AskPat 2.0: A Weekly Coaching Call on Online Business, Blogging, Marketing, and Lifestyle Design

Today's question comes from Tony, who is overwhelmed by spam email. What can he do to combat the huge amount of spam emails? Tony’s site is http://bloggingdiabetes.com/. For blog comments, I recommend getting a captcha plugin for your WordPress website or switching your commenting system to Disqus (https://disqus.com/). I use a paid service called Sanebox (http://sanebox.com/pat), combined with Google Apps for Business (https://www.google.com/work/apps/business/). I talk about how to tackle a huge backlog of email on Smart Passive Income Episode 115 (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/email-management/). Do you have a question about email management? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to Zip Recruiter for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.ziprecruiter.com/pat to get started posting jobs today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Nicholas, who is trying to understand how to promote his business using Pinterest. Nicholas’s website is http://informationalcuisine.com/. I recommend looking to Social Media Examiner for advice on Pinterest (http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/). Check out the Everything Food Conference (http://www.foodbloggingconference.com/) and listen to Smart Passive Income Session 148 (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/the-story-behind-the-success-of-food-blog-pinch-of-yum-with-lindsay-and-bjork/). I also mention the Get Rich Slowly blog (http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/). Do you have a question about promoting your business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to LegalZoom for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.legalzoom.com/ and enter the discount code "Pat" at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Joe, who is having trouble converting podcast listeners into email list subscribers. How can he improve this conversion rate? Joe’s podcast is The Q2 Podcast (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q2-podcast/id897345646?mt=2). Joe’s podcast host is Podbean (http://www.podbean.com/). The WordPress plugin I mention is Pretty Links (https://wordpress.org/plugins/pretty-link/). The conversion tool I recommend is LeadPages (http://askpat.com/leadpages). Check out my book, eBooks the Smart Way (http://ebooksthesmartway.com). For more on email list building, listen to Smart Passive Income Podcast Episode 78 (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/rapid-list-building/). Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Wayne, who is looking to hire a software developer. How does he find someone who can make his idea a reality? I recommend Upwork, which is the new company created by the merger of Elance and oDesk (https://www.upwork.com/). For team communication, I highly recommend Slack (http://askpat.com/slack-communication). Do you have a question about hiring staff to help create your projects? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Lynda.com. Try out all of Lynda.com's courses for free for seven days. Go http://lynda.com/AskPat to get started. Today's sponsor is Braintree. Braintree will help you accept business payments for your products from customers across the world. Go to http://braintreepayments.com/pat. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Tara, who asks if ebooks are too old school. Is something fancier, like video, a better choice? Good platforms for hosting courses include WP WishList (http://member.wishlistproducts.com/), WP Courseware (https://flyplugins.com/wp-courseware/), and Zippy Courses (http://askpat.com/zippycourses). The entrepreneurs I mentioned in this episode are Nathan Barry (http://nathanbarry.com/) and David Siteman Garland (http://www.therisetothetop.com/). For recording your screen, I recommend Screenflow (http://askpat.com/screenflow) or Camtasia (https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.html). Do you have a question about lead magnets? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Lynda.com. Try out all of Lynda.com's courses for free for seven days. Go http://lynda.com/AskPat to get started. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Karin, whose business is growing rapidly. Her email inbox is getting out of hand—what strategies can she use to keep the personal touch without getting overwhelmed? For more on how Jessica and I handle email, listen to Smart Passive Income Podcast Episode 115 (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/email-management/). Do you have a question about email management? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to today's sponsor, AWeber. Your email list is your most valuable asset—get started today. Go to http://www.aweber.com/askpat. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Rachel, who wants to build a business without creating a specific niche site. How can she do that? In this episode, I talk about Glen Allsopp from Viperchill (http://www.viperchill.com/). The tool I talk about is LeadPages (http://askpat.com/leadpages). The affiliate marketplaces mentioned are ClickBank (http://www.clickbank.com/) and CJ (formerly Commission Junction; http://www.cj.com/). To contribute your thoughts on this topic, use the hashtag #AskPat428. Do you have a question about starting your online business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Corey, who is looking for a mentor. How can he find one? In this episode, I talk about Brian Harris’s “Poster Boy” strategy (http://blog.videofruit.com/poster-boy/). Do you have a question about mentors? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Nick, who needs some suggestions for better lead generation for his home building company. To learn about content marketing, check out Marcus Sheridan (http://www.thesaleslion.com/). Do you have a question about lead generation? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Lynda.com. Try out all of Lynda.com's courses for free for seven days. Go http://lynda.com/AskPat to get started. Today's sponsor is Braintree. Braintree will help you accept business payments for your products from customers across the world. Go to http://braintreepayments.com/pat. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Amanda, who wants to get back to blogging again. How can she make her Blogger site more mobile-friendly? Amanda’s site is http://www.mommymiamonologues.com/. In this episode, I mention this article from Big Little Geek on responsive Blogger templates (http://www.biglittlegeek.com/best-responsive-seo-optimized-blogger-templates-2015/). If you’re using the Amazon Associate program, check out Genius (https://www.geni.us/). Do you have a question about making your site more mobile-friendly (or responsive)? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to LegalZoom for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.legalzoom.com/ and enter the discount code "Pat" at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Rachel, who has a question about email lists and lead magnets. How can she keep subscribers from receiving duplicate emails? Rachel’s site is http://www.candokiddo.com/. Rachel mentions the Smart Passive Income Podcast Episode 78 with Clay Collins (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/rapid-list-building/), which talks about how to use LeadPages (http://www.askpat.com/leadpages). The email service providers I discuss are Mailchimp (http://mailchimp.com/) and AWeber (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/aweber), and ConvertKit (http://askpat.com/convertkit). Do you have a question about how to manage your email list? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to Zip Recruiter for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.ziprecruiter.com/pat to get started posting jobs today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from AJ, who asks about sending cold emails. Are they a good tool for generating new business? Do you have a question about using email to build your business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Brian, who has a question about the sharing the work of a much more established individual in his market. Is it a good idea to share a competitor’s site when they have a much larger presence? Brian’s site is http://www.askadaddy.com/. Do you have a question about the competition? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Lynda.com. Try out all of Lynda.com's courses for free for seven days. Go http://lynda.com/AskPat to get started. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Jon, who is setting up a video studio in the corner of his home office. What some space-saving advice do I have to recommend? In this episode I mention a bunch of photography tools, including using a wide angle lens, using bokeh effect (works better on a standard lens), using LED lights to save on space and heat, folding light reflectors, and ring lights. The lenses I mentioned are the Canon 1.4F 50 mm or 35mm lens. For purchasing camera equipment, Amazon is a good resource, as is B&H Photo (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/). As always, check out Caleb Wojcik’s resource at DIY Video Guide (http://diyvideoguide.com/). Do you have a question about shooting videos for your business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Lynda.com. Try out all of Lynda.com's courses for free for seven days. Go http://lynda.com/AskPat to get started. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Ann, who asks about the Periscope platform. What is its potential for marketing a business? Chris Ducker inspired me to get started using Periscope (http://www.chrisducker.com). Do you have a question about social media? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Braintree. Braintree will help you accept business payments for your products from customers across the world. Go to http://braintreepayments.com/pat. Thanks to our sponsor, Sidekick. Receive live notifications when someone opens your email. Go to getsidekick.com/pat to check it out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Mary, who asks how much a new business owner needs to work in the beginning. Is it important to work long hours when you’re first getting a business started? The two authors I contrast are Gary Vaynerchuck (https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/) and Tim Ferriss (http://fourhourworkweek.com/). Do you have a question about getting your business started? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Megan, who asks about leaving a traditional product-based business to start an online business. How does she make sure this new business will last? In this episode I mention the post by Kevin Kelly called 1,000 True Fans (http://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/). Do you have a question about starting your online business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Lynda.com. Try out all of Lynda.com's courses for free for seven days. Go http://lynda.com/AskPat to get started. Thanks to our sponsor, Sidekick. Receive live notifications when someone opens your email. Go to getsidekick.com/pat to check it out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Chris, who is planning to interview some audience members. What questions should he ask his audience members? Chris’s site is http://sidehustleacademy.com/. I recommend Ryan Levesque's excellent book on how to conduct audience surveys (http://www.amazon.com/Ask-Counterintuitive-Discover-Customers-Business/dp/1939447720/&tag=smartpassiveincome-20). Do you have a question about learning from your audience? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to LegalZoom for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.legalzoom.com/ and enter the discount code "Pat" at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Elizabeth, who asks about business plans. How important is having a business plan? Elizabeth’s site is http://www.theseniorgap.com/. In this episode I mention the SBA, which is the Small Business Administration (https://www.sba.gov/). I recommend the book The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan (http://www.the1thing.com/). Do you have a question about getting started with your business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Josh, who wants to know how to convert his Instagram followers to newsletter followers and customers. Josh’s site is http://mad-realestate.com/. I cover strategies for converting Instagram followers on my interviews on Smart Passive Income Podcast Podcast 165 with Susan Petersen (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/susan-petersen-from-freshly-picked-on-selling-moccasins-and-her-booming-online-retail-business/) and 169 with Nathan Chan (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-nathan-chan-built-a-6-figure-digital-magazine-and-the-marketing-strategies-we-can-all-use/). To set up domain redirects, check out the WordPress plugin Pretty Link (https://wordpress.org/plugins/pretty-link/). Do you have a question about Instagram? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Braintree. Braintree will help you accept business payments for your products from customers across the world. Go to http://braintreepayments.com/pat. Thanks to our sponsor, Sidekick. Receive live notifications when someone opens your email. Go to getsidekick.com/pat to check it out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Greg, who asks about affiliate products and email lists. Can he promote multiple products to a single list, or should he set up several email lists? For affiliate marketing advice check out this page: http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/affiliate-marketing-strategies/. Do you have a question about affiliate marketing. Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to Zip Recruiter for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.ziprecruiter.com/pat to get started posting jobs today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Michael, who asks how I stay motivated when work and life gets tough. It’s a great question, because life is a roller coaster. Here’s what I do. Do you have a question about staying motivated? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Saj, whose audience is asking him to create some coaching courses. What tools does he need to create a course? These are the tools I recommend. For hosting the course, if you don’t want to create your own website, you can use Udemy (http://www.udemy.com/) or Teachery (https://www.teachery.co/). For a merchant account, you can use Stripe (https://stripe.com/), PayPal (https://www.paypal.com/), 1Shopping Cart (http://www.1shoppingcart.com/) or Authorize.net (http://www.authorize.net/). Kajabi is another option for hosting courses, but I have not tried it out (https://www.kajabiapp.com/). To host a course on your own website, look into these WordPress platforms: WP WishList (http://member.wishlistproducts.com/), WP Courseware (https://flyplugins.com/wp-courseware/), and Zippy Courses (http://askpat.com/zippycourses). For screen recording, I recommend Screenflow for Mac (http://www.telestream.net/screenflow/overview.htm) or Camtasia for PCs (https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.html). A great, inexpensive microphone is the AudioTechnica ATR 2100 (http://askpat.com/atr2100). Zoom is another webinar hosting platform (http://zoom.us/pat). Do you have a question about building membership courses? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Elyse, who writes online content for a living. How can she increase traffic to her site to help her find more customers? Elyse’s site is http://www.contentbyelyse.com/. Take a listen to Smart Passive Income Podcast 158 with Brian Casel, where we discuss how to productize a service-based business (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-productize-your-service-based-business/). Also check out Derek Halpern’s site, Social Triggers (http://socialtriggers.com/). Here’s the video of Derek walking me through how to improve my conversion strategies (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/conversion-strategies/). Do you have a question about building traffic for your site? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Share your thoughts on today’s episode using #AskPat411. Thanks to our sponsor, Lynda.com. Try out all of Lynda.com's courses for free for seven days. Go http://lynda.com/AskPat to get started. Thanks to our sponsor, Sidekick. Receive live notifications when someone opens your email. Go to getsidekick.com/pat to check it out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Gaynete, who asks about the time my website got hacked. What did I learn from getting the site hacked? What would I do differently to prevent future attacks? I share the 11 things I learned from the DDOS attack that will help you prevent your site from getting hacked—or help you recover if a site hack happens to you. The plugins I discuss for limiting logins are Limit Login Attempts (https://wordpress.org/plugins/limit-login-attempts/) and Wordfence (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordfence/). The password managers I mention are 1Password (https://agilebits.com/onepassword) and LastPass (https://lastpass.com/). The hosting companies I recommend are Linode (https://www.linode.com/) and Bluehost (http://askpat.com/bluehost). Two other service I recommend are Sucuri (https://sucuri.net/) and Cloudflare (https://www.cloudflare.com/). Do you have a question about your website’s security? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Lynda.com. Try out all of Lynda.com's courses for free for seven days. Go http://lynda.com/AskPat to get started. Thanks to our sponsor, Sidekick. Receive live notifications when someone opens your email. Go to getsidekick.com/pat to check it out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AP 0409: Where Should I Put My Affiliate Disclosure Statement? Today's question comes from Jason, who asks about affiliate disclosure. Where should he put the affiliate disclosure statement? I recommend creating a resources page that includes a disclosure statement (http://smartpassiveincome.com/resources). On that page you can see my disclosure statement in blue. Do you have a question about affiliate sales? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Khizer, who is a musician with very active social media accounts but no active website. He’s ready to start releasing his own music—how can he use his social media to make money? In this episode I talk about Kevin Kelly’s 1000 True Fans post (http://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/). Do you have a question about starting your business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Stephen, who has a question about keywords and Google Analytics. How can he get started with keyword research in Google Analytics? In this episode I talk about how to use Google’s free Keyword Planner tool (https://adwords.google.com/ko/KeywordPlanner/), as well as how to use Amazon and iTunes for research. Do you have a question about keyword research? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to LegalZoom for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.legalzoom.com/ and enter the discount code "Pat" at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Tanner, who has courses on Udemy. He’s ready to market courses from his own platform, but he doesn’t have an audience yet. How should he get started? Tanner’s courses on are the course platform site Udemy (http://www.udemy.com/). For Facebook marketing and list building advice, check out Amy Porterfield’s site (http://www.amyporterfield.com/). Good platforms for hosting courses include WP WishList (http://member.wishlistproducts.com/), WP Courseware (https://flyplugins.com/wp-courseware/), and Zippy Courses (http://askpat.com/zippycourses). Do you have a question about creating courses? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Lynda.com. Try out all of Lynda.com's courses for free for seven days. Go http://lynda.com/AskPat to get started. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Selin, who has a question about choosing between two business ideas, an ecommerce site and custom product versus blogging. Kickstarter is a good tool for raising production funds (https://www.kickstarter.com/). Do you have a question about when to start your business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Lynda.com. Try out all of Lynda.com's courses for free for seven days. Go http://lynda.com/AskPat to get started. Thanks to our sponsor, Sidekick. Receive live notifications when someone opens your email. Go to getsidekick.com/pat to check it out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Aron, who wants to know why I give out t-shirts to AskPat callers. What’s the reason for the giveaway? The conference I mention is Podcast Movement (http://podcastmovement.com/). Do you have a question about why I’m doing something with the show? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to Zip Recruiter for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.ziprecruiter.com/pat to get started posting jobs today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Ross, who wants to make enough money to have the freedom to live the life he wants. How does he get started? Get started with episodes of the Smart Passive Income Podcast, which features regular people who’ve built businesses that help them to live the lives they want (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/category/podcast/). Do you have a question about building a business to support your lifestyle? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Alex, who ask which habits I wish you had started 5–10 years ago. Alex’s site is http://www.66dayexperiment.com/. The first thing I wish I had started sooner is my morning routine, which I cover in this episode of the Smart Passive Income Podcast with Hal Elrod (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/early-morning-routine/) and on Episode 150 (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/my-new-morning-routine-schedule-habits/). Also, I love the Five Minute Journal (http://fiveminutejournal.com). Do you have a question about the habits of a good entrepreneur? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, MileIQ! MileIQ tracks your mileage automatically for your taxes. Text “Pat” to 89800 to try the app for free. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from David, who has a question about autoresponder sequences. David’s site is http://bartenderhq.com/. There are two episodes of the Smart Passive Income Podcast that cover autoresponder emails, Session 143 (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/actionable-email-marketing-strategies/) and Session 159 (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/autoresponder-email-best-practices/). Do you have a question about your email autoresponders? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Lynda.com. Try out all of Lynda.com's courses for free for seven days. Go http://lynda.com/AskPat to get started. Thanks to our other sponsor, Sidekick. Receive live notifications when someone opens your email. Go to getsidekick.com/pat to check it out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today is special episode of AskPat! I’m taking a lightning round of questions live from the audience on Periscope. The book I recommend in today’s episode is The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan (http://amzn.to/1MHXaJP). Do you have a question about using Periscope for your business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Lynda.com. Try out all of Lynda.com's courses for free for seven days. Go http://lynda.com/AskPat to get started. Thanks to our other sponsor, Sidekick. Receive live notifications when someone opens your email. Go to http://getsidekick.com/pat to check it out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Bill, who hosts a successful Facebook group. How can he get his members to join his email list? Bill’s site is http://themakersguide.com. I offer my advice for how to get your community members on to an email list. Do you have a question about interacting with your Facebook community? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Gabriel, who is new to blogging and wants to know how long (on average) it takes to build up a platform. Is it a year? Two years? Here’s what I think Gabriel (and you) should keep in mind. Gabriel’s site is http://www.gabrielaviles.com/. In this episode I talk about John Lee Dumas (http://entrepreneuronfire.com). Share your experiences using #AskPat398. Do you have a question about building your platform? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to today's sponsor, AWeber. Your email list is your most valuable asset—get started today. Go to http://www.aweber.com/askpat. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Tom, who is interested in growing his freelancing business to a small agency. How does he go about this? Tom’s site is http://www.convertdigital.co.uk/. In this episode, I mention my Smart Passive Income interview with Brian Casel, which covers “productizing” your business (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/how-to-productize-your-service-based-business/). Also check out his resource on productizing (http://askpat.com/productize). I also recommend the AskPat sponsor Zip Recruiter (http://www.ziprecruiter.com/pat). Do you have a question about your small business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to today's sponsor, AWeber. Your email list is your most valuable asset—get started today. Go to http://www.aweber.com/askpat. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Junaid, who is questioning his desire to be a tech blogger. It’s a crowded industry—is it worth entering, or should he write in a different industry? I share my thoughts on how to get started. Do you have a question about blogging? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Paula, who worries that she may have selected a niche that is too small. What should she do? In this episode, I recommend using the Google Keywords Tool (https://adwords.google.com) and LongTail Pro (http://askpat.com/longtailpro), as well as Amazon (http://amazon.com/). The Gary Vaynerchuck book I reference is Crush It (https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/new-york-times-bestselling-aut-649919693.html). Do you have a question about your niche website? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to LegalZoom for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.legalzoom.com/ and enter the discount code "Pat" at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Mike, who asks about my experience with the Muse device for meditation. You can find the Muse device here (http://smartpassiveincome.com/muse). I use meditation as a part of my morning routine, which I discuss with Hal Elrod on Smart Passive Income Podcast #140 (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/early-morning-routine/). Do you have a question about meditation? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Zoom. Check out their fantastic video and web conferencing service at http://zoom.us/pat. Thanks to Zip Recruiter for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.ziprecruiter.com/pat to get started posting jobs today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Tehout, who records interviews for her podcast. How can she ensure that her guests have a good sound quality? I recommend the Ecamm Call Recorder for Mac users (http://www.ecamm.com/mac/callrecorder/) and Pamela recorder for PCs (http://www.pamela.biz/). Do you have a question about podcasting? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.GetFreshBooks.com and enter "Ask Pat" for more information. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Matt, who is wrestling with the opinions he received after polling his audience. A small portion of his audience disagrees with a design change he is considering. Should he listen to them or continue with his rebranding plans? Matt’s site is http://skylanderscharacterlist.com/. This site is about the game Skylanders (http://www.skylanders.com/). Pat’s a fan of Disney Infinity (https://infinity.disney.com/). Do you have a question about managing feedback from your audience? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to today's sponsor, AWeber. Your email list is your most valuable asset—get started today. Go to http://www.aweber.com/askpat. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Matt, whose wife has just released a cookbook. What is the best way to encourage her community to leave reviews on the Amazon and Barnes and Noble sites? Lynn’s site is http://freshaprilflours.com/. I discuss reviews with Jeff Goins on Smart Passive Income Podcast Episode 79 (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/book-marketing-time-travel/). Do you have a question about selling your book? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to today's sponsor, AWeber. Your email list is your most valuable asset—get started today. Go to http://www.aweber.com/askpat. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Elizabeth, who needs help convincing her husband that building a business structured around passive income is a smart idea. Elizabeth’s site is http://www.savvysandwicher.com/. Thank you so much for completing the survey I ran on Smart Passive Income. Your responses help me cover topics that are helpful to you as you build your business. To talk about his episode, use #AskPat390. Do you have a question about getting your business started? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Liz, who asks about how my feelings about Smart Passive Income have changed. How do I feel about what I have to offer my listeners? Liz’s site is http://cuddlesandrage.com/. I would appreciate if you could fill out my survey at http://spisurvey.com. Your responses will help me serve you better. Do you have a question about Smart Passive Income? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Jason, who is interested it reviving his blog. How does he come back from a long absence? The book I mention is Ask by Ryan Levesque (http://www.amazon.com/Ask-Counterintuitive-Discover-Customers-Business/dp/1939447720/&tag=smartpassiveincome-20). Here’s the survey I’m running based on what I learned from this book, and I would appreciate if you could fill it out: http://spisurvey.com. Your responses will help me serve you better. Do you have a question about getting your blog restarted? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Michael, who has a question about my Bluehost affiliate sales. How does this income source change the way I approach my business? What would I do differently if I didn’t have this income source? (http://askpat.com/bluehost) I would appreciate if you could fill out my survey at http://spisurvey.com. Your responses will help me serve you better. Do you have a question about affiliate sales? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Jimm, who has a site with a large backlog of content. How can he make sure he’s making the most of his backlog so that new people find it? Jimm’s site is http://vententersearch.com. In this episode, I talk about my Getting Started page at Smart Passive Income (http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/passive-income-101/), as well as AskPat Episode #383 (https://soundcloud.com/askpat/how-do-i-organize-my-content-plan) and the social media tool Edgar (http://meetedgar.com/). I would appreciate if you could fill out my survey at http://spisurvey.com. Your responses will help me serve you better. Do you have a question about your content strategy? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's question comes from Mary, who is looking to build a professional support network. How can she find a personal development coach and a mastermind group? I’ve covered mastermind groups on SPI TV Episodes 9–12 (http://watchspi.tv). Share your experience with mastermind groups and/or working with a development coach using #AskPat385. I would appreciate if you could fill out my survey at http://spisurvey.com. Your responses will help me serve you better. Do you have a question about your personal development? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.