In this episode, I’m joined by data strategist and Akari Digital founder, Ally Anderson, to tackle a question that keeps many business owners awake at night:

“My funnel gets plenty of traffic, but no one is buying. Where do I start?”

This conversation picks up where Episode 40 with copywriter Laura Kendrick left off. In that episode we explored conversion problems from an emotional and messaging perspective. Today, we zoom in on the data side, and how to pinpoint and fix bottlenecks strategically so your funnels convert more consistently.

If you’ve ever stared at your metrics wondering why your funnels aren’t converting, this conversation is your blueprint. Ally and I unpack how to diagnose bottlenecks, simplify your data, and use smart tracking to improve conversion rates without having to become a full-time analyst. We explore how customer experience and messaging intersect with metrics, and why simplifying your offers and funnel steps can dramatically improve results.

What we cover:

The Funnel Friction Audit

How to map your customer journey beyond open rates and click rates to uncover the real leaks in your funnel.

Simplifying Data Tracking

Why eight to twelve core metrics (not 87 dashboards) will tell you everything you need to know.

Spotting and Fixing Bottlenecks

Simple ways to calculate where prospects drop off, and how to prioritise your tests for the biggest impact.

Customer Experience Meets Metrics

How friction, confusion or lack of clarity kills conversions, and easy fixes you can apply today.

Less Is More: Designing Offers for Action

Why breaking big promises into smaller wins can boost opt-ins, completions and sales.

Real-Life Tweaks, Real Results

Ally shares examples of tiny homepage and opt-in tweaks that doubled and tripled conversions overnight.

Connect with Ally Anderson:

Website: https://akaridigital.ca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akaridigital/

Grab Ally's Launch Leak Finder tool for only $7 with coupon code NADINE to help you pinpoint your funnel’s bottlenecks and test potential improvements without the overwhelm.

View the episode transcript here.

Where to from here?

Join Retention Lab🧪, the membership for savvy online business owners determined to grow their revenue, referrals and repeat business without more marketing. Join here!

Find out how you can get my strategic customer experience brain on your brand here.

Grab the FREE State of the Customer online business industry report with first-hand findings, gaps & opportunities PLUS proven strategies to boost your customer experience. Download FREE here!

Check out my favourite CX tools and resources here.

😍 Love the show?

Hit subscribe or follow so you never miss a new episode.

Submit your question so I can answer it in an upcoming episode (or invite the perfect guest expert!).

Leave a positive review to help the show get found by more small business owners just like you. To leave a review:

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👉 Scroll to ‘Ratings & Reviews’

👉 Tap on the stars to rate the show before writing a review

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In today’s episode, we’re diving into personal touches, handwritten moments, and how to make your customers feel truly seen, even if they’re scattered around the globe.

We’re answering this listener question:

“I would love to welcome all new members with a personal touch, but they’re scattered all over the world and it seems too complex and costly. What are my options?”

To help unpack this, I’m joined by David Wachs, founder of Handwrytten, a tech-enabled platform that makes sending physical handwritten cards as simple as sending an email. We explore the power of thoughtful gestures, why inbox fatigue is real (and growing), and how to scale meaningful experiences without burning yourself out.

Keen to try Handwritten?Save 10% on your Handwrytten cards with signup code nadinenethery

Whether you’re a service provider, a membership founder, or a course creator, this episode will show you how to stand out in a sea of digital noise by doubling down on what makes you (and your customers) human.

My long-term 1:1 client and Retention Lab member Josh Goldsmith is joining us inside the Lab in December to share exactly how he automates handwritten touchpoints in his business with Handwrytten. You’ll want a front-row seat for that!

What we cover:

Why retention and loyalty hinge on making people feel seen

What makes handwritten notes so emotionally powerful

Surprising findings from Handwrytten’s 2022 and 2025 consumer outreach surveys

Real examples of how brands increased revenue, loyalty, and LTV through handwritten outreach

How to balance automation and authenticity when scaling personal touches

Where AI belongs in the personalization journey, and where it doesn’t

Why intention is more important than handwriting, and how to keep it personal at scale

Connect with David Wachs:

David's Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/dbwachs

Handwrytten's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handwrytten

View the episode transcript here.

Where to from here?

Join Retention Lab🧪, the membership for savvy online business owners determined to grow their revenue, referrals and repeat business without more marketing. Join here!

Find out how you can get my strategic customer experience brain on your brand here.

Grab the FREE State of the Customer online business industry report with first-hand findings, gaps & opportunities PLUS proven strategies to boost your customer experience. Download FREE here!

Check out my favourite CX tools and resources here.

😍 Love the show?

Hit subscribe or follow so you never miss a new episode.

Submit your question so I can answer it in an upcoming episode (or invite the perfect guest expert!).

Leave a positive review to help the show get found by more small business owners just like you. To leave a review:

👉 Find What Would They Do? on Apple Podcasts

👉 Scroll to ‘Ratings & Reviews’

👉 Tap on the stars to rate the show before writing a review

Post a screenshot with your key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @candocontent and #WWTDpod so I can repost your content.

In today’s episode, we’re exploring the concept of hyper-personalization, and how you can create a standout customer journey using the email platform you’re already using.

This episode answers a brilliant listener question:

“I would love to personalize my customer experience, but I feel I'm missing the tech tools to make it happen.”

The good news? You don’t need a fancy tech stack or a marketing team to make personalization work for you. All you need is a strategic mindset, your email platform, and a willingness to go one step further than most.

From segmenting your list based on behavior and past purchases to setting up simple but powerful trigger links and conditional content, I’ll show you how to turn basic tools into a personalized customer experience engine.

What we cover:

• What true personalization really means
• Why personalization boosts conversions, loyalty, and engagement
• How to set up segmentation so it actually drives results
• Trigger links, custom fields, and saved segments explained
• Real-life examples of how I personalize emails within my business

Try Drip for FREE (no credit card required) right here. (affiliate link)

View the episode transcript here.

Where to from here?

Join Retention Lab🧪, the membership for savvy online business owners determined to grow their revenue, referrals and repeat business without more marketing. Join here!

Find out how you can get my strategic customer experience brain on your brand here.

Grab the FREE State of the Customer online business industry report with first-hand findings, gaps & opportunities PLUS proven strategies to boost your customer experience. Download FREE here!

Check out my favourite CX tools and resources here.

😍 Love the show?

Hit subscribe or follow so you never miss a new episode.

Submit your question so I can answer it in an upcoming episode (or invite the perfect guest expert!).

Leave a positive review to help the show get found by more small business owners just like you. To leave a review:

👉 Find What Would They Do? on Apple Podcasts

👉 Scroll to ‘Ratings & Reviews’

👉 Tap on the stars to rate the show before writing a review

Post a screenshot with your key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @candocontent and #WWTDpod so I can repost your content.

Today’s listener question: “I’m speaking to the right audience and I have a proven offer, but conversions in my launches have stalled. Where could the problem be?” In this episode, I’m joined by fellow copywriter and holistic launch strategist Laura Kendrick to unpack the hidden friction points that quietly tank conversions, even when your offer and audience are a match. 

From treating your launch as a full marketing arc (not just cart open & cart close), to reading real-time audience signals, creating “spaciousness” in timing, and nurturing non-buyers without the ick, this episode gives you practical fixes you can implement before your next promo.

What we cover:

Holistic Launching (The Full Arc): Why effective launches start months earlier

Talk to People, Then Check the Data: How live voice-of-customer conversations surface what analytics can’t

Positioning vs. Demand: A real example where interest was high but response was low because positioning was slightly off 

Spaciousness = Conversions: Building more time into your runway (and even into cart open)

After the Launch: How to debrief with your list, make non-buyers feel valued, and create simple two-way touchpoints

Connect with Laura Kendrick:

Laura Kendrick is a conversion strategist and copywriting co-conspirator for ambitious online business owners who want client-forward copy that actually sells—ethically, clearly, and with their personality fully intact.

She helps founders finally market their businesses in a way that makes sense and gets results. With a big-picture view and zero tolerance for one-size-fits-all formulas, Laura helps you clarify your message, sharpen your strategy, and create a brand voice that sounds like you (just... dialed all the way in). It’s about marketing that actually fits your business and your brain.

Website: https://www.cheekycopy.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheekycopy/

View the episode transcript here.

Where to from here?

Join Retention Lab🧪, the membership for savvy online business owners determined to grow their revenue, referrals and repeat business without more marketing. Join here!

Find out how you can get my strategic customer experience brain on your brand here.

Grab the FREE State of the Customer online business industry report with first-hand findings, gaps & opportunities PLUS proven strategies to boost your customer experience. Download FREE here!

Check out my favourite CX tools and resources here.

😍 Love the show?

Hit subscribe or follow so you never miss a new episode.

Submit your question so I can answer it in an upcoming episode (or invite the perfect guest expert!).

Leave a positive review to help the show get found by more small business owners just like you. To leave a review:

👉 Find What Would They Do? on Apple Podcasts

👉 Scroll to ‘Ratings & Reviews’

👉 Tap on the stars to rate the show before writing a review

Post a screenshot with your key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @candocontent and #WWTDpod so I can repost your content.

In today’s episode, we’re breaking with tradition.

This week, I’m pulling back the curtain on a delightfully strategic event I’m hosting inside Retention Lab this December: The CX Escape Room Challenge.

Are you crawling toward the end of 2025 on fumes, desperately trying to finish Black Friday strong before vanishing until January? Here’s your permission to pause for a moment.

Because now is exactly when ‘Future You’ will wish you’d laid just a few customer retention foundations. The kind that quietly keep your business growing while you rest, reset, and gear up for a successful 2026.

If you’re craving a creative, strategic way to re-energize your customer experience, and start 2026 already ahead of the game, this episode is for you.

What we cover:

• Why December is the sleeper month for smart business moves
• What a “retention brick” is and how to choose the right one
• 3 quick-win strategies to get your audience to grow your list for you, convert more browsers on your sales page, and surprise and delight your current customers to round out the year
• What to expect inside the 3-day CX Escape Room Challenge
• Why 60 days inside Retention Lab could be your most profitable New Year plan yet

Join the LIVE 3-day CX Escape Room Challenge from 2-4 December 2025 here.

View the episode transcript here.

Where to from here?

Join Retention Lab🧪, the membership for savvy online business owners determined to grow their revenue, referrals and repeat business without more marketing. Join here!

Find out how you can get my strategic customer experience brain on your brand here.

Grab the FREE State of the Customer online business industry report with first-hand findings, gaps & opportunities PLUS proven strategies to boost your customer experience. Download FREE here!

Check out my favourite CX tools and resources here.

😍 Love the show?

Hit subscribe or follow so you never miss a new episode.

Submit your question so I can answer it in an upcoming episode (or invite the perfect guest expert!).

Leave a positive review to help the show get found by more small business owners just like you. To leave a review:

👉 Find What Would They Do? on Apple Podcasts

👉 Scroll to ‘Ratings & Reviews’

👉 Tap on the stars to rate the show before writing a review

Post a screenshot with your key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @candocontent and #WWTDpod so I can repost your content.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into the world of affiliate marketing, and how you can turn happy customers into powerful affiliate partners without tech overwhelm.

Our guest is Laura Sprinkle, an affiliate partnership strategist who’s worked behind the scenes of multi-million dollar launches for the likes of Amy Porterfield and Selena Soo, and who also happens to be the founder of Rootabl, the first affiliate platform built specifically for course creators.

We’re answering this listener question that I know will hit home for many online business owners:

“How can I turn happy customers into powerful affiliate partners without the tech overwhelm?”

Whether you’re affiliate-curious, just launched your own program, or want to squeeze more juice out of an existing one, this conversation is packed with actionable advice to get you moving.

If you’re looking to grow sustainably through genuine partnerships, this episode is your fast track to making that happen.

Plus, Laura will be joining us as a guest expert in an upcoming month inside Retention Lab. So if you’re ready to double down on community-driven growth, make sure you join us.

What we cover:

• The power of affiliate marketing as a visibility, lead-gen, and conversion strategy
• Why tech is not your biggest hurdle (even though it feels like it)
• Laura’s “Cycle of Profitable Partnerships” framework
• Smart strategies to invite customers into affiliate partnerships (without being sleazy)
• How to activate affiliates and give them the best chance of success
• How to motivate more affiliates to share
• Easy win incentives that convert (hint: it’s not always a luxury retreat)

Connect with Laura Sprinkle:

Laura Sprinkle, founder of Rootabl, is an affiliate partnerships strategist who specializes in working with digital course and membership creators.

Her approach to partner programs has helped everyone from budding entrepreneurs to seven-figure industry leaders garner more than $44 million in affiliate revenues. Laura’s unique approach to partnerships involves creating high-touch relationships, empowering clients like Amy Porterfield, Todd Herman, and Selena Soo to bring as much fun to the process as possible.

Website: https://laurasprinkle.com/

Rootable Website

View the episode transcript here.

Where to from here?

Join Retention Lab🧪, the membership for savvy online business owners determined to grow their revenue, referrals and repeat business without more marketing. Join here!

Find out how you can get my strategic customer experience brain on your brand here.

Grab the FREE State of the Customer online business industry report with first-hand findings, gaps & opportunities PLUS proven strategies to boost your customer experience. Download FREE here!

Check out my favourite CX tools and resources here.

😍 Love the show?

Hit subscribe or follow so you never miss a new episode.

Submit your question so I can answer it in an upcoming episode (or invite the perfect guest expert!).

Leave a positive review to help the show get found by more small business owners just like you. To leave a review:

👉 Find What Would They Do? on Apple Podcasts

👉 Scroll to ‘Ratings & Reviews’

👉 Tap on the stars to rate the show before writing a review

Post a screenshot with your key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @candocontent and #WWTDpod so I can repost your content.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into pre-selling, Anticipation Marketing™, and how to create sales environments that build deep trust, long-term loyalty, and better-fit buyers.

We’re answering this listener question:

“How can pre-selling build a deeper trust with your audience and set the stage for long-term customer loyalty?”

To unpack this question, I’ve invited none other than Brenna McGowan, the queen of Anticipation Marketing™, the creator of the Pre-Launch Plan Program, and an advocate for launch strategies that actually feel good for you and your audience.

If you’re tired of high-pressure launch tactics, endless email blasts, and buyers who ghost after checkout, Brenna’s approach will feel like a breath of fresh air. We explore her signature framework and how pre-selling isn’t just about priming people to buy, but about attracting the right people who’ll stick around.

Brenna is also joining Retention Lab as our November guest expert on 19 November 2025. If you want access to her live training (or the replay if you're listening later), join us right here.

What we cover:

• Why traditional launches create burnout (and how to avoid it)
• The 4 A’s of Anticipation Marketing
• How to create a low-pressure sales environment that converts better
• The surprising link between pre-selling and customer retention
• Smart ways to front-load trust and reduce refund requests
• The one thing Brenna recommends you must do weekly during pre-launch
• How audience research shapes magnetic messaging that resonates

Connect with Brenna McGowan:

Brenna McGowan is a launch strategist, copywriter, and the creator of the popular online event Behind the Launch. She helps coaches, course creators, and consultants move away from hustle-based, high-pressure launches by using my signature pre-launch and Anticipation Marketing™ strategies.

Website: https://brennamcgowan.co/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/brennamcgowanco

Download Brenna's Launch Calendar

View the episode transcript here.

Where to from here?

Join Retention Lab🧪, the membership for savvy online business owners determined to grow their revenue, referrals and repeat business without more marketing. Join here!

Find out how you can get my strategic customer experience brain on your brand here.

Grab the FREE State of the Customer online business industry report with first-hand findings, gaps & opportunities PLUS proven strategies to boost your customer experience. Download FREE here!

Check out my favourite CX tools and resources here.

😍 Love the show?

Hit subscribe or follow so you never miss a new episode.

Submit your question so I can answer it in an upcoming episode (or invite the perfect guest expert!).

Leave a positive review to help the show get found by more small business owners just like you. To leave a review:

👉 Find What Would They Do? on Apple Podcasts

👉 Scroll to ‘Ratings & Reviews’

👉 Tap on the stars to rate the show before writing a review

Post a screenshot with your key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @candocontent and #WWTDpod so I can repost your content.

In today’s episode, we’re getting into the nitty gritty of strategic audience research and the templates behind it. Specifically how to get actual insights from your surveys instead of a bunch of vague, unusable fluff.

We’re answering this listener question: “I regularly survey my audience, but I struggle to get useful answers. How can I get people to actually respond and what's important in the process so I get the right outcomes and useful responses?”

If you’ve ever sent out a survey only to hear crickets, or received responses so surface-level they left you with more questions than answers, this episode is for you.

I walk you through the entire process I use in my own business and for my 1:1 clients inside my Intensives. From setting the right survey goals and crafting powerful questions to boosting response rates and turning data into messaging gold.

If you’re making strategic decisions based on assumptions (or you’ve been procrastinating on surveying your audience altogether), this episode will give you the roadmap you need to move forward with clarity.

What we cover:

• Why strong audience research is the foundation of everything in your business
• How to design surveys that give you rich, usable insights
• The psychology behind what makes people actually want to respond
• Why vague questions lead to vague answers, and what to ask instead
• How I helped a client get over 500 strategic responses for a membership survey
• The role of segmenting, branching, and user experience in survey design
• How to turn survey responses into content, sales copy, and retention strategies

Download my FREE Strategic Survey Questions here.

View the episode transcript here.

Where to from here?

Join Retention Lab🧪, the membership for savvy online business owners determined to grow their revenue, referrals and repeat business without more marketing. Join here!

Find out how you can get my strategic customer experience brain on your brand here.

Grab the FREE State of the Customer online business industry report with first-hand findings, gaps & opportunities PLUS proven strategies to boost your customer experience. Download FREE here!

Check out my favourite CX tools and resources here.

😍 Love the show?

Hit subscribe or follow so you never miss a new episode.

Submit your question so I can answer it in an upcoming episode (or invite the perfect guest expert!).

Leave a positive review to help the show get found by more small business owners just like you. To leave a review:

👉 Find What Would They Do? on Apple Podcasts

👉 Scroll to ‘Ratings & Reviews’

👉 Tap on the stars to rate the show before writing a review

Post a screenshot with your key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @candocontent and #WWTDpod so I can repost your content.

In this insightful episode, I’m joined by Ash McDonald, a therapist-turned-business strategist who specializes in cultivating psychologically safe and meaningful group environments.

We’re answering the questions:”How would you cultivate safe group spaces where clients show up AND truly connect?” and explore the essential factors that encourage genuine connection, active participation, and emotional safety in group coaching programs and memberships.

If you're struggling with low engagement, superficial interactions, or burnout from managing group spaces, this episode provides actionable insights to transform your client communities.

What we cover:

Why Many Group Programs Fail to Engage – Understanding common pitfalls that prevent genuine connection and participation among group members.

Leading with Vulnerability – How coaches showing authentic vulnerability can dramatically improve client engagement and openness.

Human-First Approach to Coaching – Why prioritizing human connection and authenticity over polished perfection can deepen relationships and improve outcomes.

Effective Boundary Setting in Groups – How clear communication and boundary-setting protect your energy as a facilitator and improve group dynamics.

Automating Client Care Without Losing the Human Touch – Using strategic automations paired with personal check-ins to maintain meaningful relationships efficiently.

Connect with Ash McDonald:

Ash McDonald is a former therapist turned therapeutic mentor and business coach who helps high-achieving women stop running on stress and start leading from self-trust. With over a decade of experience guiding deep transformation, she’s known for blending psychological insight with soul-deep strategy — helping women shift their inner world so life, leadership, and business finally feel like they fit. Ash’s work centers on nervous system regulation, emotional capacity, and radical receptivity — teaching women how to hold more wealth, presence, and peace without sacrificing themselves in the process.

She’s the host of the Shamelessly Ambitious podcast and a leading voice in the movement to redefine success from the inside out.

Website: https://ashmcdonaldmentoring.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashmcdonald/

Freebie The Ultimate Guide to Overdelivery: https://ashmcdonaldmentoring.com/UltimateGTODA

View the episode transcript here.

Where to from here?

Join Retention Lab🧪, the membership for savvy online business owners determined to grow their revenue, referrals and repeat business without more marketing. Join here!

Find out how you can get my strategic customer experience brain on your brand here.

Grab the FREE State of the Customer online business industry report with first-hand findings, gaps & opportunities PLUS proven strategies to boost your customer experience. Download FREE here!

Check out my favourite CX tools and resources here.

😍 Love the show?

Hit subscribe or follow so you never miss a new episode.

Submit your question so I can answer it in an upcoming episode (or invite the perfect guest expert!).

Leave a positive review to help the show get found by more small business owners just like you. To leave a review:

👉 Find What Would They Do? on Apple Podcasts

👉 Scroll to ‘Ratings & Reviews’

👉 Tap on the stars to rate the show before writing a review

Post a screenshot with your key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @candocontent and #WWTDpod so I can repost your content.

In today’s episode, I’m exploring what it really takes to create a customer-first business (even if you’re a solo operator without a huge team, elaborate marketing budgets, or an expensive tech stack.

I break down what a customer-first mindset actually means, why it’s about consistent, small shifts rather than big, overwhelming overhauls, and how you can start making simple changes today to create remarkable experiences for your audience and customers.

From listening to customer signals and anticipating their needs to streamlining your communications and personalizing your offers, this episode is packed with practical strategies you can apply immediately, no matter the size of your business.

If you’ve been wondering how to stand out in an AI-driven online space where everyone sounds the same, this conversation will give you a clear path forward.

What we cover:

What “customer-first” really means — and why it’s not just about customer service.

How to start putting your customers in the driver’s seat of their journey.

Practical ways to leverage data and simple tools to personalize their experience.

Why small, consistent actions beat one-off “quick fixes” every time.

Low-lift strategies you can implement right now — like personal welcome videos, better FAQs, and strategic follow-ups.

View the episode transcript here.

Where to from here?

Join Retention Lab🧪, the membership for savvy online business owners determined to grow their revenue, referrals and repeat business without more marketing. Join here!

Find out how you can get my strategic customer experience brain on your brand here.

Grab the FREE State of the Customer online business industry report with first-hand findings, gaps & opportunities PLUS proven strategies to boost your customer experience. Download FREE here!

Check out my favourite CX tools and resources here.

😍 Love the show?

Hit subscribe or follow so you never miss a new episode.

Submit your question so I can answer it in an upcoming episode (or invite the perfect guest expert!).

Leave a positive review to help the show get found by more small business owners just like you. To leave a review:

👉 Find What Would They Do? on Apple Podcasts

👉 Scroll to ‘Ratings & Reviews’

👉 Tap on the stars to rate the show before writing a review

Post a screenshot with your key takeaway on your IG story and tag me @candocontent and #WWTDpod so I can repost your content.