Online Marketing Made Easy With Amy Porterfield

I am a firm believer in changing things up, breaking a pattern, switching gears… Today I’m doing all three. Because I know it’s time. The truth is, I’ve been holding back for a while. I have finally decided that I’ve had enough of the BS, and the fear. To know me is to know I don’t love being on video. And I have given a lot of excuses around that. Time to come clean: I hate video because I’m embarrassed about my weight. Wow. It felt freeing just typing that. So this podcast is my very open letter to you, dear listener. Because I owe you this openness—so I can (perhaps) also inspire you to come out and call out what’s been holding you back. And even give it a name. This episode was a tough one to record. But worth it. 100% worth it. Here I go. Amy

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss: Right at this moment you should be thinking about your list building efforts. I want you borderline obsessed with list-building! This episode is key to your obsession, as today you’re getting every single one of my tested and tried tips and tricks for list building. List building starts with a great idea for a lead magnet, and a great idea for a lead magnet always starts with your ideal customer avatar. And there is ONE big question I ask when I'm thinking about my ideal customer avatar. [6:14] There’s a new player in the list building game that’s getting off-the-charts results. It’s VIDEO and when done right, it will boost your list growth—it’s all how you use it—and that’s part of today’s episode. I know I’ve talked about list-building many times before, but here’s the thing: list building—when done right—can dramatically change your business (I should know, since it completely changed mine). So I want you to listen, then take immediate action of one or two

Biggest Takeaways You Don’t Want to Miss: Being productive is really not about “getting things done” and MORE about doing what’s inside your desire zone. You’ve got your big “time savers” like productivity software, your smartphone, your hacks—but how is that all working out for you? These “resources” are actually cutting into your time! You can transform your entire routine by defining your Ideal Week [26:39] (I know because I did it!). There are four rituals you need to set yourself up for success. My guess is you are doing maybe one or two of these (at best) right now. So let’s UP your game. What if you stopped telling yourself you needed to be more productive, and instead, focused on being free—to focus, be present, spontaneous, to do nothing. I know, kind of crazy, right? But that’s EXACTLY what my very special guest, Michael Hyatt, and I tackle today. A quick bonus for listening: I wanted you to see how the Ideal Week exercise (listen here to understand the concept of an Ideal Week) is working

Why you’ve got to listen to today’s episode: A podcast can dramatically change your business by connecting you with your audience in a new and intimate way, each and every week. Having a comprehensive system (and proven project plan!) can help you streamline your delivery of consistent weekly content. You can truly scale your content efforts—and save a TON of time—if you use a little system called “batching” when planning. There’s one list-building tactic that’s on my MUST list: freebies, or content upgrades. There’s definitely an art and science to implementing these the right way. [26:28] Today I’m bringing together two of my passions—podcasting and systems—in the ultimate behind-the-scenes of my podcast episodes. And I’ve spared no detail. It’s all here—from how I come up with my topics, to how we publish the finished recording, I walk through it all. And you’ve got to get today’s freebie: It’s too good for words: a complete project plan of our process, ready for you to use at any time. I walk you

You asked, and I’m bringing it: My story. And I mean ALL the details, of how I went from corporate to consulting to where I am today: courses. My intention here is not to relive the old days—I’m doing this because you likely can relate to one of the three scenarios: You currently are working in a corporate job, with thoughts of starting your own thing. Your dream business is currently your #sidehustle and you’re looking to make it your full-time gig. You no longer are tied to your J.O.B however your business model is not exactly what you’d like it to be. You want to move into online courses sooner than later. Anyway you approach it, there are opportunities in front of you right now that you may not see as relevant to where you want to go. But that’s not true. Every step counts. If I hadn’t taken a job at Harley Davidson, I wouldn’t have seen what building a community, or movement, looks like and thought, “That’s what I want.” If I hadn’t worked for a matchmaking service, I wouldn’t have figured out t

When it comes to working smarter and not harder, you know the conventional wisdom: Manage your time, take breaks, get enough sleep, tackle the big projects when you feel the most focused, and the list goes on. You know all this stuff, but why is it so hard to act on it? And even if you are applying some of those strategies (which are all good), you still find yourself with more work than you can possibly get done in a single day. Enter Carey Bentley. She’s a productivity and accountability expert. Along with her husband, Demir, they founded Lifehack Bootcamp, a program designed to get you working more efficiently so you can create the lifestyle you want. Now, Carey and Demir weren’t always experts at this—in fact, they once were raging workaholics, but they had to figure out another way because the way they were working was literally affecting their health. Their secret is practice—hard, intentional, sweaty practice. You know, the way pro athletes practice. So think of productivity less like a class where

The deep dive into all things Facebook Ads continues with part two of my mini training with Rick Mulready. In part one we discussed the importance of mapping out a strategy before you jump into scheduling your ads, as well as knowing how to target your ideal customer and build custom audiences using the Audience Insights tool. (Missed Part 1? It was SO GOOD and you can listen here.) We’re going a little deeper in today’s second part by telling you how to set up your ads using the Power Editor and how to assess your performance by focusing on a few key metrics. PART TWO Getting to know the Power Editor. A Facebook ad consists of three elements— campaign, ad set and ad. The campaign is where you set the objective of the ad, such as page post engagement or website clicks. The ad set is where you select the targeting, budget and schedule for the ad. And the ad is where you have the image and text for your ad. How to Create a Campaign: Using metrics to evaluate ad performance. First, don’t look at anything re

Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve dabbled with running a Facebook ads campaign, I want you locked into this jam-packed two-part episode of the Online Marketing Made Easy podcast. My good friend Rick Mulready, who knows Facebook ads better than anyone I know, helps me cover everything you need to know to get your Facebook ads off the ground. PART ONE Have a strategy. One of the biggest reasons entrepreneurs lose faith is because they put a bunch of money into ads without a plan, and then get disappointed when there are no returns. Rick has a lot of great advice here, including why working backward from your end goal is the ultimate way to set yourself up for success. We also explore questions like: How do I convert Facebook fans into email subscribers? What’s the key to attracting paying customers? Can I build my list using Facebook ads, even if I don’t have anything to sell? Target, target, target. You’ve got to get specific on your audience. This is one of the biggest advantages of using

I love HGTV. It’s easy to get hooked watching JoJo and Chip Gaines on “Fixer Upper” transform an old ranch home into something SPECTACULAR (with shiplap of course!), and I’m always picking up little tips that I can DIY along the way. Because sometimes DIY is best. A professional web designer or developer isn't always the answer. And neither is a seasoned copywriter or Facebook ad consultant. Here’s the truth: You’re an entrepreneur. Which means, by nature, you’re a DIYer. In fact, you probably started your business because you knew you could do something better yourself. You’re likely great at wearing many hats—owner, marketer, writer, developer, etc. AND, you may have to do things yourself for awhile because you don’t have a big team or a big budget (yet!). I’m here to say, “You’re on the right track!” I think there are some things you just have to DIY, especially when you’re a rookie entrepreneur. In the long run, your business and your tribe will be better off for it. BUT, there aren’t enough hour

It’s so incredibly easy to get caught up in busywork or to let your phone or email start controlling your schedule. Before you know it, a whole day (or several) has gone by and you don’t have anything real to show for it. Let that happen too much and you lose serious momentum—not to mention not getting tasks done that will actually grow your business. I don’t want that happening to you. So I’m sharing the five strategies I use to stay or get back in the zone whenever I start drifting off. Here’s a brief summary: #1: Set your priorities daily. Sometimes it seems like every action item is crucial, but that’s not true. Responding to emails and recording new videos for your course do not rank the same. I’ll share some advice from my good friend Michael Hyatt, who puts a limit on the number of big tasks he works on every day. #2: Be clear about WHAT and WHY. You’ll hear me talk about how a lack of clarity kept me from getting one project done. #3: Power up. I’ll talk about how I get my creative batteries t

Isn’t running a business like giving one pitch after another? Think about it. You’re an entrepreneur. That means you’re constantly pitching potential and existing customers, students and fans. So as intimidating as pitching an editor at Forbes or the Huffington Post may sound, you’re already doing it to some extent in other parts of your business. Landing more media opportunities will do a lot of great things for your business, like help you grow your email list, establish more street cred, and create more demand for your products and services. That’s why it’s more than worth your time to figure out how to pitch yourself successfully to media organizations and outlets. The question is: what’s the difference between a knockout pitch and the thousand other pitches that find their way into the trash? I’ll tell you exactly how. And to help me, I’ve got my friend Jennifer Berson joining me on this podcast episode. Jennifer was a lawyer working at a prestigious firm before she decided to follow her inner creati

Video is where it’s at, folks. That’s why this latest episode is coming from my brand new studio—which, by the way, has taken me FAR outside of my comfort zone. But I wanted to take my video content to a higher level this year and that’s exactly what I’m doing, with help from my good friend Luria Petrucci of Live Streaming Pros. After Luria (and her partner David Foster) set up my studio, I wanted to hear all about her approach to video, including her recommendations on everything from equipment to tips for preparation and overall content flow. First, Luria and I break down the four different levels of live streaming, talking about what they entail, along with the pros and cons. (These levels are so insightful, I can’t wait for you to hear about them and decide which level you are operating at currently.) By the way—don’t forget to download my video gear guide freebie. You’ll find out what I’ve got going on in my new studio, as well as different alternatives if you are just getting started. You will also

The one thing nearly every entrepreneur I know, including myself, NEVER does is STOP. You’re in the fast lane practically all of the time because there’s so much to do! The problem is that because you’re going a million miles an hour, you often sacrifice important parts of the creative process of any endeavor or business: creating the space needed to slow down and imagine what could be for your business. So this week, I’m going to put aside all the talk about Facebook ads and webinar funnels to pause for a moment and answer a question that’s equally as important. How are you feeling about your business right now? Now, I know. You’re saying, “Jeez, Amy. I don’t have time to think about that. I’m too busy actually running my business.” I totally understand. I don’t check in with myself and answer that question nearly enough either. Today I’m giving myself permission to not only do that on this podcast episode but to also share my answers with you. As I go through and reveal where I am in my business right

I had to eat a big slice of humble pie recently when it came to reworking one of my courses. It was ALL worth it, because today I get to share with you the exact steps I used to rework my List Builder’s Lab (LBL) program. I love LBL, however I knew it was time for a change when I realized my students weren’t crossing the finish line like I wanted them to. So I had to swallow my pride and get to work. And I’m sharing the entire process with you today. This episode is all about figuring out when it’s time for a rework, how extensive it should be, and managing the process so you get it done and roll it out as efficiently as possible. By the end of it you’ll be able to answer: When is it time to re-work my course? Do I need to re-work or update my course? And what’s the difference? How do I start the process? (You’ll learn my 5-step process here.) What’s the timeline? How quickly can I get this done? What about my existing students? Do they get the latest version for free? As a preview, my first step i

There are a ton of moving parts in pulling off a successful webinar. The good news is, with so many variables, there’s a lot you can do to turn your webinar into a hit. You’ve just got to get really good at investigating what may have gone wrong. I’ve got you covered on how to do that in this week’s podcast. Even better is the freebie that goes along with it. If you’ve ever wished for a webinar checklist to keep you on track, consider it granted with Your Webinar Problem-Solving Toolkit, a series of checklists, organized by category, to help you zero in on trouble areas. Along with the deep dive I’m about to do on your toughest webinar challenges, I’m also talking about a strategy I’m using right now in my business. This is the first time I’ve shared it. You don’t want to miss this part because it basically shows you how to identify anything and everything that could go wrong in a webinar campaign or any other kind of marketing effort you’re doing. But before I get to that, I’m covering: Challenge #1: My

Nothing will grow your business faster than sharing your expertise through blogs, podcast episodes, Facebook Live broadcasts, freebies, and more. All of that is content gold that you give away for free. The key question here is how do you know where to draw the line between free and paid content? AND, is it possible to give away too much for free? I answer those questions and more in this episode of the podcast. By the end of the show, you’ll know: My three core differences between free and paid content The key principles I use for free vs. paid content Examples of how I do this in my business with my courses, using my podcast, and other kinds of content And if you are feeling like your creative pipeline is beginning to dry up, you’re really going to enjoy this week’s freebie. It’s my new and improved “10 Free Content Triggers” guide for developing cheat sheets, blueprints, checklists and more. I’ve reworked this into something that’s pretty hot and trust me, you don’t want to miss it. Ready to learn

Do you know who’s visited your website in the last 24 hours? What about who visited your most recent blog post but while visiting your site did not sign up to get your latest freebie? Do you know who’s watching just for the first few minutes of your latest Facebook video but then moving on to something else? Welcome to Facebook Pixel Optimization. Don’t be nervous! We’re going to ease into all you need to know with my Facebook ad guru Rick Mulready, who can break down the Power Editor like Stephen Hawking does the universe. These are the questions Rick and I tackle in this episode: What is the Facebook pixel? What does it do?  (Yes, a few fundamentals just in case you are new to this environment!) How do I set it up? When do I use it? What are event codes? How does it measure efficiency? Where can I see the data? What’s the difference between a Facebook account pixel and a conversion pixel? Why do I have to put the pixel on specific web pages when it’s already on my website? How is the pixel relate

As quickly as Facebook changes, there are some things that are as true today as they were a few years ago: Facebook cares more about its users vs. the marketers. Likes, comments, shares, views, and clicks are gold—the more, the better. The more personal you are and the more you do to generate real and valuable interaction, the more your fans will engage (by liking, sharing, etc.). Now, HOW you accomplish those three points has changed A LOT. Why? Well, there are few reasons. You’ve heard me talk about the infamous Facebook algorithm, and while I’m not going to nerd out on all of its particulars (there are hundreds), it does have everything to do with how many of your fans are actually seeing your posts. If you start to understand just a little bit about how it works, you can get smarter about the kind of content you’re creating. Feel me? I’m going to tell you how to do that by sharing my: Three truths about what’s working on Facebook TODAY (including why your post has to perform well from the minu

If you think being an entrepreneur is tough, try being married to one. Just ask Hobie Porterfield (as I do in this episode). You’ve heard me talk about my hunky husband from time to time, and just how important he is to the success of my business. But I’ve never really talked about what that means exactly. In isolation, running a business and keeping a marriage together are tough. Together? It’s an entirely different beast. The fact is, entrepreneurship brings a very different dimension to a marriage. People with 9-to-5 jobs usually work in organizations that provide support, training and resources. Entrepreneurship can be isolating, which is one reason we often turn to our spouses or significant others for support. So today, Hobie and I are talking about what the road has been like for us. In this episode we reveal: Why Hobie thinks the significant other is 40% of your business success My recent ‘aha’ moment about what it means to REALLY spend time together How we give each other what we need, EVE

Here’s the thing: businesses evolve and grow. Mine has (and so will yours). And what worked a few years ago for my website is no longer reflective of where I am today. If you know it’s time for a website revamp, let this serve as your roadmap of sorts. While you may make different decisions than I did, the overall message you should take away is the same: You need to be intentional and strategic about every part of your site. For example, deciding what to feature on the homepage will influence so many other things like navigation, the sitemap, overall user experience, and ultimately, conversions. (If you simply don’t have the bandwidth to take on this kind of project right now, listen to this episode as a resource you can use when you’re ready (make sure to download the freebie and save it to your computer!). Here’s how the episode breaks down: Part 1—Planning: Learn some of the questions you MUST have answers to before you even think about development. Part 2—The Map: Why you have to plot out every pag