The SIGRUN Show

Claudia Rehder is a high school German Literature and Biology teacher as well as a coach for teachers. She is on a mission to help teachers improve their mindset and self-confidence while authentically and confidently teaching students in the classroom. Since 2017, she has helped dozens of teachers feel safe and comfortable on the stage of the classroom and equipped them with the tools they need to improve their mindset and attitude to succeed in this important profession.

Claudia joins me on this On Air Coaching episode to learn why a membership site is sometimes the best business model for certain types of online businesses. I explain how your ideal client's mindset and attitude can help you determine the right business model and ideas on how to create content for your members without making them feel overloaded with information. I also discuss pricing strategies you can use to build a profitable membership subscription and share various services and programs to help simplify the administrative side of running an online membership site.

"Everyone can learn everything. It is the attitude you have to get right first." - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• Why 1-on-1 coaching packages may not be suitable for every online business
• Being patient when developing your membership site
• How your ideal client's attitude and buying preferences can help you identify the perfect business model for your business
• Strategies for pricing your online membership site
• The advantages of offering a lower-cost membership site vs. a higher-price online course
• Strategies for creating content and bonus content for your membership site
• Overcoming fears and limiting beliefs about using technology while building your membership site
• Finding a balance between consistently engaging with your members vs creating new content
• The importance of hosting your content on your own platform
• Services and programs that have payment automation for your membership site

Resources Mentioned:

• Vimeo
• Wistia
• Elopage
• DigiMember

Key Takeaways:

1. Your ideal client's attitude and buying preferences can be a leading indicator of the right business model for you.
2. Remember: It's as much effort to sell something for 25 Euro as it is 2,500 Euro.
3. Don't think of a membership site as too complicated or as a technology problem. Think of it first as a business model.
4. Do not overwhelm your membership site members with too much new content.

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Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Google Play Music so more people can enjoy the show. Don't forget to follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

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Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

The fall season can be stressful for many entrepreneurs, especially if your numbers are telling you that you're far from reaching your income target. But fall can also be a great time to revisit your plans and refocus on your goals. With the right strategies and mindset and a willingness to adapt, you can finish the year on a strong note and meet or even exceed your financial goals.

In this episode, I talk about starting my business and being frustrated when I didn't meet my income goals. I explain how revamping my offerings helped to turn things around and made me realize that it was possible for me to hit my targets by year-end. I also describe how massive action is sometimes required to make the necessary changes to propel your business forward.

"When you have the right vision, strategy, plans, and you are ambitious and inspired to take action, you can do it." - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• Why you should not incorporate a business without a plan
• How I decided what my online business would offer
• Why I wanted to make writing business plans fun and fast for solopreneurs
• What my financial goals were when I first started out
• How my frustration led to massive action
• Why the right products at the right prices make all the difference when it comes to achieving your goal
• The time of year when individuals and businesses spend more money

Resources Mentioned:

• Your Best Year 2018 by Lisa Jacobs

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Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Google Play Music so more people can enjoy the show. Don't forget to follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Vivi-Ann Stubergh is a packaging designer, online course creator, and membership site facilitator based in Sweden. She is passionate about helping others learn the art of using computer programs and specific cutting machines to create beautiful packaging designs through her YouTube channel, online courses, and local training workshops.

Vivi-Ann joins me on this On-Air Coaching episode to learn digital marketing strategies to sell more online courses in a small niche market. I explain the pros and cons of creating online courses with built-in prerequisites, such as requiring specific products or equipment to complete your course, and how it can impact your sales potential. I also share strategies for using Facebook ads to promote your online course to a niche audience, the difference between an online course program and a membership site, and the importance of focusing on selling a lot of one product before creating new products.

"If your niche is really specific and people are eager to learn, you can run ads directly to your online course." - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• How built-in prerequisites can impact your ability to sell more online courses.
• Identifying the demand for your online course in your market.
• Targeting specific company Facebook pages to promote your course through Facebook ads.
• Strategies for budgeting and tracking what works with your Facebook ads.
• When to convert your small membership site into an online course program.
• The benefits of selling an online course program vs. a small membership site.
• Strategies for launching your online course program.
• How selling a lot of a single product can help you crack the secrets of marketing in a small niche.

Key Takeaways:

1. Target relevant company Facebook pages when creating Facebook ads.
2. People are more willing to buy online course programs than membership site subscriptions.
3. Focus on selling a lot of one product before expanding your list of products.

Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Google Play Music so more people can enjoy the show. Don't forget to follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

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Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

For many years, tourism wasn't a growing industry in Iceland. In fact, for a very long time there were only about 500,000 tourists visiting this beautiful nation each year - at least until the Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted in 2010, which made international headlines for stopping air traffic over Europe and the Atlantic for two weeks.

Since then, Iceland has made international headlines several times, which has caused a significant spike in tourists visiting as well as people scouring Google to learn more about it.

I love Iceland, and as a native Icelander, I am frequently asked about the activities you can do and places you can see while visiting the country. So, in this episode, I share a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what it is like to visit Iceland, the events and festivities you can attend, and the beautiful scenery you can explore while touring my homeland. I also share some of my favorite scenic landscapes and activities I enjoy with my family and the participants of the Mastermind Retreat Iceland.

"If you really want to see Iceland, you need to stay at least 2-3 weeks, but if you just want to get a sneak peek, then you can see a lot in 3-4 days." - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• My favorite time of year and why I believe it's the best time of year to visit Iceland
• The best time to visit Iceland to see the Northern Lights
• Festivities you can attend while visiting Iceland
• Tools to help you find great tourist locations throughout Iceland
• The best photography spots in Iceland
• The Golden Circle and the Diamond Circle
• Why the glacier lagoon is one of my favorite locations in the world
• The largest stone museum
• The highest farm in Iceland
• The best place to find natural sparkling water in Iceland
• Other activities to explore while visiting Iceland
• How to find accommodations in Iceland

Resources Mentioned:

• The Icelandic Road Guide
• TripAdvisor
• International Photographer Map
• Booking.com
• AirBnB

Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Google Play Music so more people can enjoy the show. Don't forget to follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

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Are you ready to explore your horizons and take your business to the NEXT LEVEL? Ready to scale your business, make new and meaningful relationships with other ambitious online entrepreneurs, and design a business plan that will help you reach your next level of success? Join us for 6 days in the Land of Fire and Ice for an experience that will change your business - and life - like never before!

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Ingrid Boersma has worked in the Marketing and Communications industry for over 8 years with a special focus on small to mid-sized companies within the French wine industry. Recently, she has decided to pivot her business and reposition her company by focusing on content marketing and copywriting for larger companies within the wine, beer, and travel industry.

Ingrid joins me for this On Air Coaching to learn about managing her time and charging her worth as a freelance copywriter. I discuss some of the mistakes many service providers make when starting their journey into freelancing and how to avoid those mistakes before launching a business. I also explain why it's important for freelancers to set long-term goals, strategies for building your portfolio as a freelance copywriter, and the importance of raising your rates quickly as you grow your business.

"When selling your time you will possibly charge too little and fill their time with clients." - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• Why Ingrid decided to pivot her business from marketing and communications to copywriting
• The challenge of trading your time for money as a freelance copywriter
• Why it's critical for freelancers and solopreneurs to avoid filling their calendar with client work
• Creating a strict schedule for yourself and being strict with your clients about your working hours
• Using LinkedIn to attract higher-value clients
• Setting long-term goals when building or pivoting your business
• Compartmentalizing the days you work on client work, marketing, and administrative tasks
• Strategies for building a copywriting portfolio
• The importance of quickly and strategically raising your rates

Resources Mentioned:

• Episode 75: Get More Leads from LinkedIn with Melonie Dodaro
• Episode 120: How to Do Content Marketing on LinkedIn with Viveka von Rosen
• Episode 176: How to Build Authority on LinkedIn with Melonie Dodaro

Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Google Play Music so more people can enjoy the show. Don't forget to follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Get Your Free Training

Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

Podcast Movement is a conference for podcasters, aspiring podcasters, and podcast service providers such as editors, software vendors, and hardware vendors. I first heard about Podcast Movement while attending the Social Media Marketing World conference earlier this year and I decided to attend this year's conference in Philadelphia.

In this episode, I share my top 10 takeaways from the Podcast Movement 2018 conference, some interesting statistics regarding the growth of the podcast medium, and why podcasters need to submit their shows to more places than Apple Podcasts. I explain why it is difficult for podcast episodes to "go viral" and what podcasters can do to create viral-worthy marketing content to promote their show. I also share some of the marketing strategies I learned that work well for many podcasters as well as creative ways podcasters are growing their audience, engaging with their listeners, and developing new content ideas for their shows.

"You are building a connection with your podcast. You are not in the convincing business." - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• Interesting statistics regarding the podcast industry's growth
• Challenges potential podcast listeners face when trying to find and listen to podcasts
• Why the "podcast" term could be confusing for potential new listeners
• The importance of using Apple Podcast links instead of iTunes links on your website
• Why podcasters need to submit their shows to Spotify, Overcast, and the new Google Podcasts app
• Why podcasters need to teach their audience how to download and tune into podcasts on their mobile device
• The current average number of active and inactive podcasts
• How to create viral-worthy content to promote your podcast episodes
• How to promote your podcast on podcast apps
• Social media sites that work best for promoting your podcast
• Using carousel Facebook ads to promote your show
• Marketing strategies you can use to promote your podcast
• What is a podcast avatar and why podcasters need to create one
• How to gain new ideas and inspiration for podcast topics from your audience
• The importance of testing different episode lengths to see what works best for your audience
• Using Facebook Live to help you increase your podcast downloads
• Getting feedback from your audience to use in your podcast episodes
• Including social proof metrics in the intro of your podcast episodes and how it can help you build authority
• What are Dynamic Ad inserts?

Top 10 Takeaways from Podcast Movement 2018:

1. Podcasting is growing.
2. The podcasting landscape is changing.
3. Videos are more likely to go viral than a podcast episode.
4. You can advertise your podcast on podcast apps.
5. Use Instagram, Insta Stories, and Facebook ads to advertise your podcast.
6. Create a podcast avatar.
7. The length of your episodes do not matter - but your audience might care.
8. Increase your podcast downloads with complimentary activities.
9. Add social proof elements to the intro of your episodes.
10. Use Dynamic Ad inserts.

Resources Mentioned:

• Episode 207: How to Be a Great Podcast Guest and Run a Top Show with Nicole Holland
• Speakpipe
• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• Overcast
• Google Podcasts

Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Google Play Music so more people can enjoy the show. Don't forget to follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Get Your Free Training

Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

Judith Geiss is the owner of a consulting and training company based in Germany. She focuses on supporting businesses and organizations throughout the community that are being acquired by an American company. She has extensive experience in helping German companies adapt to U.S. regulations and teaching organizational teams how to adapt to new accounting and bookkeeping systems.

In this On Air Coaching episode, Judith joins me to learn how to take her local B2B consulting business to the online market. I share strategies for building your online authority and developing systems and tools to streamline the process of working remotely with clients. I also explain the importance of creating workshops and programs that help your clients solve small pain points and why you should share your new offers on your website, even before you've created them.

"When taking your B2B business online, you sometimes have to change your audience a little bit." - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• Working offline vs. online as a B2B consultant
• Identifying why your customers conduct B2B business online
• How to build your authority as an online entrepreneur
• How to develop tools and workshops to streamline the process of working with clients remotely
• Creating workshops, webinars, and programs to help clients solve smaller portions of a larger problem
• The importance of sharing your new offers and programs on your website - even if you haven't created them yet

Resources Mentioned:

• Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson M.D.

Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Google Play Music so more people can enjoy the show. Don't forget to follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Get Your Free Training

Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

Like many things in life, online business has a bright side and a darker side. For years, I've shared the ups and downs of running an online business, but there is a darker side that many people don't talk about.

As entrepreneurs, we want to increase our online visibility. We want to grow our email lists and engage with our followers, fans, and subscribers. But sometimes, running an online business can attract the wrong kind of attention.

In this episode, I share my experience with the dark side of running an online business. I talk about receiving creepy emails and rude comments on my Facebook posts and ads as well as the strategies I used to handle these situations. I also explain why ignoring rude comments on your Facebook business page posts is often the best solution for dealing with online trolls and how those trolls are actually helping you grow your online business without realizing it.

"Whether you receive an email, direct message, or a comment - there is no law that says you have to reply." - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• My experience with receiving creepy emails and how I handled it
• My experience with online trolls
• Why the way you handle online trolls on your private Facebook profile should be different than the way you handle rude or negative comments on your Facebook business page
• Why hiding rude comments on your Facebook business page is a better option than deleting it
• Why you should not respond to online trolling attempts

Key Takeaways:

1. Do not delete rude, creepy, or spam comments on your Facebook business page posts. Simply hide them.
2. When people comment on your Facebook business page posts - even if they are trolling messages - they are increasing your reach. The bigger your reach, the lower ad cost you will have - therefore, a bigger profit!
3. Remember - you have the right to ignore trolls and move on with your life and business.

Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Google Play Music so more people can enjoy the show. Don't forget to follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Get Your Free Training

Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

Aneta Nowak is a Sailing Coach on a mission to combine her passion for sailing with personal development coaching. In 2018, she decided to launch her sailing coaching business through 1-on-1 coaching, workshops, and webinars. She now wants to take her business to the next level by offering online courses to help more people achieve personal growth through sailing.

Aneta joins me for this On Air Coaching to learn how to keep the momentum she has built in her business while launching her new online course. I explain how setting metrics and goals can help defeat overwhelm and procrastination, the importance of building your list before launching a new course, and content creation strategies to promote your course while growing your email and waiting lists. I also share why building a waiting list while developing your online course is critical to a successful launch and how to identify when it's the perfect time to launch your online course.

"Google needs to like you - and Google likes people who have content on their website." - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• Building an nurturing your waiting list
• How to identify the perfect time to launch your online course
• Building an "interest list" before launching your course
• Why building your email list is critical to successfully launching your course
• Creating content to promote your online course
• Developing metrics and goals to maintain momentum and ensure your launch is a success

Key Takeaways:

1. Create content to get ranked on Google.
2. Build your email and waiting lists.
3. Consider using Facebook ads to promote your online course.

Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Google Play Music so more people can enjoy the show. Don't forget to follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Get Your Free Training

Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

Every business owner makes a mistake at some point in their entrepreneurial journey. Sometimes, these mistakes are small and easy to fix, but sometimes they can be very costly. One of the most common - and most expensive - mistakes that many new entrepreneurs make is hiring the wrong person on their team.

I am an experienced businesswoman and I have been running businesses since 2004. So, I have extensive experience with hiring the right people.

But, I am also human. Sometimes, I make mistakes.

In this episode, I share how making a mistake by hiring the wrong person cost me $50,000 and took a year to fix. I explain how messy books eventually led to sounding an alarm to my local tax authorities, how I finally realized I hired the wrong bookkeeper for my business, and the steps I took to fix the problem. I also explain the importance of basing your hiring decisions on the person's qualifications and skill instead of your budget.

"A sloppy bookkeeper is not a good sign." - Sigrun

In This Episode of The Sigrun Show:

• How hiring the wrong bookkeeper can be a costly mistake
• Why I hired a bookkeeper to manage my business books
• Why I began using PayPal and Stripe to process invoice payments
• The importance of knowing the details of your business books
• How hiring the wrong bookkeeper led to my business being audited by tax authorities
• Lessons I learned about hiring a qualified bookkeeper

Key Takeaways:

1. Review your business books often to ensure they are accurate.
2. Hire a qualified bookkeeper.
3. Remember: You get what you pay for.

Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes

Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Google Play Music so more people can enjoy the show. Don't forget to follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Get Your Free Training

Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.