 We Can All Agree 2020 Has Been A Doozy But, there are some positive things that came out of this year.  In this week's Feed U Podcast Episode I give you the 5 lessons I learned in 2020 in hopes that they will inspire you to reflect on what you learned this year. I encourage you to tune in and listen to the entire episode here so you can end this year with a focus on what was positive about 2020 and what you want to leave behind as you move into 2021.  Things will never go back to "normal" and in Episode 111 I share with you how you can adapt your business to meet the new landscape that lies before us. I give you my opinion on how things will play out, things that are irrevocably changed, and how you can adapt to fill the need in this new version of business going forward.  Dive into the entire episode here. We have to accept a new "normal" after 2020 Just like 9-11 the world (not just the United States) has irrevocably changed. Things that we took for granted, concerts, eating out, shopping, and many other previous "luxuries" will never exist the way they did before COVID-19. Restaurants have gone under. Shopping has been done largely online this year. The post office reported processing over 300 million more packages this year than last.  People have now normalized things like food delivery, online shopping, and virtual doctor visits.  The early adopters were already taking advantage of these options - 2020 just added gasoline to the already ignited flame.  For more on this tune into the entire episode. The reality is the same - either adapt or die.  Unfortunately, this will be the case for many of the small businesses we know and love.  But let it be a lesson for you and your business to keep your eye on the horizon for market changes and adapt sooner than later. The world is craving connection. Online connection via bantering and arguing opinions through the comments has become exhaustive.  The world is tired of arguing.  They are tired of being disconnected.  They want real relationships, and to do business with real people.  The spammers and follower buyers were on their way out before 2020 now they are no longer tolerated and I predict BIG changes in the way social media and marketing, in general, will be used in the future.  The sooner you can connect with your clients in a personal way - the faster you will catapult past the competition.  Niching in will no longer be optional and the quicker you can do it, the further ahead you will be.  It enables you to align with influencers in your market and create one of a kind buying experiences for your people.  Creating a boutique type experience for every business model.  No longer will the one-size-fits-all marketing campaign be tolerated or relevant.  I encourage you to brainstorm which steps will you take today to align with the people you most want to help and the influencers already helping them. What is old is new again People do business with people.  You've heard me say it before.  Today I will add they do business with people who make them feel memorable and special. This happens through nurturing relationships. If you haven't committed some time energy and marketing planning into nurturing your current and future customers, it's time to get on the bandwagon.  This will be another BIG differentiator for those who excel and those who fall away.  In the episode, I give you two specific examples of companies I recently did business with that are killing it when it comes to creating an experience for their customers.  Tune in here to listen in. I give you three other lessons and some homework in the episode, tune in to learn how you can align your business for success in the New Year.  Wishing you the best of 2021!   If you loved this episode . . .  I would be so grateful if you would share it with a friend and leave me a review over on iTunes so that we can help more people grow their businesses.

Feed U Podcast

5 Grateful Lessons Learned From 2020 and What To Take Into 2021

 You followed all the guru's advice and built your sales funnel but . . . . . no one is opt-ing in.  Worse, no one is buying.  What the heck?  You did EVERYTHING right.  Why isn't this working?  It takes one of two things to get a sales funnel set up: Either a lot of time or A pretty hefty investment.   When it isn't working it can be infuriating and leave you feeling hopeless.  Alas, all is not lost.  There are still tweaks that you can make.  In this week's episode, I share the 3 reasons most sales funnels fail. Dive into the entire episode here. Don't give up on your funnel until you fix these three things first. 20 years of experience in marketing has taught me, everything can be fixed.  That includes your sales funnel.  If your emails aren't performing, no one is signing up for your freebie or you're not selling any products, then this week's episode was made for you. 1. You're too general. Somewhere along the way you probably bought into the story that broader is better.  Well, in an ultra-competitive world (think the internet) the opposite has proven to be true.  Those who try to help everyone, market to everyone, and sell to everyone, end up serving no one.  Why? Because people are searching for a specific solution to their specific problem.  When you are offering a basketful of generic solutions, they will just assume that you can't help them with their specific problem.  Or worse, they will be confused about what you do and they won't waste time wondering if you can help them, they will just move on to someone who can. In this week's episode, I give you a couple of simple examples, you can check those out here. 2. You are your own best-kept secret. Oh boy! You've spent hours getting your copy right.  You have just the right image.  You checked and double-checked everything and now you wait. And wait. And wait.  Where is everyone?  Well, here's the thing - no one knows about your awesome new stuff because . . . you didn't tell them about it.  So many times I have worked with clients who have created a new website, landing page, or freebie and they are astounded when the internet gods have not smiled on them and sent them a bushel full of customers.  ***NOT SO SECRET*** >>> There is no internet magician.  If you want people to find your awesome website, landing page, freebie, or whatever you create you have to promote it.  I know it can be hard to "toot your own horn" but you're a badass business owner, get out of your own way, and get your stuff out there. The latest research shows you have to put your stuff in front of people a MINIMUM of 8 times before they ever even pay attention.  So put yourself on repeat for a while. 3. You're not solving a problem. I alluded to this in number one, people aren't looking for your product or service.  Seriously!  They aren't.  They are looking for someone to end their pain.  Whatever the pain may be.  They want a solution, they want it now and they don't want to have to work to find it.  The easier you can make it for them to understand that you can help them get out of pain, the faster they will move from not knowing who you are to a customer.  But, if you focus your marketing on what you do - you will lose out every time. To overcome losing out on them and their business, solve problems.  I give you an extra bonus in the episode, tune in to get the extra tip on how to ensure that your sales funnel is doing EXACTLY what you want it to.   If you loved this episode . . .  I would be so grateful if you would share it with a friend and leave me a review over on iTunes so that we can help more people grow their businesses.

110 You Built It Why Haven't They Come?

 You can have the best freebie in the world, but . . .   . . if no one wants it or opts-in, how good is it really?  Not so good.  If you are struggling with getting people to sign up for your free download, it is costing you more than just email subscribers, it's costing you money and new customers.  If you wonder how all the "other people" are getting traction when you are lucky to get people to visit your website, or if you are wondering why your list isn't growing - this week's Feed U Podcast episode is for you.  I break down the three reasons your freebie isn't working and tell you how to fix it so you can get some traction, increase your sales, and finally reach the people that need you. You can tune into the entire episode here. Before you even think about running ads, you will want to fix these few things first. Running ads is a great way to increase traffic to your website and get in front of some new peeps, but if you don't have your landing page and free giveaway in spit spot shape, you might as well fogettaboutit.  This week's episode is going to help you make sure that you are putting your best foot forward - let's dive in.  1. Your freebie is crap. It's better that you hear these things from a friend, seriously!  If you are putting something out there that is not useful to your people, they simply walk away.  Leaving you scratching your head wondering, what in the heck?  The reality is, the internet is crowded.  People are smart. Buyers are smarter.  They know giving you their email address has the potential to open them up to endless sales emails. (you wouldn't do that though, would you?). Which means you have to be smarter.  You have to offer something that is SO good, that they can't resist.  A great measurement is to put something out there that your competitors are charging for. Before you freak out and say to yourself "I can't give away the farm for free!" Stop that thought.  Here's the deal.  People pay for processes.  If they could do it themselves, they would have done it by now.  They will pay you for the system to get it done (the less time the better). So giving away a doozie piece of that process is just the thing to get them hooked and wanting more. 2. You want too much info This one won't apply to everyone, but there are definitely some doozies out there.  People are protective of their info.  The more information you ask them to provide, the less likely they will complete the opt-in form.  The easier you make it for your new lead to say yes, the greater the chance they will say yes.  Adding a checkbox asking for permission to email them for example. Only asking for a name and email address.  Only the first name is even better. Keep it simple, give the relationship a chance to grow.  Do your due diligence in showing up, and building the relationship instead of asking for their social security number on the first date.  That would not only a "no" but a "hell no!"  The moral of the story, less is more.  Ask for less and then as time goes on, trust builds and they will provide you with more info. 3. Where the heck is your CTA? I can't tell you how many emails I have looked at and wondered, what in the heck was the point of that email?  If you aren't laying out breadcrumbs for your clients to follow in your emails, then don't even bother emailing them.  You MUST have a call to action (CTA) in every single one.  Does this mean selling them your product every time?  Absolutely not!  A call to action can be to gather your newest resource, listen to your latest podcast, watch your latest video, any number of things.  Just keep them moving through the funnel whenever possible. I give you an extra bonus in the episode, listen here to get the extra tip on how to increase your sales.  It's a goodie too. If you loved this episode . . .  I would be so grateful if you would share it with a friend and leave me a review over on iTunes so that we can help more people grow their businesses.

Why Your Landing Page Isn't Working

 Can I see a show of hands real quick? How many of you out there reading have set up a single email to deliver your free download and have called it an email sequence? My guess is that more than one of your raised your hand. But the reality is that it takes 8 times or more for the human brain to absorb information. Meaning, if you aren't staying in front of your leads at least 8 times, they have already forgotten about you. In this week's Feed U Podcast episode, I talk about the 3 most important email sequences you can create in your business.  You can tune into the entire episode here. Before you start to worry . . . These sequences are important, but, they don't all have to be set up right this minute.  I know you have a business to run and sometimes marketing takes a back burner.  In the episode, I go into detail about each sequence.  I encourage you to choose which one you think will have the biggest impact on your business today and start there. Without further ado, here's the short version of those email sequences: 1. The Nurture Sequence This is the sequence that is your "hey, good to know you" sequence.  It's your opportunity to build the relationship, gain trust, and move that need subscriber into a paid product. You CANNOT do that in one email. It will take some insight into your customer and also some ingenuity.  This is critical if you are growing your list and trying to convert new leads into customers.  Also, leads shouldn't drop off into oblivion after this sequence, strategize where they can go next. 2. The Re-Engagement (break up) Sequence I talk quite in-depth about the mindset around the break-up sequence in Episode 108, but here's the dealio.  If you have peeps on your list that aren't opening or engaging with your emails, you are paying for those peeps.  Regardless of what you send them.  If they aren't interested, let them go and make room for the people who DO want to hear from you. Holding onto subscribers for vanity is not helping your business. It is MUCH better to have a list of leads than it is to have a list of emails who never buy from you. 3. Cart Abandon Sequence I  lay down some serious stats in this piece of the episode regarding conversion.  >>>SNEAK PEAK

3 Email Sequences You Can Use To Increase Sales

Why is your marketing being ignored?Marketing can be summed up by one phrase, get the right message in front of the right people at the right time. But, what most businesses do is create one message for everyone. If your potential client is not at that phase of their customer journey, they are going to pass you by like a wooly sweater sale in July. In this week's podcast episode I share the three ways to stop the scroll, grab the attention of your audience, and get traction with your marketing.I even threw in a bonus tip to help you narrow down your messaging. You can listen to the complete episode here.Here are the cliff notes for you:The biggest mistake most business owners make is trying to create one version of their messaging that applies to everyone.  I spend the first 10ish minutes of Episode 107 explaining the buyers' journey (customer journey) in very simple terms.There are three levels, learn about those here and only the first level has buyers that are ready to pull out their credit card and buy.  But . . . don't get your dancing pants on yet . . . that's only a conversion rate of 8%.  Which means, you are leaving the other 91% singing in the rain.  We have GOT to go get that other 81 %, otherwise, we are working too hard and constantly struggling to find new customers.After you figure out where your new lead is on the buyers' journey. . .Then your marketing traction boils down to 3 simple things.1. Delivering the right message (in their language) to the right person at the right time.2. Making sure you stay top of mind, that they know who you are and how to buy your products or services.3. Standing out from the crowd (read stop being a snooze fest!)I cover each of those in-depth in this episode, plus give you a bonus tip on how to find the words your audience is looking for (in case you're stuck!). You can listen to the whole episode here.If you loved this episode . . . I would be so grateful if you would share it with a friend and leave me a review over on iTunes so that we can help more people grow their businesses.

107 Why Your Marketing Is Being Ignored

 Which email strategy will give you up to a 3800% return on investment? If your a frequent podcast listener and you haven't guessed yet, I will be surprised.  If you've tuned into any number of Feed U Podcast episodes, you know I'm a HUGE fan of email marketing done right.  Notice that last part "done right". In Episode 106 of the Feed U Podcast, I lay out some of the latest email marketing stats that will have you salivating. If you're ready to take your marketing to task, then this is the episode for you. Email is the best return on investment marketing strategy hands down. In this week's episode, I give you the facts, stats, and tips on how to clean up your email and make it work for you and your business.  Listen to the entire episode here. First, the facts: According to this Hubspot Study, Every $1 spent on email marketing has a return on investment of $38.  If we compare that to the average cost of a Google ad which is approximately $2 in ROI for every $1 spent (campaign monitor) there is a big difference in ROI. So, maybe $38 doesn't seem like much.  Let's take a real-world example.  If you were to spend $100 on your email marketing using the average ROI you could generate $3800. Now, let's compare that to Google. That same $100 would only generate $200. $200 vs. $3800, I know which I would pick. 73% of millennials prefer business communication via email. This stat surprised even me.  Millennials being known for their text preferences, who knew that they actually preferred to do business via email? So what does that mean to you? If you are trying to woo the millennial generation, you better up your email game. (more tips on that in the episode) 78% of marketers have seen an increase in email engagement in the last 12 months. What does that mean to you? You're not a marketer (or maybe you are). Well, those marketers represent brands and businesses. They work with all types of industries and are giving their perspective based on the success of their clients.  That means you. If it's working for them, it can and will work for you. Let's take note of one VERY important word in that stat.  "engagement".  Not only are subscribers opting in and receiving the email, but they are also in some way engaging with the email.  Translation - they are opening, reading, and or clicking - or all three. Engagement is the key.  If you can get in front of your audience and get them to engage, that is when profit shifts happen. In Episode 106 several other stats are mentioned, give it a listen to get all the latest email marketing data. I also give you my perspective on why people are more engaged now and will be in the future as well as 5 hiccups to avoid with your email marketing so that you can gain traction and not steer your subscribers away or toward your competitors.  Tune in to the episode to get all the details. What did you learn from this episode?  Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join the Small Business Builders Community in the Facebook Group. Small Business owners unite to feed each other with inspiration, information, experiences, and knowledge.

The 3800% ROI Marketing Strategy

 The first day of fall brings external and internal change. But are you aware of the impact that seasonal changes bring to your business and success? We are connected to nature whether we are aware of that connection or not. In this episode, I talk about the way each season impacts us and our business. If you are making decisions in your business without seasonal alignment and are struggling, this episode may shine some light on why. The 22nd (when the episode was recorded) was the Fall Equinox. With that comes shifts from outward work to inward connection and reflection. As we move toward winter, our goals and focus should shift as well. In Episode 105, I discuss the different phases of planning and aligning your business with each season. Because we are entering in fall, I began with the fall season. FALL: During the fall, our businesses and our lives should focus on the harvest.  This will make more sense as we move through the other seasons. But this, as in nature, is the time we gather our rewards for the hard work we produced. Whether that is financial or in recognition. If you notice, many of the awards shows are held in the fall season. In fact, just this past week was the Emmy Awards. I bet you didn't even realize that the alignment of rewards and recognition of the year's worth of work, happened during the fall season. If we focus our business on gratitude, resources, our wealth, and what we need to let go of - we will align with the fall season. Just as nature lets go, leaves falling from trees, gardens dying back to rejuvenate the soil for spring, we also must let go. Make space for creativity and planning and what is to come. Learn more by listening to the entire episode. WINTER: During the winter our focus should be toward hibernation, rest, recuperation, and inward reflection. This is the time when we set our goals for the coming year. Allow new ideas to percolate and come to us. Dive into our purpose and the alignment we have with what we want to accomplish on a bigger scale, the scale of who we are as humans.  As the years pass, are we in tune with what we want to leave as a legacy for future generations? Are we moving toward that legacy and the reasons we started our business in the first place? Winter gives us the space (and the darkness with shorter days) to go within, rest and reflect. SPRING: If fall is the season of harvest, then spring is when we plant the seeds so that we will have something to harvest. This is the time of putting new ideas into action. Renewing our zest for what we do, what we want to accomplish, and the impact we want to make. It's time to begin plans to launch new products or services. To bring the ideas we have been creating focused on during the winter to the light of spring so that they can bloom forth. SUMMER: As we come to the end of this summer we can reflect back on the power of the sun. The warmth it shines, even in offering relief (although temporary) from the Coronavirus. The sun is powerful - and with longer days and shorter nights, we are filled with power.  Power to put the energy into ensuring our well-laid summer plans come to fruition.  It's when we put the action fully into achieving our goals. We are fueled by connection, growth, and accomplishment.  This is when the "big" growth happens for us and our business.  It is the accumulation of what we planned for during the winter and spring. For the low-down on all of the seasons, be sure to tune into this week's episode. What does this alignment truly mean for your business? When you are aligned with the seasons, you: Become more aware of what you are doing, why you are doing it, and what you truly want out of life and your business. You eliminate outside distractions, activities, and focus stealers so that you can truly align with what brings you joy and success. (However you choose to define it.) You free up your time to focus on your true purpose, and the legacy you are meant to leave. In the episode, I challenge you to look at the season your business is in and evaluate, just like nature, what you need to let go of so that you can make space for what is to come. I encourage you to pull out a piece of paper, draw two columns, and label them simple keep and stop. Identify the pieces of your business that it is time to let go of.  This could be relationships, clients, products, services, ways you are spending time, etc. Letting go of them may not mean eliminating them altogether.  It could simply mean outsourcing them or setting them aside to reevaluate in the spring.  The idea is, where will you make space for the new? Because without space, there is no room for the "new" to settle in and find it's way to you. I would love for you to share what you are letting go of over in the Facebook group so that we can support one another. What did you learn from this episode?  Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join the Small Business Builders Community in the Facebook Group. Small Business owners unite to feed each other with inspiration, information, experiences, and knowledge.

The Role Seasonal Changes Play In Your Business

 Email marketing can seem overwhelming . . . And when you aren't having the success you want, it can also be frustrating. But, you could have picked up some really bad habits along the way that are not helping you in the way of email marketing success. This week I share three email experiences, my reaction, and how to improve them in Episode 104 of the Feed U Podcast. If you're sick of fighting with your email conversion, tune in to this week's episode and learn: The #1 thing that is causing your email marketing to fail and three important lessons to learn from, so you don't eliminate your customer connection before you even have a chance to build it. Losing your leads before they have even had the chance to get to know you and fall in love with your brand. In the episode, I talk about the GDPR (which is legal speak for don't add people to your list without permission.)  I also reference this interview Episode with Aidan Durham.  She gives you the entire scoop on GDPR and what it means to your email marketing and your business. I also give you 3 specific "no go" email experiences that you DO NOT want to repeat.  This episode is short but mighty and you definitely want to tune in to get all the details. I talk about being on the receiving email end from someone who only shows up when they are ready to sell me into something and how yucky it feels to be used for sales and ignored the rest of the time.   This isn't nurturing, this is straight-up used car salesman territory and there are better ways to grow and build your audience. I also talk about audience size and how size is MUCH less important than engagement and interest in you and what you do.  You need to listen to the whole episode to get all the details on that. The second example was from my experience of signing up for a new membership. How the onboarding system went (or in this case, didn't) and how to ensure that providing your new customers a top-notch experience will skyrocket you past the competition.  There were some definite hiccups in this process, and I share them with you here. Last but not least, I tell you the story about the email from someone I met over 5 years ago and I never asked to be on their list.  (See GDPR note above). This is not only a great way to piss people off (had to be said) but it's also illegal in a LOT of places (all of Europe, CA, HI, MD, MA, NJ, NY, WA, and the list keeps growing.) Protecting personal data is A BIG DEAL.  Just ask Mark Zuckerberg who had to fork out $5 Billion dollars in fines.  This is a PRIME example of what not to do.  Be sure to listen in as I talk you through that example. That's a wrap for this week.  I would love to hear which email marketing "don't" you've experienced from this episode.  Head on over to the Facebook group and let me know. What did you learn from this episode?  Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join the Small Business Builders Community in the Facebook Group. Small Business owners unite to feed each other with inspiration, information, experiences, and knowledge.

The #1 Reason Your Email Marketing Is Failing You

 If you are like most business owners . . . You have invested in some type of marketing for your business that you couldn't track results for.  It's easy to be talked into investing your time and money into Facebook Ads, Google Ads, SEO, and all kinds of marketing that involves posting on numerous platforms. But, if you are also like most business owners, you don't have any idea whether or not it's working and are too busy to track the ROI. No one is blaming you, you're busy and are trying to run a business for goodness sake.  This is why in Episode 103 I talk about the 3 BIG ways you can measure what is working and what is not, as well as, share with you some of the best questions I've learned to ask before hiring anyone for your marketing. It will save you time, frustration, and money. So be sure to tune into the entire episode here. I spend a good chunk of the beginning of the episode talking about something you may not think is very important, but it's critical to succeeding with ANY marketing you invest him.  Your sales funnel MUST connect to every product and activity that you engage in, to market your business. It's definitely worth a listen if you just tune into this part because in my experience THIS single piece is what over 85% of businesses are missing when it comes to their strategy. Here are the other 3 ways you can measure, tweak, and fine-tune your marketing activities. 1. Becoming aware of your email subscriber opt-ins. If you do not have analytics set up to track your opt-ins it's going to be impossible to track whether or not something is actually converting.  The beginning of your funnel is your email subscriber in nearly all cases.  But, if you don't check in with your analytics to see if people are opting in, then how will you know if your list is growing?  These can be found in your email service provider (ESP) (like ConvertKit-they are my favorite) or by using a 3rd party system like Lead Pages.  You can also usually find this information by evaluating your opt-in form, I use a plugin called Bloom by Elegant Themes. But you can easily use the form created directly in your ESP. Regardless of how you track, it's a good idea to compare all the entry points to be sure they are consistent with your subscriber growth. 2. Measure traction with our ad account analytics. Add accounts, and especially analytics can seem overwhelming if you aren't familiar with the backend. But don't let the technology intimidate you.  Learning even the basics can open up a wealth of information for you to understand your ideal customer, as well as, what is engaging them and what is not.  Spending a little bit of time with your ad analytics will tell you the story of where to spend money on ads and where not to. For example, if all of your subscribers are on YouTube, you probably don't want to spend a ton of money on Facebook Ads, you want to spend the money on YouTube. But without analyzing and testing, you wouldn't have this information. 3. Google Analytics is your new best friend. There is a wealth of information available on Google Analytics if you connect it to your website.  Even if you NEVER run a Google Ad.  It is definitely beneficial to take a high-level look at your analytics on a regular basis (once a month-ish) to see who is visiting your site, how much time they spend, and what brings them there.  I mention the WordPress Plugin Monster Insights as a good tool to use. But you don't have to have WordPress to utilize Google Analytics. That's a wrap for this week.  I would love to hear what tool you are going to dive into to measure your marketing from this episode.  Head on over to the Facebook group and let me know. What did you learn from this episode?  Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join the Small Business Builders Community in the Facebook Group. Small Business owners unite to feed each other with inspiration, information, experiences, and knowledge.

3 Ways To Measure Your Marketing Investment

 I know underneath all your goals for your business is the one thing you TRULY want. It's what we all want. Why we got into this entrepreneurial gig, to begin with.  Freedom.  Sweet freedom.  But, if you're like most of us - freedom is in a land far far away.  Probably where Tattoo lives with Mr. Roarke. But, what if the only thing getting in your way of sweet sweet freedom was you? In Episode 102 I share the #1 thing that you can do to scale your business this year.  And, you may not like the answer.  Or you may surprise yourself and realize the answer was there all along, you just couldn't see the forest through the trees.  You can listen to the entire episode here. But, in case you're in a hurry - the brief synopsis of what I talk about this week is below. In my experience, personally and working with clients, there are three problems that are getting in the way of you scaling your business right now. 1. You're stuck in your head. As an entrepreneur, this isn't an unusual place to be, but when it comes to moving forward it's more than a tad inconvenient.  If you stay stuck in your thoughts, dreams, and worries - you aren't taking action. With no action, comes no movement forward. No movement forward means no change. Without changing things up, whether it's adding team members to offset your workload or more products to increase sales, there is no additional revenue.   Meaning, you can't scale.  Not a fun place to be (ask me I know ALL about it!) If this is you, don't panic - I have a simple solution below.  You can also listen to the episode to get the entire scoopidy-doop. 2. You have lots of ideas, LOTS - but you aren't putting any of them into action. Similar to #1 above, lack of action will keep you stuck. But in addition, acting on all these ideas and doing all the things, is exhausting and 1000% confusing to your audience.  While you're trying to put out every fire and do every darn thing to make your customers happy, new customers are bewildered by what you actually do.  Which means you stay stuck. And usually, you are stuck doing a bunch of crapola you don't even like doing.  Tune in to hear all about the crazy beginnings of my business (talk about all the things, I'm tired just reminiscing!) 3. You think you have it all figured out, only nobody else wants what you've figured out. There is nothing worse than spending weeks, months, or even years creating a product that you put your heart and soul into and then realizing when the cart opens - crickets. Not one single bite of interest.  It is frustrating and disappointing, to say the least.  But, it could have all been avoided.  All the endless work, time, and energy spent creating a product you love but that no one else wants or will pay for.   The Solution It came to me this week during a call with a friend.  To survive this crazy ride of business ownership, the #1 thing you need to solve the issues above is a Business Therapist. Seriously!  Hear me out. A business therapist (B.T. for short) is not there to tell you what to do like a coach or mastermind group would. (Although they can be a business therapist - more on that below.) A true B.T. is there to bounce ideas off of. To give you the real truth and nothing but the truth, just like Judge Judy - even when you don't want to hear it. They are going to give you the feedback you need, the kick in the butt you deserve (so you can get a move on), and a different perspective. Something we don't have access to when we are in the thick of it in our own business. You see, most of us walk around with blinders on (that's what we're supposed to do, kinda). But, with that determined focus, we can easily get stuck.  We need that support system to pull us out of the weeds and keep us moving forward.  That's where your business therapist comes in.  They help you put a stop to (or at least advise you to write them down and get them out of your head) all of your ideas and encourage you to take action on just one. Take one small step forward so you can get your groove back (just like Stella!) Where do I find my own B.T.? I give you a ton of tips on places to look and criteria to filter people through in the episode.  I highly suggest you go over there and listen so you can get the scoop on how to find your B.T. But the shortlist is, everywhere.  You can find them in masterminds, coaching programs, friends, networking groups, industry groups, online. You just have to know what to look for.   Why do I need a B.T.? I can hear the naysayers already.  I don't need no stinking business therapist. I want to encourage you to ask yourself a few questions if you're knocking it before you try it.  If you have it all figured out, is your stuff selling the way you want it to? Are you working endless hours with no increase in revenue? Have you launched that new product or course you keep talking about? Do you end the day going WTH did I get done today? If you answered yes, then you my friend, are stuck. Whether you realize it or not.  I hope you'll give the episode a listen to find the best way for you to move forward, grow, scale and create the impact that your audience, customers, and the world are waiting for. That's a wrap for this week.  I would love to hear what stood out to you about finding your own business therapist or anything else you gathered from this episode.  Head on over to the Facebook group and let me know. What did you learn from this episode?  Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join the Small Business Builders Community in the Facebook Group. Small Business owners unite to feed each other with inspiration, information, experiences, and knowledge.

The #1 Thing You Can Do To Scale Your Business This Year

 You know building an audience is critical to selling your products and services. And I will bet you are looking for some magical tip, trick or technique.  But the reality is, that audience building has more to do with you than it does what you do.  This is why this episode is dedicated to the 5 steps you have to have under your belt in order to effectively build your audience. Getting clear about your audience, mindset, and message will save the day. I have spent some time in the trenches building my audience and building the audiences of my clients.  In Episode 101 I share all the lessons I've learned, and that they've learned to successfully connect, grow, and create raving fans.  You can listen to the entire episode here. 1. Be you, there is only one of you.   Sometimes it's easy to convince ourselves that we need to be someone other than who we are. But, there is only one us. What would you say if I told you that there are people out there looking for you?  Just you.  Not Sally, Joe, or Bob.  You! You were put on this planet to create impact and help others.  No one can do it as you do, so embrace it, say it out loud and say it loud enough for your people to find you. There are no new ideas, just new ways of teaching and learning the ideas out there.  So beat your drum and be you.  Your people and your heart will thank you. 2. Be clear about what you offer. Clarity sells  What doesn't sell is confusion.  If you aren't clear about who you serve and how you help them, your people CANNOT find you.  They won't find you.  There is a lot of noise out there and you can't stand out if you don't take a stand. It can be scary as shiitake to niche down and talk only to your people, but in this week's episode, I share a story a lady who did just that. She is KILLING it by the way.  Tune in to hear the whole scoop. 3. Ask the people (your people) what they want. There is nothing worse than guessing what people want to hear, read, or buy. Just ask them already. If you don't know where to start, this week's episode gives you some killer tips.  Check-in and listen to how I helped one of my clients recently save a TON of time, energy and frustration by not creating what she wanted to create, but instead creating what her people were asking for. She loves me, and you will too.  :D 4. Do your homework. One of the best ways to grow your audience is to get in front of another person's audience. But, there are some right ways and some not so good ways to get in front of other audiences. I share some of the emails I get regularly from people pitching to be on the podcast (and there are some doozies) as well as, some ideas to branch out and find your people in similarly aligned niches.  Listen to all the details here. Along with those details, be sure to show up and give value, be gracious to your host/hostess, and don't waste their time by pitching them your spiel without doing your homework.  It's rude and the fastest way to have your email end up in the trash folder.  Nobody wants that. 5. Check-in with your why (often). When building your audience, it's SUPER important to check-in with why you are growing your audience. Why you want to help that specific group of people. What it will mean when you reach _______ number of subscribers or followers. What belief or meaning have you attached to that goal? And, is it in alignment with where you really want your business and life to go? Keep in mind, this shifts all the dang time. And that is OK. In fact, it's more than OK.  Go with the flow, this is your life and your business.  You are allowed to create them as you wish. I go through some specifics on this in the episode, give it a listen.   That's a wrap for this week.  I would love to hear what stood out to you about growing your audience from this episode.  Head on over to the Facebook group and let me know. What did you learn from this episode?  Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join the Small Business Builders Community in the Facebook Group. Small Business owners unite to feed each other with inspiration, information, experiences, and knowledge.

5 Steps To Attracting Your Audience

 Today is the 100th Episode of the Feed U Podcast I thought about a giveaway or a contest, but I realized sharing the biggest takeaways of recording 100 episodes would have a BIGGER impact on helping you grow your business.  In this week's episode, I give you the down and dirty on lessons learned (most of them the hard way, because that's how I roll) of recording and pushing this podcast live for almost two years.  Come with me down memory lane and take notes, because this episode is jam-packed with success tips that will help you soar forward and climb higher. If you would have told me that 100 episodes would have flown by so quickly, I DEFINITELY would not have believed you. Episode 100 was definitely a trip down memory lane and a reminder of how far I have come and how much more there is to learn. When I started this podcast it was with the intent of helping others, that hasn't changed.  But lots of ups, downs, and hiccups along the way led me to narrow down the top 12 lessons I learned about podcasting, interviewing and sticking with a goal.  All of which has impacted my business, my goals, and how I will show up in the future. Listen to the entire episode here. The show notes are short and sweet this week, so be sure to tune into the entire episode to get all the behind the scenes scoop. What did you learn from this episode?  After you listen to the episode, come share in the Facebook Group your biggest takeaway and what lesson will impact your future business decisions. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join the Small Business Builders Community in the Facebook Group. Small Business owners unite to feed each other with inspiration, information, experiences, and knowledge.

12 Lessons Learned The Hard Way From Recording 100 Episodes

 Are you only dreaming of being interviewed by your favorite magazine, podcast host, or television star? Well, it's time to stop dreaming and instead take action toward making that dream a reality.  My guest Ashley Biggers is THE go-to expert in how to get your brand in front of the media. The best part, she is dishing all her secrets in Episode 99 of the Feed U Podcast.  For over 20 years Ashley as a professional journalist, Ashley has written 2,500 articles and interviewed around 12,500 sources. SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! That's a ton of people. But, it gets better! The majority of them have been creative entrepreneurs and small business owners. Her byline has appeared on CNN, USA Today, Self, and many other top digital and print publications. This week she shares with you how to break down the barriers between your business and the media and how to get your story told so you can get in front of more people. You don't want to miss this amazing interview with Ashely, catch the entire chat here. Here's the low-down on what we covered in the episode: 1. What is your story? Choosing what to talk about and pitch to the media.   2. How to promote yourself and cheat around sales. You've got to hear this one.  Tune in here to get Ashley's advice. It's a game-changer. 3. What are the best media outlets for you to approach? 4. Understanding and using a press release to approach the press. Ashley breaks down the best way to complete, understand and use a press release in the episode, check it out here. And the difference between a press release and pitch.  And why reaching out on social media or calling the press is a NO-GO. 5. How to stand out in the pile of pitches so that you can get the attention. 6. Where should you start your media search? Who should you approach? Ashley breaks down the power of a media kit and it isn't what you might think.  Listen in to get the scoop. 7. What's the scope of getting featured in the press and how to prepare. 8. Why using public relations can be more valuable than social media. 9. The best practices for following up with your media contacts. And even more! Tune in to the entire episode to learn how to get started with promoting your business in the press. Connect with Ashley and grab your free Pitch Kit Resource here: Ashley Biggers Facebook Instagram Twitter Pitch Kit Resource  That's a wrap for this week.  I would love to hear what you learned about public relations from this episode and what you're going to put into action.  Head on over to the Facebook group and let me know. What did you learn from this episode?  Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join the Small Business Builders Community in the Facebook Group. Small Business owners unite to feed each other with inspiration, information, experiences, and knowledge.

Mastering Public Relations With Ashley Biggers

 You only get one chance to make a first impression. I'm sure you've heard the saying before, but when it comes to business first impressions, you may be making one without even realizing it.  Your customers are stalking you (not inappropriately - get your mind out of the gutter) long before they ever reach out to you. But if your online presence is lacking, you could be sunk in the water before you ever get the chance to show them your sails. It's time to polish up your business online before it busts your opportunities. I have had many inquiries from potential clients as well as the opportunity to do my own bit of stalking as I look for staff.  Let me tell you, I know it's a bit judgy, but I don't take the people who break these 9 unwritten rules very seriously as business owners. Episode 98 lays out the 9 original sins of branding and marketing a new business.  For all the insider tips and a break down of what not to do, listen to the entire episode here. 1. What is your first impression?   Social media profiles are a wealth of information. As a business owner, how are you showing up? Do you have professional headshots or did you take one in your bathroom mirror? Or worse, do you have a blank avatar? What are you posting on social? Is it intentional? Did you create a strategy around it? Does it jive with your vibe or are you keeping the real you in hiding? When you are posting content is it helpful to your audience or are you just picking a pretty quote and praying that someone clicks on it?  Without a plan and some professionalism, it's going to be hard for people to take you seriously.  A few little polishes and you will be looking like you are in the game. Get a professional headshot (tips in the episode), think about that post twice before you post it and, for the love all things holy come up with a strategy before you invest time and energy in your social media. 2. Have a professional email address. When you use your Hotmail account (please tell me you don't have Hotmail!) as your business email address, how seriously can people really take you? Put yourself in their shoes.  You need to hire a tree trimmer.  There are 100 tree trimmers in your area.  When you narrow down candidates are you going to go with joe@WeTrimTrees.com or are you going to go with joetrippingtrees@aol.com. More than likely you are going to go with the professional.  Because something as simple as having a professional email address sets you apart as "knowing what the heck you're doing" vs. I just woke up today and decided I'd try tree trimming.  People want the best that they believe they can afford.  So if it comes down to you and Joe at WeTrimTrees, Joe is winning the deal.  Get the email address.  It's $6 a month using GSuite and you get some other nifty bonuses. 3. Update/Create Your Google Listing. Almost 92% of people use Google search to find whatever it is they are looking for.  That means YOU.  They are looking for you.  If you aren't on there as a business, they CAN'T find you.  It's free, it's awesome and you need to do it.  Here's the link to get started. The same is true if you set up your google account and then forgot about it. It needs to be up to date and kept that way.  It's the first thing that people see and you need to keep it polished up and ready to shine. Use this link to check yours out and be sure it's up to date. 4. Your social profile is outdated. Did you know that your LinkedIn profile is one of the highest-ranked search items on Google?  Don't believe me? Go type in your name or the name of your competitor and see if their LinkedIn profile shows up on the first page of results.  Go ahead, I'll wait.  It was there, wasn't it? So why in the world would you not be sure that thing is UP TO DATE?  The same goes for all of your social profiles.  Your future customers are soaking in everything you put out there. If they are old, outdated, or have messaging or posts that don't align with your business, you have some clean up to do.  I gave more tips in the episode, check them out here.  5. Your connections are not intentional. Just like promoting on social media, creating content, or building a strategy - you have to be intentional with who you are connecting with in real life and online.  You wouldn't go to a dental conference if you sell dog collars.  That would make zero sense.  Yes, they may own dogs, but they aren't there to buy a dog collar.  They are there to connect with other dentists and dental vendors.  The same goes for social media.  You don't need 700K subscribers if they have no interest in purchasing from you or don't need your product.  Be intentional with whom you connect and create a plan around why you are connecting with them. 6. Your website is outdated, broken, or doesn't exist. You may have been told that you don't need a website to succeed.  Perhaps you don't, but I will argue you do need at least a home page to be taken seriously.  If you are going to have a website out there for people to find make sure it is isn't broken and that your visitors don't have issues accessing pages worry about their security or that you indeed have a website for them to visit and it's not missing. Nothing screams "I don't know what I'm doing" louder than "here's my website" and they go and nothing is there or they get a 404 error.  There are only 3 pages you need on a website, I'm going to cover those in a future episode. 7. You make it hard to do business with you. This can be connected to #6 above, if they go to your website and they have to search and search for what you do, how to contact you or how to place an order, they just won't.  I give several examples in Episode 98 that I experienced during COVID (and am still experiencing). Don't be that guy (or gal) that people really want to buy from, but you're making it too hard to do.  If they call on the phone and it's busy more than twice, they are going somewhere else.  If they try to place an order and it won't go through, they will buy it somewhere else.  The easier you can make their experience the better.  Which is why there is an entire industry built around user experience (UX for short). They study the best way for companies to create the ultimate user experience for their customers and leads.  Do what you can to make it simple, easy, and move forward in working with you. 8. Do what you say you're going to do. If you don't keep your word before they are clients, then what is that showing them about how you will treat them and their business once they are clients? If you say you are going to complete something, show up for something, do something, just do it.  Even if it's not perfect and most of the time it won't be, what people will remember is that you showed up and did what you said you would. This just happened to me as I was writing these notes. Someone signed up for a consultation, I had a gut feeling they wouldn't show up, but I called and did my due diligence regardless.  It doesn't matter that I knew in my gut they would be a know show, I still did what I set my intention to do.  It's the little things that add up to the big things. 9. Follow up with all your leads. This is the number one reason people don't close deals.  The salespeople (and you are a salesperson even if you don't want to be) that follow up will close the deal. Because, people are busy. They don't have time to babysit your business. If you want their business, it's your job to show them that you not only want them as a customer but how you will treat them once they become customers.  It takes up to 11 times for someone to interact with you before they buy.  Don't believe me? Go turn the tv on and watch how many commercials repeat during a single movie or a few shows.  I noticed it this weekend while I had Hallmark on (yep there was a marathon). Usually, I don't watch much tv, but I happened to have it on in the background.  Within a 2 hour movie, I had seen the same 4 commercials at least 3 times.  Why? Because repetition sells.  People are busy, they need to be reminded of who you are and what you do.  Following up with them enables you to stay top of mind. That's a wrap for this week.  I would love to hear which of these you are taking action on so that you can beat the business busters.  Head on over to the Facebook group and let me know. What did you learn from this episode?  Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join the Small Business Builders Community in the Facebook Group. Small Business owners unite to feed each other with inspiration, information, experiences, and knowledge.

1st Impression Business Busters

 Do you ever re-examine your life and wonder what the heck have I been doing? This was my experience recently while going through old boxes.  What I realized is with the MANY businesses I have had, I have made a TON of mistakes.  But with every mistake, I also learned what to do and what not to do.  The rollercoaster of entrepreneurship is definitely filled with learning opportunities. In Episode 97 of the Feed U Podcast, I divulge the 10 biggest mistakes small businesses make. I confess at the beginning of the episode that this list was created based on some of the MANY mistakes I've made and learned from, but also from being able to help others navigate mistakes and turn them into lessons and opportunities.  I break down all the details in this week's episode, but in the meantime, here is the skinny on those 10 mistakes so you can avoid them, commiserate with me or see them coming and stop them in their tracks.   1. They haven't defined or know who their audience/ideal client is.  Oh boy, did I make this mistake.  More than once I might add.  But getting super clear on your audience and learning everything you can about them, will not only make your marketing stronger, but it will also save you time, money, and frustration. When you figure out who you are talking to and can get in between their ears, that's when the magic happens.  This is ALWAYS step one with my clients because as I share, even those who know their clients well will miss something important that throws everything into a tailspin. 2. They put too much time, effort, and money into being on social media. I know so many people that jump on social media to promote their business.  No plan, no strategy, and no way to track whether or not it's working.  Why? Because some ding dong told them that was THE way to promote their business.  Here's the scoop.  Social media is crowded, it's complex, and if your audience isn't where you are you are WASTING your time. If you don't have a plan to take them off of social media and buy something from you, you are wasting your time. Social media works, but it doesn't work alone.   3. They spend money on the WRONG things. I give you the full-on confession here about the MANY things I have invested in for my business that were just plain a waste of money. Unfortunately, I am not the only one who has spent money on coaches, products, software, marketing, you name it with the intention of growing and making money in my businesses.  We all do it, but I give you lots of tips on how to choose the best places to put your money and not spend because you are sucked into someone's magical sales pitch, inside the episode.  I also give you a hidden tip (3.5) in the episode.  Check it out here. 4. They want a quick win or overnight success. Let's be real.  Owning a business is work.  Can you love the work, absolutely.  Is there a magical fairy that will come and give you a million-dollar business because you asked for one.  Not likely. If you think the top entrepreneurs out there woke up one day rolling in the dough, you should probably read a few more success stories.  Lots of showing up and doing the work all while learning and growing. 5. They try to learn and do EVERYTHING themselves. Raising my hand, yep that's me.  But, I'm reforming.  Entrepreneurs are go-getters.  We get shiitake done. If we didn't we wouldn't be on this train.  But, it also makes us control freaks.  Don't deny it, I see you trying to hide behind your shirt color.  The reality is we CAN'T do everything without burning ourselves out. Ultimately, trying to do everything will burn us out, make us feel like we are working a job again, and leave us hating our business.  We don't want that, which is why we have to get help and offload the things we aren't good at or that we don't enjoy.   6. They bring a corporate mindset to a non-corporate world. There is NOTHING wrong with being corporate or professional. But, you left that world for a reason. I see so many people struggle with success when they leave because they have NO idea how to succeed out of corporate.  They don't know how to market, sell, create an offer, do research, or all the other umpteen things YOU have to do to have a business.  I've seen friends jump out and then jump right back in because they didn't know how to propel their customer base and grow.  There is no business success handbook. We have to figure it out and realize we are all the corporate departments (just us) for HR, Accounting, Sales, Marketing and the list goes on. Which is why #5 is so important. (See above) 7. They don't create a compelling offer that people will pay money for. So many times people (yep me included) will create fabulous wonderful products, downloads, etc. and not realize no one wants them and if they do, they won't pay you a dime because they don't' want them badly enough. We have to be smart to make it in this world. This took a LONG time to figure out (mostly because I was trying to find my people) but once I figured it out, it was like margin.  Spend the time figuring out who you can help and create from there.  Any other way will be a huge disappointment and waste of time. 8. They ignore their audience. I get on my soapbox a little for this one during the episode, but it's a bit of a pet peeve of mine.  Don't bother creating or building an audience if you are going to ignore them.  First, it's just plain rude. Second, it's a huge waste of time because people are smart and they will realize soon enough that you don't care enough to stay in touch. Third, you will be like a good majority of other companies out there and you MUST find a way to stand out or you will be ignored.  Showing up regularly is THE best way to stand out.  Regardless of where choose to show up. 9. They sell too soon or never get to selling. I walk through several examples in the episode of people who have done this well and people who are FAILING miserably.  You should for sure check them out here. But, there is a fine line to walk.  Not selling too soon and not selling at all.  I've sucked at both of these one time or another.  It's definitely like artistry, it takes time to perfect when and how.  Just keep in mind that you don't want to be like the people who feel sleazy at the car lot nor do you want to give away everything for free and never give your people the opportunity to buy from you.  Fine line. 10. They don't have a customer service process or policy in place. You work too dang hard to earn your customers.  Bringing them on with some pizazz, excitement and extra love takes a little time.  But if you do it right, they will be raving fans and bring you more customers.  Thinking outside the box and making sure you go the extra mile to let your customers know you appreciate them will pay for itself tenfold. Don't drop the ball once they've paid you. Keep the momentum going. Because as you know getting a new customer is WAY harder than selling a current customer into something else. That's a wrap for this week.  I would love to hear if any of these failures hit too close to home.  Head on over to the Facebook group and let me know. What did you learn from this episode?  Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join the Small Business Builders Community in the Facebook Group. Small Business owners unite to feed each other with inspiration, information, experiences, and knowledge.

The Biggest Marketing Mistakes Small Businesses Make

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