Modern Marketing Podcast

In this episode, the Modern Marketing Podcast welcomes the 'Modern Sales Guy,' Sean Piket. Sean is founder and CEO of two successful businesses, Sales Integrity and MyCoachSite, and has over 24 years of experience in "selling the invisible" in the B2B world. He's participated in the scaling of several companies as a doer and leader and has watched businesses scale from single-digit millions to multimillions. How do you achieve growth like that? According to Sean, certainly not by 'winging it.' Join Adam and Sean as they explain why effectively scaling your business comes down to strategy and preparation plus tips you can apply to boost sales authentically and ethically in your business. Episode Discussions: Why you should think twice about hiring a large company sales rep Common hiring mistakes and avoiding high turnover rates Create structure for new hires with the perfect 90-day onboarding plan The 3 meaningful components of a sales operation The 4 cornerstones of lead generation success when generating your own leads How to use LinkedIn's Sales Navigator to get referrals Having the servant leadership attitude The #1 sales killer and the simple solution Common factors of successfully scaled businesses Cultivating a strategic network Why you should get over your fear of asking for referrals How to create free training videos to educate new hires To cold call or not to cold call? The importance of context in sales Human to human connection and the power of the phone Why you should market to customer challenges over goals A prescription for selling success Social selling and how to approach social media strategically Why preparation will make your sales "pop" How to tailor your messaging that targets only your ideal audience 4:32 Sean's story Started career in IT consulting Sold custom software Has had to sell the invisible in the B2B world Moved to Dallas, TX in 99' Launched Sales Integrity in 2004 and built his business model around preparation and strategy 6:56 Sean created MyCoachSite (software platform for coaches) after seeing a gap in the market. 7:49 Common factors of successfully scaled businesses: 3 meaningful components of a sales operation: Sales talent Sales performance Sales management A profile of the right sales pro for your company to make good hiring decisions A sound sales recruiting and hiring process in place and a program that allows them to ramp up sales talent at a faster rate than on their own. 10:29 "If you don't provide the structure [for new hires], they're going to go create it themselves." 10:56 How to create free training videos to educate new hires: Use a free tool like Zoom to create video tutorials that get new hires up to speed on your company branding, messaging, products, services, how you go to market, etc. Use as repeatable, reusable orientation material that trains them at the right pace. "Take them to existing customer meetings as well as prospect meetings. That way they begin with the end in mind." 13:11 Activity to pipeline to results: Have a 90-day onboarding plan Set the expectations and have a good ramp up plan between 30, 60, 90 days Create a checklist to make sure they're tracking towards producing results 15:14 The 4 cornerstones of lead generation success for people responsible for generating their own leads: Referrals Sign up for LinkedIn Sales Navigator and run a search against your own network. 18:23 "91% of customers would gladly give referrals to sales professionals yet 11% of sales professionals actually ask for referrals." Common reasons people don't ask for referrals: Lack of understanding how valuable it is Lack of confidence in their product or contribution Don't want to appear sleazy or think it's inappropriate 19:06 Lack of confidence is the #1 sales killer and it comes from lack of preparation. 21:00 "Preparation applies to everything. Anything in life, not just selling." 21:15 Strategic networking or relationships (4 cornerstones cont.) If you have a servant/leadership attitude (help others first before asking for help), it makes it easy to ask for help — like referrals. 21:54 Social selling (4 cornerstones cont.) Social platforms shorten your time, allow you to develop relationships, and demonstrate credibility where people will be compelled to want to help you. Develop strategic relationships that lead to referrals. 22:30 Systematic sales messaging (4 cornerstones cont.) Combined use of different modes of communication (phone, email, social) Prepare the messaging for different selling scenarios. "If you prepare your messaging for every possible selling scenario, you're going to be supremely confident in those settings. That's what sells." 23:20 Human connection and the power of the phone "A lot of the new internet marketers come on and want to make all this money through affiliate marketing and never talk to people…they don't realize the big money involves a conversation." 26:52 Approaching social media strategically Social technologies make s

This is part 2 of our interview with bestselling author, Trevor Crane. Listen first to part 1, episode #59 so you'll have a complete and cohesive system to help you decide what to write about, how to write it, and how to use your book to market and grow your business. Episode Discussions Book publishing on Amazon - tools, tips, and money-saving secrets Dealing with trolls and one-star reviews Structuring your table of contents Tips on effectively titling your book 4 questions to help ensure you're writing the right book and what leads to writing the wrong book How to profitably presell and market your book on Amazon Takeaways from Tim Ferriss and The 4-Hour Work Week Leveraging interviews into new clients and prospects Analyzing titles and subtitles and how they should correlate Tony Robbins, The Wizard of Oz, and Tesla What to do if you want to change the original topic of your book, even after you tell people what it's about Writing a description prelaunch and before you know all the details The serious problem of being ashamed of your published book Converting readers into customers and using your book as "bait" How to be confident about publishing your book A step-by-step process to getting a rockstar promotional partner A pep talk to get you motivated to start writing your book today 5:16 You can pre-sell your book on Amazon without a website as long as you have a cover and a description. 10:25 4 questions to ask your interviewee to make sure you write the right book: Who? - Who is the best person to read this book What? - What is this book going to be about? Is it properly titled? Why? - Why does your perfect reader care? Two reasons: 1. This book solves problems 2. It delivers results. When you talk to clients, look for language that triggers them. What's next? - What do you want your readers to do next? 22:26 Before finishing your book: Talk to people Leverage those conversations into new clients, prospects, and promotional partners Ask the 7-magic word question at the end of the interview even if they're a leader in the industry… 25:17 Trevor's client, Lisa Chastain, made at least $60K while figuring out what her book was about. Within 24 hours it was a #1 bestseller in 4 countries. 26:09 Preselling and free marketing via Amazon How Trevor's wife published her book and made money: Solidified a title and subject Created the cover (title and description) Listed book for preorder on Amazon (without starting it) Amazon will market for you internationally as a Hot New Release and email people who are searching for certain terms (problems, results). One reader booked consulting sessions, purchased programs, and referred more customers to her generating around $30K total. 28:25 If the right person reads your book, they'll want to work with you. 30:14 "Your book is bait." Provide value to people by giving them your best content Have a path that leads them to your products and services 32:19 How to write the description — prelaunch: It won't come from you. Ask people what they want and give it to them. Post on your favorite social media channel and ask if anyone wants to join your book launch team. Test it and write it the best you can. "Can I send you chapter one and see what you think?" Develop the cover, title, and description based on feedback from you book launch team. 32:53 "My first review on my first book was a one-star review. It hurt my soul!" 33:41 "Most people write a book in silence without anyone knowing. If somebody says they don't like it, what ends up happening is they get ashamed of it." 34:14 How to be confident about publishing your book: By implementing this research process, you know without doubt that people want your content. Your ideal audience has already told you they care, like it, want it and have preordered. 36:04 "I want my book to attract a certain type of person, my favorite client, and repel all the yahoos." 37:23 The wrong sequence leads to writing the wrong book. 37:39 Trevor's 'declaration' challenge to Adam Are you going to be an example for your audience, put your money where your mouth is, take advice and say you're publishing a book? I'm afraid I'm going to have to when you put me on the spot like that. 38:10 The last '7-magic word' question to ask when you're interviewing a prospect or potential client for your book: "Would you like some help with that?" - If they do, book a time. Follow up question: Who else do you know? (asking for referrals) Remember: You're not trying to sell them. You're there to really honor them and discover what's making them tick. They'll appreciate you and see that you care. This is a strategy that never goes away. 40:56 How to land the promotional partner you want Go to a networking event or conference to see incredible people speak. Bring your journal and take great notes. Wait until the end of the presentation when people line up to talk to speaker. To set yourself apart, honor them and say, "Thank you for that presentation. It was amaz

Everyone knows the power of a book and the authority attached to the author. It's like an instant credibility card. But the process of writing a book can seem like a tall order — investing valuable resources like time and money for a questionable return. Or maybe you've written a book that flopped or failed to help meet your outcome and mission. As a bestselling author and seasoned business consultant, Trevor Crane knows the secret to writing a book not just quickly, but one you can leverage as the ultimate marketing tool. Fortunately, he 'likes to share things he does well with other people.' In this high-energy episode, Trevor discusses overcoming the fears associated with book writing and gives actionable tips and resources (even homework!) to help you write a profitable book fast. If you've been sitting on the idea of writing a book, prepared to be motivated into action. Episode Discussions: Overcoming fears associated with publishing a book Three reasons to write a book now and stop putting it off How to interact with your audience to get case studies and find new prospects for your book Gaining instant credibility Getting over typical objections to writing a book An elegant way to ask for referrals for people that don't like asking What kind of book should you write? Trevor questions Adam about his book in progress to make sure he's writing the right book Trevor's client book publishing success stories 10xing your income by publishing books Why you shouldn't hesitate to put all of your best content in your first book Client outreach and how to start interviewing for book research [scripts] Marketing your book, the "ninja elegant" way Free resources with templates to guide your book writing process Building anticipation and testing your audience 3:58 Trevor's Story: Struggled for over 20 years to publish his first book Used the "Call-Your-Mom" strategy to help him write his book (not recommended for book publishing) "Pseudo published" his book His first book mentor Mike wrote his first book going through cancer treatment by recording his story on his phone and had it transcribed into a book. He built a 7-figure business. All of Trevor's excuses seemed insignificant Found success after swallowing pride and asking for help 6:50 The first year Trevor and his wife published books, they 10x'd their income. 7:30 "What I learned was not just how to write a great book but how to get it done fast and leverage it into my most powerful marketing tool." 8:36 "Whatever it is you do, there are people out there with problems and they need your help. Every minute you're not out there solving those problems for them, you're doing them a disservice. Get over your ego. Figure out how to get your book out there." 11:09 Throughout the episode, Trevor will be asking Adam core question about the book he's writing to help him make sure he's writing the right book. 12:01 "If there's one piece of advice to Adam and everyone listening, don't go it alone." 15:41 Three reasons to write a book now: You're going to die. If you write the right book, it can establish credibility. If you don't get your book out there, you're being selfish. People need what you know. 18:51 Phase 1: The Declaration On a social media channel of your choice, publicly announce that you're writing a book and it's getting published. 21:39 Typical objections to writing a book: Intimidated by the pros Time, money, will it be worth it? will anyone read it? 23:15 Trevor's books to guide your book writing process: Big Money With Your Book Without Selling a Single Copy Print copy - (just pay shipping) Free digital download version How To Write The Right Book Fast 26:14 "We think a book takes a lot of time. We think it takes a lot of money. We think it takes all these things but Mike [Trevor's mentor] wrote his book when he was going through cancer treatments when he had one hour a day." 26:34 "Too often, as creative intelligent people, we shove too much stuff into our book when we don't have the clarity first…Once you get clarity around the right book to write, you can get your book done in less than 30 days." 29:05 Building anticipation about your book If you put out there in the world that you've got something coming, you're modeling multibillion-dollar companies. Elon Musk declared he'd be selling a cheaper Tesla and presold 500,000 cars before the factories were even built. 33:04 Interact with your audience Find out what they want, start interviewing new people that could be case studies or prospects for your new content. 33:33 Book writing homework: Find out what you're going to sell, who you're going to sell it to. Ask them what they want and then give it to them. Pick your 5 favorite "wow" clients that you love. Interview people in quick 10-minute phone calls (set a timer) Ask them a few core questions about what their challenges are or what results they want. Ask them "Who do you know we can help?" 37:56 How to start interviewing people, get referrals, and

There's a side to a business owner or entrepreneur's life not many get to see. The less glamorous times dealing with the consequences of weakened commitment or focus. But there are ways to persevere through those tough times and get on track. Or better yet — avoid them entirely. In this episode, Adam sits down with Trey Lewellen who built a thriving business just to watch it go downhill as a result of losing focus on the core aspects of his operation. By shifting his mindset and putting systems in place, Trey managed to reverse the damage and become more successful than ever — not to mention build a massive online following. Listen in as Trey explains exactly how he did it and gives you practical tips on achieving similar results in your business. Episode Discussions: A simple formula to help foresee the future and be prepared for it Overcoming the challenge of having too many available options The MTO system that helps you create business visions and goals How Trey keeps his in-house team focused Why you should always have a "startup mentality" Doubling "outrageous" revenue goals The advantages of running a business like a speedboat vs an aircraft carrier How to be a leader to your team during chaotic times Three main factors that contributed to Trey's success Creating and marketing good offers 2:25 Trey's backstory: -Over the last 5 years, has grown his… -Email database to 1.1 million people -Buyers list to 400,000 -Facebook fans to 300,000 -Using loss leaders, free + shipping items, and continuity offers 5:53 Losing focus Trey found himself consumed with backend issues like shipping products and printing labels. He created a shipping warehouse and hired 25 people then built a call center to handle customer service. The business suffered as a result. "I'm really good at making good offers. No-brainer offers…I lost focus on building a funnel and [creating} good offers and turned it to building a shipping warehouse and a call center."-TL 8:11 Trey ships gun equipment like oil, targets, and whistles. 9:14 Foresee the future and be ready for it Multiply everything by 1,000 (i.e. Facebook Ads, shipping, call volume) Assess if the current systems in place will work at that magnitude 11:22 What Trey instills in his team to keep them focused: "We're a startup and we'll always be a startup because once you lose that feeling of startup, I think you start slacking and you get lazy." Interact and act as a speedboat vs an aircraft carrier. Use meetings to make a decision on goals and future pace and decide what needs to be changed to succeed. "We're a speedboat, not an aircraft carrier...Speedboats make turns really quickly."-TL 12:13 That mindset enables you to play your competitive advantage and go along with the market. 12:24 "By knowing your goal, by knowing where you're trying to get, that dictates if the decision's easy or not."-AE 12:39 Use the MTO system to create business visions and goals Minimum goal Target goal Outrageous goal (Trey's was $60K) A short time later, he nearly doubled his outrageous goal in one month. 16:25 Contributing factors to Trey's success Commitment Continuous implementation Focus 19:23 "Just fly the plane." In the midst of chaos and uncertainty, some business owners get up from their pilot seat to go panic with the rest. Continue "flying the plane." It allows everyone to be safe and live. Be a leader and keep marching forward. 22:39 "I was on the swim team in high school. Don't make fun of me. You probably should just leave that out of the show notes."-TL 24:39 Trey's overall marketing success "We went away from all the masses. All the masses build and buy ads but they don't have offers. No one knows how to build good offers."-TL Builds 1-2 efficient and converting funnels a week Combines the best advertising agencies with the best offer makers 29:37 "Your podcast is changing lives, my friend." - TL Mentioned in This Episode: Trey's Website Trey's Facebook Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Bryan Kramer's assortment of marketing badges are impressive. But it's his unique approach to marketing that's most commendable. Bryan is credited with initiating the H2H (human to human) business movement in marketing and social. The concept behind it is just as it sounds — more of you and less of everything else. That's right, human connection is making a comeback. In this episode, Bryan explains the value of human interaction in digital marketing and how and where to implement it in your strategies to wow your customers and gain a massive competitive edge. Episode Discussions: Why businesses that participate in conversation have the advantage over ones that don't Chatting on Facebook Ads Facebook vs YouTube video marketing strategies The human marketing funnel How to decide what part of your funnel to humanize and what to automate Why you should address emotionally charged comments on social media Testing Messenger Ads: Warm traffic vs. cold traffic, which is more responsive? A new Facebook Messenger strategy The best type of answers to give on Messenger Facebook videos that get the best response and most engagement How to retarget in a human way Why a marketer's job is more important than ever in the AI era Bryan's marketing predictions 3:13 Bryan's story: -Worked for an agency right out of college -Started his own agency 17 years ago -Career took off when his message (There Is No B2B or B2C: It's Human2Human) went viral -Inspired him to write the book 4:30 "Your message — and what I couldn't agree more with — is we need to inject more of the human aspect back into marketing."-AE 4:54 "I think being human is your competitive advantage."- BK 7:04 The Human Marketing Funnel: Lay out your current funnel or build one Review each area and identify where human touch points make most sense in order to close a sale (drop off in click-thru rate, abandoned carts, actions that require a better engagement) Consider the customer journey 9:31 If you're a small business or just getting started, have interactive conversations toward the beginning of your funnel. Discover pain points What is the solution and can you provide it for them? How can you shape your product or service around that? If you have a sizable list, build a longer tail funnel and use human interaction toward touch point 5, 6, or 7. 11:37 "In one of my bots that I have running, I have "talk to human" so that you can talk to me anytime."-BK 12:09 It takes a lot of effort and energy for somebody to reach out. If a brand never replies back to something that was emotionally charged — positive or negative — they leave the relationship on the table. 13:04 Adding human aspects to Facebook Ads Develop an ad on Messenger that says "message me here" and pose a question to your followers They start communicating with your bot immediately if you're using one (like ManyChat) You respond back to them and begin developing a human relationship with them. 14:57 Facebook Ads should be treated like your funnel If you want to really connect with people, warm them up. Let them know who you are, provide value, give them a chance to get to know you and know them. By the time they get to the offer, the logical next step is to provide them more value with your product or service. 16:50 Bryan's results: Testing Messenger Ads with warm and cold traffic Warm: People don't answer the questions. They just ask "are you really there?" Would rather have more value than more conversation. Cold: People feel like they have a chance to actually converse with someone. Brian has seen more opportunity with cold traffic. 18:43 Facebook video Ads If you're focusing on building relationships, shoot smartphone videos Only invest in higher quality video for major launches 22:30 Bryan's marketing predictions: Artificial intelligence could replace various jobs (commodities or a process) but humans will always seek out human connection. Stay relevant by injecting humanity back into the business. Make sure everything connects to the brand, product, or another person. "You and I are living in the coolest time to be marketers."-BK Mentioned in This Episode: h2hclub.com [email protected] Bryankramer.com Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Noah St. John is a self-proclaimed self-help nerd who's transformed lives and businesses by helping people get rid of the head trash that kept them from achieving their business goals. As a result, Noah's clients added over half a billion dollars in sales just over the last few years. In this episode, Noah shares life-changing tips from his new book, Get Rid of Your Head Trash About Money: How to Avoid the 3 Big Money Mistakes Even Smart People Make, and gives insight into overcoming mental obstacles that keep entrepreneurs from making money and living the life they're capable of living. Episode Discussions: Three simple elements that make a business work Money/Passion myth: Why following your passion won't always lead to success 3 major mistakes that are holding you back from making more money The dangers of being an info-junkie and how to recover The biggest lie in the industry according to Noah An easy way to learn and start a business when you're broke The 5 main systems of support to install for greater success Identifying the excuses you make that are keeping you stuck The red flags of a self-fulfilling prophecy Introspection: Is your ladder of success leaning against the right wall? Why you don't want someone who's 'a natural' as a mentor The most valuable thing Adams ever done that grew his business What qualities to look for in a mentor and what to avoid If you could have any superpower…choose simplification 2:51 Noah's Story: -Started Successclinic.com in 1997 in a college dorm room with $800 and a book on how to do HTML. -Now has students in over 120 countries -Published 14 books in 12 different languages -Only author in history that's been published by Hay House, HarperCollins, Mindvalley, Nightingale-Conant, Chicken Soup for the Soul Publisher 7:34 The worst advice in this industry is do what you love and the money will follow. That is the biggest lie out there."-NSJ 9:07 Three elements that make a business work: Passion, skill, and market demand. Understand who you are but find a way to package and position it that adds value to other human beings and that the market is willing to pay you for. 9:55 Noah's seen people spend tens of thousands of dollars going to gurus and experts but still remained stuck. 12:24 3 big mistakes that are holding you back from making more money: Not getting rid of your head trash about money. Head trash is that guy saying "I can't do it because..." Identify what your head trash is and notice how it's affecting you. Not Having a Mentor – Someone who can show you how to get where you want to go. Find someone who is where you want to be and can show you how to get there. Look for someone system driven, not personality driven. There are levels of mentorship. Start slow and simple. To connect with your mentor, send a tweet, post on their Facebook wall, send them an email. "[Self-marketers] are naturals. That means they're unconsciously competent at allowing themselves to succeed. That means they can't really break down what they did and we can't replicate it."-NSJ Gathering too much information without giving yourself permission to succeed. Gathering information is addictive and it feels like you're being productive. Consuming info doesn't actually add any value. Overwhelm is an excuse. It means you don't have the right systems in place. This is something you can control. If you're drowning in information without implementation, you're going nowhere and it doesn't make you money. Take in less information and do more implementation. "We don't live in the information age, we live in the information overload age."-NSJ 21:25 "I would spend hours a day studying, reading books, taking notes and my business was flat. And finally, it was almost a breaking point...I know more than I need to know and I'm doing nothing with it. And I stopped and things just took off."-AE 22:01 Install the 5 main systems of support: People - Who are you listening to in your life? Wean yourself off the surrounding naysayers and get better people, like a mentor. Activities - What are you doing with the days of your life? Are you consuming or producing? Environment - Clean the clutter from your inner game and outer game. Your inner game: Beliefs, values, decisions. Introspection - Are you taking time every day to make sure your ladder of success is leaning against the right wall? Many are climbing the ladder of success that they don't want anymore. Simplify - Simplify your life, streamline your business. It's a superpower. "It's not just about how much money we make but how much of our lives we own."-NSJ 29:15 What is the best piece of advice you've been given in regards to marketing and growing your business? "Give yourself permission to succeed." Mentioned in this episode: http://sendmeabooknoah.com/ – For a free copy of Noah's book, Get Rid of Your Head Trash About Money: How To Avoid the 3 Big Money Mistakes Even Smart People Make Order the hardcopy version http://noahstjohn.com/ - Book a Power Hou

In a world full of digital everything, the days of checking your mailbox have most likely dwindled from daily to weekly. More commonly known as "snail mail", direct mail is often dismissed as an antiquated method to reach potential customers — a real marketing ghost town. The result? A gap that Ian Walsh profitably filled with good ol' fashion tangible mailers. Ian built all three of his successful real estate companies the same way. In this episode, he shares the hybrid direct mail and digital marketing strategy he used to build a multimillion dollar name for his company, Hard Money Bankers. And tells us why it pays to zig when others zag. Episode Discussions: The successful marketing methods Ian used for all three of his companies Exploring Backyard Marketing Why consistency plays a crucial role in business and in life The dos and don'ts of adding business cards to your email list Why videos are an effective way to build relationships with your audience An in-depth look at why this is the Golden Age for Facebook Ads for small business owners The benefits of video marketing and getting over your fear of the camera Ian's social media cornerstones and strategies (what does and doesn't work for his business) Valuable tips on how to get results from direct mail The Gmail trick Ian uses in his mailers and why it's genius Include these two important calls to action in your mailers Embracing Facebook Ads as a staple in your business The importance of establishing and following a routine to achieve success 2:44 Ian's Story: A full time real estate investor since 2009 (when everyone was running away) Entered the industry by building WeSellHomes2Fix Built a property management company (sold in 2015) Partnered with Hard Money Bankers in Philadelphia Underwrites loans in Eastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey 4:16 Hard Money Bankers is an asset-driven private lending operation that deploys $30MM-$40MM/year. 5:48 Ian used variations of the same marketing model for all three companies. Mainly Backyard Marketing (getting in touch with the local market). 6:13 Ian's Marketing Strategy: Identifies the client by performing a basic public records search Measures the easiest and most cost-effective method to get in touch with them on a mass scale Sends mailers Maintains a large Social media presence "Social media is a huge portion of the future of all marketing and will continue to grow over the next 20 years."- Ian 8:04 Keys to Effectively Using Mailers: Include your name, cell phone number, and email on a postcard Be consistent Timing meets problem at the right moment Spread your budget out over a three-month campaign (minimum) "Just because they don't call you that second doesn't mean they don't hold on to it, so consistency is huge."-IW 12:23 Mailers are effective because they reintroduce the human aspect of your brand (authenticity). 12:43 "There's no magic. You just have to adapt with your marketing. You have to know who your competition is and know what you're up against."-IW 12:55 Mailer Calls to Action: A phone call Gmail email address (to keep it casual) 15:10 Ian's Offline/Online Social Media Strategy: Networking: Sends opt-in newsletter emails to addresses listed on business cards from networking events Video: Consistently releases new videos (five days a week) containing valuable content appealing to his market. Is interviewed by others in the same marketplace in order to reach different audiences. "If you do one video, it's the same as doing one mailer. It does not do anything."-IW 21:10 "Nobody starts a business because it's the easy thing to do. You've already taken some huge risks and huge gambles. Getting in front of a camera and making a quick video is nothing compared to the things you've already done in your business." - AE 21:29 Cornerstones of Hard Money's Social Media Strategy: Facebook LinkedIn 22:41 Facebook Ads "You either embrace technology or fight it — but if you fight it, you've got about a 5-year window until you become obsolete."-IW "If you have a couple extra bucks go ahead and find the right person or company to engage with to optimize your social marketing like Facebook Ads."-IW 25:23 The Future of Ian's Marketing Putting on offline high-end networking events Webcasts Continue to enhance social media presence 26:12 Ian's Advice for Business Growth: Establish a routine that starts with your morning. Stick to it. Do it every day. If you start to succeed, your mind will gear up to put that routine in place. "Consistency and persistence in your personal life from the second you wake up to the second you go to bed."-IW Connect with Ian: Facebook com com Email: [email protected] Adam's recommended books on routine: The Miracle Morning The 80/20 Principle Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Ever wondered why so many other businesses seem to get great results using practically any marketing tool or tip? It's because failing or succeeding has little to do with gadgets and everything to do with a well-planned digital marketing strategy. In this episode, Adam explains why it's so important to have a strategy, the reasons why marketing fails to deliver results for many small business owners and entrepreneurs, and how to create the perfect digital marketing strategy to set your business up for success. Episode Discussions: Jay Abraham and the Strategy of Preeminence Why so many marketing tools don't result in good ROI (Return on Investment) Secrets to making your online marketing strategy effective Why marketing without a strategy is a gamble Where entrepreneurs and business owners struggle the most in their marketing The mindset that attracts more customers, revenue, and market share Tools and tips to clearly identify your target market (for free) How to connect with your ideal customer and make them feel valued Accomplish these two things before choosing your media option The key to getting better results from your marketing for less time, effort, and money 3:54 Mindset - How you approach your marketing and business Your goal is to aim to be the best in your market in at least one area. Become your customers most trusted advisor and go-to source for information. Results in more customers, revenue, and market share Aim to make your marketing valuable in and of itself. Those who don't buy should still walk away with value from your marketing and a good feeling about you and your company. 4:55 Clearly identify your target market and ideal customer Paint a clear picture of your ideal target market. Listen to episode #2 for tips on creating your customer avatar. Better understanding your market makes them feel understood. Include detailed demographics, geographic details, and psychographic variables. Listen to episode #3 for tips on free customer market research. "The reality is, the better you describe exactly who you're trying to serve, the more effective all of your future marketing efforts will be." 5:58 Message Make your ideal customer feel heard, valued, and cared for. Marketing is less about you and more about how to connect with your customers. Uncover and solve their pressing pains and problems. Demonstrate how your business is best positioned to solve their problems. 6:32 Choose the right media option Shouldn't be done until after you've identified your market and clarified your message. Choose the 1-3 tools that will have the greatest impact. Will provide the greatest ROI and effectiveness. Listen to episode #6 for secrets to an effective online marketing strategy Focus on the channels your customers are most active on. Provides better results for less time, effort, and money 7:56 Episode takeaways & wrap-up Taken action or advice from the podcast that earned great results? Email Adam your Modern Marketing success story: [email protected] Mentioned in this episode: Episode #2 - The Customer Avatar Episode #3 – Free Customer Market Research Episode #6 – Secrets to an Effective Online Marketing Strategy Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Over half of marketing professionals cite video as the form of content with the highest return on investment (ROI). With a stat like that, one can't help but scratch their head at business owners and entrepreneurs reluctant to include video in their marketing strategies. Episode #39 discussed keys to an effective video content marketing strategy, gave tips on how to create a video ad, and provided a free video ad template. In this episode, Adam discusses essential elements to include in your video marketing — from content creation to syndication — and how to effectively use video marketing to grow your business. Taken action or advice from the podcast that earned great results? Email Adam your Modern Marketing success story: [email protected] Episode Discussions: How to get more mileage out of your video so you can be sure you're not wasting your initial investment How the customer journey should shape your video's content and which type of video will maximize your efforts One of the fastest ways to tank your video's effectiveness and results Tips and tools for different comfort levels, including the camera shy Screen recording and presentation software recommendations Different video styles and formats that require no face-to-camera interaction How and why to strategically invest in video marketing Ways to leverage your video content Why every video should include a call to action Where to get more video tips and score a free video ad template 3:37 #1. Style (Format and style of the video itself) There's a form/style of video for every comfort level. Tips and tools for the camera shy: Create a PowerPoint or Keynote presentation, get screen recording software, talk over the slides or hire voice actor or willing employee. Screen recording software - Camtasia, Screenflow Presentation software - PowerPoint, Keynote Other options that require no face-to-camera interaction: Professionally recorded videos using staff Hire professional actors if budget allows Animated videos Talk over plain text 5:18 #2. Invest Invest in video marketing strategically Track your numbers Treat it as a valuable marketing asset "Time and budget dedicated to strategic video content is statistically money very well-spent." 6:08 #3. The customer journey Content should be based on your audience and where they are on the customer journey. Think about where the customer is in relation to the buying cycle and your business. If they're… New to you and your business - Create an educational video Aware of the problem, sorting out options - Create an explainer video In final buying stage, ready to do business - Create a demo or testimonial video 7:40 #4. Share Leverage or syndicate video across a number of different channels. YouTube, Facebook (upload video file natively), embed on your website "The greater the distribution, the more people you'll reach and more potential customers you stand to attract." 8:10 #5. Call to action (CTA) Every video should have a goal Always include a relevant call to action Leaving viewers with an action to take gets you more bang for your buck. Neglecting a CTA is one of the fastest ways to tank your video's effectiveness and results. 9:02 52% of marketing professionals cite video as the form of content with the highest return on investment. Looking for more video tips and tools? Check out: Episode #39: 3 Keys to an Effective Video Content Marketing Strategy Adam's free video ad template Mentioned in this episode: Screenflow Camtasia Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

You could probably think of ten things you'd rather do than work on your business's website. Regardless of how unexciting it might be, your website is often your customer's first encounter with your business — making a well-designed website essential for digital marketing success. In this episode, you'll learn the main reasons why web design matters and top tips and elements to easily make your website more effective so it can make you money. Episode Discussions: Why website design matters The best places for a call to action on your website How many call to actions to have and the negative impact of having too many How to choose which call to action to use The question your website should immediately answer One of the most powerful forces in the marketing world and ways to include it on your website The psychology behind social proof Why video is an important element to have in your marketing and on your website Different places to post video other than your website Why not having a responsive website is losing you customers and money Examples of successful clean and easy-to-understand websites How to think like your visitors to create the easiest experience possible How to avoid making social proof look "staged" Why text is still important for your website and how having too much can hurt you The ultimate key to designing a successful website A recommended resource to help you implement this episode's guidelines and tips 3:38 #1. Design matters. Always remember: The back button is just one click away Important to make a good first impression Should positively reflect your brand, be clean, simple, easy to navigate Less is more 4:47 #2. Confirm before you convert. Immediately answer your website visitor's question "Am I in the right place?" Place a clear, compelling tagline in a prominent place Don't confuse visitors with fancy talk or jargon. Avoid being overly creative. Keep it simple. 5:51 #3. Have one call to action. Have one primary goal above all else. Everything on the site should be designed to support that key objective. Too many options results in less action taken — not more. Decide your best sales conversion mechanism and build from there. 6:56 #4. Simplify your services. Ensure your product/ services page is short, simple, easy to understand Add a "click to read more" button if necessary. Start off with less being more. Pretend you're explaining your services to a 12-year-old. Combine large varieties of services/products into relevant categories. 8:15 #5. Make it responsive. Over half of all web browsing is done from a device other than a desktop computer. Ensure your website looks as good, or better, on a tablet, smartphone, TV. "If your website isn't responsive to different screen sizes, it needs to be and it needs to be today. Otherwise you're losing money and you're losing customers." 8:44 #6. Don't make them think. Your website should be as easy as possible for visitors. The less they have to search, decipher, and scroll, the better. Examples of clean and easy-to-understand websites: Google, Airbnb, Dropbox, Uber. Do the thinking for your visitor by asking yourself: What info would they want? What is the best way to deliver it to them? How can you deliver the best, fastest, easiest solution cleanly and simply? 9:51 #7. Prove it. Social proof is one of the most powerful forces in the marketing world. Shows how others have acted. Gives guidance and context on how they should act as well. Social proof is ingrained in our psychology. Use testimonials, reviews, endorsements, case studies, build up a large social media following. Make it credible, make it look like your target market, go easy to avoid looking "staged." 11:14 #8. A video is worth a million words. Text is important on your website for search engines and visitors who prefer reading. But too much text is likely hurting your user experience, conversions, and sales. Replace some of your website's text with video whenever possible. Videos help: Humanize your brand Build trust Convince and convert undecided/on the fence customers Create massive authority in your market Places to post video other than your website: YouTube, Facebook video, Vimeo. 12:34 "The key to designing a successful website is remembering that it's not about you, it's about your customers." Put their needs, experience, and desires first. Follow this episode's guidelines and implement tips: Many DIY options available sirenconsultingfirm.com/web Specializes in everything discussed in this episode Helps put all tips into reality Mentioned in this episode: sirenconsultingfirm.com/web Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Mark Podolsky started in the early 2000's, learning a way to market land online and finding buyers. Since then, he's managed to build a profitable and lucrative business through his Brand, The Land Geek. Although he specializes in real estate investing, this episode isn't just for those interested in the real estate industry. In this value-packed episode, Mark discusses the strategies he used when he first got started and how they've evolved with the times to make his business more successful and lucrative than ever. He provides actionable tips and takeaways to apply to your business no matter what market or industry you're in. Episode Discussions: The most valuable marketing asset Mark has The only channel to immediately connect with your target market Why email marketing is more of a valuable marketing tool than ever The benefits of having an email list and lead magnets Why you should always have a plan B to Facebook and other marketing channels Important marketing foundational concepts and fundamentals How to peach to the converted Not being in the convincing business The importance of knowing your customer avatar How to handle negative comments on your Facebook ads or posts and the beauty of hugging your haters The insiders secret weapon to making money online 4:13 Mark's intro: Professional land investor Has done over 5,200 land flips since 2001 Got into land investing working as an investment banker and was miserable Got the "Monday and Friday blues" Firm hires someone taxing deed auctions, buying up raw land for pennies on the dollar, flipping online and making 300% returns on investments Mark buys 10 half acre parcels at an average of $300 Sold them online for average price of $1200 Next auction made $90K "Now...I work 2 hours a week. Take that Tim Ferris." 7:19 Mark's main marketing channel back in the early 2000's was Ebay. 9:22 The best buyers are the neighbors: Sends out neighbor letters build up buyers list online if neighbors pass Prices to receive money out of the down payment and finance the rest Automates payments through software 10:53 Takeaways: Mark knows his customer avatar Goes to the people that already understand the value of his product 11:48 "If you're not offending by noon, you're not working hard enough." -Dan Kennedy 12:11 Transitioned to Craigslist after Ebay Is able to post 124 ads with a touch of a button using software Uses Facebook because it's cost effective and it works "The costs of marketing are so low and you can target so well on Facebook." 13:51 Listing where most of your results are coming from could cut 80% of your marketing Allows you to focus in on what's working. Makes life easier, gets you better results, saves you money, enables you to connect with customers. 14:41 Mark uses scheduling software like MeetEdgar.com or Coschedule.com to auto post ads on Facebook. Posts ads around 2 or 3am to target the "toilet sitters." Acquisition manager is on Facebook messenger, responding in 10 seconds or less. 16:00 "The secret of making money online is the phone." 17:54 Talk to people and ask them the right questions so you know your target customer. If you don't know who your avatar is, you don't know what keeps them up at 2am, you can't target them properly. 18:47 Mark's favorite customer calls are the "haters." They cut to the chase. Don't care about your feelings or how hard you've been working. They tell you what you're really doing wrong. Once you cut through the initial sting, take their criticism as a gift. Tweak accordingly and the haters become your greatest advocates. 19:31 The haters are the type of people that want to be heard. They have opinions that other people have but come out and say it to your face. 19:54 Dealing with haters: One of Mark's favorite books is Hug You Haters – by Jay Baer Negative feedback is an opportunity to not answer the hater, but to answer the market. How to reply: "Thank you for your comment. I'd like to educate you on why this is not a scam." Been in biz for ________ years. Flash your rating and customer satisfaction badge Link to testimonials Provide proof to challenge comment. Thank again for comment. "Now we're making that person look like a lunatic." 21:29 How to handle negative Facebook comments: Make sure their gripe is legitimate Provide proof to negate their concern Address it twice and then stop! Use it as a marketing opportunity to overcome objects and lower your cost-per-click 23:51 Why the two best marketing channels are your neighbors and your email list. 24:19 "Would you say that everyone should probably have an email list in their business? "YES" 24:53 Mark's process developing a lead magnet: Asks: "what are the common things people are asking me?" Marketed concerns as "Here's How to Avoid the Three Fatal Land Buying Mistakes I See Investors Make Every Day." Psychology states we're more risk averse than gain. Always under-promise and over-deliver on everything 25:54 Every business should have an email list and a lead

Without new leads, there's no new business at all. That's why lead generation plays such a significant role in keeping your business's future secure. In this episode, Adam discusses three lead gen tips, the single most important tool in lead gen today, and how to implement it into your marketing strategy. Episode Discussions: Where most well-intentioned leadgen strategies go wrong The bonus lead gen tool every business needs to succeed Why it's worth investing resources into developing lead magnets One lead magnet or multiple? How to get crystal clear on your lead gen strategy The different types of lead magnets Why consistency is so important to lead gen How to decide what lead magnet to develop for your business How to get crystal clear on your lead gen strategy The importance of your customer avatar and how to conduct free market research 2:39 1. Strategy and systems Success is largely based on underlying systems and strategies you use. Ask yourself questions like: who is my ideal target market? what do my best customers have in common? what is their biggest challenge? how can I help solve it for them? Be crystal clear on your strategy Understand and learn about your customer avatar and who you're trying to reach. Listen to episode #2 "The Customer Avatar" Listen to episode #3 "Free Customer Market Research" 4:08 2. Consistency is crucial Sporadic, random leadgen isn't much better than generating no leads at all. Without consistency, it's hard to plan and scale. Focus on identifying a steady and consistent leadgen source Discovering the perfect combination for your business allows you to confidently invest in it, knowing your output will exceed your input. "It takes some time but the ROI goes to those who try." 4:57 3. Give to get Leadgen is a value exchange. Don't devalue your prospects time and attention. Offer value by giving something away of equal or greater perceived value than your prospects contact details. The bonus leadgen tool every business needs to succeed: A lead magnet is one of the most valuable and underutilized tools available. It's something of value to entice your prospect to give up their contact details. Offered in many forms: Guides, cheat sheets, blueprints, templates, video series, webinars, free strategy calls. The lead magnet for you will depend on your business, market, and offer. Takeaway point: Your business needs a lead magnet. Worth investing time, money, and energy in developing one. You can have multiple lead magnets for different markets, customer avatars, services. Consider what problem you could solve for your customer and create something of value. 07:15 Adam's recap Mentioned in this episode: Listen to episode #2 - The Customer Avatar Listen to episode #3 - Free Customer Market Research Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Whether your business is in startup mode, reputable and well-established, or somewhere in between, traffic, conversion, and retention are essential elements to making it sustainable and profitable. In this episode, Adam walks you through the simple 3-step TCR advantage marketing strategy that gets you more traffic, more conversions, and better retention to generate more customers, sales, and revenue for your business. Episode Discussions: How to identify which segment of TCR you need to focus on One of the most valuable tools any business can have to convert traffic into leads The key premise behind an effective lead magnet Landing pages: What they are and why they're the best way to deliver lead magnets Why retargeting ads are so effective and profitable Adam's top 2 traffic source recommendations Reasons why email marketing remains to be well-worth the investment How content marketing boosts the effectiveness of Facebook Ads 3 important things to remember when creating lead magnets Ways to nurture your leads The biggest mistakes to avoid when focusing on customer retention 2:04 Identify which area of your business needs attention Laser-focus efforts on where the greatest opportunities are and what will provide the biggest impact Focus on traffic (step 1) if… You need more people to know about your business, visit your website or store, or call you. Focus on conversion (step 2) if... You have enough traffic and visitors but aren't turning them into paying customers. Focus on retention (step 3) if... You have traffic and customers but want to maximize revenue by increasing their lifetime value and selling them more of your products and services. 3:19 Step #1. Traffic Niche down and focus on your ideal target market. Ensure they're able to find you, learn about your business, and do business with your company. Find how to leverage it, how to get the best results, and the amount you're able to pay for it and still break even or return positive ROI Top 2 traffic source recommendations: Facebook Ads - short-term win content marketing - boosts effectiveness of Facebook ads, provides more sustainable and long-term approach. "When you combine these tools together, you create an unstoppable force destined for marketing domination." 4:57 Step #2. Conversion Offer something of value in exchange for prospect's contact information. Key premise behind an effective lead magnet: Drill down the needs of your customers Find out what information they're looking for their problems and how you can help Keep it simple, easy to digest, and positions you as an authority in your market Use a landing page to deliver magnet in exchange for their contact details. 6:53 Nurture leads via: email nurture sequence retargeting ads sales call webinar 7:13 Step #3. Retention Continued service and offering of new things for customers to buy. Use a combo approach of email marketing and retargeting ads. Retargeting ads ensures you stay top-of-mind allows you to advertise to a smaller area of the market Email marketing Provides remarkable return (some ROI numbers: 3800% and 4500%) Biggest mistakes: not providing a call to action (CTA) or opportunity to learn about your other products and services. Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

When it comes to generating more sales for your business, there's no shortage of strategies and tactics to try. However, be wise when choosing, as some have the power to not only waste your valuable resources, but damage your business in the process. So, how do you choose the best option, especially if cold calling or slashing prices aren't your thing? In this episode, Adam shares three tips to increase sales without discounting or damaging your brand, business or reputation in the industry, while keeping long-term revenue in mind. Episode Discussions: Adam's objections with cold calling and slashing prices Countdown timers on your website: good or bad strategy? How frequent sales can damage your long-term sales Ways to get creative when planning promotional events How to get the most out of using scarcity and exclusivity What to do when your competitors are running discounts The psychology behind reciprocity and why it works to increase sales A must-have powerful tool to keep in your marketing toolbox How and when to implement a rewards campaign into your strategy Why you should track, measure, and monitor your rewards campaign and what to look for 1:59 Cold calling: loss of power balance, gives off a "needy" impression, interrupts someone's day. Slashing prices/frequent sales: devalues your offer, destroys profit margins, trains your customers to wait for the next sale rather than purchase immediately. 4:20 #1. Events Takes advantage of the psychological principle of scarcity Create an event around your product, service or business Allows you to ethically and honestly put a real deadline on your promotion. If using a countdown timer on your website, use a real timer like Deadline Funnel. Gives you creative liberty to promote, advertise, and spread the word. Pair event with something relevant and meaningful to your business or industry. 6:14 #2. Upgrades Takes advantage of the psychological principle of exclusivity. Provide an additional product, service or benefit worth 20% more rather than offering a 20% discount. Can be tied in with an event to help include the scarcity factor. Gives feeling of exclusivity if upgrade is limited to a select few, those who purchase a select product or at a select time. Consider upgrading if competitors are running discounts. 7:25 #3. Rewards Takes advantage of the psychological principle of reciprocity. Says "thank you" and promotes new sales Can be offered with no requirement or stated expectation of purchase Instills an element of reciprocity in the receiver to feel out of balance until favor is returned. Use with frequent or loyal customers Or test strategy on new cold traffic Track, measure, monitor - Ensure campaign is ROI positive over 30, 60, 90 days 8:51 Takeaway point: "Long-term brand value shouldn't be jeopardized just to make a few short-term sales. Especially when you have so many better options available." Mentioned in this Episode: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion- Robert Cialdini Deadline Funnel Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Being blindsided by a few career hits didn't stop Ryan Stewman's eye from seeing opportunity. It's served him well. He's built multiple six and seven figure businesses and helped countless entrepreneurs do the same through his company, Hardcore Closer. As a 4-time best-selling author, sales coach, podcast host, and blogger, it's safe to say he's got a winning formula for success. In this episode, Adam and Ryan discuss lead generation, the importance of consistency, good content creation practices, and how to be confident when talking price. Episode Discussions: How to use Evernote to log and organize content ideas Ryan's content creation methods Why taking action beats just talking about it How Ryan built a brand aroundHardcoreCloser.com Ways to syndicate content across different channels Lead generation recommendations for newer entrepreneurs Why you should write an article first and pitch it second Steps to getting your article published on big name websites The importance of being authentic Ryan's sales funnel from lead magnet to $30K Mastermind program Building confidence when talking price (internal cost objection) How to position yourself to show value and get your asking price The 2 jobs a salesperson has and how to execute them to get the sale How you can get a copy of Amazon's #1 selling sales book for free 2:53 Ryan's story: Corporate & freelance background Found success working in mortgages Grew business from referrals of people leaving the industry when market tanked Lost his job when CFPB law passed Had to figure out a way to earn money and avoid problems Has since built several multi-million dollar businesses 5:17 Hardcore Closer Started off as a joke Built his brand around HardcoreCloser.com — predominantly blogging Blog draws quarter of a million unique hits a month 60,000 subscribers 7:11 Lead generation Ryan writes 5 blog posts a week, records all videos and podcasts Current lead magnet: Elevator to the Top Has a proprietary back-end system that rates leads "I actually go through the leads and have my sales team call the ones that are most qualified." 8:25 Funnel talk Book offer: "Elevator to the Top"- Free + shipping ($8) Professional video of live event ($47 upsell) Program: Break Free Academy Entourage ($297/mo.) Nurtures customer relationship (Phone calls and Facebook community) Live seminar ($5K event) Mastermind program ($30K/year) 11:02 Ryan's lead gen recommendations for newer entrepreneurs: Write articles in places like Huffington Post or Medium Be consistent (emails, social media posts, LinkedIn networking, etc) 13:22 "How are you coming up with content?" "I don't have a cheat sheet where I steal other people's headlines. They're all original things I come up with because I go through these experiences..."-RS Uses Evernote to record ideas for blog posts and Whiteboard Wednesday videos Each Sunday, reviews notes and creates content Podcast producer extracts show content from archived blog posts (content syndication) 16:58 Outreach Strategy and Getting Published: Hired PR to introduce him to Entrepreneur Pitched until article was accepted Used Entrepreneur articles as credibility and leverage Went to Huffington Post Addicted to Success Contacted by Forbes to write articles 20:10 Why you should write your article first and pitch it second. 21:15 "Don't talk about it. Be about it."-RS 22:00 Confidence —Talking About Price "As a salesperson, your job isn't to talk. It's to ask questions and listen. When you ask questions, they give you answers. When they give you answers, you can get an understanding of their problem." Understanding their problem demonstrates empathy Empathy results in their confidence in you that you can provide the best solution Then, price doesn't matter Always investigate the project by asking questions before quoting a price. 24:32 "The number one reason people get the price objection is because they just said the price!"-RS 25:17 "Elevator To The Top" covers topics that were briefly talked about in this episode, Including ways to help with confidence issues or jumping too quick on things like price. "Everything you need to find yourself successful."-RS 25:58 "I enjoy talking about this and you can tell I'm passionate about it. I could go on forever. If you were like, 'Hey man, you know what, this is gonna be a four-hour show,' I'd say 'done, let's keep rollin'." Questions? Email Adam directly at [email protected] Connect with Ryan: ElevatorTotheTop.com (Get your free copy of the book!) Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Paul Kortman is a self-proclaimed "odd duck" with a foot in two different worlds. His areas of focus include both SEO tactics and paid video advertisements. Odd duck? Or one well-rounded digital marketer? In this episode, Paul discusses the SEO tactics and video ad strategies he's found to be most effective and how to successfully apply them to your business. Episode Discussions: Why Paul recommends recording different videos for Facebook and YouTube ads Testing different video ad lengths and which ones offer a great return 4 elements of a successful video ad Paul's preference: Video template vs. short script Using actual customers vs. paid actors to deliver your message Alternatives to traditional video ads: video sales letters and animated videos How Paul does and doesn't use retargeting The strategy behind split-testing videos Why diversity is important in your marketing How organic ranks and SEO aid paid traffic Why SEO is a long-term yet effective strategy Backlinks: What they are and how they affect your website's authority Paul's tips for gaining linkback credit Two factors to SEO mastery What type of content has the best chance of ranking for SEO How long-tail keywords will help boost your search engine rank How to get an unbiased 3rd party opinion of your content for the price for a coffee 1:27 Small to medium businesses will see lower costs per acquisition if they do an actual video ad. 1:44 One of Paul's clients is paying less than $2 per email address acquisition. He found success via video ads on Facebook which allows him to directly target his audience. 2:24 Paul recommends recording different videos for Facebook and YouTube ads. 3:02 "I try to stress to all of my clients to keep it down to 15 seconds. This is an elevator pitch minus the elevator doors even closing. The moment you step foot on that elevator, you have to spit it out."-PK 4:06 Paul encourages his clients to write up a short script and use their phones to record. Usually the 5th or 6th take that works well. 6:52 Things to include in your 15 second video: Scarcity Price and time urgency Mention customization 7:31 Make sure you're talking right to your target audience. Use anything that would work on a landing page or sales copy. Make sure there's value. Talk about your client, not yourself. Mention the benefits of your offer, not the features. One simple call to action (CTA) 11:31 Alternatives to directly delivering the message yourself in your video ad. 12:02 "You trust someone if you see their eyes."-PK 13:11 If Paul doesn't capture interest with the video enough to get click-throughs, a different video is created all together. 13:33 "We actually split-test the videos rather than try to retarget."-PK 16:43 "PPC is short-term, quick gains. SEO is a long-term, in it for the long haul." 17:07 To master SEO: Have the high-quality content that people are searching for Have the backlinks and authority 18:22 Focus on creating high-quality content that people are talking about, commenting on or linking to. Most likely a blog article. Then market the content. 20:31 Depending on how competitive your industry and market is, your homepage, services page or pricing page won't affect your rank. Long-tail keywords are less competitive and more likely to rank in the search engines. 21:48 "All boats rise with the tide." As you get backlinks, it raises the value and authority of your entire website. 22:47 Paul's actionable tip for small businesses to generate leads and increase conversion rates: Business owners are so closely tied to their businesses. It's difficult to see things objectively sometimes… "The next time you're in Starbucks, pull up a webpage from your website and say 'Listen I'll buy your drink, I just wanna ask you a few questions about this webpage." Ask them to review your content and they'll give you good, honest feedback. Connect with Paul: ConnexDigitalMarketing.com Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

If you want your business to thrive and survive moving forward, making social media a key part of your marketing strategy is essential. Without it, you risk hurting your brand and business by not staying relevant, accessible, and connected to your customers. But when used properly, it can serve as a powerful force to boost your business and keep you ahead of the competition. In this episode, Adam discusses 15 social media marketing mistakes your business should avoid and why social media marketing is one of the most important tools you can implement in your business. Episode Discussions: The most important element in creating an effective social media marketing plan The one tip that could 10x your social media marketing results Why the short game is a costly amateur mistake How to start benefitting from the incredible power of paid social media traffic The best place to start if you're brand new to paid traffic What separates the amateurs from the pros One of the biggest mistakes you can make in business and social media marketing Facts and stats on social media consumption and it's influence on web traffic and consumer purchases What important details to consider when identifying your target markets social media usage Why right now is considered to be the "golden age" of paid traffic The most effective marketing strategy to combine with social media to amplify your efforts Why it's fair for social media networks to charge for ads How being overly polished, rehearsed, or scripted can hurt your business How to save time and money by identifying your target market's channels Ways to avoid overwhelm and how to get help with your social media marketing 3:18 Mistake #1: Not using social media marketing There will always be some form of social media channel that connects users, friends, family and businesses. Neglecting it signals carelessness for customers, how they want to connect and consume information. 3:59 Mistake #2: Not giving social media marketing the respect it deserves Most businesses are unaware of power and potential of a strategic social media marketing campaign. 4:44 Mistake #3: Treating social media like a hobby Happens when: Social media is misidentified and not treated as a valuable business tool. Miscategorize it under personal and not a professional heading. Differentiate the two. Don't do the same thing from the same channel at the same time. Approach it thoughtfully and strategically. 5:45 Mistake #4: Not being strategic about your social media marketing The cause of a failed campaign is almost always a focus on tactics, shiny objects, a disregard for foundational marketing strategies and principles. Businesses play the short game at the expense of building long-term trust and customer loyalty. Spread too thinly across too many channels Throw everything at the wall hoping something will stick "Strategy is the single most important element in creating an effective social media marketing plan." 7:08 Mistake #5: Ignoring customer social media details Successful companies try to make their customers feel understood. Identify your target markets social media usage statistics What channels they're on How they use them What kind of content they're consuming When they're most active What about that channel appeals to them How you can leverage info to your business's advantage Identifying what channels they're on eliminates the need to be on every channel. Saves you time and money. 8:05 Mistake #6: Being active on every social media channel Can prove to be overwhelming and time-wasting. Focus on platforms that best align with your market, business, and style. Cuts workload and increases results. "You don't need to do everything. You just need to do the right things, in the right place, for the right people." 9:04 Mistake #7: Thinking social media marketing is free The cost is either time or money. Look at your revenue and workload. If you have more time, get active sharing, helping, posting, and caring. If you're more established, it's worth investing money when done strategically. 9:42 Mistake #8: Not investing enough in social media marketing Competition is at an all-time high more connected world more discerning clientele Level of minimum viable investment continues to climb. "When done right, more time and money in is going to equal more time and money out." Allocate more of your business's marketing budget toward social. 10:36 Mistake #9: Playing the short game Overpromotion will burn audience and yourself out. Many get the impression that online marketing doesn't work. The real money is generated long-term with: Back-end sales Continuing to nurture customer relationships Building a worthy brand 11:41 Mistake #10: Not combining social media with content marketing Social media is a tool, not a strategy. Combine it with a foundational marketing strategy like... Content marketing: Rapidly builds know, like, and trust factor Establishes authority in your marketplace Creates a world class brand and

With video making up over half of all internet traffic, it's increasingly difficult for business owners to overlook it as a marketing opportunity goldmine. The belief that it's complicated, time-consuming, and expensive is simply old-fashioned. Just a few short minutes with a camera or smartphone and you have a powerful tool that can drastically transform your business. In this episode, Adam breaks down video content marketing to better understand it's importance and how you can strategically use it to benefit your business [includes free downloadable template]. Episode Discussions: Stats and projections that verify the impact of video consumption The crucial keys to creating valuable content How to 10X your video content marketing results The importance of appropriately targeting your market Ways to optimize your video for user experience How to give customers more opportunity to find and consume your content What type of videos are worth paying to promote and why The difference between marketing and advertising How to quickly and easily create your own video ad for free Simple instructions on how to download and use the "60 Second Video Ad Template" 3:58 1. Video Makes up over half of all internet traffic. By 2019, estimated to rise to 80%. Facebook generates over 8 billion video views daily. Snapchat is 1/15 the size of Facebook and generates 7 billion daily views. One of your customer's most preferred forms of content to consume. 4:57 2. Content The key to creating valuable content is to Answer customer questions Solve their problems Add value to their lives When you begin creating content, have your customers in mind. Research what questions or problems they have. Create your content. Listen to episode 42, "The Power of Content Marketing for Small Business" for more content marketing tips! "A few minutes of preparation ahead of time will literally 10X your reach, your impact, and results." 5:59 3. Marketing Makes for bigger and better results in a lot less time. Should be appropriately targeted: Have a clear understanding of ideal target market and who you're trying to reach. Ensures you're using the correct tools and gives highest probability of success. Optimize for user's experience: Readable - include captions and subtitles Search engines - use relevant keywords in title, tags, and descriptions Give customers more opportunity to find and consume your content on their preferred channel/platform: Upload video to YouTube, Facebook, and embed it on your website. Invest in promoting successful and well-received videos. Will reach more potential customers and clients faster. 8:00 Video Advertising Advertising and marketing are not the same: Marketing: bigger, overall picture Advertising: specific subset of marketing "The 60 Second Video Ad Template" - Use this free download to quickly and easily create YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram video ads for your business! Simple plug and play script Add your own keywords Shoot video on your smart phone or use a videographer Keep it at 60 seconds to use on Instagram and other video channels with time limitations Email Adam with your "60 Second Video Ad Template" success stories! [email protected] Mentioned in this Episode: Freebie download - "The 60 Second Video Ad Template" Or go to AdamErhart.com/VideoAdTemplate MMP episode #42 - "The Power of Content Marketing for Small Business" Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

5-Step Content Promotion Strategy | #043 "Content without promotion is not a whole lot better than having no content at all." It's true. Content marketing is one of the most effective marketing strategies available today. So, you put fort the time, effort, and energy into creating the valuable content that will make your marketing strategy a success. How do you ensure it gets put to good use in the most optimal and profitable ways possible? In this episode, Adam recaps the 3 key pieces to content marketing success and discusses a 5-step promotion strategy that ensures your content ends up in front of the right people, in the right places, at the right times. Episode Discussions: How to gain initial speed and momentum with your content 3 Key pieces to content marketing success How to optimize your content to give it the highest probability of success Ways to make your content easy to find and consume How to find the most relevant social media channels to promote your content How the quality of your content impacts your paid traffic efforts Ways to repurpose your content for maximum audience engagement 3:04 3 key pieces to content marketing success Be consistent Be strategic Be promoting 5-Step Content Promotion Strategy: 3:45 1. Identify your target market This ensures your content won't fall on deaf ears and/or go to waste. Happens when businesses misidentify their markets and disrespect trends in consumer media consumption. Need help? Listen to episode #2 on how to create your perfect customer avatar! 4:32 2. Optimize your content Gives your content the highest probability of success As simple as making your content easy to find and consume Use relevant and searched for keywords in your title, tags, and descriptions. Use short sentences. Keep it casual and conversational For video content: use captions or subtitles Key Takeaway: Make it easy to find and consume. 5:16 3. Share content on relevant social media channels Odds are good your content will benefit from at least 1 social media channel. Match your ideal target market with regular statistics on which demographics are using which social media platforms. Start with some combo of Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram if you're unsure. 6:16 4. Amplify content with paid traffic "The beauty of paid traffic is that it takes whatever you have and makes it more of that." If you have a great piece of content that's getting positive results, adding paid promotion will help it reach more people. If you have poor content, it's likely to result in silence, diminished exposure, and cost you more. Paid traffic platforms reward quality content with greater reach and punish the weak with higher costs. Solution: Ensure you're creating the highest quality content possible Once published, monitor, measure, and analyze what content does well and what doesn't. Boost only the good content. 7:16 5. Recycle, reuse, and repurpose your content Your content can be modified for alternative forms of distribution. Example: A blog post... Can be read aloud and turned into a podcast or… Broken down into talking points and turned into a video, power point, or keynote presentation. Syndicating your content across other media channels presents more opportunities to connect with your customers where and how they want to be connected with. Mentioned in this Episode: Episode #02 – The Customer Avatar Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Running a small business is no easy feat so we commend those who do. Your day-to-day dealings demand most of your time and energy, leaving you without much to invest in your long-term goals. Even though you're aware of how imperative marketing is to the ultimate success of your business, it still finds its way to the backburner. The solution is to concentrate your efforts on the most effective strategy that provides the greatest return. In this episode, Adam discusses the power of a content marketing strategy and how it can be used to deliver more quality leads and customers for your small business. Listen to find out how to get started using a content marketing strategy and begin as early as now. Episode Discussions: The remarkable success of content marketing The best place to distribute your content How much content is enough? How building up a content database will grow your business Why it's important to be consistent and committed to your content strategy Suggestions on how to align your content channel with your comfort level How to provide valuable content that ensures the success of your strategy Steps to start using a content marketing strategy: 3:24 Find your channel. Focus on one channel and master it. When finding the best content channel, look at your market and find what best aligns with their consumption habits. Key: Start small and build from there. 4:13 Align your market's preference with the channel you feel most comfortable on. Prefer writing over speaking - use a text based blog Prefer speaking over writing - start a podcast Prefer video over typing - use a video-based channel easy to repurpose and syndicate content across other channels Be consistent and committed to your content marketing strategy. 4:58 Find your voice. Identify your business's unique selling proposition (USP) What makes you better of different from the competition? Focus on providing value: make sure it helps, educates, and informs. Be yourself. "Together, they provide an unequaled level of authenticity and connection." 5:37 Find your frequency. "The more time, money, and energy you dedicate to your content marketing strategy, the greater and faster your returns will be." Being consistent and regular with producing content: builds up your audience increases your perceived level of expertise and builds trust creates a content database that continuously provides value Key: Find the right level of frequency for you and your business and stick with it. 6:26 "Focusing on quality over quantity will help build a foundation of content that will make growing your business faster, easier, and more profitable than ever before." Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

When someone is seen as an expert, they're trusted, respected, and valued. They get the red-carpet treatment. As a business owner, you're likely equipped with abundant knowledge about your industry, so why not leverage it to gain authority? In this episode, Adam shares the secrets and strategies necessary to not only get you to expert level but be perceived as an expert too…because it doesn't matter how great you are if nobody knows it! Episode Discussions: How to change your opinion or stance on a topic and maintain your expertise The benefits of becoming an expert in your field The real challenge to becoming an expert Why putting in time and work isn't enough to ensure success Avoid doing this to prevent diminishing your authority and expertise How to build your brand and ensure connection with customers and clients Key steps to humanize your brand and showcase your expertise The best strategy to use when building your expertise and authority Some of the benefits of becoming an expert: You're able to charge more, work with better customers and clients, and set your own rules. The top 20% of businesses tend to get 80% of all customers, clients, and revenue. Common customer objections (price, lack of time or trust) disappear when you're seen as an authority in your field. Tips to becoming an expert: Choose the area you want to master and dedicate a significant amount of time to studying, practicing, and implementing your topic. Read books, talk to other experts, find mentors, hire coaches, practice, and put your studies in action. 2:41 To become proficient, it's necessary to put in the time and work. However, they're not enough to ensure success, profitability, and recognition as an expert. 3:06 Focus on perception. Perception = reality. Once you've established knowledge and skill, create authority implying signals. Without them, your expertise will be ignored. Being overly promotional will diminish your authority and expertise. 5 ways to be perceived by your customers, clients, leads, and prospects as a genuine and authentic expert and authority in your field: 4:11 1. Produce, post, and publish. Content marketing is the best strategy when building expertise and authority. Adopt a content marketing strategy around consistent creation and distribution of valuable content. To get better results from your content marketing, listen to MM episode #8 "What They Didn't Tell Me About Content Marketing" People view you as a valuable, trustworthy, and knowledgeable resource aka expert when you: educate your market create original content share your ideas and opinions with your audience focus on providing value 5:16 2. Precision promotion. Focus only on your ideal customers or prospects and reach them where they are. When you get clear on who they are: You're able to refine and clarify your message. Your audience feels like you're speaking directly to them. Allows you to cut your marketing efforts in half. You abandon platforms and channels that aren't frequented by your market. Need help finding your perfect target market? Listen to MM episode #2 "The Customer Avatar" 6:21 3. Share and care. "Experts and authorities naturally have opinions, and therefore, so should you." Have a position or stance on your topic and support it. Share your opinion while caring and listening to what others have to say. If your opinion changes, don't be afraid to say so. Be honest and upfront. Make sure your opinions are based on solid facts and stats as much as possible. 7:09 4. Engage and interact. A promotional strategy helps build your brand and ensure connection with customers and clients. Your level of engagement and interaction can directly be tied to an increase of perceived expertise, authority, and revenue. Answering questions, solving problems, and talking to people are key steps to humanizing your business and showcasing your expertise. Added benefit: Uncover exactly what your audience wants to know and their problems. Positions you to better answer their questions and solve their problems for them. 07:52 5. Continuing education. Commit to ongoing education. Make it fun and enjoyable A few options: hardcopy books audiobooks seminars conferences masterminds podcasts webinars coaching and consulting online courses and training "When it comes to acquiring new knowledge, ideas, and insights — if you want to be and stay an expert — you always need to be fueling the fire." Mentioned in this Episode: Modern Marketing Episode #2 - "The Customer Avatar" Modern Marketing Episode #8 - "What They Didn't Tell Me About Content Marketing" Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

So you're ready to start benefitting from social media marketing but you're uncertain about how and where to start. If you're struggling with questions, know you're not alone. It can be a confusing and complex world but that's not a reason to dismiss such a valuable marketing tool. In this episode, Adam breaks down a 9-part social media marketing plan to get you and your business set up for success right from the start. Episode Discussions: Why your budget is an important part of your social media marketing plan Things to consider when tracking the results from your social media Why you should have goals when creating a social media marketing plan Why it's important to differentiate between leisure and business How to measure the performance of your plan Social media beyond Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram What your competitors can reveal about a given social media platform Common social media strategies to implement into your plan 9-part social media marketing plan: 3:58 Step 1. The current analysis or "Where are you now?" Identify what you've already been doing and what platforms you're on. Do you have existing accounts? Do they have customized headers and branding? Followers or likes? This list will cut down on work later in initial setup and potential decisions to abandon platforms. 4:35 Step 2. The competitor analysis "Where are they now?" Make a list of competitors and their current social media usage. This information will reveal 1 of 2 things: If they're doing well, it proves a customer's interest in that social media platform If they're not, it will determine that it's not an ideal market for your target market or show an opportunity to provide a service not currently being offered. 5:26 Step 3. Goals or "Where would you like to be?" Having goals prevents wasting time on marathon Facebook sessions that provide little value. Increase brand awareness Drive traffic to your website Build social authority Each goal has its own set of specific tactics and time requirements. Differentiate between leisure and business building time. 6:23 Step 4. Strategy or "How are we going to do this?" A few common social media strategies: Listening - use Google alerts, programs such as Mention to highlight when your brand or name is used online Engaging - respond to comments, encourage participation on your channels, comment on other sites and other pages Influencing - Does your brand have a position in the marketplace? Do you have a particular view of your industry that you can share? Contributing - think of it as the means rather than the ends. 8:18 Step 5. Target Market or "Who is going to listen?" The single most important part of any social media marketing plan. Identifying your target market will save you time, money, and other valuable resources. Knowing details and statistics will help you determine what, where, when and how to post. Always make sure that you're aligning your social media marketing usage with your target market. 9:14 Step 6. Implementation or "Go time" Related tools available under the header of social media that may or may not be suitable for your needs: blogs podcasts webinars video photo sharing discussion boards and forums Q & A sites mobile apps location marketing Choose 1 or 2 to start. Use your business, goals, and your target market to determine which ones to focus on. 10:35 Step 7. Monitoring or "How are we doing?" A key part of your plan is to measure your performance. Use a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) identifies what's important and then measures. Focus on only the most important metrics One's relevant to your goals and show improvement 11:19 Step 8. Budgeting or "How much are you going to spend?" Social media in a business context isn't free. There are several factors to consider when budgeting. For small businesses, returns occur around the 7-14 hours per week range. Tools to help make this more attainable: Scheduling tools: Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Edgar Design tools: Canva, royalty-free online photo websites 13:01 Step 9. Return on investment (ROI) or "How much did you make?" The results from social media are qualitative: Improved brand perception Increased brand awareness Number of customers reached Impressions gained A good place to start tracking is pre-social media sales and post social media sales. Keep in mind: cost of customer acquisition and lifetime value of your customer Mentioned in this Episode: Canva Hootsuite Sprout Social Edgar Mention Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

After so many years of reading text on a computer screen and dealing with faceless corporations, consumers are thirsty for a more humanized content experience. The skyrocketing popularity of Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube make it evident that video is the answer and here to stay. In this episode, Adam shares actionable tips and hacks on how to implement video content marketing into your marketing strategy to drastically grow your business and connect with customers like nothing else out there. Check out Adam's YouTube Channel to see how he makes video content work for his business! Episode Discussions: Stats and facts about consumer video consumption How to create content your customers will value Tips and hacks on how to gain the greatest customer insight for your content Why video content marketing is the next logical step for your business How to get a clear understanding of your ideal target market The "Marketing Wasteland" concept and how its pitfalls Quick tips on how to optimize your content for search engines Adam's free 60-second video ad template to help you easily create YouTube, Facebook or Instagram video ads Three key pieces of video content marketing: 2:48 1. Video YouTube now reaches more 18-29-year-olds than any cable network. In 2015, Facebook 8 billion video views daily (has only grown since) Snapchat is the size of Facebook – generates 7 billion daily views Video is the main source of content being consumed on the internet. By 2019 – it's estimated 80% of all internet traffic will be video 4:06 2. Content "The key to creating valuable content (video, blog, podcast) has everything to do with answering your customer's questions, solving their problems and adding value to their lives." Always begin with customers in mind when creating content. Investigate what questions are revolving around your industry. Easy places to start: Google Keyword Planner io com Get on the phone and talk to your customers. Easy and uncovers the greatest insight for your content. "Nobody knows your customer's problems better than your customers." Search your email outbox for recurring questions. Note them as customer pain points. A few minutes of prep will 10x your reach, impact and results. "There's nothing more painful or useless than spending a ton of time creating a whole bunch of content that nobody cares about and nobody even wants to know." 7:02 3. Marketing A consistent and strategic video content plan will, without a doubt, work. Content marketing is still one of the most infallible marketing strategies available today. Works across businesses, markets and industries. Target marketing accelerates bigger and better results in less time. A clear understanding of your ideal target market: Ensures use of the right tools for the job. Gives your video content the highest probability of success. 8:22 "The Marketing Wasteland" concept: Misidentifying where your customers and clients are active. Advertising in wrong mediums (newspaper, radio, magazines, billboards - older traditional marketing methods). Spend time to drill down how your customers are consuming their information to increase the success of your content. 8:55 Other factors worth considering: Optimize content for search engines. Use relevant keywords in title, tags, descriptions. Don't limit yourself to just one platform. Upload video to YouTube, directly to Facebook, embed it on your website. Invest in promoting well-received videos to increase your reach faster and easier. 9:54 Creating video ads All the benefits of video content marketing. Add a direct call to action (CTA) - Encourage customers/viewers to take some sort of action. 10:21 Click here to download Adam's free 60-second video ad template or visit AdamErhart.com/opt-60-second-video-ad-template Plug and play script to quickly and easily create YouTube, Facebook or Instagram video ads. 60-seconds is short, attainable, enables you to post across all the different platforms. Video ads start with as little as $5. 11:17 Incorporate all 3 pieces (video, content and marketing) to create an effective strategy. Mentioned in this episode: Download Adam's free video ad template! Google Keyword Planner io com com/AdamErhartVideo or search for Adam Erhart or Modern Marketing Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

He's a millennial entrepreneur, a 7-figure real estate investor, a wealth-building mentor, and hosts a top-ranked podcast. One has to ask…Is there anything Matt Aitchison AKA "Matty A" can't do? In this episode, Adam and Matty talk about the importance of authenticity in your marketing, how it helps build rapport and trust, and why it's more crucial to the survival of your business, now more than ever. Episode Discussions: The 6 important pillars of Matt's mastermind group How authenticity lead to Matt's success The consequences of not being authentic in your brand and marketing MVVBP and why it should become your elevator pitch Why you should market in a way you like to be marketed to Matt shares the 6 pillars his mastermind group focuses on: Financial freedom Genuine contribution Extreme accountability Age-defying health Authentic relationships Bucket list adventures 5:53 "In order to really build rapport and engage with your core client or avatar, transparency and authenticity is by far the most relatable thing to individuals that are looking for that."-Matt Market in a way you like to be marketed to. 7:01 Attract the right people and put off the wrong people 7:30 The Path and the Lessons: Started in real estate sales and investment Now podcasting and focusing on online education Encountered trouble as a teenager Read "The Gift of Imperfection" by Brene Brown. Helped him move through shame on a personal level Embraced authenticity and a genuine approach to life "I started realizing all of the experiences, relationships, and opportunities that came into my life were mirroring my authenticity." Wanted his brand to be organic and aligned with who he was. Built a company based his authentic self. 10:09 "It's been affirmed to me through either clients or people that do business with our companies that that's one of the things they loved. We're approachable. Relatable. Whether it's the good, bad, or ugly. We're not afraid to talk about it." 10:41 Why not be authentic? Customers respond better Clients respond better. It's easier. Tricking an individual into resonating is an old mentality 13:05 It's easier than ever to build brand and awareness by putting yourself out there through any medium (blog, live stream, video, etc) People are naturally more engaged with "glassdoor" companies 15:51 "When the brand and message is alignment with who they are and who the company is and everything mirrors that, you don't give people that weird feeling of distrust."-Adam You have a small window to make a good first impression. If you miss that opportunity, you lose revenue. 17:29 Have clarity in: who you're serving what your mission is the execution of your brand message Have MVVBP dialed in: Mission Vision Values Beliefs Perspectives 19:22 The Success of The Millionaire Mindcast Podcast Started with wanting to add value Executed on the models and levels of other successful podcasters. Hired a consultant. Figured out how his mission and brand could add value to other audiences and communities. Capitalized on a polished product. Used the power of networking. Ranked #9 on top 26 podcasts to listen to in 2016 23:40 "When you go out there adding value, you will win every single time. It may take a week, month, a year or more but it's gonna come back."-Adam When you have the opportunity to give someone back more time through a product, service or consultation, it will strongly resonate with people. 25:32 Matty's future. Looking for ways to add more value. Growing online real estate investing community. Teaching people how to invest in real estate to generate wealth that allows them freedom and flexibility to spend their focus and time in the area they're most passionate about. Empower individuals on their journey of building wealth beyond what they would have ever imagined financially. Connect with Matty: Facebook: MattyAitchison Official: MattAitchison.com Email: [email protected] Instagram: @MattyAitchison Podcast: The Millionaire Mindcast Mentioned in this Episode: "The Gift of Imperfection" – Bren Brown Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

The buzz about Facebook Ads include success stories of 1000% ROI and what seems like just as many horror stories to match it. With a slew of options and advice coming from all angles, how do you decide if Facebook Ads are right for you? Adam has seen the true impact that Facebook Ads can have on people's businesses. In this episode, he shares firsthand experiences with Facebook Ads as well as his client's and explains why Facebook is the best eyeball delivery service around. Episode Discussions: Tips on strategizing your Facebook Ads marketing B2C or B2B markets— Who benefits from Facebook Ads more? Why some Facebook Ads fail to produce results When Facebook Ads won't work for your business How to rapid offer test using Facebook Ads How to use Facebook in your business for maximum impact To answer fairly whether or not Facebook Ads are worth including in your online marketing, these 2 questions will be explored: Do Facebook Ads Work? Will Facebook Ads work for your business? 3:28 Do Facebook Ads Work? Yes. "The devil's' in the details. It needs to be done right which means not just slapping up an ad, press and go, and waiting for the dollars to start rolling in." Lackluster results are often due to poor quality ads, poor targeting, and poor imagery. When marketing strategy is done right, Facebook Ads work incredibly well. Analyze your target market Create a unique and compelling offer that Captures attention Piques interest Inspires action They reach more people than TV, radio, and newspapers for a tiny fraction of the cost. Facebook generates billions of dollars in ad revenue meaning more people are willing to spend money on them. Indicates Facebook is delivering a valuable service that people want. Some of Adam's clients regularly spend upwards of $1K/month and consistently get high ROI. 5:25 Will Facebook Ads Work for Your Business? Since you're attempting to do business with another person, B2B (Business to Business) and B2C (Business to Consumer) markets can both benefit. "If you have a product or service that people want, Facebook Ads are going to help you get your message in front of them. Plain and simple. That's what it does best." 6:20 When Facebook Ads Won't Work for Your Business If you're in a business selling something no one wants or haven't clearly communicated your product or service. Makes a great rapid offer testing tool to make sure what you're offering resonates with your target market. 7:01 Should you use Facebook Ads in your business? Ads aren't technical or complicated but the key to success should always be strategy first, tactics second. Apply the fundamentals (found through your marketing strategy, customer avatar, ideal targeting, what it is about your offer that's compelling, etc.) to craft the perfect Facebook Ad for your market. Key terms in this Episode: PPC (Pay-Per-Click) SEO (Search Engine Optimization) SEM (Search Engine Marketing) SMM (Social Media Marketing) CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) B2B (Business to Business) B2C (Business to Consumer) Related Content Mentioned in this Episode: Episode #002 – The Customer Avatar Episode #028 – The Power of Rapid Offer Testing Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

People can't do business with you if they don't know you exist which is why a large part of your focus should be on increasing brand awareness. Being consistent with your brand is absolutely essential to the success of your overall branding strategy. In this episode, Adam discusses how to properly use differentiation, consistency, and authenticity to increase brand awareness and set you up for rapid business growth. Episode Discussions: A common mistake made by new businesses when trying to be unique The consequences of not presenting a consistent brand message A better understanding of authenticity discrepancy Why it's so important to keep consistent branding across all properties How authenticity discrepancy leads to irreversible damage The effects of running an inconsistent advertising campaign How to use consistency to dramatically increase brand awareness Why consistency is a good thing in business. 2:04 Consistent differentiation. Need to be consistent in your business but not necessarily in your industry. Don't be like everyone else. Be consistent in being yourself. Differentiation is a key marketing concept that focuses on making sure you're unique within the marketplace. "A mistake that many new businesses and startups make is focusing on being unique or different at the expense of everything else." Be unique in a way that matters to your target market. Be consistently unique or consistently different across all customer touch points. Brand, image, logo, colors, message, tone, style, etc. You're harming your brand when you present anything other than a consistent brand message. 3:12 Authenticity Discrepancy Not being true to yourself, brand, and business. The opposite of consistency is a version of authenticity discrepancy. When the customer experiences a discrepancy between their expectation and what they actually receive, the damage may be irreversible. Ensure anywhere your customer experiences your brand, including your advertising and marketing, consistently delivers the same message. Positive effects will be compounded. Customer expectations will be confirmed every time they do business with you. 4:15 A common newbie mistake. Running an inconsistent advertising campaign. Rather than strategically planning out an effective ad campaign, they use a series of different ads with inconsistent images and messages. Rather than building on previous recognition, each ad has to reintroduce the business all over again. Costly Does little to build a recognizable brand. 4:48 How to 10x your brand awareness. Branding consistency doesn't provide linear returns. Provides exponential returns (compounded over time to deliver better returns) Every message and image builds and reinforces your brand so it gets strong with every interaction the customer has. Keep consistent branding across all properties Websites, social media channels, emails (message, tone and signature), voicemail message, business cards, advertisements. 5:42 Consistency builds trust, likeability, massive recognition and brand awareness. When all 3 are combined, it's the perfect recipe for rapid business growth. 5:56 Recap: When you want to 10x your brand awareness on being consistently different and unique: Pay attention to authenticity discrepancy. Ensure you're staying true to yourself. Be different than everyone else but the same as yourself. "You've gotta be different so you stand out from the crowd but you have to stay consistent in whichever way you choose to be different." Carries your business a long way — Every future marketing message will build on itself to provide exponential returns and massive brand awareness. Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

When deciding whether or not to do business with you, potential customers rely on others to provide cues. This social proof has the power to either inspire customers to bring their business to you or send them running into the arms of your competitors. It's time to start making social proof a key part of your business's marketing. In this episode, Adam discusses 5 easy ways to start building up your social proof that get you more business and better customers. Episode Discussions: How to experience better conversions and more sales using social proof Ways to build social proof if you don't have much yet Resources to start building social proof in your business Important things to consider when highlighting social proof Why using low social proof is worse than having none at all 3:11 Always focus on positive social proof, not negative. One of the most important tips when highlighting social proof to use in your business. Draw attention to people that took an action or got a result opposed to something they didn't do or missed out on. Experience better conversions and more sales. "I know this sounds incredibly simple but the effects are really profound and the research shows you always want to be offering positive social proof." 4:00 Always use pictures or video whenever possible. "When it comes to using testimonials in your business, a picture really is worth 1,000 words. In fact, it's probably worth a whole lot more." Some companies use made-up testimonials or people are leery that they're fake or don't relate as well to seeing words on a page. Be sure to include a picture or video of your happy customer whenever possible. Humanizes the testimonial and adds an element of trust that words alone can't. There are different comfort levels when supplying testimonials. Be polite and respectful but get as much quality information as possible, ideally a video. 5:08 Keep it Relevant Use testimonials from customers that best match whatever you're trying to attract. Use similar case studies and examples to product or service you're trying to promote. "You always wanna keep it relevant or don't use it at all." 5:47 Low social proof is a bad idea and is worse than no social proof at all. Don't prominently display low numbers until you've accumulated moderate social proof. Low social proof shows not enough people have bought in. 6:58 Start collecting easy sources of social proof. Ask previous customers or clients for a testimonial in any way, shape or form. Look through other certifications, awards, or associations that you can display on your website's homepage or "About" page. Choose the one, maybe 2, social media channels your customers are most active on. When you combine all of these, you'll quickly build a power collection of social proof. Help Adam beef up the social proof for this podcast by heading over to iTunes and leaving a quick and honest rating and review for the show! Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

"Doing a little bit well will always beat doing a whole lot poorly." If your marketing is causing some overwhelm, sometimes the best thing to do is take a step back and look for ways to simplify. It's time to reevaluate the basics and select a few key tactics to pursue. No need to do everything — just the right things at the right time and for the right people. In this episode, Adam discusses what happens when you take a more minimalistic approach in your business and apply it to your marketing. These 9 ways to simplify your marketing have been Adam tested and Adam approved to get you more results with less time, energy, and money. Episode Discussions: The 80/20 Pareto Principle Why it's so important to identify your ideal customer Factors to consider when deciding what social media channel to use A short-term strategy to leverage a single piece of content Specific advertising methods to consider cutting from your marketing The best search engine optimized templates The benefits of sharing content from other experts 3:04 1. Identifying your target market. May take some time but will pay off in the future If you know who you're trying to serve, it's easier to figure out where they are, what they do, what they need, what they read, and how to best market to them. Identify your ideal customer avatar with the help of Episode #2 3:35 2. Focus on one customer segment at a time. For at least a few weeks to a month Apply what you know based off your customer avatar Makes it easier to create effective marketing messages tailored to their needs 4:18 3. Cut out everything that you know isn't working. Consider newspaper ads, radio commercials, social media channels that you aren't getting a return from. You either have data to prove methods aren't working or you know in your gut. You can always add them back later. 5:07 4. Cut out everything you think isn't working. Eliminate things you have a hunch on that aren't providing you value and are costing you time and money. 5:38 5. Time to focus on the top 20% Assess what's been effective in the past (social media channel, content marketing, email marketing initiative, online PPC advertising, word-of-mouth referrals, in-person networking). Once you cut what's not working, funnel resources toward your top 20% marketing activities. 6:19 6. Recycle, Reduce, and Reuse Aim to create one piece of content and syndicate, chop it up, and spread it across all of your different content channels. Not ideal but will save time and money. Great short-term strategy to leverage a single piece of content 7:13 7. Sharing is caring. Creating unique content for each and every channel you own (website, blog, podcast, social media) can be time-intensive. Share what other experts are already posting. Helps cut down on cost of content creation. Helps business look less promotional and more helpful. 7:48 8. Get back to basics. A search-engine optimized website and a single social media channel can be all your brand needs to gain traction in the marketplace. Especially when combined with really good content on your site. Best search engine optimized templates: Genesis Framework by StudioPress Social Media: Facebook is the most widely used and has greatest advertising options Twitter is best for intermediate social media users and those in urban areas Pinterest is perfect if your target market is predominately women Factor this in when trying to decide the best channel for your goals, customers and objectives. 8:29 9. Choose your major marketing objective. Become clear on what one single action you want your potential customers to take. Allows you to cut everything else out that doesn't directly relate to achieving your primary goal. "Everything you do then is either helping you achieve this objective or not." Mentioned in this episode: Episode #2 – The Customer Avatar Genesis Framework by StudioPress Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Storytelling has been used for ages to preserve culture, history, and pass down information from generation to generation. It increases empathy and understanding on a personal level. On a business and marketing level, it makes for an incredibly powerful tool that enables you to build better trust and connection with your customers. In short, stories sell. This episode discusses actionable and practical tips to immediately start implementing more stories in your business so you can keep reap the rewards on a personal and business level. Episode Discussions: How to use stories in your marketing Why EVERYONE has a story to tell even if you think you don't 2 simple stories anyone can tell to help improve marketing capital The best place to start if you're brand new to storytelling David Crabb's Five Part Storytelling Framework How to utilize client success stories in your storytelling strategy "Use stories to introduce yourself and your business, counter and address any objections, to add value to your customers, bring otherwise boring data or numbers to life." - Sell with a Story by Paul Smith If you're new to storytelling, here are two simple stories anyone can tell that will immediately help improve your marketing capital. 4:33 The Founders Story The story of who created the company or business is enticing. It's easier to relate to a person's challenges, victories, failures, fears, tragedies, or whatever the founder endured on their mission to build the business (as opposed to a faceless corporation). "Applicable across all businesses, industries, and markets— It doesn't matter what business you're in, the way it started and what it stands for today is likely a very interesting story." Regardless of how "boring" or simple the story is, it still should and must be told. Simple is relatable and simple sells. Use inspirational nuggets from your founder's story and turn them into marketing gold. Your customers are interested in how it all came to be. You set yourself apart from the masses becoming more likable, relatable, and more authentic business. 6:20 Client Success Story aka the "Not Boring Case Study" A story around one of your clients or customers using your product or service and getting good results with it. Simple client success story framework: Introduce their problem and pain - Start with where the customer was before they found you. Introduce your product, service, or solution and what it did for them. Show how much happier or better off they are now thanks to their work with you. Additional inspiration: ask to talk with any of your customers and make sure to jot down notes or ask to record the conversation. Use their words verbatim. 8:03 Everything that happens in your business in a story Jenn Tardif shares David Crabb's 5 part storytelling framework in an article called "The Five Beats of Successful Storytelling": Introduction - Set the scene. Incident - Present the challenge or question. Stakes - What's at stake and why it's important Event - Peak or climax, where all is revealed. Resolution - Reflect on the story and what was learned. What's your story? How did you end up where you are? Why do you do it? Head to ModernMarketingPodcast.com to answer. If you're able to answer in 300 words or less, you have a simple and concise framework and the beginnings of your brand's story. What you do Why you do it How you ended up doing what you do? Mentioned in this episode: Sell with a Story - Paul Smith "The 5 Beats of Successful Storytelling" - Jenn Tardif Have you implemented some of the strategies, tools, or tactics discussed in the Modern Marketing Podcast? What have the results been for your business? Email Adam and let him know! [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Austin Distel is the Chief Marketing Officer for Entrepreneur Alliance, an online company that connects business minded entrepreneurs and business owners. Sure, EA is an online organization but this episode provides valuable takeaways that traditional businesses can apply as well. Authenticity and transparency are fundamental aspects to succeeding in any business. Episode Discussions: Reasons to get more invested with memberships The importance of authenticity and transparency in business marketing Pros and cons of Bot Marketing The perks of connecting with other entrepreneurs The simple action EA took that increased their conversion rate by 10% Why you shouldn't ignore spontaneous instinct with your biz marketing ideas What's next for Entrepreneur Alliance 3:05 About Austin Originally from Atlanta Moved to Annapolis, MD with other digital marketing entrepreneurs Founding member of the Entrepreneur Alliance Has been a digital marketer for 3 years Went to University of GA and graduated with a degree in online marketing 6:15 Membership model Figure out what works best for your audience and how they learn. Why get more invested with memberships: Community, camaraderie, support and interaction. The process is more rewarding with friendships that are formed. "I've been on this kick lately of it's not about the destination, it's about the journey, and you've gotta enjoy the process."-Austin If you can find a way to connect with other entrepreneurs, you're going to have a happier existence. 11:03 The process of growing Entrepreneur Alliance All marketing is twofold: internal and external. Internal: your current customers and how you get them to have an affinity for your brand, products, and company that they naturally talk about it. People end up being your best marketing tool. External: video ads, PPC, SEO, etc. Getting a system in place for your internal marketing is key. 13:18 Bot marketing: an automated response that interacts using pre-programmed information. Could be used to collect an email. Pro: You're going to get an immediate response Con: not authentic and transparency is smoke and mirrors "While it might be a bit more efficient, people respect it more when it's somebody real. It's not just about how to automate, but how you still bring the human atmosphere to it. "-Austin 15:47 EA increased conversion rate from 22% to 32% after adding testimonials to landing page. Takeaway: It's important to invest into your people. 18:17 Outlook for Austin and Entrepreneur Alliance: Focusing on EA Local: Mastermind events at people's homes every week, monthly cocktail hours, brainstorming sessions, seminars, workshops. 21:19 Always go with spontaneous instinct "I would say that 80% of our best campaigns were thrown up in a blink of an eye. We said 'hey, try it, see if that works." Check out EA'S Facebook post about their giveaway contest benefitting Women Entrepreneurs in India! Don't be afraid to try something, especially with the tools we have available today. 24:33 Be on the lookout for EA'S split test run this month (February 2017). "Entrepreneurship doesn't have to be so serious" running against "serious, lifestyle coolness." "If you really want to be successful, you've gotta have the metrics at hand… Know your numbers every part of the day."-Austin Contact Austin: Facebook Official Instagram: AustinDistel Twitter: @AustinMDistel Mentioned in this episode: Entrepreneur Alliance ManyChat Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium Dave Rogenmoser's interview on the Modern Marketing podcast Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

The importance of building trust in your business is hardly a new concept but it's just as relevant as it's ever been. There's not a more powerful tool to be had in business and life. Businesses that are trustworthy will get more customers, happier customers, sell more, sell easier, and build a valuable reputation that will provide long-term benefits. It takes time and effort but there are simple and effective ways to start establishing trust with your clients and customers. In this episode, Adam discusses trust building tips and practices to implement into your business marketing strategy. Episode Discussions: Why providing value is a key component to your business How to establish trust with your idiosyncrasies, quirks, and flaws The mental game to play before a sales proposition Why trust is more important than a sale Ways to provide value to customers that get them to trust you 3:28 The strategy of preeminence The most powerful advice on building trust in marketing came from Jay Abraham: Become your customer's most trusted advisor or fiduciary (a legal obligation to always act in your client's best interest). If they're trying to buy the wrong product or service from you or a competitor, you owe it to them to tell them. "I always try to imagine 'would I let my mom make this decision? Would I let her go and do this without me weighing in' or 'what would my advice be to my mom." If often comes at the expense of the sale but will establish yourself as a trusted advisor in the long-term. 4:46 Mindset before the sale Before the conversation, tell yourself "I don't need to make this sale. What is my advice going to be?" When you take the money out of the equation, it makes it easier to do the right thing. If that fails, consider how you would feel if a family member was in that situation. 5:30 Authenticity Stay true to yourself, your business, and always act in your brand's best interest. If you're able to show your idiosyncrasies, flaws, who you are, and what you stand for, it will make your marketing easier. Try live streaming 7:01 Positive association Build trust and credibility for your business by leveraging other trustworthy causes small charities or small charitable donations volunteer work collect testimonials referrals from previous clients 8:10 Provide value Give before you get Give with no intention of getting back at all "When you make providing value a cornerstone of your businesses marketing, you really can't help but be seen as a giver and people trust givers in the same way they distrust takers." Ways to give: information time advice samples resources guidance support entertainment whatever best fits your capabilities and matches your customers Everything you give will come back in equal or greater amount to your business. Mentioned in this episode: Episode #24 - Interview with Live Streaming Pro Luria Petrucci Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Corey Gladwell is a 2 time best-selling author, a speaker and coach, and founder of Author Alliance, a company that helps people write, publish, and launch a best selling book. His is a true rags-to-riches story... One that tells the tale of a struggling child on welfare that became a supremely successful author and entrepreneur. In this episode, he shares how he was able to package his experience and knowledge and create a thriving empire. In addition, he reveals the strategies you can apply in your business to reach more people and make a bigger impact on the world. Episode Discussions: How writing a best-seller can benefit your business The holistic approach to marketing How to deliver content without spending every day writing What to outsource when writing a book Promotion strategies to turn your book into a best-seller Why you should forget about structure and just write 3:22 In the beginning... Grew up poor which motivated him toward entrepreneurship. Owned a nightclub, restaurant, different brick-and-mortar businesses at age 23 but lost them and had nothing by age 25. Had spiritual experience that shifted perspective. Has spent the last 5 years writing books and coaching people in their business and personal lives. 4:31 Mistakes and lessons Was dissatisfied with the struggle and negativity experienced as a child "To me, it always equated to not having enough and that amount of scarcity caused a ripple effect for other problems."-CG Made it his mission as a child to become successful and worked every day. At 23, businesses failed as a result of no mentor or guidance and lacked knowledge of how to systemize or hire. 6:32 The road to success Experienced state of enlightenment through meditation. Has meditated for 1500 hours Almost done with 3rd book Speaks at Masterminds "I see business and spirituality kind of connected so it's a lot easier for me to do marketing and branding and be a chief marketing officer because I see a lot of solutions of problems that people can't get around."-CG 8:02 "Were you always a gifted writer? What's been the impact on your business?" Had never written before First book took 4 years to write Figured out a process of being able to deliver content without having to spend every day writing Created Author Alliance to teach other entrepreneurs how to be best-selling authors. Creates authority and credibility in your market and become the go-to person to talk to "Becoming a best-selling author is something powerful to add to the resume"-AE 10:16 How do you write? How do you take the material and package it so it resonates with the audience? Write a book that you would want to read. "The person they want to be is the person they've always needed."-CG Records and then transcribes. Makes it easier to get the content out and then edit. Makes daily videos for YouTube, Facebook and Twitter Once a week, reviews different books he's writing Takes pieces of content collected and pieces them together "Create as much content as you can and you'll find that you create a book out of that."-CG 13:15 Hire an editor and find someone to organize it for you (outsource) Repurpose into other pieces of content Launch it 14:54 How do you turn it into a best-seller? Promotion strategies Free resources: Use family, friends, Facebook groups, Google Hangouts, forums. Make sure you reach out first to help them and use reciprocity. Make sure you have a good product that offers value "I think the biggest hurdle here is a lot of people don't consider themselves good writers."-AE 16:56 Before you start investing in branding your business, ask your friends and family for the first 3 words that come to mind when they think of you. Who you think you are may be different from how the world receives you as first. Build brand around that. Mentioned in this episode: Connect with Corey: authoralliance.co coreygladwell.com Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

This is a continuation of episode #27: "Everything You Need to Know About Email Marketing" which covers all the email marketing basics, why it's important, the benefits, and how to integrate it into your business. In this episode, Adam discusses the effective email marketing tools currently used in his business and the same ones he recommends to his clients. They're also used by friends and colleagues. They work well for almost everyone from brick and mortar businesses to those who are brand new to the industry. Just like any other marketing tool, each will have their pros and cons so try out each tool to decide what works best for your business. Episode Discussions: The top picks for email marketing tools and resources The 3 steps to the email marketing chain The most challenging aspect of email marketing and the best way to handle it Real talk on what email marketing platforms to avoid and why The only email marketing training course you need to take 2:45 Beginner tips Some email marketing tools that are marketed to beginners: May lack some functionality that you'll want to include later May not be a very good setup "Go for a more comprehensive tool even if you don't use all the bells and whistles." Email marketing chain Collect Connect Convert 3:41 Collect: new email subscribers email addresses Modern Marketing recommendation: Leadpages Allows you to: create landing page (specific pages on your website that are optimized and designed to collect emails) embed links create and use nice forms split test newbie friendly 5:05 Connect: sending emails -Keep personal and business email accounts separate. -Cons of Infusionsoft or ConvertKit: Complicated for a vast majority of businesses Modern Marketing top recommendation: Drip newbie friendly Easy migration from Mailchimp, Aweber, or personal email account Good for all levels of knowledge/experience Offers 100% free plan up to 100 subscribers 7:09 Convert: turn subscribers into lifelong and loyal customers -Can be complicated "Writing connecting, compelling, and engaging emails is maybe one of the most challenging things you may ever do when it comes to honing and tweaking your marketing message...unless you have a secret..." Modern Marketing top recommendation: AutoResponder Madness (ARM) more a training course than program easily the best marketing course Adam has taken hundreds, not thousands of dollars provides significantly more value than more expensive email marketing courses enjoyable makes a massive impact on your email marketing 08:32 Recommendation summary Mentioned in this episode: AutoResponder Madness (ARM) Drip Leadpages Episode #27 – "Everything You Need to Know About Email Marketing" Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

There's no crystal ball that will reveal how your new idea, service or product will be received by the masses. That doesn't mean you have to launch blindly though. Behold the power of rapid offer testing. If done right, the results will be as failproof as you could hope for, giving you the confidence you need to further your investment. In this episode, Adam discusses the steps to rapid offer testing and how it can save you incredible amounts of time, energy, and resources. Episode Discussions: The best tools to use with rapid offer testing How to create a "super ad " Tips on measuring Rapid Offer Testing success The cost associated with Rapid Offer Testing (hint: it's not a lot!) 3:00 What is Rapid Offer Testing Enables you to put out a quick ad and gauge marketplace response. 2 best tools to use this with: -Facebook Ads -Google Adwords 3:23 How it Works Create a simple ad with what you're proposing to create or sell. Clearly articulate what you're trying to do and send it out to see what happens. Come up with a competing ad: tweak offer or refine it for a better result. Observe whether or not it will resonate better with who you're trying to reach. Compare the results of one against the other. Goal: create a few different ads and offers to ultimately create a "super ad." 4:51 ROUGH guidelines to measure success: Facebook Ads: $1/CPC (cost per click) = relatively decent offer CTR (Click-thru rate)(the percentage of people who are clicking the ad): Anything over 1%= decent The higher the CTR and the lower the CPC, the better. 7:00 A Rapid Offer Testing run through from start to finish: Have an idea or offer you want to test but uncertain of how it will be received Create a simple ad Include your offer and call to action (CTA) Check your CPC and CTR Split test: create another ad for comparison and change either headline or CTA. Make only minor tweaks and adjustments. Determine if you want to create additional ad to test against that. 08:34 To take it a step further… Involve additional market research tools as highlighted in episode #3 and through surveys. Takeaway message: It doesn't make sense to launch blind. Always have a basic idea whether your product or service is going to resonate or sell. Those who best understand their customers wants, needs, and desires are the most likely to win. Mentioned in this episode: Episode #3 - Free Customer Market Research Episode #2 - The Customer Avatar Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Email is a fundamental tool we use every day but does it have its place in marketing? Should you bother with email marketing? Is it really worth investing the time, money, and resources? After all, many say "email is dead." In this episode, Adam shares the facts and stats proving just how effective email marketing can be and breaks down everything you need to know to make it work for your business. Episode Discussions: What is email marketing? The myths of email marketing Why email marketing is important and why it works Facts and stats on ROI The only 3-part introductory email sequence you need Adam's recommendations: email service provider and training course Why email can be more advantageous than social media 2:01 "Email is dead" vs. "Email is the most effective form of marketing available" Who's right? "Email is an integral part of our society, culture, the way we do business, the way we interact with friends and family. It ain't going anywhere anytime soon." 2:59 Fact #1: Email works -Cited as being 40x more effective at acquiring customers than Facebook or Twitter. 03:23 What makes email so effective? We all use email - personally and professionally Allows the development of a relationship - by telling longer stories including videos and getting your customers to take action by using some form of embedded links or CTA. Pro tip: Use social media, like Facebook and Twitter, to drive traffic to your email list so you can follow up and continue to build the relationship there. social + email = powerhouse combo Email is everywhere - 92% of online adults use email "We tend to trust, to an extent, the quality of the information we receive there above other places which perhaps is the biggest reason that email marketing works so well." Customers prefer receiving promotional materials via email over social media= it is ok to sell with email. -Make certain you're doing it tastefully, respectfully, and keeping it relevant. 05:55 Fact #2: Email allows you to be seen and heard. A message is 5x more likely to be seen in email than through Facebook. Social media feeds are chaotic. "It's basically like a high school talent show with everybody trying to get attention and be heard above the noise." You have a limited time to grab prospects attention in regards to social media. Email makes way for video content, shared links, stories, etc. 06:53 Fact #3: Email makes you money Has ROI (Return on Investment) of 3800%. Some stats show as high as 4300%. "That is a whole lot of return on your marketing investment. Especially when compared to that super incredible deal that your uncle Lonnie offered you a few years back to invest in his llama farm." 07:40 How do you use email marketing? Need email service provider - allows you to add subscribers and send emails. Forget about Mailchimp (limited features) and Aweber (a dinosaur) Adam's Recommendation: Drip: a better level of service with a lot of options. If you're just getting started, they have 100% free plan to test it out. Need training on how to write amazing revenue generating emails and use them in your business. Adam's Recommendation: Autoresponder Madness Relatively fast course Very valuable content Fun It works "Drip + Autoresponder Madness = secret cocktail of email marketing goodness" 9:30 Need emails One of the biggest obstacles: "What am I gonna write about?" "You don't need to be a modern-day Hemmingway to write effective emails for your customers." Authenticity and transparency are more important than good spelling and grammar. Add value where you can Be you and be real Just want to write 3 Part Introductory Email Sequence: #1. Solves your customer's biggest problem or answers the #1 question you get in your business #2. A follow-up: where you introduce yourself, your business, and story #3. Introduce another problem, explained in more detail, and describe how your product/service solves that issue. Takeaway: Emails provide more leads, a better relationship with current and potential customers, and incredible ROI. Mentioned in this episode: Drip Autoresponder Madness Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

"Free" sounds good to everyone but everything has a cost, especially when it comes to traffic. In this episode, learn the different benefits and costs of paid and free traffic, and how to get the most out of both to boost your business. Episode Discussion The myth of so-called "free traffic" How to get the most out of your paid traffic marketing Why "free traffic" isn't really free An overlooked aspect of paid traffic and why to budget for it An SEO refresher course One of the most valuable free traffic marketing strategies How long it can take to see results from SEO Tips for a successful social media strategy Paid vs. Free…which one's for you? 01:42 What is traffic? Generally accepted marketing term for "people" More specifically, eyeballs, attention. Ideally, driving your target market to an offer, message, sales page. Step 1 of the marketing funnel. 2:49 2 different kinds of traffic Paid Traffic Free Traffic Pay either way using money or time (energy and resources). 03:27 Paid Traffic Options: Facebook Ads Google Adwords LinkedIn Twitter Ads Banner ads If it has the word "Ads" after it, it's a form of paid traffic. Pay-per-click (PPC): Have top position everywhere you want (news feeds, search engine). Have to be willing to outspend everyone. Learning curve associated with paid traffic: Expensive when first learning – allocate a percentage of your marketing budget. Figure out what's working, what's not. Ways to optimize and continue getting a better investment Retargeting or remarketing Enables you to capitalize on the traffic you already have. 05:06 "Free Traffic" "I know we're on a podcast so you can't see what I'm doing but I've got the air quotes going because there really is no such thing as free traffic." Everything will take investment (time, energy, and resources) to create. One of the most popular types of free traffic: Content marketing (blogs, podcasts, video, infographics) Social media: A viable strategy to use with free traffic. Ensure your market is active on that social media channel Make sure you message is consistent across all channels Respect the social channel (not overly promotional) 7:07 SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Optimizing your website so it appears higher in search engine results when someone is searching for a service you offer It can take serious time and investment (for content creation) in order to claim a top spot May take a couple of months up to a year for more competitive terms. 8:21 Paid Traffic vs. Free Traffic If you have more money than time, focus on paid traffic. If you have more time than money, focus on free traffic. Include both eventually to create a steady and consistent flow of traffic to your business. Mentioned in this episode: Episode #12 - How to create a marketing funnel Episode #7 - The Power of Retargeting and Remarketing Episode #23 - SEO Tips and Tricks for 2017 Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

With more options available now more than ever, it's difficult to decide which marketing tools are going to provide the most benefit for your business in 2017. No need to play eeny, meeny, miny, moe because Adam has you covered with the top 6 digital marketing elements to include moving into 2017. Implementing these marketing tools will help you grow your business, connect with your customers, get more leads and sales, and grow your revenue and profits. Episode Discussions: 3 important elements your business website should have Why social media channels are not replacements for a business website One of the least expensive yet most effective marketing methods to date Crucial tips that maximize results using Facebook Ads The pros and pros of podcasting Keys to getting the biggest return on email marketing campaigns Common fears of podcasting addressed and debunked Why including podcasting in your marketing for 2017 is a genius move 0:50 "The only constant is change"- Heraclitus Change is inevitable. When it comes to marketing your business, you have two choices: 1) Adapt 2) Or suffer the consequences of being irrelevant Irrelevant businesses don't get calls, clicks, or sales 1. Web Design Your website is your business hub and center of your online universe -An asset you own -Controlled and brandable In 2017, your website should be: Clean - and focused on your message Responsive - needs to look good on a variety of different screen sizes (mobile phones, tablets) Beautifully designed - make sure you're sending the right message to your prospects "If it's none of the above, you don't have an asset, you have a liability." A website is worth investing in: At some point, customer will go online and see what they can learn about you, your business, and services. Test different sales messages, calls to action, and capture valuable info from your customers. "Many naive business owners mistakenly use social media in place of a website." 5:09 2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) -97% of all searches for local businesses begin online "If your business isn't appearing for relevant search terms associated with what you do or sell, you're losing money to your competitors. " 5:51 3. Social Media -Humanizes brands and businesses in a way that nothing else can. -Offers transparency and authenticity -Key: choose platforms and channels your customers are using and interact with them there -Useless to be on any social media network that your target market doesn't use *crickets chirping* -Focus on producing quality content, sharing others content, and engaging with your community. 6:46 4. Facebook Ads -Most effective form of advertising available today for 95% of businesses (cost and results) Key to maximizing results: Appreciate that Facebook is a social platform Focus on strategy more than tactics 7:48 Email Marketing Email inbox offers access to one of your customers most intimate places People check their email multiple times a day - creating multiple opportunities to get your message in front of them One of the least expensive forms of marketing available Keys to getting biggest return on email marketing campaigns: Focus on strategy Focus on delivering value 9:28 6. Podcasting Provides adopters with benefits that far outweigh its costs. Podcasting popularity is growing Grew 23% last year alone. Currently around 57 million in the US alone and growing Incredibly easy to consume: through iPhone and Android apps, direct listening on a tablet or desktop Many people prefer audio over reading or video Convenient content: can listen at the gym, commute to work, etc. Podcasting gives something no other media does: longer access and attention to your customers. Average person scrolls through social media feed in seconds Read blog posts or watch videos for a couple of minutes "The average podcast listener consumes around 4 hours and 10 minutes per week, every week. " Listens to 5 different podcasts each week Podcast creators enjoy a direct channel right to their customer's brains Like having your customer's attention for 30+ min One of the fastest and most effective ways to build a deeper connection and higher level of trust. A relatively untapped and underserved market Gain a competitive advantage by getting in before everyone else Blogging and video are competitive and crowded markets For every 1 podcast, there are 100,000 blogs and 10,000 YouTube videos. It's easy to do Common fears of podcasting: creating your own show techy parts (editing, uploading, publishing) not knowing where to start fear associated with video (being on camera) blogging (not being a good writer) With the right help, it's one of the easiest forms of content creation available. "If you can talk about your business, you can podcast. " Podcast Production Services: PodcastZen (used for the Modern Marketing Podcast) Handle every "techy" step for you: editing uploading amazing blog quality show notes eye-catching custom graphics All you do is talk and they take care

Live streaming is projected to be one of the top marketing tools available in 2017 so it's only appropriate to interview Luria Petrucci. Her company, Live Streaming Pros, helps brands and businesses start, grow, and monetize their own live streaming shows. This episode covers everything you need to know about live streaming including how you can get started as early as today to start seeing results in your business. Episode Discussions: What is live streaming? The 4 levels of live streaming and their costs 3 parts to an effective live streaming strategy Why you should do it and how to do it effectively Why Facebook Live is a powerful tool for local businesses The different live video platforms The #1 thing that will stop people from watching your videos Luria's live stream challenge for Adam 2:37 How Luria got into live streaming Curiosity about Video iPod and how it worked from a technical standpoint Was able to turn it into a business After 10 years of building a community with video and live streaming, she started focusing on live streaming due to accessibility and ease-of-use. 4:43 Addressing common fears about live streaming. "The thought of going out there and not having structure scares me a little bit."-Adam -Most people like to be well-prepared for video -Most people fear starting it and having nobody show up (interacting with a blank audience) Why they're not important to worry about: +Benefits of live streaming -Build the know, like, and trust factor with your audience. -Works for both online businesses and local businesses -When you do it right, you can increase your bottom line -Think of it as a marketing tool and an engagement effort "No other marketing can you build your current customer base and trust, create loyalty, and get people so involved and engaged with you."-Luria 7:09 Luria uses a run of show spreadsheet to prepare for streams. Zero viewers can happen at first but you can repurpose the content: Run ads to it Post it on your blog Post it as a podcast 08:53 Works well for local business -Tap into the power of Facebook Live -People love to be proud of the city they live in You're delivering value and getting engagement at the same time and it's a beautiful combination that really works." -Luria 11:10 Luria's 3-part live video strategy: Consistency: Builds trust - allows your viewers to put it on their calendar Randomness: Going live randomly brings in the human element Repurposing: Repurpose the content 14:01 What is live streaming? At it's basic level, the ability to go live and have a real-time video conversation with whoever wants to watch. Various platforms: Facebook Periscope YouTube Live (mobile capability coming soon) Instagram 17:33 Cost, how and where to get started live streaming: 4 levels of live streaming to help determine what to start with: Going live from your phone Add gear to your phone: wide angle lens, microphone, kits Going live from your desktop computer: webcam or external camera Going live from a dedicated machine: Professional TV quality stream "People are using whatever level, you just have to make sure you have the right strategies behind it and that you're offering tremendous value, being human, connecting, and have a call-to-action in your video". - Luria 24:46 Calls to Action "Live video provides a beautiful way to do a call to action without feeling like you're selling or pitching anything because what it is at its core is a conversation." -Provide value and focus on giving and helping people succeed -Use CTA as a natural opportunity to further help them 28:06 Luria challenges Adam Will Adam launch his first live stream in January? To be continued… Mentioned in this episode Live Streaming Pros Website To determine where you fit in as a live streamer, take the Live Streaming Pros quiz Live Streaming Pros Facebook Page (Live every weekday at 10am PST) Modern Marketing all-star guest AJ Rivera Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

With more than 97% of people beginning their search for a local business online, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) continues to be one of the most effective forms of marketing available today for local businesses. Because it registers as one of the more complex and technical marketing tactics, it often leads to the confusion and dismissal of the opportunity entirely. Don't let your eyes glaze over just yet. This episode breaks down valuable and easy-to-implement SEO tactics so you can start benefiting from a business boost that only high search engine rankings can deliver. Episode Discussions: How to optimize for the user experience Keyword placement Latent Symantec Indexing Importance of making shareable content How to build links 01:52 Adam's experience with SEO -Over the last 5 years, SEO has been the primary driver of traffic and business for Adam's digital marketing agency, Siren Consulting Firm -Roughly 60% of all revenue and business gained was from an online search -Adam's marketing consulting business, AdamErhart.com, uses referrals, content marketing, and paid traffic. -They're different business models which mean different traffic sources. 02:54 Insight into search engines - Google, Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo -All have algorhythms: the math behind how they calculate the rankings "Search engines tell no lies. The evidence for who's ranking well is clearly put there right on the 1st page". -Through studies and case studies, we're able to deduce what type of strategies and tactics we need to apply 3:49 Start applying these tactics today to immediately get an SEO boost in your business. +Optimize for the user experience: no keyword stuffing, no unnatural looking linking. - Ensure there's sufficient content on your website -Make sure it's clean, organized, easy to navigate, and mobile-friendly! -over half of all web browsing is done from something other than a desktop computer 5:00 Using Keywords One way search engines decide what websites are going to appear for certain search terms -Type, number, and placement on your website -Ensure adequate coverage of terms (proper keyword density) -Don't overdo it (keyword stuffing) Key places for keywords: The URL The titles (H1's need the primary keyword) Body copy (rich and helpful content) Page descriptions Images 8:13 The balance: using the right keywords for your business and respecting the user experience by not keyword stuffing. +Latent Symantec Indexing (LSI) LSI is a mathematical method used to determine the relationship between terms and concepts in content.- Search Engine Journal "Basically, LSI is fancy talk for synonyms or similar words". -Adam +Use similar terms that are relevant. -Example: Ranking for a keyword like "car" - use "auto, vehicle, truck, transportation, driver" +Keep it natural and conversational -Adds to search engine crawl and user experience. 9:14 Make it shareable. +Step outside of your website. -Search engines get proof through quality and number of links that point back to your website. -Long-term strategy to acquire high-quality links is through an SEO-focused content marketing strategy 9:46 Basics of an SEO Content Marketing Strategy -Create good content -Put it on your website -Build links to it Methods and suggestions to ensure you're creating shareable or linkable content: +Create different types of content on your website -video: future of internet content -infographics: visual and fun-to-share format -images: have at least 1 high-quality image every page Cliché yet totally appropriate takeaway: Quality is far more important than quantity. 11:37 How to start getting links +Manual outreach: Link to someone else and let them know you did it +Paid traffic: advertising using paid traffic -Facebook ads-- cost-effective, allow detailed targeting, and use retargeting pixel. (Listen to episode #7 on retargeting and remarketing!) +Social media: videos and infographics work well. "If you're going to be spending any considerable amount of time on social media, make sure you're using a platform that your customers actually use." +SEO: Consistently creating high-quality and shareable content -use the right keywords in the right places -keep end user in mind +Go for more specific topics -Less competitive -Use long-tail keywords Example: Rather than ranking for "SEO", try "SEO tips and tricks". Mentioned in this episode: Modern Marketing Podcast episode #7- "The Power of Retargeting and Remarketing" Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Joel Erway is a real deal webinar coach and expert. He helps craft webinars, sales pitches, and designs programs that get conversions. It's no wonder why he's the go-to consultant for many of the top performing webinars. Whether you're a webinar skeptic or believer, or just need your curiosity satisfied, this episode gives an in-depth look at how and why this genius marketing tool delivers tremendous value to any business. Episode Discussions: Why simplicity is best How too many details can actually hurt your conversions Why webinars are one of the best ways to rapid test your offers The "trifecta" of a webinar How to avoid triggering objections in your audience The non-sexiest acronym for a sales method (but very effective!) Examples of "how to hook" in webinars Joel's #1 rule in sales Why you should only talk about results Thumbs up or down: How to test your webinar offers 2:34 What got you to this point and what do you do? The rundown on Joel's background. -Why he decided to specialize in webinars -2008 graduated college as mechanical engineer -Got into sales engineering -Went from zero to 2 million dollars in sales per year in 4 years -Majority of growth happened within last 1.5 years-2 years 4:50 How it all began. -Company gave canned sales presentations to engineers aka "Boring technical presentations" -Studied and implemented own sales style into presentations -Saw immediate impact on sales -Sales and commission began "exploding" -Quit and ventured into online business. Joined masterminds and created engineering career development course 6:48 -Taught people how to do interviews – naturally attracted unemployed audience, making it difficult to profit. -Spent 5 figures on venture and ran out of money Marketing Takeaway "Pick the segment of your audience that is willing and that is able. You've gotta find the people with the money". -Adam -Joel's revised sales presentation increased sales by 1400% 9:50 Capping limitations on a webinar "You could sell anything at any price on a webinar within reason. I believe you can sell $25,000 offers from a webinar."-Joel -A webinar is just a conversion mechanism -Give a good warm-up sequence -Your limitation on price point has to be associated with how warm they are before they get on the webinar 10:52 The phases and outline of a webinar: Tips to implement into your business -Strictly cold traffic: simplicity works -Surveys -Send "about me" video (no more than 2-3 min long) -Send follow-up emails -After the webinar: "litter" with testimonials. They are the most impactful at getting sales after the webinar. 13:37 How do you convert audiences on the webinar? The Webinar process and the almighty conversion. 3 sections to a webinar: introduction, content, and sales pitch ARE Webinar Sales Method: establish authority, attraction, and awareness of a common problem that you're there to solve. "You have to tell them that life is awesome here because ultimately what we're trying to get them is some sort of transformation"-Joel -Acknowledge the gap and make it as big a possible: where they're at is the beginning and where you are is at the top. A: authority, awareness, attraction R: relationship and rapport building content - an existing belief they have about the topic and how you crush the belief E: exchange - pre-frame hook at the beginning of the webinar. -Go through top level overview of the result they're going to get when they go through with the offer -Address the biggest objections and why the reasoning won't work for them -Tell stories: use testimonials or stories that resonate with their position 20:23 Joel's #1 rule in sales and the launch of Convert Pro. - Only talk about the results. -Launching a membership program called "Convert Pro" that helps people craft presentations in 45 minutes or less. Joel's key takeaway point: "If people don't believe you and your offer isn't compelling, you'll never monetize your list."-Joel How to contact Joel com Facebook LinkedIn Mentioned in this episode: Ted Talk: "The Secret Structure of Great Talks" -Nancy Duarte Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Getting started with affiliate marketing isn't complicated and in this episode, Adam explains just how easy and beneficial it can be to your business, regardless of industry or market. Episode Discussions: What affiliate marketing is and why it's important How big of an industry is it? The appeal of affiliate marketing The use of affiliate marketing in your business How to get involved (1:29) The draw of affiliate marketing: Involves someone other than you creating something and paying you a commission to sell to someone else Passive income generated without the need to create any additional products or services or offers Income can be generated around the clock (2:11) Who's involved? The Producer Initially ends up creating the product or service you're going to be selling. Has done much of the work The Marketer (you) Markets and sells product to end consumer The producer pays you a commission. The more you sell, the more you make Runs with very little additional time, energy or effort. The Consumer - The last person involved in the transaction and who ends up ultimately buying what you're selling. (4:15) Affiliate marketing is mainstream. Businesses pay others to do their marketing for them and split the profits with them Useful monetization strategy for your business Accessible to anyone Affiliate marketing industry is massive and anticipated to grow to over $6.8 billion over the next 5 years (5:12) How to get involved in affiliate marketing Where many internet marketers got their start Many companies have an application process to screen and qualify some of their affiliates Portray yourself as a professional Have website, active social media channels, headshots, testimonials, email lists, track record of affiliate success (if possible) Small affiliate partners exist who let you try selling their product Enables experience and testing out of industry (6:33) Purchase their product Apply it and get results, inform business you'd like to share their product with the world Demonstrates familiarity and understanding of product to help promote and sell effectively and ethically. (7:14) Takeaway: Affiliate marketing is selling someone else's stuff for a commission. To find an affiliate offer, use a search engine: Type in your industry or market and the word "affiliate". Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

AJ Rivera is a Fitness Business Mentor helping Personal Trainers and studio owners scale their income and impact. In this episode, AJ joins Adam in providing marketing tactics, tips, and tools that are sure to benefit your business, regardless of industry or market. Episode Discussions: Simple email autoresponders How to craft an offer Direct response marketing How you should always sell ethically Importance of having higher ticket and higher prices to build your business The issue with word-of-mouth marketing 1:36 AJ's Start -Rented out children's dance facility -Gym owner -Began helping other fitness professionals +"Field of Dreams Syndrome" and "Hope Marketing" 5:07 AJ's advice for all entrepreneurs: -Be confident in what you're selling. -Know it's a good quality product -Turn every bad thing into a good thing "Done is better than perfect." -Dave Rogenmoser 6:28 Word-of-mouth marketing -Word-of-mouth marketing isn't a marketing plan -Counting on other people to bring you business -People don't design their business for the right amount of shareability 8:15 Mistakes, Lessons, and Systems +The use of "Daily Deals" +AJ's marketing funnel - Have a system for lead acquisition -"6 Week Fitness Challenge" – created a true marketing campaign -Upselling customers -Email autoresponders "Online tools work as well or better for offline business simply because their competitors aren't' doing it."-Adam 14:20 Coaching, consulting & selling +Used collective advice from mentors. "I remember how impactful the mentors in my life had been. It changed my whole life. I'm not here right now if it's not for them." -AJ +Enjoyed development from the business side of fitness. +Tools: -Have a simple email system and offering -Get familiar with direct response marketing -Learn how to sell ethically 18:24 +The correlation between higher prices and happier customers (see episode 14) +Not only do you attract better customers but they get better results. 20:07 How to position yourself to raise prices "You need to sell a program you would be happy your mom bought." -AJ 23:04 The future of marketing for fitness pros and business owners -The shift to higher end programs -Audience building and brand awareness -Offering true value -The use of Facebook Live "Everyone is obsessed with leads and sales...you need to build your audience, awareness, and authority"-AJ If you have a fitness business and are looking to take it to the next level, connect with AJ: Facebook (best way) AJ-Rivera.com YouTube Mentioned in this episode: The Power of Pricing – How Higher Prices Lead to Happier Customers – Episode #14 com Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Could not having a marketing funnel be holding back the success of your business? Also known as the Elevation Marketing Process, an effective sales funnel helps generate leads, convert leads into customers and turn customers into brand evangelists. By going through this simple exercise, your business has nothing to do but improve. Adam explains the true power behind funnels and what makes them effective. Episode discussions: How to apply a simple funnel to your business How to pinpoint the weakness in your funnel A detailed look into the Modern Marketing Funnel (infographic) The steps taken to turn customers into brand evangelists (1:15) What is a marketing funnel? -Interchangeable with "sales funnel", "conversion", or just "funnel" -A system that allows you to track the customer journey from having no idea who you are through to becoming a lifelong and loyal customer. -Uncovers any areas that may be causing issues with the customer journey (2:35) A funnel provides a graphical representation of something otherwise hard to visualize Follow customers and better identify: -Where they're interacting - How you can improve engagements with customers (3:12) Create your own marketing funnel Modern Marketing Funnel: Traffic: Identify where your leads are coming from Conversion: Get them to take action (micro-commitment) Ascension: Nurture the leads by providing helpful and valuable information Elevation: Follow-up with recent buyers. Solidify your business as one that cares. (6:42) The power of the funnel Identify where the problems are and where the opportunity is to improve and optimize your funnel. Traffic: Not getting enough leads Conversion: Not interested in what you're doing Ascension: Customers who are interested but not buying Elevation: Customers who buy but don't tell anyone "There's no hiding a flawed strategy or justifying a bad campaign. It just is what it is and that is the power of the funnel" (8:39) Takeaway: If you don't have a marketing funnel yet, now is the time to draw it out. Get steps out on paper so you can find areas that could be optimized to greatly improve your business. If you do have a funnel, use the elevation marketing process. Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

There are many situations where getting things done quickly can equal productivity and efficiency. Marketing, however, isn't one of them. Although the prospect of achieving fast results can be tempting, shortcuts don't usually come without a price. In this episode, Adam explains potential penalties of placing your marketing strategy on that glass turntable and pressing "start". Episode Discussions: 3 costly dangers of microwave marketing Shiny Object Syndrome – look away! How much time to give your marketing strategy Avoid "Killing the Goose" The origin of the microwave marketing moniker So, long-term or short-term marketing? [1:53] What is microwave marketing? -Short-term nearsighted strategy to market a business. -Doesn't take into consideration the way consumers like to engage with businesses [2:24] The Dangers of Microwave Marketing Switching from one thing to another too often and too quickly. -Make strategic decisions that are based on customers, biz and plans for future. -Stick with them and give them time to get traction [3:38] Expecting immediate results -The origin of the "microwave marketing" moniker -It takes time for content to build up and become searchable [5:36] Comes at the expense of long-term results -No brand awareness or name recognition in industry -Not seen as authority [6:47] Solution: Find balance between long and short term marketing. Takeaway: "Find a mix of microwave marketing and 'slow cooker' marketing. Focus on providing more and more value to your customers. If you keep that at the core of your marketing, can't go too wrong." Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

A lot of cynicism exists when it comes to the effectiveness of social media marketing but now that it's been around long enough, there's really no denying it's powerful impact. Facts, case studies, and statistics show social media is being used by a substantial portion of the population. From a business standpoint, it only makes sense to go where the people are. After listening to this episode, you'll have reason enough to make social media a key part of your marketing moving into the new year. Episode discussions: How to use content calendars Useful social media planning tools When to use social media Is social media really for everyone? Why not using social media sends a negative message to your customers Humanizing your company Adam breaks down the "who, what, where, when, how, and why's" of social media marketing. (2:10) Who: -Regardless of what business or industry you're in, there's a social media platform that was all but designed for you and your business -There exists a platform that will help: grow your business, connect with customers and generate more leads. -Social Media is for everyone. -Not using is basically essentially showing your business isn't current, relevant or relatable to your customers. (3:23) What: Which one should you use? -Comes down to customers. What platforms do they use? -Find out where your customers are and dedicate making that social media platform a key part of your business. (4:35) Where should you use social media in your business? -Use it everywhere in your business -Tell your brand story -Showcase products and services -Highlight and spotlight customers -Give a behind-the-scenes look at how your company works (hint: it humanizes your brand and shows you're a real company) (5:33) When should you use social media? -Use it regularly and consistently -Create a content calendar (7:05) Why do you want to use social media? "It'll help your business today but also protect your business tomorrow" -1/3 of Millennials say that social media is their preferred way of communicating with a business -It's everywhere! -If you ignore it, you're sending a negative message to your customers -Find a way to incorporate social media into your business! (7:58) How is the best way to use social media to better attract, connect, and nurture relationships with customers? -Be authentic and engaged -Find what aligns with your brand or business and customers -Show up – stay active and engaged -Post valuable content -Respond to comments and shares as they come up "You can absolutely start small but you need to start today" (9:50) Show recap Mentioned in this episode: Hootsuite Sprout Social Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Dave Rogenmoser is an entrepreneur and digital marketer who has helped successfully build and grow profitable businesses. He's made a positive impact on the world of entrepreneurial education through his group and program, The Entrepreneur Alliance. Listen in on Dave's story as he shares experiences from his humorous kickoff into entrepreneurialism to the costly overlook that resulted in his biggest business fail. Please advise: This interview contains extremely valuable information and has been formatted to benefit, educate, and entertain its audience. Episode Discussions: The importance of a minimum viable product The key to having a centralized hub The importance of always leading with value How meaty content benefits your website How effective Facebook Ads have been to Dave's business 01:47 Interview intro -Founder of Pivot & scale -Webinar Bootcamp -Payfunnels 02:47 Dave's start into the entrepreneurial and marketing journey. - Started "Eiffel Tower Beer Sales" at the age of 6 -Inspired by: "Rich Dad Poor Dad", "The Four-Hour Work Week", "Think and Grow Rich" -Launched Fraternity recruitment software 05:32 Mindshift in Marketing : - Mylittlebowbox.com took 6 days from idea to launch -22 sales from Facebook Ads +Adam and Dave discuss: 1."Ready Fire Aim" mentality The miracle that is Facebook Ads 07:49 How effective Facebook Ads have been to Dave's clients and business +The importance of selling +Having one channel you're good at +Getting the right ad in front of the right person/stranger… "Facebook is better than anybody else in the world like that" 09:51 Marketing lessons learned over the years -Figure out your minimum viable product is -Focus on converting cold traffic with a profitable converting funnel -The process for The Entrepreneur Alliance: -Lead with value using story (delays sale slightly but increases profitability) -The concept of reciprocity and why it works 16:10 Building meaty and legit content for website articles -"Generating leads for us even if the traffic turns off" -Skyscraper technique 18:28 Biggest Failures, "Growing Broke", and cash flow -Dave's experience with webinar funnel course "6k success" -Adam's rapid expansion with his business 21:20 "There's a difference between learning how to make money and learning how to build a business" - Dave Rogenmoser 22:17 Final thoughts and takeaways: "If you're yourself and authentic, it works so much better. When I started being more authentic, the right people were really attracted to that." "As a marketer, be yourself, take some risks. Be passionate about what you're passionate about and the right people will come to you." Mentioned in this episode: The Entrepreneur Alliance Pivot & scale Webinar Bootcamp Payfunnels "Pre-Suasion" - Robert Chaldini - "Rich Dad Poor Dad" - Robert Kiyosaki "The Four-Hour Work Week" - Timothy Ferriss "Think and Grow Rich" – Napoleon Hill Backlinko Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Simple observation and clear evidence tell a story of a slow and steady evolution that marketing has undergone over the last decade. Generally, businesses that have incorporated these evolved concepts into their marketing strategy have found them to be profitable… yet there are still many who haven't fully embraced these changes. In this episode, Adam goes over quick and simple strategies to help you leverage the new way of marketing in your business and start seeing results as early as later today. Episode Discussions: The outdated and ineffective approaches to marketing Why and how business flaws can benefit you The key to being a winner in a crowded marketplace The needs your free content should be fulfilling The advantages of paid advertising The worst marketing mistake in a consumer-powered world Just how much free content you should be providing [02:35] How Marketing has Changed +Attention spans are shorter than ever (below a goldfish!) +Consumers have more choice available than ever before - a result of a global economy. +Massive shift in consumer media consumption: traditional to online and digital Up over 100% over the last few years +More cynical attitude toward big business Increasing preference for "humanized" brands and companies over faceless corporations. Power is shifting away from business and into consumer hands. [07:02] With the consumer holding more power, forgetting about customer acquisition path is the worst marketing mistake… +If you neglect the relationship you're trying to build with your customers and focus on your end goal, you won't win long-term. Be a customer-centric business. [07:34] "Businesses win not when they're understood by their consumers, but when their customers feel understood by them." - Nicholas Kusmich Those who focus on simplicity, providing value, and helping your customers always win. [08:42] 4 Step System - The Super Simple Know, Like, and Trust Funnel Create valuable free content and put it on your website: +Educates, informs, or entertains Send targeted traffic to the content using paid advertising +Measurable, trackable, scalable Use retargeting to keep track of customers who engaged with your free content Send a follow-up message to those who viewed your first piece of content The higher the price of your product, the more free and valuable content you want to send prior to making a sales offer. +This establishes you as an authority and value provider in your field +Leverages trigger of reciprocity [12:56] Recap Mentioned in this episode: Nicholas Kusmich - website Episode #7 – The Power of Retargeting and Remarketing Episode #2 – Free Customer Market Research (Relevance: customer avatar) Facebeook Ads Google Adwords Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

Too much? Not enough? Just right? Some would favor having a few molars pulled over having to think about what price to put on the tags of their service or product. Pricing is a topic worthy of controversial chatter and has the tendency to spark some serious debate. Adam breaks down pricing strategies, practices his Latin, and explains why you should put the brakes on pricing too low. Episode discussion: 3 different strategies to pricing The benefits of value-based pricing Adam's Latin: Ceteris Paribus Why focusing on undercutting competition is a race to the bottom The world's worst competitive advantage What kind of story your pricing is telling your customers [02:07] 3 Different Ways to Price Products/Services Cost-based: prices based on how much it costs Competition-based: prices based on competition [02:55] The major problem with competition-based pricing [03:37] Value-based: assigns a number to the value you're providing -Effectively articulate the value your service is providing -Focus on the benefits and end results and not just the features of the product 04:56 Ceteris Paribus: When everything else is equal... the defining consumer buying decision will be price. -The solution is to not let everything else be equal [06:05] Never let price be your businesses primary competitive advantage! -Destroys your margins -Destroys ability to properly service your customers "When you start to destroy your prices, you automatically end up having to sell more just to get to where you were before" [07:26] What your pricing strategy is conveying to your customers Higher pricing sends a message of higher quality If you're not charging enough, you won't be able to reinvest back into the business or give customers the level of service you want to deliver. Higher prices tend to attract higher quality customers Those who are focused and appreciate the value you're providing. [09:50] Takeaway: Focus on providing value, find some point of marketing differentiation, don't focus on competing on price. Mentioned in this episode: -Modern Marketing episode #4 –Marketing Differentiation Contact Adam: [email protected] Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts

No one is responding to your email marketing campaign. Nothing you do is leading to more sales. Your content strategy isn't providing any return on investment. Whatever the marketing fail, there's almost always a clear and evident solution. Episode discussions: Who's most likely to fall victim to an ineffective marketing strategy The most important question to ask when it comes to all of your marketing When it would be wise to get an outside opinion about your strategy Why your marketing might be failing and what to do about it (02:20) Go back to the basics. -Strategy is always the foundation and most important fundamental element in running a successful marketing campaign. (02:57) The importance of strategy: questions to ask yourself Where are your customers? -Most marketing failures stem from misalignment -Identify your ideal customer and ensure what you're offering resonates with your customers (04:15) Why are you doing what you're doing? Why are you using the strategy you're using right now? -Was it based on solid facts about your business, message, and customers? -Generational businesses are more likely to fall victim to ineffective marketing strategies (05:35) Stop – Drop - and Focus STOP Did you give it enough time? Did you give it enough attention and resources? -There is a point you need to reach for something to be effective. Commit to your marketing in order to get it to work. (07:55) DROP Are some of your campaigns clearly performing better than others? -Drop the losers and scale the winners. Reallocate more budget toward the winners. Get rid of anything that isn't working and that you can't justify or remember the strategy behind why you're using it. (09:36) The most important question you should ask when it comes to all of your marketing is "why?" -Marketing needs to be accountable if you want to grow your business. -Listen to episode 9 for more of an in-depth look at analytics and measuring your business! 09:53 FOCUS Double down on the 1 or 2 strategies that are most aligned with your business -Work on maximizing those strategies before moving on. -Get a second/outside opinion. We're often blinded when we're in the trenches of our own business. Listen to a high-level overview of how to better communicate your message in Episode # 6 "Secrets to an Effective Online Marketing Strategy". 11:43 Show recap

The 3 Key Ingredients to Creating Sales on Demand Many types of marketing funnels exist but have the same underlying premise which is taking someone who has no idea who you are and turning them into a customer. With so many different funnels available, it's difficult knowing where to begin… until this episode of the Modern Marketing podcast. Episode discussions: Dealing with "cold audiences" The Modern Marketing Funnel Tips on website conversion rate optimization Ascending traffic up the value chain How the Squint Test can save you from losing customers Recommended Email autoresponders [1:33] Customers get labeled by their temperature -A prospect that doesn't know you exist is a "cold lead" -Once they know about you, they become a "warm lead" -When money is exchanged for your product/service: "hot lead" There are many different marketing funnels available: AIDA Model: -Awareness -Interest -Desire -Action Purchase Funnel Model: -Awareness -Opinion -Consideration -Preference -Purchase Modern Marketing Funnel: -Traffic -Conversion -Ascension [02:33] The Modern Marketing Funnel: 3 Key Ingredients Traffic: Get them to your content Methods: SEO, Facebook ads, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising [04:26] Conversion: get them to take action Increase number of leads and customers with basic website conversion rate optimization: +Easy to use and navigate: [06:04]- does your website pass the "Squint Test"? -clear calls to action -above the fold -designed or optimized for mobile viewing +Landing pages +Lead magnet: valuable content in exchange for contact details [09:14] Ascension: turn warm leads into "hot leads" +Use retargeting (take a refresher course on retargeting in episode 7 ) +Stay top-of-mind with customers +Email auto-responder sequences: Email is one of the most cost-effective and highest converting tools available [11:48] Options for Email Autoresponders -Mailchimp -Aweber -Drip (MM recommended) [12:43] Show recap Mentioned in this episode: Mailchimp Aweber Drip Which aspect of the funnel would you like to learn more about? Email me: [email protected] and I'll be sure to discuss that topic in a future episode! Click here to Subscribe via iTunes Click here to Subscribe via Soundcloud Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts Tags: #modernmarketingpodcast #modernmarketingfunnel #websiteconversionrateoptimization #howtocreateamarketingfunnel