CX Fanatics Podcast

Staying Top Of Mind To Increase Small Business Sales

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

Creating A Simple Marketing Strategy Using The ABC Method

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

Is Your Comfort Zone Killing Your Entrepreneurial Dreams?

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

Making Your Sales Funnel Work In 2022 (best practices)

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

Why Email Marketing Matters To Small Business Growth

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:
💌 Who really owns your space on social media
💌 Why relying on social media to build your small business is detrimental 
💌 How email marketing can help you stand out in a saturated market
💌 How to stay in front of your audience and get them to remember who you are
💌 Why ad costs are going up and what you can do to keep your ad costs lower
PLUS:
💌 The #1 reason no one is clicking on your email links.
💌 How to gain more traction with your sales funnels by increasing email clicks
💌 How to ensure your hard work at email marketing is paying off 
Are you ready to supercharge your email marketing?  My signature program Email Breakthrough Academy is now open for a very limited time. Grab the step-by-step system to get your emails opened, clicked on, and generate more sales without the tech overwhelm or frustration of not knowing what to say.  Learn more about the program and enroll at coursebreakthroughacademy.com/eba.
 
Losing touch with new subscribers before they can ever become customers?  Send a kick a** welcome email series.  Grab this quick guide to help you blast out those emails in an afternoon. Download your free Email Guide here: alisaconner.com/emailguide
 
Did this episode make you think about marketing differently? If so take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories and tag me, @alisamconner
 
In case you haven’t heard, my new favorite online hangout is LinkedIn - connect with me here.
 
For all the show notes and links, head on over to alisaconner.com/134.
 

Using Email Marketing To Court Your Ideal Client

When was the last time you had an ad or email sent from some random person that you had absolutely no interest in? 
My guess is, probably today.
This happened to me recently as I was being courted via snail mail by an organization that obviously didn't do their research. 
I was actually a bit offended.
During this week's show find out who the company is and dive into 3 ways to effectively use email marketing to court your ideal customer (just like when you met your significant other). 
++ Plus there is a bonus if you stay until the end.
You may be wondering if email marketing is worth all that and a bag of chips, it is.  (but you already knew that.). With a 4200% return on investment, you can even buy the name-brand chips.
On this week's show discover 2 not-to-follow examples when it comes to your email marketing.
The first (mentioned above) is a well-known international brand and the second is a realtor.
I won't dive into all the things they did that you shouldn't, you can catch those and all the antics and hilarity of this week's episode here.

Staying Top Of Mind and Increasing Sales With Email Marketing

44% of people give up after one contact attempt when reaching out to a lead.
That's almost half of the people out there.
Nearly half of your competitors are stopping before they even get a foot in the door.
In fact, it can take up to 8 touchpoints to even get the first call with a potential customer.
That my friends is what we call GOOD news.  Why?
Because this is the EXACT reason email marketing is your ally when it comes to increasing sales in your business.
It is the perfect tool to keep you top of mind with your potential customers in a value-added way.
Yet, people steer away and aim toward the more inviting options like Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok.
I'm not saying social media isn't important - but what is more important is people off of platforms you don't have any control over and into something you do, like your email list.
This week's podcast episode breaks down three steps to ensure you remain top of mind with your hottest prospects, as well as though who don't even know they need you yet.
Tune in to catch the entire show and find all the show notes here.
 
#2ndActEntrepreneur
#EmailMarketingSuccess
#OnlineMarketing
#EmailMarketingTips
#SalesFunnelSuccess

AvoidIng the SPAM Folder in 2022 - The Tech Part 2 of 2

16% of emails sent automatically end up in the SPAM filter.
Writing an email takes time.  Sometimes time that you don't necessarily have.
If your emails are ending up in the SPAM filter you have wasted your time.
The last thing you want is to spend time on something that isn't going to increase sales or grow your business.
This week on the 2nd Act Entrepreneur Podcast we are finishing up our two-part series as we dive into the techie components that could be responsible for sending your emails to SPAM.
Hold up!  I hear you saying "Tech + me = No good"!  Don't panic.  Take a deep breath and say it with me "I can do it!"
This week's episode breaks down the tech in layman's terms so that you can be sure that more eyeballs are seeing your emails.
Tune into and listen to or watch the entire episode to get the 3 important tech steps you need to take to ensure you are avoiding the SPAM filter at the get-go.
Be sure to stay tuned until the end because I have a bonus for you that you can only get if you tune in here.
Let's dive in.
1.  Be sure you are sending emails from a hosted domain. 
A hosted domain is simply a web address that you own so for example www.yourbusiness.com.  (You would put your business name in for your business).   Your email would look like sally@yourbusiness.com.
Why do you need to send emails from a business domain? Unfortunately, marketers have ruined marketing (yep that just came out of my mouth).  Not all marketers, but the spammy kind.
Because the spammers spend their hours creating useless email addresses just to send out spam, the spam gods have become wise and they target emails (specifically business emails) that aren't coming from a hosted domain.
So if you are using Gmail, Yahoo, or any other free email service to send emails for your business - the likelihood that they will go to the spam, junk, or trash folder significantly increases.
I recommend using Google workspace to get a hosted domain if you are familiar with or like Gmail.
The second part of this tech checklist is to be sure to use a real name for whom the emails are being sent.
Don't use something clever and don't use your business name.  Research has shown that those will trigger the SPAM filter more often.
2. Follow GDPR and CAN-Spam Act Guidelines.
That was a lot of acronyms.  Both of those laws simple mean three things,
1. People must explicitly agree to join your email list to be in alignment with privacy laws.
2. Don't add people to your list without their permission (this includes buying email lists).
3. Don't email people who have not signed up for your email list. (in other words, don't be a douche bag)
Both GDPR and CAN Spam Act Guidelines require that your subscriber agree to be on your list for you to collect their private information (including their email address).  This is accomplished with a double-opt-in email or checkbox on your form.  If they agree, then go to town emailing them.
Listen to this episode to learn more about GDPR.
Last but not least, if someone unsubscribed, wish them well and move on.  DO NOT continue to email the. It is in violation of privacy laws and it's simply not worth putting your email reputation at risk.
3. Clean your email list regularly.
Taking people off your list through cleaning may seem counterintuitive because you're trying to grow your list.  But, if you continue to send to people. who don't open your emails or read them, it hurts your email reputation. Meaning, the people who DO want to get your emails won't get them.
Also when people receive your emails but don't open or click on them it lowers your overall click-through and open rates which can also damage your overall email reputation.
I recommend choosing a regular schedule to clean up your email list and make room for new subscribers.  Either a 30, 60, or 90-day schedule depending on the health and size of your email list.  
The added benefit, you also don't have to pay for subscribers that aren't interested in hearing from you.
List cleaning is covered step by step in the Email Breakthrough Academy program.  Want to be the first to know when it opens.  Join the waitlist here.
Check out this week's episode to get the bonus tips and also the details for all of the key tactics above.
See you next week!
~Alisa
Links Discussed in this episode:
GDPR Podcast Episode
CAN Spam Act
Email Breakthrough Academy Waitlist
Google Workspace
Omnisend
Email Subject Line Grader
Coschedule
Mail-tester
IsNotSpam.com
Unspam.email