ProfitSchool

Dive into the dynamic world where information transforms lives and businesses! The hosts illustrate how mere facts lack value without actionable steps, likening them to batteries needing devices. They stress that successful businesses sell transformation, not just information. Small, manageable changes lead to significant outcomes—something they translate from fitness to business. Real-world examples show how guiding clients to implement systems can unlock true growth. Plus, discover the balancing act essential for sustained motivation!

Discover the game-changing difference between products and offers, and how the right positioning can elevate even simple items like ketchup. Uncover the MOR framework: Make, Optimize, and Review, crucial for crafting successful offers. Learn the art of communicating product value, where genuine belief can transform sales narratives. Explore innovative marketing trends, including the shift to 'just in time learning,' and understand why optimizing your offers should be a top priority for business success.

Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is Simple Ways to Effectively Delegate. The 5W Framework: Revolutionize your delegation approach with the Who, What, When, Why, and What to do After framework, ensuring crystal-clear communication and expectations. Mindset Shift: Adopt a high-value mindset by valuing your time at $5,000 an hour, empowering you to delegate tasks more effectively and focus on high-impact activities. Automation is Key: Embrace the power of automation in delegation, using tools like Zapier to handle repetitive tasks and free up your team's time for more strategic work. The C&C Rule: Implement the Capability, &, Capacity (C&C) rule to identify the perfect person or system for each task, ensuring optimal resource allocation. Growth Through Empowerment: Witness exponential business growth as effective delegation empowers your team, increases productivity, and allows you to focus on big-picture strategies.  Partnership Power: Leverage the wisdom of a partner or mentor to refine your delegation skills, gain fresh perspectives, and overcome challenges in your delegation journey.  

AI has evolved from a novelty to an essential business tool, mirroring the early days of the app revolution. Seamless integration into everyday applications like Microsoft Copilot enhances accessibility for all businesses. It supercharges creativity, allowing for rapid brainstorming and content iteration. AI dramatically speeds up marketing processes, collapsing timelines with real-time insights. While it automates tasks, the importance of human oversight remains, underscoring the need for strategic planning for optimal integration.

Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is: How to Build a Better Brand. Branding is more than Just a Logo: Jeff initially viewed branding as "fluffy" and hard to measure, but he soon realized its vital role in marketing and culture. He and Chris Mercer emphasize that branding is often overlooked in direct-response marketing but is critical for building long-term trust and credibility. Psychological Shortcuts to Credibility: Branding isn't just about awareness; it's about creating psychological shortcuts that associate your brand with trust and credibility. The hosts introduce the positioning concept, highlighting how brands like Crest and Colgate evoke specific emotional responses that ease the customer’s journey toward a sale. Consistency as the Backbone of Branding: Consistency is the cornerstone of a successful brand, fostering awareness and trust. Mercer and Jeff stress the importance of presenting a unified identity across your products and messaging, sharing an example of consolidating multiple brands into "Measure U" to improve brand clarity and impact. The Power of Brand-Specific Language: Establishing brand-specific jargon or language strengthens a brand's identity. Jeff shares how their frameworks include memorable terms like "OPS" and “DOPE Systems”—demonstrating how unique language makes a brand more scalable and memorable. Market Perception Shapes Your Brand: The market ultimately controls how your brand is perceived, which is why continuous interaction and feedback are crucial. The hosts emphasize that branding isn't just a slogan or tagline—it's reflected in how your audience sees, trusts, and interacts with you. Living Your Unique Value Proposition: The episode concludes by challenging the standard use of “unique value propositions.” Jeff argues that instead of focusing on slogans, brands should embody their value in practice, using stories and real experiences to demonstrate genuine uniqueness and resonate with the audience.  

Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is: More stupid things we do as Entrepreneurs. Introduction & Defining "Stupid Mistakes": Jeff Sauer and Chris Mercer humorously dive into the concept of “stupid things” entrepreneurs do—decisions that, in hindsight, could have been handled differently. They emphasize the importance of learning from these mistakes to avoid repeating them. Strategies for Avoiding Repeat Mistakes: Jeff shares the importance of seeking second opinions and recognizing emerging patterns. At the same time, Mercer highlights the role that awareness and planning play in stopping mistakes from happening again. Tactical Strategies for Smarter Actions: Mercer stresses the need for solid plans with clear milestones to avoid pointless activities. Jeff and Mercer emphasize that forecasting and learning from patterns are key strategies to prevent wasted time and effort. Common Business Mistakes:- Pricing & Client Targeting: Jeff shares a classic blunder—creating low-priced courses without calculating how many sales are needed to break even. The hosts agree on the dangers of catering to cheap clients rather than respecting the true value of your services. Hiring & Firing Decisions: Hiring too fast and firing too slow is identified as a common mistake. Jeff and Mercer advocate for testing new hires on a contract basis and being proactive in trimming underperforming team members to avoid long-term financial issues. Delegation & Small Task Management: Mercer discusses the importance of delegating small tasks to prevent them from piling up, while Jeff emphasizes planning and delegation to avoid burnout and inefficiency in managing day-to-day tasks. The Importance of Customer Feedback: Talking to customers and seeking feedback is flagged as a crucial business practice. Successful entrepreneurs spend more time understanding customer needs, which can lead to smarter product decisions.  

Welcome back to Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is Getting the Most Out of Meetings. Introduction & Personal Experiences with Meetings: Jeff and Mercer kick off the episode by sharing their mixed experiences with meetings. Jeff emphasizes the context-dependent nature of meetings and how team dynamics play a crucial role in their effectiveness. The Purpose of Meetings & Common Pitfalls: Mercer and Jeff discuss the misuse of meetings, such as scheduling sessions without a clear purpose. Mercer introduces the concept of "headline calls," short 15-minute meetings focused on updates and specific support to increase productivity. Efficient & Effective Meeting Practices: The hosts break down how pre-planning, clear agendas, and limiting large meetings can improve efficiency. They emphasize the need to ruthlessly "kill sacred cows" by reevaluating the necessity of repetitive or ineffective meetings. Balancing Internal & External Meetings: Jeff shares the importance of managing time effectively between internal and external meetings. The hosts advocate for using meetings strategically, whether for management, teaching, or reporting, rather than allowing meetings to consume the workday. Empowering Teams by Releasing Control: Mercer highlights the value of removing business owners from certain meetings to foster team autonomy. By giving team members ownership over problem-solving, teams can grow more creative and independent, which benefits the whole company. Best Practices & Final Meeting Tips: Key meeting guidelines include limiting meeting lengths to 15 minutes, setting clear agendas, and reevaluating the need for meetings regularly. Jeff and Mercer suggest adding fun incentives like "bonus points" for ending meetings early to inspire efficiency.  

Discover the value of no buy surveys in understanding customer hesitations and gathering crucial feedback. Mercer and Jeff share how simple questions can unlock insights and drive business strategy. Learn about the structured approach that rekindles interest and can potentially boost revenue by 10%. They also discuss the importance of personalization in surveys, ensuring engagement and value for potential customers. This deep dive into customer behavior offers practical tactics for improving sales and enhancing marketing effectiveness.

Welcome back to Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is Use the system to improve the system Systems Are Evolving Tools, Not Static: Jeff highlights the breakthrough realization that systems aren't rigid but should always be open to feedback, improvement, and new ideas. Systems should evolve alongside new technologies for maximum efficiency. Day Zero Culture for Constant Improvement: Taking inspiration from Amazon's "Day Zero" approach, Jeff and Mercer stress that systems should never reach a state of stasis. Embracing a Day Zero mindset ensures that systems can continuously improve and support business growth. The Power of Feedback Loops & Problem-Solving: Mercer emphasizes solving real problems with systems in production instead of hypothetical ones. Continuous feedback allows for iterative improvement, ensuring that systems remain relevant and agile. 90% Done is the Sweet Spot: Jeff believes that systems are never truly "finished"—they're always 90% done and evolving. Empowering users to take ownership of systems and utilize their expertise fosters a competitive edge. Systems as a Service (SaaS) Mentality: Jeff introduces the concept of "systems as a service," likening systems to software that can always be updated and improved. Businesses should embrace the iterative nature of systems to stay ahead of the curve. Constant Iteration Drives Business Growth: Both hosts stress the importance of starting with the systems you have and improving from there. Continuous iteration ensures that systems help businesses scale, organize processes, and boost efficiency. Everyone is a "systems person" once they realize the power of iteration.  

Welcome back to Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer today's topic is Developing Team Culture. Defining Team Culture: Jeff and Mercer define team culture as the company's character, emphasizing it's a living, breathing entity that evolves and can be influenced by individuals, especially leadership. Strategic Choices in Culture Development: Mercer discusses the importance of making strategic choices in shaping team culture, highlighting the "trust but verify" principle to encourage accountability and process improvement. Allowing Failure for Growth: Jeff shares his journey from perfectionism to allowing planned failures, emphasizing the importance of letting team members fail to build resilience and foster personal and organizational growth. Coaching vs. Teaching in Leadership: Jeff distinguishes between coaching and teaching, stressing the need for a coaching approach in business to help team members develop their solutions and leadership skills. Balancing Ambition and Contentment: Mercer emphasizes the importance of setting realistic goals and finding a balance between ambition and contentment, aiming for "more than enough" rather than unattainable levels of success. Nurturing a Prolific Culture: Mercer and Jeff contrast prolific culture with hustle culture, advocating for working smart, developing long-term strategies, and fostering a nurturing environment that allows for natural evolution of team culture over time.