are, then we can conclude that we are constantly in motion. When studying the Hermetic principle of vibration, we learn that "Nothing rests, everything moves everything vibrates." If we take that a step further and realize we can control our vibration, can we not then also control what we attract and repel? The answer is yes.  This means we have the power at any time to shift our vibration and bring in more of what we want in our lives.

That's great Alisa, but how the heck do I shift my vibration?

But what about this literal pain in the neck that I have?

Interestingly enough, that is energy too.  We don't realize that our bodies are very intelligent creatures. When we don't deal with our emotions and we just shove them down inside, they don't go away.  I'll give you a personal example of grief.  I've spent a good chunk of the last 6 years sort of grieving, but not really giving in to it because I was busy taking care of other people.  What do you know? I've had a literal pain in my hip, leg, and side for almost that long. That energy is stuck there and will continue to be there until I fully deal with whatever is going on in my emotional state.  Again, how do I know? Because when I use tools like EFT (see episode #5 with Teri Karjala to learn how to use this yourself) and other energy work like polarity, massage or chiropractic - the pain goes away.  But only temporarily, because I still haven't fully dealt with the emotions.

But how do you change your thoughts?

The simplest answer is through your breath practice.  This includes things like meditation, yoga and frankly just breathing and focusing on that simple act we often take for granted.  It is the one thing we do constantly each day, that keeps us alive, yet we often take it for granted.  Meditation, yoga and focused breathing are all practices, which means, we MUST practice them to get better.  Even if it is 10-15 minutes each day.

Become aware of your thoughts.  This doesn't mean beat yourself up, just bring awareness to them so that you can shift and change them over time.

Choose carefully what you put into and on your body. Your body is your energy vessel. If you clog it up with unhealthy food, how likely do you think it will be able to vibrate at a higher level? Not likely at all because it will be focused on removing the junk you put into it.

Notice where you focus most of your day and document it. Can you shift that focus even one time a day to gratitude or positivity? Can you walk away from conversations and people that are vibrating at a lower vibration? 

Where can you be just a little bit kinder? When you focus your energy, attention, and action toward kindness and being thankful, you spread that energy to others. Creating more of it. Consequentially, bringing more of it to you. 

Take the energy of this Thanksgiving holiday and bring it forward to every day and watch your life transform.

Lastly, I want to thank each of you for tuning in every week to the podcast and for supporting this little idea I had about sending more love out into the world. It truly is a gift that I get to share the musings in my head with you and that you take away ideas and actions that make your business and your life better.

Wishing you all the best of Thanksgivings, thank you for being a part of my life.

Which tip are you going to focus on for the next year?  

Come share your results on the Facebook Page and let me know how your life is shifting.

If you are anything like me, then TOTALLY they are likely always on your to-do list.  Ever moving from week to week.  But as of now, NO MORE!

I am personally challenging you in Episode 63 of this week's Feed U Podcast to tackle one process in your business.  Why you may ask?  Because, simply, it is THE only way you will be able to scale and grow.

That's a pretty bold statement, Alisa.  Whatchya got to back that up?  I could give you lots of facts and figures, but the reality is this.  If you don't write down the things that you do in your business, there is NO WAY you can give them to someone else that you hire to be on your team.  If you don't know what you are going to give them, then how can you hire them? It's a hamster wheel and I TOTALLY get it.  Which is why I'm taking the same challenge myself.

In Episode 63 I dive into the hamster wheel a little deeper.  Give it a listen.

Here's what I learned when documenting my podcast process (which is a RIDICULOUS amount of 28 steps by the way).  You can get all the details by tuning in here to listen to the entire episode.

1. Choose one process to focus on.

Choose the process that takes the most time and that will free up your day.  Look at it and ask yourself, do I even like doing this task?  If the answer is no, then you need to outsource that bad boy IMMEDIATELY.  In fact, there may be components of your business that you REALLY liked in the beginning, but they don't bring you joy anymore.  I totally have a little bit of that going on in my business right now.  So, my answer is I need to find someone for my team that would LOVE to do those tasks.  I give some other examples here.  One last requirement for the process you pick, it needs to be something that you repeat regularly.  So no "one-off" tasks, because seriously, how is that going to help you out long-term?

2.  Start writing down the steps.

Yep, this is where the good times start.  (Kidding) This is the NOT fun part of process-ize-ing. But it is necessary.  The best way to document that process while you are completing it.  Trust me, it can be difficult. Especially if the process is stretched out over a long period of time like website design and build. But, when you write it down you will realize why it is taking up so much time.  You will also become aware of the possibility that it can be simplified and most importantly how quickly you can give it to someone else.  I talk more about that here. Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be perfect and that you have to start somewhere. 

3.  Ask yourself which of the steps in the process are a must.

4.  Are there steps that can be automated.

A great way to simplify a process is to take pieces and automate them.  I give the example of recording an intro and an outro for the podcast that I can then edit in for each episode.  I create this once for each quarter and then it's done.  It eliminates a lot of extra recording and editing.  Better yet, record the outro and outsource the editing to someone else. Learn more about that in the episode here.  The idea is to create systems that save you time.

1. Write out an overview of the different processes in your business.  I use the example of clouds

2. Choose one bubble (area) that you will create a process for.

3. Write out the process.

4. Implement the process making note of any of the changes you make along the way.

5. Test the process and changes.

6. Revise the process as needed.

7. Simplify the process to as few steps as possible.

Which process are you going to document and outsource in your business? 

Come and tell me on the Facebook Page where I talk all things online business growth, specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.

But, you could be losing them before you even have a first phone call.  But how? Your messaging.

Clear messaging will make or break your business.  If people don't understand how you can help them, they will be off and distracted by the next best thing.  Which is why this week in Episode 62 I share with you the best of the best messaging tips that I have used with my clients to increase their businesses up to 4xs in as little as six months.  Listen to the entire episode for the full skinny on what to implement right away to attract more leads and customers here.  I also mention the power of using StoryBrand in your messaging.  You can grab that awesome MUST read book here.  

1. Focus on your customer's problem, not your solution.

My goal in this episode is to keep it real about messaging.  The clearer you can make yours, the better.  That clarity comes when your customer stops in their tracks to pay attention to you.  How do you make that happen? You talk about their problem and you keep talking about it.  People aren't looking for a laundry list of solutions, what they really want is someone to make that huge pain in their behind goes away. The minute you stop talking about their problem, you will lose their attention and they will be off to find someone who gets them. More on that here.

2.  Don't get too wrapped in the negatives.

So this one is double-sided.  If you mentally focus on the negative in a situation, you will energetically attract more of that negative (more on that in an upcoming episode). Additionally, if you focus too long on the negative results of your customer's problem, they will get stuck there and won't be able to see a solution to the problem regardless of who is providing the solution.  I give a great play by play example in the episode, give it a listen here.

3.  Spell out the results your customers get when they work with you.

4.  Call them to action (for Pete's sake).

You've heard me say it before, 70% of websites have no call to action.  Again, your leads are not psychic.  You need to give them bread crumbs to follow to get them to the next step.  What do you want them to do? Typically there is either no call to action in marketing or it is so hidden it would take a CIA agent to find it.  Make it simple, spell it out and give them a call to action.  You will see bigger results faster and then you can come and tell me about them over on the Facebook page.

5.  Don't spend too much time talking about your products and solutions and every variation you offer.

Simple solutions sell especially if they address the problem.  I give you a great example that I just went through my son in Episode 62, check it out here. The simpler you can make your solution the better and most importantly be the guide to help your prospect realize they need a solution and oh, by the way, I happen to have exactly what you need.  You can get it here.  When you become a guide instead of a pusher of sizes, colors, and other options, you will see greater success faster.

Grab a journal and answer these questions.  They will give you a quick and detailed account of where you need to focus some research time and create some clear messaging to grab the attention of those people you most want to work with.

1. Who does your ideal client become after they work with you?

Think about people you have worked with, in the past.  Where were they before they worked with you, where are they now? If you don't know the answer, you have some homework to do.

2. What do their friends say about them now (after their transformation because they worked with you)?

Asking your clients this simple question will give you volumes of insight and wording to use for your next video, blog post, website content or marketing piece.

3. What does success look like for your ideal client? 

This is a question we don't always ask, but instead assume we already know the answer.  When you ask current or potential clients this specific question the answer will be more in alignment with what they are wanting to find in all of your marketing.

If you want to work on your own StoryBrand messaging, I can help you with that as a certified guide. You can book a free 30-minute consultation here.

What did you learn from this episode? 

Come and tell me on the Facebook Page where I talk all things online business growth, specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.

Oh c'mon Alisa! Conferences are always the same.  But seriously, this event was the bomb-diggity.  For SO many reasons, most of them not having to do with my mentor at all.  Which is sort of why I'm sharing the story with you.  Usually, when you get to meet someone you idolize a smidge, the event becomes about meeting them and just standing in the shadow of their wonder.  But this time, things were VERY different.  Tune in to Episode 61 for the entire scoop, lessons learned and some homework.  Are you ready?

1. Be open to serendipity but set an intention.

I set a pretty specific intention for this conference around who I wanted to meet and why.  I share all of the details in the episode.  But let me tell you, that intention showed up BIG time throughout all 3 days and when I walked away I sounded a bit like Mathew McConaughy saying "Alright, alright, alright."  Instead of just going to an event to learn tactics and new processes, adopt the mentality of being serendipitous and see what shows up.

2.  Step outside of your comfort zone.

I left this event with a group of new friends, mentors, and masterminders and it never would have happened if I hadn't stepped outside of my comfort zone to have conversations with some of the 600 people I didn't know.  I went to this event not knowing a soul, which is BIG for an introvert.  But, I conquered my fear, started up small talk that led to more in-depth conversations and even ventured to talk to people who have "made it" bigger than I have so far.  But one pivotal conversation changed the event for me.  Listen to the episode to hear the story. The next time you are tempted to cower in a corner at an event, I want to encourage you to instead start a conversation, say hello, you never know where that will lead.

3.  Your heroes are humans too.

4.  The biggest lessons and shifts come from inside of you.

Maybe that isn't a surprise to you, but when it actually happens you may be standing there with your mouth gaping open.  At least I was, going WTHocky Sticks just happened.  It left me asking questions, like is what you are doing lighting you up? Are you full of passion? Do you like the impact your having?  Is the entire reason I'm creating this business because I want to make money? Even though I keep trying to pretend it isn't? SAY WHAT?  Mindblown - seriously.  You see our brains are tricky little critters, and sometimes we talk ourselves into what we think we want when in reality, we are a hot misaligned mess.  When was the last time you asked those questions and really listened to the answers?  More coming on that (stay tuned below).  

5.  Don't underestimate the power of journaling.

Ok, so I know people say that and I am confessing, I haven't been a great journaler in recent days.  But, after this event and having SO many epiphanies after journaling it is growing on me.  So much that I have added it to my daily practice and am giving you all some SUPER yummy journaling questions to kick your business in the booty!  Ready?  Here you go:

1. If you could do anything in your business right now, without failing, what would you do?

I had the pleasure of meeting Alon David at the event and was introduced to his 90X planner.  Now, let me be real.  I am NOT a good goal planner user.  But, after talking to Alon and all of the awesome sauce he has going on inside and outside his planner, I was sold.  Of course, I got the pink one. But don't you worry, I've got you taken care of and I have a challenge for you.  Alon has graciously offered a 31% discount for my audience only on his planner to get you started.  You can get one here and enter the coupon code "FeedU31" at checkout to get your discount.

Beginning on December 1st in the Facebook Group, we will start our 90 Day goal challenge.  All you have to do is get a planner and show up.  We will start by filling it and declaring our 90-day goals.  Remember how I mentioned accountability, well here you go - here's your chance to get to the goal you wrote about in journal prompt #1.  So get your 90X planner and let's do this.

I would love to give a birthday shout out to my eldest son as he turns 18 today.  I'm sure he isn't listening (because there is nothing cooler than your mom's podcast) but regardless - the last 18 years have been a blur but I wouldn't trade them for the world.  Happy Birthday, Reilly!

What did you learn from this episode? 

Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join me in my Facebook Group. I talk all things online business growth but specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.

Nearly 60% of all websites online are built on WordPress, but you may be wondering why is WordPress so dang special? When companies like CNN, TED, UPS, and CBS Radio use WordPress, it may pique your interest to investigate this website platform.  This week I dive deep into the 11 reasons WordPress is so powerful and even share what the heck is WordPress and why you might need it. Dive into Episode 60 and listen to all 11 reasons and grab some recommendations if you are ready to dive headfirst into creating your 1st WordPress website.

1. It is ridiculously scalable.

You can literally build any type of website on WordPress.  I give you some warnings in the episode around the open code concept in the episode.  Totally worth the listen, but as Kevin Costner would say "If you build it, they will come." I mention that Coca Cola was built on WordPress, they have since had their site rebuilt.  But other big names include The Disney Company (including the official Star Wars Blog), Time, Katy Perry and Sony Music.

2.  WordPress Coding Is Free.

Ok, before the nay-sayers get their panties in a wad, the WordPress coding is free.  Does that mean it is free to have a WordPress website? No. But the cost is not prohibitive and it will be the best investment in your business you can make.  You will need hosting (where your website lives) and I recommend Siteground in the episode. For a list of reasons why check out the episode here.  You will also need a domain (the name of your website) which can also get from Siteground. Lastly, you will need a theme.  I recommend Divi by Elegant Themes. If you are feeling overwhelmed, I have a solution for you.  I'm going to do a training in the Small Business Builders Facebook Group to show you how to build a simple WordPress site in less than a day.  Not in the group? No worries, come join us here.

3.  WordPress is a stable platform that has been around for over 15 years.

4.  WordPress enables you to literally design anything on your website.

5.  Designing in WordPress is SUPER flexible.

6.  WordPress SEO is a force to be reckoned with.

7.  WordPress makes content creation a breeze.

8.  Communities & Memberships.

9.  Social Sharing Made Easy.

10.  Open source code means anything is probable and possible.

11.  WordPress can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be.

Siteground Website Hosting

Divi Theme

Yoast SEO

Monarch Sharing Plugin

iThemes Security Plugin

What did you learn from this episode? 

Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join me in my Facebook Group. I talk all things online business growth but specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.

Literally! If you have a non-existent or uncompelling CTA, your audience just won't take action.  If they don't take the next action that loop of your sales funnel is officially CLOSED. Meaning you either have to start over or worse, you have lost them forever.I

This week in Episode 59 of the Feed U Podcast I answer that questions, plus give you 6 power tips to increase the traction of your CTA, plus (yes there's more) I give you some insider tips that will knock your audiences boots off once you start adding them into your repertoire.

This week's episode breaks down all three of those components, so give it a listen for a place to start. But a CTA is a Call To Action.  It's fairly self-explanatory, it tells your audience what you want them to do next.  Of course, you being the brilliant entrepreneur you are, have already mapped all of that out in your strategy. Making it SUPER easy for you to tell them what to do, right?  

If you haven't then get to it my people, because 70% of small businesses don't use a single call to action.  So for no other reason than to differentiate yourself, you should be sticking those things on every piece of marketing material you create.  The big guys do it and guess what, it works.

• Blog posts (and not just at the end)

Well, I'm glad you asked! Because there definitely some powerful things you can do to power up those Calls To Action.  Here are just a few, but get the whole list in Episode 59.

1. Stop hiding the darn things.

2.  Make your CTAs clear and concise.

3.  Have a goal and measure it.

 Want the other 3 tips?  Tune in to the episode here.

How To Write Copy That Sells

Money Words

Building A StoryBrand

Here is the quick low down on 5 Expert Tips to SuperPower Your Call To Action:

1. Use action words.

What did you learn from this episode? 

Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join me in my Facebook Group. I talk all things online business growth but specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.

Download the episode transcript here.

Well, there is a lot of unglamorous aspects to becoming a star, an influencer or an authority.  But . . . they often don't outweigh the benefits that the attention brings to you and your business.

This week in Episode 58 of the Feed U Podcast I dive into the 5 reasons becoming an influencer and authority in your market space is critical and necessary, especially in today's hustling bustling online world.  I also walk through the 10 steps to become an influencer.  Are they hard? No.  Are they instant? No.  Are they worth it? Abso-freakin-lutely.

Below is the top 5 list of why you want to become an authority in your field of specialty.  You can get all the details and examples by listening to this week's episode here. 

1. It will help you gain momentum and traction in your business, especially online.

Well, if you are - keep reading.  I'm about to lay out the 10 steps to becoming an influencer.  Again, more antics, hilarity, and information are in the actual episode which you can listen to here.

1. Do things differently.

2.  Be or become a leader.

3. Value and hold yourself in integrity.

Simply put, if you promise you are going to do something, do it. Especially if it is a promise you have made to yourself.  There is nothing worse than letting yourself down because you will carry around the guilt and negative nelly self-talk F-O-R-E-V-E-R.  So be true to yourself and be true to your word.  It goes without saying to also be true to your word with other people.  There isn't enough of that going around these days, so be the exception and you will be remembered.

4.  Know your audience/niche.

5.  Collaboration over competition.

This is a biggie.  You see if you can really and truly embrace that there is MORE THAN enough for everyone.  This amazing thing happens, the flood gates open, opportunities show up unexpectedly and the world REALLY is your oyster.  Not to mention that you have met some really cool cats along the way. So look at those people that you are internally at tug-o-war with and see why they are different and then reach out to figure out a way to partner with each other.  Will it work with every single one? No.  Will it work with the ones that it's meant to work with? Absolutely!

6.  Share what you know, but have it lead somewhere.

You've learned a lot of stuff along your journey as an entrepreneur.  Share it.  Save somebody time, energy and headache and they will forever be in your favor.  Yes, that was a total Hunger Games line, but it fits so well!  One of the biggest mistakes I see small businesses make is not sharing what they have learned or know, out of fear.  The second biggest mistake is sharing everything they know and not having it lead into selling their product in some way.  So, share - but make sure that sharing has a plan behind it.  Sharing increases trust, authority, and influence. But it does you know good to have those if you haven't figured out a way to monetize them.  Otherwise, you won't be in business very long.

7. Pick one platform and how up there.

Most business owners have a supercalifragilistic plate full of things to do. Add in marketing in multiple places and creating all kinds of content and they will be one step away from packing it up and heading to Tahiti, permanently.  Besides that it is an insane way to run your business, it will only lead to one place - burnout.  Instead, pick a platform that melds where your audience is and what you like and show up there.  Which leads us to #8 . . .

8.  Be consistent.

This is the most important marketing advice you will ever get.  No matter what you choose to do, online or offline, do it consistently.  As one of my mentors, Donald Miller would say, "marketing is an exercise in memorization".  People can't memorize who you are, what you do or how you can help them if you aren't in their face.  If you train them to know you will be on Facebook every Wednesday at lunchtime, they will show up there.  If they get an email in their inbox every Wednesday morning, the week they don't get one, don't be surprised if you hear from them. Consistency wins the race, every. single. time.

9.  Engage with your fans.

Imagine the phone rings. You pick it up and say "hello". It's your best friend calling to say she saw your newest blog and how great it was.  You set the phone down and all she hears is crickets.  How long do you think she would stay on the line?  Obviously not long.  And this is someone who already knows and likes you.  Now imagine, that's a stranger.  That person would be so outta there and more than likely would never return.  This is exactly what happens when you create engaging content and then don't respond.  Your audience is ready to have a conversation, but you just disappeared.  So create conversations. Talk to them, not at them. And for the love of all things holy, love on them.  Call them out for being fans. Say thank you.  Dedicate posts to them. Sing them a song. (Ok, maybe that's a little far, but you get the idea.)

Drumroll please . . . . .

10.  Have a plan.

Having a plan to become an authority, step by step and then taking action on those steps is THE only way to become an influencer.  Period.  If you don't create a plan, and you just wing it, you will either 1-get burned out or 2-give up because it's a lot of work and you don't know when, why or how you will get there.  Your plan doesn't have to be a spreadsheet with every detail mapped out.  Just create a list of goals and tasks to achieve those goals. Make it an outline.  Pretend you're creating a college research paper (do they still write these?)

I have a surprise tip #11

But you can only find that one by listening to the episode.  So head over here and give Episode 58 a listen.

Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join me in my Facebook Group. I talk all things online business growth but specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.

There are a lot of gurus out there that will tell you to just sit around and manifest what you want into your life.  Unfortunately, the key ingredient they leave out, more often than not, is that you have to take intentional action that aligns with what you are trying to bring into your life.  An intention is a contract between your subconscious and conscious mind, but intention will only take you so far in attaining the life you REALLY want to be living.

This week we are diving into some mind work, because believe it or not, if your mind isn't aligned with you what you want in your business (think subconscious running the show) then no matter what tactic, system or method you put into place - you will find yourself right where you are now.  Which is why this mind-stuff is UBER important.

Okay, I won't. But you do, sort of.  You see your subconscious mind is already programmed.  For many of us, years and years of programming in fact - back to about the time we were 8 years old.  We have beliefs and thoughts that we likely don't even know we are caring around (unless we have done a lot of digging to find them out.) The other thing about your subconscious is that it really likes to run the show and to tune into your inner wisdom, which is not always aligned with your subconscious, you need to quiet the mind.  But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Listen to the entire episode here for all the details, but here's the lowdown on how to get started:

1. Take some time to be quiet, every day!  (yes you read that right!  EVERYDAY!)

2.  Listen for the gap between your thoughts.

3.  Set your intention and here's the key -->>>RELEASE IT.

4. Verbalize and or write out your intention.

Setting your intention is one thing. But when you put a stake in the ground by writing or saying your intention out loud, the universe will hear you loud and clear.  I actually recommend doing both. It leaves no room for miscommunication or interpretation.  You've said it and written it and it's what you want. It's also psychologically important because you can hear what you want and that's some powerful vibration.  Does that mean you can't change your mind? Of course not. But if you do, just be sure to say it again.

5.  Now it's time to take action.

This is the #1 thing that is forgotten or overlooked when it comes to making changes in your life.  You can't just sit around on your couch eating bomb bombs and expect the universe to deliver millions of dollars to you.  You have to take action.  More importantly, you have to take action in faith.  Plan out what you can control to get the ball rolling and here's the kicker, then let it go.  Because things may not roll the way you have planned them.  Be patient, do what you can do and see how things unfold.  I PROMISE, the universe really does have your back.  Another tip in this area is don't fret about the details.  Believe in serendipity and just keep an eye out for the universe at work. It's pretty amazing stuff when you start paying attention.

I promise you the universe is conspiring for you to succeed and is always working in your favor.  I've seen it in my life again and again and I share a lot of stories and details in Episode 57.  Give it a listen here.

Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join me in my Facebook Group. I talk all things online business growth but specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.

But is it really making the grade as an employee? According to WordStream user experience accounts for one of the most important factors affecting conversion. Meaning, if your visitors find it difficult to find what they want on your website, your chance of converting them into a customer is nil, nada, not happening.

Take a deep breath and don't panic, I've got you covered on this one.  In this week's episode of the Feed U Podcast, I lay down the 6 top items you need to consider to create an optimal user experience.  I've even created a checklist for you with 8 key questions to ask yourself (or your designer) before you push live on that new website or redesign your current site.  You can grab that freebie here.

There are constantly studies being done regarding the impact of User Experience.  A good web designer will be knowledgable about what is current and what needs to be considered when creating your website.  I don't want to overwhelm you, I just want to inform you. Which is why I'm only covering the 6 BIGGIES that you need to keep in mind.  No design degree required.  :D

Listen to the entire episode here, but here's the summation of what I talk about:

1. Take some time thinking about your menu (navigation)

2.  Do you have a clear Call To Action directing your visitors to the next phase of your sales funnel?

3.  Are you using the power of white space?

4. Is your website responsive?

Meaning does it look the same or similar and is it easy to navigate regardless of which type of device (think desktop, laptop, phone, tablet) they are visiting from? If it's a HOT MESS on mobile, you definitely have some work to do.  Google is penalizing you - YES RIGHT NOW because your mobile responsiveness is not optimal and approximately 83% of your website visitors are immediately clicking away.  This is a PRIORITY.  Get to it friend.

5.  Are you including SEO search terms in your content?

SEO is a big deal especially if you are trying to increase traffic organically.  Luckily I did a great podcast episode with Mike Michaleson to help you out in Episode 18.  There is even a free guide you can get to help you get started.  You can find that here.

6. You have to have a strategy for your website, just like any other part of your marketing.

Without a plan, you are winging it.  When was the last time winging it actually worked?  I'm guessing not very often, and when it did, it was a fluke.  Some things to stick in your strategy include how are you adding value? How are you connecting your website to the other components of your sales funnel? Are you actually asking people to pay you money?  If not, how come? Are you in the business of charity? (Even if you are a charity, you still need money to operate, so get to it already!)

Wrapping up the episode, I shared with you the 8 questions you need to answer with your web designer.  I packaged those into a neat little downloadable checklist that you can grab here so you have it handy for your next design meeting.  

Want all the details, give the entire episode a listen here.

Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join me in my Facebook Group. I talk all things online business growth but specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.