Uncensored Direct Marketing

Is your business okay? Are you finding your sales tactics no longer perform? Conversions are dropping, customers are leaving, and your business seems…bland.We know the feeling. You need a fresh startIn this episode of Uncensored Direct Marketing, we're talking with Brandon Fredrickson, a direct response industry veteran, who shares his secrets for selling to prospects—by not selling to them at all. We'll also be discussing how you can use podcasts as a your next level VSL, and how following industries that aren't your own can help you bring something new to the table.Brandon is a high-energy expert with tons of valuable info and insight into what should be your next steps. Listen and follow for more.

When you're ready to sell your crypto business, don't wait until it's too late. When you sell at the right time, you can walk away with profits that will take your next project to new levels of success.But what is the right time? How do you know when to sell? That's what Lane Gordon is here to answer.Whether it's because your interest in crypto is waning or because life has taken a turn and you need to put your focus elsewhere, selling your business will always be a good option. But if you want to get the most out of your sale in terms of profit, timing is everything.When your crypto business is on a steady rise, that's the perfect time to look for buyers or, at the very least, get a valuation of your company.If you're curious to learn more about buying, selling, and valuations, check out our full-length episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz8EVs2ZWJEWe hope this video gave you some insight into planning for the future of your entrepreneurial endeavors. For more information about running your business, securing it, and saving money, subscribe to the channel.00:00 When Is It a Good Time to Sell01:09 Look at the Long-term Trend02:06 What's Your Driving Force for Selling03:35 Take the Unknown into ConsiderationConnect with Maria:Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.comDirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynetInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions/Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

Today we're talking all about how to grab your audience's attention in the first 5 seconds of your video. KEY TAKEAWAY: the first 5 seconds of your ad is what matters most.That's because if you can't convince them in that time, they'll just click away without giving your video a chance. You need to write an ad hook that grabs their attention, holds their gaze, and doesn’t let go until they’re ready to click “buy”.So how do you write a good ad hook? Well, it depends on what type of content you're making and what audience you're trying to reach. But the most important thing you can do is test your hooks. Do this in brainstorming sessions, split-testing, and—the easiest and cheapest way—learning from ads that grab your own attention.View the full episode with Johnson Li:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnj6tngIB0U&t=1635s 00:00 First 5 Seconds of Your YT Ad Matters Most01:17 Rework Your Hook Again and Again03:08 Testing Which Hooks WorkConnect with Maria:Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.comDirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynetInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions/Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

Are declined transactions harming your conversion rate? Here are 4 tips you can implement right now that will boost your approval rate overnight at no cost to you.Declined transactions suck. No matter if it's because the customer entered their details wrong or their bank thinks the payment is suspicious, it harms your merchant account, relationship with your processor, and your bottom line. So here are the best no-cost ways to cancel out declined transactions. 1 - Use a domestic merchant account — Use an account where your customers are. Foreign transactions are always flagged as higher risk (even if you're in Canada selling to US customers). More info on that here: 6 - What You Need to Know About Declined Transactions and How to Increase Your Conversion Rate by 5% 2) Lower the ticket size to less than $1000 — Banks flag high-ticket transactions above $1000. You should aim to lower each transactions to something less than $1k (like $997) and charge the customer once per month, if possible. 3) Check your MCC — Your MCC is your Merchant Category Code and it represents your business. You may be operating under a high-risk MCC (direct response is high-risk). The good news is that you can change your MCC or open another merchant account with a new MCC that matches your business as most businesses will fall under multiple MCCs. More info on MCCs here: 13 - Simple Ways to Save Up to 3% in Merchant Account Fees Overnight 4) Scrub your merchant account — Clean it up. All of those declined transactions that get sent to your merchant account and payment processor are bad. The more negative things you send, the more likely transactions will get declined. Place limits on your gateway to stop declines from passing through. Those are easiest, no-cost ways to prevent declined transactions from happening. Let me know in the comments your first-hand experiences with declines and how you managed to stop them.Connect with Maria:Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.comDirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynetInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions/Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

Is Stripe holding funds from you? If they are, this is the video for you. And if they aren’t, pay attention so you can avoid it from happening.We know how convenient Stripe is. We also know how often Stripe users get their funds frozen, accounts shut down, and money vanished. We receive at least 20 emails PER WEEK from burnt Stripe customers looking for help. You did everything right—you followed all the rules, but still ended up getting your account shut down for no reason.Stripe holds funds for 90 days. Period. How can your business run when you can’t withdraw your money? This video gives you all the tips you need to keep your business afloat.1 - Open a backup account (another Stripe account, PayPal, or real merchant account)2 - Write to Stripe via email or send a direct letter3 - Request your money back in portions starting with 50%We know you haven’t done anything wrong, and you know you haven’t done anything wrong. Stripe runs on an algorithm that flags, freezes, and terminates accounts based on monthly transaction volume and chargebacks. So if you start processing too much too fast or you get even 1 chargeback, that could be it for your account.Follow our guide and don’t hesitate to ask us for advice directly.Email Stripe:legal@stripe.com Videos on Stripe:Stripe Account Suspended https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6eWhaIyyzcStripe Account Banned https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqwgSceME7A Stripe Alternatives https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hChptl-Xig 00:00 Stripe Holding Funds Intro01:07 1 Chargeback Leads to Shut Down01:52 Open a Backup Account02:41 Contact Stripe04:49 Getting Your Money BackConnect with Maria:Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.comDirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynetInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions/Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

Podcasting is a powerful marketing tool that can help you generate sales. The best part? You don't even have to start your own show to benefit. Find out exactly how you can use podcasts to generate sales right here. In this video, Luis Diaz, a podcast expert, will teach you how to use podcasting as a marketing tool. He'll also outline the difference between speaking to businesses versus consumers, provide the optimal length for your episodes, and what's in store for the future of podcasting. There's more to podcasting than simply starting a podcast. In fact, you don't even have to start one yourself. You can hop onto someone else's with the right arrangement. Podcasting, in general, is an adaptable marketing tool. It morphs to your needs and capabilities—all while remaining a low-cost solution to advertising (in comparison to other methods). Find out all you need to know about how to get started with podcasts and start driving sales.  00:00 How a Podcast Can Generate Sales06:25 Method #1 Sponsor a Podcast09:07 Method #2 Be a Guest on a Podcast12:20 Method #3 Starting Your Own Podcast, First Steps16:41 Apple & Spotify vs. YouTube20:49 Optimal Length of an Episode per Platform24:07 Future of Podcasting26:06 Facebook Live as a Podcast Episode28:52 Microphone Quality  Connect with Luis:https://www.instagram.com/luisryandiaz/ Connect with Maria:Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.comDirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynetInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions/Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

If you're a copywriter struggling to get your copywriting game on point, listen up. Andrew Contreras was making a decent living, but knew there was more he could be doing. Then, he hired a coach and it changed his life.Since then, his business has exploded. He wrote a multimillion dollar offer called The Christian Diet that's made him a fortune and taken his career to new heights.In this interview, we talk about how copywriting can help you grow your career as an entrepreneur, how to find a copywriting coach or improve your own skills, and how to use copywriting to boost your business or expand into new areas of expertise.We also get into how dropping the label of "copywriter" might help your career more than you think. Tune in and get your writing game prepped for a killer 2022.00:00 Finding a Copy Coach02:51 Receiving Feedback Is Your Ticket to Success04:14 From Copywriter to Offer Owner06:11 Evolving Past the Label of CopywriterConnect with Andrew:New Crescent Media Website: https://redcrescentmedia.com Connect with Maria:Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.comDirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynetInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions/Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

Stolen Content? Don't want the legal overhead? Takedown Czar is here for you. Today, we're talking with Al Evans of Takedown Czar to uncover what they do for you and what YOU can do to protect yourself from ripped off offers, a pirated IP, and stolen products. Al Evans defines Takedown Czar as doing "everything lawyers won't do". But he doesn't mean that in some nefarious, underground sense. It's along the lines of avoiding the court system, lawyers, legal fees, and all the rest but still getting your IP piracy concerns taken care of. They've been around for a decade now, so that should tell you their service is legal and thriving. Al discusses all the steps he and his team take to protect your content from being stolen, starting from DMCA takedown notices to finding the offenders at home!  Here's what you probably want to know right off the bat:A proactive response is what wins in protecting your trademark and IPIt helps to stop thieves and offenders as soon as your pirated IP is discoveredRip-offs happen, it's just the nature of a good product Takedown Czar takes a 3 stage approach: 1) scan, 2) takedown, 3) report. They scan daily and hourly to find pirated IPs for their clients. Generally, a thief will respond positively to a DMCA takedown request, but quietly move over to another reseller platform. So it's not a one-and-done type of deal. These people are reported at the very least to the platforms they operate on including the ones they've pirated from to help prevent them from doing so again in the future. This eye-opening interview uncovers a lot about the pirating world and how it operates in terms of marketing material and digital goods, as well as where they're sold and how. If you work in ecommerce, have an offer on Clickbank, or sell courses online, this episode is not one you want to miss.  00:00 Introducing Al Evans from Takedown Czar05:44 Who Takedown Czar Is For and How to Implement Protection09.54 What Happens with International Piracy16:04 Recouping Funds from a Ripped Off Offer17:25 Preventing Offers from Being Ripped Off19:24 Marketing Material Being Pirated22:51 A More Popular Product, The Bigger Potential for Piracy24:25 70% of Piracy Is Centered in Vietnam25:58 Protecting an IP Early27:56 Handling Repeat Rip-Off Artists34:27 Al's Final Tips  Connect with Al Evans:Takedown Czar Website: https://www.dmcatakedownczar.com/ Connect with Maria:Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.comDirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynetInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions/Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

When recession is on the horizon, most businesses hunker down and do all they can to hoard the money they have—but you can use this as an opportunity for growth.Today, I'm giving you 6 tips that are proven to help recession-proof your business:1 - a growth opportunity through ad spend2 - stay ahead of the curve by focusing on getting your current customers to spend more3 - utilize email capture and nurture cart abandonment issues4 - understand your bank decline messages5 - use frictionless 3D Secure and self-service options to minimize chargebacks6 - automate customer service to minimize costs and better assist customersThese tips include tactics that are proven to help you recession-proof your business. When things start getting tough, that's not necessarily a sign you should jump ship. Instead, focus on acquiring customers and caring for the ones sticking with you.In the end, you'll have the opportunity to gain market share and crush the competition.Chad Hamzeh episode: https://youtu.be/uij82TgYebQidEngine: https://idengine.com/Reduce Refunds: https://youtu.be/EM0-eKhR18AIncrease Bottom Line: https://youtu.be/0bnIVztmQ1E00:00 Recession-proofing Your Direct Response Business01:24 Opportunities During Recession03:32 Nurture Your Customers Through Checkout05:46 Secure the Sale with Email Capture07:46 Card Declines and Minimizing Chargebacks11:35 Customer Service to Reduce CostsConnect with Maria:Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.comDirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynetInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions/Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

Listen up: we've got a new way to approach affiliate marketing. Amber Spears is an expert on the topic, and she has some advice that can help YOU make 25% more money.As the founder of East 5th Avenue, Amber knows what it takes to build a successful affiliate partner program. Today, we want to share the top tips she's given us.You can watch the full-length episode here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEGNA1si0w0&t=1841s First, let's talk about what affiliate partnership even means. Affiliate marketing is where you pay people to promote your products or services on their own websites or social media channels. If they do well promoting those products or services, they get paid. It's a win-win!Now, if you're already doing affiliate marketing, that's great! But there are so many ways you can improve your program so that it makes even more money for both of you. And that starts by asking yourself one simple question: what would it take to do 25% more business with your top affiliate partners?The answer might be as simple as giving them custom assets like landing pages and copy that perfectly fits their audience—or as complex as integrating with podcast material, social media posts, and newsletters. The point is: don't settle for mediocrity when there's so much potential for greatness. With bigger commitment comes bigger profits, and that's what gets you 25% more. 00:00 Not All Traffic Is Good Traffic01:01 Tight Deals with Your Affiliate Partners02:32 Make an EOY Review with Your Top Affiliate Partners04:42 Map Out The Year with Your Partners05:36 More Money Isn't Always the Answer Connect with Amber:Amber Spears Website: https://www.ambermspears.com/East 5th Avenue Website: https://east5thavenue.com/Email Amber: amber@east5thavenue.com Email Mike (Amber's Assistant): mike@east5thavenue.comConnect with Maria:Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.comDirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynetInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions/Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet