The Amy Porterfield Show

In this podcast, they discuss the importance of lead generation and creating lead magnets to grow an email list. They also explore the use of lead boxes and promotional freebies to attract subscribers. They provide strategies for driving traffic to lead magnets and emphasize the need for consistency. Overall, they give practical tips for building a lucrative email list.

For the last several podcast episodes, we've been covering all manner of marketing tactics. Creating webinars, building urgency, writing copy. And we've taken a deep soul-searching dive into the personal "why's" and "how's" of online entrepreneurship.This week, we're bringing it all back home. It's time to refocus on the foundation of every successful online business:Your email list.This week and next week, I'm devoting the podcast to some list-building straight talk.And if you're thinking "Come on, Amy--I want the black-belt stuff that will take my business to the next level!" ... then this episode might be especially for you.Here's how you know if you need this episode: If you’ve been working on your business for over a year now and you have less than 4,000 people on your email list If you’re not growing your email list by at least 75 new leads a week If you already have a solid list but it’s not converting into sales or sign-ups If you are struggling with confidence in your business and are feeling "less than" or comparing yourself to everybody If you ever launched anything in your business and your results were lackluster (i.e., you sold only one or two of your products when you thought you were going to sell 100) If you truly love the business you're creating and are passionate about seeing it succeed--in other words, if you're in this for the long haul If you answered yes to any of those things, here's the first thing I want you to do after listening to today's episode. Download the short one-page inquiry that I created just for you. It's going to help you sort through the obstacles that are holding you back from building a healthy, growing list.EPISODE FREEBIE Get Amy's Cheat Sheet: "Uncover Your List Building Obstacles" FREE DOWNLOADLet me say at the outset that, for all my talk about the crucial importance of list-building, I truly understand the difficulty involved. When you're in the beginning days and months of your business, it feels like every opportunity is more important than the simple, daily effort of building your email list.But I learned from the sad experience of my very first product launch just how essential the list really is. Listen to the podcast episode for the full story--it's eye-opening. For now, let's just say that with all the bells and whistles of my program design and the sparkle of my marketing strategy, the promotion totally tanked.The reason? I had a weak email list.I couldn't understand it. I'd been networking with all the right people, even getting invited to speaking engagements and guest blog spots, and I'd spared no effort to create an amazing product.But because I was not actively focused on list building, I wasn't able to build the business that I really wanted.(By the way, when I say “actively” focusing on it, I mean that I would think about my list every day...but it was that horrible “I should be doing this, I’m far behind, I know I need a list" kind of thinking.)Everything else about my business just seemed more important, in those stressful early days.That's why I've created this download for you--to help you think through what is pulling your attention away from the cornerstone of building your business. Once you understand why it's so easy to focus on other things, you'll be able to turn the trend around and start seeing the results you want.EPISODE FREEBIE Get Amy's Cheat Sheet: "Uncover Your List Building Obstacles" FREE DOWNLOADListen to today's episode first--it will really help you with the mindset around list-building, and allow you to process the questions honestly.And when you're done, drop me a comment to let me know what you're thinking! What is your mindset when it comes to building your list? How are your efforts coming along?

Hey there! I have a fun topic to cover in today's episode:The Online Entrepreneur's Worst Nightmare. (Cue spooky music.)Sorry...I couldn't resist. Blame the post-Halloween sugar overload.The actual topic is how to keep your Facebook account from getting shut down.Now, this is a topic that I know truly does scare some of you...maybe you've received warnings from Facebook about your content, or maybe you know somebody whose account has been shut down.I know how upsetting this can be, not just to the people it occurs to, but to every other online entrepreneur in their community. It's just like that feeling when someone you know gets their house or car broken into. Suddenly it feels like the whole world is out to get you.I don't want you going through your business day freaking out about this. That's why I'm devoting this episode to defusing the scare out of this "nightmare." Seriously...breathe. It's going to be OK.EPISODE FREEBIE Get Amy's 10 Commandments of Protecting Your Facebook Ads Account FREE DOWNLOADSo what is an online entrepreneur to do? Answer: get creative! (Click Here to Listen to the Full Episode!)As you're reading through the list of ten tips about protecting your Facebook ads account, try to adopt an innovator's perspective. Rather than feeling defeated, think about how you can beat Facebook to the punch by creating content that makes all users feel amazing, hopeful, inspired, uplifted. That's a win for everybody--Facebook, your audience, and you.Tip #1: Add a privacy policy to your registration page.Tip #2: Disable all pop-ups on the page where you are sending your ad traffic.Tip #3: Pay attention to your reputation on Web Of Trust.Tip #4: Use the Lead Pages plug in on your WordPress site.Tip #5: Your landing page must accurately reflect what is being promoted in your ad.Tip #6: Be mindful of your ad copy.Tip #7: Create a feel-good story.Tip #8: Stick to your account’s regular activity.Tip #9: Pay attention to your overall activity because it all adds up.Tip #10: Focus on the relationship.Like I said at the beginning, this isn't something to freak out about. I just want you to be informed. Yes, it might take a little time to revamp your approach to ads, but in the long run, it's going to make for much stronger, more effective Facebook advertising for your business.

I first met Lewis Howes back in my days of working with Social Media Examiner. I liked his technique with video interviews, and wrangled up a lot of interviewees for him; he liked my Facebook trainings, and asked me to put together a book. That was not only the beginning of my career in online training courses; it was, as they say in the movies, the beginning of a beautiful friendship.This week, Lewis and I got the chance to reconnect over the topic of "greatness." Sound a little abstract? Let Lewis persuade you otherwise.Lewis is a true expert in lifestyle entrepreneurship--a business coach with a top-rated podcast, a huge online educational program, earnings in seven figures, and a recognition from President Obama as one of the Top 100 Entrepreneurs in the country under age 30. Truly a great example to all of us working on our online businesses!And you'd better believe Lewis didn't get to this level by aiming for "good enough."His recent book School of Greatness is all about the importance of striving for greatness--in our personal lives, our health, our relationships and, of course, in our businesses.What Does "Greatness" Really Mean?As entrepreneurs, we're a little obsessed with the idea of "success." The symbols are always changing--this year it might be making a decent profit, next year maybe it's hitting six figures, and the year after that, it could be landing a book deal or paying off your house or...who knows?This is the danger of becoming too obsessed with success--the target is always moving. Which means we run the risk of never being satisfied, no matter how much we accomplish.But by focusing our sights on greatness, Lewis says, we're able to experience satisfaction with where we are in our business, and so much more besides."Greatness is discovering what your greatest gifts are, your talents, what you were born to do, maximizing those gifts, and impacting the maximum amount of people in the world with those gifts."8 Principles of GreatnessLewis' book breaks greatness into eight simple steps:1. Clarifying Your VisionBefore you set out on your personal quest, you have to clearly see the action steps to make it happen.2. Embracing AdversityChallenge and struggle are a natural part of growth.3. Cultivating a Champion's MindsetYou can't guarantee that you'll win every time, but you can always set yourself up for the opportunity to win.4. Committing to HustleA willingness to do whatever it takes will take you where mere talent can't.5. Mastering Your HealthYour health (emotional, mental and physical) can either hold you back or drive you forward--which way do you choose?6. Practicing Positive HabitsWithout intentional habits, life turns into a nothing but a series of reactions.7. Realizing You Can't Achieve Greatness AloneA powerful, reliable team is the key to building something that’s bigger than yourself.8. Being of Service to OthersThe crowning moment of greatness is giving your gift to the world.This is just a summary of Lewis' eight principles--you need to hear these in detail! So click here now to listen to the full podcast episode.Going DeeperMy chat with Lewis did more than just outline what it means to be great. It illuminated some of the finer points that past experience had "muddied up" for me.There's so much in this interview, I hope you'll take the time to listen to it today. But for now, I want to leave you with one final quote from Lewis that I thought was particularly...well, great:"The biggest impact we can make is when we become a symbol of inspiration because we follow and chase our dreams. It is our greatest gift to follow our dreams...we are robbing ourselves and others around us when we cop out and don’t chase it out of fear."

It's time for another edition of Ask Amy!Every now and then, no matter how good your business system is, you reach a moment where everything kind of splinters. I'm having one of those moments this week, trying to reassemble my podcasting setup after moving it into a bigger home studio.While I'm glad to have this bigger space devoted to my podcast, I don't have the acoustics worked out yet--which means I'm a little bit stalled in terms of production. Little issues like this can really bother me, if I let them!I'm sure you've experienced this, too. Think with me about an area in your business where you feel stuck because something else has to happen before you move forward. Maybe something’s not working properly and you have to figure it out first. Or maybe you’re just not comfortable moving forward and you’re not sure why.All of today's questions deal with different things, but they all center around this core issue of obstacles holding back the progress of our business.Let's take a look!Question #1: How early do you contact affiliates if you want them to work with you to promote your course?Question #2: Remembering back to the first product you created, what would you tell us now that you wish you would have done differently back then?Question #3: What do you do when you see another site steal your content and sell it?Question #4: As an entrepreneur, how do you stay focused on what is at hand and not get distracted with wanting to start new projects, create new things, try a new form of social media? How do you stay focused?Final ThoughtsA lot of times, those feelings of being held back or stuck are rooted in bigger fears or a lack of confidence we have in our business or message.The truth is that a lot of the time, if I go ahead and move forward anyway, I'll mess it up once, figure out what went wrong, and now know what to do. I'll also have overcome the fear of failure because guess what? I failed and it didn't ruin my life!I would rather be making those little mistakes along the way but still be moving forward. When you get the confidence to not really care about those little mistakes, you will usually fix them, keep moving forward and BOOM--you are way ahead of yourself, way more than you thought you would be!

It's a fact. Sometimes people are reluctant to buy from you.Even when they want your product, even when they’re smitten with your brand, there will be some prospective buyers that seem to have a built-in pause command that holds a their finger poised above the “purchase” button on your website. It's just par for the course when we are doing business online.There’s nothing wrong with this, until it stands in the way of you making a sale to someone who truly needs what you’re offering.There is one thing that can overcome this buyers’ reluctance.The most successful marketers know what it is, and I’m going to share it with you today.It’s all about adding urgency.This is something I had to learn for myself, through plenty of trial and error, so I’m thrilled to be able to pass it on to you. It’s going to put you way ahead of your competition.It starts with recognizing that it’s simply human nature to take our time and stay on the fence as long as we can, until we are pushed one way or the other. That push comes from learning that we must act.That’s what urgency is: making sure that your audience knows they need to act now.You want to build urgency into every promotion you create. There are lots of ways to do this, but the best way I’ve found to build it in is with a one-two punch: a combination of bonuses and deadlines.I'm going to share several of my favorite strategies in this blog post, but this week's free PDF has even more urgency tactics from some of the biggest names in online marketing. Click here to download it now!EPISODE FREEBIE Get Amy's Bonus "How It's Done: Genius Bonus Ideas from 11 of My Favorite Online Marketers FREE DOWNLOADBonusesBelieve it or not, I’ve actually had people buy my programs just for the bonuses! While you definitely want to spend the bulk of your time crafting a great core offer, bonuses can sometimes make or break the offer by pushing people just a little bit further to finally say, “Yes, I want this.”Now, it’s important to note that not all bonus offers have urgency attached. Sometimes you’ll create a bonus add-on to your core offer just to sweeten the deal.Urgency bonuses are the ones that show up later in the promotion. They come in different “flavors. You do not need to do them all. You can mix and match them, based on what feels best for your offer.1. Timely bonus2. Fast action bonus 3. The sweeten-the-pot bonusAs I mentioned earlier, one of the main places to showcase urgency is in your emails. Once I attract people to a webinar, I follow up that webinar with some really strategic email marketing. I work really hard on those emails to craft not just a compelling sales message, but to help my new audience to understand why this program is so valuable and why they need it.But sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. That’s why I love using the countdown timer.As you are reading my email, the timer at the very top of the email is actively ticking away. When it comes to human instincts, the only thing strong enough to beat the buyer's resistance is being able to see time running out, second by second!Finally, there is the “limited spots available” tactic. If you have a more exclusive version of your product (a special edition, a higher tier, etc.), it creates the perfect opportunity to email your list about the short supply of opportunities. Even if they weren't planning to buy in at this level, hearing the words "limited availability" again creates the urgency that you're looking for.These are my favorite tools to create urgency. You'll learn about so many more when you download my free PDF for this week! Click here to get it now.EPISODE FREEBIE Get Amy's Bonus "How It's Done: Genius Bonus Ideas from 11 of My Favorite Online Marketers FREE DOWNLOAD 

I know it’s only October, but I’m already thinking about how to boost my business in 2016. And one of my biggest goals is to do more video.Video is a complex issue for a lot of entrepreneurs. You know that it could help you make an amazing connection with your audience. But all the tinkering that goes into it--the lighting, the camera setup, the script--is a surefire way to fry your brain.Now, you actually may be killing it with video right now. Maybe you have a natural eye for what looks good on camera, you’re a master of improvising quick, witty nuggets of wisdom on the fly, and talking into a lens brings out all the warmth and sparkle of your personality (instead of turning you into a cardboard cutout like…um…some people I know).If that’s you, my hat is off to you. But if not, maybe you're more like me —you’ve made some videos, it went okay, you know you can do better…but it's easier to just save it for another day. (Or year.)My good friend James Wedmore dropped by the other day, and we started chatting about video, and before long I had to ask him if we could turn the conversation into a podcast interview. He has so much great stuff to share about why video is important, and how to make it really practical for your business.Our interview was OUTSTANDING video tips and tricks. I want you to listen to the whole thing so you don't miss any of it. I also want you to make sure to access the three-part FREE series he put together just for you on how to make great videos for your business.LEARN MOREHere’s just a tease of what we covered:Five Video Marketing MistakesShoddy camera work You don’t have to be Martin Scorsese or anything, but you do have to avoid those black bars on either side of your video—they’re a huge turnoff to your audience. (Easy fix: record video with your camera or phone held lengthwise, not up-and-down.) Other no-no’s include shaky camera action, bad framing, and fuzzy focus.(If these no-no’s are already breaking you out in hives, relax. All of these are easy, one-step fixes that James spells out.)LightingNewer cameras and phones can correct for this, but it’s worth it for everyone to learn how to set up quality lighting. The bedroom lamp is just not going to cut it. Nothing makes your video (and your brand) look instantly amateurish like bad DIY lighting. James gives the name of his favorite lighting kit that's cheap and reliable. Click to listen.AudioJames says stop using your in-camera microphone. Doesn’t matter if you have the fanciest phone or DSLR out there…the onboard microphones will not pick up quality audio and your beautifully shot video will either sound like it’s coming from the bottom of a well OR sound like your grandmother shouting over a long-distance call.Again, just a little bit of cash outlay will get you a great-quality lapel microphone that connects into your camera or phone. Your audio will get instantly synched, and you’ll be able to talk in your normal tone of voice without worrying that the mic isn’t picking you up.Don’t Be BoringA lot of people protest that they can’t do video because they aren’t funny, they aren’t loud, they can’t talk fast, they aren’t an extrovert.Well, guess what? You don’t have to be any of those things to have an engaging video. As James puts it,"The opposite of boring doesn’t mean funny."What you do have to be, James says, is passionate. And…well, just listen to what else he says. You’ll have no reason to doubt your “interestingness” ever again.Not Doing VideoIt’s not a rule that “he or she who has the most video wins.” (In fact, it’s definitely possible to do too much video, especially if you have no strategy.) That said, there are five types of video everyone should be doing in their business.Learn more about what each of these videos accomplishes, and how you can pull them off seamlessly by signing up to get the free three-part video series James created on how to do videos. 

My guest today is a New York Times bestselling author, as well as a speaker, blogger, and recognized expert on the topic of happiness.A happiness expert? Oh yes, there is such a thing. Gretchen Rubin takes the topic very, very seriously. She put her Yale education to work with the goal of finding out systematic ways that people can cultivate, achieve and maintain happiness in any facet of their lives.The book that came out of her study, The Happiness Project, took the world by storm. Book clubs adopted it, college professors assigned it, psychiatrists recommended it to their clients. This topic really resonated with everyone who read it. It’s an amazing title and I strongly recommend you give it a read.Not surprisingly, my talk with Gretchen turned out to be one of my favorite interviews ever. It went in some surprising directions, offered tremendous food for thought, and really hit home for me in terms of how to define success.Honestly, this interview is so rich that I don’t want to summarize it too much here. You really should listen to the whole thing.In the meantime, you can download our free giveaway for this week, which Gretchen herself designed. It’s a PDF guide called “Working Better Than Before,” and it’s meant to help you understand your work habits and gain insight into how you can maximize your creativity and productivity. (You can also use it to help your clients!)As soon as you can, click here to listen to the full episode. Gretchen’s insights will help you set a foundation that makes every aspect of your business stronger…and makes you a lot happier in it!And don’t forget to download the freebie for this week, “Working Better Than Before". It helped me a ton (which I talk more about in the podcast) and I know it will do the same for you.EPISODE FREEBIE Get Gretchen's PDF "Working Better Than Before" FREE DOWNLOAD 

If you’ve been listening for a while, you've heard me mention the word Scrum. When you hear this word, you do one of two things: Feel your heart surge with pride and joy because, as a fellow Scrummer, you know how amazing this approach is for running a small business. Scratch your head / do a Google word search / roll your eyes because you have no idea what I’m talking about. Listeners in both these camps are going to love today’s episode, because I’m going to talk about this amazing project management method and how it has revolutionized the way I get my business done.To start off, Scrum is not my own made-up word—I got it from a book called Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time. (Sounds pretty good, right?)And basically, the concept of Scrum is just that: managing a team of employees and contractors in the smartest way possible.I used Scrum throughout the process of creating my newest product, “Webinars That Convert.” Basically, I set up a checklist of every single thing that needed to get done on this product—from creation to promotion to sales to management—and my team and I “Scrummed” our way through it!Not coincidentally, it’s the same checklist I used for promoting the Profit Lab last spring. That’s why I’m offering the same giveaway this week—the step-by-step project plan checklist that puts all the chaos of a new product launch into sanity-saving order.This checklist goes hand-in-hand with today’s topic—download it and you’ll be well on your way to Scrumming your first project.Why Scrum? There are the four main ways that Scrum really helps my business reach its productive sweet spot:It increases your team’s speed to completion. My team is able to get through projects so much faster now that we use Scrum. The Scrum approach really pays attention to the work people are getting done and gives them the ownership on that performance. People are empowered to make decisions. This is probably my favorite part of Scrum—it allows us to make sure everything is working smoothly. When it’s not we fix it instantly. How Scrum Works#1: The Project Backlog#2: The Sprint#3: The Sprint ReviewThe bottom line is, if you don’t take the time to communicate well with your team, it will cost you money because they will do it wrong. And Scrum is an amazing way to keep that communication alive.Best of all, the Scrum method gets easier and more efficient every time you use it! It’s kind of intense, it’s all-consuming, but when it’s over, it’s completely done and you’ve got a completed project.Grab the free PDF project backlog (if you haven’t already) and start warming up to Scrum in your business. And let me know how it works for you!EPISODE FREEBIE Get The Project Plan Checklist FREE DOWNLOAD 

I know I have talked about copy many times. But can you blame me? It’s a hot topic!Many of you that are growing your business online or have been growing your business for a while now still struggle with copy.Believe me, I get it. I have definitely struggled for years with writing good copy for my business. And when I finally felt like I got that "copy mojo," things started to become easier in every aspect of my business.That's why I'm so excited to bring you my guest today -- Nikki Elledge Brown. Along with being a proud military spouse, a mom, and a former park ranger, she's an amazing communicator and businesswoman. Nikki went from teaching communications at college-level to running a business that broke multiple six figures in under 18 months. (Wow, right?)And the heart of her business is teaching entrepreneurs (like you and me) how to write their own copy, better than ever!Nikki's approach to copy is putting it into "recipes." Sales pages, blog posts, video scripts, About pages...she breaks them all down into specific, doable steps that make copywriting easier than a "just add water" cake mix!Today's show is packed with ridiculously simple recipes for every piece of copy you'll ever have to write, along with a few to help with your mindset around copywriting.Stuff like... How to write with purpose The value of YOUR voice (+ how to use it in your copy) Sales page tips (how to make it easy for people to buy from you) Sample blog post recipe Sample blog VIDEO recipe How to write a great headline in under 10 minutes What to do when you're not sure what to write about How to avoid sharing TMI (too much information) How to master your mindset around copywriting Nikki also put together our freebie today, which is--you guessed it--a "recipe book" of copywriting formulas. Click here to get it now!EPISODE FREEBIE Get Nikki's "A Course About Copy Class Notes"FREE DOWNLOADAs I mentioned, Nikki has built a hugely successful business in an amazingly short amount of time on her way with words. She had over 90 new clients sign up with her in her first two months of business!And in her words, the key to this kind of growth is not just being good at helping others communicate, but being able to communicate her own brand clearly to potential clients."You are losing money if you aren’t communicating effectively."Find out Nikki's recipes for maximizing your revenue potential with easier-than-ever techniques for communicating with your audience. Her free PDF is about to become your copywriting "Joy of Cooking"--an indispensable guide to everything you'll ever need to write for your business. Click here to get it now!