Marketing School | Digital Marketing | Online Marketing

In episode #596, Eric and Neil explain how you can convert leads into customers. Tune in to hear what steps you can take to increase your sales revenue. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: How to Convert Leads into Customers [00:34] Eric and Neil both get leads from their website, but only convert about 5% into customers. [00:52] Converting comes down to nurturing, because you have to coax people into being ready to buy. [01:05] If 5% of your leads are qualified, you could follow up in various ways, but it could take a long time. [01:48] Eric’s company sends an introductory email. [02:02] He has also created a great channel via the Growth Everywhere podcast. [02:29] Nurture people with content over and over. [02:39] Most of your site visitors and leads will buy right away, but many will be hard to convert over time. [03:03] Real-person engagement helps convert people who aren’t sure. [03:14] This means attending conferences, hosting live events, Facebook Live Q&A’s, etc. [03:40] When

In episode #595, Eric and Neil discuss the best ways to engage people on social media. Tune in to hear what you could be doing differently. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: How to Engage with Your Social Media Fans When They Keep Ignoring You [00:36] Facebook recently tweaked their algorithm, which means you will probably have to pay more for paid ads. [00:56] Even if you do it wrong, you will get more engagement. [01:15] Neil used to only do text-based articles, but he found that videos gives him more reach and engagement. [01:41] Create more than one type of engagement. [02:27] Offer a giveaway that encourages referrals in order to participate. [03:01] Video is the content that currently drives the most engagement. [03:20] Eric and Neil were called out on their Facebook page for not engaging their followers and just leaving the page to operate on its own. [03:36] Ultimately, the person who called them out was right. [03:52] If you see people asking industry-related questions on s

In episode #594, Eric and Neil count the 7 unique marketing systems that always work. Tune in to hear what steps you should be taking to increase your revenue. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: 7 Unique Marketing Systems that Work [00:36] #1: Neil likes doing three meetings each week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). [00:49] Every Monday, they split up into teams of three and brainstorm ways to further the business. On Wednesday, they implement those ideas, and on Friday they discuss the results. [01:18] #2: At Eric’s company, they have an “innovation meeting” twice a month. [01:25] They do it over lunch in a conference room and they discuss movements in the industry. Everyone must participate and share. [02:10] #3: Create a team and a system to make your content more popular. [02:19] In Neil’s company, they have a team that specializes in improving previous content. [02:54] #4: Refer to Traction: The Entrepreneur’s Operating System. [03:14] Eric’s team has this type of meeting every Mond

In episode #593, Eric and Neil debate whether you need to spend money on a nice office. Tune in to hear the reasons you may need a great office space. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: Is it Worth it Spending Money on a Nice Office? [00:51] In a collaborative environment, it’s good to have everyone in the same space. [01:14] Eric pays about $11,000 for three sections in co-working spaces. [01:35] Now, they’re moving into their own dedicated space. [01:49] Offices are good for recruiting, it’s a great space to bring clients into, and it’s nice to have a home base. [02:13] If you are looking to build a culture, you need to have your own dedicated space. [02:27] A crappy space creates a crappy feeling. [02:45]However, Neil thinks it’s a waste of money to have a nice office, even though offices do serve an important purpose. [03:10] He would rather save money on the office and spend it on food or other community-related activities and things that build culture. [04:07] Nice offices are

In episode #592, Eric and Neil discuss what you should do with your profits. Tune in to hear in what you should be investing. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: You Made a Bunch of Money. Now What? [00:45] If you make six figures, pay your expenses and live a minimalist lifestyle. [01:05] Put all your money back into your business. [01:28] Ray Dalio’s book has been helpful for determining what to do with your money. [01:54] Ray is a hedge fund manager; his book discusses the benefits and diversifying. [02:18] Warren Buffett typically makes ten to twenty investments at a time. [02:37] Invest back in yourself! [02:50] Invest back into your business! [03:22] Neil would take his profits and invest in more businesses. [03:40] He lost a lot of money this way. Focus on your core business. [03:44] Neil spoke with Brian Lee, head of Shoe Dazzle and Legal Zoom. He told Neil to have laser-sharp focus on his core business. [04:14] Only consider expanding when your core business has leveled of

In episode #591, Eric and Neil discuss the secret to engaging your customers in order to produce greater revenue. Tune in to hear the main thing you can do to generate sales. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: The Little Known Secret to Generating More Revenue From Every Customer [00:54] When you first sign up with Intercom, they have a great on-boarding email. [01:35] On-boarding is the biggest lever you can pull to generate more revenue. [01:53] When you buy a meal at McDonalds, they are always upselling (Fries? Super size?) [02:22] Upsell or downsell when people are checking out. [03:12] The upsell could be a software that does the work for you. [03:32] Your solution should be both speed and automation. [03:49] Dotcom Secrets is a great book about upselling and on-boarding. [04:05] Eric recommends Appcues, a cheaper option, or Intercom, which is known for their chat feature. [04:34] On-boarding isn’t just the first week, it’s about keeping customers engaged. [05:03] Customers who

In episode #590, Eric and Neil talk about delivering a remarkable customer service experience. Tune in to find out what it takes to create amazing experiences for your customers. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: The Secret to Delivering a Remarkable Customer Experience [00:35] If you really want to create amazing experiences that your customers love, you have to care about them. [01:00] Zappos goes above and beyond to delight their customers (fast shipping and easy returns). [01:45] Amazon bought Zappos some time ago and they are also a customer-focused company. [02:20] When Eric was in Japan, he stayed at the Prince Gallery and he found the customer service aspects remarkable. [02:36] He felt special and even minor details were attended to. [03:00] Think about creating remarkable experiences. [03:05] The Ritz Carlton does training in terms of customer experience and service; you can send your team there (for an expense), but they will learn a great deal. [03:30] Neil stayed in the

In episode #589, Eric and Neil explain why you should hire developers to work as marketers. Tune in to hear why developers are so good at marketing. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: Why You Should Hire Developers as Marketers [00:35] Neil think developers are really good at understanding data and making changes. [00:54] They are amazing marketers because they are creative, make changes, and run tests without relying too heavily on others. [01:04] Marketers on the other hand, may have good ideas, but have to figure out how to get them implemented by someone else. [01:26] During Eric’s time at Treehouse, the CTO was a developer who would help him get things done. [01:36] The CTO didn’t know marketing, but learned as he went. [01:52] Engineers/Developers are self-motivated. [02:27] What Neil loves, is that they believe in the “quick and dirty” approach. [02:53] The one danger in hiring developers as marketers, is that they will sometimes run a lot of bad tests and you will lose revenue

In episode #588, Eric and Neil discuss marketing tools that can help you grow your business. Tune in to hear which tools Eric and Neil swear by. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: 7 Unusual Marketing Tools That'll Help You Grow [00:37] Tool #1: Frame.io is a cool tool that allows you to leave feedback on videos to help push them through the creation process. [01:17] Tool #2: Zapier helps automate a lot of your marketing apps. It can connect with HubSpot or Drip. [01:50] Your marketing team doesn’t have to create systems to organize their output, because Zapier does it for you. [02:00] Tool #3: TubeBuddy allows you to AB test different thumbnails, schedule things ahead of time, and see which tags are viable for your YouTube videos. [02:15] It can also show you how other channels are doing in comparison to yours. [02:27] Tool #4: Full Story allows you to do user recordings “on steroids”. [03:00] Tool #5: Front is a collaborative email inbox. [03:15] You can assign emails to other people

In episode #587, Eric and Neil tell you what to put in the very first email you send to customers. Tune in to hear why on-boarding is so vital to your success. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: Here's the Very First Email that You Should Send to Customers [00:35] Send an email that helps them throughout their journey and experience. [00:47] Setting them up properly will give customers a positive experience and makes them more likely to remain satisfied customers. [01:24] Getting people on-boarded the right way is key. [02:10] On-boarding is one of the most important levers you can pull and can translate to long-term growth. [02:30] Intercom’s initial email explains how everything works and how you can get started. [02:49] Pat Flynn will send an email introducing himself and uses the tags in Convert Kit. [03:20] Neil’s Co-Founder did a test with About.me and he was able to get their revenue to increase 40 or 50%, just by creating a nice “getting started flow”. [03:52] Make sure to inc

In episode #586, Eric and Neil explain how you can get rich people to part with their money. Tune in to hear how you can convince rich people to invest or become clients themselves. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: How to Get Money out of Rich People [00:43] Eric has gotten money from people by networking and then identifying what their companies’ challenges were and coming up with solutions. [01:04] He waited a few months to hit these people up for money. [01:30] Get to know people before you ask for money! [01:50] Give help, show your value, and offer something. [02:15] Always ask what challenges they are facing, which is a great conversation starter. [02:45] Have multiple touchpoints and remain top-of-mind. [03:20] Nextiva was founded by the guys who created Endurance International and iPowerWeb. [03:40] Eric didn’t pitch the Nextiva founder; the founder reached out to get Eric speak at a conference. [04:00] Eric went because he saw Steve Wozniak would be speaking at this confer

 In episode #585, Eric and Neil give you seven simple hacks that will increase your business. Tune in to hear how you can improve your ROI. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: 7 Age-Old Sales Hacks that Still Work Today [00:38] Hack #1:  Build a dream 100 (a list of clients you want to go after). [01:00] You can even build a dream 25, if that seems like a more attainable or realistic goal. [01:05] Hack #2: When trying to close a deal with a Fortune 100 company, send an email to the CEO that points out some weaknesses and solutions. [02:23] Hack #3: “The fortune is in the follow-up” -John Maxwell [02:42] If you follow up with the right people a couple of times, you will eventually receive a response. [03:10] Hack #4: Give before you ask. [03:20] Solve problems and educate people and they will be likely to become a paying customer. [03:50] Hack #5: Do something that stands out. [04:02] Some people bring a bottle of champagne or order tacos for the whole office, which will be sure to ma

In episode #584, Eric and Neil explain why spending lavishly on business expenses is worth it. Tune in to hear what you should be spending your money on! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic:  Lavish Business Costs that Are Actually Worth It [00:38] Masterminds, which can cost $20,000/year, allow you to build great relationships with high caliber people. [01:22] If you have extra money, fly Business or First Class, because you can meet really interesting people who are valuable to network with. [02:35] Attend and speak at conferences. [02:49] “Brain Dates” at conferences allow you to speak to people you normally wouldn’t have the chance to speak with. [03:20] Even though they are expensive, it’s worth the splurge for the networking. [03:34] Spend a lot of money on your team. [03:45] Richard Branson told Neil, “You don’t build a big company without the team; it’s the team that makes the company. Don’t forget to take care of your team members.” [03:58] Gifts, bonuses, and perks like free l

In episode #583, Eric and Neil explain how you can boost your conversion rate by accepting bitcoin as a payment option. Tune in to hear if your business can handle a shift towards cryptocurrency payments. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: How to Boost Your Conversion Rate by Offering Bitcoin as a Payment Option [00:45] On average, bitcoin has a daily fluctuation rate of 5%. [01:15] There are a lot of people who use bitcoin, so even though most people don’t, you could open up your business if you offer bitcoin as a payment option. [01:40] You will lose money in the short-term, but in the long run, you will make more. [02:06] Eric spent the most marketing dollars on Coinmarketcap.com and they only accepted cryptocurrency as payment. [02:28] Bitcoin has gone up in price, meaning that Coinmarketcap.com made money just by hanging on to it. [03:05] Stripe recently removed bitcoin as a payment option, because they didn’t think it was practical. [03:20] However, bitcoin is still popular. [03

In episode #582, Eric and Neil explain why you shouldn’t be too patient. Tune in to hear why patience in the short-term will kill your business. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: The Fact That You're Not Growing Fast Enough Because of 1 Thing - You're Too Patient [00:36] The moment you’re too satisfied, someone is going to come around and beat you at your own game. [00:56] The moment you’re patient in marketing, means you have decided to remain complacent. [01:15] Consider your business a fight to the death. [01:40] There are two things to consider: short-term, there needs to be urgency; long term, it’s important to be patient with some aspects of your job. [02:20] Business takes time, but in the short-term experiment! [02:40] Neil always says, “what else could we do to get better results right away?” [03:11] Push forward and look for new ways to grow. [03:30] Do the tactics that require long-term patience, but consider other marketing avenues at the same time. [04:09] Look for peop

In episode #581, Eric and Neil explain how you can beat your established, monied competition. Tune in to hear steps you can take to beat your competitors at their own game! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: How You Can Beat Your Competition When They Have More Money and Have Been in Business Longer [00:36] Neil gives away stuff for a cheaper price. [00:49] You can always undercut your competitors by offering the same thing for less. [01:16] Use the newest and greatest tech, because the competitors are probably using old, archaic technology. [01:26] Neil is going to do this to compete with Moz. Moz charges $99/month for their SEO tool, so he’s going to offer his SEO tool for FREE. [01:44] He can do what their doing for under $10,000. [02:01] These other companies have boards, executive teams, etc. While Neil can make decisions and act more quickly, because he doesn’t have to have all these groups weigh in. [02:16] Go where the competitors aren’t going. [02:25] These other agencies are

In episode #580, Eric and Neil discuss what you must know about Amazon advertising before anyone else. Tune in to hear how you can leverage Amazon Advertising for your business. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: What You Ought to Know About Amazon Advertising Before Everyone Else [00:35] Eric read a report that stated Amazon did $60 Billion in ad revenue and grew by possibly 60%. [01:12] Neil believes the stats are that Amazon ad revenue could reach $4.5 billion in 2018. [01:29] Eric and Neil suggest you start getting into the Amazon ad revenue game. [02:01] If you are doing America-based advertising, it’s time to pay attention. [02:09] Amazon Echo presents an advertising opportunity. [02:30] The profit margins on advertising are huge. [02:44] In another five to ten years, they may have wiped out brick and mortar retailers. [03:02] There are a lot more areas of advertising when you consider options with Amazon. [03:30] Make sure you jump on board, play with the advertising, and fin

In episode #579, Eric and Neil explain how you can create great content when you suck at writing. Tune in to hear great tips on creating killer content with less-than-stellar writing skills. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: How You Can Leverage Content Marketing When You Suck at Writing [00:45] Just because you’re not good at writing, it’s ok! Everyone starts somewhere. [01:04] Think about your strong suit (what Eric calls your “content foundation”) and build out from there. [01:15] If Eric and Neil didn’t like writing, they could have just started with this podcast. [01:25] They have the podcast transcribed by Rev and they also get shownotes written by Podcast Motor; this means that things are being written without them having to write a single word. [01:46] Go to Jobs.problogger.net and hire a writer. [02:12] Use short and to the point paragraphs; this makes it easier to skim. [02:27] Use subheadings in your posts. [02:32] You need to have an intro with a hook. [02:55] A strong h

In episode #578, Eric and Neil talk about more affordable marketing avenues. Tune in to hear how you can spend less money marketing your business.  TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: How You Can Discover Affordable Marketing Channels That Have Huge Potential [00:40] It’s important to figure out who your target audience is and where they “hang out”. [00:58] Similar Web is a great way to see where your audience is. Alexa is another great option for this. [01:30] It’s important to see how people are using things. [01:45] The easiest marketing channels tend to get crowded fast, which causes cost to go up. [02:00] Similar Web will also tell you about email lists. [02:38] Neil likes to hit up websites directly. [03:14] Most people in the marketing world are doing online transactions, which means face-to-face meetings carry more weight. [03:54] Podcasting is underpriced attention. [04:05] Podcast advertising is affordable based on metrics Eric and Neil have used. [04:24] What’s old someti

In episode #577, Eric and Neil talk about when you should give up on marketing. Tune in to hear if, how, and when you need to call it quits. TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:27] Today’s Topic: How Long Should You Spend on Marketing Before You Give Up? [00:41] Neil gives up on tactics, instead of marketing as a whole. [01:00] He’ll try out five to ten tactics and keep whatever works. [01:20] In many cases, if you don’t experiment, you will just spin your wheels. [01:50] Eric was hanging out with the Zapier CEO and they agreed it is difficult to hand off marketing. [02:45] There are constantly new tactics, so you need to incorporate those into your workload. [03:15] Keep trying to improve all the time and integrate new techniques into your workflow. [03:35] You won’t see traction with SEO within the first six months. [04:00] Ahrefs will help you track your impressions and any traction you’re getting. [04:40] Be patient when working with long-term solutions. [04:45] With paid advertising, you need to m