CX Fanatics Podcast

Tech To Help You Start Growing Your Email List

Having the right tool for the job makes the job easier.
If you've listened to this podcast long enough, you know I am a firm believer in growing your email list to grow your business.  But, sometimes it's difficult to get going because you don't which tool will help you get the job done quicker and easier.
In Episode 66 I share with you all the tech tool recommendations to get your email list growing as well as the process to follow so you can succeed, quickly and easily.  I have tested and tried many tools over the years, but I give you the inside scoop on my favorites in this week's episode, give it a listen here.
Start With Content
If you don't have some content to increase people's curiosity and fix their hair tugging problems, they aren't going to send an invite to the magical website fairy and come visit you.  You have to give them a reason to come and then you have to tell them what you made for them (more on this later).  In this week's episode, which you can listen to here
I share with you the 3 MOST important questions to ask before you create your content and get your audience to connect with you.  They are:
What type of content are you going to create?
How often are you going to create it consistently?
What does your audience REALLY want?
These questions are the core of how to create your content and I go into detail on each in the episode. The one warning I will give you is that if you skip this step, you will be spending a lot of time in "I hope" and "what if" land. Which is a VERY frustrating place to stay. To save you time, frustration and get you traction quicker - answer these questions first.
Create some buzz.
Now that you've created some killer content, you need to tell the people about it and more importantly get them to tell other people about it. The easier you make it, the more likely they will share it and tell other peeps about it.  I recommended the following social sharing/scheduling tools in the episode.  I go into more detail over there, so check it out here.  The last two in the list are options to add social sharing right to your WordPress website.  Making it easy for them and a delightful way for you to get your content in front of others.  I use Monarch right now, but I am taking a serious look at Social Snap.  I'll report back my findings in another episode.
BufferApp
HootSuite
AgoraPulse
MeetEdgar
Sprout Social
Later
Social Snap
Monarch
Send them to the next step.
So they've consumed your content, shared it and like what they see.  How are you getting them to the next step?  You need to get them to your landing page, have them fill out a form with their name and email and you then send them something tasty to keep them coming back for more.  But how the heck do you easily set up a landing page?  In Episode 66 I walk you through each of these but choose one of these resources to get them to take action.  I also talk about the form they need to fill out and how it relates to this page (coming up in the next point below.) I also give you some tips on what to have and not have on your landing page.  In my previous Episode #51, I give you all kinds of tips on how to choose a Landing Page or just a form. In the meantime, here are my landing page recommendations:
Your current email service provider (ConvertKit, Drip and Active Campaign are my 3 favorites)
Lead Pages
Opt-in Forms
Next, you need a form to collect your visitor's information.  This appears on the landing page as well, but I give an example of how you may just want to use a form in the episode as well as the pros and cons of each.  Here are my form recommendations:
Bloom
OptinMonster
Current Email Service Provider
Connecting With Your Audience
Sometimes a simple email won't do.  People wanna see ya face!  So I shared with you a few options for recording a personalized video to include in your email to start your conversation with your new subscribers.  I recommend:
BombBomb
Loom
Your next step is to start emailing them consistently.
No tips here, except to just start doing it.  C'mon, you can do it.  At the beginning of this episode, I give you some tips and I walk you through a really good example.
Lastly, and MOST importantly, analyze what is and isn't working.
If you aren't analyzing, how will you know if your effort is paying off?  You won't.  So, here are some tools to get you looking at your numbers and seeing if people are opening, clicking and engaging with your email.
First one is free, use the analytics that comes with your email service provider
To kick it up a notch check out Cake Mail for additional analytics as well as their ultra-cool Spam Assassin which is supposed to keep you out of the SPAM folder.  In Episode #30 I give you all kinds of tips and ideas on how to steer clear of spam and what to do if you end up there on accident.  Check it out here.
That's it for this episode.  I did give you a challenge in the episode to come and share with me your goal for 2020 in growing your email list.  Come tell me about your email woes and wins over here.  See you next week.
What did you think about this episode?  
Come share your results on the Facebook Page and let me know how your life is shifting.
Download the entire episode transcript here.

The Podcast Equipment Breakdown

The #1 Most Asked Question I Get Is About My Podcast.
Selfishly, I am creating this week's podcast so that I have a reference to send people to when I get the questions again.  :D But for all of you, this is a resource for starting and creating your own podcast. 
Episode 65 is all about what you need to get started with your own podcast.  But, in case you were thinking of opting out of this episode, it's work giving the first few minutes a listen, because they apply to any type of content creation you may have in mind.  You can give it a listen here.
The biggest question that MUST be answered
about starting a podcast is really my biggest tip this week.  Go give the first few minutes a listen to find out what you NEED to know before starting your podcast.  You can do that here.
Here's the breakdown of other resources:
Microphones:
In this week's episode I give you the break down of each of these microphones, but here are the top 3 I recommend as well as the one I suggest you provide or have your interviewees attain.
ATR2500 - Around $100 with the filter and arm (I have this one)
Blue Snowball - Around $45
Blue Yeti - Around $150 without the filter and arm
Guest Mics:
Vogek, Logitech, MPow, Runmus
Software:
You need a way to record, that's where software comes in.  I give you the lowdown on the freebies and why I chose Screenflow, but if you listen to the entire episode you will have a better idea of what will work for you.
Audacity
GarageBand (MAC only)
Screenflow (I use this)
Adobe Audition
Zoom(interviews) (I use this)
Skype (interviews)
Royalty-Free Music For Intros & Outros:
The great debate over intros and outros happens over here in Episode 65. Here are the resources you will need if you choose in favor of adding an intro or outro. As well as, whether or not you want to create it yourself or have it done for you.  It's important to use only royalty-free music because just like photos or videos, the fines can be hefty for using someone's copyrighted work.
Free Music Archive
Free Music Soundtrack Archive
YouTube Audio Library
Free Sound Project
Music Radio Creative
Audio Jungle
Editing:
There are really only two choices here, edit yourself (which = many many hours of YouTube tutorials) or hire someone to edit for you.  I give you the entire scoop over here in Episode 65. But the software for recording mentioned above in all instances (minus Zoom and Skype) have editing abilities as well.
Choosing a hosting platform:
So you won't want to host your podcast on your website because it will slow things down to a crawl.  I recommend using one of these podcast hosts to keep things neat and tidy and help rank your podcast so people can find it.  Keep in mind you get what you pay for and that there are also some "all in one" solutions out there.  I don't have any experience with them, so I am not going to recommend one of those. They all offer different features, so do your homework and see which one will work best for you and what you want to do.
Podbean
Lybsin
Soundcloud
Blubrry
Simplecast
Last but not least, I covered transcripts and show notes:
I recommend at the minimum creating show notes to increase traffic to your website.  You can get a good example of what that looks like, well, from this post.  :D  If you want to kick it up a notch, consider adding a transcript either download or as a separate page.  Here are the two resources I recommend for that.  If you want the inside scoop on the difference and the benefits, listen to this week's episode here.
Temi
Rev
The other resource I mention is Searchi which makes your audios and videos searchable.  Currently invite-only, but never hurts to get on the list. The skinny on that is also in the episode.
That's the low down on all things podcast.  I hope this becomes a resource for you to dive into your own podcasting adventure.
 
What did you think about this episode?  
Come share your results on the Facebook Page and let me know how your life is shifting.
Download the entire episode transcript here.

Gratitude Practices to Propel Your Life & Business

The vibration of gratitude is powerful.
Because it's the day before Thanksgiving (when this is going live) I thought it timely to talk about gratitude.  That one simple word when put into action will propel your business and your life faster than any tip, technique, trick or marketing process out there.  I challenge you to create a gratitude journal and use it every day to recount new things you are grateful for and watch your life and business change.  But, this is more than just well thoughts and wishes.  Which is why I wanted to bring the perspective of science and hermetic teachings to the equation. Because science is definitely involved and is the reason this simple technique works when others do not.
In Episode 64 I dive into science, the Kybalion and all things energy.  Because what holiday would be complete without a little talk about energy?  Give it a listen here.
Here's what I have learned by studying the energy of gratitude for the last year and learning more about energy and vibration. For more details, check out the entire episode here.
Connect to the vibration of abundance.
Ask yourself, are you only grateful when good things happen to you? When you receive payment for a client? When you get a new client? Or are you grateful for all the blessings that come into your life all the time? Things like fresh water to drink, that the sun came up, that snow is watering the earth to make water for you to drink. If it is the former, the likelihood that you are tuned into the frequency of gratitude is slim. 
We are all energy, and as such vibrate at a specific frequency.
99% of our bodies are made of atoms.  Hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and some other stuff.  If we are energy, which science says we are, then we can conclude that we are constantly in motion. When studying the Hermetic principle of vibration, we learn that "Nothing rests, everything moves everything vibrates." If we take that a step further and realize we can control our vibration, can we not then also control what we attract and repel? The answer is yes.  This means we have the power at any time to shift our vibration and bring in more of what we want in our lives.
That's great Alisa, but how the heck do I shift my vibration? It is so simple, but not so easy.  We have to control the only thing we can control, which is our thoughts.  So how does this tie back to gratitude? By focusing on what you are grateful for, you have harnessed the power of abundance. Because you cannot have a thought of lack and a thought of thankful at the same time.  It's impossible.  Try it.  I'll wait. How did it work out?  Was I right?  Mind blown right?  I know I know it works because I don't share things with you that I haven't already tried and tried again.  Which is why I wanted to share this with all of you. This one shift, tiny little shift, will change everything for you.
But what about this literal pain in the neck that I have?
Interestingly enough, that is energy too.  We don't realize that our bodies are very intelligent creatures. When we don't deal with our emotions and we just shove them down inside, they don't go away.  I'll give you a personal example of grief.  I've spent a good chunk of the last 6 years sort of grieving, but not really giving in to it because I was busy taking care of other people.  What do you know? I've had a literal pain in my hip, leg, and side for almost that long. That energy is stuck there and will continue to be there until I fully deal with whatever is going on in my emotional state.  Again, how do I know? Because when I use tools like EFT (see episode #5 with Teri Karjala to learn how to use this yourself) and other energy work like polarity, massage or chiropractic - the pain goes away.  But only temporarily, because I still haven't fully dealt with the emotions.
But how do you change your thoughts?
The simplest answer is through your breath practice.  This includes things like meditation, yoga and frankly just breathing and focusing on that simple act we often take for granted.  It is the one thing we do constantly each day, that keeps us alive, yet we often take it for granted.  Meditation, yoga and focused breathing are all practices, which means, we MUST practice them to get better.  Even if it is 10-15 minutes each day.
A few more tips to get you focused on shifting your energy:
Become aware of your thoughts.  This doesn't mean beat yourself up, just bring awareness to them so that you can shift and change them over time.
Choose carefully what you put into and on your body. Your body is your energy vessel. If you clog it up with unhealthy food, how likely do you think it will be able to vibrate at a higher level? Not likely at all because it will be focused on removing the junk you put into it.
Notice where you focus most of your day and document it. Can you shift that focus even one time a day to gratitude or positivity? Can you walk away from conversations and people that are vibrating at a lower vibration? 
Where can you be just a little bit kinder? When you focus your energy, attention, and action toward kindness and being thankful, you spread that energy to others. Creating more of it. Consequentially, bringing more of it to you. 
Take the energy of this Thanksgiving holiday and bring it forward to every day and watch your life transform.
Lastly, I want to thank each of you for tuning in every week to the podcast and for supporting this little idea I had about sending more love out into the world. It truly is a gift that I get to share the musings in my head with you and that you take away ideas and actions that make your business and your life better.
Wishing you all the best of Thanksgivings, thank you for being a part of my life.
Which tip are you going to focus on for the next year?  
Come share your results on the Facebook Page and let me know how your life is shifting.
Download the entire episode transcript here.

Creating Processes For Your Business

Is documenting your processes your nemesis?
If you are anything like me, then TOTALLY they are likely always on your to-do list.  Ever moving from week to week.  But as of now, NO MORE!
I am personally challenging you in Episode 63 of this week's Feed U Podcast to tackle one process in your business.  Why you may ask?  Because, simply, it is THE only way you will be able to scale and grow.
That's a pretty bold statement, Alisa.  Whatchya got to back that up?  I could give you lots of facts and figures, but the reality is this.  If you don't write down the things that you do in your business, there is NO WAY you can give them to someone else that you hire to be on your team.  If you don't know what you are going to give them, then how can you hire them? It's a hamster wheel and I TOTALLY get it.  Which is why I'm taking the same challenge myself.
In Episode 63 I dive into the hamster wheel a little deeper.  Give it a listen.
Here's what I learned when documenting my podcast process (which is a RIDICULOUS amount of 28 steps by the way).  You can get all the details by tuning in here to listen to the entire episode.
How to start Process-ize-ing your business:
1. Choose one process to focus on.
Choose the process that takes the most time and that will free up your day.  Look at it and ask yourself, do I even like doing this task?  If the answer is no, then you need to outsource that bad boy IMMEDIATELY.  In fact, there may be components of your business that you REALLY liked in the beginning, but they don't bring you joy anymore.  I totally have a little bit of that going on in my business right now.  So, my answer is I need to find someone for my team that would LOVE to do those tasks.  I give some other examples here.  One last requirement for the process you pick, it needs to be something that you repeat regularly.  So no "one-off" tasks, because seriously, how is that going to help you out long-term?
2.  Start writing down the steps.
Yep, this is where the good times start.  (Kidding) This is the NOT fun part of process-ize-ing. But it is necessary.  The best way to document that process while you are completing it.  Trust me, it can be difficult. Especially if the process is stretched out over a long period of time like website design and build. But, when you write it down you will realize why it is taking up so much time.  You will also become aware of the possibility that it can be simplified and most importantly how quickly you can give it to someone else.  I talk more about that here. Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be perfect and that you have to start somewhere. 
3.  Ask yourself which of the steps in the process are a must. Is there a way to simplify the process?  If so, open up a new document and start simplifying the process.  Next, you need to test your new process and make sure that you didn't eliminate something critical and that the process still works.  A great way to test this is to ask someone on your team or in your circle to read through the process and question them on the ease of implementation.  Keeping the process down to simple steps will work best, even if there are many steps.  Complicated steps lend themselves to confusion and confusion leads to errors.
4.  Are there steps that can be automated.
A great way to simplify a process is to take pieces and automate them.  I give the example of recording an intro and an outro for the podcast that I can then edit in for each episode.  I create this once for each quarter and then it's done.  It eliminates a lot of extra recording and editing.  Better yet, record the outro and outsource the editing to someone else. Learn more about that in the episode here.  The idea is to create systems that save you time.
 
Lastly, I walk you through the idea of creating a thought bubble to get started in the episode, here are the steps I cover:
1. Write out an overview of the different processes in your business.  I use the example of clouds
2. Choose one bubble (area) that you will create a process for.
3. Write out the process.
4. Implement the process making note of any of the changes you make along the way.
5. Test the process and changes.
6. Revise the process as needed.
7. Simplify the process to as few steps as possible.
 
Which process are you going to document and outsource in your business? 
Come and tell me on the Facebook Page where I talk all things online business growth, specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.
Download the entire episode transcript here.

Why Your Messaging Is Repelling Customers

If you are like most entrepreneurs you work hard to attract new customers.
But, you could be losing them before you even have a first phone call.  But how? Your messaging.
Clear messaging will make or break your business.  If people don't understand how you can help them, they will be off and distracted by the next best thing.  Which is why this week in Episode 62 I share with you the best of the best messaging tips that I have used with my clients to increase their businesses up to 4xs in as little as six months.  Listen to the entire episode for the full skinny on what to implement right away to attract more leads and customers here.  I also mention the power of using StoryBrand in your messaging.  You can grab that awesome MUST read book here.  
Create compelling messaging in 5 EASY steps:
1. Focus on your customer's problem, not your solution.
My goal in this episode is to keep it real about messaging.  The clearer you can make yours, the better.  That clarity comes when your customer stops in their tracks to pay attention to you.  How do you make that happen? You talk about their problem and you keep talking about it.  People aren't looking for a laundry list of solutions, what they really want is someone to make that huge pain in their behind goes away. The minute you stop talking about their problem, you will lose their attention and they will be off to find someone who gets them. More on that here.
2.  Don't get too wrapped in the negatives.
So this one is double-sided.  If you mentally focus on the negative in a situation, you will energetically attract more of that negative (more on that in an upcoming episode). Additionally, if you focus too long on the negative results of your customer's problem, they will get stuck there and won't be able to see a solution to the problem regardless of who is providing the solution.  I give a great play by play example in the episode, give it a listen here.
3.  Spell out the results your customers get when they work with you. I swear as entrepreneurs we sometimes think people are psychic. I have visited so many websites that go on and on about products, but there are no results.  No one is telling me what I will actually get if I hire them, coach with them, train with them, or buy from them. Don't be that guy/gal.  Start with the results.  Remember people have a problem, they need a solution, but what they want is to know if it really works.  Often I will hear the phrase "they don't have the money, or they won't spend the money." I'm here to tell you it is almost NEVER about the money.  It is about the trust they have that you will fix their problem. If you can show them the results, the end game, the money objection goes away.  This comes from clarity.
4.  Call them to action (for Pete's sake).
You've heard me say it before, 70% of websites have no call to action.  Again, your leads are not psychic.  You need to give them bread crumbs to follow to get them to the next step.  What do you want them to do? Typically there is either no call to action in marketing or it is so hidden it would take a CIA agent to find it.  Make it simple, spell it out and give them a call to action.  You will see bigger results faster and then you can come and tell me about them over on the Facebook page.
5.  Don't spend too much time talking about your products and solutions and every variation you offer.
Simple solutions sell especially if they address the problem.  I give you a great example that I just went through my son in Episode 62, check it out here. The simpler you can make your solution the better and most importantly be the guide to help your prospect realize they need a solution and oh, by the way, I happen to have exactly what you need.  You can get it here.  When you become a guide instead of a pusher of sizes, colors, and other options, you will see greater success faster.
Lastly, I gave you 3 excellent questions to get you started in the episode, here they are:
Grab a journal and answer these questions.  They will give you a quick and detailed account of where you need to focus some research time and create some clear messaging to grab the attention of those people you most want to work with.
1. Who does your ideal client become after they work with you?
Think about people you have worked with, in the past.  Where were they before they worked with you, where are they now? If you don't know the answer, you have some homework to do.
2. What do their friends say about them now (after their transformation because they worked with you)?
Asking your clients this simple question will give you volumes of insight and wording to use for your next video, blog post, website content or marketing piece.
3. What does success look like for your ideal client? 
This is a question we don't always ask, but instead assume we already know the answer.  When you ask current or potential clients this specific question the answer will be more in alignment with what they are wanting to find in all of your marketing.
If you want to work on your own StoryBrand messaging, I can help you with that as a certified guide. You can book a free 30-minute consultation here.
What did you learn from this episode? 
Come and tell me on the Facebook Page where I talk all things online business growth, specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.
Garb the entire episode transcript here.

Lessons Learned From Attending My Mentor's Live Event

I've attended conferences before, but this time was 100% different.
Oh c'mon Alisa! Conferences are always the same.  But seriously, this event was the bomb-diggity.  For SO many reasons, most of them not having to do with my mentor at all.  Which is sort of why I'm sharing the story with you.  Usually, when you get to meet someone you idolize a smidge, the event becomes about meeting them and just standing in the shadow of their wonder.  But this time, things were VERY different.  Tune in to Episode 61 for the entire scoop, lessons learned and some homework.  Are you ready?
The 5 BIG Lessons I Learned In Cali at BBD Live
1. Be open to serendipity but set an intention.
I set a pretty specific intention for this conference around who I wanted to meet and why.  I share all of the details in the episode.  But let me tell you, that intention showed up BIG time throughout all 3 days and when I walked away I sounded a bit like Mathew McConaughy saying "Alright, alright, alright."  Instead of just going to an event to learn tactics and new processes, adopt the mentality of being serendipitous and see what shows up.
2.  Step outside of your comfort zone.
I left this event with a group of new friends, mentors, and masterminders and it never would have happened if I hadn't stepped outside of my comfort zone to have conversations with some of the 600 people I didn't know.  I went to this event not knowing a soul, which is BIG for an introvert.  But, I conquered my fear, started up small talk that led to more in-depth conversations and even ventured to talk to people who have "made it" bigger than I have so far.  But one pivotal conversation changed the event for me.  Listen to the episode to hear the story. The next time you are tempted to cower in a corner at an event, I want to encourage you to instead start a conversation, say hello, you never know where that will lead.
3.  Your heroes are humans too. So yes, I have sort of business crush on James Wedmore and have for about 2 years now.  So going to this event I was PRETTY excited to meet him and get my picture taken with him.  Alas, what did I realize instead? He's a human being too.  SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!  Seriously though, it's true.  Seeing him connect with his audience before and after the event and share so deeply really hit home his humanness.  The irony, I respect him even more now.  So keep in mind, your heroes are humans too.  See if you can dig that out of them.
4.  The biggest lessons and shifts come from inside of you.
Maybe that isn't a surprise to you, but when it actually happens you may be standing there with your mouth gaping open.  At least I was, going WTHocky Sticks just happened.  It left me asking questions, like is what you are doing lighting you up? Are you full of passion? Do you like the impact your having?  Is the entire reason I'm creating this business because I want to make money? Even though I keep trying to pretend it isn't? SAY WHAT?  Mindblown - seriously.  You see our brains are tricky little critters, and sometimes we talk ourselves into what we think we want when in reality, we are a hot misaligned mess.  When was the last time you asked those questions and really listened to the answers?  More coming on that (stay tuned below).  
5.  Don't underestimate the power of journaling.
Ok, so I know people say that and I am confessing, I haven't been a great journaler in recent days.  But, after this event and having SO many epiphanies after journaling it is growing on me.  So much that I have added it to my daily practice and am giving you all some SUPER yummy journaling questions to kick your business in the booty!  Ready?  Here you go:
If you could do anything in your business right now, without failing, what would you do?
How would you have to evolve or change as a person to bring #1 to fruition?  How is that different from who you are now?
What 3 action steps can you take today, this week, this month to inch closer to making #1 a reality?
Who can keep you accountable so you can succeed?
How will you know that you are successful?  How will you measure it?  (This is a DOOZIE by the way - especially if you think it's one thing and then it's TOTALLY not!)
 
Last but not least my tool takeaway:
I had the pleasure of meeting Alon David at the event and was introduced to his 90X planner.  Now, let me be real.  I am NOT a good goal planner user.  But, after talking to Alon and all of the awesome sauce he has going on inside and outside his planner, I was sold.  Of course, I got the pink one. But don't you worry, I've got you taken care of and I have a challenge for you.  Alon has graciously offered a 31% discount for my audience only on his planner to get you started.  You can get one here and enter the coupon code "FeedU31" at checkout to get your discount.
Now, for the challenge.
Beginning on December 1st in the Facebook Group, we will start our 90 Day goal challenge.  All you have to do is get a planner and show up.  We will start by filling it and declaring our 90-day goals.  Remember how I mentioned accountability, well here you go - here's your chance to get to the goal you wrote about in journal prompt #1.  So get your 90X planner and let's do this.
 
Last but not least,
I would love to give a birthday shout out to my eldest son as he turns 18 today.  I'm sure he isn't listening (because there is nothing cooler than your mom's podcast) but regardless - the last 18 years have been a blur but I wouldn't trade them for the world.  Happy Birthday, Reilly!
 
What did you learn from this episode? 
Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join me in my Facebook Group. I talk all things online business growth but specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.
Download the episode transcript here.

The Power of WordPress

You've heard WordPress is Powerful, but what's the big deal? Really?!?!?
Nearly 60% of all websites online are built on WordPress, but you may be wondering why is WordPress so dang special? When companies like CNN, TED, UPS, and CBS Radio use WordPress, it may pique your interest to investigate this website platform.  This week I dive deep into the 11 reasons WordPress is so powerful and even share what the heck is WordPress and why you might need it. Dive into Episode 60 and listen to all 11 reasons and grab some recommendations if you are ready to dive headfirst into creating your 1st WordPress website.
The 11 Reasons for Why To Use WordPress?
1. It is ridiculously scalable.
You can literally build any type of website on WordPress.  I give you some warnings in the episode around the open code concept in the episode.  Totally worth the listen, but as Kevin Costner would say "If you build it, they will come." I mention that Coca Cola was built on WordPress, they have since had their site rebuilt.  But other big names include The Disney Company (including the official Star Wars Blog), Time, Katy Perry and Sony Music.
2.  WordPress Coding Is Free.
Ok, before the nay-sayers get their panties in a wad, the WordPress coding is free.  Does that mean it is free to have a WordPress website? No. But the cost is not prohibitive and it will be the best investment in your business you can make.  You will need hosting (where your website lives) and I recommend Siteground in the episode. For a list of reasons why check out the episode here.  You will also need a domain (the name of your website) which can also get from Siteground. Lastly, you will need a theme.  I recommend Divi by Elegant Themes. If you are feeling overwhelmed, I have a solution for you.  I'm going to do a training in the Small Business Builders Facebook Group to show you how to build a simple WordPress site in less than a day.  Not in the group? No worries, come join us here.
3.  WordPress is a stable platform that has been around for over 15 years. WordPress is a stable, responsive platform that stays aligned with the newest technology out there.  There are 1000's of developers working on the platform every single day. They keep up with trends and partner with some of the best designers in the market to create beautiful yet functional website themes.
4.  WordPress enables you to literally design anything on your website. Using either free or paid themes you can create the website your little heart desires and dreams of.  Do you need to have some coding knowledge to go crazy? Yes.  Is it possible? Yes. Will you need some help if you're just getting started? Probably.
5.  Designing in WordPress is SUPER flexible. With over 22,000 plugins available you can add or create just about anything you want.  A plugin is an addition you "plug into" your website.  Some examples I gave in the episode include creating a calendar and selling dates to an event.  Creating an online store. Building a community or course.  All the details are in the episode, give it a listen here.
6.  WordPress SEO is a force to be reckoned with. With the assistance of some excellent SEO plugins, WordPress becomes a search engine machine for your content.  My favorite is Yoast which gives you the yellow, red or green light based on your search engine optimization. The free version works great, so don't panic about getting the paid version unless you want to become an SEO guru.
7.  WordPress makes content creation a breeze. Whether you are blogging, adding videos, podcast episodes or a combination of content - WordPress is ready for you. Blogging is as easy as using Word and getting started on your content creation is THE BEST way to keep Google coming back for more.
8.  Communities & Memberships. You can create both communities and memberships on WordPress with some additional plugins.  These are likely paid options, but if you want total control of your products and the people in your membership, WordPress will help you do that.
9.  Social Sharing Made Easy. WordPress makes it simple for your audience to share your content with other people.  There are a ton of sharing plugins and the best place to put sharing is at the bottom of your blog post.  Elegant themes offer their monarch plugin for sharing, you can find it here.
10.  Open source code means anything is probable and possible. With 1000s of developers working on WordPress functionality every single day, if there is something you dream of making happen on your WordPress website, chances are it is either already in progress or you can find someone to help you create it.  The website world really is your oyster.  With that oyster, make sure you are installing some security so no one ruins your party.  I recommend iThemes Security plugin.
11.  WordPress can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be. Because WordPress offers so much functionality, it can seem overwhelming.  But, keep in mind that it doesn't have to complicated.  Simple WordPress sites are built every day by people who want to control the design, functionality and behind the scenes of their website.  If you want some help getting started, hop on over to the Facebook Group for the free training happening this week. I'll get you started and then you can run with it.
I mentioned the following resources to help you create your first WordPress website, and you can find those here:
Siteground Website Hosting
Divi Theme
Yoast SEO
Monarch Sharing Plugin
iThemes Security Plugin
What did you learn from this episode? 
Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join me in my Facebook Group. I talk all things online business growth but specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.
Download the episode transcript here.

Powering Up Your CTAs (Calls To Action)

Your CTA (Call to Action) can make or break your sales funnel!
Literally! If you have a non-existent or uncompelling CTA, your audience just won't take action.  If they don't take the next action that loop of your sales funnel is officially CLOSED. Meaning you either have to start over or worse, you have lost them forever.I
What the heck is a call to action?
This week in Episode 59 of the Feed U Podcast I answer that questions, plus give you 6 power tips to increase the traction of your CTA, plus (yes there's more) I give you some insider tips that will knock your audiences boots off once you start adding them into your repertoire.
What, where and when to use a CTA.
This week's episode breaks down all three of those components, so give it a listen for a place to start. But a CTA is a Call To Action.  It's fairly self-explanatory, it tells your audience what you want them to do next.  Of course, you being the brilliant entrepreneur you are, have already mapped all of that out in your strategy. Making it SUPER easy for you to tell them what to do, right?  
If you haven't then get to it my people, because 70% of small businesses don't use a single call to action.  So for no other reason than to differentiate yourself, you should be sticking those things on every piece of marketing material you create.  The big guys do it and guess what, it works.
Here are some places to put that call to action:
Blog posts (and not just at the end)
Podcasts
Any ad you run
Landing Pages
Opt-in Forms
Sales Pages
Hard Copy Collateral (flyers, postcards, etc.)
Videos
But how do I make my CTA's powerful Alisa?
Well, I'm glad you asked! Because there definitely some powerful things you can do to power up those Calls To Action.  Here are just a few, but get the whole list in Episode 59.
1. Stop hiding the darn things. If you do have a call to action, you need to make it obvious.  Hiding it because you don't want to seem pushy or salesy is ridiculous.  You are in this business to sell something - so get used to it and make it easy for people to find a way to do that with you.  When you hide it, you are essentially putting your cash register under a blanket and saying "I just bet you'd like to figure out how to pay me."  Guess what, they won't.  They simply won't figure it out, they are just going to move along. So make it stinking obvious.
2.  Make your CTAs clear and concise. Don't mince words, say what you mean.  Tell them how you relate to the biggest nightmare in their business, how you can solve that for them and what it will be like for them after that problem is solved.  Set expectations about what that process looks like and then sit back and watch them eat it up.  Because they will.  Wanna know why? Because everyone else is talking about how great their widget a, b and c are and how you should buy one - but your customers don't want widgets.  They want to sleep at night.  So help them do that.
 
3.  Have a goal and measure it. As I type this post up, I just finished a speaking engagement on opt-ins.  First, no one in that room had a plan.  They had a free download on their website but they had no idea if it was working. They had no idea what to do with the people after they downloaded the freebie and basically, they were leaving piles of money on the table.  PILES OF MONEY.  Don't be them.  You are smarter than that.  Know how I know? You are reading this post.  So make a plan, and then measure it.  Otherwise, you won't know what is or is not working.
 Want the other 3 tips?  Tune in to the episode here.
I mentioned the following resources to help you create some awesome copy, and you can find those here:
How To Write Copy That Sells
Money Words
Building A StoryBrand
 
Last but not least . . .
Here is the quick low down on 5 Expert Tips to SuperPower Your Call To Action:
Use action words.
Create curiosity
Focus on giving value, ALWAYS
Use social proof like testimonials, case studies or reviews.
Invite, Invite, Invite your audience to take the next step.
What did you learn from this episode? 
Come and tell me in the Facebook Group. Not in the group yet? Consider this your official invitation to join me in my Facebook Group. I talk all things online business growth but specifically sales funnels, branding and WordPress.
Download the episode transcript here.