Feed U Podcast

In this week's episode, we dive into why speaking, although it can be the BEST lead generator for your coaching or consulting business, if done wrong, it can lose 97% of your leads.  In this packed episode you will learn the #1 reason selling from stage falls flat and what to do instead. This episode will help you refine your lead generation strategy so you turn every stage into more opportunities for people to become long-term customers. This week's action-packed episode includes: ✅ Why selling from stage is actually stopping your biggest sales opportunities ✅ How your lead magnet is going wrong and what to do instead ✅ Five EXCELLENT lead magnet ideas that are sure to make you stand out at any event and grow your email list ✅ The biggest mistake (I have done it too) that stops people from opting in ✅ Why people aren't buying from your speaking engagements and how to fix it This week's episode gives you action steps to move more people into your sales system from speaking engagements so that you can convert them into paying clients.  It's not magic, it's not mystery, it's marketing strategy.  If you're struggling with getting your speaking engagements to deliver ROI, this is an episode you won't want to miss.  Tune into this week's episode and transform the way you show up to your next speaking gig. If you're overwhelmed with creating an irresistible lead magnet, I've got you.  Grab the Secret Podcast 

In this week's episode discover the 2025 lead magnet blueprint that will attract ideal clients, start building connections and relationships with them, and turn them into paying customers sooner rather than later.

In this week's episode learn 3 ways to convert more of your audience into warm leads that are ready to buy so you are making the most of your marketing time and budget. In today's episode, we dive into the importance of building trust and relationships with our audience, especially in today's AI-driven world. Discover inside: ✅ How to build engagement, trust, and rapport with your audience ✅ Why specificity in your content will take you farther than random, generic content ✅ Designing a customer journey that leads to more conversations and sales ✅ Creating a community of engaged, loyal fans to spread the word about your business ✅ The best way to get your audience to talk back to you and generate new content and conversations What happens after you have your audience's attention?  Moving them to a platform you own (like your email list) is the best option for your business.  If you aren't sure how to get those precious email addresses, tune into my free training on creating a magnetic lead magnet that grows your email list.

In this week's episode learn why your email is one of your marketing lifelines and how it can future-proof your business from any social media antics like the TikTik ban.  

In this week's episode discover why selling from the stage rarely goes the way you think it will and what to do instead.  Learn the top mistakes most speakers and coaches make when it comes to introducing new leads to your ecosphere (especially when speaking) and how to get them to move forward in your sales funnel. Discover inside: ✅ The 5 Mistakes Most Speakers Make When Trying To Sell From Stage ✅ The best way to move audience members into your sales system ✅ How to make the most of the leads that are already in your sales funnel ✅ Why sales calls don't need to be sleazy and how to make them easier ✅ The best way to turn more leads into sales and long-term customers There is even a Secret Podcast training to help you convert more leads at your next speaking engagement.  Get the free audio training here. Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes? You can find those at profitgrowthclub.com/podcast    

In this week's episode discover three reasons why your service-based business should embrace a subscription model.  You may be thinking - there is NO way a subscription model would work for my business.  But this episode will give you plenty to noodle on and may even spark your next brilliant offer. Stay tuned until the end, because there is a bonus waiting for you. Discover inside: ✅ 3 benefits of creating a subscription model for your service-based business. ✅ Specific examples of companies that thought outside the box to create subscription models. ✅ How to stand out in your industry as a leader because of a subscription model. ✅ How a subscription model saves your company time, money, and resources. ✅ The most powerful way to stay connected to your current and future clients. Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes? You can find those at dtcgrowthclub.com/podcast All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.  

In this week's episode discover how to prevent subscription churn and increase profit plus what it's REALLY costing your business to keep chasing new customers. Learn: ✅ 3 simple changes that will keep your subscribers engaged, happy, and sharing your brand with friends. ✅ The #1 frustration for clients in a subscription service. ✅ How to stand out from your competitors when it comes to amplifying your subscription offer. ✅ Who is nailing the subscription service model and who frankly sucks (plus what to copy and what to avoid)/ ✅ How to stay on top of churn (to prevent it) and what to do to keep subscribers from leaving. Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes? You can find those at dtcgrowthclub.com/podcast All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.

In this week's episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing Tammy Alvarez.   Tammy Alvarez is the CEO of the Career Winners Circle and is also an author, professional keynote speaker, inspirational coach, trainer, and epic storyteller. As an award-winning entrepreneur and former corporate executive, Tammy believes leaders who inspire courage are at the heart of every successful business.   Her spirited “Break All the Rules” approach blends decades of C-Suite experience with a pragmatic, results-based coaching style that helps business professionals create a big impact and love every Monday again.   Her recent book Escaping The Career Trap, Transform Your Apathy into Ambition and Never Hate Mondays Again is a self-leadership blueprint for high achievers who want to experience true career fulfillment.   Tammy shares what adding a subscription model has meant to her business in the last six months and why she is never looking back.   Join me for this powerful interview and learn why Tammy's revenue increased, how she got her time back, and why she recommends EVERY business have a subscription model for their business.   Connect With Tammy: Career Winners Circle Escaping The Career Trap Buy The Book   Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes? You can find those at dtcgrowthclub.com/podcast All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.  

In this week's episode discover how to attract the next generation of buyers and what makes them tick when it comes to buying decisions.  Get ready to get to know GenZ. Learn: ✅ Where GenZ hangs out online and offline and what they expect from brands who meet them there. ✅ What Generation Z focuses on when applying their buying power. ✅ How to adjust your marketing, sales, and customer strategies to appeal to Generation Z. ✅ About GenZ's lack of brand loyalty and how to keep them coming back for more. ✅ Which companies "get" Generation Z and how you can emulate what they are doing to propel your success. Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes? You can find those at dtcgrowthclub.com/podcast All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.  

In this week's episode discover how to master the art of creating magnetic experiences for your customers that lead to increased revenue, sales, and lifetime customer value. Learn: ✅ How to personalize and customize your emails to increase customer engagement. ✅ Why most social media falls flat and ways to stand out from others and create loyal customers. ✅ How to test new products, offers, and discounts without spending tons of marketing dollars. ✅ The best way to show your customers they are important and it saves you time and money. ✅ Prime examples of companies that are excelling when it comes to customer experience and what they are doing that you can copy. Examples In This Episode: Frogs Leap - Fellowship of the Frog Wine Club Membership Spotify Wrapped  Hello Fresh Resources: Convertkit Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes? You can find those at dtcgrowthclub.com/podcast All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.  

In this week's episode discover three ways to consistently increase your wine club memberships and reduce wine club churn.  Don't have a wine subscription business? Stay tuned, because these three steps can be applied to your business as well. Learn: ✅ Why your wine club differentiation factor matters more than ever ✅ Who in the wine industry is standing out and why ✅ How your messaging is repelling not attracting wine club subscribers ✅ The #1 thing most wineries are getting wrong when it comes to their wine club ✅ Who is standing out when it comes to personalizing wine club memberships and why Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes? You can find those at dtcgrowthclub.com/podcast All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.    

In this week's episode discover even more reasons why EVERY business MUST have a subscription model to increase revenue and profit, now and in the future. Plus learn: ✅ The number one benefit of having a subscription model (don't miss this one) ✅ Examples of subscription models that have replaced product revenue ✅ How to innovate and create new products based on customer feedback ✅ The power of a subscription in accurate forecasting ✅ Why a subscription model could save your business during another pandemic Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes? You can find those at dtcgrowthclub.com/podcast All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.

In this week's episode discover why every product and service business MUST have a subscription model to increase revenue and profit. Plus learn: ✅ The number one benefit of subscription models ✅ Hidden perks of having consistent subscribers (it's not what you think) ✅ How to create raving fans and brand loyalty with your subscription ✅ The power of subscribers in determining higher lifetime customer value ✅ Why subscribers = lower customer acquisition cost Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes? You can find those at dtcgrowthclub.com/podcast All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.

In this week's episode discover Discover how to turn new customers into brand fanatics in your direct-to-consumer business & eliminate endlessly selling to new clients. Plus learn: ✅ Which companies you need to mimic when it comes to customer experience ✅ How to effectively gather customer feedback ✅ How to create personalized customer experiences the easy way ✅ The one thing to avoid when asking customers to share their experience with others ✅ What is NO longer optional when it comes to attaining and retaining customers Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes, you can find those at dtcgrowthclub.com/podcast All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.  

In this week's episode discover how to amplify your customer experience with new customers to increase loyalty, end the sales grind, and great raving fans. Plus learn: ✅ The number one thing you need to do to increase sales and profits per customer ✅ Which customer tactic will save you the most time and headache ✅ What problems the wine industry solves ✅ How a heating and air conditioning company could create a subscription model (and other service-based businesses) ✅ The one thing to handle before your customers ask ✅ Why most sales are lost and the quick fix to more sales Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes, you can find those at dtcgrowthclub.com/podcast All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.

In this week's episode discover how using customer experience with visitors who aren't yet customers will increase your conversions and sales. Plus learn: ✅ The biggest marketing mistake you need to unlearn now ✅ Why the more you know about your customers the easier it is to get them to buy ✅ How to gather customer data and organize it to make better sales and marketing decisions ✅ How to launch new offers, products, and services your customers actually want ✅ The one thing to avoid with your follow up to separate you from your competitors ✅ Why "no" doesn't mean "no" and how to turn it to "yes" faster Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes, you can find those at dtcgrowthclub.com/podcast All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.  

In this week's episode discover the difference between customer experience and customer service.  Plus learn: The biggest mistakes businesses are making when it comes to customer experience Why 97% is an important number How old marketing methods are failing BIG time Buying changes that are impacting future buying The one industry that needs an email makeover 3 steps to uplevel your customer experience game Listen to the entire episode here or tune into the live show over on YouTube. Miss any of the show notes, you can find those at dtcgrowthclub.com/podcast

This week on the CX Fanatics podcast, uncover why wine clubs will save the wine industry. That's a pretty bold prediction, I know. But hear me out. The wine industry is in trouble but they have the solution right under their noses. Step away from the glass for just a minute and tune into this week's show to learn: The simple way to increase profit that most wineries are missing This one skill wineries excel in but that aren't using it to their advantage The biggest benefit to focusing on wine club marketing and it's even better if you're NOT a big label Don't miss this week's show even if you aren't in the wine business. Every direct-to-consumer business can use this week's information to grow their revenue, retention, and referrals. All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.

Today's episode dives into three specific things wine clubs can do to increase profits (not just revenue). Don't have a wine club?  Don't tune out just yet. These three tips can be applied to nearly every kind of business. Tune in to discover: How to deliver exceptional and memorable customer experiences Ways to create non-traditional tasting experiences for new audiences Market changes and how to navigate them How to meet your buyers on their journey (not the one you want them to have) Ways to create conversations and build connection and trust All that and more await you in this week's episode of the CX Fanatics podcast.    

Get ready for a whole new angle on customer experience, marketing, and doubling your direct-to-consumer profits. Introducing the CX Fanatics Podcast the weekly show that helps DTC businesses increase revenue, referrals, and retention through exceptional customer experience.  Including weekly insights, inspiration, and expert interviews that will catapult your profits and growth.  Hosted by Alisa Conner.  This episode dives into: Why market changes prompted a new direction, name, and content for the podcast A growing need to focus on a holistic perspective when it comes to business growth The focus of future episodes and who they will serve What you can expect from future episodes and what will be shared Get ready for a whole lot of amazing content around customer experience, marketing, direct-to-consumer sales, and best of all increasing profit without endless lead generation.  

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur show earn 3 ways to increase revenue, retention, and referrals with current leads and customers.   Did you know it costs 5Xs the amount of money to get a new customer vs. selling to a customer you already have?   And that a current customer is 50-70% more likely to buy?   This week on the show discover three ways to pan your current leads and customers for gold so that you increase revenue, and referrals and retain more clients without spending more on lead generation.   Leap off the lead generation hamster wheel and instead dive deep with the people who have already said yes to you and your business and who trust you enough to say yes again.   One of the first times your new leads really get to know you is in your welcome emails series.   Did you know that welcome emails get opened 8 times more often and clicked on 10 times more than other emails?   Yet, so many welcome series are struggling. This is why I created a step-by-step guide to help you knock this email sequence out of the park.   Get your free welcome series guide here: https://alisaconner.com/emailguide

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneurship Show tune in to discover ways to use LinkedIn as a sales-generating machine as well as diving into topics like recession, entrepreneurship, and the life of a real marketer. My guest Tracey Burnett is best known for perfecting the art of taking something as ordinary as your LinkedIn account and turning it into a valuable client-nurturing, lead-generating machine. She has a tried and tested, proven process that consistently generates the levels of conversations businesses need to turn into clients and cash. Tracey is a wealth of marketing and business information.  This is an episode you won't want to miss. One of the best opportunities to build rapport with your audience is with your welcome email series. This first email series is a great way to ensure that you show up in the inbox of a new subscriber 5-7 times. Yet that pesky sequence can sometimes feel overwhelming to create. You're not alone if you feel that way. So many entrepreneurs struggle with creating a powerful welcome sequence. If you have blank screen syndrome, struggle with what to include, and rush through sales phrasing just to put something out into the inbox. If you are ready to have them at hello, download your free copy of the Welcome Sequence Guide and get the step-by-step system to write a compelling email sequence that not only gets emails opened but also builds rapport and trust which will lead you to more revenue and raving fans. Download your free copy here. Tune in to this week's show here to up-level your LinkedIn game as well as define the key indicators you need to be successful in turning strangers into connections and then clients. Learn More About Tracey Here: LinkedIn TraceyBurnett.com If you enjoyed this episode would you please share it with someone who could benefit?  Also if you haven't left us a review, we would love yours on your favorite podcast platform. Thanks in advance! Until next week, be well, stay safe and take care! ~Alisa

If you struggle with gaining traction in the inbox and having your audience excited to hear from you in the inbox, you won't want to miss this week's episode.   Discover 5 proven ways to entice your audience to not only read and click on your emails but look forward to seeing your name in their inbox. One of the best opportunities to build rapport with your audience is with your welcome email series. This first email series is a great way to ensure that you show up in the inbox of a new subscriber 5-7 times. Yet that pesky sequence can sometimes feel overwhelming to create. You're not alone if you feel that way. So many entrepreneurs struggle with creating a powerful welcome sequence. If you have blank screen syndrome, struggle with what to include, and rush through sales phrasing just to put something out into the inbox. If you are ready to have them at hello, download your free copy of the Welcome Sequence Guide and get the step-by-step system to write a compelling email sequence that not only gets emails opened but also builds rapport and trust which will lead you to more revenue and raving fans. Download your free copy here. Now, let's WOW them past hello by diving into this week's show. There are several things you can focus on to get your audience looking forward to your emails, but the first and most obvious one is: Get to know your audience. This goes deeper than some of the typical gender, education, lifestyle, and generic ideal avatar exercises you've been through.  In the episode learn some specific ways to engage with, bond, and create conversations so that you can know your audience as well as you know your own business.  When you initiate interest in your audience and what they are going through you create market differentiation and connection. There are several examples in the episode of what not to do as well as some tips on what to do instead.  Listen here. Give your audience what they want, not what YOU THINK they need. It's a natural human instinct to naval gaze and look and talk about ourselves.  But because our audience is also focused on themselves, their struggles, and what is going on in their lives, when we start to spout out what we think/know will save them they ignore us.  Why?  Because they don't want our solution, they want someone to understand their pain and frankly make it go away. NOW!  So often marketing is focused on solutions when really our audience just wants someone to hear them and give them a glimpse of what is possible on the other side. When you focus on what your audience says they want and speak to that, then and only then do they start to listen. When you connect the dots between what you do and where they aspire to be that's where the magic starts to happen.  Tune into the show for more details. Show up consistently. Consistency is the #1 thing you as a business owner can do to increase sales.  So simple, but not always easy.  The opportunity to succeed between people who show up consistently and those who don't is monumental. When you commit to showing up regularly, once a week, once a day, once a month, whatever it is for your business you start to create momentum.  That momentum is what sparks success.  This one tip if put into action will transform your business faster than anything else you can do. Commit. Show up. Serve. Those three things will grow your revenue faster than anything else you do, guaranteed.  Make your content about your audience and serve always. There is nothing worse than self-serving content disguised as a benefit.  In the episode, hear about specific tactics that people can see through and will put you in the spam, trash, or ignore pile faster than pumpkin pie consumption on Thanksgiving. It may be a hard pill to swallow, but people are not waiting to buy your stuff, sign up for your next training, or refer you to people they know.  It's your job to make it interesting enough for them to care. When you take the time to provide value to them, then and only then will they tune in when you ask for a favor which includes signing up for training, purchasing, leaving a review, and more. Tune into the episode for the bonus tip and much much more Let me know which of these you are going to implement this week by sending me a DM on LinkedIn or commenting on this post. Have a great Thanksgiving next week if you're in the United States. Until next time, be well, stay safe and take care! ~Alisa  

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur show we dive into 5 ways to avoid the spam filter with your email marketing. Some are based on tech and some are simple tweaks you can make to your email marketing practice that will ensure you get more eyeballs on your emails. Be sure to stay tuned until the end because you won't want to miss the bonus tip toward the end of the episode. Consistently showing up in the inbox is a great way to build rapport with your new email subscribers.  But did you know that it is also a GREAT way to ensure you stay out of the SPAM filter too? More on that in the episode. One of your first opportunities to practice consistency is with your welcome email series.  This simple series ensures that you show up in the inbox of a new subscriber 5-7 times. Yet that pesky sequence can sometimes feel overwhelming to create. You're not alone if you feel that way. I've met so many entrepreneurs who struggle with creating a powerful welcome sequence. If you have blank screen syndrome, struggle with what to include, and rush through sales phrasing just to put something out into the inbox. Fear not, help is on the way! Download your free copy of the Welcome Sequence Guide and get the step-by-step system to write a compelling email sequence that not only gets emails opened but also builds rapport and trust which will lead you to the sale and out of the SPAM folder. Download your free copy here. All of the tips at the beginning of this week's episode are tech-focused.  But fear not if you don't like the tech pieces of email marketing. Each of these tips can be implemented or changed by you OR you will know what to ask for when you meet up with your website/email tech person. 1. Ensure that you are training your subscribers to find and look for your emails.  This starts with your thank you page.  You will find some great tips on what to include during the episode. This step starts before you hit the inbox, so be sure to tune in. 2. Ensure that your email domain has met all the spam prevention criteria.  Including setting up your website URL with SSL and also having your DMARC and other spam requirements set up as DS records with your website host.  If all of those acronyms through you off, don't worry.  You can use this tool to spit out a report for your website, email, and more so that you can show your tech guru what needs to be done.  Don't have a tech person, schedule a free call, and let's see if we are a good match. 3. Get permission and track that you have. Adding people to your email list or buying email lists is not only horrible for your email marketing reputation it can get you in some hot water legally.  Be sure to follow all the email marketing guidelines like GDPR and CAN-SPAM for your country and state.  A great rule of thumb is don't add anyone to your list unless they have explicitly said it's okay to do so. The other tool I mention in the episode helps you analyze the health of your list.  You can sign up for a free account with Emailable to do that here. 4. Avoid writing spammy headlines and headlines that include SPAM triggers. Headlines can be tricky.  Other marketers have ruined some of the best phrases and symbols and now if you use those words or symbols, bummer you will get sent straight to SPAM, junk, or even the trash bin.  Need some help deciphering which words to avoid?  No problem, download this free guide and get 350 words to avoid in your headlines and copy. 5. Use an email service provider that is well-known and has a good reputation. Not all email service providers are built the same.  My two favorites are Convertkit and ActiveCampaign.  They have excellent functionality and deliverability.  I recently looked at another provider and when I started to review their email deliverability it wasn't good.  It caused me to not switch to them for my email and other needs.  The short way to find out if an email service provider has a good reputation is to Google their reputation and reviews. Don't forget to tune into the entire show to hear the bonus tip. Comment with your favorite tip or even one I missed below. Until next week, Stay well and take care! ~Alisa      

Discover how to stand out in every inbox with your email marketing this week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show.  Recently on LinkedIn, I received a question about how to stand out and be recognized in the inbox so that more of your emails get read. This week's episode dives into multiple ways to not only stand out but secure your place in your subscriber's inbox and beyond. One of your first opportunities to start building a relationship with someone new in your sales funnel is with your welcome email series. Yet, so many entrepreneurs struggle with creating a powerful welcome sequence. If you have blank screen syndrome, struggle with what to include, and rush through sales phrasing just to put something out into the inbox. You are not alone. And, help is on the way! Download your free copy of the Welcome Sequence Guide and get the step-by-step system to write a compelling email sequence that not only gets emails opened but it also builds rapport and trust which will lead you to $$the sale$$. Download your free copy here:  https://alisaconner.com/emailguide One of the first things to do to ensure you gain traction in the inbox is to be sure that you have been invited to be there. Sounds like a "duh" suggestion, but you can't imagine how many people buy email lists (please don't do this) or add people to their email lists without permission. This is why the first part of the episode dives deep (maybe a little too deep) into both the IOS changes and GDPR.  (yes that's still a thing!) You won't want to miss all the details in this week's show. The other way to dive into the hearts of your email subscribers and keep them coming back for more is to ensure that you are delivering what they want. When you show up to serve and not sell, you will stand out from the 1000s of other emails in the inbox simply because you show up differently. You will pique curiosity and curiosity builds interest. Your readers will more than likely be interested just enough to open the email and read on. This relates directly to where a buyer is on their journey.  Good marketing matches where the buyer is, not where you expect them to be. If you need more help with identifying the buyer's journey and aligning it with your marketing tune into Episode 156 here. Catch all of the inbox email marketing tips in this week's episode by tuning in here. What's your biggest takeaway, let me know in the comments. Have a question about your marketing? Send me a direct message on LinkedIn. Until next week, Be well and stay safe! ~Alisa  

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show we conclude our email sequence series by talking about the last four email sequences to create in your business. These four sequences most people set up but more often than not they don't see the results they want because they are going about the intention of these emails ineffectively. Tune into this week's show to discover these four crucial email sequences to increase sales as well as how to effectively implement into your small business. Part 1 of this series dove into the first four sequences to set up to welcome new leads to your ecosphere. If you missed that episode you can catch it here. In the second part of this series we covered four of the most overlooked emails to create in your business.  You can tune into that entire episode here. During the final part of this series dive deep into how to effectively bring people closer to buying. Hint: it's not just with your sales email sequence. Email marketing is a great way to market to your ideal client while they are captive. But so many entrepreneurs blow their biggest opportunity before they even know it.  You work hard to get those leads, so it's important to make the most of the time when that new lead's attention is MOST captive. This is why your welcome email series is SO important.  Getting it right could make a difference in whether or not someone buys or unsubscribes. The welcome email sequence has the #1 spot of email series to create. But, those emails aren't always easy to write.  Luckily you have a resource to turn to when writing yours. The best part is, it's free.  Grab your copy of the Welcome Email Series guide here for the step-by-step plan to write a welcome series that gets read, keeps readers looking for you in the inbox, and best yet moves people toward buying. Tune into the entire episode to learn why an effective welcome sequence sets up your sales sequence to succeed. Plus get the skinny on the other three other email series to help you follow along with your audience on their personal buyers journey so that you are delivering value at the exact time they are ready to buy. It's all inside this week's show here. This final part of our three-part series will catapult your sales potential and even better build long-term relationships and referrals.  Tune in to take your email marketing (and your sales potential) to the next level. In the meantime, if you find value in this episode or any episode of the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show, please share it with a friend and consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast channel. Until next week, be well, stay safe and take care! ~Alisa

Discover four more email sequences for your small business that many entrepreneurs overlook or never set up. These four options for your email marketing can make a HUGE difference in the health of your email marketing as well as keeping your subscribers and customers engaged with your brand. Grab a pen and paper because this week's 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show isn't one you want to miss. Last week we dove into the first three email sequences to set up in your business, in case you missed it, you can listen to that episode here. If you are just getting started with email marketing, start with that episode and then come back to this one. One of the email sequences mentioned in that episode is the welcome series.  If you've struggled writing a "Hi! Nice to meet you" welcome series that moves people toward buying head on over here to download my free Welcome Sequence Guide. Get the step-by-step process to write an engaging email series that new subscribers will devour. Eliminate blank screen syndrome and get this series written and running so that you can build rapport with your subscriber's stat. This week learn the four email series that most entrepreneurs either 1. Don't know about, or 2. Haven't created This is your guide to identifying which sequences to set up to: Effectively onboard new customers Breakup with people on your email list Get people to push buy on their shopping cart Cater content to your subscribers All this and more await you inside this week's show.  Tune in here. If you enjoy this episode, please do me a favor and share it with a friend or someone else who could benefit. You're the best and thank you. Until next week, Be Well, Stay Safe and Take Care! Alisa

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show we start a new series around your email marketing strategy for 2022 including which email sequences to create for your small business. During part one of the three-part series discover the first three email sequences to create in your business and why these work best for the beginning stages of the buyer's journey.   If you missed last week's episode on each stage of the buyer's journey and how to market to each specific one, you can catch that here: https://alisaconner.com/156. Email marketing is a great way to market to your ideal client while they are captive, but so many entrepreneurs blow their biggest opportunity before they even know it.  This is why your welcome email series is SO important.  Getting it right could make a difference in whether or not someone buys or unsubscribes. Bringing the welcome email sequence to the #1 spot on our list of email series to create. But, those emails aren't always easy to write.  Luckily you have a resource to turn to when writing yours. The best part is, it's free.  Grab your copy of the Welcome Email Series guide here: https://alisaconner.com/emailguide for the step-by-step plan to write a welcome series that gets read, entices people to keep looking for you in the inbox and best yet moves people toward buying. Tune into the entire episode to learn more about why your email welcome sequence is critical in building trust with potential customers. Plus get the skinny on the other two email series to create to keep your brand top of mind and create a personal connection with your audience. It's all inside this week's show here: https://alisaconner.com/157. This three-part series continues next week with additional email sequences that will take your email marketing (and your sales potential) to the next level. You won't want to miss it. In the meantime, if you find value in this episode or any episode of the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show, please share it with a friend and consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast channel. Until next week, Stay safe, take care and be well, Alisa

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show we dive deep into the buyers' journey to discover how at each phase we can build trust with potential customers and turn them into paying clients sooner than later. One of the best ways to build trust with our leads and customers is through email marketing.  We have the opportunity to captivate and enthrall them so that they want to tune in and learn more. Yet getting started can often be difficult.  You don't know what to write. Your blank screen is taunting you. NO MORE I say.  This is the exact reason I created this email guide so that you can quickly and effectively write the most important email sequence for your marketing.  The welcome series. This guide walks you through what to include in each email so that you can send blank screen syndrome to the curb and write a welcome sequence people not only love to read but talk about with others. Grab your free copy here. The first thing we do this week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneurs Show is take a deep dive into the Buyers' Journey. Here are the five stages of the buyers' journey, but for all the examples and how to market to each stage, tune into the entire episode here. Stage 1 - Awareness.  Just like you might think, people are becoming aware they have a problem and are starting to see how they can solve that problem.  This is NOT the time to go gangbusters with ramming your offer down their throat.  Serve, serve, serve should be your motto for this phase.  Making it the PERFECT time to send them your lead magnet and captivate them with your welcome sequence. Stage 2 - Consideration. This is the stage where buyers begin comparing solutions for potential purchases.  I give an example in the episode that you can listen to here. Things to include in this stage would be testimonials, case studies, reviews, and a big helping of your secret sauce.  For more details tune into the entire show. Stage 3 - Intent. During the intent stage, buyers intend to purchase.  At this point, they are comparing their top candidates to see which would be the best fit for them, and that will solve their problem the easiest and quickest way. This is NOT the time to drop the ball, in fact, this is an opportunity to get more targeted with your marketing and your messaging so that they are confident that you are the BEST solution for them. Stage 4 - Purchase. The holy grail of the buyers' journey, they are taking out their credit card and buying from you. Yet, this is where many people drop the ball.  Listen to a personal example of what not to do in this week's episode when I share my recent refrigerator purchase story. This is a perfect opportunity to build trust and assure your newest buyer that they have made the right decision.  Tune into the entire show to get some specific tactics and tips on how to effectively do this. Stage 5 - Loyalty and Advocacy. By far the most ignored and forgotten stage of the buyers' journey.  Yet it is one of the most powerful.  During the episode I share why focusing on this stage will help you work less and sell more.  Tune in to get all the details.   Awareness of the journey your buyers take to get to you and ultimately purchase is powerful information.  But it is only as powerful as the action behind it.   Get started today with phase one by creating a welcome series people LOVE to read.  Grab your free copy of the step-by-step Welcome Series guide here. Until next week, stay safe, be well and take care. ~Alisa

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show Antionette Blake joins me to discuss what it takes to turn your prior experience and expertise into a business. Antoinette literally fell into entrepreneurship as a thrifty blogger and used that experience to dive deeper into blogging, social media marketing, and best of all helping others chase their entrepreneurial dreams as well. She shares her transition from the elementary school classroom to teaching small business owners how to succeed with social media as well as her journey from a traditional career to entrepreneurship. Like many of us, she had some stumbling blocks but she prevailed and now successfully runs her own business.  Tune into this week's show to hear her story and gain inspiration for your own entrepreneurial journey.  

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneurship Show tune in to discover ways to get the true story of what it takes to be an entrepreneur. My guest Anke Herrmann best known for Taming The Tech Monster for Coaches, Consultants, and Course Creators tells her story of becoming not only a 2nd Act Entrepreneur but all the ups and downs it took to get to the successful business owner she is today. Entrepreneurship means like it or not, YOU are the marketing department for your business. 

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show learn three ways to kick procrastination to the curb. If you've been an entrepreneur for any length of time you may be familiar with the purple-eyed monster procrastination.  (Envy is up there too, but he's green-eyed). Procrastination is truly a pain in the arse when you are a business owner.  You have shiitake to get done, what in the heck why are you dragging yourself to your tasks or wasting time on things that aren't getting you to your goals? If you're like the rest of us, you've tangoed with this guy and probably need some sound advice for the next time he shows up. This week's show gives you three actionable strategies to kick procrastination to the curb quickly and effectively. Tune in to the entire show here: https://alisaconner.com/153.  

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneurs Show we are diving into how to turn more “no's into Yes” by building relationships with customers in 2022. It may seem almost impossible to gain traction with new leads in an online capacity, especially since you are competing with artificial intelligence, spam bots, and slimy marketing tactics. People have their guard up, rightfully so, and gaining trust is harder than it used to be. But, it doesn't have to be.  This week uncover three actionable steps you can take to start building relationships with future customers even if they say “no” the first time. Plus some tips on what not to do so that you don't have a bumpy start with potential leads inadvertently. Tune into the entire show here.

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur show join me and my guest Jason Jurado to discover how reprogramming your brain and your self-talk can help you reach your goals and success quicker.   Best of all, you'll have less stress and more energy to do the things you want and need to do.  

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show Scott Perry joins me to talk about how to hone in on your purpose prior to building your business. Before we dive in, are you struggling with planning your marketing? The free marketing strategy guide will walk you through a step-by-step plan to create a map for your marketing.  Download your free copy here. Aligning with why you're here on the planet and plugging into the legacy you want to live makes the BIG difference between those who keep taking steps forward toward their goals and reaching them and those that give up and have regrets at the end of their lives. Scott is an Encore Life Coach who helps entrepreneurs find fulfillment, forge meaning, and make a difference (and a living) during their life's third act. He is passionate about helping clients serve their purpose and leave a legacy. While living a life that they love. Oftentimes it can be difficult to remember what it is that we love, and what our purpose is and we spend a lot of time comparing.  Scott provides some amazing insights and resources to guide us in uncovering our inner purpose. Tune in here to hear more. The first half of life is the time you are forging your identity and validating yourself to external expectations. The second half of life is brought about by experiencing something profound.  Those moments can either break you or you can be broken open. Being broken up empowers you to open your heart and experience why you are here and what impact you can make. As Scott says, what has chasing society's carrots gotten you?  Chances are unhappiness and despair. Instead, Scott implores you to plug into happiness, joy, and things that light you up before you meet the end of this life. By taking small steps every day you will forge a new identity and be aligned with your purpose. As a bonus, be sure to catch the meaning behind Scott's unusual daily runs during this episode.  Tune in here to listen. There are so many value bombs Scott drops and such sound wisdom and advice for people starting their second career and living their second act. If you've ever asked yourself the question, what if it's too late, you won't want to miss Scott's answer at the end of the episode. Don't miss the deep wisdom Scott shares during this episode.  Watch this week's episode here.   Resources Mentioned: David Brooks The Second Mountain Bhagavad Gita Meditations Marcus Aurelius    Learn more about Scott Perry here: Creative On Purpose Facebook LinkedIn Struggling with planning your marketing? Download the free marketing strategy guide that will walk you through a step-by-step plan to create a map for your marketing.  Get your copy here.  

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show discover what to do and not do when it comes to adding people to your email list. On a new LIVE LinkedIn Segment Anke Herrmann, from Taming The Tech Monster and Alisa Conner, Email Marketing Avenger tackle marketing questions that they have been asked or encountered with previous clients. Speaking of email marketing success if you struggle with what to write, suffer from blank screen syndrome, or are inconsistent with your email marketing head on over to alisaconner.com/emailprompts and grab the resource 365 Email Prompts For Coaches & Course Creators.  This guide is jam-packed with email prompts for an entire year and beyond.  Learn more about these email prompts at: alisaconner.com/emailprompts. This week on the This Not That segment, we answer the question - "Should you add current clients to your email list?" Get the answer by listening to the entire episode here. Other topics covered in this episode include: Best practices for adding people to your email list Why are you adding people to your list and what's in it for them GDPR requirements and repercussions for violating terms by not asking permission Different ways to get active permission from subscribers Buying cycle length and opportunity to stay top of mind. Tune into the entire episode here. Don't forget to meet your new email marketing bestie, 365 Email Prompts For Coaches & Course Creators to inspire you, keep you in front of your audience, and increase sales. Until next week,  Be well, stay safe and take care! ~Alisa    

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show learn 10 ways to create resiliency in your business.  Empowering you to harbor any changes in the market, as well as a possible global recession. One of the best ways to harbor any type of change is through consistent relationship building.  One of the best ways to do that is through your weekly emails.   If you struggle with coming up with new ideas, finding inspiration about what to write, or blank screen syndrome - I have a brand new resource coming your way on Monday.   365 Days of Email Prompts gives you inspiration, a prompt for every day of the year, and a video training to help you navigate the guide and stay consistent with your email.  It will be available starting Monday, August 1st at alisaconner.com/emailprompts.   Let's dive into the show and how to build recession resilience. #1 - Work on your mindset.  Focusing on the one thing you can control during uncertain times will monumentally affect how and when you reach your goals.  Focusing on gratitude awareness will increase the likelihood that you will see the bright side of things even when things seem the darkest.  Focus on reigning in your mindset now so you are prepared no matter what comes your way. #2 - Look for opportunities to help rather than focusing on fear and negativity.  During most uncertain times the best businesses are built by those who looked at problems that weren't being addressed and creating a solution.  Does that mean you need to upend your business?  No, but when you're focused on helping and creativity, there is less time on focusing on things you can't control.   #3 - Meet your customers and potential customers where they are not where you think they should be. Oftentimes we create products, offers, and services for our clients based on what we think they need rather than what they actually need.  If instead, you focus that effort on researching where your potential customers are right now and what they need you will be much more successful at increasing sales.   #4 - Give your customers pricing options. Look at your current service offers and see if there is a way that you can offer multiple tiers to work with you that get clients results.  If you can give someone results the likelihood that they will move to the next tier of your services significantly increases.  Making them lifetime customers and not just one transaction.  #5 - Get really good at what you do. Even better than you are now.  When you become the expert for a specific group of people you stand out and become known in the industry.  Resist the urge to go general and instead focus on how you can get specific and provide specific results to your clients. #6 - Inventory your expenses. Expenses can creep up without us even paying attention.  We may scroll buy something on Amazon and not give it a second thought.  Or we may invest in something for our business, use it a few times and then forget until it renews again.  Grab a few months' worth of credit card statements, see where you are spending money and if that investment is creating ROI in some way. #7 - Get scrappy with organic marketing. What content can you create that you can repurpose and grow your brand organically (for free)?  Who can you collaborate with?  Whose podcast or live show can you be a guest on?  Who can you reach out to that you've been meaning to but haven't yet? #8 - Continue or ramp up marketing while everyone freezes. It's a natural inclination to stop paying for things that aren't paying you.  But this can be a huge mistake when it comes to marketing before, during, and after a recession.  Why? Because everyone else is cutting back too.  When you stay consistent or even ramp up your marketing you will have a higher likelihood of standing out and being seen.   #9 - Feed your brain. Continue learning about your field, and feed your brain something useful and positive every day.  Turn off and tune out the news and the negativity and instead focus on something that will help you grow, evolve, and shift your business so that you continue to grow while everyone else panics. #10 - Work on self-development every single day. When you work on yourself every single day the universe can't help but respond.  It will also increase your resilience to respond to things and build your fortitude for not only surviving but thriving. Want all the tips and examples? Tune into the entire episode here: https://alisaconner.com/148 Don't forget one of the best ways to fortify and build your client relationships is through email. Coming Monday, August 1st you can get your hand on my newest resource: 365 Days of Email Prompts. Giving you inspiration, a prompt for every day of the year, and a video training to help you navigate the guide and stay consistent with your email.  Buy your copy here: alisaconner.com/emailprompts.  

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show discover ways to move your social media followers off of Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn and onto your email list. Social media seems like a safe bet.  You can promote your business, gain access to new followers, and potentially gain new customers. But what happens when your account disappears? This is exactly what happened to me on Facebook last week.   After several mild heart attacks the issue was ultimately fixed. But I couldn't help but think, that this could have been bad.  Really bad.  Especially if I wasn't continually moving people to my email list. Just to be sure I was on the right track, I polled the people. A good majority said they use social media exclusively to get business leads.  With so many changes in how social media operates and works, and not knowing exactly what the future holds, I want you to have the tools to control your business. This week's show breaks down three major platforms - Facebook (pages and Groups), Instagram, and LinkedIn and shares how to grow your email list on each of those platforms. ++ Plus there is a bonus if you stay until the end. If you struggle to write a welcome email series that keeps people reading to the end and preps them to buy from you, grab my latest free guide "Writing A Welcome Sequence That Works" here. Before we dive into the tactics for each platform, be aware that you are your best promoter.  Sometimes we may convince ourselves that we don't need to talk about our business so much.  You don't want to be too promotional. First, that's not a thing (especially when you own your own business). Second, that's a bunch of horse poo.   The more places you advertise ways to get your lead magnet, the more opportunities to grow your email list.   Facebook Pages There are seven places you can promote your lead magnet on your Facebook Business page.  If you don't have one, I highly suggest you get one stat and optimize it for your business name and what you do. Here is the breakdown: Your header image.  Instead of blasting people with your services give them an opportunity for hands-on getting to know you by directing them to your lead magnet. This is prime real estate and the first thing potential clients will see when they snoop you out.  Oh, they are snooping you out you can count on it. Customize your Facebook button.  You can send people directly to the landing page for your lead magnet instead of your website home page.  Do this. Promote your lead magnet in your Facebook stories. Use your reels to talk about the benefits of the lead magnet you have and promote it there as well. If you do weekly Facebook lives this is a great way to introduce your audience to a problem and then serve them up a solution with your lead magnet Last but not least, include your lead magnet link on your About page in lieu of your website home page. Facebook Groups Facebook groups are a little different.  You don't have access to reels or stories, but you can go live and promote your lead magnet.  You can also change up your cover image, but you won't have access to the customizable button option. However, you can ask three questions to people requesting group access.  One of these questions can be something like "Have you downloaded my free Strategy Guide to uplevel your marketing game yet? If not, enter your email address here and I'll send it right over. This is a powerful way to grow your list. There are a couple of other ways to grow your email list on Facebook as well, but I didn't go into them in the episode.  They are messenger bots and paid ads.  If you are interested in those, leave a comment or send me a direct message and I'll look at covering them in a future episode. Instagram Instagram offers some similar opportunities as Facebook, but you don't have the option to include much in your bio.  However, including a Call To Action that directs them to your free download is important. You can use an app like LinkTree to add additional URLs to your profile, but Instagram only allows you to use one link.  So using a tool like LinkTree is important if you have multiple places you reference in your posts. You can however use your Instagram Posts, Stories, and Reels to promote your lead magnet, just be sure to reference the link in your bio because no Instagram posts have clickable links.  Subject to change of course.   I did make mention of the Swipe Up feature which allows you to link but you must have a minimum of 10,000 followers to get access to this feature.   LinkedIn Linkedin affords you many opportunities to promote your lead magnet and I'm shocked people aren't taking full advantage.   Your header image here can be changed as well and send people to your lead magnet. You can change the contact section to include multiple links and can add your lead magnet as a link (highly recommend). LinkedIn just added a new customized link feature underneath your profile information, this can be changed to add your lead magnet link. When posting or sending a newsletter, reference your free resource and grow your list within these tools. Within the about me section, you have the opportunity to talk about the value you bring or give people the option to get started by adding your lead magnet link within the content.  LinkedIn links are clickable so this is a great benefit. Set up a company page and change both the header image and the company about page to refer to your lead magnet. There is also a bonus section with 5 places additional places to include your lead magnet to grow your email list.  Tune in to the entire show to catch that bonus here. Thanks for tuning in this week, if you found this episode helpful share it with a friend.  If you found value I would love your review over on iTunes, Google Play, or Spotify. Until next week, be well, stay safe and take care! ~Alisa Resources mentioned: Write A Welcome Sequence That Works Email Guide LinkTree Canva    

This week's 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show gives you 3 tips to write compelling emails that make people want to buy from your follow-up email series. In case you're new, let's backtrack for a minute and talk about the importance of using email marketing to grow your business. Before we dive in, I have a juicy bonus tip for you toward the end of this episode so be sure to stay tuned for that. I also created a free guide to help you write your welcome series so that you don't have to be stressed out about what to say, how many emails to send, and how often you should send them. It's all in this handy dandy guide that you can go download at alisaconner.com/emailguide. Now, let's dive into why use email marketing at all? In 2020 an estimated 306.4 billion emails were sent and received every day. (according to this study by FinancesOnline) And, according to OptinMonster 58% of users check email when they go online before conducting a search (20%), social media (14%), or the news (5%). If that hasn't convinced you in 2021 4 out of 5 marketers said that they would rather give up social media as a marketing tactic than email marketing. (Litmus, 2020) There is a 4200% return on investment when it comes to email marketing. The highest ROI for any marketing tactic out there. Why? Because it enables you to stay top of mind and in front of your potential and current customers so that when they are ready to buy they think of you. This leads us to how to use email marketing effectively to create a relationship with your future and current clients. First and foremost, welcome your new lead. Truly - throughout the welcome mat and show them some love. How many times have you signed up for a free resource and either: 1. Received a single email with the resource and then crickets until they had something to sell or realized they needed to be emailing you or 2. Received a barrage of sales emails after signing up for the “free” resource and then ended up unsubscribing. If that's you, you're not alone and how did that make you feel? Chances are it felt slimy like forgotten leftovers in the back of the fridge slimy. Here are some ways to build that relationship so that they begin to know, like, and trust you. First and foremost is consistency. 90% of the world's troubles could be solved by just being consistent. Regardless if you're trying to lose weight and you need to be consistent with exercise and eating healthy. Or if you're trying to grow your business and you need to be consistent with marketing, sales calls, or in this case building a relationship with your leads. Consistency in your email does two things. First, it reminds people who are and how you can help, and second, that you have something that they may need now or in the future. The third thing that makes our hearts sing like little angels in the choirs of heaven is when they remember the first two and then tell someone else about us. Second, don't wing your email marketing. Just like everything else with marketing your business, creating a plan will keep you on task, help you over the procrastination hump and most importantly enable you to measure your progress and success. It's much easier to pump out marketing emails when you know who you are talking to and what they are struggling with. When you have the power to “read their minds” because you know them so well and you consistently show up in their inbox, that is pure gold. And it's a HUGE differentiator between you and the competition. Third, write headlines that make people stop the scroll. I get so many questions about headlines from my audience that I have covered just headlines in multiple pieces of training, podcast episodes, and events. Headlines can be tricky. The best advice I have is to just start writing. It isn't unheard of that I will write 30-45 headlines for an email before I send it. Truly practice makes perfect when it comes to headlines. Plus testing. You won't know what will work if you don't test it first. The bonus about testing your headlines is that you get to show up in your audience's inbox more often (which leads us back to #1.) Here are some specific things you can do to test your headlines: 1. Ask questions. Our brains can't not answer the question. It is like a dog with a bone. If you ask a question relevant to your audience, they will not stop until they find the answer. So questions in your headlines work well. 2. Use emojis and characters. Pull up your email inbox. Scroll through the emails you received just today. Which ones pop out without you even searching them out? My guess is any email that has something different in the headline naturally grabs your attention. That's the power of emojis and characters. Just don't go wild because the SPAM filter will eat you alive. 3.  Count your characters. Think about it, if your headline is too long our distracted brains will either tune out or, the inbox will cut off the most important part. (because that's what happens, Murphy's Law) Luckily, many email service providers like ActiveCampaign, Convertkit, or Drip have built-in headline character counters. If you go over, it will send you a message that says - “hold up there cowgirl, that headline is a little long.” (Okay so maybe that's what it sounds like in my head.) If you're unsure, use a character counter like WordCounter.net. The best performing headlines have 11 words and 65 characters according to Hubspot. Before we dive into the bonus and end this episode, just a reminder I created a free guide to help you write your welcome series (the first series your new subscriber gets from you) so that you don't have to be stressed out about what to say, how many emails to send and how often you should send them. It's all in this handy dandy guide that you can go download at https://alisaconner.com/emailguide. Ready for that bonus tip? Tune in to the entire episode here. That's a wrap for this episode on three tips to create compelling follow-up emails. Thanks for tuning in and I'll see you next week. Now, go write some kick a#* emails, ~ Alisa

What if you could use a crystal ball to avoid some of the more costly mistakes when starting your business?  I work with a lot of REALLY smart entrepreneurs.  Most of them have come out of corporate, or have worked in a specific industry for more than 20 years. They have experience and are considered experts. But what they didn't plan for when starting their own small business, was all of the roles they would have to step into that someone in their previous organization did. It's always quite a shock to realize, oh crap there isn't a marketing or sales department, that's me now. Unfortunately, without marketing or sales, it's going to be really hard to get new clients. What's even worse is diving into a marketing tactic that everyone "swears by" only to find you've wasted time, money and still have no new leads to show for all your hard work. This is exactly why this week's 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show outlines the 3 biggest mistakes that second-career entrepreneurs make in their business.  ++ Plus you will learn what to do instead. Let's get to it then, shall we? The first big marketing mistake I see second-act entrepreneurs make is that they don't build an audience. This week's episode breaks this down into two different areas. The first piece of this mistake is not building an audience at all. More often than not I see this happen with online course creators. Typically course creators will spend weeks, months, and even years creating and perfecting their courses. Once they finally convince themselves it's time to sell the darn thing, they set up a sales page, and then . . .  crickets. What do you mean no one is buying?  Unfortunately, this is where they should have started. Because without an audience interested in your course there is little to no guarantee that anyone will want what you have to offer. That is SO frustrating.  All the time wasted in perfecting a course that no one will ever see because they either don't know about it or can't find it (or you). Instead, do this: Build a relationship with your audience while you create your offer. Give people behind-the-scenes sneak peeks in your emails. Share your progress, excitement, and even frustration. While showcasing your authenticity you become relatable and trustworthy and we all know that people buy from those that they know, like, and trust. The second piece of this mistake is building an audience on social media and not moving them off the platform ASAP. It's almost worse to have spent all the time and energy building an audience on social media only to realize you are at the mercy of the social media platform changes, algorithms, and tyranny. Don't get me wrong, social media is a great place to attract new leads but moving them off of the platform is not optional, it is critical. With the frequent changes in rules, the ever-increasing expansion of paid ads, and the inability to control when, where and how people see your content - it is in your best interest to move those social media peeps to your email list as soon as you can. Instead, do this: Give people a reason to want to join your email list. If you need some ideas on how to create a great lead magnet check out episode #141 How to Grow Your Email List Quickly and Effectively   The 2nd biggest marketing mistake second-act entrepreneurs make is not nurturing their audience before they start selling. How many times have you joined someone's newsletter, anticipating the amazing resource you just signed up for, only to be bombarded with a sales pitch that goes on for days? This is not the way to build trust or relationships.  In fact, it will achieve the exact opposite. Instead, do this:  Provide them the resource with an extra helping of expertise and value around that resource. You will be perceived as going the extra mile to be sure they know how to apply it to solve their problem and gain their trust. Then you can send a sequence of emails to continue building that relationship focused on issues people typically run into when solving the same problem, case studies of how the problem was solved, and a testimonial or two featuring people who have solved that exact problem. When you share your expertise, knowledge, and experience over several emails you build the anticipation and leave them wanting to know what else you can do.  Then when you present your offer, guess who is ready to buy?   The 3rd biggest marketing mistake second-act entrepreneurs make is not being clear about what they are selling prior to selling. It's really difficult to move people toward buying what you have when you aren't clear about what you are offering.  Including what each party can expect to be delivered, the financial and time investment expected, and most importantly the expected results. If one of these three pieces is missing, people won't buy, simple as that. There is no shame in not knowing how to set any of this up.  You're new to business, there is no possible way to know everything. But, you are also not alone.  If you need a 2nd set of eyes on your marketing, your offer, or your lead magnet, schedule a free call with me here. Need a step-by-step guide to map out your marketing strategy, you can download that resource here. Until next week, be well, stay safe and take care! ~Alisa

What should you name your online course?  That's the question I received on LinkedIn this week. I thought it would be a great question to answer on the show, but the answer might surprise you. Stay tuned to discover what to consider before naming your online course, product, or even lead magnet. Let's dive into this week's show. Clever confuses.  Everyone wants a clever name for their course.  They want to stand out.  But it is the #1 reason people tune out and stop paying attention.  Here's why:  It takes too much concentration and brain power to figure out what the heck you are trying to say.  People are distracted, they are busy and if you force them to not only stop what they are doing but then try to figure out what you want from them - they will move on.   Let's look at it from a caveman's point of view. Cavemen were programmed to do two things - hunt and survive.  As evolved as we are, our brain still has one big priority - to keep us alive.  The rest is gravy. The prefrontal cortex of your brain makes snap decisions on whether or not something is worth paying attention to and whether or not it will keep you alive.   It will then decide if it needs to involve the amygdala in the decision, which controls your emotions.   So what does that have to do with naming your course?  People you want to work with have a problem.  They are only looking to solve that problem on a very basic level.  If you make it complicated - read clever - for them to understand how you can help them with that problem, they will just move on.  But if you can grab their attention with something that says hey I know you want this - and then engage their emotions with I bet it will make you feel like this to have that thing taken care of, then and only then will you engage them to continue on the journey with you. Keep it clear.  The problem, where they want to be, how they get there. Example #1: The Myrna Method - first this says all we need to know about this person's ego and absolutely nothing about what this course can do for someone.  If we dive deeper into the copy (see the video for screenshots) we can see it says this: “I help people live their lives at their leanest and healthiest weight through my dietary meal formulas that regulate the appetite and metabolism.”  That's a mouthful.  Do you even understand half of that?  How long did it take you to read through it?  This person is likely struggling with sales because nobody knows  What she does and How it can help them Here's a free rewrite for Myrna (who I don't know except that she is hiring someone on Upwork - yep my stalking has no bounds)  Get Back Into That Sexy Red Dress In 90 Days  (clear specific, you know who she is talking to and it's an end result).  Instead of gasping for breath as you climb the stairs, outrun co-workers half your age and have them whisper about how great you look in the breakroom. Example #2: Special Advanced LinkedIn Training.  Why is it special?  What makes it advanced?  Why do I want to come?  How about this instead - Magnetize Your LinkedIn Profile To Attract Paying Clients 7 Days Or Less #2: Focus less on the name and more on the problem you solve. People don't buy products, they buy solutions.   Example #1: Let's look at a donut for example.  People don't buy donuts because they need a donut.  Let's face it, most of us don't “NEED” a donut.  But the sugar rush and the dopamine hit we get from the donut will keep us heading to our favorite shop every single time.  This is why it's so hard to resist donuts when we are trying to lose weight.  Many of us will do anything to feel better about ourselves, our lives, the problems we can't see to solve - and food like donuts make us feel better if only for a few minutes.  When you use a phrase like “they will make your mouth water in anticipation of the next bite” on their site - who is with me? I'm driving to the donut shop. Not to mention the use of color, smell, and sound that they use once you get there to reel you into buying more donuts, coffee, and probably just one for the road.   Example #2: Isagenix Sign Up To Be A Rep (I had to hunt that part out, it took me a good two minutes to try and figure out what this person does) Quality of Life Assurance Because you deserve to truly live before you die Ok, now that's depressing.  Who wants to be depressed when they are solving a problem?  Uh, no one.  I have the quality of life already - but maybe I want it to be a little better.  But it's not so detrimental that I'm worried about dying. No one wants to feel worse, they want to feel better.  If I came across this page I would run, run for the hills to somewhere happier. Instead - how about this: Establish security, create impact and build a bright future with Isagenix.   Specificity matters.  People want a solution that is catered to them. The internet is crowded.  If you aren't seeing results, it's probably because your course title, lead magnet, etc. are too general.  Get specific until it hurts and scares the beejesus out of you.   Example #1: 7 Strategies To Immediately Calm Angry Veterinary Clients  Problem? Patients at the vet office are mad. What's the solution?  7 strategies that they can use diffuse anger in the office. How long will it take? Immediate results. Example #2: 5 Days to Shift Your Career Into High Gear Challenge What is it? A challenge Who is it for? People wanting to uplevel their career? How long will it take? 5 days What are the results? I will get the tools to shift my career in a better direction.   Recap: Clever confuses. Focus on the problem, not the solution. Specificity matters. Need some help with naming your course, lead magnet or product?  Schedule a free 30-minute consultation with me at alisaconner.com and click the "schedule now" button. If you would take 20 seconds to leave me a review I would greatly appreciate it.  It helps me reach and help more people.  If you loved this episode, share it with someone else who could use help growing their business.

This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneurs Show learn how to choose the best lead magnet for your business to grow your email list and also increase sales. In case you are new, thanks for joining me today. I'm Alisa Conner, and I help 2nd Act Entrepreneurs grow their businesses using the power of email marketing. Before we dive into this week's show, be sure to stay with me until the end, because I've included a bonus for you.

This episode is for 2nd Act Entrepreneurs who know they should be growing their email list but may be stuck somewhere along the way with getting people on their list.   But maybe you've forgotten why you want to grow your email list when what you're really trying to do is get more customers.  Let's take a look at buying behavior.  Less than 3% of people are actually ready to make a purchase when they come across your business.   That leaves 97% of people who either:  Don't know they need to fix the problem you solve (probably because the pain isn't big enough yet) or They have just started searching for solutions and aren't ready to make a decision yet.   Both of these audiences are who to focus your email marketing efforts toward.  Because if you can stay in front of those people who are researching or haven't been gobsmacked in the face with the problem yet - you have a HUGE opportunity to not only get more sales leads but also improve conversion rates for those that are in your email funnel.   Most people will stop at the first 3%.  But most sales transactions take at least 8 times of getting in front of someone before they even pay attention to you and another 4 follow-ups before they make a purchasing decision.   According to Brevet Email marketing is almost 40 times better at acquiring new customers than Facebook and Twitter.   40 TIMES. One of the best ways to increase the number of people on your email list is by having an irresistible free download.     If you have no idea what to create or have a lead magnet created and it just isn't working join me for my upcoming LIVE training Create An Irresistible Lead Magnet That Works.  Walk away with the tools to create a lead magnet that grows your email list and your business.  Register at alisaconner.com/leads.   So how do we increase the number of people who grab our free download?  I'm glad you asked, let's dive into 3 proven ways you can implement today to start increasing conversions.   1. Have a plan.  You've likely heard that you need a marketing strategy.  But I recently read a statistic that 70% or more of marketers don't have a marketing strategy.  And they are in the business.     This is good news.  Because if you take the time to create a plan for your marketing, including growing your email list you will be further ahead than most marketers and you will more than likely also leave your competitors in the dust.   Instead of winging your marketing and trying to chase every tactic out there, create a logical path for your subscribers to follow so that they become customers.  Having a plan will increase your conversion rates and make your sales process more efficient and run smoothly.   2. Know your audience.  As the internet becomes more crowded and information becomes more robust - specifically targeting your people is not optional.  Clarity cuts through the crowds and the noise and attracts the attention of your people like a lighthouse beacon in the dark.  Gaining clarity about your audience and their behaviors will not only help you stand out from others in your industry but it will also start to build trust between you and your potential customers.   Over 90% of buying decisions are emotional.  Think about the last time you bought a car.  Did you go into the dealership knowing you wouldn't buy and a car that didn't have a sunroof?  Or did you go to the store with an idea of what you wanted, a list of features that you would like, and a price you were willing to pay?     More than likely you had some ideas of what you wanted and then you walked into the dealership and were sucked in by the shimmering new cars, you sat in the car and smelled the new car smell, and then you got behind the wheel and started to imagine what it would feel like if you drove this car everyday.  Ultimately the buying decision came down to how you felt in the car.  The emotions you conjured, the image you would have, what your friends and family would think, etc.  The key word there is FEEL.       Knowing your audience, you know how they feel, what they think, the image they want to reflect and ultimately how they want to be portrayed to the world.   These things will get you more leads and sales and improve your conversion rate for the simple reason that most people won't take the time to get to know the people they want as customers at that level.  It's the same reason that Ford, Tesla, BMW, Mercedes and the lot spend so much money on customer research, branding, advertising, and marketing.  There are big stakes in the automotive industry.   3. Give them something that they want.  Most business owners do one of two things when it comes to creating a lead magnet to grow their email list. They create a lead magnet based on their experience and what they think their audience needs, not what they want - or They choose the easy and also the most ineffective way to gather email addresses and names, “sign up for my newsletter”.  Newsflash - nobody wants your newsletter.  They want their problem solved.   People don't even want more emails in their inbox, what they want is guidance, help, and assistance in getting to the end of the pain they are experiencing because of their problem.   So many people entrepreneurs with creating an irresistible lead magnet, so if this is you - you are not alone. This is the exact reason why I created my upcoming training program - Create An Irresistible Lead Magnet That Works.   This LIVE session is coming up next week (at the time of this recording) and will teach you how to start growing your email list and your business by creating a lead magnet that attracts eyeballs and collects names and email addresses.   Register now at alisaconner.com/leads   Bonus Tip: Don't add people to your email list without permission.  Even if they are previous clients.  People are inundated with emails they don't want.  You don't want to be added to the list of people sent immediately to the trash or spam filter simply because your potential clients never asked to get emails from you.  There are other legal reasons to not do this, but the big one is - don't bug people who didn't ask to hear from you.  It's slimy, poor business practice and you don't want to be categorized with the slimy salespeople who buy email lists and then spam people.    During the episode, I also mentioned Kajabi as a resource for creating your online program or membership.  If you want to check out Kajabi for your business's home base, you can get a free trial here.

During this week's show learn how to effectively grow your email list quickly and why building a solid email list is important and is more critical now than ever. Listen or watch the entire show here: https://alisaconner.com/141 Register for my upcoming free training Creating An Irresistible Lead Magnet That Works Here: https://alisaconner.com/leads Recently the opening words from Adam Mosseri's (the Head of Instagram) recent TED talk were: "Power is shifting. History has taught us that technology will take power from the establishment and give it to individuals." He went on to say: "People should own their data rather than having it harvested and monetized by big tech companies." But how does this translate to growing an email list?  Your email list is one of the only marketing assets in your business that you control.  You get to decide when to send, and what to send and your audience becomes captive to your marketing. When you grow your email list you hold the power, not Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or any other social media platform.   Not to mention that recently social media accounts are being shut down for infractions some of which seem very minor, i.e. using too many emojis in a post.  Making it more critical than ever to ensure you are capturing email addresses and names of your followers. In the episode, I give you a HUGE tip to protect yourself in case you do lose access to your account on Facebook or Instagram.  Check it out here. And then we have to consider the latest Twitter purchase including reports coming out that Elon Musk plans to charge some users.  (think content creators) for their accounts.  If Twitter implements charging for content creation then you can quickly expect Facebook, IG, LinkedIn, and other platforms to follow suit.  It's important to remember that these companies are not in business to promote your business, they are in business to make money. Somewhere along the way people have forgotten this.   All of these reasons are why growing your email list will become the differentiator between those who succeed and those who do not. I want you to succeed which is why this episode dives into how to think about growing your email list throughout your entire marketing strategy. Is growing your email list EVEN more important than your website? The answer is yes.  Here's why: You can't control how often people visit your website, nor can you control how many pages they click on.  You are playing the odds that they will keep coming back and ultimately buy from you.  But people are distracted, interrupted, and often never make it back to your website. Meaning their ability to focus on your website, offer and services is in a state of constant interruption.  Yes by all means you should have a website.  But the #1 goal of your website should be to move your visitors to your email list. When you create a planned email marketing strategy, you hold the power to show up to your audience when you have new information to share, have a new product to announce, or are announcing your current promotion. Best of all, it empowers you with the ability to remind them they forgot to push “check out” on their cart when they are pulled in a different direction. This leads to you converting them into a customer.  Cha-ching.   Different Ways to Increase Your Email List Tip #1: In order to add contacts to your email marketing campaign and grow your email list,  you MUST  have a magnetizing lead magnet.  Something that is so tempting that your ideal audience just can't say “no”. If people are saying no, then your lead magnet isn't enticing enough.  If they aren't sharing it with others, then you probably have some work to do.    When you create something so good that people can't wait to get it in their hot little hands, then and only then will they become a subscriber to your email list.   Better yet, they will tell their friends, who tell their friends, and so on.   If you're like many 2nd Act Entrepreneurs, you probably struggle with creating your lead magnet. Or you created a  lead magnet that just isn't working or you may not know if it's working.   If this is you, I'd like to invite you to  join me for my upcoming training - “Create An Irresistible Lead Magnet That Works” where you will learn: How to choose a topic for your lead magnet that excites your audience and gets them to opt-in How to pick the best lead magnet to grow your email list Where to promote your lead magnet so more people see it Which software to use to automate your lead generation funnel What to measure and how to tweak your lead magnet to get even bigger results   Register now at https://alisaconner.com/leads   Tip #2 -  Use social media to add subscribers to your email list.  We started this conversation with the negative aspects of social media. But used effectively social media is a GREAT place to grow your audience and advertise your lead magnet.  But, it is in your best interest to move your social media following off of social as quickly as possible by adding them to your email list. Use your favorite platform to shout it to the world the goodness you created, but then gather your flock and their email addresses so that they are on your list. Tip #3 - Always go into any promotion or advertising opportunity with a plan.  As a coach, you likely are speaking on stages, podcasts, or other promotional platforms.  Before you even get into the room have a plan for how you will move that audience to the next step.  The same goes for promoting your book.  Most marketing fails because there isn't a strategy to move people to the next step.  The most effective and logical next step for someone getting to know you and your business is joining your email list.  The best way to do that is to create a kick-ass lead magnet that people can't say no to.  That brings us back to Tip #1 - you're getting the idea. Here is a recap of this week's takeaways: 1. Always be growing your email list. 2. Move your followers from social media to your email list as quickly as possible 3. Create an irresistible lead magnet they can't say no to    

I recently posted on LinkedIn asking for your biggest challenges when it comes to creating an online sales funnel.  You asked and in this week's episode of the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show, I answer your questions and concerns. Before diving into the questions, if you're struggling with connecting the dots of all your marketing tactics and goals, grab my free 5-Step Marketing Strategy Guide to map out an easy-to-follow plan.  This guide will help you clarify your marketing message, align your marketing activities with your goals and metrics and most importantly track sales to ensure your efforts are actually converting into cash.  Grab your copy here.  If you're ready, let's dive into the questions: #1 - Should you use a different sales funnel or approach to reach different audiences? In this week's episode, I refer to our good old friend ice cream to answer this question. Tune in to the show to discover that analogy. The short answer is yes.  In order to avoid audience confusion, a separate funnel should be set up for each lead magnet, audience, problem, and solution in your business. But as a busy business owner, if you want to keep it simple - stick to one sales funnel, test it, and then when it is reaping results and you know it can stand on its own you can create another sales funnel option to bring new people into the fold. Discover more about creating for a specific audience, as well as standing out in the crowd during this week's show. #2 - How should you nurture your list? During the live broadcast, I give a few specific examples of nurturing your list.  Tune in to the show to listen for all the details. List nurturing mistakes usually fall into two categories: 1. Someone signs up for your lead magnet and they get one email with the freebie and then nothing else until you are ready to sell them on your next product launch or offer. 2. An initial email is sent and then the subsequent emails are pushing a sale that your new subscriber isn't ready for. Neither of these scenarios is ideal.  A nurture sequence is meant to do just that, nurture the relationship so that your lead is enticed to learn more, trusts you, and ultimately buy from you. In most cases, if the relationship building is rushed, the sale is jeopardized. Just as if a prospect is ignored until the next product launch, the likelihood of converting them into a client is slim to none. Each sales funnel needs a separate email sequence.  As does each marketing goal. When a one-size-fits-all marketing approach is adopted, the results won't' be there. For example, you wouldn't send someone a bunch of emails promoting Mother's Day in October.  The same is true for marketing your products and services. Your marketing must be adapted to your audience, their specific problem, and the solution that solves that problem in order to be successful. #3 - How do you move someone from social media to your email list? This is definitely a question that comes up a lot in marketing conversations and is addressed at length in this week's show. The biggest mistakes I see around the move from social to your email list are these: The lead magnet isn't solving a problem or helping people get some sort of result. The lead magnet created is too general and tries to help everyone but ends up helping no one. No promotion is being done around the lead magnet, so no one is signing up, hence not joining your list. A lead magnet and funnel haven't been created. You're giving away all your content for free to compete. For more details on each of these problems and how to circumvent them tune into this week's show.  #4 -  Is your website or your email list a more important asset to your business? Yes, your website is an important asset to your business.  But, it is far more important to grow your email list for one simple reason.  You can't control when or if someone shows up on your website. You can control when and how often you show up in someone's inbox. The most important thing you can have on your website is a way to capture leads.  This gives you back the power of your marketing. It empowers you to keep your audience captive on your terms and your timeframe. No other marketing tactic will give you this power.  On every other platform, you are at the mercy of someone else, including your possible lead. At the end of the episode, I dive into the #1 reason you should be building your email list now even if you haven't before.  Be sure to tune into the entire show to catch this important information. If you need help establishing a strategy for your marketing, be sure to grab my free 5-step Marketing Strategy Guide here. Until next week, be well, stay safe and take care! ~Alisa

Does the term "sales funnel" give you the heebie-jeebies or make you cringe? If so, then today's show was created for you.   During this week's show find out what a sales funnel is the three must-have components of any sales funnel, and the marketing strategy that will help you increase sales and get the most out of your marketing time and budget.  #1 - Introduction: What is a Sales Funnel? A sales funnel is simply put the journey your customer takes to find you, get to know you and ultimately decide if they will purchase from you. #2. -How to Create A Marketing Strategy for Your Business I recently did an entire episode on the ABC's of setting up your marketing strategy.  You can find that here. Here is a quick recap of that episode.  The first step in your marketing funnel is:  1. A for attract a specific audience with your messaging and create a lead magnet they want to download. If you're struggling with this I have a training coming up in June to help you create a Magnetic Lead Magnetic.  You can get on the waitlist here to get notified of the training details closer to the date of the training When someone signs up for your lead magnet this is called a conversion.  This leads to the next step of the sales funnel process:  2. B - Building a relationship with your new lead. This is where many people go wrong.  They go from “hi here's your freebie now buy my stuff” 95% of purchases are made at an emotional level.  How does it feel when someone does this to you?  To make things even more complicated, those purchasing decisions are happening at a subconscious level. So the saying KLT is based on statistics not just hearsay.  The “B” portion of your sales funnel is critical to getting people to say yes to purchasing from you  3. The last step of the ABC sales funnel methodology is to Convert A Customer Everyone thinks the funnel ends here, they've bought - celebrate good times, but in reality, this is your opportunity to put in the effort to create lifetime customers. This is a very basic guideline for planning your marketing.  Everyone's business is different and diving into specific tactics would depend entirely on your offerings. #3 - What Makes a Successful Sales Funnel? A simple sales funnel includes these 3 specific things: First, you have to have a lead magnet. Maybe you have one, but if people aren't opting in then your lead magnet probably isn't worth the paper it's printed on. (if you're struggling with this, run, don't walk, to sign up for my upcoming create a magnetic lead magnet training here.) A landing page where people can give you their information and get your lead magnet. There will be an opt-in form on this page that will collect a name and email address and will then fingers crossed kick off your automated email sequence. You guessed it you need an email sequence. This is 5-7 emails that build the relationship so that people can begin to know like and trust you (see where we are going here).  A tool like Convertkit, Drip, or Activecampaign helps you create not only this sequence but the form from Step #2 and integrates all of the pieces of your sales funnel together for you. #4 - The Goal of a Sale Funnel & How it Relates to Marketing Strategy The goal of your sales funnel is to bring attention to your brand, gather information from your potential customers, and build a relationship with them so that they will ultimately purchase your product or service. It is the step-by-step journey that your customer takes in doing business with you.  This is why it is so important to know who your customers are. Otherwise, you are shooting arrows in the dark. # 5 -How to optimize your sales funnel? Gather intel Test and Evaluate Segment and Target Provide Value and Exceptional Customer Service Conclusion and Takeaways Creating a sales funnel doesn't have to be complicated.  But, it does have to be strategic.  Otherwise, you will find yourself wasting time, feeling frustrated, and not getting results. Every step of your funnel must lead to another step otherwise there is a breakdown and your customer will get lost in the shuffle and you won't get the sale. Remember the ABC system from above and you won't go wrong. If you need help with your lead magnet, save your spot for the upcoming Create A Magnetic Lead Magnet That Works coming up soon here.  Until next week, be well, stay safe and take care! ~Alisa

This morning I headed to the ATM to deposit some money after taking my middle twin to an orthodontist appointment.  I pulled up and wouldn't you know it, I could not for the life of me remember my pin number. I've used that number a zillion times, yet there was a giant blank space in my head for what the number should be. Does this happen to you too? (please say yes, I don't want the only one who has a garbage disposal in my mind just munching away on pertinent information.) The whole experience gave me empathy toward my clients.  Almost everyone is UBER distracted right now. Between the news, social media, phone distractions, and even email - everyone is struggling for focus and especially downtime. This includes your audience. Add to that distraction, a group of potential customers who may not even be ready to solve their problem aka buy from you - it's no wonder your marketing is causing you headaches. This week's episode shares three proven ways for you to stay top of mind with your potential customers so that when they are ready to buy - they think of you and already trust you.  Making the sales process seamless and easy.  Dive into this week's jam-packed episode here. The most important part of getting traction from your marketing is having a marketing strategy.  This is the exact reason I created the 5-Step Marketing Strategy Guide.  Download your copy here to set up a plan for your marketing instead of wondering if something will work. If you've been tuning into the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show for a bit, you know I'm slightly obsessed with a recent sales study I came across which revealed that only 3 percent of people are actually ready to buy when they come across a brand (like yours).  Meaning 97% of people need more interaction and knowledge before making a purchasing decision. But most entrepreneurs give up after only 1-2 contact points (including emails).  That means 97% of possible sales are being left on the table before they ever have the chance to get off the ground. Let's stop that stat - well stat! Let's dive into three proven ways to stay top of mind even in today's busy world: #1 - My personal favorite is email marketing. But even with a powerful tool like email marketing, oftentimes things go askew.  Here are some things to avoid like the plague. Avoid only emailing your list when you have something to sell Remember to pitch your offer.  Sometimes people get so caught up in relationship building they never give someone a way to buy or work with them. Show up consistently so that people remember who you are and how you can help them. Avoid writing boring templated emails or plagiarizing someone else's writing.  They aren't engaging, won't get read and it's just bad juju.  For more details tune in to this week's show. #2 -  Effectively use social media. First, and foremost - show up consistently on the right social platform.  Lack of consistency will kill your vibe Figure out where your audience is hanging out.  More details on this in the episode. Yes, you will have to do the work. You will have to create engaging content and no there is no magic marketing pill that will build your audience for you. Be sure that you are connecting the dots to move people off social media sooner than later because it's critical to move people to purchase #3 - Get in front of your people using the media Figure out where your people go find information on solving their problem and show up there. Examples given in the episode include: Television Interviews Publication Articles Podcasts Video Shows Speaking at events That's a wrap for this week.  Don't forget to grab the 5-Step Marketing Strategy Guide.  This guide is your ally in easily creating a plan for your marketing.  Helping you avoid frustration, manic posting on social and ultimately saves you time and money on marketing that doesn't work. Download your copy here and I just bet you will get your marketing plan set up this afternoon. Until next week, be well, stay safe and take care! ~Alisa

Marketing strategy doesn't need to be complicated.  But it is the one critical component to turning your new leads into customers (and repeat customers).   ***GRAB THE ACCOMPANYING GUIDE***   To help you take action on today's episode, download the Marketing Strategy Guide here: https://alisaconner.com/strategy-guide   This week's 2nd Act Entrepreneurs show teaches you a simple method to create a marketing plan that works to attract new eyeballs to your business,  build trust, and ultimately turn those people into customers.   Learn: The best ways to attract your audience The number of times potential customers need to see your brand before they notice you How to save time when creating marketing content The #1 way to stay top of mind so that you are remembered when people are ready to purchase The best way to build trust and relationships with your audience The key ingredient that many entrepreneurs forget when they are marketing their business The #1 thing most entrepreneurs and small business owners forget to add to their marketing plan ***DON'T FORGET TO GRAB THE ACCOMPANYING GUIDE***   To help you take action on today's episode, download the free Strategy Guide here: https://alisaconner.com/strategy-guide.  It will help you create your plan, write it down and empower you by taking action.  And, the best part is, you can use it again and again as you launch new products, services, and promotions.   Links mentioned in this episode: Sales Strategy Guide Top Branding Statistics IRC Sales Solutions Sales Survey

A 2nd Act Entrepreneur is someone who is taking a gamble on themselves.  By taking their experience and expertise and turning it into a new venture.  That could be a coaching or consulting business, or an online program.  But, as entrepreneurs, it can be SO easy to talk ourselves out of taking risks. As we get older we can become complacent. There is more at stake than when we were adolescents or teens. We have mortgages and 401Ks and college tuition to pay for. Our parents are aging and there are emotional and time commitments required that most times we haven't planned for. But, entrepreneurship is anything but complacent.  In fact, it is one of the biggest risks you will ever take in your life. So if you have thrown your hat into the ring, bravo - you have already broken the first barrier of complacency. This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Show learn how to kick your complacency to the curb by activating part of your anatomy.  Yep, we are going to take a slight dive into the science behind taking risks and sticking with the norm.  Listen or watch the entire episode here. Even after you take that initial step of becoming an entrepreneur, your comfort zone can put up a giant stop sign that keeps you from chasing your dream and fulfilling your purpose. Recently there has been a reoccurring niggle in my life around people taking ice-cold showers, diving into cold dunk tanks, and people diving into ice-cold frigid waters. I kept seeing it in the newsfeed, in articles I would stumble across, and even in a video ad. Usually, when something comes across my line of vision more than once, I perk up and pay attention because more often than not the universe is trying to talk to get my attention. But first, a quick anatomy lesson on the vagus nerves in case you aren't familiar with what it is or what it does (I 100% wasn't). Your vagus nerves run from your brain to your large intestine and control the parasympathetic nervous system which controls your “rest and digest” functions.  When this is out of balance we feel stressed out (hello 2020), have raised blood pressure, are in a bad mood, and may have digestion problems.   You get the idea. Curiosity getting the better of me, I wondered how does one shock the vagus nerve and resets the parasympathetic nervous system? You guessed it, cold showers.  And other things like deep breathing, yoga, tuning forks (another favorite of mine) massage, gargling, singing, and a whole list of other things that you can find here. But the one thing that rang true with most of the vagus nerve stimulation options is that they all require you to get out of your comfort zone.   As we age, we get comfortable.  In our own skin, in our homes (the world becomes too peoply) with our routines.  But, entrepreneurship REQUIRES us to regularly leap out of our comfort zone. Because I almost never take anything at face value, I decided to do an experiment.  The first thing to know is I LOVE hot showers.  The hotter the better.   To venture outside of my comfort zone I decided to take my regular balmy shower and then turn the water to ice-cold for one minute.  You can bet that I counted down every second. The first few times it was torturous, I'm not going to lie. But then I got out of my head and realized, the fear wasn't around the sensation, it was around not being comfortable.   The prefrontal cortex of our brain wants to keep us safe. It runs the fight or flight response.  Staying comfortable keeps that part of our brain happy and it will do ANYTHING to ensure our safety.   Even if it's not in our best interest. So when I flipped that water to ice cold my brain started to freak the “F” out.  Yep, any excuse to shut off the water and get back to normal popped up.  Some of the thoughts in my head bordered on ridiculous. But I was having none of it. After a few weeks, what were the results of this cold shower experiment?   They were nothing short of remarkable considering all I did was turn the water to ice cold. I have had more energy, more ideas, and have spent less time being stuck in my own dang head. I've meditated more and done more yoga. I've finally felt aligned again and am ready to move forward.  All of that from some cold water?  Yes and no. The water was the first step.  But challenging the status quo and our own inner dialogue, that's where the real magic starts to happen. Where have you been complacent or sticking to what's comfortable? What do you need to do instead to reach outside of your comfort zone so that you can reach your goals?  Tell me in the comments below. Until next week,  Be well and take care. ~ Alisa

Setting up a sales funnel can feel intimidating.  But it doesn't have to be. On this week's show learn the 3 key components of setting up a sales funnel that works for you, and your potential customers and also helps you keep your sanity. This week's episode was inspired by a recent conversation.  She had done all the right things.  She had multiple funnel options set up. She had different levels where people could enter and join in, but the gaping hole I saw was that it was taking a REALLY long time for people to actually buy from her. This can definitely hinder people from buying.  Especially if they don't know what you are selling. Discover three specific things to consider when setting up and maintaining your sales funnel and also the secret weapon question to ask to ensure you are meeting your potential customers no matter where they enter in. Included in this episode: How to create a flexible sales funnel Preparing your sales funnel for your customer Creating a customer journey map Analyzing and tweaking your customer journey and sales funnel Simplifying your sales funnel for your business and your potential customers Links mentioned: The Critical Parts of A Sales Funnel Podcast Episode  Sales Funnels Equal Small Business Survival Podcast Episode The #1 Thing Your Email Sales Funnel Is Missing Podcast Episode Mapping Your Customer Journey Tools" Mind Meister Canva

This week's episode includes a double feature live training all about using email as a powerful tool in your marketing strategy toolbelt.   If you've asked the question why should I use email when there is social media, then this episode is for you.   Here's what's inside: