The Amy Porterfield Show

What a difference a tweak makes!If you've spent any time on this blog (or podcast) in recent weeks, you know how firmly I stake my belief in webinars. Webinars offer a platform that lets you connect with people on an entirely new, personal level you just don’t get with most marketing strategies.And what other marketing strategy can offer the opportunity for consistent on-the-spot revenue?If you’ve done successful webinars in the past and are looking to make even bigger revenue, OR if you’ve never done webinars before or maybe have just dabbled with them in the past, today is going to be quite a pleasant surprise.Starting with this number: $62,000As the title says, just three little webinar-related tweaks made a $62,000 difference in my bottom line. I knew they'd have an impact, but the size of that number surprised even me.See, I knew there were aspects of my webinar strategy that could use a shot in the arm. I wanted more sales generated from my webinars I wanted more people to show up live during my webinars I wanted to attract a new audience and grow my email list with the webinars. Whenever you want to reach a new goal, you know some parts of your strategy are going to have to change.So I set to work making adjustments, starting with:Tweak #1: The Sales PageThis might surprise you, but I always do a sales page for any promotion I put together. Where some people might drive webinar attendees right to their product order form, my style is to give people extra information, especially if they are on the fence.In the past we used to send people directly from the webinar to the sales page to read all about the product and then buy. But over time, we realized I wasn’t getting as many sales on the webinar as I had thought I should.And that's how this simple tweak came about. I still use the sales page, but I'm using it smarter. That single change resulted in instant sales from the very next webinar, as well as a bigger boost of those instant sales.(Click here to listen to the full episode and find out the simple tweak that boosted instant webinar sales!)Tweak #2: More Webinars During PromotionI want to give a shout-out to a member of the mastermind I used to be in. He's the one who suggested this tweak to me.He said if webinars work really well for me, I should be capitalizing on that.This idea--do more of what's already working for you--was so simple, it was revolutionary.In the past, I'd do one webinar for each promotion. But at his suggestion, I stepped up my game.It took a while for this tweak to hit its stride. But once it did, I saw amazing results.Tweak #3: Facebook AdsThis is one I learned from my amazing coach, Todd Herman.I found that when I'm running Facebook ads for a webinar promo to a cold audience that probably doesn’t know much about me, that ad needs to look a whole lot different than an ad to a warm audience (my fan base, my own email list, or a retargeting list).Here are some examples:The warm-audience adThe warm-audience ad is more "talky" and personable. It has a lot more of my branding in it, in terms of colors and design. These people already know me and like me, so it plays on that familiarity we have.Compare that to...The cold-audience adThe cold-audience doesn't have a lot of branding to it. The text is short, punchy and blatant: "This is what we have going on, sign up here." Because this audience doesn't know me, I keep it much more generic.Find out more about how to tailor your Facebook ads to different audiences. Click here to listen to the whole episode.

I love these opportunities to answer your questions directly. And lately, the questions have swirled around a specific theme. (It seems we're all on a very similar wavelength right now!)What's the theme, you ask?How to grow your business to the next level. Whether you're just getting started or have been in business for years, the steps that take you from where you are to where you want to go remain pretty consistent.In other words, we have a lot in common, you and I. Question #1: What is the first thing you do before you start a brand new project? The answer here may surprise you...unless, of course, you've participated in one of my programs in the past couple years. (I kind of can't shut up about it.) It's incredibly simple and incredibly effective cornerstone of every project that makes my process absolutely fly by. I can't live without it....and neither should you! Sign up for my free training to own this strategy for yourself! EPISODE FREEBIE Get My Free Training Video: How I Organize My Dropbox Folders for Ultimate Success FREE DOWNLOAD Question #2: What is the biggest struggle in your business right now? Glad you asked. This is something I've been thinking a lot about. It feels like I'm missing something important in my team--some vital role isn't being filled. As a result, it feels like there's a "chokehold" in my business.  After much deliberation, I think I've figured out what it is. Question #3: What’s one challenge you have overcome this year? I am really proud of this answer. (And guess what? It involves you.) And in overcoming this challenge, I've learned that it's not always a matter of changing something in order to make the challenge go away. Sometimes it's a matter of changing the way you look at the challenge. Question #4: I've noticed you haven’t been traveling much lately. Why the change? Aren't you observant? It's true--I've scaled way back on the travel commitments. And no, I didn't develop a fear of flying or lose my interest in participating in big events. Instead, it was a shift in my focus, and a commitment to doing even better at the things I do best. Question #5: When you were first starting out did you feel a bit alone in your business? Not at first--I was so relieved to be out of the busy corporate environment, a little isolation was fine. But over time, yes, I felt the need for more company in my solo-preneurship. Feeling alone squashes your creativity...so don't go there! (Click here to listen to the full episode, where I break down my strategy for keeping good company.) EPISODE FREEBIE Get My Free Training Video: How I Organize My Dropbox Folders for Ultimate Success FREE DOWNLOAD 

Next time you're networking with a group of entrepreneurs, keep your ears peeled for a certain word floating above the conversation.The word is "mastermind," and it's a concept that is trickling down from the multimillion-dollar start-up set to homegrown entrepreneurs like you and me.If you're not familiar with the term, the term "mastermind" can have a very "Great and Powerful Oz" sound about it. Simply put, a mastermind is a small, very focused group of business owners who meet regularly to sharpen and strengthen their business strategies.One of the biggest advocates around for mastermind groups is Jaime Tardy, founder of EventualMillionaire.com. Jaime is the kind of person anyone would want in their mastermind group--she has razor-sharp focus, unwavering commitment to her goals, an insatiable appetite to learn...and she's also a lot of fun to talk with!Jaime joined me this week to talk all things mastermind, and the takeaway is hugely informative. If you've been thinking about creating or joining a mastermind, or even if this is the first time you've the term, this episode is going to spell out exactly what the benefits are, what kind of mastermind you should be looking for, and how to conduct operations once you get started.Jaime also put together a worksheet for forming your own mastermind, complete with email scripts for contacting potential members. Click here to download it so you can get started right away!EPISODE FREEBIE Get the 6 Easy Steps for Forming a Mastermind FREE DOWNLOADShould I Pay to Join a Mastermind?"Peer masterminds," as they're sometimes called, have these advantages over paid groups: You have equal say to everyone else in the group--no single person is controlling it. They tend to last longer than paid subscription-based groups. It's easier to form true friendships with others in the mastermind. Should My Mastermind Only Have People from My Niche?Definitely not! Jaime is in a mastermind with a financial advisor, an internet marketer, and a professional sword swallower! What they do have in common is a high regard for systems and processes, and a level of success that they're trying to reach.How Do I Know if My Mastermind Is Working?The same way you know if any relationship is working--if you feel mostly positive effects from being involved with it.There are definitely masterminds that are not a good fit for you, that just don't offer what you're looking to get out of it.Or perhaps it's going great for you, but someone else in the mastermind is routinely late to meetings, participates minimally, or contributes negative energy.In either case, a few meetings is usually all it takes to know that something's not working right.Get Jaime's insights for keeping your mastermind on track! Click here to listen to the full interview now.  Commit to Your Own SuccessIt can take one or two tries to find the right group of people for your mastermind. But from my own experience, I can tell you that my entire business changed when I finally locked into the right group.I want you to have the same experience, so if this is something you have been thinking about for a while, commit to yourself:"In 30 days I will have created my own small mastermind of five people."Best of all, forming your mastermind is so incredibly easy if you follow Jaime's step-by-step worksheet. Click here to download it now!EPISODE FREEBIE Get the 6 Easy Steps for Forming a Mastermind FREE DOWNLOAD 

If you’ve sought out training to help you build your business, or tracked the success of other entrepreneurs, you have firsthand experience of the power webinars have to not only engage and excite an audience, but to convert them to into paying clients.Maybe you’ve even been one of those people who signed up for a webinar to get a little free education, and ended up making a purchasing decision that you were genuinely excited about!So why does the idea of putting on your own webinar have you quaking in your boots?Let me guess... You don’t mind a little grunt work, but you doubt your ability to string together all that technology. You love the idea of delivering content in a highly personal way to your audience, but you hate the idea of a sales pitch at the end. You’ve got a foolproof concept in mind . . . however, you’re not sure how you’ll pull together an audience since your email list and sales funnel are still a work in progress. Busy entrepreneurs (like you and me) don’t have a SECOND to waste on activities that aren’t directly linked to profit. If you’ve ever tried creating a webinar before, you know that sinking feeling of waiting, as the seconds tick by, for your sales to pick up speed. (Ugh! It’s the worst, isn’t it?)In my experience, I’ve found that four major myths are to blame for a poor conversion rate.I’m going to debunk those myths for you, and show you how to replace them with truly effective practices that will not only reward all your hard work, but have you out of your chair with excitement.Myth #1: Webinars are just a marketing strategy (and not a whole system).Myth # 2: Webinars are a TON of effort and involve too much expensive technology.Myth #3 - I’m fine; I learned about webinars a few years ago.Myth #4 - It’s too late. I already missed the boat on webinars.If you’re reading this post RIGHT NOW, then you’re in a unique position to catch wind of this new strategic approach before anyone else in your niche does, and in doing so, claim your stake in the rich blue ocean ripe with sizeable and scalable profits.So chances are that even if your competitors are already using webinars (the old way), you can gain a competitive advantage by being the FIRST to build a complete webinar funnel based on the proven frameworks, techniques, and strategies that I’m about to share with you.Keep reading . . . now that you know the 4 webinar myths, I've created a DETAILED, free cheat sheet to help you with your first (or next!) webinar . . .My wish for you is to sidestep the countless traps that make most webinars epic disasters, and instead learn how to create a masterpiece.I’ve been doing webinars for over 5 years now and I’ve made MANY mistakes along the way. You don’t need to do the same! I’ve compiled a list of 5 of my biggest webinar mistakes over the years and how to avoid them before your first (or next!) webinar. Click here now to get that list!EPISODE FREEBIE Get the Cheat Sheet: "5 Rookie Webinar Mistakes" (And How To Avoid Them)FREE DOWNLOAD

Learn the essentials of blogging for busy entrepreneurs, including balancing work and family. Discover how to create content that builds trust, develop compelling blog post titles, and the importance of providing valuable free content to connect with your audience.

A lot of you have asked me if it's a good idea for you to start planning live events. You see the entrepreneurs you admire staging weekend retreats where they get up and set their audience on fire with excitement, education and motivation. Maybe you've even been to one and thought "Hey, I could do that!"The short answer is Yes! I started planning and participating in live events very early in my business, and while my inexperience made it a little terrifying at first, I couldn't deny the powerful boost it gave me--not just in terms of leads, but also in terms of confidence.That's why I invited Rich Brooks to join me on the show today. Rich is a small business owner who just happens to be an event-planning powerhouse. I asked Rich to let me pick his brain for the fundamentals of planning a successful live event.The Who and the WhyIf you've ever attended Rich's amazing Agents of Change conference in Portland, Maine, it may surprise you to learn that his live event track record began with a simple lunch meeting.The purpose of a live event isn't to wow everyone with your multimedia presentations and dynamic speeches. Those are great bells and whistles to add as you gain experience, but the real heart of a live event is to do four things: Get your name out there and establish your credibility Differentiate yourself from competitors Generate leads for business Turn a profit The more you work on your online marketing, the more you start to notice how crowded it is out there. It's getting harder and harder to get noticed in people's social media feed, no matter how valuable your content is. So why not get the edge on your competitors and take your message directly to your audience, face to face?Yes, it takes more time and effort to plan an event than to post something on Facebook. But, Rich says,"A live event could be that thing that really separates you and raises you above all of the other people out there in your industry. If you are looking to kind of change up the way you engage with people, a live event may be the perfect thing for you."EPISODE FREEBIE Get the "7 Mistakes to Avoid When Planning a Live Event" FREE DOWNLOAD3 Phases of a Live Event: Speakers, Sponsors and SeatsRich says that all live event planning boils down to these three phases. Speakers - Getting people to offer valuable content for your audience Sponsors - Getting people to contribute to your audience's experience Seats - Getting people to show up in your audience First Things First - Who Is This For?Before you start worrying about getting people to show up (we'll talk about that later), spend some time thinking about who you want to show up. The key thing here is quality over quantity. Here's what Rich has to say about it:"The #1 is that you are putting on an event for people. Who is this audience? What do they look like? Who is your avatar? What kind of information do they want to consume? What are they looking to accomplish? What are they looking to do?"As in all other forms of marketing, you need to narrow in on your ideal audience member, and design the perfect event for them. I know it's counterintuitive, but being super specific will actually help you attract more people.Once you know who you're planning this event for, you'll have a firm foundation to build on with the three phases.Phase 1: SpeakersPhase 2: SponsorsClick here to download this week's free giveaway.EPISODE FREEBIE Get the "7 Mistakes to Avoid When Planning a Live Event" FREE DOWNLOADPhase 3: SeatsFind out more ways to fill the seats at your live event! Listen to the full episode here....And Just One Two More ThingsWhat do I charge?How much should I promote?Try to time your more obvious promotions around FOMO-inducing moments in the sales process. Announcing Early Bird discounts, One Day Only specials, "Seats Are Rapidly Selling Out!" messages, etc. are perfect opportunities to jog people's memories that they want to attend.

Do you ever find yourself in the middle of a challenge with your business and wondering,“How did I get here…again?!”Nothing feels worse than the suspicion that you’ve been spinning your wheels for the past month. (Or quarter. Or year.) The last thing we want is to get caught in a downward spiral, where we never get to overcome our struggles and rise past a certain level.But what if that spiral was actually going up, not down?I spoke with Nathalie Lussier, world-class digital strategist and email building expert, about this problem that confronts all of us: how to understand the recurring patterns in our business.Not only does she give some sage advice on how to deal with these patterns, but she shows how embracing them can actually help you build your business by narrowing your niche.We usually think of business strategy as being a line between Point A and Point B…and measure our success by how straight that line is.But in real life, Nathalie says, the path is more like a spiral staircase. As we make our way up to the next level, we revisit the same issues, challenges and themes over and over again. When you come up against circumstances that make you think “How did I get here again?”, flip the way you’re looking at them. Even if it’s the same issue, you’re in a different place with it than you were six months (or even six weeks) ago.What’s more, each time you revisit that same situation, you learn something a new and deeper lesson about it, which you can then pass on to your target audience. They’re all climbing spiral staircases of their own, and they need your story to help them keep going.EPISODE FREEBIE Click Here to Get Nathalie's "Spiral Staircase Exercise" FREE DOWNLOADNarrowing Your Niche Helps You Ask for What You WantThink about some of your mini-goals for this quarter. Maybe you want to get published in a prominent magazine or website. Maybe you want to speak at someone’s live event, or host an event of your own. Maybe you want to join forces with another business.These kinds of opportunities don’t usually come knocking—you have to ask for them. Chances are, you’re one of several people asking.But when you have a clearly defined, highly specific niche, you’re bringing something to the table that will stand out. Your niche gives you leverage to show why what you have to say matters, who is going to listen, and how success in that opportunity can be measured. Those are win-wins for you and the person you’re asking.EPISODE FREEBIE Click Here to Get Nathalie's "Spiral Staircase Exercise" FREE DOWNLOADNarrowing Your Niche Reconnects You with the Deeper Meaning of Your BusinessTake a minute to really search your soul. What are you really passionate about changing in the world? Whom do you feel the most empathy for? Whose troubles do you burn to solve?Your compassion is a powerful indicator of where your niche really lies. Identify the people whose struggles motivate you the most, and let them become co-creators of your business by defining your work around their needs.“A lot of times, we get caught up in the logistics and the analytics, what’s the conversation rate, what’s the opt-in rate… Just remember that there’s a human being on the other side of that screen who has their own heartbeat, hopes, dreams and goals. When I’m sending an email, I’m not sending an email to my list—I’m sending an email to all these incredible human beings.”Next time you find yourself in an all-too-familiar position in your business, don’t lose heart. Look for the opportunities it offers—opportunities that you’d never have seen last time you were in this place. There’s nothing wrong with a spiral if it’s leading you upward.

I started out this year with a fully fleshed-out calendar. I knew exactly what I was going to do, when we were going to promote, when we were not going to promote, when I was going to take vacations, etc. Everything was planned.Well, as you probably know, things change as the year gets going. As entrepreneurs, the challenge is to be flexible enough to seize good opportunities, but not so flexible that we lose all our momentum.Now that it's July--where did the time go?--I decided to hit "pause" in the calendar flow and regroup.I'm going to walk you through a simple, powerful exercise to evaluate where you are right now in your business, what’s working, what’s not working, and what needs to change.I've also created a downloadable template that helps you chart your progress in this exercise. You can get it by clicking here.EPISODE FREEBIE Get the "Back On Track" Action Assessment FREE DOWNLOADReady? Let's get started.Step #1 - Review Your WeekWrite down every single thing you can remember you’ve done in the last seven days. I mean everything--creating content, training, phone calls, reading emails, writing emails. It's crucial to know how you've been spending your time.Step #2 - Perform a Brain DumpThink ahead to the next six months, and write down all of the things you need to get done. People to contact, products to create, events to attend, blog posts to write . . . I mean everything. (Warning--don't use this as an opportunity to come up with new ideas! This is just for what you've got in the works right now.)Step #3 - Identify the RevenueNow that you've got your list of six months into the future, take a highlighter pen and highlight every item on that list that will produce revenue for you, either directly or indirectly.Learn more about how you can successfully "regroup." Click here to listen to the full episode.Step #4 - Identify Misspent TimeNow take another highlighter pen in a different color, go back to the list you made in Step #1, and highlight the tasks that were either a big waste of your time or that you could have delegated but didn't.Now go back to the Six Month list, take a third highlighter pen, and highlight all of the things that you could either do farther into the future, or that can be leveraged or delegated.Lots of highlighter action, I know. But this is all about identifying where you should and shouldn't be spending your time.Step #5 - Color Code Your CalendarI use Google calendar, which makes it very easy to highlight each entry in a certain color. The point is that to have different colors for different categories--planning a project, upcoming deadlines, content creation, podcasting, being interviewed with someone else, even time off or personal errands (like getting my hair cut).Once you do this, you can step back and see the big picture of your schedule. Where are your biggest blocks of time being spent? Is that enough, given what you know about your work flow? Are you spending enough of your week doing the things you really love?After all, isn't that a big part of why we start our own business?Don't forget to download Amy's template that walks you through this whole exercise, step by step. Click here to get it.EPISODE FREEBIE Get the "Back On Track" Action Assessment FREE DOWNLOADAt this point, it's time to pat yourself on the back, take a walk, breathe deeply.That's the whole point of this exercise--giving yourself more room to breathe. You now have a bird's-eye view of what your schedule really looks like. You know where you need to focus your time. You know what things you can quit doing or delegate.Without these moments to regroup, the day-to-day hustle can start to consume you. These regular check-ins with your schedule will put you back in charge of your business.

For busy entrepreneurs, the About page of a website is one of the easiest to put off. You might throw a few vital details up there, like your name (always a good place to start) and your credentials, and promise yourself to fill it out later. Maybe you even go back and try adding some details that paint a fuller picture of you as a person.But for many, no matter how hard they work on it, their About page just falls flat. It feels fake, like you’re pretending to be someone you’re not. And that makes sense—we’re all taught never to brag about ourselves…so it feels pretty strange to suddenly write a whole page about why your customers should think you’re so great!That’s why I’m so happy to introduce you to Melissa Cassera. She’s a publicity expert (as well as a screenwriter and an actress), and if you read her own About page, you can see that she is an expert on how to write about yourself in a way that comes out warm, genuine and authentically irresistible.Why Is An About Page Important?Melissa compares the About page to the gown a Hollywood actress wears on the “red carpet.” It’s the way to show off both your importance and your individuality at once, impressing people and engaging them at the same time. The About page is where you give people just enough information about you to want to know more.In other words, you don’t want to give away the whole story on your About page—it’s their intro to all the excitement that awaits if they choose to work with you. For the reader, it should feel like they’ve met you in person, looked you in the eye and shaken your hand.So how do you convey that feeling in words?Think About How You Serve the WorldRather than begin by talking about what you do, begin your About page with a line or two about why you do it. This should be the element that guides you through the writing process for your About page. If you get stuck or are wondering if you are including the right kinds of details, ask yourself if what you’ve written paints a picture of the world/society/lifestyle/change that you are trying to build with what you do. Show Your Non-Professional SideWould it surprise you to learn that the part of your About page that really sells you is the part where you talk about something besides work? This, Melissa says, is what really seals the emotional connection with people and allows them to get to know you on a more personal level. Not only that, but this section is what sets you apart from your competition. Nobody else has the same story, the same style, the same lovable quirks and personal motivations that you have.As Melissa says in her "Better Bio Challenge" blog post,"Personal details aren’t 'frivolous' — they anchor you in the reader’s mind and showcase the 'person' behind the 'business.' Try to include at least ONE little detail about your passions, guilty pleasures + personal life, in your bio — and you’ll sparkle off the page, every time."Create an “Action Step”By now, your audience has fallen head over heels in love with you…so what’s the next step? Where does the relationship go from here? Melissa says this is the moment to offer them a concrete action step. Offer a free opt-in gift, list links to your five most popular blog posts, tell them to contact you to set up a consultation. Whatever your specific action step is, make it simple and immediate for them to make the next move.Get more of Melissa's suggestions for making your About page actionable. Click here to hear the full interview.The Bottom Line: What Is Fame For? Melissa has a stellar blog post called “Four Questions to Help You Identify What's Not Working in Your Biz...And Make It Better.” In it, she offers this really thought-provoking quotation:

Two weeks ago, in Episode #62, I reviewed the project plan I use for all of my promotions. And if you downloaded the free Project Plan Checklist that I offered, you might have had some questions about the bigger action items on that list.I'm going to break down some of those bigger items in upcoming episodes. Today, though, I'm going to walk you through some of the details that led to the overwhelming success of this promotion.This blog post is going to be just a tease for the podcast, for the simple reason we cover a lot of ground in the audio version! If you haven’t listened to this week’s episode yet, I really encourage you to download and enjoy the whole thing.But for now, here are the basics:Launch in ReviewMy recent launch of the Profit Lab was very different from past launches. I took some risks by changing things up and I’ll be honest—I was a little worried. But those risks paid off in a big way. It turned out to be the most successful launch I've ever done, with sales just under a million dollars, and some amazing new insights that will make future launches just as profitable.Here's what really paid off this time:Consistent ContentSurveying My AudienceA Targeted GiveawayEducating My Target MarketRebrandingEPISODE FREEBIE Get Amy's "Profit Lab Ad Creative Setup" FREE DOWNLOADRetargeted AdsThere are so many more details of this launch that I want to share with you, including what worked and what didn’t work so well, especially when it came to running Facebook and Google ads. These details will be immensely helpful alongside this week’s free download.