Uncensored Direct Marketing

Today’s episode is an interesting conversation with Marc Hochstein, the Executive Editor of CoinDesk, a news site specializing in bitcoin and digital currencies. Marc has more than 20 years of business journalism experience, including 17 years at American Banker, covering banking, technology, capital markets, real estate, and other industries. You don’t have to be a tech-nerd to enjoy this conversation. If you’re interested in what the future holds, stay tuned and expect an intense exchange of ideas between Maira and Marc around cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and how money transforms in the digital economy. “Don’t put in more than you can afford to lose. Even Bitcoin with its track record is not something you bet the whole farm on.”- Marc Hochstein In This Episode:- The narrative of the early Bitcoin community- Mastercard now accepting crypto transactions- Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin SV- The Lightning Network protocol- Crypto as a payment method- Crypto vs. the US dollar- What you need to know about Stablecoins - What exactly is DeFi- Marc’s 5-year outlook for crypto Connect with Marc:- CoinDesk Website: https://www.coindesk.com/author/mhochstein- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marchochsteinTwitter: https://twitter.com/MarcHochsteinConnect with Maria:- Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com- DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/directpaynet- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariasparagis- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/directpaynet

Are you an entrepreneur who’s looking for an amazing copywriter or a freelance copywriter who wants to level up your skill? Whichever side you may be, you will benefit enormously from listening to this podcast. Today, Maria gets on a conversation with Stefan Georgi, a direct response copywriter whose words have grossed over $700MM. He’s the inventor of the RMBC method, a systematic approach to writing better sales copy more consistently in less time. Stefan is the co-founder of Copy Accelerator, a high-end copywriting mastermind whose 170 members generate over 1.5 billion dollars in annual sales. As with her other episodes, Maria’s aim is to provide quick, actionable steps to help you succeed in your online marketing journey. If you liked this episode, go ahead and listen to Direct Response Marketing in the New Reality with Justin Goff. Justin is Stefan’s business partner and co-founder of Copy Accelerator.“We’re all in the service business so you need to WOW people, over deliver, and be the best at customer service.”- Stefan GeorgiIn This Episode:- Who is Stefan Georgi- How to write a sales copy with integrity - Tips to kickstart your copywriting career- Not all copywriters are created equal- How to establish yourself as a copywriting expert - Customer service is paramount- Live selling and the changing landscape of marketing- What does the future look like- Cryptocurrencies and the gig economyConnect with Stefan:- Stefan Georgi Website: https://www.stefanpaulgeorgi.com- Copy Accelerator Website: https://www.copyandfunnelaccelerator.comConnect with Maria:- Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com- DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/directpaynet- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariasparagis- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/directpaynet

When consumers want something, they want it now. They want free shipping, excellent packaging, and a product that’s as perfect as they expect it to be with returns options.  Customer expectations around the globe are continually shifting. If you are an online merchant, fulfilling those demands is easier said than done. Order fulfillment is a function that directly impacts your revenue. You need to have a well-built process around it. Listen to today’s episode and get actionable steps as Maria exchanges best practices and strategies with guest Malcolm McKinnons, an expert in just about everything in the online marketing space.“Find ways to characterize your customers so you can treat them in a consistent way.” - Malcolm McKinnonsIn This Episode:- Fulfillment and processing in the online marketing space - How to choose a fulfillment provider- Why is it essential to have a backup - Testing your fulfillment provider’s process- Understanding chargebacks and refunds- Technology integrations that matter- Inventory management is hugely important- Product personalization vs. standardization- What can Malcolm do for your businessConnect with Malcolm McKinnons:- Malcolm McKinnons Consulting Website: https://mckinnons.orgConnect with Maria:- Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com- DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/directpaynet- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariasparagis- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/directpaynet

Are you ready to navigate the future? Do you see yourself buying products and services using the digital gold currency and having your own electronic identity? How far should we allow technology to rule our lives? Listen to this mind-blowing episode as Maria interviews Dr. Daniel Diemers, author, thinker, speaker, an active futurist in the international Fintech and Crypto/Blockchain community, and co-founder of tech company SNGLR Group. Stay tuned and get ready to take a ride into the future of AI, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies.“There’s going to be a lot of challenges around technology, but I’m very positive we can solve them.” - Dr. Daniel DiemersIn This Episode:- The Power of Blockchain Technology - What is the future of Bitcoin - The right balance between privacy and transparency - Facing the technical hurdles of exponential technologies- Who’s going to save you when something goes wrong- Are you ready for “The Smart Future”- Every item needs to have an identity- Where are we headed- Daniel’s prediction about BitcoinConnect with Dr. Daniel Diemers:- SNGLR Group Website: https://www.snglr.groupConnect with Maria:- Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com- DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/directpaynet- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariasparagis- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/directpaynet

One of your priorities as a direct marketer is preventing chargebacks because they can hurt your conversion and profit. It is also time-consuming to process a dispute and deal with an unhappy customer. Plus, there are other costs associated with disputes and refunds. But how do you prevent chargebacks? In today’s episode, Maria provides five tools available to merchants to avoid chargebacks, save money, and make more money. Don’t just wait for a dispute to happen. Be proactive and analyze what’s happening in your business. Q1 is usually the highest chargeback season, so make sure you have all the necessary measures in place. “If you spend a little bit of time understanding how chargebacks occur and why they occur, the proactive approach will yield the best results revenue-wise.” - Maria SparagisIn This Episode:- Chargeback prevention vs. chargeback mitigation- Do you know how to Kount?  Get to know this out-of-the-box tool- Tweaking your payment gateway settings to prevent fraud- Why you should utilize 3-D Secure for non-US customers- Training your Customer Service Team to educate and help your customers- What is a descriptor and why you should test it using different card types- How does analyzing traffic from different sources help you prevent chargeback- Should you use alert systems Connect with Maria:- Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com- DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/directpaynet- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariasparagis- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/directpaynet

If you’re selling products online, you can really benefit from listening to this episode. Host Maria Sparagis, payment solutions expert and sales conversion consultant, shares quick and actionable tips to understand consumer behavior, minimize declined transactions, and improve your conversion rate. Even if your approval rates are at 95%, there’s still room to get better. Explore and utilize your payment gateway’s capabilities, make some tweaks, and easily get better conversions in a thriving global marketplace.“Conversions don’t stop when you get to the checkout page. Actually, that’s where the real work happens.” - Maria SparagisIn This Episode:- Understanding the decline messages- Cascade initial transactions from different processors- Know your merchant category code (MCC)- Offer different payment options - What ACH can do for your conversion- Why you should charge customers in their local currency- Update your VAU and MAU, fraud settings, and velocity checks- How to craft a reattempt strategy- Utilizing subscription salvage services and middleware softwareConnect with Maria:- Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com- DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/directpaynet- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariasparagis- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/directpaynet

Are you looking for inspiration or someone with a message that speaks to you? This podcast aims to inspire and educate, to encourage people to carve their own path, take risks, and pursue their passions. In today’s episode, Maria Sparagis shares her adventures as a young Greek immigrant, the risks she had to take, and the many lessons she needed to learn to get to where she is now. Who is Maria Sparagis, and why should you listen to what she has to say? Before establishing DirectPayNet, Maria used to work for the adult entertainment empire Mansef Inc. (now known as MindGeek), owners of brands such as Brazzers and Playboy. It’s where she developed her skills in affiliate marketing, sales, customer service, and merchant accounts/payments. Her experiences make her highly capable of offering merchants valuable insights on how to increase revenue while mitigating risks. Interestingly, Maria is trilingual, speaking English, French, and Greek. She is also an avid runner and yoga enthusiast. Stay tuned and be inspired. “As competition becomes bigger and bigger, you take chances.” - Maria SparagisIn This Episode:- Who is Maria Sparagis- Maria’s initiation into cold selling and entrepreneurship- A taste of customer service- Learning the art of negotiation while traveling the world - Maria’s venture into affiliate marketing - Payment processing and working with merchant accounts- Building skills in an unlikely place- Shifting into the UK market with a different product offer- How Maria met her first client- The birth of DirectPaynet, Maria’s boutique payment firmConnect with Maria:- Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com- DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/directpaynet- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariasparagis- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/directpaynet

Are you running your own business? When is the right time for you to find a business partner? Do you write your own copy? What does it take to craft a copy that converts? Maria’s guest, Julian Reyes, will answer all these questions and more. Julian had an interesting childhood, from being a product of psychological experimentation to becoming a “juvie,” then bouncing back to being an actor to emerging as what Maria refers to as “One of the Best Copywriters in the Universe.” Listen to this entertaining episode and pick up golden nuggets of wisdom as Maria and Julian exchange thoughts on scaling your business, dealing with affiliate traffic, and writing a great offer. “No matter what stage you’re at, find people that might be able to help you, give to them, and get things back.” - Julian ReyesIn This Episode:- Who is Julian Reyes- Being a Lone Ranger Vs. Having a Business Partner- Why do you need to drop the “labels” to achieve your end goal- Copywriting trends and the next steps for an entrepreneur- Julian’s strategy in creating a great offer- How to anticipate failure points and build a structure to deliver great output- How do you leverage your payment processor- Mitigating risk in affiliate marketing- Puerto Rico: It’s the place to be!Connect with Julian:- New Crescent Media Website: https://redcrescentmedia.comConnect with Maria:- Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com- DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/directpaynet- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariasparagis- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/directpaynet

Are you looking for ways to start or grow your online marketing business? In today’s episode, Maria invited Digistore24’s Performance Marketing Manager, David McMenomey, to share some helpful tips. David, affectionately referred to by his closest colleagues as “McMoney,” created multiple offers and businesses online that have generated millions of dollars. He became a marketing expert using affiliate marketing, direct response advertising, and data-driven optimizations, growing companies like Microbe Formulas to become top elite, powerhouse brands. Stay tuned as he talks about his journey from failure to success and learn the simple process of building a successful online marketing business.“Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid to take a risk and create something different and beautiful.” - David McMenomeyIn This Episode:- David shares his top 3 strategies for beginners - Affiliate marketing basics- How to position yourself when you’re just starting out- Copywriting basics: How important is the email subject line (the “hook”)- Learn from David’s journey in the online marketing space- What are the trends in affiliate marketing- David and Maria’s tips for vetting affiliates and top offers- Where do you get support as an entrepreneurJoin David’s Academy:- The Secret McMoney Formula: https://www.digistoreacademy.comConnect with David:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmcmenomey(Note: Maria can also connect you to David)Connect with Maria:- Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com- DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/directpaynet- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariasparagis- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/directpaynet

Ready to grow your online business in 2021? If you’re wondering what you can do to improve your sales conversion and keep yourself competitive, this episode is for you. Stay tuned and learn how to grow your conversion 5 to 10% by doing simple things that won’t cost you extra money. Today, Maria shares her Five Needle Movers -- quick and little changes to your process that will help increase your revenue. If you don’t know Maria just yet, she is the President of DirectPayNet, a company that offers international merchant accounts and consulting for high-risk online businesses. Listen to Maria’s unique perspective and gain insights on the products that are converting, what works and what doesn’t, and finding powerful technology or features that you can use to your benefit.“Make sure you're able to let your customers pay in the currency and payment mode they want to pay.”- Maria SparagisIn This Episode:- Why you should offer dynamic payment modes- Testing your check out page and making it easy for customers to navigate- How to take advantage of the tools included in your payment gateway - Always offer complementary products - What’s with subscriptions, bundles, upsells, and conversion rates- Bonus tip: Livestream Selling, an exciting trend in 2021Connect with Maria:- Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com- DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/directpaynet- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariasparagis