The Kara Report | Online Marketing Tips and Candid Business Conversations

As an online business owner, you likely know the importance of scaling your business. But what if you don’t have the budget for ads? Or even if you DO have a budget for ads, you might be wondering if there is any way to scale your business without ads (or at the very least - diversify your efforts). First, let me cut to the chase: the answer is a resounding yes!Listen, as an online marketer offering a variety of DFY marketing services, I've worked with several six-figure businesses (and even a couple of seven-figure businesses!) over the past three years so let me just tell you: I know a little bit about what goes on behind the scenes. And while scaling your business is NOT as easy as some of the Instagram "gurus" make it appear, I do want to take the time to share some of the ways you can scale your online business without spending a penny on advertising.🎙️ In This Episode:Organic strategies that help you scale your business without adsBuilding a strong foundation so you don't waste your timeHow to engage with your people to get more salesLinks Mentioned: Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/58Why I switched from a custom website to a Showit website template: https://thekarareport.com/custom-showit-website-vs-showit-website-templates/Hire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestHire me for website copy: https://thekarareport.com/copywritingLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport 

If you're a freelancer or a creative business owner, chances are you've thought about whether to focus on project-based work, aim for more retainer clients, or try a mix of both. Maybe you're currently doing one and wondering if the grass is greener on the other side? That's exactly what I want to dive into today. I've worked in both a retainer model vs. project-based clients, and I have plenty of thoughts to share—lessons I've learned, pros and cons, and what’s currently working for me. Let’s get into it!🎙️ In This Episode:Pros and Cons of a Retainer Model vs. Project-Based WorkChoosing One Model or Benefits and Challenges of Balancing BothHow to Choose The Right Business Model For You in 2025Links Mentioned: Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/57Hire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport 

What does it really look like to get good at marketing? Especially at the beginning of the year, many of us set lofty goals: add a new channel to our marketing, spend less time marketing, finally be consistent, or create better content. But what does that actually look like? How can we actually get better at marketing?One of the things I wanted to bring to you early this year is an interview with a real business owner about how they finally got their marketing act together. If you’re on the Instagram hustle train or just wondering where to start, you’re going to love this interview with Danison.🎙️ In This Episode:Getting Off the Instagram GrindInvesting in Brand PhotographyLeveraging Tools like EnjiLinks Mentioned: Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/56Learn more about Danison at Bowtie and Brush: https://bowtieandbrush.com/Follow Danison on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bowtieandbrushSign up for a free trial on Enji: https://threkarareport.com/enji Hire Kara to write your website copy: https://thekarareport.com/copywritingLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/servicesFollow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport

Is anyone else still in disbelief that it’s 2025? This episode is for all my nosy listeners who love a peek behind the scenes—hearing about other people's goals, reflections on the past year, and plans for the new one. If that’s your kind of tea, you’re in the right place!Last week, I posted a story on Instagram about how I create quarterly Looms for my team, and it got a lot of interest. So today, I’ll dive into that process, share my reflections on last year, and talk about what’s on my mind for 2025—which, by the way, still feels surreal to say!I’m also sharing two unconventional New Year’s resolutions that I believe should be on every business owner’s list. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get into it!🎙️ In This Episode:Reflecting on 2024My 2025 Game Plan2 Unconventional Resolutions (Time Stamp - 26:32)Links Mentioned: Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/55Tune into Elizabeth McCravy's podcast on setting words of the year: https://elizabethmccravy.com/298Tune into Elizabeth McCravy's podcast on hosting a team vision meeting: https://elizabethmccravy.com/299Hire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport 

In this episode, I’m sharing practical tips that have made a huge difference in my business and could do the same for you. If you’ve ever dealt with missed deadlines, unclear requests, or slow responses, these simple tweaks will make your communication clearer, faster, and more effective. If you want to get faster responses (and BETTER responses) from your clients and team, these will help!🎙️ In This Episode:How to make your messages clear and actionable to avoid delays.Mistakes people make that slow down communication.The best ways to use tools like voice notes and Loom videos without losing track.Why setting expectations doesn’t make you “less chill”—it actually makes you a better leader.Links Mentioned: Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/54Hire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport 

In this episode, I'm talking about why we need to start taking intentional breaks when it comes to marketing and content creation. I'm also sharing my recent experience with batching podcast episodes, lessons learned from observing other creators, and why giving yourself "white space" can lead to fresh ideas and renewed creativity. Whether you're managing a podcast, blog, or business, my hope is that this episode inspires you to prioritize rest while staying consistent.🎙️ In This Episode:Why batching content can help you stay consistent and avoid burnout.The scene in MadMen that I can't stop thinking about.The value of stepping back to observe and gain inspiration from others.How intentional breaks can lead to fresh, innovative ideas for your marketing.Links Mentioned: Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/53Hire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport 

Hi! Your favorite content marketing agency here, coming at you with an episode that I swear is not a sales pitch for our services (although, hello, what are you waiting for? hire us for blogging and Pinterest). Instead, I'm sharing 3 KEY questions that I think you should be asking before you hire anyone to market your business for you (regardless of if you're looking for a virtual assistant to support you, a blogging/pinterest agency, or even a social media manager).Helping you make informed decisions around your marketing is the MOST important thing to me, so I hope you love this episode as much as I do!🎙️ In This Episode:How to decide if you should hire a marketing agency (beyond just "can you afford it?")Things to consider when deciding which marketing platform(s) to outsourceSetting realistic expectations for outsourcing your marketingLinks Mentioned: Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/52Hire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingOur Pinterest Management Services: https://thekarareport.com/pinterestLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport 

Are you thinking you might like to be a podcast guest someday? Maybe you've been a podcast guest and you're thinking, Hey, I want more of that. Or maybe you're looking for alternative ways to market your business, but you're not set on starting your own show. Today's episode is for you. Actually, it's for you even if you do have your own show. Because let me just tell you, I've been a podcast guest many times and it's always been a super great way to connect not only with the host more, but also connect with an audience outside of yours. It is such a privilege and it is also such a great way to market your business.I would love to tell you how I found Dustin and invited him on this podcast, but it actually comes up in this interview because it is part of his podcast guesting strategy. So for me, it was just super fun to watch his strategy in action and the way it was so natural (and yup, it works!).🎙️ In This Episode:5 P's of Profitable Podcast GuestingHow to make the most of podcast guesting opportunitiesThe ROI of podcast guesting (and how you can add 6 or even 7 figures of business through this marketing strategy)How to get started as a podcast guest (and book more interviews next year)Links Mentioned: Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/51Learn more about Dustin at 7 Figure Leap: https://7figureleap.com/Grab Dustin's FREE Podcast Profits Playbook: https://7figureleap.com/playbookConnect with Dustin on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinriechmann/Learn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/servicesFollow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport

Who doesn’t love a good trends episode? Today, I’m excited to bring on Hannah Davis to talk all about 2025 website trends and how we can update our websites without making them look overly trendy. I also loved how she tied in website UX (user experience) into everything she does!We chatted all about the balance between copy and design, how to use templates effectively, and common website mistakes to avoid. 🎙️ In This Episode:2 of the biggest 2025 website trendsHow to know if WE should be jumping on the latest trends (big and small)What to do if nobody is buying from our websiteImproving our UX in 2025 PS: We talked a lot about the importance of good COPY in this conversation. So this is me reminding you that I offer VIP days if you want a professional to write yours for you: https://thekarareport.com/copywritingLinks Mentioned: Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/50Learn more about Hannah at Made with Boldness: https://madewithboldness.com/Follow Hannah on Instagram: https://instagram.com/madewithboldnessHire Kara to write your website copy: https://thekarareport.com/copywritingLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/servicesFollow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport

I know that this week is absolutely crazy for some people. A lot of people are having Black Friday sales, it's Thanksgiving for my American friends, and everyone is just getting ready for the holiday season if they're not already in holiday mode already. So I just wanted to bring you a super short episode with just a little mindset shift to consider as we close out the year and answer the question: can you make money in December? I feel like at this stage of the year, a lot of us feel like our year is kind of set. We have made most of the money that we're going to make, or at least we know what we can expect in December. It's easy to fall into a trap thinking that nobody buys in December or hey, maybe you don't really want to work in December. That's what we're going to talk about today.🎙️ In This Episode:A quick mindset shift for service providers who want to make more money in December3 things you can do to make more money in December (without heavy, aggressive marketing)Links Mentioned: Read the full shownotes: https://thekarareport.com/49Hire us to write SEO-driven blog posts for you: https://thekarareport.com/bloggingJoin Blogging for Bingeable Brands (Use Code PODCAST20 for 20% Off!): https://thekarareport.com/bbbLearn more about working with our marketing agency here: https://thekarareport.com/services Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thekarareport