Well you now have the tools to do so!

I want you to look around this website and bookmark it because it is an excellent resource for your marketing efforts. Here’s a couple on email marketing you will enjoy:

• How to Create a Winning Lead Magnet
• Should You Use Templates or Plain text on Emails

I also suggest that you sign up to the newsletter and download the 5 Step Lead Magnet Checklist.

Contest Participation: In order to participate to win a lifetime premium membership to Smartduu.com and get all of the themes and plugins for marketing ever created, here’s what you have to do:

1. Subscribe and leave a honest review for the moneydiver marketing podcast on itunes

2. Answer the following question and post your answer in the comments below at this page:

“According to John, How Long Should Your Autoresponder Sequence Be?”

Based on the most comprehensive answer, a winner will be selected.

Again, thank you so much.

Make sure to follow Smart Time Online on Twitter

The post MoneyDiver Contest Guidelines appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

If you do not yet have a lead magnet in place in your online business, this podcast episode may very well change your life. A lead magnet is something you offer of high perceived (and actual) value in exchange for a visitors information, typically a name and email address.

It is the first step in converting a visitor into a customer – all while establishing extremely high goodwill, trust and rapport with those who sign up to get it. It is the foundation to creating a highly responsive email list, which is undeniably one of the most profitable assets you could possible have.

The catch is that a lot of solopreneurs and small business owners really have no clue how to create a good lead magnet that magnetically attracts prospects and leads into their funnel. Because of this, one may end up either giving up and settling on the “free newsletter” route, or end up publishing a “not-so-good” lead magnet and then wonder why it’s not pulling in subscribers and leads.

In this episode, I’ll reveal a 5-step outline that you can use anytime you create a lead magnet; one that can grow your income from the moment you publish it.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The 5-step outline that I use in my own business to build highly profitable email lists that are full of people who like and trust you.
• Why step #2 is often overlooked, resulting in lost income and happy subscribers.
• How offering a _____ ______ will cement your “goodwill factor” in the marketplace, setting you out on the right foot among your new subscribers.
• Why specificity matters and why you’re probably missing this point outright.
• Why (and how) having one lead magnet can be a very good thing for your business.
• Why stating the value of your lead magnet is critical for supporting perceived value.
• The difference between a $300 value and a $37 value (and which way you should lean).
• The ONE thing you should make sure is in place AFTER someone submits their name and email to receive your lead magnet (it has nothing to do with emails).

ACTION STEPS:

• If you do not yet have a lead magnet, CREATE ONE as soon as you can!
• If you already have a lead magnet, use this 5-step outline as a checklist and go back to improve on yours where needed.
• Consider creating more than one lead magnet to serve the specific needs of your website visitor segments. This will improve your list growth rate without any increase in traffic.
• Not having a lot of traffic is not a good excuse for not having a great lead magnet and accompanying process in place. Set it up now so you don’t have to later.
• Download my 5-step outline PDF below and print it out for easy reference. Don’t
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

BONUS STEP 6: 

I honestly did not include this step in the podcast episode because I just didn’t think about it until now. But it’s a very important step – and it is to install a lead magnet and opt-in plugin on your website that makes it EASY to serve lead magnets. The one that I use on this site, which is my personal favorite and the one I recommend the most, is called Optin Monster.

Optin Monster makes it SUPER EASY to install timed lead manget pop-ups on your WordPress site, sidebar forms, slide-in forms and even on-click popups like the one on the upper right corner of my sidebar. You can even set up what’s called an exit-intent popup, which only displays if a visitors cursor breaks the plane of your site (when they hover the back button, etc.).

I listened to a recent interview with the creator of Optin Monster and he mentioned that they were considering switching to a paid subscription model for the plugin. Although this isn’t for sure and he could’ve just been “thinking out loud”, I’d grab it now while it’s still a non-subscription based model. It’s not the cheapest plugin, but you get what you pay for and I honestly believe they could charge more for what it does. Check it out here.

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• My 5-Step Outline for Creating a Winning Lead Magnet PDF (print this and use it for reference)

• Optin Monster – what I consider to be the best lead generation WordPress plugin on the market today.

GET YOUR 5-STEP LEAD MAGNET CREATION OUTLINE PDF (FREE):

Want the perfect companion for creating winning lead magnets? This is it!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE… 

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

The post STO43: 5 Steps to Creating a Winning Lead Magnet appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

When you hear or read the word “joint venture,” what do you think about? If you have an online business, then you probably think about affiliate marketing and “commission-based” income. The thing is, joint venturing is so much more than that. Instead of earning commissions on a sale, you could earn real equity in a company or partner with companies hundreds of times bigger than yours. And make it a win for all parties.

Enter: Sohail Khan. Sohail has organized multiple million-dollar plus joint venture deals and has even consulted for companies like QVC. In 2009, Sohail set out to prove his ability by setting a goal of scoring a million-dollar joint venture deal within 12 months. He completely blew past his goals, managing to close a $1.5 million deal in under 30 days.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• How to approach companies and establish joint venture relationships and deals that can make you lots o’ moolah.
• How I organized a pretty sweet joint venture deal myself in 2007 in just 24 hours that was worth tens of thousands of dollars.
• How Sohail dealt with losing a 10 million dollar business, his house, his Ferrari, and all the other luxuries of millionaire status and moving back in with his parents.
• The one business and marketing strategy that Sohail credits as the absolute best.
• The one eyebrow raising question to ask a potential joint venture partner that will earn their undivided attention (9:43).
• Why making a prospective client feel like their finding all the solutions is so powerful when selling.
• How a small moment of “just asking” can lead to HUGE, life-changing opportunities.

ACTION STEPS:

• Approach every joint venture (and business deal) with a win-win-win mentality. Always look for situations that involve a win for you, for the company, and for the customer.
• Get creative! The best joint ventures are born from thinking creatively and “outside of the box”.
• Don’t be afraid to joint venture with your competition. Give it some creative thought, and you’ll likely find profit opportunities for the two of you.
• Go to events! Meet people! Network! Stand out! You’ll find it is much easier to joint venture with someone after meeting them in person and establishing some rapport.
• If you cannot afford to attend events yet, then link up with like-minded movers and shakers who live around your area. There are plenty of people who live within a 2 hour drive from your house who are doing HUGE things. Find a way to offer them value, communicate it, then offer them to buy lunch or coffee in person. It WORKS.
• Sohail’s personal motto is, “GIVE FIRST, ASK LATER”. This is a great creed to live by. I suggest you do, too.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• MillionDollarPartneringBook.com – Where you can pick up Sohail’s latest book for free (just pay S&H), Guerilla Marketing and Joint Ventures.
• Sohail-Khan.com – Sohail’s personal website and blog
• MillionDollarPartnering.com – Where you can find information on Sohail’s programs, speaking schedule and more.
• Sohail on Twitter (@MarketingBrit) – Send him a quick tweet and thank him for being a guest and bringing awesome value!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET YOUR 6-STEP OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

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The post How to Profit Wildly from Joint Ventures with Sohail Khan appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Narrowing the gap between customers and website visitors takes a lot of optimization. Optimization, though, requires you to measure things… and the better you measure, the better you can optimize for results.

One of the best tools available for you to measure your website visitors is Google Analytics. It’s free, and it pumps out a ton of data about your website visitors and the actions they take on your website. However, chances are you’re only utilizing Google Analytics right out of the box – simply popping the javascript code on your site and moving on.

While this is better than not using analytics at all, you’re leaving powerful data on the table that can be used to make smarter marketing decisions.

When you make smarter marketing decisions, your business grows.

The cool part about this is once you set up and optimize Google Analytics, you won’t have to worry about it again.

Step 1: Block Your IP Address by Using Google Analytics Filters

In this episode, I share two steps for optimizing Google Analytics. The fist step is to set up one of the most overlooked features: Analytics filters. This is SO important!

Without setting up a filter to block your IP address, Google Analytics will report your own visits to your website. Obviously, this is bad and it skews the numbers – especially when you’re tracking conversions and goals.

This is also important for offices, as your employees visits will skew the numbers if you don’t block your office IP address.

Setting up a filter to block Google Analytics from tracking your IP address is easy.

1. From anywhere in your account, navigate to “Admin” at the top of your screen:

2. Under the left most column (Accounts), select ‘All Filters’ from the cascading menu below:

3. Click on the red ‘+ New Filter’ button:

4. Give your filter a name (i.e. ‘Home IP Address’), leave ‘Predefined Filter’ selected, select ‘traffic from the IP addresses that are equal to’ from the middle drop down menu, and enter your IP address:

5. Hit ‘Save’. That’s it!

NOTE* If you don’t know what your IP address is, simply search Google for, “whats my ip?”

And there you have it. 5 easy steps for setting up a filter and you’ve just done the very first step to optimize Google Analytics for your website!

Step 2: Set Up Your Google Analytics Conversion Goals

Now we come to the fun part! Once you’ve set up Conversion Goals, you’ll never look at your website the same again. It can literally change your business overnight.

After setting this up, you’ll be able to tell precisely what your conversion rates are for a multitude of goals, whether they be:

• Email Opt-Ins
• Product Purchases
• Leads From Form Submissions
• Video Plays

What’s even cooler is that you can assign a monetary value to each of your conversion goals. This comes in handy for product purchases – simply tell Google Analytics where your ‘Thank You’ page is (where people are sent after they pay), type in a dollar amount for the value of one customer and as people hit that page, analytics will track this data.

You can see which pages generate the most sign ups to your email list, which variations of sales pages lead to a product sale (this is a very easy way to split test), and much, much more. In this podcast episode, I actually detail a very interesting example of how powerful this is, so be sure to listen.

Now don’t wait any longer – set up your Google Analytics conversion goals by doing the following:

1. From anywhere in your account, navigate to “Reporting” at the top of your screen:

2. Scroll down on the left side menu until you reach ‘Conversions’. Click it to expand the Conversions menu and select ‘Goals’:

3. Google Analytics should display a prompt on the next screen, instructing you to set up and enable goals. Let’s do it! Click on ‘Set up goals’:

4. Click on the big red (hard to spot) ‘+ New Goal’ button:

5. From here, depending on whether you’re using the older version or the newer version of Google Analytics, you’ll see either TWO or THREE Goal steps. The newer version of Analytics includes a ‘Goal Setup’ step where you can choose a template from a list of categories. If you see this, select ‘Newsletter sign up’ under the Engagement category and hit the blue ‘Next step’ button. Make note of other options for future use:

6. Give your goal a name. I suggest something like, “Subscriber Sign Up’ or similar. Select ‘Destination’ as the Type and click the blue ‘Next step’ button:

7. Under Destination, enter your thank you page URL in the field shown. Make sure the only way visitors will see this page is by opting into your email list (it’s a good idea to set this page to noindex for search engines) and click on the blue ‘Create Goal’ button:

Voila! You’re all done.

One thing to make note of is the feature on the last image above. Notice the ‘Value’ button? This is where you can specify a value for your conversions and then track this data over time. A real world application (one that I use) would be:

Running paid traffic to two or three versions of a lead magnet opt-in page that is tied to a thank you page that doubles as a product sales page (a lot of words, I know).

Basically:

Traffic -> Opt-in Page 1,2 or 3 -> Thank You Page Selling Something

By specifying a value for the thank you page using analytics goal tracking, I can click on Reverse Goal Path under the Conversions drop down menu and see which of the three opt-in pages produced the highest conversion rates (and the most income).

Pretty smart, and not to mention easy.

Do this enough, and you’ll soon figure out winning formulas for your products, enabling you to create even BETTER conversion funnels within your business.

Have any questions related to Google Analytics? Do you have Conversion Goals and Filters set up in your business? Leave a comment below!

WANT 1-ON-1 HELP WITH OPTIMIZING GOOGLE ANALYTICS?

• I can set up your entire account for just $147 (I have limited time, so I can’t do many of these). Click here to order and secure your spot.

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

•  Google Analytics

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET YOUR OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

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Enter your name & email below:

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The post STO41: How to Optimize Google Analytics appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Aside from buying your products and services or contacting you directly, there isn’t a clearer way for a visitor to your website to say, “I want to know how you can help me” than by clicking on your About Page.

It is, often times, the gateway through the doors of the buying continuum – the page where your most relevant target demographic will visit to find out more about how you can help them solve their problems, realize their desires, and reach their goals.

I think it goes without saying: Your About Page is one of the most important pages on your website.

So, is yours optimized?

In this episode, I talk about specific strategies on how to expertly craft your About Page so you can make an impact with your new visitors by better communicating your value and USP. I think you know what comes if you can do that.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The 6 step process for creating your About Page in a way that communicates value and positions you as an authority.
• Why you should first address your visitors most burning questions before talking about yourself on your About Page.
• Why having a laser-like approach to knowing your markets desires, problems and most burning questions make the difference between a bounce and a reader who sticks around.
• How magazine media kits can provide a ton of useful information about your market (see link in the resource section below).
• Where on your About Page you should position your Unique Selling Proposition and/or Mission.
• Where you should write about yourself, and how to do so in a way that people relate to your story.
• Why even your About Page should have a Call to Action (and what kind of CTA this should be).

ACTION STEPS:

• Step 1: Determine your target audience.
• Step 2: Address your markets desires, problems and most-burning questions.
• Step 3: State your Unique Selling Proposition and/or Mission.
• Step 4: Write a bit about yourself. But remember – relatability builds credibility. Make this section of your About Page relatable.
• Step 5: Let your visitors know how they can keep up with your content.
• Step 6: State a call to action at the end of your About Page.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

•  My About Page – Read the Smart Time Online ‘About Page’ and see how it’s written, and how it leads into the Start Here page.
• JustMediaKits.com – Over 2,500 magazines and 148 markets. Ideal for determining your target audience.
• If you would like me to review your About Page, please send an email to john [at] smarttimeonline.com (or drop a link in the comments if you don’t mind being public). This is limited to the first 10 requests.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET YOUR OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

Want to get unstuck and grow your business to the next level and beyond?
Enter your name & email below:

The post STO40: Website Optimization Series – About Page appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

In their recent policy shift announcement, Google apologized for the bad experience some users have had with their names policy:

“When we launched Google+ over three years ago, we had a lot of restrictions on what name you could use on your profile. This helped create a community made up of real people, but it also excluded a number of people who wanted to be part of it without using their real names.


Over the years, as Google+ grew and its community became established, we steadily opened up this policy, from allowing +Page owners to use any name of their choosing to letting YouTube users bring their usernames into Google+. Today, we are taking the last step: there are no more restrictions on what name you can use. ”

Read their entire post about this change here.

As a user who has had personal trouble with this name policy for a simple typo, this comes as a welcomed change – even for me. The question (and speculation) is: will Facebook follow suite?

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in an interview with Bloomburg News in January 2014, “I definitely think we’re at the point where we don’t need to keep on only doing real identity things. If you’re always under the pressure of real identity, I think that is somewhat of a burden.”

I had always guessed it would be Facebook loosening this noose before Google… but alas, as my wife tells me – I’m not always right.

[smartcast]

Should You Change Your Google Plus Name?

As with anything we do online, authenticity goes a long way. Ultimately, the real difference between most bloggers and their content/value is them – their own personality and identity. As humans, we like to connect with other humans. If you’ve already established that relationship – don’t change it.

So, what if you have a brand that people are attached to? Well, the same holds true – the difference  is that your brand holds it own personality. If this is the case, I would create a matching Google Plus page and move forward with that… especially if you do not yet have a Google Plus page for your brand.

Before now, Google gave us no way of syndicating content onto a single brand Google Plus page if you had multiple people producing content for you. This severely limited their social network engagement on both sides of the spectrum, ultimately contributing to the reason why Google Plus never really took off.

Unlike Facebook, Google Plus doesn’t have a “Pages” feature where businesses can create entirely new profiles (unless you own a brick and mortar business and sign up for a Google Plus business page). This has all changed now, and it’ll be interesting to see the direction Google heads in with their social network.

It’s Still About Building Meaningful Relationships

Regardless of whether you decide to change your name or start a new Google Plus page using a name other than your real one, just make sure to stay authentic – and connect. Make sure anyone who is working for you understands how your brands voice connects with your audience – they are your brand advocates.

After all, it still is (and always will be) about building meaningful relationships with people.

Leave a comment below! Do you think Facebook should follow suit with this Google Plus name change policy?

GET YOUR OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

Want to get unstuck and grow your business to the next level and beyond?
Enter your name & email below:

The post Google Plus No Longer Requires Real Names appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Regardless of whether you’re new in business or a seasoned vet, we all get stuck sometimes, and we all wish that we could move forward just a little faster through our own mental resistance.

In this episode, I talk about a powerful message that I learned from Dan Sullivan – so profound that I thought it is worth sharing in a podcast episode. A little off the usual digital marketing path, this episode focuses more on some of the fundamental aspects of creating a meaningful business and it’s something that you can apply immediately, in every aspect of your life (including business and relationships), so you can move faster towards your powerful future.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The ONE concept that could dramatically propel you to move forward, faster.
• Why we get stuck regardless of where we are in our lives.
• How getting stuck hinders our __________ and affects our __________.
• How everyone defines the future differently.
• How understanding the concept of time can pave the way for you to move forward and get unstuck.
• How realizing the concept of time creates freedom of __________ and __________.
• How you can consciously use the past to create a dynamic present that will propel you towards creating a very powerful future.

ACTION STEPS:

• Choose the future you want.  Decide what part of the past you want to take along with you via lessons and experiences that grow you.  Then utilize the present.
• This requires a great deal of focused thinking.  But this is totally doable!
• If you get stuck or if motivation dwindles, start by redefining your past (whether it was last week or last month)
• Redefine your past in a way that supports a powerful future for you.
• Take those new definitions with you because those are your building blocks for getting unstuck and for moving forward faster towards that powerful future that you choose.

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

•  I Love Marketing podcast with Joe Polish and Dean Jackson

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET YOUR OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

Want to get unstuck and grow your business to the next level and beyond?
Enter your name & email below:

The post STO39: How to Move Forward, Faster appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Note: This episode and show notes page is Part Two of a two-part episode series on must-know blogging tips. If you have not yet listened to Part One, I recommend you do so by clicking here. 

In Part One of this two-part blogging tips series, you learned about why having a blog is one of the most important digital assets any business could have.

Whether you run an e-commerce website, host a podcast or simply run a content-based website – a blog is an absolute must, as it is an asset owned solely by you with which you have full control over.

I have met too many “business owners” who have a MASSIVE following on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, but have no website and of course – no blog.

It completely baffles me.

Facebook (who owns two of the social media sites I just mentioned) has been known to pull the rug from beneath the feet of its users (this has happened on multiple occasions), and although I do believe they are genuinely trying to better the overall network while remaining a profitable and viable business, you simply cannot rely on other companies platforms. Too much is at stake – you must have your own blog.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I reveal the last 6 of the 12 must-know blogging tips to help you grow and leverage this ever-important digital asset.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• Why having a social media marketing strategy is one of the most important must-know blogging tips.
• The one thing you must do immediately to future-proof your blog, grow the value of your digital assets, and increase conversions across the board.
• Why segmentation is vital to increasing  your bottom-line (real-world example: this tip has made our fitness blog $300 today alone – literally, on the day this is being written. The day is only half-way over).
• How to leverage other people’s digital assets (email lists, blog audience, social media followers, etc.) and quickly go from zero to hero (if done right).
• The highest income-leveraged page of any blog, and why you should create this page if you haven’t already.
• Tips for improving this page if you DO have it, and it has yet to make you a steady income stream.
• Why “not giving up” simply isn’t enough to succeed. As hard as it is to curb the feeling of discouragement, you’ll learn the real secret to consistency and ultimately success with tip #12.

ACTION STEPS:

• If you have yet to create a social media marketing strategy, get to it. Stop relying on random posts and random checks, and develop a schedule for publication as well as a plan for follower-engagement. This will pay off in the long-run, if you start early.
• Create a lead magnet for your blog visitors and offer it in exchange for their email address. This will quickly build an entirely new digital asset that you also own yourself.
• Once you have a lead magnet, create at least three more that appeal to sub-segments of your visitors. As your audience grows, so does the “interest pool”. You should always help guide them in whatever related segment they need help with. This will also SHOCK you in terms of how much opportunity was left on the table before doing this.
• If you do NOT yet have a resources or tools page, create one SOON. Unfortunately, I have been very lackadaisical with this on this very website and need to remove shoe from mouth and take my own advice!
• If you DO have a resources or tools page and have yet to see the income you’re hoping for, then consider either 1. creating a bonus product that relates to your affiliate products, or 2. give a credit for one of your own products and/or services when someone proves that they have purchased from one of your affiliate links.
• Take massive, bold action, stay consistent and absolutely NEVER GIVE UP. Moreover, make sure you always review your progress and make efforts to pivot when needed. Even the smallest pivot will change your trajectory and ultimately make a huge difference down the road.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• My recommended Social Sharing plugins (no affiliate links):

1.  Easy Social Share Buttons (premium, $12): This premium social-share plugin is lightweight, loaded with tons of features (like floating left, right, top or bottom), includes short-code options and is very customizable. This is the plugin I use for Smart Time Online.
2. Digg Digg (free): This free social-share plugin is one of the most popular, and for good reason. It is lightweight, and can be inserted either in or alongside (or both) your pages and posts. You can also specify a percentage of scrolling until it starts “sticking” with your readers as they scroll down. This plugin was created by the guys and gals at Buffer, so it’s pretty reliable.
3. Add This (free and premium, $12): This plugin supports over 300 social media services. Founded in 2004, the AddThis service is one of the most stable and feature-rich. It allows for some customization, as well as statistical data on what people are sharing, which is helpful for a quick overview of what content your visitors like most.
4. Share This (free): This social sharing company has been around since 2005 and has a well-established foothold in the social sharing space. Like AddThis, Share This allows for statistical data reporting on what content is shared most, and goes a bit further with tracking when a visitor copies your page URL.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about these 12 must-know blogging tips? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET YOUR OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

Want to get unstuck and grow your business to the next level and beyond?
Enter your name & email below:

The post STO38: 12 Must-Know Blogging Tips – Part 2 of 2 appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Late in 2013, Facebook rolled out an update that affected millions of business owners who have Facebook Pages. The update significantly reduced organic reach and therefore engagement and conversions greatly suffered. For a time afterwards, the solution seemed to be a $5 bill – creating a growing resentment towards Facebook among businesses who leverage Facebook for marketing purposes.

Unfortunately, this was a rude wake-up call for many people. You simply do NOT own anything you’ve created or built on Facebook (or any other platform), and that’s a fact.

Another fact is, we absolutely DO own our own websites and the content that we publish on our blogs.

I stand to reason that a blog is one of the most important digital assets of any business. Whether you run an e-commerce website, host a podcast or own a content-based website – a blog is a crucial part of your marketing plan.

While we should not ignore the marketing opportunity on Facebook (it stands as one of the biggest income producers for both me and my clients), your blog, ultimately, will always be your own asset. And based on Facebook’s track-record, it’s only a matter of time before another radical change is made again.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I reveal the first 6 of the 12 must-know blogging tips to help you grow and leverage this ever-important digital asset.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• How to build more authority, value and ultimately sales through your blog.
• Why it’s so important to know your customer avatar, and how this alone can mean success or failure with monetizing your blog.
• Why “mapping out” your blog posts is critical for ensuring consistency and ultimately goal conversions, and what my personal strategy is.
• The 1 keyword research blogging tip that can help boost your organic search engine rankings significantly – and this doesn’t involve installing a plugin.
• BUT, I also reveal how to utilize, what I feel is, the number 1 Search Engine Optimization plugin for WordPress.
• Why images and graphics are so important for grasping readers attention, and how you can utilize them to both educate and state a call to action.
• Why having multiple mediums of content on your blog can double or even triple your readership and subscriptions.
• The one thing you should do at the end of every single blog post (and no, it’s not to “include an email sign up form”. Although, this is important too!)

ACTION STEPS:

• Ask yourself, “when I’m on Facebook – what gets my attention?” The answer will ALWAYS be images and graphics. Make sure you always have featured images set for your blog posts that are compelling and convert the click. Include educational and call-to-action based images throughout your blog posts, too.
• With each blog post, select 1 single customer avatar that you are writing to – and write to them. Be specific with your communication, and treat each blog post as a “mini sales letter”, as you are selling your value, your email list, your market position and ultimately a REASON why someone should come back for more.
• Outline each blog post before you write it. Start with your headline, then move onto bullet-points, which represent your sub-headlines.
• Consider recording your blog posts and turning them into an audio version. This offers up a whole new way to consume your content, and allows for you to pierce the iTunes and Stitcher Radio markets (among others), by turning your audio content into a podcast. This is actually a service I’ll be starting soon. If you’re interested, go ahead and contact me.
• If you would you like some 1-on-1 help with anything else, then click here!

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• WordPress SEO by Yoast – in my opinion, the BEST WordPress SEO plugin available (plus, it’s free)! This link includes the training documentation.
• Google’s Keyword Planner Tool – for keyword research as mentioned in must-know tip #3.
• My Content Production Service – coming soon

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

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The post STO37: 12 Must-Know Blogging Tips – Part 1 of 2 appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Copywriting is one of the most valuable skills to have as an effective marketer. It is the art of strategically delivering words (spoken or written) that compel people to take an action, whether it be reading the rest of your blog post or buying your awesome new product.

Years ago, Jon Benson discovered that video sales letters was the way of the future for many niches; a way that would allow readers to not only read words, but actually hear them. Thus, the “ugly video sales letter” was born.

Since then, “ugly” video sales letters have earned billions of dollars, and one that Jon wrote personally is, to this day, the most successful ugly video sales letter ever written.

What Jon did with Video Sales Letters and copywriting is truly genius, and his copy is also the result of many products climbing to the top of the Clickbank Marketplace, where they sit and rake in the dough.

It hasn’t always been blue skies and green fields for Jon Benson, though – and in my interview with him, we talk about some of his challenges and failures and how you can learn (and profit) from them.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The ONE habit that Jon attributes most to his success: ___________.
• How to write copy that builds influence, grows your authority and ultimately makes more money.
• Why concentrating on one thing at a time is SO important to your success.
• Why having a __________ can be the difference-maker between failure and success.
• The biggest mistake people are making in writing sales letters or videos (and how to avoid making this mistake yourself).
• The “fact sheet benefit list” method that the late Gary Halbert taught and recommended every copywriter use.
• Why Jon uses the “trusted-advisor” method for cross-checking his ideas and copy and why you should too.
• The power of aligning your services with the core values of your customers so that you move from trying to convince them to buy your product into compelling them to believe in something valuable.

ACTION STEPS:

• Be unique! Stand out from the rest of the crowd.
• Sit down and ask yourself, “what’s the most unique thing about my product?” Is it time-based? Feature-based? Results-based? Service-based? (and so on)
• When you get stuck on writing copy, go back to writing down the benefits of your product or service.
• Write every reason somebody wouldn’t buy your product (think of every angle).  Then turn those reasons into reasons TO BUY (this is called addressing objections).
• Devote a few hours a day to learning the ART of sales copy –  learn, master, and apply!
• List every single fact about your product and couple those facts with a benefit.
• Spend as much time you need in working on your headlines and hooks. These are the most important aspect of copywriting.
• Avoid using the words “you know…” in your letter and replace it with words like “by now you realize…”
• Change the words “they” or “people” into “YOU” to make it more conversational and about the reader.
• Always write in the language of your prospects’ desires. Make them feel your letter was specifically written to them.

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Jon’s site: www.3xvsl.com
• Link to Jon’s videos: www.3xvsl.com/videos.html
• Hipmunk.com – a consumer-oriented online travel company ‎ that features unique filters on their site

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

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The post STO36 – How to Write Copy that Sells with Jon Benson appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Email marketing is one of the best ways for you to really connect with your audience. The fact that they’ve given you their email address implies that they like you enough, and want to learn more from you because you’ve demonstrated that you can (and do) provide value to them.

Sending your very first welcome email is only the second step in the 1-on-1 value/trust exchange (second only to someone actually GIVING you their email address), and it’s important that their first impression with your email messaging is a good one.

Not only is it important for you to live up to that trust and nurture it by giving your subscriber’s great value,  but you also need to know how to deliver your content the right way.

And it starts with your format.

No matter how awesome your content is, if relayed poorly, your subscribers will simply unsubscribe.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I talk about whether or not YOU should use graphics and logos or plain text when in sending out emails

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The ONE email marketing “thing” you should start doing today if you are not yet doing so…
• How to create a value-driven reputation and a value-driven email list, so you can gain more authority and influence (and ultimately make more money)…
• When to use templates, graphics and logos when sending out emails…
• When to use simple, plain text when sending out emails…
• Why you should never be that ONE family member who colors their text and adds a rolling smiley to the end of their emails ( if this is you, STOP! )…

ACTION STEPS:

• Remember – appearance is key to creating a great first impression. Make it great to make it last!
• Put value first. The value of your content trumps any design choice you make!
• Make sure your emails are HTML-based and responsive! This is important for readability (conversion) reasons.
• Even if your email marketing messages are plain text, make sure you’re using HTML plain text.
• Always go the extra mile when it comes to content. Sending great content and providing value in every single email should be a huge priority.
• Sign off with just your name – no social media links or links to your website. This helps reduce friction and goes a long way when you DO include links for promotions.
• If you haven’t started building a list, start building NOW – no excuses!

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Episode 7: Part 1 – 10 Email Marketing Quick Win Strategies
• Episode 8: Part 2 – 10 Email Marketing Quick Win Strategies
• Episode 19: How to Write Email Subject Lines That Get Opened
• Episode 30: Strategic Email Marketing and List Segmentation Best Practices with Dan Faggella

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

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The post STO35 – Email Marketing – Should You Use Templates or Plain Text appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Very recently, I was working later than usual to finish up some last-minute client stuff and decided to run over to a local fast-casual drive through for a quick salad. My wife wasn’t feeling well and was down for the count, so I drove alone.

It had rained all evening… the roads were wet and of course it was dark out, so I decided to take it slow and brainstorm some ideas for my next few podcast episodes. By the time I arrived at the place I was grabbing a salad from, I wasn’t quite satisfied with my ideas… I was having “podcasters’ block”.

Pulling into the drive-through, I took a reprieve from the brainstorming session and focused my attention on what toppings I wanted on my salad and whether I wanted to add a side of their delicious fresh-cut, all-natural fries to my order.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m really hungry and my brain knows that I’m about to eat what my body is craving, I get all excited and giddy.

My excitement was soon met with a lady’s voice on the other end of the speaker, who told me to go ahead with my order. The cravings-excitement grew – I was about to order just what I wanted!

I put my order in, and was abruptly told to drive up. “Did I customize my order too much? She sounds irritated” I thought while creeping up to the window.

Oh well – maybe when I pull up, she’ll turn out to be a nice person who loves her job working late night drive-through.

Boy, was I was wrong.

The entire transaction took place without even a hint of a smile, not even a slightly nice tone in her voice, and without a single “thank you.” Forget asking me if I wanted to add in a milkshake or a pair of cookies to my order. I actually pulled away quite appalled … and thus the idea for this episode was born.

See, while pulling away, I realized that in real life, we expect so much to have pleasant experiences at the places we visit. Especially at local businesses. But what about online? Are you genuinely thanking your visitors for doing business with you?

Thank you pages are one of the most under-utilized and under-optimized pages on most websites. In this episode, I kick off the Website Optimization Series, a series of podcast episodes focused on helping you optimize specific pages on your website so you can better automate and grow your business, while growing your influence and authority.

In this episode, I talk about specific strategies on how to expertly craft your thank you pages and post-conversion funnel systems so you can better support your business goals.

We also talk about why, like (most) fast-food restaurants, you should offer a ‘cookie’ or ‘milkshake’ upsell on your thank you pages, if applicable.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The ONE THING you should ask yourself that will lead to crafting the best thank you page possible.
• Why your Lead Magnet thank you page is more important than you are probably aware of.
• A start-to-finish example of thank you pages as they relate to an email opt-in conversion funnel.
• Why you must keep warm leads warm, and not let them cool off (while not losing focus on leads being real humans who should be treated as such).
• What NOT to include on your thank you pages (most people don’t do this, and lose out on tons of profit because of it).
• The ONE THING every single product thank you page should have, and why (this could double or triple your income this year).
• The copy that converts thank you page visitors from leads into customers.

ACTION STEPS:

• Ask yourself, “what is a logical next step to offer my new lead?” when creating your thank you pages. Sometimes, this means to offer them a low-priced product or service, and other times it may mean links and resources to more relevant information.
• At the end of the day, your thank you pages are a place where you should deepen the engagement between your business and your visitor. Remember that people are human – like you – and treat them as you would want to be treated.
• Don’t hesitate to offer an entry-level product or service to visitors who sign up for a relevant, free lead magnet offer.
• Recognize the opportunity for your thank you pages being a perfect place for people to share your offer. Connect your social share buttons to your landing pages, though – not your thank you pages.
• Schedule a FREE Thank You Page Evaluation with me. I’ll assess your entire process and report back on ways to improve with specific optimization tips. You’ll also get the opportunity to work with me 1-on-1, if desired. Click here to sign up.

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Your FREE Thank You Page Evaluation – Click here to sign up now!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

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The post STO34: Website Optimization Series – Thank You Pages appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

In 2012 and 2013, Google alone rolled out over 60 algorithm changes and data refreshes – the biggest update being Penguin 2.0. This impacted billions of search queries and with that, website visitor numbers and revenue for many website owners.

Essentially, Google has become smarter at ranking websites with regard to search term relevancy and it’s important that you stay on top of the changes and best practices that will ultimately cement your online business into a reliable SEO foundation.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I talk about the 4 SEO pillars and SEO’s current state.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The 4 SEO Pillars and how you can tackle 3 of them with just ONE practice.
• Why ______ and _______ is absolute key for long-term SEO success.
• The one thing you should have in place to make sure you stay on top of your ‘SEO game’.
• The one thing you should NOT be doing (and why doing so could harm your websites standing with Google and other search engines).
• How to properly structure “how-to” articles so they are useful, shared socially and recognized by search engines.
• The ONE thing you should do this week to best leverage your websites search engine optimization.

ACTION STEPS:

• Start with content. How are you producing content? Is your reader first in mind, or is SEO? Your reader should be your NUMBER ONE focus. Produce relevant, high-quality, engaging and helpful content by always considering how your content will support your audience.
• Create a content publishing schedule to help stay organized, consistent and disciplined with your content. A simple spreadsheet or Word document would suffice for this.
• Reach out to big websites within your market and offer content to them. Take 5 minutes to craft a personal email, and do this at least 3-5 times per week.
• Optimize your websites load time and code structure. You can check for errors using the W3C Markup Validation Tool found at http://validator.w3.org/.
• Hire a website conversion and optimization specialist to help you create and execute a website optimization plan.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

•  HelloSmartMarketing.com – coming soon.
• Google Webmaster Tools – log in and select your website. Click on ‘Search Traffic’ then ‘Links To Your Site’, then click the ‘more’ link under the ‘Who links the most’ tab. Once there, click the ‘Download more sample links’ from the top.
• Ahrefs.com – Type in your website address, then click the ‘CSV’ tab and export the list of ‘Backlinks/Ref pages’. Ahrefs has a fantastic tool that can really help with link removal campaigns. It allows you to narrow down quickly site-wide links, followed / no-followed links and more.
• W3C Markup Validation Tool – used for checking your websites code for markup errors.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!.

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The post STO33: The 4 SEO Pillars and The Current State of SEO appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

I’ve read many blog posts and articles about the benefits of hiring virtual assistants to help grow a business. In fact, some of the most notable bloggers I know have written very supportive articles without even a sentence that speaks to the cons, or to the underlying fundamentals that must be in place before even beginning your search for a virtual assistant.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I speak with Virtual Assistant expert, Chris Ducker, about those very things. We break down what you should have in place before you hire your first virtual assistant, the challenges you can expect to encounter, how to avoid them and even how to best delegate tasks to them.

An important distinction to make when hiring a virtual assistant is the reality that like a brick and mortar business, you are a real business owner – and you must hire, delegate and manage your staff in ways that both support their own personal growth and your businesses.

Click play and have a listen. Whether you’ve hired, have yet to hire or are even far off from hiring a virtual assistant – if it is just a remote possibility (most of us, I think), then you’ll want to pay attention to what Chris says with regards to hiring your first virtual assistant.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The ONE habit Chris attributes most to his success, and how you can apply it to your business.
• The mistakes Chris learned from hiring his first virtual assistant (and how you can avoid making the same mistakes).
• What Chris has learned from the YEARS of hiring and managing virtual assistants from all over the world.
• The ONE thing you MUST have in place before hiring your first virtual assistant.
• The ONE question you should ask every virtual assistant you interview (this is so, so important).
• Why Chris says to hire for a full-time position when hiring your first virtual assistant (I didn’t agree with this until I heard his reasoning).
• Chris’s suggestion on the NEXT action you should take this week in your business to better leverage your time online.

ACTION STEPS:

• Get clear on where you are in business. Take a step back and review how much you’ve worked lately, and consider the toll it has taken on your life (health, relationships, etc.).
• Utilize Chris’s 3 Steps to Freedom exercise to help you figure out what tasks you should give up and delegate to your virtual assistant(s).
• Consider this: if an investor took a look into how you were operating your business, how do you think you would you fare with their assessment? Always take a step forward.
• Before taking the step forward with hiring your first virtual assistant, create systems to help ensure your success – like checklists, processes, standard operating procedures, on-boarding and training materials.
• Make sure you interview people as you would in real-life. Ask the right questions – especially the one Chris suggests we all ask when interviewing someone.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• ChrisDucker.com – Chris’s home base and where you can find most of what he’s up to.
• VirtualStaffFinder.com – Chris’s professional VA staffing service.
• 3 Lists to Freedom – Chris’s awesome exercise on how to best figure out what tasks you should outsource.
• Chris on Twitter – Say hi and personally thank him for his awesome contribution to your day!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

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The post STO32: Hiring Your First Virtual Assistant with Chris Ducker appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

What do you think a random person would say if you randomly walked up to them and asked, “what is marketing?”

I guarantee you would hear something like, “uhhh, well it’s those big billboard things, and TV ads and radio commercials and that annoying junk mail I get all the time. Stuff like that.” They’d explain advertising that interrupts their day, and things they didn’t particularly want to see, read, or receive. Outbound and interruption-based things. Unfortunately, though, that doesn’t mean it’s working on them.

It’s no secret that we’re gaining more control over things that we used to have no control over. From DVR’s to skip over T.V. commercials and on-demand entertainment like Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime and other services that let you watch TV shows without commercials to the browser add-on’s that literally allow us to make website ads invisible and block cookies that track our online behavior.

Even the government gives you a way to block telemarketing calls with donotcall.gov.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I made a mistake. A pretty big one. I referred to this whole Inbound Marketing thing as a trend… but make no mistake – it is no trend. It is a SHIFT.

It’s a shift in how both consumers behave and respond to our messages and it’s a shift in how we, as marketers, market to people. Permission-based marketing is overcoming non-permission, in-your-face traditional marketing and I think it’s only a matter of time before we see TV, radio and even billboards promoting content and value-based incentives that focus more on an inbound marketing method.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• Why Inbound Marketing matters, and why you need to consider consumer behavior.
• Why “old marketing” is making way for “new marketing” methods.
• How social media plays a massive role in this consumer behavior shift.
• How to leverage social media to create inbound marketing that works for you.
• The one place you can literally have a conversation with someone ON YOUR ADVERTISEMENT.
• A real-world example of using social media advertising as an inbound marketing strategy (hint: involves a brick-and-mortar business example)
• Examples of inbound marketing and how you can make it all work for you.
• How you can leverage my marketing services in your own business.

ACTION STEPS:

• If you haven’t yet already done so, start making the shift from outbound marketing to inbound marketing.
• Consider which old-school outbound marketing strategies are no longer working well in your business, and stop wasting money on them.
• Start a blog, podcast or video series that will attract your ideal prospect into your marketing funnel and focus on improving these systems as time goes on.
• Unlike most outbound marketing methods, inbound marketing strategies require consistency and focus in delivering real value to your customers. Make sure you commit to this, or hire someone who can.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• HelloSmartMarketing.com – my digital marketing agency website (currently being redesigned)
• DoNotCall.gov – the U.S. governments official Do Not Call list (blocks telemarketers from contacting you)

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO31: Inbound Marketing vs. Outbound Marketing appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Here’s a fact: The people who are on your email list are all different – regardless of what niche your business is in. People have different fears, desires and challenges, and they have individual reasons for being on your list.

Have you considered that?

What if every time you emailed your list, you could send highly targeted emails to sub-segmented demographics whose fears, desires and challenges are matched precisely? Can you imagine the engagement rates? Open rates? REVENUE GROWTH?

In marketing, everything is about tailoring the right message to the right audience. Common sense says you don’t go sending shoe-store deals to a list of men who signed up on a bodybuilding forum. But common-sense also says to segment your list and send tailored email messages to each segment to better connect, right? So why aren’t you doing it?

Not only do your subscribers have different fears, desires and challenges – but they’re at different points in your sales cycle. If you had a list of people who have purchased a $100 product for you, could you promote a higher-ticket offer to them? Absolutely! To do this, you must segment your list.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, email marketing expert Dan Faggella from CVLBoost.com reviews email list segmentation best practices and strategic email marketing and how you can increase your open rates, read rates, click-through rates and… revenue.

He also reveals how he got a jump-start in his online business by leveraging a joint-venture strategy that literally anyone can do themselves. It’s brilliant, and you’re going to want to hear it.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The ONE habit that Dan attributes most to his success, and how you can apply it to your business.
• How Dan leveraged other peoples email lists by crafting a win-win joint-venture strategy (hint: you can do the exact same thing).
• Why having an “Opportunity Cost Perception” is so important to your success.
• How to leverage guest-posting on websites that can not only increase your personal (or professional) clout, but also allow you to use other peoples email lists.
• Why you should consider email list segmentation best practices right now, no matter what stage of business you’re in.
• How to get started with email segmentation without getting too technical so you can send tailored messages to targeted groups of people and entice more action and make more money.
• Why segmentation can increase your Email Reputation (people will welcome and look forward to your emails and this will increase your sender reputation).
• How to segment your lists using Aweber, MailChimp, GetResponse or other third-party entry-level email marketing service providers.
• Dan’s suggestion on the ONE action you should take within the next week to improve your business and time spent online.

ACTION STEPS:

• If you want to learn something, stop dipping your toes in the water. Dive in – get wet, learn hard, fail fast and implement, implement, implement!
• Leverage your existing relationships! You’d be surprised at how many people would be happy to help you – but never forget to create a win for them, too.
• Leverage joint-venture opportunities! Reach out to influencers within your market and pitch a strategy that will benefit them so much that they’ll be happy to send an email out for you.
• Leverage support! If you have access to software or service that comes with support, use it to save time when getting started. If it’s live chat support, save a transcription (most companies have this feature built in). If over the phone, use Skype and record the call so you can save it and access it at a later date if needed.
• Consider what website and/or magazine publishers would love to publish. How can you contribute to their website and their audience? Pitch your content to them and try becoming a regular contributor. If you do this on enough websites, you can certainly leverage other people’s email lists by positioning yourself as someone who can get them featured on influential websites (the ones you write for).
• Consider what the process of taking action at a high-level looks like. Monitor market influencers and people who you look up to, then take massive action in ways they do.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• FirstInternetIncome.com – Dan’s website where he teaches people how to teach their passions and make money doing it.
• CLVBoost.com – Dan’s consultancy tailored for larger businesses who would like to scale their business.
• Dan’s Twitter – connect, say hi and thank Dan for sharing some of his awesome strategies!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO30: Strategic Email Marketing and List Segmentation Best Practices with Dan Faggella appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

One of the most important aspects of business is your website. It serves as the virtual front door to your brand and like walking into a brick-and-mortar business, first impressions count.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I reveal 10 significant web design trends that you should know about. Some of these trends are on the cutting edge, while others are shifts that have been around for a year+.

Either way, they matter and you should consider if whether or not your website serves your visitors with these trends in mind so you can maximize your visitor impression and ultimately conversion rates.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The one trend I feel everyone should implement as soon as possible.
• Why optimization isn’t always about copy, but design too (and why split-testing usually involves design, first).
• Why you should use better imagery and examples of big companies making use of high-quality images themselves.
• Why featuring your picture on the homepage of your personal website can increase your overall conversions.
• The new navigation style that can mean more engagement, higher page views and better conversions.
• How 1-click registration can literally double your opt-in conversions for your lead magnet, webinars, and products.
• How your website visitors TRULY read your webpages and what to do to make the most of this habit.
• Why fancy designs can often times hurt your conversion goals.
• The most important web design trend (and probably easiest to implement).

ACTION STEPS:

• Start with thinking about how you can stand out with your content and the experience it provides. Think about what type of content would best serve your audience, then take action with creating that type of content.
• Don’t overwhelm yourself. Start off by implementing the easy-to-do things and go from there. Often times, the easy things are the most measurable.
• Remember: not all trends can have an effect on your website and visitor experience. It’s important that you test changes and fine-tune as you go.
• Remember this, too: performance is design. Slow load times cost websites a TON of money, and your load times and website performance should come before any design implementation!
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• HelloSmartMarketing.com – my digital marketing agency that can help you and your business create stunning websites that convert.
• Read-able.com – quick and easy way to test the readability of your website.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO29: 10 Significant Web Design Trends appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Click here to subscribe to the ‘Smart Time Online Podcast’ in iTunes

About two months ago, Facebook changed the game (again) for PPC (pay-per-click) advertising by introducing their own in-house Facebook Retargeting. Last year, Twitter introduced Twitter Ads. On top of testing ROI and determining best practices with regards to all of the changes being made by social media network giants, is Digital Marketer.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I sit down with Molly Pittman, the brilliant Social Media Marketing manager for Digital Marketer, and pick her brain about what she’s been up to with testing the latest social media marketing strategies and the results generated.

I asked her to share what Digital Marketer’s current BEST strategy is – and she left us with something I didn’t expect her to mention. Something so powerful, that if you implement it today – you could see your business double, triple or even quadruple this month. No joke.

Want to know what it is? Click play!

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The ONE habit that Molly attributes her success to most, and how you can apply it to your business.
• How her college-internship with Digital Marketer blossomed into becoming the company’s Social Media Manager (and why her 2 years of experience is worth closer to 10 years for most people doing this stuff).
• What working with Marketing Geniuses like Ryan Deiss and Perry Belcher is like.
• Why Digital Marketer utilizes “living, breathing” Standard Operating Procedures (and why you should too).
• The first Standard Operating Procedure to create if you have yet to create them in your business.
• What a $30 Million Dollar+ digital marketing company considers their best current marketing strategy (and how you can use it in your business so you can skyrocket your profits)
• How Molly is utilizing Twitter Ads to turn a positive ROI, and how you can too.
• Molly’s suggestion on the ONE action you should take within the next week to improve your business and time spent online.

ACTION STEPS:

• Get into a mastermind, pay for some consulting or coaching, join social network groups, pay for an event – do what it takes to surround yourself with smart people and seek to grow, seek to learn, seek to contribute – because ultimately, that will lead to success.
• Share some of your best content for free. This cuts through the over-infested and saturated content that exists everywhere, and can position you as an authority in your market by earning your audience’s trust and building rapport.
• Create a Standard Operating Procedure for your business if you haven’t already done so. Start with something that is currently making you money and can be scaled. If you are NOT making money yet, then create a Standard Operating Procedure that will outline how to create something that CAN make you money. Make changes as they are needed.
• I’ve said this countless times, but, really – if you do business online, DO FACEBOOK ADS. Specifically, start doing Facebook Retargteing and tie it into a piece of highly valuable content with a specific call-to-action at the end that captures leads into your funnel system.
• Consider Twitter Ads… but if your budget is low, invest in Facebook Ads first.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help with any of these strategies? Would you like me to handle your Facebook Ad campaigns, so you can sit back and watch the money come in? Click here and let’s talk about your business goals.

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• DigitalMarketer.com – Molly’s home base and where you can find more information about what she talked about in this episode.
• Facebook Retargeting / Custom Audience Strategy – Molly’s blog post outlining the formula she talked about in this episode.
• Highest Converting Social Headlines SWIPE File – 72 proven headline formulas to get more clicks from Facebook, Twitter and your own Blog (opt-in required).
• Molly’s Facebook – go say HI and thank her for the awesome content she let loose on this episode!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post Facebook Retargeting, Twitter Ads and Content Marketing – How to Profit HUGE with Molly Pittman (PLUS a Day in the Life of Working at Digital Marketer) appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

I recently watched a 16 minute short documentary that changed my perspective on many things I was doing. This episode is about that shift in perspective and how it can help you take one of the biggest steps forward in your life.

Show notes will be posted soon. 

The post STO27: Do What You Want To appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Communities are the lifeblood of society. When you get an engaged group of like-minded people together with a common interest, passion and purpose as part of a community – magic happens.

With my experience of creating, managing and participating in communities across many markets and niches, I’ve discovered a few things that make the good ones stand out from the less engaged ones. I’ve boiled it down to just 3 simple “big” steps and a few sub-steps that you can use to start or improve your own community.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I reveal the 3 steps to building and growing an online community.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The 3 Steps to Building and Growing an Online Community (duh).
• The strategy that builds raving fans for you and your brand.
• The one thing to start with when creating a new online community.
• Why a community is only a community when people ________. (hint: this is an emotion, not an action.)
• Why having an open community can benefit your brand (and why having a closed one can, too).
• Why you MUST establish a ___________ around your community and how it can mean the difference between failure and success.
• What Steps of Investment are and how to utilize this when growing your community.
• How to best indoctrinate new members so they become active and engaged contributors.

ACTION STEPS:

• Start a community! What are you waiting for?
• Understand the word community. What does it mean to you? How does it make you feel when you actively participate in an engaged community that brings value to your life?
• Establish a sense of identity by only accepting a certain type of person. There’s no sense is accepting a hair stylist into a community made for pizza restaurant owners.
• Introduce a ritual to people who are new. This works very well.
• Establish some sort of mantra  and identity within your community. Slang and pseudonyms are actually welcome if they unify your group.
• Establish shared influence among your community members. Actively promote members who are experts in their respective fields and look for opportunities where they can give value to others in your community.
• Promote connects any time you can. Introduce people within your community and don’t hesitate to ask others to become active connectors as well.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Podcasters’ Paradise – one of the most engaged closed “premium” communities I’m in
• Thursday Night Boardroom – one of the most engaged “open” communities I’m in (requires application and approval)
• Internet Marketing Superfriends – one of the most engaged “open” communities I’m in (no application required)

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO26: 3 Steps to Building and Growing an Online Community appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

There’s an ever-growing percentage of people using smartphones and other mobile devices to access the internet. For business owners, a mobile strategy can no longer be wishful thinking. If you do not make the necessary platform switches in your business to become mobile optimized, your customers will leave and happily find a different company to meet their needs.

In this episode, I interview Greg Hickman – renowned mobile marketing expert and consultant and host the Mobile Mixed podcast. We review some fun statistics together, discuss the importance of masterminds, coaches and mentors and then dive right into why your business should be mobile friendly.

Speaking of statistics… Did you know?

• Currently, 57% of the US Population owns a mobile phone.
• We spend an average of 2 hours / day on a mobile device.
• 1 out of every 4 online searches are made from a mobile device.
• SMS coupons are redeemed 8 times more than emailed offers.
• 51% of all email is opened on a mobile device.
• The mobile market will generate 400 billion in 2015 compared to 139 billion in 2012.
• By 2015, more people will access the internet via mobile device than any other.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The one habit that Greg attributes most to his success.
• Why your business should be mobile friendly, and why you must embrace mobile marketing starting now.
• The statistic (not mentioned above) that you absolutely need to know (hint: has to do with your website, your visitors, and your income).
• How to make mobile marketing less confusing, and how you can get started without breaking the bank or your head against the wall.
• Why SMS text message marketing can “turn the tide” for your business.
• The one thing Greg suggests you do within the next week to better leverage your time online.

ACTION STEPS:

• Make your business mobile friendly, and start with your website.
• Create a list of all the things in your business that should be mobile. Under each item, write down the next step you need to take to move forward. Then, take action.
• Make sure your email marketing campaigns are mobile responsive… remember, more than half of all email is opened on a mobile device.
• Consider implementing an SMS text messaging campaign if you have a brick-and-mortar business.
• If you’re an online business owner, consider hiring a Virtual Assistant to become more productive and profitable.
• Hire a coach. Stop thinking about it, and just do it. It WILL help you grow your business.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• MobileMixed.com – Greg’s website where you can find his blog and podcast!
• Clarity.fm – Schedule a consulting call with a professional by the minute. Great for prospecting coaches / consultants.
• WPTouch Pro – Make your WordPress Site responsive (great way to get started until you can afford a designer / transfer to a responsive site).
• Tatango – Text message marketing service.
• Outspoken – MMS / text message marketing service.
• Followup.cc – Schedule email tasks like follow-ups and reminders.

• Follow Greg on Twitter and tell him thanks for sharing his expertise!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO25: Greg Hickman on Why Your Business Should be Mobile Friendly appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Building a lead capture landing page is one of the most important steps in your marketing funnel. It serves as the entry point into your funnel and without one, you’re losing out on leads and customers.

Unfortunately, creating your lead capture landing page isn’t just a matter of throwing up a form on a page and hoping it works. You need to follow proven conversion-based steps.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I reveal the 9 steps to building a profitable lead capture landing page.

In order, they are:

1. Define your target market.
2. Define a laser-focused, single conversion goal.
3. Craft a conversion-centered design.
4. Define what information you should collect in your opt-in fields.
5. Write a compelling headline that centers around the words, “how-to” and matches any ads you have that link to your landing page.
6. Establish trust elements, like social shares or testimonials
7. Write a short paragraph that extends your headline and serves as an introduction to your bullet points.
8. Write 3 to 5 bullet points that outline the benefits of what you’re giving away.
9. Write a great call to action.

Click the PLAY button above and listen to each of these steps in greater detail.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• What a landing page is (briefly) and why you should use them in your business online.
• How to create a compelling and concise high converting lead capture landing page.
• The elements of a lead capture landing page that matter when it comes to conversion.
• The headline/PPC Ad pro-tip that will boost conversions and ROI of your ad campaigns.
• Examples of headlines that I’ve used in my business.
• Examples of landing page copy that I’ve used in my business.

ACTION STEPS:

• Know your target market. Survey existing customers and leads and perform detailed market research.
• Focus on one conversion goal and make sure there is ZERO distractions on your lead capture landing page (no header, footer, exit links, etc.)
• When writing your headline, make sure your PPC ad headlines match. This matters not only for user friction-purposes, but also with Google quality score.
• Write just enough copy to compel visitors to sign up to your list.
• Make sure you use design elements that are proven to boost conversions. I review this in the episode.
• Collect information as needed to satisfy your lead capture goals. The less information collected, the higher conversions will be.
• Use a headline from the templates below. Test and improve them as time goes on.
• When creating your “submit” button, make sure to state exactly what will happen in the text on your button. Never use the words “submit”, but rather something like, “Send me my free gift!” or “Sign me up for the free webinar!”
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

•  Headline Templates:
  • How to [desired result] in [desired time] so you can [desired benefit]
  • How to turn [frustration] into [world-class example]
  • How to [desired result] like [world-class example]
  • How to become [desired result] when you’re [undesired result]
• Interested in Done For You Lead Capture Landing Pages? Includes graphics, copy and email marketing service integration (Aweber, Mailchimp, etc.). I’ll create one for you for a one-time payment of only $77 (limit reached) $97. Click here to buy now (price will rise as orders come in, so get yours now).  

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO24: How to Build a Profitable Lead Capture Landing Page in 9 Steps appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

The difference between being broke and owning website that makes profits is something that has been true in business since the beginning of time:

The difference is simply arithmetic. Math. 

The broke “business owner” doesn’t know his numbers. The broke business owner doesn’t measure. The profitable and successful business owners do.

Fortunately, you don’t need to know how to do big, scary equations with symbols that don’t even have a single number involved. The math I’m talking about is addition, subtraction, multiplication and a little division. That’s it. Simple.

When you implement a key metric, it becomes even easier. So, in this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I give you your key metric: Make $1 per subscriber per month.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• How to best monetize a new online business if you’re just starting out.
• How to make $1 per email subscriber per month (duh).
• How I monetized my most recent website (this very one) within just 1 week of going live. From complete scratch.
• How this works even if you don’t have a dime to spend on advertising.
• The BIG secret to making money online: The _______ is in _______.
• Why this “prerequisite” trumps all other mediums, including social media (proof included).

ACTION STEPS:

• Before anything, put value first. Be intentional with helping others.
• Understand and commit to this idea: Content and Promotion are not mutually exclusive of one another. 
• Start building your email list NOW if you aren’t yet. Create a compelling lead magnet and put it in front of your visitors. You’ll never make $1 per subscriber if you don’t have a list!
• Sign up for affiliate networks. Start looking at products and services that you’re comfortable with promoting that offer value to your subscribers.
• Don’t ever forfeit value for the appeal of money. Period.
• Identify where you are in your business at the end of every week. Pivot when necessary.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• ClickBank – One of the most established affiliate networks out there.
• JVZoo – Newest affiliate network, with lots of products that appeal to the internet marketing and make money online space.
• ShareASale – Affiliate network that many of the big brands use. Sign up requires approval, but well-worth the extra time.
• Comission Junction – One of the largest and most established affiliate networks. Recently merged with ValueClick, Inc. to become Conversant.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO23: How to Make $1 Per Subscriber Per Month appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

With 26 years of award-winning radio broadcast experience and host of a top-rated business podcast, Jeff Brown is no stranger to communication.

Jeff subscribes to the notion of connecting with your audience in an intimate way, by “inviting your listener to the table” and including them in the conversation.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, Jeff reveals the words and phrases to avoid when creating any type of content and why you should become more aware of your habits when communicating to your audience.

You’ll discover the insider strategies, tips and tricks that will make you sound like a PRO in front of your audience.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The one habit that Jeff attributes his success to most.
• The insider strategies, tips and tricks that took Jeff 26 years to lean, that will make you sound like a PRO in front of your audience.
• Phrases to avoid when creating any type of content so you can build a lasting and meaningful impression with your audience.
• What cats and dogs have to do with communication (this is a point you’ll want to hear).
• The most important thing you should pay attention to when hosting a podcast.
• The exercise that can propel your listener to brand engagement and establish life-long relationships.
• How to properly monetize your podcast (hint: has nothing to do with sponsors).

ACTION STEPS:

• If you are not yet a part of a mastermind group – get in one! They are invaluable.
• When you engage in conversation with your audience, talk with them, not at them. Including them in the conversation makes a world of difference.
• Include a call-to-action in every episode of your podcast, even if it’s to simply sign up to your email list. If you have a product, your call-to-action should center around inviting them into your funnel via your lead magnet offer. This will both further engage your audience with value and increase your income.
• Make it a point to become intentional with reading. Jeff (and I) believes that this is a key to success in business and life.
• Comment below with any questions or comments you have on this topic (or even just to thank Jeff)!
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Podcaster Academy – Jeff’s month-long live training course, where he’ll teach you how to interview, communicate and sound like a pro. Use code STO1 for $100 off.
• Jeff’s Mastermind Interest List – Simply fill out the form. Get on it!
• The Read to Lead Podcast – Jeff’s website, where you can listen to all of Jeff’s awesome podcast episodes.
• Jeff Brown on Twitter – Connect and tell him how much you appreciated him coming on the show!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO21: Jeff Brown on Communicating Like a Pro appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

We all know that the more subscribers we get, the more sales we make – and to be honest, I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t want to double their email list.

The thing is, most people think they have to increase their traffic to grow their list. And to increase traffic, for many, that means paying for it.

Fortunately for you though, this is far from the truth. Instead of paying for more traffic, focus your attention on maximizing conversion rates with the traffic you already have.

Let your competitors overspend and under convert.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I’ll show you how you can double your email list with the traffic you already have.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The one thing you should focus on right now with regards to your email list.
• 7 easy to implement list-building strategies (and I guarantee there’s one you can use immediately).
• The one strategy that taps into the psychology of your visitors so you can easily convert them into subscribers.
• The one thing most people are doing, but doing WRONG. I’ll tell you how to fix it immediately.
• Email list call-to-action’s that attract subscribers.
• How a little piece of Javascript code can greatly increase email list opt-in conversions, and where to install it.
• How to have anything mentioned in this episode done for you so you can feel at ease and work on other things that grow your business.

ACTION STEPS:

• Perform an audit of your website and write down areas for improvement as mentioned in this episode of Smart Time Online.
• Install and test a lightbox on your website, and get creative. I suggest using the example I give in Strategy #2.
• If you utilize any kind of squeeze page, combine this strategy with Strategy #7 immediately.
• Install and test an opt-in bar on your website (see links below for both free and premium options).
• Don’t neglect your list. With a decay rate of about 25%, you’ll want to do everything possible to lessen that statistic in your own business.
• Use compelling copy in your call to actions. “Get free updates” is absolutely terrible to use – so if you’re using it, STOP.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Opt-In Bar – Premium opt-in bar that is beautiful and easily customized.
• HelloBar – Free opt-in bar (and a great one at that).
• AWeber – My recommended email marketing service provider, if you do not yet have one.
• Javascript code as mentioned in Strategy #7 (use this for your images):

To see this in action, just click on the image below:

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO21: 7 Ways to Double Your Email List appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Generating traffic to your website can be one of the most frustrating parts of starting a business online. With Google constantly updating their search engine ranking algorithms, the only way to ensure you gain a position among your targeted keywords is to create consistent content that people love to share. The challenge with that is finding people who might share your content in the first place!

Enter paid online advertising.

Whether you’re building a blog or content site, or simply selling a product or service through a one-off promotion, paid online ads are the differentiation between maybe turning a profit and turning a huge profit.

In episode 18, Kate Erickson from Entrepreneur On Fire revealed that they turned a $5,600 Facebook ad spend into over $62,000 in a single month. And that’s just the beginning.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, Justin Brooke from IMScalable will reveal some of the strategies he uses to ensure profitability with paid ads – and how you can do the same.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The one habit Justin attributes to his success most.
• The key to keyword research – how to find out if putting in the effort for organic SEO will be profitable (this is the fastest keyword-profitability research you can do).
• The one little trick for getting more likes to your Facebook page using Facebook Ads (hint: you only need 1 line of copy in your ad)
• The retargeting strategy that works for ensuring you measure true Facebook ad ROI.
• Why Justin uses over 90 checklists in his business, and why you should use similar systems in your business.
• Two websites you can use today to scope out your competitors top-ranking keywords.

ACTION STEPS:

• Implement checklists/systems in your business right away if you aren’t doing so.
• When advertising on Facebook, use only Newsfeed ads. Stay away from sidebar ads, unless you have a high-converting offer and would just like to saturate Facebook.
• Never promote posts from within your Facebook page. Instead, create Dark Posts using Facebook’s Power Editor (email me if you need help with this, I can walk you through it).
• Make your ads look like content, not ads. This will entice more clicks to your landing page.
• Example: Let’s say you have a tennis Facebook page, where you post tips and offers to relevant products and services. If you’re launching a Facebook ad campaign to gain more likes to your Facebook page, you could use an image of a tennis ball with the ad copy, “Click “LIKE” to get Tennis tips posted in your Newsfeed!”
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• IMScalable.com – Justin Brooke’s home base.
• OpenSiteExplorer.com – Perform competitive link research, explore backlinks, anchor text, and more (free).
• SEMRush.com – Your secret agent in competitors’ research. Analyze SERPs, and get detailed information about domains and keywords (free search is limited, upgrade to premium for unrivaled stats).

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO20: Justin Brooke on Scaling Your Marketing appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Once your business is established, email headlines are one of the most important aspects of online marketing. According to Econsultancy’s 2014 Email Marketing Industry Consensus, email remains the highest leveraged internet marketing activity for companies, toppling even SEO.

Unfortunately, regardless of any industry consensus or statistic or even how well-written your email content is – you’ll never get good open rates without a good subject line. And without opens, you simply don’t receive clicks to your offer pages, products or content. And that, my friend, would suck.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I’ll teach you how to write email subject lines that get opened.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The psychology behind why emails are opened.
• The 4 Psychological Elements you must consider before writing any email subject line.
• The human emotion that leads to a boost in motivation, and how to harness this when writing email subject lines.
• What your significant other and cleaning the gutters has to do with writing email subject lines.
• A real-world example of a headline I used in a clients business – along with the results.
• The one simple trick that you can use to emphasize your email subject lines without changing a single word.
• The one email subject line that works like gang-busters for webinar registrations.
• The big change I’m making in my podcast and why I have to make this change.

ACTION STEPS:

• Utilize the 4 Psychological Elements I review in this episode when writing your email subject lines from here out.
• Combine two of these elements to maximize your open rates.
• Send your list emails at least once a week.
• Access my Email Subject Swipe File and study it. This will make you a better subject line writer!
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Email Subject Swipe File – headlines that I’ve used in either my business or clients businesses that have netted high open rates (40%+). (Coming soon – sign up below to be notified of when this is available).
• Aweber.com – The Email Marketing Service Provider that I recommend.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO19: How to Write Email Subject Lines That Get Opened appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

It’s not often that you meet a team that is as down to Earth, approachable, giving and knowledgeable as the two behind Entrepreneur On Fire. In episode 6, I had the privilege of interviewing John Lee Dumas, host of the Entrepreneur On Fire podcast. Today, we get his better half.

Kate Erickson, Content and Community Manager for Entrepreneur On Fire, joins us today and ignites a firestorm of takeaways and action steps!

She reveals the personal trials, tribulations and triumphs that has led up to this point in her life, and how you can create the future of your dreams with a bit of dedication, productivity and a clear vision of your customer avatar and the products and services that would best suit them.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• What a day in the life of operating a 7-figure home-business looks like
• What Kate learned from her business start-up failure and how she applies those lessons in Entrepreneur On Fire
• A breakdown of Entrepreneur On Fire’s $166,000+ February ’14 net profit
• How Kate and John turned a $5,595 Facebook ad spent into over $60,000 in just 1 month
• How Kate utilizes Virtual Assistants productively in Entrepreneur On Fire
• The time management software that Kate uses to steer clear of distractions, and stay on point with productivity

ACTION STEPS:

• Wake up early! Studies have down that waking up early makes you more proactive, productive, and even optimistic.
• For at least one week, create a list of things you work on every day. Then, look back and review your list and reevaluate where you should be spending your time.
• Utilize a time management program like Rescue Time and continually review how you’re spending your time online, and where you might be able to become more productive.
• Consider hiring a Virtual Assistant and delegate daily tasks that can be carried out by someone else.
• Consider utilizing Facebook Ads in your business if you aren’t already. And get specific with your targeting!
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• EntrepreneurOnFire.com – where you’ll find Kate and all of the wonderful, inspiring Entrepreneur On Fire content!
• Podcasters’ Paradise – free live webinar revealing how to create, grow and monetize your very own podcast in short time!
• Kate Erickson’s Twitter Profile – connect, say hi and THANK Kate for her awesome interview!
• Rescue Time – the time management program that Kate Erickson uses.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO18: Kate Erickson of Entrepreneur on Fire Talks Facebook Ads, Virtual Assistants and Productivity Tools appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Less than 10 years ago, Facebook didn’t exist. Bluetooth technology was all the rage, and cellphones we’re just starting to come with megapixel cameras. Times were changing, and they were changing fast; if you had a business that was rigid against the changes in technology, it was about to go under.

Borders, Blockbuster, CompUSA, Compaq, and MCI are only a few of the companies that have gone under because of the change in tech weather – and we can learn valuable business lessons from these companies.

Of all the lessons to learn, I think one of the most valuable is how changes in technology trends can mean major shifts in a market.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, we’ll dive into the 5 tech trends that are changing business online.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The one trend that many marketers “wrote off” as being less effective, until they heard some staggering statistics.
• The trend that marketers attribute 23% of total sales to.
• The one thing you should do ASAP on your website if you haven’t already.
• Examples of how podcasting can improve local business attrition rates and bottom line figures.
• The one marketing campaign that Helzberg Diamonds recently launched that brought in 3x revenue.
• A real world example of why _____ _____ should be part of your business online immediately.
• Why you should stop paying less attention to “big data” and more attention to your own.

ACTION STEPS:

• Pay close attention to the tech trends that can affect your market.
• If you’ve hired a marketer in your business, make sure they understand data as it is relevant to your business, and what changes need to happen to grow your bottom line.
• Make sure you’re using responsive design in both your website and email templates.
• Identify what content mediums are best suited for your business, then implement strategies that take full advantage of these mediums.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Podcasters’ Paradise – if you do not yet have a podcast and would like to start one, sign up for this free live webinar.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

• To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO 17: 5 Tech Trends That Are Changing Business Online appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

By now, you’ve probably realized that Facebook is a major player when it comes to online advertising. If you’re not utilizing Facebook’s ad platform for your business, you’re leaving precious money on the table.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, we dive into how to get started with Facebook ads. You’ll learn how to create an ad, how to position your ads, strategies for maximizing your return on investment, and an advanced strategy that no one else is talking about.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The 3 reasons why you should get started with Facebook Ads in your business
• How to position your ads for maximum conversion
• A brief rundown of how to create a Facebook Ad the right way
• How to utilize Custom Audiences to sell more products and services
• The 1 Facebook Ads strategy that the “guru’s” don’t want you to know about
• Why your Facebook Ads should be scheduled for maximum return on investment
• The best way to target your Facebook page fans
• The advanced conversion tracking method that will propel your ads return

ACTION STEPS:

• Get started with Facebook ads as soon as you can!
• Utilize Facebook’s help page if you have never created an ad.
• Position yourself as a “helper”, not a “seller” when creating ads.
• Split test your images to find out which one converts best.
• Eliminate user-friction (you’ll learn about this).
• Implement the strategies covered in this episode to maximize your return on investment.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here.

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Facebook Ads – Facebook’s advertising page
• SmartTimeGift.com – Receive your free gift from Smart Time Online

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO 16: Facebook Ads 101 – How to Get Started with Facebook Ads appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, I talk with Vince Reed from My Internet Traffic System, who came up in the digital marketing industry without a list, contact, or an ounce of knowledge in this arena.

Since then, he has positioned himself as an expert in generating traffic, leads and value and has amassed a massive following. Vince also has some of the most highly regarded traffic and lead generation training programs, and has made a difference in many, many people’s lives.

Today, he wants to make a difference in yours.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The one thing Vince Reed wishes he knew when he first got started with his online business.
• Why Vince says to go after a BIG market instead of a small, niche market.
• The one thing Vince says you should do now, to get ahead later.
• How to piggyback on the market share of big players like local businesses do when Starbucks or McDonalds opens a new location.
• Why the amount of money you make, represents the amount of ________ you _________.

ACTION STEPS:

• Understand the “value of value”. Learn more, do more and be more to provide more value.
• Realize that everything you learn is more valuable to the person who doesn’t know it.
• Be a good “Captain of Value”, who improves other people’s lives.
• Generating traffic is only the first step. Know what to do once you receive leads. Develop a funnel system.
• Identify conversion opportunities, and amend areas of your funnel that can be improved upon.
• With anything you produce, ask yourself: “Why are people going to want what I have to offer?”
• Make sure your business online is optimized to be mobile friendly.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Vince touched on how he thought Podcasting was one of the biggest online trends, and feels you should look into it. And he’s ABSOLUTELY right. If you’re interested in learning more about starting a podcast, then you should sign up for this free live Podcast Workshop with my friend, John Lee Dumas.
• VinceReed.com – Vince’s website and home base, where you can learn more about generating traffic, leads and value.
• InternetTrafficLive.com – Vince’s live traffic generation training event in San Diego, CA (April 24th-27th, 2014).

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

MY GIFT TO YOU! FREE ONLINE ACTION PLAN:

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The post STO15: Vince Reed on Generating Traffic, Leads and Value appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Chances are, you have a plan in mind for your business. You’ve dreamed about what it would be like in a year from now, and you may even have your goals written down on paper.

If you’re really committed, you may have even followed John Carlton’s advice, with a letter dated next year written to yourself about how much has changed, and how much better things are in life and in business.

But listen: NONE OF THAT MATTERS without implementing the very first Business Building Block that I reveal in this episode of Smart Time Online.

Here’s a hint: It’s what every successful business does, and does well. 

In this episode of Smart Time Online, we dive into the 5 Building Blocks of an Online Business. You’ll discover what’s missing in your plan for success, and more importantly – how to implement the change needed to ensure the growth of your business.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The 5 Building Blocks that are critically important for growing your online business
• How I set up strategies in my business to ensure growth and success
• Why written goals, future dated letters and dreams don’t matter at all if you don’t have _______
• The one common habit that successful entrepreneurs commit to – and so should you
• What your content is missing, and how to fix it today
• The 2-minute content strategy that will change the game with how you handle your content

ACTION STEPS:

• Improve your Business Strategy as soon as you can. Create systems, procedures, process and checklists.
• Realize that regardless of what type of business you have, it’s always about p2p: Person to Person.
• If you haven’t already, complete the brief exercise as outlined in the Content strategy.
• Create systems that are realistic in relation to your abilities and CURRENT habits. Upgrade systems as your habits become better suited for them.
• Get to know the technology around your market. Pay attention to new tech, and learn it quickly.
• Pay close attention to trends in your market so that your content has higher chances of going viral.
• Would you like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Online Business Growth Strategy Coaching

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO 14: The 5 Building Blocks of an Online Business appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Want to become known as THE expert in your market? Want to become so popular, that it’s impossible for people to ignore you? Want to sell more products and services and generate bigger profits than you’ve ever had before?

Then you need to learn The Value Equation, and how it relates to positioning.

This episode is all about value, positioning, power, money, preeminence and influence and the one thing that big brands like Apple, BMW, and Amazon understand – but you don’t.

The answers are in this episode.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The simple 3-part Value Equation
• How to position yourself as the expert in your marketplace
• How to grow your profits
• How to form other peoples opinions of you before they ever meet you or come to your website
• The reason why you MUST understand the value difference of a BMW and Rolls Royce in order to succeed
• The ONE type of value that exceeds all others
• … much, much more.

ACTION STEPS:

• Be wiling to completely shape the perception of others toward you and your business
• Memorize The Value Equation – write it down – underline environmental gains – hang it up – refer to it constantly!
• Remember that in order to command emotional value, you must intentionally position yourself in support of it.
• Ask yourself, “What do I want to be known for?”
• Then ask yourself, “What ability do I possess that I can use to help people?” or “What ability do I want to hone in on and become the best with?”
• State what you stand for, and what you stand against.
• Imagine an emcee introducing you before walking on stage in front of 1,000 of your target customers. How do you imagine him introducing you? Write that down.
• Like some 1-on-1 help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

•  Free 30 Minute Strategy Session

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO 13: The Value Equation – How to Profit With Positioning appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

In this episode, you’ll learn how a new sales conversion widget, Survey 2 Sale, can boost your sales conversions by simply adding it to your sales pages.

How it works:

Survey 2 Sale includes incentives (discounts, bonuses, etc.) for answering a series of survey questions. It comes with a built in timer for scarcity and integrates with email marketing services like Aweber and Mailchimp. This, of course, leads to a boost in sales conversions, list size, AND leaves you with direct answers to questions that you ask your visitors!

This is powerful because: 

1. You get answers to relevant questions about your specific market and potential customers.
2. You boost conversions by way of the Leverage-Salience theory, which suggests that the rate of survey response relies heavily on incentive and interest in your product. In other words, you reinforce the buying decision of those who are target customers.
3. A count-down timer, added after a survey is completed, reinforces the Opportunity Cost of not buying (this is an optional function).
4. Your customer gets a discount, building an extra layer of rapport.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• How Trevor discovered his passion for Java programming  and used that passion to create a software business
• The 5-minute trick that got Trevor featured on LifeHacker.com
• The one HABIT that Trevor attributes his success to most
• How Trevor handles feedback, and how he builds excitement and opportunity from it rather than submitting to discouragement
• The tool that Trevor uses for customer support
• The functions, features and benefits of Trevor’s software, Survey 2 Sale
• How YOU can win one of TWO lifetime licenses to Trevor’s software, Survey 2 Sale

ACTION STEPS:

• Create a foundation of consistency. Build upon that foundation.
• If you fail, let it fuel you. Trevor spent two years creating a product, which ended up bringing in zero sales! But he had the determination enough to pivot, refocus, and take bold action.
• When in doubt, ASK! And what better way to ask your own website visitors than with an incentive for filling out a brief survey?
• If you’d like personal 1 on 1 help, click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE (might contain affiliate links):

• Survey2Sale.com – Trevor’s revolutionary sales conversion software
• Rhino Support – the tool that Trevor uses for customer support
• Zapier – Trevor’s recommended service, used to connect and automate your web applications (Gmail, Evernote, Google Drive, Dropbox, and many more)

SURVEY 2 SALE – A CAMPAIGN FROM START TO FINISH:

Click here to install Survey 2 Sale on YOUR website!

WIN ONE OF TWO LICENSES TO SURVEY 2 SALE (winners will be chosen Friday, April 18th, 2014)!

• To enter, leave a comment below with the answer to this question: What’s the ONE question you would ask your website visitors that, if you knew the answer to, would help you the most? 
• Don’t forget to SHARE this page using the social share links below (not a requirement to win, though)!
• All entries must be received by 6am EST. Friday, April 18th, 2014.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET YOUR OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

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The post STO12: Trevor Page Talks About Survey 2 Sale, His Conversion Boosting Website Widget appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

If you’ve owned or operated a business, you know how important it is to increase average customer value. It can make or break a business, yours included, if it goes ignored.

While sifting through my podcasts episode topic idea bank, I started thinking that if someone understood the concept of increasing average customer value, they’d be more well equipped to deploy the business-boosting strategies that I’ll be releasing in future episodes of the Smart Time Online podcast.

So, in this episode, we dive into the strategy of increasing your average customer value and average visitor value, by first explaining the formulas for finding these current numbers in your business.

Before we get into the meat and potatoes, though, we first explore Jay Abraham’s ‘3 Ways to Build a Business (the only 3 ways)’ teachings, to make sure you understand the foundation that this strategy is built upon.

The (only) 3 ways to build a business are:

1. Get more customers
2. Increase average transaction value
3. Increase the frequency of repurchase (more residual value)

As you can imagine, if you were to do these things in your business, your income would be unprecedented. So, this episode focuses on the “HOW”, rather than explain the definitions of these 3 strategies (although I do briefly review that).

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The exact strategy to grow your business exponentially
• How to calculate your Average Customer Value
• How to calculate your Average Visitor Value (so you know how much to spend on traffic)
• Jay Abraham’s The Only 3 Ways to Build Your Business strategies
• The specific funnel formula for growing your business online
• What to focus on to grow your average customer value
• … much more.

ACTION STEPS:

• Understand and memorize Jay Abraham’s The Only 3 Ways to Build a Business strategies.
• Deploy these strategies with every business, product and serve you have.
• Deploy an online conversion funnel in your business IMMEDIATELY.
• Utilize the STO Average Customer Value and Average Visitor Value calculator (link below).
• Share this episode with your friends, family, and colleagues!
• Like some help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Average Customer Value Calculator/Formula – Calculate your Average Customer Value AND Average Visitor Value (linear funnels only)
• Done For You Online Conversion Funnel System – My conversion funnel system – $997 (done for you)

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET YOUR OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

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The post STO11: How to Increase Average Customer Value appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

As an entrepreneur, you no doubt run into creativity road blocks. It’s a human thing. Creativity isn’t just something that comes to you with any “aha” moment and we certainly can’t command it with a simple thought.

But there is a way to become more efficient at being creative and contrary to what you probably believe, you don’t have to be “the creative type.”

In this episode, we explore what works for successful entrepreneurs when it comes to sparking and sustaining creativity, and dissect each of the 5 rituals into actionable strategies so you can learn how to be creative when you need to be.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• How to be creative by using the one daily activity that can build your “creative ability” exponentially over time.
• Why decreasing neural activity leads to a much more creative state, and how to do it.
• The brain state that psychologists have studied and determined is accessible by _________.
• The one creativity ritual that I participate in every single day to stay productive, creative and  on top of my game.
• Why keeping folders and a box near you can do wonders for sparking your creativity engine.

ACTION STEPS:

• Step 1: Listen to this episode!
• Rid yourself of the the notion of not being the “creative type.”
• At the end of every day, reflect – and follow the directions given in Creativity Ritual #1.
• Write something every day. Even if you have writers block, just start writing.
• Utilize Focus At Will for deep creativity sessions.
• Like some help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

•  FocusAtWill.com – Focus based music for creativity sessions

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET YOUR OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

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The post STO 10: 5 Creativity Rituals for Boosting Your Income appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

If you’re employing traditional marketing practices in your business, you’re setting yourself up for a very slow and laborious process for growth.

Fundamentally, you can still grow your business using this approach. But if you want explosive, exponential growth, Jeff Moore explains that we must ditch the ordinary practices and adopt a more “human” relationship-building approach to become someone who the market flocks to.

In this episode, Jeff and I discuss some of these human approaches that cannot be faked in business; the art of genuine care, preeminence, and more.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The strategy that will position you as a market leader (hint: it cannot be faked)
• The 1 thing you can do, starting now, to establish trust and goodwill in your market
• How to build profitable and influential relationships by becoming __________.
• Why you must not target “everyone,” but instead target ONE
• How Jeff uses the back of his business card as his “go to market” strategy
• The one question that Jay Abraham called Jeff with that will turn your whole perspective on business around…
• How to become a member of the Thursday Night Boardroom, Jeff’s free mastermind group

ACTION STEPS:

• Identify where your customers are and where they want to be, then identify the pain points in between those places that are holding them back
• Find ways to help your customers solve their pain points BEFORE you sell them anything
• Establish a call-to-action that walks a prospect down the “line of value”
• Keep this in mind: “Anyone” is no one. To establish a meaningful relationship, you must connect with someONE
• Stop focusing on “many” and start focusing on the single person avatar who represents your target market
• Establish goodwill by genuinely helping others get what they want
• Like some help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Wild Things Seafood – Restaurant Quality, Chef Ready Seafood and Steaks delivered straight to your door
• Thursday Night Boardroom – Jeff’s mastermind group (free, but selective)
• Connect with Jeff on Twitter

JEFF’S BUSINESS CARD:

• What are YOU using now?
• What are YOU doing with it?
• Potential Weekly/Monthly Volume?
• Where are YOU getting the product now?
• What are YOU paying for it?

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET YOUR OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

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The post STO 9: Jeff Moore Reveals Why Preeminence is at the Forefront of His $35 Million Dollar Company appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

This episode is Part 2 of a 2-part episode series. To listen to part 1, click here.

In Part 2 of the Email Marketing Quick-Win series, we dive into more actionable email marketing quick-win strategies (6-10). We start with a story of how to “change the conversation” so you can reap the rewards of happy subscribers.

I also reveal the dead list revival strategy that Dean Jackson discovered while working 1 on 1 with one of his clients, how to properly use Social Media with Email Marketing, and the right way to “speak” with your subscribers.

And the email marketing strategy #10 will raise your eyebrows while you wonder, “why didn’t I think of that?”

You won’t want to miss that one, especially.

At the end of the episode, I do promise 1 last email marketing quick-win strategy, so here’s what it is:

Email Marketing Quick-Win Strategy #11:

• Include an opt-in form in your FOOTER. This is important, because your footer is visible on every one of your pages, and you can intercept those curious minds who scroll all the way to the bottom of your post, or those who like to read every comment on your blog posts.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• Why “changing the conversation” equals win-win benefits for both you and your subscribers
• The short email that revives dead email lists like a defibrillator revives a heart with no pulse (hint: the technique is only 1 sentence long)
• The email marketing writing technique that engages subscribers and triggers action
• The social media strategy that you aren’t doing now but REALLY need to
• Another social media strategy that is guaranteed to boost your subscriber numbers and open rates (you’ll think: why didn’t I think of that?)
• How to get my help for less than the cost of a couple dine-out dinners.

ACTION STEPS:

• Change the Conversation when pitching any offer(s)
• Email your list at least once a week with value-centered content
• Give more free, valuable content (or links to content) than product pitches
• If you have a dead email list, revive them using the Dean Jackson strategy as mentioned in this episode
• Have a 1-on-1 sofa conversation with your subscribers. Talk to ONE, not MANY.
• Integrate social share buttons into every email you send
• Implement Email Marketing Quick Win Strategy #10 IMMEDIATELY
• Read below if you’d like me to personally help you…

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Aweber– Email Marketing Service Provider (recommended)
• Part 1 – of the 10 Email Marketing Quick-Win Strategies

SIGN UP FOR MY $197 EMAIL MARKETING DONE-FOR-YOU SERVICE:

• Custom Email Template Graphic Design to Match Your Website & Branding
• Social Share / Media Buttons Built into Your Custom Email Design
• Your Welcome Email Written in Full by ME
• Your 5-Part Lead Nurture Program Emails Written in Full by ME
• Email-Support for Any Email Marketing Questions, Suggestions or Support
• Only 10 Discounted $100-Off Spots Available: One-Time Payment of Only $197- Click ‘ADD TO CART’ Below:

There are no more spots available for this offer.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET MY 4-PART EMAIL SEQUENCE TEMPLATES (FREE):

These copy-and-paste sales sequence templates consistently double sales!
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The post STO 8: Part 2 – 10 Email Marketing Quick Win Strategies appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Ah, good ol’ email marketing.

Don’t you just love reading blog posts and articles about how “dead” email marketing is? It’s great – because the ones who fall for that end up sending less email and make it easier for people like me to get noticed inside inboxes.

Do yourself a favor: Don’ fall for the “email marketing is dead” crap. Email marketing is nowhere even CLOSE to being “dead” and will live on for a very, very long time. Yes, it has had its hiccups, but I assure you – it is still a very alive marketing medium and one that you should utilize within your business (unless you just don’t like money).

“But why?” you ask? For starters, take a gander at this hurr SlideShare presentation…

These statistics aren’t just some “made up” number posted for SEO juice. Nope. This is cold, hard statistical data that has been gathered by some of the most respected authorities in marketing online. And yes, I looked into it before posting this – just to make sure it was all referenced as stated, honestly and correctly.

If you haven’t flipped through the slides yet, go ahead and check some of them out. They will reaffirm why you should listen to this episode if you haven’t already done so.

In this episode of the Smart Time Online podcast, Part 1 of the 10 Email Marketing Quick-Win Strategies, you’ll discover how you can quickly implement quick-win email list strategies to make your email marketing smarter.

More specifically…

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

•  Why you should be using this 5-step Welcome Email checklist below:

1. Write an Inviting Subject Line
2. Deliver on your Lead Magnet Promise
3. Mention What One can Expect in the Future
4. Invite Conversation
5. Create an Open Loop

• The one tactic that can double your email open rates overnight
• How to improve email deliverability today
• The one email design aspect that could be holding you back big time, and how to quickly fix it
• How to quickly build good will – on autopilot (crazy, I know…)

ACTION STEPS:

• Craft your welcome email immediately if you haven’t already
• Utilize the 5-step welcome email checklist above, or copy this [swipe file PDF] (coming soon)
• Choose your FROM email address and stick to it – permanently!
• Make sure brand synergy exists between your website and email design
• Listen to Part 2 of the 10 Email Marketing Quick-Win Strategies! (coming Monday, March 17th)
• Read Part 2’s show notes for more action steps that will make your email marketing smarter (click here)
• Like some help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Aweber– Email Marketing Service Provider (recommended)
• Litmus Subject Line Checker – See how your subject lines render across multiple email service providers
• Part 2 – of the 10 Email Marketing Quick-Win Strategies
• Welcome Email Swipe File (PDF) – See below

SIGN UP FOR MY $197 EMAIL MARKETING DONE-FOR-YOU SERVICE:

• Custom Email Template Graphic Design to Match Your Website & Branding
• Social Share / Media Buttons Built into Your Custom Email Design
• Your Welcome Email Written in Full by ME
• Your 5-Part Lead Nurture Program Emails Written in Full by ME
• Email-Support for Any Email Marketing Questions, Suggestions or Support
• Only 10 Discounted $100-Off Spots Available: One-Time Payment of Only $197 – Click ‘ADD TO CART’ Below:

There are no more spots left for this offer.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET MY 4-PART EMAIL SEQUENCE TEMPLATES (FREE):

These copy-and-paste sales sequence templates consistently double sales!
Enter your name & email below to get them for free:

The post STO 7: Part 1 – 10 Email Marketing Quick Win Strategies appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Click here to subscribe to the ‘Smart Time Online Podcast’ in iTunes

You haven’t met a trailblazer until you’ve met John Lee Dumas. Many people know his story, but if you haven’t heard, here’s the abbreviated version:

In late 2012, John launched a podcast called Entrepreneur On Fire and just over a year later, had a six-figure business built around it. Pretty rad, right?

In this episode,we dive into the specific strategies John is using today that earns him 6-figures ($189,900+ in February, 2014).

He also reveals how it all happened, the one habit that he attributes his success to, and how you can gain the momentum you need to build meaningful and lucrative income yourself.

Oh, and for fun – we put him through his own Lightning Round – the 6 part question series that he asks everyone on his own podcast, Entrepreneur on Fire.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

•  The one habit John Lee Dumas attributes his success to most
• What John was faced with at age 21 that ensures his success (he still carries it to this day)
• Why John strongly feels that 2014 is the year of the _________.
• The one thing that John and his team are perfecting right now to help others build their business
• Why the sport of tennis (specifically, a tennis player) inspired John to high levels of success
• The exact webinar strategy John is using to make over 6-figures per month with just one product
• The single most important lesson for creating products your audience will actually WANT to buy
• The best business lesson John has ever received
• The one thing John would do if he were left with nothing but a laptop and $500 (but still had all his knowledge).

ACTION STEPS:

• Find the right time of the day that you’re most productive and commit to putting in work at those times!
• Engage with your audience at every step of the way; ask questions, reply to comments, seek all kinds of feedback and become one with your audience.
• Consider starting a podcast and use it to build an audience and eventually sell more products and services.
• Stay disciplined; create systems, schedules, calendars, checklists – and apply discipline to following them.
• Like some help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Entrepreneur on Fire – John’s website, blog and Podcast
• Podcasters’ Paradise – Create, Grow and Monetize your OWN podcast
• Podcast Launch – John’s Amazon e-Book on Podcasting
• Open by Andre Agassi – John’s non-business book recommendation

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO 6: John Lee Dumas on What It Takes to Build a 7-Figure Business Around Podcasting appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

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Truly understanding who your target prospect is plays a critical role in selling or promoting your products or services. By figuring this out and then targeting in on this specific “person” will allow you to better position your business, and grow your profits.

By now, you should already have an idea of who this ideal customer is; that one person who would be most likely to buy your products and services. But did you come up with this by simply “guessing” who your best customer would be?

In this episode, I review why it’s so important to go beyond just “guessing” who your target prospect is. You’ll learn some of the most effective AND efficient ways of conducting market research – without spending a single penny on any market research “tools”.

Regardless of whether you have a customer avatar for your business or not, you’ll want to listen to this very timely episode. If you haven’t already, then what are you waiting for? Click play now (and get ready to take a few notes).

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• How Old Spice identified a trend in their target demographic and exploited it to grow profits (and how you can do the same thing in your business)
• Key takeaways from Proactive’s marketing methods
• How to best determine these 5 key areas of your customer avatar:

1. Demographic
2. Personality
3. Lifestyle
4. Interests
5. Emotional State

• A “secret” market research tool that will help you create a customer avatar more specific than any of your competitors (and when you sell better, you make better money)
• 3 more FREE research tools and resources that can be used for any business – offline or online – and how to best use them

ACTION STEPS:

• If you haven’t already, commit to creating an avatar for your business TODAY
• Give your customer avatar a name
• Research the market you’re in using the free research tools and resources mentioned in this episode
• Apply the 5 Key Areas to your Customer Avatar: Demographic, Personality, Lifestyle, Interests, and Emotional State
• Create a word document with a picture of your customer avatar and bullet points of the above key areas
• Position your unique selling proposition and all other messaging directly in front of this avatar
• Thank yourself for doing this
• Like some help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Avatar Word Doc Template (coming soon)
• JustMediaKits.com – 2,500 magazine media kits (categorized by consumer markets)
• Youtube.com – for personality research
• Google Display Planner – for demographic research on specific keywords

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

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The post STO 5: Stop Guessing Who Your Avatar Is! appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

The post The Slomo Video appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

If you do any business online, chances are you’re collecting email addresses (and if not, what are you waiting for?).

With changes in how Gmail, Yahoo and other major email service providers display emails with commercial intent, it is becoming increasingly more and more challenging to build and maintain a high quality list. But without one, you’re still leaving very precious opportunity on the table.

During the first couple of minutes in this episode, I talk about the importance of building a high-quality list by offering a high-quality lead magnet with the intention of attracting your ideal prospect and monetizing leads.

I review real-world examples of how to position an offer, and compare them with examples of not-so-effective list building strategies.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• How to build an email list from scratch
• How to improve your offer copy that leads into your email list
• How to properly deploy a lead nurture email campaign
• Real world examples of winning lead magnet headlines
• How to convert _________ into _________ and make more money than you ever have
• How to sell more of what you want to be known for

ACTION STEPS:

• Offer a Lead Magnet that attracts your ideal prospect into your sales funnel
• Optimize your lead magnet headline and benefit copy
• Deploy a Lead Nurture campaign that provides VALUE – first and foremost
• Build on your lead nurture campaign over time, and make it Evergreen
• Send your list an email broadcast at least ONCE per week
• Remove the price-point barrier to entry into your sales funnel by offering a low-price, high value product or service
• Like some help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

•  Aweber – Email Marketing Service

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET YOUR OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

Want to get unstuck and grow your business to the next level and beyond?
Enter your name & email below:

The post STO 4: How to Monetize Leads on Autopilot appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

There are only a few people who I know in the entire world who can connect as authentically and unselfishly with others as Pat Flynn does. He is truly an inspiration for not only how to be authentic and real, but for turning the internet marketing world upside down and shaking it!

He got started when a lot of the “Guru’s” were in their prime – claiming million dollar launches every Monday and coming up with cheesy nicknames for themselves.

As the “guru’s” faded into their corners (some of them going broke, some of them enjoying their riches), Pat Flynn started carving out what has become the standard relationship model for many people after him.

He has influenced influencers, and he has crawled into the trenches to pull up the weak, weary and hungry.

Once an architect with dreams of designing brick-and-mortar structures, Pat has transitioned seamlessly into becoming the architect of a VERY popular and fast growing digital brand, Smart Passive Income. On his website, Pat shares his journey through every step he makes online, so that others may learn from both his successes and his failures.

Today, you’ll hear about some of the tools and resources that he uses in his business, as well as some very good productivity suggestions that have helped his internet business grow into what it has become.

One thing: I want to apologize for sounding like Speedy Gonzalez while introducing Pat in this episode… it sounds like I’m on speed or something (don’t worry, I’m not).

After about 10-15 seconds, I think I subconsciously realized it and slowed it down a bit. I’m still getting used to this whole podcasting thing.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

•  The ONE habit that Pat attributes most to his success: ___________.
• The 3 productivity tools that Pat finds most useful for business online
• Why _________ systems can either make or break your business growth
• The ONE action you should take next to better leverage your time online
• Why Pat FIRED his Virtual Assistants and hired a team “in house”
• Pat’s BIG plan for 2014…

ACTION STEPS:

• Identify one or two habits that have contributed to your most productive work and create systems and procedures that integrate those habits every single day.
• Seek out small wins. If you have a big project, chunk it down and create attainable small wins.
• If you do not already have a team implemented in your business, consider creating a plan to implement one.
• Seek a coach, mentor or partner who can help you stay focused on your business goals
• Write down all of the things that happen in your business and identify what you like doing, dislike doing, and cant do. Categorize and delegate the things you either dislike doing or can’t do, and focus on the things you like doing (see ‘3 lists to freedom’ link below).
• Like some help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Smart Passive Income – Pat’s website and “home base”
• Ask Pat – Have a question for Pat? Ask him here…
• 3 Lists to Freedom (created by Chris Ducker, as referenced by Pat)

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

• Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

GET YOUR OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

Want to get unstuck and grow your business to the next level and beyond?
Enter your name & email below:

The post STO 3: Pat Flynn Talks Online Business Tools & Habits for Success appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

In this episode of the  Smart Time Online podcast, I reveal 5 website improvements that, if implemented ASAP, will immediately increase your websites traffic, conversion and engagement.

Most of these implementations are something that can be applied to your website very quickly, and require minimal coding. Just a bit of thinking.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• The specific strategy you should follow for split testing
• Why forming a hypothesis on a split test result can be very beneficial in the long-run
• How to get more people to sign up for your email list by changing one thought process
• How replacing the word ________ with ________ can double your lead conversions
• A quick-win strategy to skyrocket your opt-ins
• The 1 thing you should do to decrease your websites bounce rate overnight
• The thing no one pays attention to, but everyone should
• The one thing most people struggle with (including me) and how to best overcome it

ACTION STEPS:

• Start testing elements on your website to determine what converts best
• Craft a resource or tool that attracts your ideal prospect into your email list
• Review your above the fold website content, and make sure it leads your visitors into taking a specific action
• Utilize typography tools (links below) and test the readability of your websites typography – test this on mobile devices!
• Create a schedule for content consistency and commit to it (my spreadsheet is linked below)
• Like some help? Click here

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Typecast – A premium online tool used for creating and enhancing visual typography designs. Very nice tool!
• Golden Ratio Typography Tool – Chris Pearson’s typography tool (creator of the Thesis Theme)

SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST:

To subscribe to the Smart Time Online Podcast, use the link below:

Click here to Subscribe, Rate and Review in iTunes (thanks for your rating and review!)

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE…

PLEASE share it! It’s easy… just use any of the ‘SHARE’ buttons below! Have a question about this episode? Leave a comment below and let’s chat! Now, get ready for Episode 3 – I’m interviewing Pat Flynn on what Business Tools & Habits for Success he’s found most helpful in business.

GET YOUR OPTIMIZATION ACTION PLAN (FREE):

Want to get unstuck and grow your business to the next level and beyond?
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The post STO 2: 5 Ways to Improve Your Website Today appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

Picture this:

You’re backstage, standing in a dark corner with your eyes closed. Your palms are sweaty and your heart is pounding as you hop up and down with anxious excitement. It’s exactly 09:59 a.m. and in less than sixty seconds, you’ll be stepping in front of the largest crowd you’ve ever spoken to.

Thoughts riddle your mind:

Will they like me? Is my speech good enough? Do I even remember my speech? Did I prepare enough? What if the sound system sucks?

Around the 30 second mark, you gently pat the cold sweat from your forehead as the silent anticipation of thousands fuel your excitement.

Suddenly, the emcee starts to recite your introduction. You begin to countdown the last 10 seconds with eye blinks and slight head nods…

3…

2…

1…

It’s show time.

Before you know it, you’re walking up the stage into waves of applause, shouts and raised eyebrows. You humbly nod, give thanks, say your very first words and go on with your speech.

How do you imagine your speech going?

• Are you at all nervous about how valuable your audience feels you are to them?
• Are you paying attention to facial expressions and body language as you look through the crowd?

If you’re a normal human being, you probably are thinking about these things (and if not — well, then you must be superman).

What’s ironic, though, is that when it comes to business, many people tend to be on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

Instead of considering their audience first (customers, vendors, followers, etc.), people often worry about themselves and what’s to gain.

“This dude wants my help for free? I don’t have time for that!” 

“How can I get Jack and Sally to pay me some money the first time they see my face?” 

“Who wants me to do an interview for what? Their podcast hasn’t even launched! No thanks…”

Now — don’t get me wrong. In some circumstances, there are times when we have to turn down the interview request date, or kindly request that a host reach a certain number of episodes before committing to an interview (thinking about you, Seth Godin).

What we’re discussing, though, is forfeiting value for personal greed. And downright denying someone’s request for your time because you simply don’t know them, don’t care about them, or worse yet – because they don’t offer you any immediate money, is a sure-fire strategy to tank any possible relationship.

You see, being on stage and speaking in front of thousands with their eyes and ears pointed at you is a lot like operating a business. But most people just don’t seem to look at it this way.

Obviously, there’s a bend in the way people think when it comes to physically being on stage versus operating a business.

But in your stretch to reach your audience in a way that builds a meaningful and valuable business, whether through speaking live, recording a podcast or through written words on a screen, you should consider your audience in ways you would as if you were on stage, live, in front of thousands.

 Note: for all intents and purposes, I use the term ‘audience’ in place of ‘customers, prospects, leads’, etc.

Always ask Yourself These 5 Questions:

1. Who is my audience?
2. Is everything I do in support of benefiting my audience?
3. Am I being authentic? (not “faking it to make it” – biggie.)
4. Am I passionate about what this stands for?
5. Why should anyone pay attention to me?

Let’s dive into a brief discussion on each of these questions and learn how they will help make you more successful.

1. Who is my audience?

In business, we are wisely taught to “find our avatar,” the personification of our perfect prospect. This is a single person example of who would most benefit from our value proposition.

When asking yourself, “who is my audience?” make sure you are very, very specific:

How old is he/she? Male or female? What does he do for a living? What is his background? Is he educated? Is he single? Is he happy in life? Does he enjoy the finer things, or is he more of an average Joe type who doesn’t need much to be happy?   … we could go on and on.

When constructing content, releasing a product or even engaging in discussion with someone about your business, it’s important that you ask yourself, “Who is my audience?”

Do this enough, and you’ll soon find that serving your specific market is second nature with everything you do.

 2. Is everything I do in support of benefiting my audience?

Let’s consider a scenario: It’s Saturday afternoon and you decide to head over to the car spa and have your car detailed. You arrive, check in your car, and hang out in the waiting area. While waiting, the owner of the car spa walks up to you and says, “Hey I have some really cool dog collars for sale. Will you buy one?”

Extreme example, I know. But stuff like this happens all the time online, and it’s nonsense!

Chances are, you’d never return to that car spa because the owner was only looking to benefit himself in a way that added zero value to his customer.

Let’s instead imagine the owner walking up and saying, “Hey there, I’m Jim and it’s great to have you… we really appreciate you bringing in your car, and we’re leaving you 3 free air fresheners inside your car for you to use. Just our way of saying thanks!”

The example shifted from the owner benefiting himself, to benefiting his audience (in this case, customer).

Chances are, as you go through each air freshener, you’ll remember that moment. Even the scent might remind you of your awesome experience at that particular car spa every time you get into your car! You get a great smelling car, and the owner reaps the reward of his customer thinking of his business more often because he provided a benefit and immediate value.

Next time (and every time thereafter) you make a decision in your business, make sure you first ask yourself, “does this benefit my audience?”

3. Am I being authentic?

If there’s one way to quickly destroy everything you’ve built and are trying to build on, it’s making up some fake representation of who you are and what you stand for.

It is a HUGE turn off to the public when they find out you’re different than you’ve led them to believe. This is why politicians have used this tactic against one another – it works.

Human beings are naturally skeptical of people who they don’t know – especially when put in front of a decision to either trust or not trust someone before taking any action (even if it’s simply giving up their email address).

Politicians reinforce this natural skepticism by reinforcing it through advertising that leads people to believe that their opponent isn’t who he says he is, or doesn’t really stand for what they say they stand for.

Politician or not, you’re in the same boat my friend. And your success depends on “getting this”.

Be real. Be you. Stand up for what you believe. Don’t chase the cheese if it leads to a place where you’re left feeling, “this just isn’t me”.

We live in a world where transparency is more and more important because information about you is out there, and it’s pretty easy to find. So make sure that information is all consistent with who you say you are.

It’s important to ask yourself, “am I staying true to who I really am and what I want to become known for?”

4. Am I passionate about what this stands for?

I know that everyone talks about “passion” and “being excited” with what you’re doing, but the truth is – interests and excitement can fade over time. That’s human. But reflecting on whether or not you’re passionate about what you do and what that stands for, has to become a weekly habit, in my opinion, because otherwise we never know WHEN it’s time to delegate a task, or slightly pivot our business.

Without constantly reflecting on what we enjoy, we run the risk of delusion and ultimately letting value delivery slip until failure becomes inevitable.

Don’t fake yourself out. If you aren’t passionate about something, stop doing it as soon as you can. The time you’ll free up, by either delegating a task or pivoting your business entirely, will be spent in an exponentially more productive way in creating value for others. When that happens, success and freedom is much more likely.

You’ll never build your business if you’re not passionate about your business.

5. Why should anyone pay attention to me?

Straight up. What makes you and your business stand out?

Really – think about that: What is different about what you’re building? What you’re saying? What you’re offering? Why should anyone in your market pay attention to you?

Business schools will teach this as a “Unique Selling Proposition”, but I think we should drop the ‘selling’ — for now.  There’s no doubt that your positioning in your marketplace is intended to sell what you offer, but for the sake of creative thinking, think more about how you can offer a specific benefit in a unique way. Do this, and you’ll easily answer the question: Why should anyone pay attention to me?

Here’s a great example:

A company called Man Crate boxes and ships ‘manly’ things (like liquor, custom etched bar glasses, gadgets, and grill tools), and ships them off in a crate that you have to literally pry open with a crowbar (which comes strapped to the crate itself).

Immediately, they stand out. Moreover, here’s what their opening instructions look like:

Sounds bravado and slightly against the grain, but they know their audience (men), and they know how to stand out to attract them. And aside from coming off as “rough around the edges”, their customer service ratings are nearly 5 / 5 stars.

Remember: The marketplace is a very crowded space. If you want to make it out there, it’s imperative that your business, and everything you do, has a trait that makes it stand out.

So, why should anyone pay attention to you? Spend time on this.

At the end of the day,

there’s no real difference than being on stage in front of thousands, or being out in the trenches building your business.

Always consider your audience and how they’ll benefit from your business. Stay true to your core self, reflect on your passions, adjust when needed, and stand out in ways that others don’t.

Have you asked yourself any of these questions lately? Is there one that resonates with you most? Can I personally help you stay accountable?

Let me know in the comment section below. I’d love to discuss it with you!

The post 5 Questions To Ask Yourself When Building Your Business appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

The Smart Time Online podcast was created for YOU, the entrepreneur who wants to optimize their business conversions and create funnel systems that get money on auto-pilot.

Each episode uncovers actionable strategies for lead gen, marketing and sales funnels, social media, and advanced digital marketing conversion practices.

Co-hosted by some of the most respected authorities in business today, you’ll also discover the habits and productivity practices that business experts attribute most to their success.

We interview entrepreneurs who are experts in lead generation, funnel system strategy, marketing optimization, social media, web design, graphic, video and sound design, passive income and ultimately, conversion.

Each episode will have a corresponding show notes page, where you’ll find links to all of the resources talked about in the podcast episode.

Moreover, each show notes page will include a detailed action plan that you can use to improve your business with specific strategies that are mentioned in each episode.

In Episode 1, I spend a few minutes briefly reviewing a few more things you can expect from the show and how it’ll immediately benefit your business. It’s only around three minutes long, so it’s a very quick listen.

If you haven’t already done so, I recommend you listen to the other episodes that are part of the STO Podcast launch lineup:

• Episode 2: 5 Ways to Improve Your Website
• Episode 3: Pat Flynn – Business Tools and Habits for Success
• Episode 4: How to Monetize Leads

Episodes are released weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with expert interviews always being released on Wednesdays.

If you have any episode subject requests, please leave a comment below and let me know!

I hope you’ll come to enjoy every minute of the Smart Time Online podcast and I look very forward to connecting with you personally.

The post STO 1: What To Expect appeared first on Smart Time Online - Online Marketing & Conversion.

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