Content Sells: Attract, Convert & Keep Your Ideal Clients with Content Marketing That Works

In this episode, your hosts, Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon are discussing your business model and how to choose the right one for you. Plus, we’re looking at the direct impact your business model has on your marketing choices. When you get those choices wrong, it can be challenging to reach your money goals. PLUS Get the BONUS Volume/Value Matrix Free Download! This simple 4-part framework demystifies how to match your marketing to your business model and explains WHY you might be struggling to get results right now. Listen to This Episode to Hear More About: -> The 8 types of business models. -> How to know if you have a “hybrid” business model. -> Why understanding the unique relationship between the QUANTITY you want to sell and the VALUE of what you sell, is one of your most important jobs as a business owner. -> The 4 types of Volume/Value business models we wish every business owner knew! -> The one Volume/Vale quadrant you NEVER want to be in. -> What to do if you find you have the WRONG business model. -> 4 ways to change your business model -> And much more… Also Mentioned in This Episode: -> HerBusiness Marketing Success Mastermind -> HerBusiness Network -> FREE Volume / Value Matrix Download -> Stu McLaren Membership Workshop -> Ep 223 - Going from Reactive to Proactive Marketing -> Ep 224 - Exploding Mountains (When to Stop Offering a Product or Service) -> Anita McLachlan - Sequins & Sand

Whether you have a podcast, or you’re thinking about creating one, or even if you may never have a podcast but you create regular content that you would like to monetise in some way… today’s episode is for you! In this episode, your hosts, Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon speak to massively successful podcaster, Omar Zenhom. Omar is the founder and host of The $100 MBA Show. The $100 MBA Show is ranked as a top business podcast in over 30 countries. With over 200 million downloads and over 2,400 episodes, Omar knows a thing or two about what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to making money from podcasts. Listen to This Episode to Hear More About: -> How Omar and Nicole’s first podcast failed… but gave them an invaluable lesson that was a key to their success. -> How focusing on his own unique strengths vs trying to “do what everyone else was doing” paved the way for millions of podcast downloads a month. -> The FIRST question you need to ask yourself about your podcast before you monetise. -> 7 ways to make money from your podcast (and Omar’s favourite!). -> The “big gamble” Omar and Nicole took on their podcast… and how it paid off. -> Why Omar waited until they had 10,000 a day before accepting paid ad sponsorship. -> How Omar sells his course and other products from his podcast. -> The clever way to combine your email, social and podcast audiences to get even more sponsorship dollars. -> Why you don’t need a large audience to successfully monetise your podcast. -> Why Dynamic Inserted Ads was a game changer and other ways sponsorship has changed in the last few years. -> Placement matters – the one place Omar says you should NOT put an ad on your podcast and where he suggests you place it instead. -> The sponsorship opportunities Omar says no to (and why). -> Ways to grow your email list from your podcast and the “mic drop” piece of advice Omar shares about how to choose a lead magnet that your audience will flock to sign up for from your podcast. -> Plus so much more!  Also Mentioned in This Episode: -> HerBusiness Marketing Success Mastermind -> HerBusiness Network -> Omar Zenhom -> The $100 MBA Show -> Ep 225 - How We Produce This Podcast -> Sue Jalowiec - Knit It Now

BIG changes are coming that will impact every business that uses email marketing. In this episode, your hosts, Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon speak to email automation expert, Cheryl Rerick, about the looming changes being made by Google, Yahoo, Microsoft that have a direct impact on the deliverability of your emails! These are some of the biggest changes to happen in email marketing for 20 years and you need to get ahead of the changes to ensure your emails remain compliant and that you can continue get your message into the inbox of the people on your email list. Listen to this episode to hear more about: -> Authentication practices you need to have in place by April 2024 (or put your email deliverability at risk). -> What the heck acronyms like SPF, DNS, DKIM and DMARC mean (and exactly what you need to do to be compliant). -> Why the changes are not as scary as they first sound and how they are actually good for you and for email marketing in general. -> How you can take back control of your email deliverability. -> The “non-verbal” message your email recipients could be sending that’s hurting your email deliverability (and what you need to do about it). -> List “hygiene” practices and the ideal time to remove inactive subscribers from your email list. -> The email re-engagement strategy this is SO SMART we wonder why we didn’t think of it before! -> Cheryl’s top 3 strategies for re-engaging subscribers. -> The big mistakes business owners make when it comes to navigating the big changes coming. -> How to know if the changes apply to you (hint: they do!). -> The free Google tool that gives you instant insight into how Google is rating your email reputation right now (and why knowing this is more important than ever!). -> What to do to avoid getting stuck in SPAM filters. -> Plus so much more! Also Mentioned in This Episode: -> HerBusiness Marketing Success Mastermind ->  HerBusiness Network -> Cheryl Rerick -> Get Cheryl’s FREE Email Deliverability Workshop ->  Ep 11 - The Step 2 Secret -> Google Postmaster Tools -> Melanie Campbell - Confidently Peri

In today’s show, we’re sharing a MANTRA that is making a BIG difference with our students and clients when it comes to having a Marketing Breakthrough. Sometimes, a marketing breakthrough can be doing something new, and sometimes, it can be what we’re STOPPING doing that creates it. Sometimes, it’s BOTH – we have to stop one thing so we can do another. But change can be daunting. Whether you’re delving into new territory, turning off a part of your business to focus on another, or launching or closing down a product – this simple 3-word Mantra could be a powerful tool for you! Listen to this Episode to Hear More About: -> The conversation that sparked this 3-word mantra. -> How to use this mantra to stop second-guessing yourself. -> How to create an effective mantra (and why you might need one to “hack” your behaviour). -> Why adding some whimsy to your mantra actually make it more effective. -> The one thing that makes all the difference between being able to create big positive changes in your business or getting stuck with the status quo. -> How Suzi used the central idea of this mantra when selling one of her businesses. -> How to use this mantra to charge higher prices and get better at negotiating. -> When and how to use this mantra to breakthrough, even if you feel totally out of your depth. -> Plus so much more!  Also Mentioned in This Episode: -> HerBusiness Marketing Success Mastermind -> HerBusiness Network  -> Made to Stick Book by Chip and Dan Heath -> EP 174 - How to Create Time For Big Ideas That Grow Your Business -> EP 204 - The Perils of Overthinking and Underdoing -> EP 205 - How Owning More Space Helps You Reach More People With Your Content Marketing -> EP 214 - The Hybrid Expert Revolution - With Ryan Levesque -> EP 223 - Going from Reactive to Proactive Marketing -> EP 224 - Exploding Mountains (When to Stop Offering a Product or Service) -> EP 226 - Best Books For Content Marketing - 2024 Edition -> Michelle Pascoe - Oops

Your niche is the market you serve. And we’ve all heard the advice that “you’ve got to have a niche.” But it’s not enough to have a super clear niche and really great messaging that speaks directly to them. The missing ingredient that we’re seeing a lot in the content marketing of small business owners is that they’re not really OWNING (in a deep and profound way) the niche they’ve chosen. In this episode, your hosts, Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon explore what it means to really take “ownership” of your niche and WHY that’s crucial for the growth (and survival) of your business. FREE DOWNLOAD Finding Your Niche - 6 Thought-Starter Questions. We’ve put together this list of 6 questions you want to ask yourself when you are considering how you might use the power of Niching Down. Go here to get your list of questions now. Listen to This Episode to Hear More About: -> The shift Suzi has made in the last year to get even clearer on her niche (and why that took really OWNING who she most wanted to serve). -> The questions to ask yourself to confirm if you’re really OWNING your niche or not. -> Real life examples of a Lawyer and Naturopath whose business growth EXPLODED when they doubled down on their niche and took massive OWNERSHIP of who they serve. -> Michelle’s counterintuitive advice for serving FEWER people in a deeper way. -> Why your customers need you to go “out on a limb” for them (and how to do it in a way that’s safe!). -> How owning your niche will turn the tap onto more sales and create a pipeline of eager customers. -> Plus so much more! Also Mentioned in This Episode: -> HerBusiness Marketing Success Mastermind -> HerBusiness Network -> This is Marketing Book - Seth Godin -> Don’t Make Me Think Book - Steve Krug -> Episode 69 - Why You Need To Find Your Niche -> Episode 99 - How to Grow a 7-Figure Business in a Tiny Niche with Clint Salter -> Episode 146 - The Power of a Niche with Shelley Brander -> Angela Counsel - Embrace Program -> Clint Salter -> Shelley Brander - Knit Stars -> Brigit Hallam - Throw Your Leg Over

One tactic that could be really helpful for you if you are offering an online course, a challenge, a live event or some other kind of workshop or program is to offer a VIP Ticket Option. If you’re not currently offering a VIP option, this can be a real game changer! And if you ARE already giving your customers a way to get a VIP experience, we’ve got some tips that will make it more effective for you! Your hosts Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon share their top tips for what to put in your VIP offer, when and how to offer the VIP upgrade and more! Listen to this Episode to Hear More About:  -> How to offer a paid VIP upgrade, even when your event ticket is FREE! -> Suzi’s tip for adding a VIP option to a Summit. -> How to use your VIP revenue to fund your advertising. -> The one thing every VIP offer MUST have to succeed (and it may not be what you think!). -> More than 15 things you can EASILY add to your VIP option to make it irresistible. -> Why people who upgrade to VIP are more likely to buy your NEXT offer. -> How to get next level engagement from your VIPs (and why that matters). -> The Cialdini Principle that every successful VIP upgrade is based on. -> The MOST important time to offer the VIP upgrade. -> Plus so much more!  Also Mentioned in This Episode:  -> HerBusiness Marketing Success Mastermind -> HerBusiness Network -> Discounted Copy of “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini -> Episode 66 - Turning Content into Sales With “The Problem Solution Dance” -> Episode 11 - The Step 2 Secret -> Episode 202 - The “Features” Trap - Why You Need to Focus on Features vs Benefits to Get More Sales -> Episode 206 - The 16 Essential Elements of a High Converting Sales Page -> Melanie Campbell - Confidently Peri

Over the years there’s been a lot of buzz around this idea of “10X-ing.” And with the release of the book “10X is Easier Than 2X” by Dan Sullivan and Dr Benjamin Hardy Suzi and Michelle got to thinking about this idea of 10X and especially how it relates to women marketers and business owners. Is it all hype? Is 10X REALLY easier than 2X? Or is there even any merit in comparing the two? Do we actually need BOTH? If you’ve ever been “turned off” by the “bro marketer” take on 10X, then this is the episode for you. Your hosts Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon share their views on the 10X vs 2X debate. This is a “juicy” show and they say some things that might surprise you, whichever side of the 10X debate you might be on. Listen to This Episode to Hear More About: -> Why you can’t always increment your way to growth. -> The big distinction Suzi & Michelle hope every reader gets when reading books like “10X is Easier Than 2X.” -> The massive takeaway from Dan Sullivan and Ben Hardy’s book that unlocked the 10X idea for many of our Masterminders. -> The fascinating journey Suzi took from starting a business in her bedroom to having “$2 million dollars DAYS.” -> What Michelle says about “Waterfalls and Volcanoes” that could change your view on when to grow and when to consolidate. -> The role our sense of our current identity plays in our ability to have transformational growth in our marketing and business. -> Plus so much more! Also Mentioned in This Episode: -> HerBusiness Marketing Success Mastermind -> HerBusiness Network -> 10X is Easier Than 2X - Dan Sullivan & Dr Benjamin Hardy -> Sockable Fundraising -> Episode 183 - Why You Don’t Need to Change Your Marketing (The Benefits of “Project Broken Record”) -> Anna Von Zinner - Book Me Now

It’s time for our annual review of the books we’re recommending for the new year! Join your hosts Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon as they share books they’ve loved and learned from that can help you be a more effective content marketer in 2024 (plus get your hands on our NEWLY UPDATED and hugely popular Content Sells Recommended Reading List!). Some books featured on today’s show are brand “newies” and others are classic “oldies” Suzi and Michelle have pulled out of the vault because they’ve been re-reading them and recommending them to clients and students so much recently. Listen to This Episode to Hear More About: -> The book Michelle and Suzi couldn’t believe had never been featured on the show before! -> How to get your hands on the hugely popular Content Sells Recommended Reading List. -> The book that can literally give you back HOURS in your business every week (so you can finally have the freedom to do the high-value work that brings you energy and joy instead). -> The book that shows you how to create ideas people actually remember, which is especially needed right now in this time of less than 24-hour news cycles, 7 second tik tok videos and “fake” news, where most ideas just don’t survive. -> The book that shows you how to get strangers to want to buy your stuff. -> The book any service provider must read because it shows you how to make your intangible offer a lot more tangible (and why that matters). -> The book that BOTH Suzi and Michelle put on their list (and how they loved it and ALSO have some contentious opinions on a key idea shared in this book). -> Plus so much more! Also Mentioned in This Episode: -> HerBusiness Marketing Success Mastermind -> HerBusiness Network -> The REACH Retreat in Hawaii -> Buy Back Your Time - Dan Martell -> Made to Stick - Chip & Dan Heath -> $100M Leads - Alex Hormozi -> $100M Offers - Alex Hormozi -> Selling The Invisible - Harry Beckwith -> 10X is Easier Than 2X - Dan Sullivan & Dr Benjamin Hardy -> Ask - Ryan Levesque -> Episode 31 - How to Use Surveys to Find Out Exactly What Your Customer Wants - With Ryan Levesque -> Episode 67 - Client Avatar Interviews - Why You Need Them and How to Do Them -> Tracey Bode - Zyteq -> Chantel Gilbert - Bluegum Electrical

Well, it’s episode 225 and we figured it was about time we shared how we produce this podcast! Your hosts Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon have had numerous questions from listeners over the years about various aspects of the podcast and how it gets made. In this episode they pull back the curtain on their process from end-to-end. Including how they come up with podcast episode ideas, how they batch their recordings, what to think about when recording, tools and software and processes they’ve found useful and so much more. So, whether you already HAVE a podcast and you’re looking for some tips to make your life easier; or you’re thinking about doing a podcast and wondering how it works from start to finish, this show is for you (and even if you don’t plan on having a podcast, you can take these tips and map them to ANY content you create regularly like blogs, newsletters, videos etc). Listen to this episode to hear more about: -> The 3 stages of podcast production and the must-know tips and pitfalls to avoid at each stage. -> The simple, free and EASY tool Suzi & Michelle have used for 9 years to plan every single episode of their show (right from Episode 1!). -> How to plan so you can be several episodes ahead and avoid feeling like you’re on the “Podcast Hamster Wheel.” -> How Suzi & Michelle batch their recordings. -> The clever calendar “hack” that makes it possible to schedule podcast recordings even though both presenters have insanely busy schedules. -> The most important thing to remember when the “record” button goes on. -> Systems for engaging the team in an efficient way and so everyone knows what their role is. -> The “easy button” when it comes to getting your podcast on ALL the podcast platforms. -> How to handle guest interviews, co-hosting and what to do when there’s a blooper (to edit, or not to edit, that is the question!). -> Plus so much more! Also Mentioned in This Episode: -> HerBusiness Marketing Success Mastermind -> HerBusiness Network -> The REACH Retreat in Hawaii -> Content Sells Facebook Page -> Ep 200 - Celebrating 200 Episodes! -> EP206 - The 16 Essential Elements of a High-Converting Sales Page -> Anita McLachlan, Sequins & Sand -> Field of Dreams Movie Tools Mentioned: -> Trello -> Slack -> Google Docs -> Zoom -> Riversidefm -> Google Calendar -> Libsyn -> Blue Yeti Microphone

This episode is all about Exploding Mountains. Your hosts Suzi Dafnis and Michelle Falzon talk you through the 5-point checklist for knowing whether you need to stop delivering a particular product or service (even one that is profitable!). Listen to this episode to hear more about: -> What a Marketing Mountain is and why you need to understand this concept to have a successful business -> How “turning the funnel upside down” can be a game changer for your marketing -> The “hand drawn” business model that can take you just 2 minutes but save you YEARS of trial and error -> The “Ski-Lift Strategy” for easily offering an upsell to your customers (especially good for high ticket sales) -> The Marketing Mountain Suzi exploded (and why it was one of the best things she did for her business at the time) -> Why understanding who you are selling to helps you to see which Mountains to keep and which ones you want to “detonate” -> How many mountains is too many mountains (and how to tell which ones you don’t need)? -> The major mistake most businesses make when they aren’t getting enough sales. -> And much more! Also mentioned in this episode: -> HerBusiness Marketing Success Mastermind -> HerBusiness Network -> The REACH Retreat in Hawaii -> Content Sells Facebook Page -> Angela Counsel - Embrace Program -> Episode 4 - Episode 4 - Finding Your Marketing Mountain -> Episode 41 - Creating Content That Keeps Your Customers Coming Back - With Stu Mclaren -> Episode 160 - Why Being Opportunistic is Costing You Opportunities -> Episode 161 - How to Make Money With Your Online Course (Even if You’re in a Weird Niche) - With Bonnie Christine -> Stu McLaren -> Bonnie Christine -> Ryan Levesque -> Sockable -> Stacey Morgan