The $100 MBA Show

Your customers are out there…somewhere. You just have to give them a path to your door.  The art of creating and converting leads takes practice, experimentation, and (of course) a plan. Today’s special guest teacher is an expert at identifying, attracting, and winning over the people who are the best fit for your product or service.  Chloe Thomas is a renowned consultant, speaker, author, and expert in e-commerce — but the customer acquisition plan she shares today can work for any kind of business. Join Chloe for a marketing-focused look at how to create and optimize a path for potential customers. One step at a time, you can build a series of “lily pads” that lead to sales — and prioritize the traffic most likely to convert. Get the notepad out for this one, and be sure to check out the special free resources Chloe offers to our listeners. Click Play!  SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS Stitcher | SoundCloud | Podcast Feed | How To Subscribe Give us a Rating & Review Today’s Sponsors Capital One Spark With the Spark Cash Plus card from Capital One, you earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase. There’s no preset spending limit, so your purchasing power can adapt to meet your business needs. Antonelli’s Cheese Shop in Austin, Texas used their 2% cash back to help cover their employees’ healthcare costs — imagine what the Spark Cash Plus card from Capital One could do for your business! Capital One: What’s in your wallet? Terms and conditions apply. Find out more at CapitalOne.com/SparkCashPlus. WebinarNinja Share what you know, and grow your business — the easy way. WebinarNinja lets you teach, market, and sell with the user-friendliest webinar software ever created. With built-in features like automated emails, an easy landing page builder, and more, it’s never been easier to connect with your audience. Best of all,  WebinarNinja comes with a FREE 14-day trial so you can see if  it’s a good fit for you, risk free. Head to webinarninja.com and use promo code MBA for 15% off your first month or year. Show Links eCommerce Master Plan (Free Resources for $100 MBA Listeners) eCommerce Master Plan Podcast Keep Optimizing Podcast eCommerce Marketing: How to Get Traffic That Buys to Your Website by Chloe Thomas The post MBA2083 Guest Teacher – Chloe Thomas – How to Build Your Customer Masterplan appeared first on The $100 MBA.

For a small business trying to build a following, every cent counts. Too much of marketing seems like magic, or hack-based advice that makes empty promises of results if you just do x, y, or z. The reality is much more fluid, and requires you to be very careful with your marketing dollars. Today, we share what we know to be true about marketing fails — based on our own failures. These are the marketing truths we wish we’d known from the beginning, but can only be learned the hard way. In this episode, we discuss how not to spend your marketing budget, but also where and when to spend more for better results. By sticking to some tried-and-true fundamentals, you can forget the hacks and start building real marketing momentum — the kind that self-reinforces and multiplies over time. Your business can’t be “lean” if you throw the marketing budget into the wind. Click Play!  SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS Stitcher | SoundCloud | Podcast Feed | How To Subscribe Give us a Rating & Review Today’s Sponsors SYFOB Learn how to start your own business online, from scratch — without taking dangerous risks or sinking yourself into debt. This 10-part audio course lays out a complete roadmap for producing your first products and getting your brand off the ground. Get a special extended free trial of Himalaya Learning, an audio education platform with lessons from Tim Ferriss, Malcolm Gladwell, Omar, and more — just go to himalaya.com/mba and use promo code MBA. WebinarNinja Share what you know, and grow your business — the easy way. WebinarNinja lets you teach, market, and sell with the user-friendliest webinar software ever created. With built-in features like automated emails, an easy landing page builder, and more, it’s never been easier to connect with your audience. Best of all, WebinarNinja comes with a FREE 14-day trial so you can see if it’s a good fit for you, risk free. Head to webinarninja.com and use promo code MBA for 15% off your first month or year. Show Links EasyCourse The post MBA2082 How to Stop Wasting Money on Marketing That Doesn’t Work + Free Ride Friday appeared first on The $100 MBA.

There’s a storm coming. But it’s not time to batten down the hatches and head for the cellar just yet. With a recession on the way, it’s definitely time to prepare — but not to duck and cover. Today, we discuss how to minimize the damage our impending recession will do to your business. But more importantly, we explain how to take advantage of the recession to position yourself for greater success in the long term. Recessions happen. You don’t fight the cycle; you ride it. No period of economic growth carries on forever. The swings are the only constant. Businesses that endure and thrive don’t depend on a good overall economy; they make the most of the market they’re in. In this episode, we explain how. Zip up your raincoat and face the storm with confidence. Click Play!  SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS Stitcher | SoundCloud | Podcast Feed | How To Subscribe Give us a Rating & Review Today’s Sponsors SYFOB Learn how to start your own business online, from scratch — without taking dangerous risks or sinking yourself into debt. This 10-part audio course lays out a complete roadmap for producing your first products and getting your brand off the ground. Get a special extended free trial of Himalaya Learning, an audio education platform with lessons from Tim Ferriss, Malcolm Gladwell, Omar, and more — just go to himalaya.com/mba and use promo code MBA. WebinarNinja Share what you know, and grow your business — the easy way. WebinarNinja lets you teach, market, and sell with the user-friendliest webinar software ever created. With built-in features like automated emails, an easy landing page builder, and more, it’s never been easier to connect with your audience. Best of all, WebinarNinja comes with a FREE 14-day trial so you can see if it’s a good fit for you, risk free. Head to webinarninja.com and use promo code MBA for 15% off your first month or year. The post MBA2081 How to Prepare For a Recession appeared first on The $100 MBA.

It’s the classic conundrum for aspiring entrepreneurs: can I build a truly successful business without ditching the 9 to 5? It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a listener who’s caught between the safety of a regular paycheck, and the promise of independence. Their side-hustle is established, but its growth is held back by the demands of a conventional job. Is it possible to reach “escape velocity” while holding down a regular gig? Can you only quit once your business is thriving enough to support you, or is thriving only possible after you quit? The answer may vary, depending on what kind of business you’re building. Today, we lay out the path from regular job, to side-hustle, to full-blown entrepreneurship. By meeting certain benchmarks (and being ready to cut certain expenses), you can make a relatively safe transition. How long it takes is subject to variable, which we’ll explore. Get the basic breakdown of what needs to happen before you hand in that resignation, and how long it should take. Click Play!  SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS Stitcher | SoundCloud | Podcast Feed | How To Subscribe Give us a Rating & Review Today’s Sponsors SYFOB Learn how to start your own business online, from scratch — without taking dangerous risks or sinking yourself into debt. This 10-part audio course lays out a complete roadmap for producing your first products and getting your brand off the ground. Get a special extended free trial of Himalaya Learning, an audio education platform with lessons from Tim Ferriss, Malcolm Gladwell, Omar, and more — just go to himalaya.com/mba and use promo code MBA. WebinarNinja Share what you know, and grow your business — the easy way. WebinarNinja lets you teach, market, and sell with the user-friendliest webinar software ever created. With built-in features like automated emails, an easy landing page builder, and more, it’s never been easier to connect with your audience. Best of all, WebinarNinja comes with a FREE 14-day trial so you can see if it’s a good fit for you, risk free. Head to webinarninja.com and use promo code MBA for 15% off your first month or year. The post MBA2080 Q&A Wednesday: Do I need to quit my job to see my startup succeed? appeared first on The $100 MBA.

What’s top talent really worth? Is it worth giving up a piece of your business? Offering equity can be a smart move. But too many entrepreneurs do it when they think they have to, rather than investigating whether it’s prudent. If you can’t afford a salary that’s tempting enough to assemble the best team, it might be wiser to step back and retool, rather than bet the farm on someone (or several someones) who might not be the answer to all your challenges. Also, there are performance-based alternatives that incentivize great work — without risking profits you haven’t created. All that doesn’t mean you should never share equity with the right team members. Today, we explore the risks and advantages of equity-sharing, and help you decide whether it makes sense for your business. The decision is ultimately yours — but it’s never good to go in blind. Tune in, and weigh the options. Click Play!  SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS Stitcher | SoundCloud | Podcast Feed | How To Subscribe Give us a Rating & Review Today’s Sponsors SYFOB Learn how to start your own business online, from scratch — without taking dangerous risks or sinking yourself into debt. This 10-part audio course lays out a complete roadmap for producing your first products and getting your brand off the ground. Get a special extended free trial of Himalaya Learning, an audio education platform with lessons from Tim Ferriss, Malcolm Gladwell, Omar, and more — just go to himalaya.com/mba and use promo code MBA. WebinarNinja Share what you know, and grow your business — the easy way. WebinarNinja lets you teach, market, and sell with the user-friendliest webinar software ever created. With built-in features like automated emails, an easy landing page builder, and more, it’s never been easier to connect with your audience. Best of all, WebinarNinja comes with a FREE 14-day trial so you can see if it’s a good fit for you, risk free. Head to webinarninja.com and use promo code MBA for 15% off your first month or year. The post MBA2079 Should You Give Up Equity to Attract Talent? appeared first on The $100 MBA.

You don’t have to start your own business to run your own business. Franchising is a viable, lower-risk way to get your entrepreneurship on. Instead of building something from the ground up, you can take ownership of an existing, proven business. It may not be entirely “yours,” but a franchise is yours enough to provide the flexibility, autonomy, and financial benefits of independent business. But of course, you have to find the right franchise for you and your specific needs and goals. Fortunately, we have an expert to help with that. Jon Ostenson is a franchise pro, with deep experience with franchises in almost every imaginable industry (that’s right, franchising isn’t just for food vendors). Today, Jon explains how to get into this lucrative model — and how to pick a business based on its proven potential for success. Learn how to choose a franchise that offers you the profits (and lifestyle) you want. Click Play!  SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS Stitcher | SoundCloud | Podcast Feed | How To Subscribe Give us a Rating & Review Today’s Sponsors Capital One Spark With the Spark Cash Plus card from Capital One, you earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase. There’s no preset spending limit, so your purchasing power can adapt to meet your business needs. Antonelli’s Cheese Shop in Austin, Texas used their 2% cash back to help cover their employees’ healthcare costs — imagine what the Spark Cash Plus card from Capital One could do for your business! Capital One: What’s in your wallet? Terms and conditions apply. Find out more at CapitalOne.com/SparkCashPlus. NetSuite There are two kinds of CFO. One is struggling to keep up; spreadsheets everywhere, manual processes, errors, and lack of visibility into the numbers. The other is on top of their game; automated reports; inventory, ecommerce and HR flowing into the financial model seamlessly, and insights coming at the click of a button. That’s NetSuite, the#1 cloud financial system that has everything you need to grow. With visibility and control of your financials, inventory, HR, planning, budgeting, and more, NetSuite lets you automate processes and close your books in no time. Head to NetSuite.com/MBA for a one-of-a-kind financing offer! Show Links FranBridge Consulting The post MBA2078 Guest Teacher – Jon Ostenson – How to Select a Franchise appeared first on The $100 MBA.

Got a digital product to sell? Get it on Product Hunt. Product Hunt is a wildly popular, seriously trusted resource where real consumers share their thoughts on everything from apps to websites to tech hardware. If you can make a splash there, you can build a customer base. …but of course, you have to know how to stand out. With countless products up for review, it can be a real challenge to rise to the top, or snag the game-changing “Product of the Day” designation. Today, we share 5 ways to get your product some attention, create engagement in the Product Hunt community, and capitalize. Naturally, we put our own products on Product Hunt, including our webinar SaaS. Learn how we approach this unique site, and how you can get its influential community behind your next product. Click Play!  SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS Stitcher | SoundCloud | Podcast Feed | How To Subscribe Give us a Rating & Review Today’s Sponsors SYFOB Learn how to start your own business online, from scratch — without taking dangerous risks or sinking yourself into debt. This 10-part audio course lays out a complete roadmap for producing your first products and getting your brand off the ground. Get a special extended free trial of Himalaya Learning, an audio education platform with lessons from Tim Ferriss, Malcolm Gladwell, Omar, and more — just go to himalaya.com/mba and use promo code MBA. WebinarNinja Share what you know, and grow your business — the easy way. WebinarNinja lets you teach, market, and sell with the user-friendliest webinar software ever created. With built-in features like automated emails, an easy landing page builder, and more, it’s never been easier to connect with your audience. Best of all, WebinarNinja comes with a FREE 14-day trial so you can see if it’s a good fit for you, risk free. Head to webinarninja.com and use promo code MBA for 15% off your first month or year. Show Links Product Hunt The post MBA2077 5 Strategies for a Successful Launch on Product Hunt + Free Ride Friday appeared first on The $100 MBA.

Lifetime deals are the ultimate long-term sales tactic. But can the sales you score now hurt your business years (or decades) later? Like any strategy, offering neverending deals has its strengths and weaknesses. We know — we’ve done lifetime deals for our SaaS company, some of which panned out better than others. If you don’t carefully weigh all the variables, your lifetime deal can be a lifetime drag on your bottom line! Today, we explain exactly what to avoid if you’re considering a lifetime offer, so you reap the benefits without hurting yourself down the road. With examples from businesses that execute this strategy well (plus our own experience), this episode offers a clearer picture of how the lifetime approach works, and why it’s so easy for it to backfire. Take a beat, run the numbers, and make sure that if you make a lifetime commitment, it’s one you won’t regret. Click Play!  SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS Stitcher | SoundCloud | Podcast Feed | How To Subscribe Give us a Rating & Review Today’s Sponsors SYFOB Learn how to start your own business online, from scratch — without taking dangerous risks or sinking yourself into debt. This 10-part audio course lays out a complete roadmap for producing your first products and getting your brand off the ground. Get a special extended free trial of Himalaya Learning, an audio education platform with lessons from Tim Ferriss, Malcolm Gladwell, Omar, and more — just go to himalaya.com/mba and use promo code MBA. WebinarNinja Share what you know, and grow your business — the easy way. WebinarNinja lets you teach, market, and sell with the user-friendliest webinar software ever created. With built-in features like automated emails, an easy landing page builder, and more, it’s never been easier to connect with your audience. Best of all, WebinarNinja comes with a FREE 14-day trial so you can see if it’s a good fit for you, risk free. Head to webinarninja.com and use promo code MBA for 15% off your first month or year. Show Links Wandering Aimfully The post MBA2076 Is Selling a Lifetime Deal a Good Idea? appeared first on The $100 MBA.

There’s a flaw in the “funnel” approach. It’s not that marketing and sales funnels don’t work generally, or that they’re not useful. It’s that funnels can only do so much.  With packaged funnel-building programs and software making big promises, it’s easy to think funnels are more powerful than they really are. Can you really set up a few assets, sit back, and watch the conversions roll in? Not exactly.  It’s Q&A Wednesday, and we’ve got a listener who bet their chips on a funnel software, only to make exactly zero sales.  It’s not for lack of effort, but something is clearly not working. Why not? Today, we get back to basics, and unpack what sales funnels can’t do. Over-reliance on clever conversion schemes can take your focus away from the fundamentals of good business.  By putting first things first, you can make your funnels work better. Learn how the rest of your business can support your funnel — not the other way around.  Click Play!  SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS Stitcher | SoundCloud | Podcast Feed | How To Subscribe Give us a Rating & Review Today’s Sponsors SYFOB Learn how to start your own business online, from scratch — without taking dangerous risks or sinking yourself into debt. This 10-part audio course lays out a complete roadmap for producing your first products and getting your brand off the ground. Get a special extended free trial of Himalaya Learning, an audio education platform with lessons from Tim Ferriss, Malcolm Gladwell, Omar, and more — just go to himalaya.com/mba and use promo code MBA. WebinarNinja Share what you know, and grow your business — the easy way. WebinarNinja lets you teach, market, and sell with the user-friendliest webinar software ever created. With built-in features like automated emails, an easy landing page builder, and more, it’s never been easier to connect with your audience. Best of all,  WebinarNinja comes with a FREE 14-day trial so you can see if  it’s a good fit for you, risk free. Head to webinarninja.com and use promo code MBA for 15% off your first month or year. The post MBA2075 Q&A Wednesday: Why is my sales funnel not working? appeared first on The $100 MBA.

Cold emailing works — just maybe not the way you think it does. Sending an unsolicited message to a complete stranger is…awkward at best. But ask any successful independent business founder, and you’ll find that it’s almost unavoidable. Creating a stronger network (and a stronger business) means you can’t be afraid to reach out, even when it’s downright uncomfortable. You have to power through the awkwardness to get results! But first, you can take a few steps to raise your odds of success. Today, we share 4 things that make our cold emails work more often. Note we said “more often,” not always. Yes, you will be ignored. Yes, you will be rejected. But not every time. It’s a simple matter of doing everything you can to improve your stats, and realizing that even one successful cold email can be worth a dozen fails. Tune in, and learn how a few consistent practices can make your cold emails a little warmer. Click Play!  SUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS Stitcher | SoundCloud | Podcast Feed | How To Subscribe Give us a Rating & Review Today’s Sponsors SYFOB Learn how to start your own business online, from scratch — without taking dangerous risks or sinking yourself into debt. This 10-part audio course lays out a complete roadmap for producing your first products and getting your brand off the ground. Get a special extended free trial of Himalaya Learning, an audio education platform with lessons from Tim Ferriss, Malcolm Gladwell, Omar, and more — just go to himalaya.com/mba and use promo code MBA. Shopify Supercharge your knowledge, sales, and success with Shopify: the all-in-one commerce platform to start, run, and grow your business. Shopify gives entrepreneurs the resources once reserved for big business, so start-ups and scale-ups can sell everywhere, synchronize online and in-person sales, and stay informed. Reach customers across social networks with an ever-growing suite of channel integrations and apps — including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and more. Plus, gain insights with detailed reporting on conversion rates, profit margins and beyond. Head to shopify.com/mba for a free 14-day trial. The post MBA2074 4 Cold Emailing Tips if You Hate Cold Emailing appeared first on The $100 MBA.