CX Fanatics Podcast

#128 Nobody Wants Your Email Newsletter

Reviewing websites is sort of a hobby of mine.
I know, random hobby.  But when you're in marketing you are curious about what people are doing, especially if they are entrepreneurs.
I remember back in the day creating my first website, it took days - weeks maybe even months.  I can't quite remember - but what I do remember after crawling up from sleeping under my desk, is that my business felt official in some way.
Websites have come a long way since then, but one thing remains true.  Your website is your marketing hub.
As well as your opportunity to open up a sales loop with potential customers.
But so many people are doing it WRONG!
85% or more of websites that I review have a form somewhere (usually hidden toward the bottom) that says "Join My Newsletter".
HARD TRUTH --->>>NOBODY WANTS YOUR NEWSLETTER!
Yes, I typed that in all caps, because it makes me want to scream every time I see that form.
Consumers are smart and are getting smarter by the day.
The last study I read stated the average person has around 192 emails in their inbox every day.
That means you are competing with at least that many emails, maybe more with your newsletter.
This weeks episode dives into the 3 big reasons newsletters are hitting the SPAM and trash can and what to do instead
Listen to the entire episode for all the details. Or watch the video here.
Why don't newsletters typically work?
People are busy.  They don't have time to peruse a lengthy email newsletter.  They value their time and are going to spend it consuming information that entertains, educates, or inspires them.  Most newsletters don't fit the bill.
What is the issue with newsletters?
Most newsletters go out once a month.  This means that most business owners take that time to throw out everything that is happening or has happened in their business in that one shot.  Typically they focus on you, your services, your latest news, etc.
You might want to take a seat for this . . . people don't care.
Do you know what they care about?  Solving the issues that are keeping them up at might.  If you aren't addressing that in your newsletter in a timely manner, they aren't tuning in.  Lastly, most newsletters are lengthy and contain way too much information.  Most people tune out after the first two sentences and then the author wonders why no one showed up to their event or bought from their promotion. They never got that far, and you gave them too many things to contemplate - so they just tuned out.
What can you do instead?
#1 - Create a unique piece of content that gets them thinking. 
This piece of content solves a piece of their problem. Piques their interest and entices them to want more.  Set this up as a lead magnet on your website.
#2 - Segment your email list by interest area and then deliver unique content based on their interests. 
For example, if you own a craft store like my client Liz, you would segment your email list by categories like knitting, quilting, cardmaking, scrapbooking, etc.  So when you are having a sale on fabric, you could send that information to your quilting tags.  If you're a coach you could segment by areas of leadership, mindset, business foundation, etc.  The power of segmenting is you look like a mind reader to your email subscribers and you can also test whether or not the content you are creating is resonating with the intended audience.
#3 - Follow up with your subscribers.
That sounds like a no-brainer doesn't it? But in a sales study by IRC Sales Solutions, most people only make 1 contact with a prospect.  Yet we know that it takes upward of 8-15 touchpoints for people to buy. Most people will only send 1-3 emails as well.
The study also said only 2% of people are actually ready to purchase, 58% are not ready to buy at all, and 40% are ready to start the buying process.  By making email your ally - you have the opportunity to nurture 98% of all new leads.  Staying top of mind and becoming the person they remember when they are ready to purchase.
If you want some more details and specifics, tune into the entire episode here or watch the video show here.
Your email nurture sequence is one of the BEST introductions to your business, yet most people don't set up an email sequence to welcome new subscribers.
I meet so many Entrepreneurs who struggle with what to say, staring for hours at a blank screen, and then, they just give up. Or they have created a sequence but nobody is reading it, people are falling off after the first few emails and NOBODY is buying.  (THE worst!)
I feel your frustration which is why I created my brand new guide:
Writing An Email Welcome Series That Works
This resource gives you the copywriting method beyond writing an email sequence that works. The same system I've used for years to help clients get more eyeballs on their emails and more sales of their services. Best of all it's yours free.  And, it's a great way to implement right away some of the things discussed in this week's episode.  Grab your copy here.
Until next week, be well, stay safe and take care!
~Alisa

The Spiritual Art Of Conversation

This week's show dives into how to create meaningful conversations with your online marketing.  Conversation is an art, but it is also a spiritual connection with your audience. 
One of the biggest problems entrepreneurs face with their online marketing is grabbing attention and getting their audience to come back again and again when they release new content or begin promoting their products and services.
But more often than not, online marketing talks at the audience instead of talking to them.
No one likes being talked at -  they do however love to talk about themselves and share their problems.
Don't believe me, just spend 5 minutes on Facebook.  😂😂😂
But, there is a solution, and creating conversation is more than an art form in 2021, it is a spiritual connection and journey with your audience.
Discover six different ways to start a conversation with your audience so that they stick around and can't wait to talk with you again soon.
Sort of like that NO MISS coffee date you schedule with your best friend.
Tune into this week's show to learn the six ways you can increase conversation in your online marketing.
Speaking of conversation, email conversations are one of the BEST ways to get your audience to engage with you.  Even better, it has the best return on investment for both your budget and your time.
But, I know often times email hits the back burner because other things take priority.  This is why I'm running a brand new email challenge in early 2022.  To help you get some emails in the queue that will welcome your new subscribers and start building that relationship.
Join the waitlist now to be the first to know when the challenge is happening.  You can join the waitlist here:  https://alisaconner.com/emailchallengewaitlist
Until next week, be well, stay safe and take care!
~Alisa
 

2002 Planning For Success

This week we wrap up our 2 part series on reigniting your business mojo and planning for success in 2021.  If you missed the guide for this series, download it here:  https://alisaconner.com/2022.
 
Last week you learned 3+ ways to jump-start your business mojo after a few tumultuous years.  This week take that newfound energy and plug it into a plan for 2022.  You got this!  :D
In this week's episode we cover 4 steps to planning success in the coming year, and what you learn might surprise you.
But the 4 simple steps you learn in this week's episode will set you up to have your best year ever.
It will give you the opportunity to tune into your internal success meter.  Because success is literally an inside job.
If you don't have your head, heart, and gut aligned - you will constantly struggle (take it from someone who has and is learning this the hard way!) Yes - you are not alone in this journey.
Listen to this week's show to learn the 4 steps you can take now to prep your badass self for the BEST year in your business and your life.  Because while everyone else is trying to figure out what the heck they are doing in January, you will be kicking butt and taking names.
To make it easy for you to take action, download the free guide that accompanies this and the previous episode because I can cheer for you all day long every day, but I can't do the work for you.  You can get your copy here:  https://alisaconner.com/2022.
Until next week,
Be well, take care and stay safe!~Alisa
 

Getting Your Business Mojo Back - Reflecting On 2021

2021 has been another year for the record books.  If you're like most of the world, you probably convinced yourself at the end of 2020 that 2021 would get us back to "normal" (whatever that is anymore).
Alas, 2021 has been another year of ups, downs, and turbulence that would give even the bumpiest airline flight a run for their money.
Shifts in the economy, in politics, in the job market with COVID - nothing seems certain anymore.
Alas, all of that uncertainty can lead to stress, overwhelm, and exhaustion.  When entrepreneurs are exhausted, their mojo is in serious jeopardy of crashing.
I've been struggling with my mojo for the past few months, and in this week's episode, I share three things that have helped get things back on track.
There is a bonus, so be sure to stay tuned until the end because it's a MUST hear suggestion that will surely impact how you show up in your business in 2022.
Grab the guide that accompanies this episode and the one releasing next week. It will provide you space to reconnect with your mojo as well as lay out a success plan for 2022.  You can download your free copy at alisaconner.com/2022
I can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve next.
So kick back, relax and tune into this week's show so you can reignite your mojo and set yourself up for a GREAT 2022.
Until next week,
Be well, stay safe and take care.
~Alisa

Help! No One Is Opening My Marketing Emails

This week's episode gives you the latest stats on email marketing open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and more. 
With all of the changes to online business in the last year, email marketing is STILL the best return on investment for your marketing dollars.  For every $1 you spend on average you get a return of $42.
This week's episode also shares 3 big reasons emails are being ignored and why it's only getting more and more competitive in the inbox.  But don't worry, you won't be left hanging, you will also learn how to be seen in the inbox, stand out from the vast number of other emails received, and most importantly how to turn those hot email leads into sales.
Jump into this week's episode to learn how to power up your email marketing so that you can start getting more sales with an audience who already wants to know more from you.  Email is powerful - put it to work in your business today.

123. Help! No one is listening to my marketing!

The state of marketing has been forever altered. 
Yes! That's a bold statement, but the state of our world has also been forever altered.
This is one of the reasons it is getting so darn hard to get people's attention.
In this week's podcast and video gain an understanding of why COVID is having a ripple effect on things like attention span, anxiety, overwhelm, and tangible things like the cost of advertising.
Also, learn three ways to circumvent the mainstream crowd so that your message gains traction, you get noticed and you pull the right people (read potential buyers) into your sales funnel.
Listen to the entire episode for all the details. Or watch the video here.
Looking for a way to stay in front of your audience on your terms?   Join me for my upcoming training Own Your Audience and learn the 5 step system that keeps you in front of your audience, creates conversation, and gets people purchasing your stuff at 4 times the rate of any other marketing tactic.  Register for this free training here.
Until next week, be well, stay safe and take care!
~Alisa
 

Why Facebook Changes Shouldn’t Matter To Your Business.

Unless you live under a rock, you are probably well aware that Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp all shut down a few weeks ago.  And, the saga continues with Facebook sitting in some pretty hot water for some of their business practices.  But, you may be wondering - eek what would happen if social media shut down for more than a few hours.  Then what?
One of the most often questions Second Act Entrepreneurs ask is “what should I be posting on social media?”
In this week’s episode discover that answer and more.
If you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while - the best answer to a question usually comes in the form of another question.  In this case, I would typically ask “where do you want people to go next after they’ve interacted with you on social media?” Most of the time that question leads to a lot of hemming and hawing and a deer in the headlights look.
But, you don’t know what you don’t know - here are the facts.  
Social media is a business.  Owned by business owners who only want one thing - to make money.  
They don’t really care if you’ve built a channel of a bazillion youtube subscribers - what they care about is how that makes them money.  So they change the rules to ensure that they are making as much as possible at all times.  Because, I repeat, they own a business.  
It’s very similar to people who start blogs and deliver free information again and again and again and then realize one day, “hey this is a lot of work and I’m not getting paid for it.”  Ultimately, they either give up or figure out a way to make money. You can only leave the open sign of a store open for so long without charging before you have nothing left to sell.
As social media aligns its priorities with profitability you will see ad prices increase, rules change, and monetization policies shift.  All in the name of what you and I would do similarly in our businesses.  You aren’t going to run a business on popularity - or if you do - you won’t be in business long.
Here are two tried and true rules to follow to ensure that you have profitability at the center of your business:
Don’t build your business on social media.  Move people offline and onto your email list as soon as possible.  Especially with all of the privacy rule changes that are happening, this puts the ball in your court to find out what more about your audience, stay in front of them in their inbox and move forward with solving their problems with your stuff sooner.
Don’t put your financial fate in the hands of other people.  I was checking out different YouTube channels the other day, and so many of these channels don’t have a way to move subscribers to an offline platform.  Many of them are running their entire business from that platform.  What happens when YouTube starts charging you to use their platform?  What happens if YouTube goes down permanently?  What happens to your business when they change the rules to benefit them without any concern about your channel or your business?
Instead, wouldn’t it be better to focus your energy and intention on moving your audience in a new direction and off the platform,  so you aren’t surprised by businesses making business decisions?
One of the best ways to do that and to take control of your audience is through email marketing. Email marketing is one of the best ways to stay in front of and sell to your audience. But so many people struggle with how.  This is why I’ve created my upcoming free training Own Your Audience - so you know exactly what to do to harness your audience through the power email.  Enabling you to stay in front of your ideal people, create conversations, and swiftly turn more subscribers into sales.  
Registration for this free event is open now.  Visit alisaconner.com/ownyouraudience and join me as I share my proven step-by-step system to take control of your marketing, time, and energy and forget what Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn, or Instagram are doing today, tomorrow, or next week.

Organizing Your Marketing For Results

The marketing gurus would love to have you believe that you just snap this, post that and people will come running to buy your stuff - but the reality (if it hasn’t soaked in yet) is that it takes work, strategy, and consistency to get people to the finish line of pressing “pay now”.
In this week’s episode, learn the three-step system to simplify your marketing creation process that will ultimately save your sanity so that you can move people more quickly toward buying while you take your time back.
Start at the end of your sales funnel. This may sound counterintuitive, most 2nd Act entrepreneurs are smart, driven, and able to create content in their sleep. 
But just creating content without intention will quickly lead you to burnout.  Worse, all that effort rarely leads to results.
However, if you start with the end first, you naturally will lead people down a specific path to purchasing.
Just a quick reminder to at the end of the episode I’ve included a bonus tip.  You won’t want to miss this game-changing tip, so be sure to catch it in this week’s podcast or video.
Plan your content and topics quarterly.  Choose 4 topics related to your business and write them down.  These become your quarterly topics and the time frame in which you will talk about each.  One per quarter.  Once you have your topic areas you can outline the 12 pieces of content you will create for each quarter.  Keep in mind that each quarter relates back to step #1 (your sales funnel).
Repurpose your content after you create it.  This is the sneaky trick that all of the “big wig” marketers use to stay in front of your eyeballs all the time.  You start to feel like you are seeing them everywhere.  Because you are.  You or someone on your team can then take the content you created for your blog, videos, podcast, etc., and turn them into social media posts, downloadable content, paid ads, emails, etc. Creating more time for you to focus on your business - and not worrying about your marketing.
It’s time for this week’s bonus tip.   Tune in to the entire episode to get this DON’T want to miss tip.
Now you’re ready to batch your content and take your time back. But, there is still one little piece that many 2nd Act Entrepreneurs leave to chance.  That’s assuming that their audience will follow them from social media, or even their blog to their checkout page.  
Instead of leaving your sales to chance, wouldn’t it be easier to have your audience watching out for you?
Email marketing is one of the best ways to stay in front of and sell to your audience. But so many people struggle with how.  This is why I’ve created my upcoming free training Own Your Audience - so you know exactly what to do to harness your audience through the power email.  Enabling you to stay in front of your ideal people, create conversations, and swiftly turn more subscribers into sales.  
Coming up November 17th,  registration for this free event is open now.  Register here to learn the step-by-step system to take control of your marketing, time, and energy and forget what Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn, or Instagram are doing today, tomorrow, or next week.