If you want to build an online business, or if you want to go online to promote your local, real-world business, you face the same challenge. There are a bajillion websites out there, so how do you stand out in a Sea of Sameness? It’s easy to wast time, money, and effort and get nothing in return.

There is one ingredient that can change all that. It’s not magic, but it is required.

CONTENT.

But how do you create enough good content to matter? This week we’re going to show you a simple way to create 10 pieces of content across 5 major platforms in about an hour.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now. Spiritual Foundations

I love this particular scripture from Deuteronomy 8:18, “You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

For those of you who get all freaked out when we talk about God getting involved in wealth creation…not only is He for it, He gave you the power to get it.

You need confidence and you need to be able to recognize your own power, but also to remember who granted that power to you.

Respect the creation, but worship only the Creator.

Tip of the Week

You know you’ve arrived as a content creator when people just start sending you stuff out of the blue.

Now let me clear, I’m not opposed to people sending me their products to try in the hopes that I’ll talk about it on my podcast. If it’s quality stuff and makes my life better, I don’t mind talking about it.

That’s exactly what happened recently when I was contacted by Aaron at Arkon Mounts. They have the largest assortment of professional-grade mounts, holders, tripods, and stands for tablets, phones, cameras, GPS, and live streaming.

We’ve put a link in the resources section for all the cool stuff I received. If you want to see me unboxing and assembling these items you can check out my recent vlog entitled Do The Hard Things.

I know you’re going to be blown away by the quality of these products.  They are all backed by a 2-year standard warranty.

Use our affiliate coupon code “RayEdwards” which saves you 20% at arkon.com.

Feature Presentation: “How To Create Content Fast“

Creating a large amount of high-quality content in a short period of time is easier than you think. Here is my 9-point system for creating content fast:

1. Have an idea.
2. Make an outline and talk about your ideausing your smartphone
3. Publish the video on Facebook and Youtube.
4. Strip out the audio
5. Publish the audio as a podcast
6. Have the audio transcribed.
7. Edit the transcript into a blog post.
8. Edit the blog post into posts for Facebook, LinkedIn, Google +.
9. Pull at least 3 tweest from the text

So in one hour you would have created:

• One Youtube Video
• One Podcast
• One Transcript
• One Blog Post
• One Facebook Post
• One LinkedIn article
• One Google + post
• Three Tweets

Thats 10 pieces of content, on 5 major platforms in sixty minutes…not to shabby.

To find out more about how to do this yourself, and to discover how to use this content to launch multiple streams of income join us inside this week’s episode.

In the meantime, here are some snippets from our conversation:

• The oak begins as an acorn – How to harness one great idea (9:16)
• Begin with the end in mind – How to use your smartphone to make a point and make a difference (9:56)
• The Charlie Chaplin Approach – Why silence is more than golden, it’s also very profitable (10:49)
• There’s an app for that – How to change the world and watch your business grow (11:12)
• Your digital soapbox – Putting the social in social media (11:48)
• Rinse and Repeat – How duplication turns into multiplication (13:35)
• The power of persistence – Discover the key to dominating the digital landscape (14:08)
• The Lego Method – Why a modular approach is the cornerstone of strategic thinking (14:31)
• Don’t outsource your voice – Here’s what you should do yourself, and how to find the right people to do everything else (16:03)
• Sean’s Rant of the Week – The simple cure to keep your soul from dying (17:41)
• It’s bigger than you – How a single idea can create a global impact (19:26)
• Little is the new big – Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world (24:05)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Arkon Mounts
• TW Broadcaster – Dual Phone/Tablet Stand
• Selfie Ring Light
• Fold-Up Tablet Stand (Great for Travel)
• Deluxe 11” Phone Tripod
• Sonic Shutter Ultrasonic Remote
• 11” Camera Tripod

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

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Everybody knows that to succeed online you need to build your emails list. Email is still the most effective selling tool online. Videos, webinars, and “the socials” don’t work without email. But building an email list is hard.

Unless you know the secrets in today’s podcast episode. We’re going to share exactly how to build and email list fast.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now. Spiritual Foundations

The first act of business is service to others. Profit is the result of service.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.  1 Peter 4:10 (ESV)

Tip of the Week

Focus at Will concentration app.

Focus@will is a new music service based on human neuroscience. It helps you focus, reduce distractions, maintain your productivity and retain information when working, studying, writing and reading. The scientifically tested technology behind focus@will has been shown to alter brain activity toward a state that is more conducive to productivity.

Feature Presentation: “How To Build an Email List Fast“

How to Build an Email List Fast

1. Identify your core idea
2. Create your core content
3. Publish
4. Find a problem you can solve
5. Offer a quick fix
6. Continue publishing
7. Go fish where the fish are

Snippets  (0:00)

• The “Independence Day” Question. Why zombies are better than aliens. (2:13)
• Why profit is the result of service.(4:54)
• A powerful tool that helps you increase your focus and productivity. (5:23)
• How you can have 1-million people on your email list, and why you shouldn’t do this. (9:03)
• The perfect people you want on your email list, and how to make that happen. (10:28)
• What lawn darts have to do with email lists (making our point). (11:23)
• The one thing you must never stop doing if you want your email list to grow. (15:10)
• How to get to 1,000 subscribers by doing nothing. (15:46)
• Are you sitting on a gold mine? (20:07)
• Facebook secrets for list building. (22:05)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Focus@Will

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

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You asked…we answered.

In this episode we’re going to answer seven of the most common questions we get about copywriting.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Spiritual Foundations

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19

Another story from our friend Andy Mason of HeavenInBusiness.com:

A business owner of a small insurance (brokerage) agency has been sharing with his employees about how good Father God is and how He likes to love, help, and bless people.

One of the staff, who has been professing to be an atheist for, comes to the boss and says, “Will you pray for a good quote on this account? We really need a miracle.”

The owner says, “You want me to contact Heaven and get a good quote rather than the insurance company?”

She says, “Yes.”

There was only one insurance company (underwriter) left who hadn't declined or offered unreasonable terms. This was their only hope.

Later that day they received an outstanding quote, better than they expected, from this insurance company.

The proposal was presented and they wrote the new business. This new account will represent almost 20% of the “atheist'” salesperson's annual target!

How about that…God even cares about atheists.

Tip Of The Week

For a limited time I’m making available my free copywriting course entitled “Ray's Short Course on Copywriting: Selling Without Sleazing” plus a free ebook about the $2 Billion Sales Letter You’ve Never Heard Of.

Inside this free course you’ll find the answers on how to sell without feeling sleazy, and I’ll walk you through the most successful sales letter ever written, and show to how to apply it to your product or service.

Feature Segment: “The 5 Readers You Either Benefit Or Betray”

Here are some of the most common questions we get about copywriting:

1. What is copywriting?
2. What is a sales letter?
3. Why is copy so hypey/cheesy/pushy?
4. Will this work for my business? My business is different.
5. Does long copy actually work?
6. Should I learn copy or just hire a writer?
7. Isn’t copy manipulative? Isn’t that wrong?

And…you guessed it…some snippets from our conversation:

• Do I need a lawyer for this? (9:40)
• Sean’s rant of the week (10:20)
• Words that move the world (12:55)
• How not to gracefully exit a packed room (13:38)
• The world before the internet (15:16)
• The Bottle Cap Incident (16:08)
• The Father of the Sales Page (17:10)
• Hold the cheese (18:04)
• The Dark Side of Jedi Mind Tricks (20:13)
• Trickless Marketing (21:01)
• You are, but you aren’t (21:28)
• B2B or B2C…it’s ATS (24:58)
• Are you boring? (25:24)
• Do I really need to learn this? (28:14)
• Aristotle was a great copywriter (30:58)

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• Heaven in Business
• “Ray's Short Course on Copywriting: Selling Without Sleazing”

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show. PLEASE USE THE APPLE PODCAST APP!

Get The Transcript

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Would you like the closest thing to a “silver bullet” when it comes to marketing your business? Here it is: tell good stories.

But you must tell them in a very specific way, or this tactic can backfire. Fear not! This week I'm having a conversation with Donald Miller, who knows how to tell a great marketing story. Don shares some of his very best techniques with us in this interview. You'll learn…

• How Don discovered the power of story to sell products.
• The single most important character in your marketing story.
• How to use story in your marketing to sell more of … virtually anything at all.
• And much, much more.

The Storybrand Online Workshop

Click here to find out more about the “no-travel-required” online version of Don's Storybrand workshop.

How To Help

Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

We are also on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there.

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn.

 

Get The Transcript

Click here to get the transcript now. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed.

Today I want to cover some new directions for the company and how we’re going to be helping you in new and improved ways.  

Don’t worry, we’ll continue to focus on:   

• Copywriting and marketing
• Building an online business
• Strengthening your spiritual life

I don’t believe it’s possible to separate the two things, business and spirituality. Because you only have one life, spirituality and prosperity are both part of the same life.

The premise for today’s podcast: Every person listening to this show can and should build a prosperous personal-brand business by following 5 proven phases.

If you get these phases out of order you will have problems. If you are frustrated with lack of traction in building your personal brand online, chances are you’re out of sequence.  

• If you want to start a platform-based, personal-brand business by taking your knowledge, your wisdom, your expertise, and your giftings and you can share them with people (the world) via the power of the Internet.
• You can establish your global reach for $50-$100 by creating a radio show (podcast), TV show (YouTube channel) and other various ways of having people communicate with you (social media).  (7:11)

• Many businesses have done just that.
  • Casey Neistat  started out with a video camera and making movies and had no audience, no following, and built a seven million follower YouTube channel. Part of his company was purchased by CNN for $25 million last year.  (8:00)
  • Peter McKinnon, a photographer, cinematographer, and videographer who lives in Canada has built a million subscriber YouTube channel.  
  • It’s not just YouTube channels, there are people in all social media markets like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You know the names of the people who rule these marketplaces, but you may not know the people in the niches that are getting wealthy serving a small, few thousand people in their particular niche. (9:00)

“The internet and the ability to build a personal brand online is the great equalizer of all entrepreneurs.”  Ray Edwards

5 Phases of a Prosperous Business

1. Determine the meaning of life and the meaning of your business.
2. Define your mission, your vision, your goals, and your tasks.
3. Clarify your message. (Who you help, why they need you, what you do that helps)
4. Create marketing materials. (Marketing that is clear, repeatable, and sticky.)
5. Collect money.  (Give value first.)

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week

It’s common knowledge but it’s not common practice, “Carry a pen and a notebook with you at all times.”

The reasons for your pen and notebook:

• Be ready when inspiration strikes.
• You can always count on a pen and paper (unlike the internet or electricity).
• A pen and paper don’t make unexpected interruptions or distractions (no software updates, wait time, or computer bug).

Capturing your thoughts and your best ideas is invaluable.  

If you’re a writer, this is required. “ Writers are the ones with the pens and the notebooks.” (4:40)

Spiritual Foundations

The Dream… Should you pursue your dreams?  God is the giver of dreams.

• He places the talents and gifts within you.
• He spurs you on to have the motivation to go out and give those gifts to the world.
• Commerce, the marketplace, and capitalism are all God’s ideas.  (2:37)

Proverbs 18:16, “A man’s gifts make room for him and brings him before great men.”

“The world needs your message.” — Ray Edwards

• God gave you your gift, not for you but for others.  
• Your gift makes room for you and it brings you before great men and women.  
• In God’s kingdom, it is always fair but it’s not always equal.   
• According to your gifting will be the opportunity. (4:14)

It’s up to you whether you’re going to seize your gift and take advantage of it or not. God intended your gift for your benefit and others. I think you should grab hold of it and make the most of it.

Feature Presentation “The 5 Phases of a Prosperous Business”

• How to create your own media empire – Why overcoming the learning curve will give you the freedom to create your own business (with your own distribution channel). (10:10)
• Why it’s better for your customers if you keep more of the money – How avoiding big corporations and committees allows you to create exactly what your customers want.  (11:00)
• Revel 77’s new branding advantage – How to leverage your personal brand and beat your competition.  (12:34)
• Discover why you’re not getting traction or creating the income you want – How Armand Morin’s sequentialism principle is mysteriously impacting your business.  (13:40)
• Fire-ready-aim – How stopping and giving a bit of thought at the beginning (although it’s counterintuitive) helps entrepreneurial types increase their success rates.  (15:40)
• Why are you here? What are you supposed to do? How uncovering these core beliefs is the essential first step in creating your business.  (20:25)
• Why sharing your gift with the world for the purpose of reward is being like Jesus – How to define your mission (its unique to you).  (25:31)
• Uncover the clues to your mission – How what you love to do, what you love to see, and the people you love to be around are the keys to your vision.  (27:55)
• My objective is to end poverty.  My vision of how to make that happen is to teach entrepreneurs and empower them to grow their prosperity and create more wealth. (28:20)
• Writing down your goals and setting numeric goals (even the Bible kept records of numbers) – How one-year goals related to your tribe is a great place to start.  (30:15)
• Mission+Vision+Discipline = Destiny  (31:50)
• It’s never too late to change your destiny.  (32:30)
• Why messaging is phase 3 of successfully building a personal brand business – How phase 1 and phase 2 are crucial to your messaging (phase 3).  (33:50)
• Ready to leave your corporate life?  How to create your personal brand by harnessing the power of the internet through global distribution of your wisdom, experience, and gifts.  (36:23)
• “Does this sound like you?” – How to instantly connect with your customer even if you have no formal training in writing sales copy, launching products, or selling to people. (38:00)
• How learning to write sales copy refines your business and helps you build it bigger with more success, easier, and faster.  (39:24)
• Money is phase five of your personal brand business – How to “Begin with the end in mind.” Not, “Begin with the end in your pocket.”  (42:14)
• Put the fuel in first, stoke the flames, and then you get the heat – How profits follow work and why money is phase five of building a personal brand business. (42:50)
• Solving a problem for free first is powerful – How using a sales letter or a sales video to create a value exchange is the fifth phase in building your business.  (44:18)

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Proverbs 18:16

Casey Neistat

Peter McKinnon

Revel 77

Armand Morin

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Are you tired of feeling sick, broke or like you are a failure? Today we go through the 12 principles of Think and Grow Rich, how to focus on your one thing, talk about being decisive people like the Disciples, and how to to get the best audio quality in your podcast.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week: Fix Your Podcast Audio

If your podcast quietly is less than perfect, hire someone to edit it for you. Get rid of distractions and background noise in your audio.  Make your podcast more user-friendly. Danny Ozment, from Emerald City Productions, tells us how important the sound quality of your podcast is. Not only does it help your listeners create a relationship with you, it increases their ability to understand and listen while on the go. Don’t just hire anybody to help edit your podcast, but hire someone who really knows what they are doing.

Spiritual Foundations: Be Decisive

Be a decisive human being. When we are decisive, it demonstrates our faith. We know Who we are, WHOSE we are, and WHAT we stand for. It is easy to make decisions based on our morals and beliefs if we are decisive. Look at the Disciples, Jesus said “Come, follow me” and they did. They didn’t have to pray about it or ask someone if they should- they just did.

Feature Presentation “The One Thing That Causes You To Fail- Or Succeed“

What is your one thing?  Napoleon Hill decided to take on the book Think And Grow Rich in a matter of 60-seconds, and he took 20 years to finish it.  Do you think that he was happy that he persevered and finished that project? It became his grand obsession for him, and I can relate. When I took Michael Hyatt’s “Best Year Ever” challenge in 2015, it became my grand obsession. I made having my best year ever, and my best life ever my destiny. If you think your destination is about what is set out for you., you are wrong. Your destiny is where you end up based on the past you decide to take. So, what have you decided your destiny is?

I always suggest people sit down and write out their perfect day to help achieve their destiny.  I want you to sit down and write out every detail of what your perfect day would be. Every detail from the start of your day until your head hits the pillow at night.  It should be at least 3 or 4 pages long.  Were you bold enough? Is it really your perfect day?

Now, you don't need some complicated plan or scheme to accomplish this “perfect day/perfect living”. You just need to focus on your 1 thing- your unique wisdom and knowledge only you have that you can share with others. As John Lee Dumas says- FOCUS.

F-Follow

O- One

C- Course

U- Until

S- Success

And Follow the 12-Principles of Think And Grow Rich

1. Know what you are after
2. Have Self-confidence
3. Use the power of habit force
4. Take Initiative and leadership
5. Have imagination
6. Have enthusiasm
7. Have self-control
8. Go the extra mile
9. Have an attractive personality- Be you!
10. Have accurate thinking
11. FOCUS
12. Co-operate with others

So really, the ONE THING that causes you to fail or succeed is how you pursue your ONE THING.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• Think and Grow Rich- By Napoleon Hill
• Romans 8:28
• Emerald City Productions – https://emeraldcitypro.com
• Danny Ozment – https://dannyozment.com
• Podcast Launch Formula – https://dannyozment.com/podcast-launch-formula

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Today I talk with the genius, the master, the go-to-guy, the king of all things LinkedIn…John Nemo.

As one of the top promoters of Copywriting Academy, John Nemo joined me at my Joint Venture Mastermind at The Coeur d’Alene Resort in Alene, Idaho.

No one knows the subject of LinkedIn like John Nemo. John transformed my LinkedIn profile, he's the real deal when it comes to LinkedIn and he's here to teach us all how to cash in on LinkedIn.

The 3 core components of his LinkedIn Riches training program:

• Profile
• Prospecting
• Profiting                                      

John’s free LinkedIn training is available at rayedwards.com/nemo.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Spiritual Foundations

Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do and your plans will succeed.”

It doesn't mean you have to be a believer, but you see your work as holy and sacred and you commit that to God, then I think you'll find, more often than not, you'll:

• Do better work
• Perform at a more excellent standard
• Succeed

Something to try, just see what happens.

Tip of the Week

The tip of the week is the Behmor Connected Customizable brewer, a coffee brewer that simulates the results you get with a specialty coffee pour-over. It simulates the pour-over without having to do the pour-over. You can control it with your iPhone.

Feature Presentation: “How To Cash In On LinkedIn”

Uncover Why LinkedIn Is the Biggest Underused Secret Weapon in Your Online Marketing Arsenal

Here are some snippets from our conversation:

• Frustrated, not getting anywhere online? – How changing this one common mistake will skyrocket your success.  5:17
• The ONE thing almost no one understands – How to go viral on LinkedIn. 6:40
• People Pleasing – Why repelling people is a good idea (and being all things to all people kills your business). 9:50
• The shocking secret to LinkedIn success – How much personal sharing is too much? 10:33
• The surprising tip to leveraging LinkedIn – How to draw people into your story with one simple tweak to your posts. 11:16
• LinkedIn’s image problem – How proactive entrepreneurs can use it to your advantage.  13:45
• The world’s biggest professional coffee shop – Why most people misunderstand LinkedIn (and how you can cash in from this podcast).  14:52
• 500 million users in 200 countries – How to tap into LinkedIn and use it as your infinite lead generator. 14:25
• 99% do this wrong – Why flipping your profile upside down changes everything. 15:10
• 4 simple questions – How transforming your LinkedIn profile will multiply your lead generation by making it client-facing 15:58
• Where all the money is made on LinkedIn – How to find and engage your ideal prospects (it’s easier that you think). 17:35
• Scaling up and bypassing the gatekeepers – How to quickly harness the power of LinkedIn. 20:03
• Don’t freak them out – Why communicating with prospects in a non-spamy way is the only way to make LinkedIn work for you. 20:45
• The world’s biggest professional search engine – How to personalize and automate your engagement on LinkedIn so you can maximize your relationships.  21:23
• Courtship & Dating – Why asking for time or money on your first interaction is guaranteed to backfire. 23:14
• The Power of the ASK – How stepping back and asking permission builds trust and like-ability (and sets you apart).  24:40
• Should you send an ebook? – Why understanding what your prospects value is the key to lead generation.  26:43
• You don’t see cat videos – The business mindset of LinkedIn users and how professionals are searching for your content, direction, tips, and advice. 33:00
• The Biggest Underused Secret Weapon in your Online Marketing Arsenal – What I really think about the power of LinkedIn and why you must act today. 33:59
• Rayedwards.com/nemo – How to get more business and more profit for yourself.  34:15
• A Powerful Online success tip – Why LinkedIn helps you scale up faster and more effectively. (It’s all about relationship building.) 35:47
• Writing LinkedIn profiles for high profile clients – How to implement the same system used by Ray Edwards, Chris Brogan, and John Lee Dumas. 35:15

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• LinkedIn Riches by John Nemo
• LinkedIn Riches online course by John Nemo
• Behmor.com

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

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Content marketing is a hot industry buzzword right now, and everyone seems to have a theory about what works. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time for theory, so in this episode I’m going to show what we do in our own content marketing…because it works.

The key to successful content marketing is value, because we’re in a current environment where you've got to give value upfront. In fact, our topic in this episode is a term I’ve coined called Value First Content Marketing. Stay tuned, this is going to rock your world.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now. Spiritual Foundations

In this episode of spiritual foundations, I want to get back to basics. One of the things I’ve learned as a copywriter is that the precise meaning of words is vitally important. Let me share a recent example of this…

My wise wife was having a conversation with a person with whom she's acquainted, and they got into the discussion about what it means to be under grace. My wife was explaining, “Well you know our sins are covered, so we don't have to worry about sin anymore. That problem is dealt with.”

This person rather inappropriately took affront to that and begin to argue. She countered, “Well, what about James 2:26, it says faith without works is dead. If you don't have works, then you're not saved.” My wife responded with, “Well, I didn't come prepared to have this debate, but I guess I would start with looking up the precise meaning of the word ‘death’ or ‘dead’ in that verse to see what it really means.” I was so proud of her.

I looked it up, and it means “inactive.” It reads, “Faith with no works that flow from the faith, is inactive,”…which is a whole different thing.

Just remember that Jesus is perfect theology. Knowing that, be very careful about what you’re willing to blindly accept as true.

Tip of the Week

Our tip of the week is a resource that we're giving you for free. Normally, we talk about other people's products or services or books, but this week we’re giving you a week's worth of what we use to do our own content marketing. You can then use this as a model to structure your own…I’m just asking that you don't take this content and pretend it's yours.

This will be a good way for you to look at the source material we use to create stuff and turn it into different pieces of content for your business. You can download this free resource at rayedwards.com/315. Now go forth and prosper!

Feature Presentation: “How to Build Your List by Giving Away Your Best Content for Free”

There's a lot of talk about content marketing, and there are a lot of content marketing experts and gurus that'll teach you content marketing, but what they do in most cases is neither content, nor is it marketing…it’s a thinly disguised sales pitch.

Any business that markets online can and should grow their e-mail list by using the Seven Pillars of Value First Content Marketing.

The Seven Pillars

1. There are three forces that have converged to bring us to this point.
2. To attract attention, you’ve got to fight the content wars.
3. Content marketing works for everyone, and everyone should be doing it.
4. Give valuable content as often as possible.
5. You must be present on every significant channel.
6. You must have an investment mindset.
7. Practice the Strategy of Preeminence.

Here are some snippets from our conversation:

• Nobody was born with a list – Why you should ignore theory and model your list-building after a strategy that actually works (19:55)
• Words matter – Why it’s important for you and your bottom line to know what content marketing is, and more importantly, what it is not (22:25)
• The proof is in the pudding – Meet David Robertson, who traveled 3,000 miles to give 30,000 reasons why this stuff really works (23:30)
• The perfect storm of content marketing – Discover the three forces that have brought us to the point where we have to think differently about how we market, and how to use those forces to your advantage (25:01)
• Open war is upon you – Why the key to victory in the content wars is to offer your unique value (27:35)
• All means all – Why every business should use Value Based Content Marketing to stay ahead of the game, win market share, and to make more money (32:24)
• How soon is now – Why you need to accept the uncomfortable truth that the more value first content you release, the faster you grow (33:14)
• Your presence is required – Why your blog, live video, podcast, and print needs to be present on every significant channel (36:42)
• Avoid the unsubscribe link – Why you must be willing to sacrifice short-term gain for long-term profit and value (40:30)
• Inside the mind of Jay Abraham – Why you don't want to be simply the superior marketer…you want to be the superior provider (42:17)

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• https://rayedwards.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Weekly-Content-Marketing-Package.pdf
• Atlas Shrugged
• The Fountainhead

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

https://rayedwards.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Ray-Edwards-Show-Transcript-315-2.pdf

You know you need great copy to sell your stuff, and you’re thinking of hiring a copywriter, but how can you make sure you don’t get ripped off?

In this episode we’ll show you how to successfully navigate these waters and arrive safely on the shores of copywriting bliss.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Spiritual Foundations

Are facing challenges in your life right now? I have excellent news for you.

No matter what is happening in your life, God is completely on your side! That, my friends, is called the Divine Advantage.

In Romans 8:31 God says, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

No matter what life throws at you, take courage because you’re on the winning side!

Tip Of The Week

If you use a Mac user and you’re a productivity geek I highly recommend you get the most out of your Apple technology by checking out the Mac Power Users Podcast with David Sparks and Katie Floyd.

In addition, David Sparks has his own blog called MacSparky.com where he has created free screencasts that show you how to get the most out of your productivity apps.

He also has a series of Field Guides you can purchase on a variety of subjects that will make you want to hug your Mac. Prepare to feel the Apple love.

Feature Segment: “10 Commandments of Hiring a Copywriter”

Maybe you’ve tried to hire a copywriter in the past, but you had a bad experience with The 7 Deadly Copywriter Sins:

1. The copy was just plain bad (too hypey, too weak, or “info-only”)
2. The copy sounded like everyone else (the Sea of Sameness, Mired in the Muck of Mediocrity)
3. Your copywriter took the money and ran
4. Your copywriter never communicated with you…ever.
5. The copy was late.
6. They never asked for your feedback, so the final product was miles off target.
7. They Found You, Fooled You, and Forgot You

You’d like to hire a pro, but you can’t afford the fees of an “A-List Copywriter” (Ray’s current minimum is $250,000 up-front, plus a percentage of sales, for a “Private Client Launch Package”.) Yikes!

You’re frustrated because it seems like the biggest “X-Factor” in your product launch is the copy, and you are afraid neither you nor your team is good enough to get it right.

The 10 Commandments of Hiring a Copywriter

i. Scope: Thy copywriter shalt help you determine exactly what type of copy you’ll need, and how much copy you’ll need to bring you the results you seek.

ii. Voice: Thy copywriter shalt spend time with you and your material to learn your unique voice, and then infuse that voice into your copy. Your voice is what differentiates you from the crowd.

iii. Deadline: Thy copywriter shalt deliver your copy on time…every time. If he doth not, woe unto them, and they shalt be cast into outer darkness.

iv. Milestones: Thy copywriter shalt set up mile markers along the way during your project so that you can be consistently confident that your project is receiving the loving care it deserves.

v. Communication: Thy copywriter shalt check in with you throughout the process to get your input and make absolutely certain that you’re thrilled with the hand-crafted copy thou receiveth.

vi. Revisions: Thy copywriter shalt continue to work with you until thou art thrilled.

vii. Proofreading: Thy copywriter shalt have thy copy proofread, and ensure the text is error-fee.

viii. Review: Thy copywriter shalt put thy copy under the watchful eye of a mentor or other senior copywriter.

ix. Results: Thy copywriter shalt have a track record of results.

x. Followup: Thy copywriter shalt NOT just hand off your project and wish you luck. Thy copywriter shalt be there if things go sideways ready to swoop in and save the day!

And…you guessed it…here are some snippets from our conversation:

• Oops I did it again (8:03)
• The Stepford Copywriter (8:40)
• Visit your money in Mexico (9:28)
• Can you hear me now? (9:44)
• Don’t be tardy for the party (10:50)
• Have we met? (11:46)
• Avoid the One Night Stand (12:11)
• Have map…will travel (13:31)
• Hire a chameleon (13:55)
• Better bring a flashlight (14:37)
• Give your copy a hug (15:15)
• Artisan copywriting (16:41)
• The value of sweat equity (17:46)
• That copy sure is pretty (18:58)
• Four eyes are better than two (19:57)
• Win…and win often (20:54)
• Copywriting Superhero! (21:25)

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• MacSparky Blog
• MacSparky Field Guides
• Mac Power Users Podcast

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show. PLEASE USE THE APPLE PODCAST APP!

Get The Transcript

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One of the most frequently asked questions we receive is about what specific apps, websites, sources, courses, and other tools we use to make stuff.

In this episode we’ll get geeky with you and dive deep into that exact subject.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Spiritual Foundations

How do you respond when someone asks, “How are you today?”

If you’re like most people you respond with something like:

• “Fine”
• “Okay”
• “I’m hangin' in there”

This may come as news to you, but you get to decide how you process your day.

In this episode I give you some reasons why you should carefully consider the instructions you give your brain, because what you say is often what you experience.

Selah.

Tip Of The Week

If one of your goals this year is to take a trip…enroll in course…get in better shape…or anything else you’re likely to not do when it’s no longer convenient…today’s tip is for you!

Most of us struggle to achieve our goals, that’s because there’s a big difference between having a goal and achieving a goal—stickK works by helping people eliminate this gap by using a Commitment Contract.

A Commitment Contract is a binding agreement you sign with yourself to ensure that you follow through with your intentions—and it does this by utilizing the psychological power of loss aversion and accountability to drive behavior change.

By asking users to sign Commitment Contracts, stickK helps users define their goal, acknowledge what it’ll take to accomplish it, and leverage the power of putting money on the line to turn that goal into a reality.

Feature Segment: “The Apps & Tools We Use to Make Stuff “

The Tools and Apps We Use To Make Stuff

This episode is a little different since it’s more like a giant resource guide. Everything we use is listed below, and if you want more insight into why we use what we use then join Sean and I on an entertaining romp through the good, and the not so good, items in the Ray Edwards toolbox.

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• stickK
• Apple MacBook Pro
• iPhone 7 Plus
• iPad Pro
• Bose Bluetooth Headphones
• WordPress
• Get Noticed Theme
• Bluehost
• Rightly Designed
• Slack
• Evernote
• Fujitsu ScanSnap
• Nozbe
• Todoist
• Asana
• Basecamp
• New Kajabi
• Thinkific
• 1Password
• TextExpander
• Dropbox
• Alfred
• Expandrive
• Snagit
• CleanMyMac3
• Jumpcut
• Backblaze
• SuperDuper
• Zoom
• Gotowebinar
• Workflow
• Freedom
• Pages
• Word
• Excel
• Numbers
• Keynote
• Screenflow
• Canva
• Scrivener
• Chrome
• Day One
• Byword
• Textwrangler
• Dragon
• IMovie
• Adobe Premiere CC
• Adobe Photoshop CC
• Canon 80D DSLR
• Rode VideoMic Pro
• Heil PR40
• Audio Technica ATR2100
• MDX Compressor/Linmiter/Gate
• Focus Time
• Overcast
• Habit List
• Dragon Anywhere
• MyFitnessPal
• Bible Study
• Kindle

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show. PLEASE USE THE APPLE PODCAST APP!

Get The Transcript

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Quote Worth Note

Seth Godin tells this story in “What To Do When It’s Your Turn (And It’s Always Your Turn”…

“Stephen King, one of the most beloved, famous and bestselling authors ever, often goes to writer’s conferences. After he talks for a little bit he says, ‘Any questions?’

Inevitably, someone raises their hand—I’m paraphrasing here—and says, ‘Mr. King, you are one of the most beloved, famous, and bestselling authors ever. What kind of pencil do you use to write your books?’ It’s almost as if knowing what kind of pencil Stephen King uses will help them be more like Stephen King.”

It’s not the pencil.

It’s not the computer.

It’s not the app.

Or as they say in music… “It’s not the gear, it’s the ear.”

When it comes to productivity, there is no shortage of advice. The problem is it's often the same advice, repackaged with a bright new wrapper. Nothing new inside.

And there's no problem with that. Often, we need to hear the same advice presented differently, at different periods in our life, before it “clicks” and we finally “get” it. But sometimes, we need something truly different, something that rises above the normal, and begins to look more like a revolution than an evolution.

Today's “7 Shocking Productivity Hacks” may not seem new at first, but the extremes to which I will advise you to take these measures is, at least, something outlandishly more radical than what most would recommend. When you listen to today's show, you'll discover:

• How you can finally conquer your overflowing email inbox, once and for all, guaranteed. For free.
• The devastatingly effective method that ensures you never receive another unwanted phone call.
• A radical, but powerful method for getting rid of “dead weight” friends and acquaintances who are dragging you down… without making them feel judged, and without hurting their feelings.
• The almost magical technique to prevent writer's block, plus multiply your creativity, energy, and productivity by a factor of at least 7 … maybe 10.
• How to eliminate – totally and permanently – the #1 way other people waste your time.
• How to slash unwanted interruptions, meetings, and junk mail from your life, with one simple, bold “directive.”
• The single sentence (that you will come up with) that will erase any excuse you have for wasting a single minute of your time on someone else's priorties, for the rest of your life.
• How God can set you free from self-destructive habits,
• Plus, I'll share a resource that helps you improve your marketing.
• That's all comin' up on this week's show!

Spiritual Foundations

If you're breathing, you are tempted by various kinds of self-destrcutive behavior. It may be overeating, drinking, drugs, sex … or seemingly “lesser” sins like compulsive gaming TV watching, or even being “grumpy” all the time. God will set you free from these and any other self-destructive behavior, also known by the less popular term, “sin”. How do we know this?

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” -Romans 8:1

Don't get tripped up if your Bible says, “who do not walk accoirding to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Some translations, such as the New King James, include that line but it isn't in the oldest, most reliable Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. (NOTE: Sean thought it might be a good idea for me to point out that not everyone agrees that those are the most reliable manuscripts…. I explain more about this in the show.)

Now. Back to our topic – that verse. Notice the tense: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

So don't get all filled with guilt when you are tempted to sin. Just don't engage in the self-destructive behavior. Having the thought is not a sin. Acting on it is. As it was explained once to me: “You can stop birds from landing in the tree, but you can stop them from building a nest.”

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is inside you now, and that means you have the power of Christ to resist the temptation. And lest you fall into a “shame spiral”, just remember that even when you do give in, when you fail, you are still “the righteousness of God” in Christ. And there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

As you become more aware of how Jesus has cloaked you in His righeousness, and you see more of the Spirit living in you, you will not keep on sinning. You will not keep up the habits that destroy you. You have the power to “go and sin no more” – but only after you experience the reality of His Grace.

Tip Of the Week

Get your tickets early for Social Media Marketing World 2016. I'll be speaking there this time around, and right now you can save a lot of money on your ticket.

• April 17-19
• San Diego, California
• Networking party on the USS Midway aircraft carrier.
• You’ll choose from 100+ expert-led sessions and workshops in multiple social media marketing tracks (you get access to all).
• Mari Smith, Guy Kawasaki, Chris Brogan, Mark Schaefer,Michael Stelzner, Jay Baer, Brian Solis, Amy Porterfield, Michael Hyatt, Cliff Ravenscraft, John Lee Dumas, Joel Comm, Pat Flynn, Chris Ducker, Dan Miller… and so many more!
• Great information, inspiration, and motivation … in a no-pitch zone!

I want to “storm the gates” with our own little cohort. See you there?

Feature Segment: 7 Shocking Productivity Hacks

1. Delete your email account. (How you can finally conquer your overflowing email inbox, once and for all, guaranteed. For free.)
2. Change your phone number. (The devastatingly effective method that ensures you never receive another unwanted phone call.)
3. Move to a different city. (A radical, but powerful method for getting rid of “dead weight” friends and acquaintances who are dragging you down… without making them feel judged, and without hurting their feelings.)
4. Don't share your email address, phone number, and mailing address. (To anyone. How to bring unwanted interruptions, meetings, and junk mail from your life, with one simple, bold “directive.”)
5. Never return another phone call. (How to eliminate – totally and permanently – the #1 way other people waste your time.)
6. Stop consuming content. (The almost magical technique to prevent writer's block, plus mutliply your creativity, energy, and productivity by a factor of at least 7… maybe 10.)
7. Ask the “desert island” question. (The single sentence that you will come up with that will erase any excuse you have for wasting a single minute of your time on someone else's priorties, for the rest of your life.)

Do you have some ‘shocking produdctivity hacks' of your own?

How To Help

Subscribe to the show in iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will definitely mention you on this show.

We are also on Stitcher.com, so if you prefer Stitcher, please subscribe there.

Connect with Ray on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or LinkedIn.

Get The Transcript

Click here to get the transcript now. Transcripts provided by SuccessTranscripts – a great solution if you need your podcast, sermon, speech, or other audio transcribed.

Chris Ducker’s book Virtual Freedom is a best seller, he has employed over 450 full-time employees, and he has built multi seven-figure businesses. Chris is frequently featured in INC., Entrepreneur, Success, and Huffington Post.

He’s the founder of youpreneur.com (a term he coined in 2014). Youpreneur.com is an entrepreneurial mastermind community that helps experts become the go-to leader in their market.

“Whether there’s a transaction involved immediately, or whether it’s further down the line, they’re doing business with me because of the relationship they have with me first.”

By serving youpreneurs, Chris transcends the old rules of business and helps people build a sustainable business based on their experience, interests, wisdom, personality, and personal brand.

Today Chris shares his insights on personal branding and we discuss his recently released book, The Rise of the Youpreneur.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week

My tip of the week is simply, buy Chris Ducker’s book The Rise of the Youpreneur.  Along with his book he has included hundreds of dollars of bonus material that you'll want to check out. 

Michael Hyatt said, “I’ve done pretty well as a personal brand. If I’d had this book I could have done it twice as fast.” Check it out at a bookstore near you.

Spiritual Foundations

Today’s spiritual foundation is based on Proverbs 11:26 from the ancient book of wisdom. “The people will curse him who withholds grain during a famine, but blessings will be on the head of him who sells it.”  So, I encourage you to think about that. God blesses the man for selling grain during a famine.

Feature Presentation “The Rise Of The Youpreneur, An Interview With Chris Ducker”

• In reality, as soon as you start coasting, you start dying – Why it’s critical to face the fact you’re either growing or you’re dying. (1:12)
• Want to be the definitive guide in your industry? – How to shorten your path to success by reading The Rise of the Youpreneur. (5:39)
• “People do business with me personally way before they do business with any of my companies or businesses.” Chris Ducker (6:00)
• Burnout – How it led me to recreate my business with virtual employees and write the book Virtual Freedom. (7:02)
• People do business with me because of the relationship they have with me first –  How to build, market, and monetize your personal brand. (7:38)
• Regardless of your niche, there is enough noise out there – What the world needs is YOU, they need someone like you to show them the way. (8:38)
• Your goal as a personal brand – Why becoming someone’s favorite is crucial to your success in a personal branding business. (9:22)
• There are people who will only respond to your voice on this subject – Why realizing you’ve been called to serve will help you build a future-proof business. (9:58)
• When you build the business of YOU there are no real competitors, regardless of the industry or market – How being YOU is the unique factor for your profits and success. (10:31)
• How you are 100% in control of your future – Overcoming being tied to or enslaved by your personal brand business. (11:12)
• Build a business based on you – How to create a business that’s not reliant only on you. (11:20)
• Michael Hyatt is the personal brand entrepreneur personified – Why creating a legacy that will live on past your time on earth is possible as a personal brand. (12:02)
• The most unexpected, amazing Zig Ziglar impersonation – Why I still consume some Zig every month. (12:50)
• Build a business based on you, your messaging, your philosophy, the impact you want to make on the world and the people you want to serve. (14:00)
• How to create a smart personal brand without it being totally build on you. (14:15)
• Why listening to the feedback from your audience and community is key – How filling the gaps helps you serve your community. (14:47)
• Why I saw the need to create The Youpreneur Roadmap – How to build, market and monetize a personal brand. (15:15)
• The genius of giving your community what they need rather than what you want to give them – How to serve by “on-ramping” your customer wherever he may be at the time. (18:00)
• How to help your person-to-person businesses thrive – Why sharing behind the scenes with Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter (any social media) helps you connect with your community. (19:00)
• The Personal Brand Building Manual – How to use this resource to rise up and embrace your calling. (19:41)
• Why you help people – When you know you've been put on this earth to create this message you realize it’s your calling and it’s your duty.  (20:19)
• The Youpreneur Summit – How Chris Ducker discovered his life’s work and created a movement that’s calling people to rise up and serve. (20:30)
• “All the world’s a stage” – How to position yourself as an expert through coaching, speaking, being a podcast guest, and being featured in the press. (22:10)
• No one can tell your story and get your point across the way you do. (23:10)
• How you’re spearheading a movement when you take the gifts you’ve been given, and you share them – How to serve others with your expertise, wisdom, and experience.(23:40)
• “Let me serve you” or “Look at me” – How your motivation impacts your personal brand business (24:00)
• Relationships should be treasured not used – How to avoid the spammy, wrong way of pitching yourself (in essence, how to honor relationships).  (24:40)

 

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

The Rise of the Youpreneur by Chris Ducker

Youpreneur.com

Jim Rohn Home » Jim Rohn Blog

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

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Today we discuss a unique method by which you can guarantee your business will always have a profit (even from day 1). You’ll never miss having a profit because you take your profit first.

My guest is Mike Michalowicz. Mike is the successful entrepreneur behind three multimillion dollar companies. He is the author of The Pumpkin Plan, Surge, and The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, which BusinessWeek deemed “the entrepreneur’s cult classic.” He is a former small business columnist for The Wall Street Journal and a former MSNBC business makeover expert. An advocate for entrepreneurs, Mike says his purpose in life is to eradicate entrepreneurial poverty.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Tip of the Week

I’m a little late to the Instagram party, but my tip of the week is an Instagram tool I find to be a big help, it’s called InShort Video Editor.

This app is great for editing videos on your iPhone and turning them into smooth, seamless Instagram stories. 

Check out InShort Video Editor in the app store today.

Spiritual Foundations

An indicator of someone’s character and integrity is how they handle their possessions. Paul stated in Philippians 4, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Paul was actually talking about wealth in this circumstance. He was saying, “I've had a lot and I’ve had very little, and I’ve learned to be content in both circumstances. I can handle either situation through Christ who strengthens me.” Powerful advice! (3:00)

Feature Presentation “Profit First- An Interview With Mike Michalowicz”

Here are some snippets from our conversation:

• The book Profit First revolutionized my thinking about my business. – How to change your CPA’s thinking about business and pocket profits like never before. (4:00)

• Profit First is a new approach to cash management. – Discover how an old approach to cash management brought to business for the first time will increase your profits. (5:00)

• Sales – expenses = profit. – Why this flawed definition has negatively impacted so many businesses. (5:25)

• Accounting says profits come last. – How to change one simple formula and start making a profit immediately.

• 83% of small businesses are not profitable. – Uncovering why entrepreneurs get so many things right but continue to make no profit. (5:40)

• Is there a flaw in the formula? – How the Profit First principle will change your business (and your life). (6:01)

• Sales – profit = expenses. – What to do every time you make a sale (truth is, practically no one does this). (6:45)

• Sell, hide, pay. – Why this sequence works every time and guarantees you profits. (No, I’m not advocating illegal activity.) (7:09)

• The 20/80 rule you’ve never heard. – How logic, emotions, and habits impact your business profits. (7:35)

• Business says, “The more I grow, the more I spend.” – How to break this popular no profit system. (8:00)

• Profit First leaves you less money for your expenses. – Why this forces you to make harder choices that lead to the appropriate decisions. (8:52)

• Reverse engineer profits. – Discovering the secret for overcoming negative inertia and creating the habit of making a profit. (9:02)

• Tony Robbins, “The definition of an entrepreneur is someone who knows how to make enough money to cover their mistakes.”  (9:10)

• The mindset of just making more money. – What entrepreneurs do when they’re not profitable and why it’s such a bad idea. (9:29)

• Too much month at the end of the money. – Why continuing with a flawed money management system is insane.  (9:37)

• How Profit First forces you to define the path to profitability. – Why revealing outcome-based thinking is powerful. (10:30)

• If you can’t pay your bills you never could afford your bills. – How we fall into the trap of stealing (and think it’s OK). (10:54)

• How to run your business in a disciplined and appropriate fashion. – Why Profit First is required reading for every entrepreneur. (11:06)

• Is Parkinson’s Law impacting your profits? – What naturally happens when your resources increase, and how to break this unprofitable habit.  (11:36)

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Philippians 4

InShot app

The Pumpkin Plan

Profit First

The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur

Mike Michalowicz.com

Mikemotorbike.com

At Mike’s site you’ll have access to free chapter downloads, his Wall Street Journal articles, blogs, and podcasts.

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show.

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and “Save As” to Get the PDF Transcript.

You have customers but they are cheap, complain a lot, and are a pain to deal with. If they aren’t controlled, corralled, and completely ejected they can eat your time, your cash flow, and your business alive.

This week we’re going to show you how to fix that problem and prevent it from ever happening again…so you only deal with cool people that you like.

Click here to download or listen to this episode now.

Spiritual Foundations

Is there a scriptural foundation for only working with good clients who appreciate your work and pay you what you’re worth?

I’m so glad you asked. Check this out:

“You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” 1 Timothy 5:18 (NKJV)

In this week’s episode Sean and I give you some additional insight on this verse that I think you’ll find valuable.

Tip of the Week

This week’s tip is the wonderful and magnificent service known as Amazon Subscribe & Save.

You can set up regularly scheduled deliveries and earn savings on everything from diapers to toothpaste to dog treats…literally thousands of everyday products from Amazon and Amazon Marketplace.

My ambition in life is to never run another errand again, and this service may just make that possible.

Feature Presentation: How Do I Attract Better Customers?

A 10-Step Plan That Works

I finally got relief from my dire situation when I fired the clients who were the big trouble-makers and got really clear about who I WANTED to work with. You can do this too, by simply following this 10-step plan:

1. Set the Criteria for Being a “Good” Client. Define the qualities of your ideal customer. Be on the lookout for these unicorns.
2. Set the Criteria for Being a “Bad” Client. Define the qualities that make you miserable or stressed with clients. Swear that you will never take another client, nor keep a client, who has ANY of these qualities,
3. Purge the Scourge. Examine your existing client base and get rid of any stinkers.
4. Preach the “Good Client Gospel.” Publish your “Do’s and Don’ts” clearly, frequently and boldly.
5. Develop a “Bad Client Mythology.” Tell client horror stories and make them part of your Company Mythology – so your prospective clients know how you identify “bad apples” – and let them know what happens to bad apples.
6. Develop a keen sense of discernment about people. Every time I have taken on a bad client, I always had a nagging feeling deep inside that I had ignored. Trust your sensors.
7. Make them work for it. If they really want to work with you, make them prove it. Put some hurdles in place. Weed out the clients who ignore, break, or try to circumvent the rules of being accepted as your client.
8. Be Expensive. While his alone can be a good filter, it is not 100% effective. There are some nasty, needy, broken, and/or crazy people who have lots of money.
9. Listen to Your Team.
10. Be completely unreasonable. While it will help you screen out the “problem children,” it will also cause the Good Clients to want you even more.

And…you guessed it…some snippets from our conversation:

• For vegetarians only (9:10)
• Sean “sparkly” rant (9:35)
• The Force is strong with this one (12:15)
• Ray & Sean tackle The Great Unicorn Debate (12:27)
• Are you willing to take the oath? (13:23)
• The Bad Client Story (14:03)
• Make it known throughout the land (15:24)
• Only gather ripe apples (16:21)
• Trust your gut, not your wallet (17:13)
• The Edwin Moses Strategy (18:37)
• Be a Rolex, not a Timex (19:22)
• Trust your team (20:42)
• Take a look in the mirror (21:39)

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Amazon Subscribe & Save
• Squatty Potty

How To Help

Subscribe to the show through iTunes and give us a rating and review. Make sure you put your real name and website in the text of the review itself. We will mention you on this show. PLEASE USE THE APPLE PODCAST APP!

Get The Transcript

Right-Click and “Save As” to Get the PDF Transcript.