Back

Explore every episode of the podcast Build Your Online Audience

Dive into the complete episode list for Build Your Online Audience. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

Rows per page:

1–50 of 473

TitlePub. DateDuration
[NEW PODCAST TRAILER] The Courageous Content podcast is live!02 Jun 202100:03:31

Find out what to expect from Janet's new podcast in this super short trailer.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Or your favourite podcast app.

And don't forget to download, subscribe rate and review - those reviews are SO important! 


[450] How to bounce back from a failed launch with Natalie Sisson26 Mar 202100:38:27

THIS IS THE LAST EPISODE OF THIS PODCAST. MY NEW PODCAST IS CALLED THE COURAGEOUS CONTENT PODCAST. FOLLOW & DOWNLOAD ON YOUR FAVOURITE PODCAST APP. 

 https://courageous-content.captivate.fm/

Have you ever launched a course or product that flopped - leaving you wondering where you went wrong? 

If this sounds familiar you’ll love this podcast episode with business coach Natalie Sisson. 

Natalie explains how to bounce back from a failed launch and shares her experience of a launch that flopped (and the BIG lessons she learnt).

You’ll learn why being true to yourself can have a huge impact on your launch and how to find the resilience to bounce back from failure.

This is the final episode of The Build Your Online Audience podcast.

Join the waiting list for my NEW podcast (launching in May 2021) here.

 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}   Podcast shownotes
  • About this final Build Your Online Audience podcast episode (00:30)
  • How Natalie inspired me at the start of my podcast journey (01:01)
  • Find out about my new Courageous Content podcast (01:58)
  • About Natalie and her mission to help women earn what they’re worth (03:32)
  • What happened when Natalie’s launch went wrong (06:40)
  • How your mindset can make a bad launch so much worse (09:20)
  • Why your launch will bomb if you don’t stay true to your values (14:15)
  • Why solving problems is more important than perfection (15:53)
  • The key things you need to remember for a successful course launch (17:10)
  • Why the size of your audience should determine your launch strategy (19:10)
  • Why keeping your launch simple is key to success  (23:02)
  • How to find out if people will buy your course before you launch (26:57)
  • About Natalie's new book ’Suck it up Princess’ (33:45)
  • Why resilience is key when you’re launching (36:20)
  • How to join the waitlist for my new Courageous Content podcast (37:29)
Resources

Natalie's website and podcast
Natalie’s Instagram
Natalie’s book Suck It Up Princess

Teachable 

Be the first to hear when my new podcast goes live in May 2021.
Sign up for the waitlist to hear about my new Courageous Content podcast

Join my  Build Your Online Audience programme

Other useful podcasts

[Bonus] Should you join Janet Murray’s Build Your Online Audience Programme? (podcast)
[Bonus] Why I'm ending the Build Your Online Audience Podcast and what's happening next (podcast)


[009] How to build a memorable brand with Natalie Sisson (podcast)
[418] How long does it take to create an online course (podcast)
[426]  The ultimate course launch checklist (podcast)
[440] The secret to a successful online course or membership launch (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

[443] How to create content that will attract your ideal customers/clients with Dawn Bradley05 Feb 202100:56:39

Ever find yourself wondering how some business owners manage to get tons of engagement (and sales) from the content their share on social media?

Then you’ll love this podcast episode with Dawn Bradley - who teaches hair stylists how to build a six-figure business (having done exactly that herself). 

Dawn explains how to create content that really gets under the skin of your ideal customers/clients and keeps them coming back for more.

PLUS how to get comfortable with sharing content on more personal topics (and why you should). And why you must stop trying to appeal to everyone (because you’ll end up appealing to no one).

This episode is packed full of tips, strategies and ideas - regardless of what type of business you have. 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}   Podcast shownotes
  • About this podcast episode (00:39)
  • About my Instagram Success Academy (01:35)
  • About Dawn and her business journey (02:20)
  • When Dawn realised she wanted to work smarter not harder (05:30)
  • How Dawn used the power of Instagram to create demand for her services (07:15)
  • The language Dawn uses to attract her ideal clients (11:38)
  • Why relatable content is more important than perfection (16:20)
  • How Dawn uses client shaming without upsetting people (21:11)
  • Why you can’t appeal to everyone and why you shouldn’t try to (29:51)
  • How to deal with people who want to give you feedback (34:20)
  • How Dawn niched her content by embracing the weird (36:50)
  • Why Dawn got anxious putting out content that didn’t align with her (37:10)
  • How to make your audience relax by putting out content that they can relate to (41:01)
  • How Dawn blends professional and personal life to connect with her audience (45:10)
  • Why boundaries about what you share online are important (47:50)
  • Why spontaneous content can work better than scheduled (49:20)
  • Why connecting with people’s emotion is really important (52:48)
Resources

Dawn Instagram

Dawn website

Join my Instagram Success Academy

Buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner

Other useful podcasts

[Bonus] Should you join Janet Murray's Build Your Online Audience Programme? (podcast)
[Bonus] Should you buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner? (podcast)

[362] How to grow your Instagram following to 27K fast (podcast)
[379] How to grow your Instagram posts by 1K in 30 days (podcast)
[385] How to sell on Instagram Stories (without feeling sleazy) (podcast)
[392] How to get more engagement on Instagram (podcast)
[408] 11 Instagram Story ideas to help you make more sales (podcast)
[415] How to use TikTok to build your online audience with Sam Bearfoot (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

[365] Why your Facebook page isn’t getting enough engagement (and what to do about it)16 Sep 201900:07:44

Are you frustrated by the lack of engagement with your Facebook page? 

You’re posting regularly but your reach is poor. Your posts are only attracting a handful of likes and comments - leaving you wondering if it’s worth having a page at all. 

If this sounds like you, the first thing you need to know is that it’s nothing to do with the Facebook algorithm and everything to do with the kind of content you’re sharing.

Which means there is a lot you can do to improve your engagement (without spending a penny on advertising). 

If this sounds familiar, you’ll love my seven episode podcast series on how to improve your Facebook page engagement.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

This episode is part of a seven episode challenge to help you improve your Facebook page engagement. You can read more about the challenge here. 

Why your Facebook page isn’t getting enough engagement (and what to do about it)

If you’re not getting engagement on your Facebook page, it’s easy to blame the algorithm (i.e. the complicated - and super top secret - mathematical equation Facebook uses to determine how many people your content is shown to). 

The truth is, if you’re engagement stinks, it’s nothing to do with the Facebook algorithm and everything to do with the kind of content you’re sharing (plus how you’re sharing it). 

The good news is, there is a LOT you can do to improve your Facebook page engagement (without spending a penny on advertising). 

But the first thing you need to know is that posting great content is not enough. You also need to ‘train’ the Facebook algorithm to recognise your content as important so it will show it to more people. How do you do that? By getting engagement on your posts in the form of likes and comments. 

If you’re currently struggling to attract likes and comments, this might seem like a ‘chicken and egg’ situation. If you not many people are commenting on your content, others are likely to want to comment either.

But the answer is surprisingly simple; instead of sitting back and hoping someone will comment on your content...you need to go out and find people to comment on your content. 

Do this one thing 

Make a list of 15 people  you can ask to comment on your content for the duration of the challenge (and beyond if you can). This is your Facebook Engagement Tribe.  Ideally these will be your ideal customers, but if this is not possible, just do what you can to get some engagement going on your page. You can even get together with a group of fellow business owners and comment on each others’ posts - that way everyone benefits. 

It may take a while for Facebook to catch on that your posts are valuable and start showing them to more people - which is why it’s important to be patient.

Remember, also, that it’s not just about the algorithm. Your Facebook page is your shop window; if people look you up online and see you’re effectively broadcasting to an audience of none, they will assume (rightly or wrongly) your business is not successful. If they see engagement - in the form of likes and comments (even if they do initially come from your best friend!) they’re much more likely to take you seriously.

Resources

Take part in my 7 day Facebook challenge here

Build Your Audience Programme

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

[364] How to deal with difficult customers or clients13 Sep 201900:39:27

Do you ever have clients or customers who seem impossible to please? If you’re a coach or consultant, these typically show up as clients who sign up to work with you…and then don’t do the work. But somehow they try to make it feel like it's all your fault. 

If you have a product-based business, these are generally the ones who ask for discounts and refunds - often without justification. These kind of people can be a huge drain on your energy - and your time.

In this episode I share practical strategies for dealing with difficult clients and customers.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode} Podcast shownotes
  • How setting the ground rules can help reduce complaints (4:46)
  • Why prevention is better than cure by managing expectations of clients (5:46)
  • How setting boundaries can reduce your workload and manage client expectations (6:45)
  • How to create a fairplay agreement for your guidelines and learn about mine (13:25)
  • How having your FAQs on your sales page can help if a customer is dissatisfied(14:08)
  • How communicating well and monitoring your communications can help protect against unhappy clients (16:48)
  • How creating key blog posts in a membership can improve a client experience (18:10)
  • How anticipating potential problems will help prevent problems with clients (22:39)
  • How to use a discovery call with a potential client to decide if you can work with them (24:45)
  • How to defuse a situation with an unhappy client (28:00)
  • How putting the onus back on the customer can help de escalate a situation (29:38)
  • How to deal with someone who complains by showering them with love (33:17)
  • Why you shouldn’t be afraid to refund people and let them go (36:20)
Resources

Jay Baer Hug your haters

How to get the most out of the Build Your Audience Office Hour

How to get the most out of your Build Your Audience membership 

Take part in my 7 day Facebook challenge here

[202] Behind the scenes of my membership community (podcast)

[219] How to get your ideal clients to fall in love with you with Laura Pearman (podcast)

[281] How to find new clients or customers fast (podcast)

[351] How to get corporate clients (and why you should) with Dylis Guyan (blog post)

Lost your mojo with your membership community? Here's how to get it back. (blog post)

How to add captions to your video using Kapwing and Rev.com (blog post)

Build Your Audience Programme

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

[363] How to bust through an audience growth plateau06 Sep 201900:33:18

If you’re struggling to grow your audience on social media, the temptation is to keep trying more and more new marketing strategies. 

But this can often leave you feeling overwhelmed and overworked. And when you’re spreading yourself too thin - you can end up doing lots of things not very well - which can actually stunt your audience growth. 

If this sounds familiar, you’ll love this podcast episode on how to bust through an audience growth plateau. 

In it, I show you how doing things differently (rather than doing more) can help you kickstart your audience growth.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode} 1. Focus on one platform 

If you’re struggling to build your audience on social media, it may be because you’re spreading yourself too thin. Focusing on growing your audience on one social media platform means you can go deep on all the features of that platform - and experiment with different strategies - rather than ‘dabbling’ with three or four. 

This doesn’t mean you can’t post on other social media platforms at all; you can always repurpose some of the content from your main platform. But putting 90% of your efforts into one platform will almost certainly help you grow quicker. 

For example, the Instagram expert Kat Coroy focuses her social media efforts solely on Instagram - which has allowed her to sell thousands of her online course Instagram Makeover. 

The LinkedIn expert Helen Pritchard focuses solely on LinkedIn - allowing her to attract hundreds of students to her LinkedIn Bootcamp. 

Love and London (an online resource for visitors to London) has over 100,000 subscribers to its YouTube channel. But while its founder Jess Dante has a presence on most social media platforms, her key focus is on Instagram - freeing her up to create high quality content and serve her existing clients.

2. Focus on engagement not numbers 

When you’re building an online audience, it’s tempting to think it’s all about the numbers. Which means focusing on building funnels and automating everything you can, right?

Wrong. 

Numbers are important (the average conversion rate for online sales is just 1-2% which means most people need a much bigger audience than they think). But what you actually need to build is relationships.

So if you’re focusing on building funnels and automation - over having real conversations with your prospective customers/clients - on social media and in your DMs if necessary - your audience growth will almost certainly plateau. 

Building your audience is actually about building relationships. And you build this relationship one at a time.

3. Share more personal content 

People like to do business with people they like. So if you’re hiding away behind your laptop - or in your studio - you’re missing out on the chance to build relationships with prospective (and existing) customers. 

This isn’t about sharing your personal secrets - or airing your dirty laundry in public. It’s about creating connection points when you realise you share common ground with your followers.

For example, fashion illustrator Zoe Georgiou, said she decided to join my Build Your Audience membership programme after she came to one of my meet-ups and found me warm and welcoming (not the ‘hard-nosed businesswoman ‘she’d expected). But what nailed it was when I revealed I also hated tomato ketchup. Finding those areas of commonality and creating those ‘that happened to me too’ moments can be crucial for building your audience. 

And as Marsha Shandur points out in our podcast interview on how to use stories to attract your ideal clients, when you’re willing to be vulnerable and admit your life isn’t perfect, that’s when people often feel they can connect with you.

4. ‘Borrow’ other peoples’ audiences

Creating guest content for other peoples’ audiences e.g. guest blog posts, guest teaching sessions and virtual summits can be a great way to grow your audience - by tapping into other peoples’ audiences. 

There are pros and cons for each, but for me, by far the best way to do this is through podcast guest interviews. 

Being a podcast guest is a great way to get in front of your ideal customers/clients - and build your audience - fast. 

It’s much quicker than writing a guest blog post (most podcast interviews last between 30-60 mins) - which means you can potentially do several a week. 

It’s also a great way to build new relationships quicker. 

There’s something about being in someone’s earbuds that’s much more intimate than the written word. Which means that by the end of a thirty minute interview, people often feel they know, like and trust you enough to visit your website, download your free resources and/or even buy your products/service. 

And the best thing is, every time you appear on someone else’s podcast, you’re getting in front of a brand new audience - an audience you haven’t had to build yourself.

So if you set yourself a target to do three interviews a week, you could potentially build your audience by thousands - in a relatively short space of time.

Here’s how to pitch yourself as a podcast guest. 

5. Show up ‘in person’

Hosting a live event can be a great way to connect with your prospective customer/clients. There is something really powerful about meeting someone in person. You can create a much better rapport - and do it faster - than you can online. 

This doesn’t mean you have to put on a large live event.  A small meet up can be just as effective.

And if that really isn’t possible, you can add a personal touch by sending a voicemail or using a tool like Bonjoro. 

Key takeaway

Building an online audience can be tough and it is perfectly normal to hit a plateau. In fact, this can happen at any stage in your business. But if you can swap your a ‘funnel’ mindset for a ‘feeling’ mindset - using some of the ideas shared in this post - you’ll bust through your audience growth plateau quicker. 

Podcast shownotes
  • Why you need to think differently when you hit an audience growth plateau (2:50)
  • Why focusing on one platform will help you grow quicker  (04:09)
  • Examples of people that use one social media platform media really well  07:03
  • Why focusing on the engagement and not numbers will help grow your audience (10:32)
  • Steps to take on your platforms if you’ve fallen into an audience growth plateau (12:10)
  • Why conversations and engaging on social media can help grow your audience (14:55)
  • How sharing personal stories will help you connect with your audience (15:55)
  • How to choose the content topics that you post about  (19:00)
  • How ‘borrowing’ other people’s audiences can get you in front of a new audience (24:12)
  • How being a podcast guest can help you grow a new audience (and bonus tips) (25:59)
  • Why showing up in person  can help you connect and grow your audience (28:57)
Resources

Download 50 ways to build your online audience

Kat Coroy online course Instagram Makeover.
Kat Coroy Kat Coroy website 
Helen Pritchard  LinkedIn Bootcamp
Jess Dante YouTube  Love and London
Kate Lister florist Instagram
Julia Day The Independent Girls Collective
Voicemail tool Bonjoro

[190] How to pitch yourself as a podcast guest (and why you need to) (podcast)

[196] How to get more engagement on Instagram with Sara Tasker (podcast)

[253] How to land guest appearances on podcasts with Nicole Holland (podcast) 

[341] How to use stories to attract your ideal clients with Marsha Shandur  (podcast)

[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)

[353] How to grow your audience through Instagram Stories with Tyler McCall (podcast)

[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (for when you’re all out of ideas) (podcast)

[362] How to grow your Instagram following to 27K - fast (podcast)

How to add closed captions to your videos using Rev and Kapwing (blog post)

Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Build Your Audience Programme

How to write awesome sales copy

How to create a high converting lead magnet course

Order your special offer 2019 Media Diary 

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

 

[362] How to grow your Instagram following to 27k - fast29 Aug 201901:03:44

Are you struggling to build your audience on Instagram? You're posting regularly but you're not getting as much engagement as you'd like (or sales). Everything just seems SO slow....

Or maybe you're thinking about using Instagram to promote your business...and would love some tips/tactics on how to make best use of the platform.

If any of that sounds familiar you’ll love this podcast interview with Chris Taylor.

In it, he shares how he's grown his Instagram following from just 500 to 27k since last year.

He's super candid about the tactics he's used and has this rare talent of making it all sound so simple. I tried one of his tactics immediately after the interview and 3x the reach on my next post.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode} Podcast Shownotes
  • How Chris started in social media and Instagram  (2:56)
  • Practical strategies you can use to grow your  Instagram following (08:10)
  • How spending an hour on Instagram can help build your relationships (11:32)
  • How to find out what content your followers want to see  on Instagram (13:07) 
  • How to use hashtags on Instagram to engage with other people’s content (and how you can build your authority (17:03)
  • Why social media is now the main marketing platform for small to medium-sized businesses (21:20)
  • Why hashtags are important on Instagram and the best way to use them (22:30)
  • How to use hashtags strategically on Instagram (and why you need to pre engage before posting) (23:40)
  • How to use hashtags like a domino effect for your post reach (and go viral) (28:15)
  • What tools you can use for hashtag research (30:18)
  • Step by step example of hashtag research for a post on Instagram (33:01)
  • How to get as much engagement as possible on your Instagram posts (36:04)
  • Why Instagram is no longer about the image and it’s the content that can make the biggest difference (41:07)
  • How to use Instagram Stories to authentically engage with your audience (46:05)
  • How getting rid of the money mindset can get you results on social media (52:40)
  • Why you need to spend time on your social media to get the results you want (1:01:15)
Resources

Chris Taylor Instagram

Tools that Chris uses for hashtag research: Social Report, Social Blade, Rite tag

[196] How to get more engagement on Instagram with Sara Tasker (podcast)

[318] How to write compelling email copy (podcast)

[335] How to create a high converting lead magnet (podcast)

[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)

[353] How to grow your audience through Instagram Stories with Tyler McCall (podcast)

[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (for when you’re all out of ideas) (podcast)

How to add closed captions to your videos using Rev and Kapwing (blog post)

Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Build Your Audience Programme

Special offer - How to write awesome sales copy

How to create a high converting lead magnet course

Order your special offer 2019 Media Diary 

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

The post [362] How to grow your Instagram following to 27k - fast appeared first on Janet Murray.

[361] 15 post ideas for your Facebook group23 Aug 201900:20:12

Do you ever feel all out of ideas for your Facebook group? 

Or maybe you’re just tired of posting the same old stuff and/or looking for ideas to boost engagement in your group. 

This list of go-to posts will you keep you going...even when you’re feeling at your most uninspired. 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

 

1. Opinions please

Got a new product/service to launch? Ask your members to help you decide on the name/title, which logo design you should use and/or which colour you should stock it in. 

2. Win of the week 

Ask your members to share their biggest ‘win’ of the week. Great for a Friday morning post. 

3. The big promotion 

Invite your members to share something they want to shout about. This could be anything from a new product or service they’re launching to an achievement they are proud of. To avoid people spamming your group with sales pitches, this is best restricted to a specific day/date.

4. Your week in emojis

Ask your members to describe their day/week in three emojis. 

5. Shout out

‘Shout out’ member successes. For best results, shout out several members at a time and tag them into your post. 

6. Honesty time

Invite your members to share one thing they are struggling with right now - something they might feel awkward about sharing outside of the group. 

7. In the news

Is there a news story everyone is talking about right now? Ask your members what they think about it. Bonus tip: don’t share a link to an article someone else has written about it - explain it in your own words (or on video). 

8. Emoji review

Invite your members to review your latest blog post, podcast episode, Youtube video - or your latest Facebook Live video in the group - using just three emojis. 

9. The winning shot

Just had a new set of headshots taken for your business? Share your favourites and ask your followers to vote on their winning shot. You can do the same with product photography. 

10. Home sweet home

Ask your members to post the name of the town/city where they live (or a photo/video). 

11. My favourite place 

Invite your members to share a photo or video of their favourite spot in their home/office. 

12. Sneak peek

Give a sneak peek of a new product/service you’re working on. 

13. Quick tutorial

Shoot a quick ‘how to’ video tutorial showing for your members on a specific topic e.g. how to light their smartphone videos (without any fancy equipment), how to wrap an awkward shaped gift or how to knock up a nativity costume for your child in 30 mins. 

14. Oops I did it again

Share the outtakes from your latest social media video or podcast recording. Or share the pictures that didn’t make it to your feed (e.g. the cat walking across your Instagram flatlay). 

15. Can you guess what it is? 

Share a tool/resource you use in your work and get your members to guess what you use it for. 

Want more? Head over and download the full 31 ideas here. 

Want to go more indepth then head over to my Facebook group engagement Masterclass that you can buy here.

If you are struggling to get engagement on social media then you can buy my social media engagement playbook here.

Podcast shownotes
  • How to sell and create a buzz in your group by asking for feedback on your products (01:44)
  • How to celebrate your group members’ successes and create engagement (3:27)
  • Why you should give members a specific day to promote their own business (04:17)
  • How emojis can be used to get everyone talking (05:28)
  • How to inspire other members by doing a member shout out and share success (5:40)
  • How encouraging honesty amongst members can support members and create engagement  (07:15)
  • How to use a current news story that divides opinion in your Facebook group (and why you should tell it in your own words) (08:28)
  • How to use recent business photos to create engagement (10:34)
  • How you can create engagement just from asking about places (11:51)
  • Why you should get people to share their behind the scenes  (12:57)
  • Why you need to have one clear call to action on your Facebook group post (13:25)
  • How to create content in your Facebook group by being helpful (14:00) 
  • How to get your Facebook group engaged by sharing the bits that go wrong in your business (15:11)
  • Why you need to keep an eye on your content and change it if it’s not working (16:17) 
  • How the Facebook algorithm favours content in groups with comments (17:40)

 

Resources

Record your screen with Loom
Edit photos with Snapseed
How to do an iTunes review

[192] How to get more engagement on your Facebook page (podcast)[318] How to write compelling email copy (podcast)[320] How to host a Christmas sale on Facebook Live (podcast)[329] What's working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville (podcast)[335] How to create a high converting lead magnet (podcast)[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)[357] How to transform your Facebook page from ghost town to garden party (podcast)

[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (for when you’re all out of ideas) (podcast)

How to add closed captions to your videos using Rev and Kapwing (blog post)

Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Build Your Audience Programme

How to create a high converting lead magnet course

Order your special offer 2019 Media Diary 

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

The post [361] 15 post ideas for your Facebook group appeared first on Janet Murray.

[360] How to get people to open your emails16 Aug 201900:57:06

If you want to get people to open your marketing emails, you need to write compelling email subject headers.

But what makes a great email subject header? Which words and phrases make people more likely to open your emails? And which ones should you avoid?

That's exactly what I cover in this podcast episode on how to get people to open your emails. It’s packed with tips, tricks and examples you can use to improve your email open rate.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Before you get started, here’s a bit of tough love for you. I wish I could give you one strategy or one blueprint you could follow to get people to open your emails. But as every audience is different, I’m afraid I can’t do that.

What I can do is share the strategies that work really well for me, for my clients, and for others in the industry. But if you want to improve your email open rates, you're going to have to be brave, you're going to have to be courageous, and you're going to have to go and test things out and see what works for you.

1. Make a list of what keeps your ideal client (or newsletter reader) up at night

The first thing you need to understand is that people don’t buy for logical reasons. They buy for emotional reasons. So if you want to write effective email subject headers, you need to understand your prospective clients' emotions. That’s why I recommend starting by making a list of your ideal clients’ problems and their worries. For example, my prospective clients often tell me they’re worried their clients are going to dry up, that they struggle to stick to a consistent content publishing/schedule and that they feel overwhelmed by all the marketing options out there. The more I can understand that, the better placed I’ll be to write great email subject headers that will get them to open my emails.

2. Don’t be vanilla

Most of us have overflowing inboxes. We only open things that pique our interest.

So if you want to increase your email open rate - and increase your sales - you've got to be courageous. That means no playing it safe with boring and/or ‘vanilla’ email subject headers.

3. Go through your own inbox and look at what gets your attention (I save mine)

One of the best ways to get ideas for your own email subject headers is to go through your inbox and see which ones caught your attention. Analyse why they caught your attention and what you could use/adapt for your own email subject headers. Save them in a folder and look through them when you need inspiration.

4. Ask Questions

If you want to get people interested in opening your emails you need to arouse peoples’ curiosity. It can be helpful to think of your subject headers a like a ‘teaser’ for email content.

Asking questions often works well. For example: ‘can you answer this question honestly?’ or ‘what kind of results can you expect from working with me?’

This invites the reader to get into a conversation with you, which is what great email marketing is all about.

5. Surprise your subscribers

Introducing an element of surprise works well too. For example: ‘please stop listening to my podcast’,  ‘I was wrong about this’ or ‘Facebook hates you. Here’s why.’

Why would I ask people to stop listening to my podcast? What was I wrong about? Why does Facebook hate you?

These statements arouse curiosity and intrigue, which means people are far more likely to open the email.

6. Use genuine scarcity

If you have a genuinely time-sensitive offer, don’t be afraid to use that in your email subject header e.g. “Last chance’ or ‘enrolments close at midnight.’

Although do keep a close eye on spam trigger words i.e. those that are most likely to mean your email ends up in spam. For example words like ‘discount’ ‘bonus’ or ‘buy’. But don’t get caught up on lists like this - track and measure what’s happening in your own email list.

7. Showing vulnerability is also effective

If you send out an email with a missing link, don’t try to cover it up - email your list,  apologise for your mistake and turn it into a content opportunity.

One of my best performing email subject headers is ‘Oops! Of course we know your name really’. This was sent after we accidentally emailed my whole list with their location in the field where their name should have been. Showing that you're human makes you seem more relatable, which can be a great way to build a relationship with your subscribers.

 

7. Use emojis

There is tons of research to show that emojis can increase your email open rates so experiment and see what works for you. Fun fact: we get a much better open rate when we use the 💩 emoji but more unsubscribes. Experimenting with this type of thing is what makes email marketing so much fun (in my opinion).

8. Experiment with fonts and layout

Try to experiment in other ways too. For example, using all lower- case letters. This can make your email seem more informal as if it’s coming from a friend. Or using brackets or a mixture of caps and lower-case letters (although do be careful, as capital letters can come across a bit ‘shouty’.).

 

9. Check how your email subject header looks on mobile

Test out how your email subject looks on mobile. Can you see the whole header? Or is some of it missing (in which case, try going for a shorter headline). Some of these seemingly small things can have a big impact on whether your email is opened.

10. Don’t take it personally if people unsubscribe

If you are sending emails as part of your email marketing strategy, you will get unsubscribes. This can be upsetting, but it doesn’t mean you are doing anything ‘wrong’. Track your numbers, but please feel reassured that the odd unsubscribe is fine. You only need to worry if you notice a big increase.

Podcast shownotes
  • About this podcast (12:24)
  • Why you need to understand your readers' problems rather than their habits (13:50)
  • Why your email subjects need to be brave and courageous not boring and safe (16:07)
  • How to research emails that grab your attention (and examples of good subject headers) (16:48)
  • Why making your email subject header intriguing will increase open rates (20:18)
  • Examples of my best email subject headers with tips on how you can use them (20:32)
  • How changing sentence structures can trigger emotional reactions (29:40)
  • How showing vulnerability can really get your audience on side (34:38)
  • Why you should create email content out of mistakes you make in your business (and hear a few of mine including that gift email!) (38:22)
  • Why great email marketing is about starting a two-way conversation (44:51)
  • Why unsubscribes are not the end of the world and can actually save you money (47:06)
  • Why you shouldn’t feel bad if someone complains about your emails (49:06)
  • Things to consider about the layout of your subject headers and using emojis (52:16)
  • Why you need to test and experiment with your subject headers (54:47)
Resources

Spam trigger words to avoid

[359] How to create an email newsletter people look forward to receiving (podcast)
[300] How to Build an audience and why you need to  (podcast)
[318] How to write compelling email copy (podcast)
[325] Three social media posts that will help you generate sales (podcast)
[333] 39 surprisingly easy ways to increase your email subscribers list (podcast)
[335] How to create a high converting lead magnet (podcast)
[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)
[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (for when you’re all out of ideas) (podcast)

Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Build Your Audience Programme

How to create a high converting lead magnet course

Order your special offer 2019 Media Diary 

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass) 

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

The post [360] How to get people to open your emails appeared first on Janet Murray.

[359] How to create an email newsletter people look forward to receiving08 Aug 201900:38:36

Are you putting off launching an email newsletter because you don’t know what to put in it?

Or perhaps you started sending an email newsletter...and then hit ‘pause’ because you weren’t sure if the content was right for your audience?

If that sounds familiar, you’ll love this podcast on how to create an email newsletter that people actually look forward to receiving. In it, I cover:

  •  What to include in your email newsletter
  •  How often you should send out your email newsletter
  •  The ideal word count for your email newsletter 
  •  The best layout for your email newsletter 
  •  How to get people to subscribe to your email newsletter

And a whole host of other useful tips and tactics to create a successful email newsletter

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

 

First off, the most important thing you need to know about your email newsletter is that it’s not about you. It’s about your ideal customers/clients. So - unless you have a Kardashian style audience of people who are fascinated by your daily life - your email newsletter shouldn’t be ‘news’ about you and your business. It should focus on your ideal customers/clients problems. 

What is an email newsletter?

While this may sound obvious, a lot of people get this wrong. A newsletter is any regular email you send out to your current/prospective clients. It doesn’t have to contain pictures or a fancy layout (although it may). It can just be plain text. The key thing is it must add value and help you nurture the relationship.

What makes a great email newsletter?

Your newsletter is, effectively, a lead magnet i.e. a piece of content you create to attract your ideal customers/clients (or nurture your relationship with existing ones). 

A great lead magnet solves a specific type of problem for a specific type of customer/client, offers a transformation, gives a quick win and (crucially) leads your subscribers towards a paid product/service.

Learn how to create an effective lead magnet for your business. 

For example, the Instagram expert Sara Tasker has a monthly newsletter where she shares new and interesting Instagram hashtags that will be useful for her audience. I look forward to receiving it because I know I’m going to get some fab new hashtags to try. 

It solves a problem for me because researching hashtags take time - and is not the most enjoyable job (which is why I look forward to receiving it). So Sara is saving me time on something I don’t like doing. She has an online course specifically for Instagram growth, so her email newsletter is perfectly aligned with one of her paid offers. 

Entrepreneur Marie Forleo sends out a weekly email about her latest Q & A Tuesday YouTube video - which contains valuable tips on business and marketing. These free videos add value and build trust, so when she launches her online marketing programme B-School, people are queuing up ready to buy. 

Remember an email newsletter isn’t just about attracting new customers/clients. It can be about nurturing your relationship with existing ones. 

I send an email every Friday morning to update my audience about my latest podcast episode. And anyone who buys my Media Diary - an A4 desk that includes key dates and awareness days you can use to plan out your content for the coming year - also gets a monthly email newsletter. This includes additional awareness dates and news of new films, books and TV shows (things we wouldn’t necessarily have been aware of when creating the diary) to spark content ideas. Because this email newsletter is adding value, subscribers often email back to thank us for sending it.

You Are the Media founder Mark Masters, sends a weekly email (every Thursday at 6am GMT/BST) with news, ideas and inspiration around content marketing and audience growth. Amongst other things, this email helps him nurture his relationship with existing and prospective attendees of his annual You Are The Media live event. I spoke at the event in Bournemouth in June and it was clear this weekly email was instrumental in filling the room at that live event. 

Pro tip: Remember that solving a problem for your subscribers doesn’t necessarily have to be offering tips/advice. Solving a problem for your audience could be making them laugh or giving them something beautiful to read during their coffee break (the very reason I subscribe to Alexandra Franzen’s newsletter). Whatever adds value for your audience. 

How to find out what you should include in your email newsletter?

If you already have an email list, ask them what they’d like to hear about. Don’t ask them an open question e.g. ‘What would you like me to include in my email newsletter?’ If you do this, you’re asking them to think really hard - which means it’s far less likely they’ll reply. 

Instead, give them three or four ideas you have for your email newsletter content and ask them to choose the one that feels like the best fit for them. This way, they have to do less thinking, which means they’re far more likely to reply. Once you’ve got them in a conversation, you can always ask further questions to find out if they have any ideas of their own (some will volunteer anyway).

If you don’t have an email list, follow exactly the same process with five to ten of your ideal clients/customers. And/or ask your social media followers.

Do remember that the only way you will truly know what your audience want to hear about is by putting content out there and seeing how they respond. This can be scary, but it’s the only way to truly find out what kind of content your subscribers really need. 

How long does your email newsletter need to be?

The rather unsatisfactory answer is...as long as it needs to be. 

I subscribe to some newsletters that are just a few lines long but solve my problems. Others are more in-depth. Make it as a long or short as it needs to be for your audience. 

Does an email newsletter have to include pictures/or have a fancy layout?

If you’ve got the resources to do it and you think it would work for your audience, go ahead and do it. But plain text is absolutely fine. In fact, there is a lot of research to show plain text emails actually perform better than those with images. 

And remember an email newsletter doesn’t have to be completely text-based. You can share video, audio, infographics, for example. 

It all comes back to what your audience needs from you. 

How often should you send out your email newsletter?

The rather unsatisfactory answer is: as often as you feel that you need to and probably more often than you think. 

The key thing is that you’re adding value and you’re tracking your results and tweaking and adjusting as necessary. 

For example, Kennedy teaches entertainers to get booked out with clients. He sends a daily email to his followers and makes a paid offer for his membership/events in pretty much every email. It’s delivering consistently good results for him. 

Your email newsletter is only too frequent if it’s not delivering results for you. 

Don’t panic if you get a few unsubscribes from your newsletter (or even one or two people who email to say your emails are too frequent for them. What is too frequent for one person is often fine for another). You only need to worry if it’s happening regularly. 

Bonus tip: Always try to provide an opportunity for people to ‘talk back’ to you if possible e.g. ‘hit reply and let me know what you think about x or y.’ The more conversation you can generate, the more effective your newsletters will be. 

How do you get people to subscribe to your email newsletter?

The key thing to remember is that no one wants to subscribe to a newsletter. Another piece of junk in their inbox that they probably won’t open. So don’t ask people to subscribe to your newsletter. Instead, sell the value e.g. ‘Sign up for my monthly hashtag newsletter and save yourself tons of time on hashtag research.’  or ‘Register for our monthly Media Diary newsletter to get additional awareness days and key dates you can use to help with your content planning.’ 

Here’s 39 surprisingly easy ways to get people to join your email list. 

What kind of email newsletter can you create if you have a product-based business?

Many product-based business owners think the only email newsletter they can send is one with discounts/offers.

If the only thing you’re doing is offering discounts, you’ll have no trouble getting people to sign up to your email newsletter. But you may struggle to get people to build the kind of loyalty that results in repeat sales. 

A more savvy approach can be to think about how people might be using your product. A good example of this is my Media Diary newsletter.  Sending a monthly newsletter with additional awareness days and ideas not only adds value, it also reminds people that we exist - so other relevant products go on sale, I’m already top of mind.

So don’t just send information about your products, send information about how people can use your products (or products like yours). 

For example, if you sell garden offices, send tips on how to style your garden office, how to keep it warm in winter or cool in summer. This is a practical content for past clients and aspirational content for prospective clients. If people see you as a source of useful information - rather than someone who is trying to sell them stuff all the time -  they’re far more likely to want to buy from you.

If sell homeware and gifts like my client Penelope Hope founder Nadia Newton, you can create seasonal content that helps your subscribers - and helps you make sales. 

The great thing about a newsletter is that you can make it seasonal. For example, Nadia recently launched a range of beach bags. Creating a summer newsletter than includes a round-up of the most stylish beach accessories of the summer (that includes her beach bags) would be a great way for Nadia to add value and sell more of her beach bags. 

She could also do similar round-ups for Mothers’ Day gifts, Teachers’ leaving presents and, of course, Christmas gifts. 

Bonus tip: Don’t be afraid to include competitors’ products in your round-ups. While it might sound counter-intuitive, if you position yourself as a helpful person/brand, you’ll build loyalty and trust - making people far more likely to buy from you. 

If you have a product-based business position yourself as an expert in the type of products you sell - rather than someone who sells stuff. That is what will keep your customers coming back to you - time and time again. 

Should you sell in your email newsletter?

Absolutely yes. If it’s appropriate, do make offers in your newsletter. But make adding value your number one priority. 

 

Podcast shownotes
  • Why your email newsletter is not about you (2:20)
  • What is an email newsletter (and why it can just be a simple email) (3:48)
  • What makes a great email newsletter (and why it’s like a lead magnet) (5:03)
  • Four things your email newsletter needs to do (6:58)
  • Examples of some great email newsletters (7:52)
  • Creating an email newsletter that solves your ideal customer or clients problem (14:28)
  • How to present your email newsletter and how long should it be? (15:23)
  • How often should you send out your email newsletter (19:07)
  • Who should you send your email newsletter to (and GDPR considerations) (23:10)
  • How to get people to subscribe to your email newsletter (without asking them to subscribe) (25:10)
  • Tips for creating a product based email newsletter (27:59)
  • How to add value and sell in your email newsletter (34:12)
  • What a great email newsletter should look like (35:45)
Resources

Examples of great newsletters mentioned:

Park Run UK
Sara Tasker
Alexandra Franzen
Baby Centre UK
Marie Forleo
You are the media
Penelope Hope

Discounted 2019 Media Diary offer

[245] What you need to know about GDPR with Suzanne Dibble (podcast)

[300] How to Build an audience and why you need to  (podcast) 

[318] How to write compelling email copy (podcast)

[325] Three social media posts that will help you generate sales (podcast)

[333] 39 surprisingly easy ways to increase your email subscribers list (podcast) 

[335] How to create a high converting lead magnet (podcast)

[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)

[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (for when you’re all out of ideas) (podcast)

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass)

Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Build Your Audience Programme

How to create a high converting lead magnet course

Order your special offer 2019 Media Diary 

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

The post [359] How to create an email newsletter people look forward to receiving appeared first on Janet Murray.

[358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (for when you're all out of ideas)02 Aug 201900:39:58

Do you ever have those days when you are all out of ideas for social media posts? 

Or maybe you are just tired of posting the same old stuff and looking for some fresh ideas to brighten up your social media feeds.

If this sounds familiar, you'll love this podcast episode. In it I share 13 ideas for engaging social media posts. This list of go-to posts will you keep you going...even when you’re feeling at your most uninspired. And you can use them across all social media platforms including Facebook (pages and groups), Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn & more. 

Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

 

https://www.janetmurray.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/358-Trailer-with-subtitles.mp4

 

1. Opinions please

Got a new product/service to launch? Ask your followers to help you decide on the name/title, which logo design you should use and/or which colour you should stock it in. 

2. How I made this

Shoot a time-lapse video of you that shows us how your product is made. N.B. If you have a service-based business, record your video with Loom and show us how you put together a talk/learning resource.

3. Behind-the-scenes

Give us the reality behind something you’re working on e.g. you sitting up late proofing the workbook for your live event, stuffing goody bags in the corridor or fulfilling last minute orders for Christmas.

4. Tips and tactics 

Share a tip e.g. how to add captions to videos, hit the top note in a power ballad or stop your bread shrinking after baking. If you have a product-based business, share a tip about using a product like yours e.g. how to arrange art, how to store handbags in a small space or the best way to cleanse your face.

5. Questions, questions

Ask a question that’s bugging you in your business. Wondering whether to include postage in your prices, provide lunch at your next event or start stocking a new product. Ask your followers what they think. 

6. Show us your workspace

Shoot a quick video of where you work. For more engagement, ask your followers a question about it e.g. should you move the desk under the window or paint the walls in your brand colour. 

7. Grenade 

Share an opinion you know will divide people e.g. why you hate social media videos, motivational memes and/or being called hun or lovely 

8. Playtime

Show us how you play. Share a snap or video of you running, playing the piano, baking cakes…or whatever you like to do to relax. 

9. Show awareness

Use an awareness day/key date. Show your followers how you cook pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, cuddle your cat on International Cat Day and doing nothing on National Do Nothing Day. For more ideas on awareness days, check out my Media Diary.

10. What should I wear? 

Post a pic of yourself wearing an outfit for an upcoming event and get us to give our opinion. Even better, give your followers a choice of style/colour/look to choose from. 

11. Can you guess what it is? 

Share a tool/resource you use in your work and get us to guess what you use it for

12. Oops I did it again

Share the outtakes from your latest social media video or podcast recording. Or share the pictures that didn’t make it to your feed (e.g. the cat walking across your Instagram flatlay). 

  13. Pets and children 

People love cute pics/video of pets and children... so share away. N.B. If you’re nervous about sharing pics of your children, there’s plenty of creative ways to include them...without having their faces on camera. 

Want more? Head over and download the full 23 ideas here. 

If you are struggling to get engagement on social media then you can buy my social media engagement playbook here.

Podcast shownotes
  • Who should listen to this podcast? (2:13)
  • How to create a buzz around your new product or service by asking for opinions (2:38)
  • Creating content from showing people how you make something in your business  (4:11) 
  • How showing behind the scenes of your business can engage your audience (8:18)
  • Create content from sharing a practical tip that will help your audience (11:31)
  • How sharing business dilemmas with your audience can generate content (13:51)
  • How to create a behind-the-scenes tour of your workspace  (19:28)
  • How a grenade post dividing opinion can give you tons of engagement (21:41)
  • How to make people remember you by creating content about what you do when you are not running your  business (29:00)
  • How to take an awareness day and create content around it (30:24)
  • Can’t make a decision? - ask your audience to vote (32:09)
  • Interesting tools or kit for your business? Ask people to guess what it is (33:50)
  • Bloopers! Save the outtakes on your videos/audio and share with your audience (35:14)
  • Share cute animal photos - it doesn’t have to be serious or corporate all the time (36:50)
Resources

Download the full 23 ideas for engaging social media posts

Record your screen with Loom

How to add closed captions to your videos using Rev and Kapwing (blog post) 

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass)

[300] How to Build an audience and why you need to  (podcast) 

[322] How to create a content plan for your business  (podcast)

[325] Three social media posts that will help you generate sales (podcast)

[329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville (podcast)

[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast)

[355] How to create and launch your own planner for your industry (podcast)

[356] How to build your audience through Twitter (and create FOMO) (podcast)

[357] How to transform your Facebook group from ghost town to garden party (podcast)


Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Build Your Audience Programme

Order your 2019 Media Diary 

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

The post [358] 13 Ideas for engaging social media posts (for when you're all out of ideas) appeared first on Janet Murray.

[357] How to transform your Facebook group from ghost town to garden party25 Jul 201900:57:14

Does your Facebook group feel like a ghost town?

You’re showing up regularly, but you’re not getting much engagement. 

In fact you may be wondering if it’s worth bothering having a group at all.

If this sounds  familiar, you’ll love this podcast episode with Bella Vasta. 

In it she shares tons of valuable advice including what to post in your group (versus what you post on your page), how to get members to respond to your posts PLUS some ninja tips on selling to your group members (without being spammy or selly).

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

 

Bella’s story

Bella started using Facebook groups to help promote her pet sitting business owner in Phoenix, Arizona back in 2012. It was only when her daughter was born prematurely in 2014, weighing just 350 grams that she really began to see the power of Facebook groups. 

During a six month long stint with her daughter in Neonatal Intensive Care Facebook groups not only allowed her to keep her business running. They also provided her with the support she needed to deal with having one of the smallest micro-preemie babies in the world. 

Since then Bella has gone on to open a number of other groups for her own business and is now recognised as one of the world’s leading experts on Facebook groups for business. 

Understanding the difference between Facebook pages and groups

To explain the difference between Facebook pages and groups, Bella uses the analogy of your front and back garden. Your Facebook page is like your front garden and your group your back garden. 

If you were hosting a party, you wouldn’t hold it in your front garden, explains Bella. You’d hold it in your back garden where your guests (all personally invited/vetted by you) could mingle and chat in a more relaxed, informal environment - without feeling like passers by were listening in on their conversations. It’s exactly the same in a Facebook group, where you’re the host, but your guests can start their own conversations and hang out with different groups of people.

One of the biggest differences is that conversations on your Facebook page are all started and led by you (what Bella refers to as a ‘dictatorship’ model). Members of your Facebook group are free to start and lead their own discussions (what Bella refers to as a ‘socialist’ model). 

While anyone can see and interact with the content on your Facebook page, only those personally/invited vetted by you can see the content in your Facebook group, which creates a completely different kind of atmosphere. 

How should the content differ on your Facebook page and in your group? 

This really depends on what you are trying to achieve, says Bella. But you will almost certainly need to be posting content that encourages discussion. And because the group is private, you may be able to tackle more sensitive/personal issues than you can on your own page. 

Bella recommends asking three questions to those wanting to join your group (the maximum allowed by Facebook). Ideally, this should include one question that asks them what their biggest challenge is right now (in relation to your paid products/services) and another that asks for their email address. 

She uses a resource called Group Funnel to collect the data from these initial questions and add it to a spreadsheet. This information can be used to generate content ideas for the group and for in copy on sales page. Used in conjunction with the tool Zapier you can also set up an automated email that welcomes new members to the group. This can be personalised with a video message, using a tool like Bonjoro.

Creating a content schedule for your Facebook group

Bella suggests planning your content ahead, using a resource like the Media Diary for ideas and scheduling posts inside Facebook. 

She recommends using questions, polls and Facebook Lives to generate discussion inside your group. 

And there are tons more ideas in her free download 23 Ideas To Get More Engagement In Your Facebook Group: bellavasta.com/janet. 

Podcast shownotes
  • How Bella started her business and her first Facebook group (02:19)
  • Why people will listen to your personal story (10:10)
  • Why your Facebook group and page are like your front and back garden (14:40)
  • How people engage differently in Facebook groups and pages  (20:37)
  • How should the content differ on your Facebook page and in your group? (22:38)
  • Tips for managing your Facebook group as your group gets bigger (25:44)
  • How to get the conversation started and generate content in your Facebook group (and tools to help you) (30:43)
  • Bella’s tips for content ideas and questions to ask in your Facebook group (37:05)
  • Why you shouldn’t abandon your Facebook page (41:48)
  • How Facebook is making it easier to monetize and manage your group (45:10)
  • How to use video strategically in your Facebook group (50:45)
Resources

Get Bella’s download 23 ways to get more engagement in your Group

Bella Vasta Facebook

Bella Vasta Instagram

Find out about Zapier  Bonjoro and Group Funnel

[300] How to Build an audience and why you need to  (podcast) 

[326] The one thing you need to do to create a passive income (podcast)

[327] Why I am closing my 13.5K Facebook Group (podcast)

[329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville (podcast)

[334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows (podcast)

[352] How to sell in a Facebook group without annoying your members (podcast)

[355] How to create and launch your own planner for your industry (podcast)

Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Masterclass: How to write social media posts that sell 

Build Your Audience Programme

Order your 2019 Media Diary 

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

The post [357] How to transform your Facebook group from ghost town to garden party appeared first on Janet Murray.

[356] How to build your audience through Twitter (and create FOMO)18 Jul 201900:49:58

Does Twitter confuse the heck out of you?

If so, you’re not alone.

It's a busy, fast-paced platform that can feel overwhelming at times. But with the right strategies, it can be a powerful - and quick - way to attract and connect with your ideal clients. Plus it’s a great way to reach journalists and influencers in your space. 

In this episode Twitter expert and ‘FOMO creator’ May King Tsang explains how you can build your online audience through Twitter. She explains everything from hashtags and DMs through to Twitter Chats and using Twitter lists to cut out the "noise". 

Plus she shares tons of ideas on what kind of content you should be posting on the platform.

Even if you're already using Twitter, there's tons of practical advice and tips you can start using today.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

 

How does Twitter work 

For the uninitiated, Twitter is like a big online party, says May King. There are groups of people having topics about different topics. You can join conversations that interest you or you can start your own. Anyone you want to talk to is just one tweet or direct message away. And the best thing is you can ‘stalk’ people (e.g. prospective clients, journalists and influencers) and gather information that will help you make a better first impression.  And - unlike on platforms like LinkedIn, where people can see you’ve been checking out their profile - they will never know you’ve been listening into their conversations. 

Connecting with journalists on Twitter

Twitter started as a breaking news platform - and still is. So if you want to connect with journalists, Twitter is definitely the place to hang out. Journalists are actively looking for people to talk to for the stories they are working on. Following hashtags like #journorequest and #prrequest can be a great way to connect with journalists who are looking for stories - without having to send a single pitch or press release. 

Find out how to connect with journalists on Twitter. 

Twitter chats 

A Twitter chat is a public conversation that revolves around a unique hashtag  e.g. #contenthour (N.B. hashtags group together tweets on a similar topic). A Twitter chat can be ongoing, but more commonly are hosted at a regular time and/or day (e.g. once a week or month) - which is why May King compares Twitter chats to TV programmes.

Twitter chats are a great way to network with your ideal clients  - without even leaving your house. 

While she is not aware of any online lists or directories of Twitter chats, May King suggests carrying out a Google search for Twitter chats that are relevant to you/your industry. 

Find out how to take part in a Twitter chat. 

Twitter lists

If you’re following a lot of people, Twitter can feel really noisy, May King suggests creating Twitter lists of people you want to follow e.g. journalists in your industry, prospective clients, so you can follow along with what they’re up to. Twitter lists can be both public and private, so no one needs to know you are ‘stalking’ them.

How to reach out to prospects on Twitter 

One of the best things about Twitter is that anyone you want to talk to is just a click away - including your ideal clients. But blundering in and pitching people over Twitter is probably not the best way to go about it. If there is someone you want to connect with, you can start by liking and retweeting their posts (i.e. sharing their posts with your followers), then move onto replying to their posts and/or starting conversations with them on Twitter. Then, when the time feels right, you can ask them to follow you (if they’re not already) and take the conversation over to the direct messages. In the direct messages you have up to 10,000 characters to play with (as opposed to 160 characters in a standard tweet). 

Spending a bit of time ‘listening’ to what they are tweeting about first can be a good idea. That way you can establish common ground e.g. they like cats, went on holiday to Croatia and/or watch the TV show Casualty too. This can make it much easier to strike up a conversation later. 

Creating a great Twitter bio

Most people will decide whether they want to follow you within seconds of looking at your Twitter profile, which is why May King suggests spending some time getting this right. 

A good quality headshot is a must.  You can also use the cover picture (which sits just behind your profile pic) to promote your products/services. As May King puts it, this is basically your “billboard.” So for example, if you are running a live event, you can list the name of the event, date and venue and a call-to-action to buy a ticket. 

You can use a free design tool like Canva to create an attractive cover picture or hire a designer to create one for you. 

Make sure your bio (just 160 characters on Twitter) explains clearly what you do. If you have a branded hashtag (i.e. one you have created just for your business), you can add it into your bio. 

Twitter allows you to pin a tweet to the top of your feed (known as a ‘pinned tweet’). This is the first tweet, someone who follows you will see, so use this space wisely. You could share an amazing testimonial from a client and/or promote one of your products/services, changing it up as and when your priorities change.

What kind of content should you be sharing on Twitter

While there are no hard and fast rules about what to post on Twitter, as with all of your social media content, remember it’s not about you. It’s about adding value for your followers. Which is why the following types of content generally get good engagement: 

  • Content that educates your followers about your area of expertise e.g. helpful blog posts, tips, useful articles (and not just your own) 
  • ‘Live’ coverage of events you’re attending/speaking at (including photos and videos)
  • Conversation starters/polls 

Just because you’re using Twitter for business, doesn’t mean your content has to be serious. For example, May King recalls being at a conference and asking her followers whether they preferred pastries or fruit for breakfast (as that was what was on offer) and getting really good engagement. 

It’s important to give your followers a sense of the person behind the brand, which is why May King Tsang regularly tweets about her love of Karaoke singing and tea. While this might seem frivolous, it’s actually really important. 

“I think a lot of people, too many people are trying to jump five steps forward and try and close that deal but we can't close that deal before getting to know somebody getting to you know build a relationship with someone and build a rapport with someone and how do you get to know someone and build a rapport with someone? It is the small talk. The "What did you watch on TV? What did you get up to "at the weekend? Do you like bananas or apples?" That really helps build the relationship.

Podcast shownotes
  • How May King became a FOMO creator (04:25)
  • How Twitter works and how it can help your business  (11:49)
  • How to get publicity for your business by connecting with journalists on Twitter (17:00)
  • How Twitter chats can build your audience and business network (18:01)
  • How Twitter lists can reduce the noise and help you connect with prospects (22:37)
  • Key points about your Twitter bio and profile and why it needs to reflect what you do (28:07)
  • Types of content you can post on Twitter and why it’s really important to engage (32:32) 
  • How showing your personal side on Twitter can help people connect with you (36:56)
  • How to find clients and raise your profile on Twitter (41:21)
  • Why you need to ‘walk the talk’ and demonstrate you are an authority in your field on Twitter (45:40)
Resources

May King Twitter

[233] How to monetise your personal brand with Chris Ducker (podcast)

[247] How to find customers on Twitter with Samantha Kelly (podcast)

[259] How to build a loyal following on Twitter with Madalyn Skylar (podcast)

[267] How to get more engagement on Twitter (podcast)

[300] How to Build an audience and why you need to  (podcast) 

[334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows (podcast)

[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast) 

Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Course: How to write social media posts that sell 

Build Your Audience Programme

Order your 2019 Media Diary 

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

The post [356] How to build your audience through Twitter (and create FOMO) appeared first on Janet Murray.

[442] How to get started with Instagram Reels (and why you need to)29 Jan 202100:41:25

Are you using Instagram Reels as part of your Instagram strategy?

Maybe you’ve been thinking about creating Instagram Reels but you need some creative inspiration? Or perhaps you’ve no idea what to make your Instagram Reels about?

In this podcast episode, I explain how to get started with Instagram Reels and why Reels are a powerful way to stand out from the crowd on Instagram and create relatable content that gets people into your DMs - fast.

Discover my time-saving hacks (using Instagram Reels and TikTok together) and the four types of content that really FLY on Instagram Reels (and how to keep people coming back for more). Plus you’ll get my 15 second Instagram Reels template.

And the ONE thing I did that exploded my video content.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}   Podcast shownotes
  • About my Instagram Sucess Academy (00:37)
  • What are Instagram Reels? (04:57)
  • Why video is a good way to connect with your audience (07:34)
  • How to get started on Instagram Reels (09:22)
  • The ideal length for an Instagram Reel (011:18)
  • Why TikTok is great for recording Instagram Reels (11:42)
  • How to think about your content strategy for Instagram Reels (12:56)
  • Why you will need to experiment with your content (15:51)
  • Why you’re not too old for TikTok (17:29)
  • Signs that your content is hitting the mark (19:06)
  • How I created content that really hit the mark (21:14)
  • Why your content needs to be really specific and niche (23:37)
  • Why you might be making a mistake with your content (25:00)
  • How to think about content for a product-based business (25:35)
  • Why you have to think about your customers and their problems (30:15)
  • Types of content that work well on Instagram Reels Tips and tricks (30:50)
  • Why relatable content is really powerful (32:50)
  • Janet’s Instagram Reel challenge (34:09)
  • My 15-second template for an Instagram Reel (34:32)
  • Why you should avoid selling on Instagram Reels (36:01)
  • How to get people to come back for more (36:39)
  • What to do if you’re too nervous to show your face (38:14)
Resources

Join my Instagram Success Academy

Buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner

Other useful podcasts

[Bonus] Should you join Janet Murray's Build Your Online Audience Programme? (podcast)
[Bonus] Should you buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner? (podcast)

[362] How to grow your Instagram following to 27K fast (podcast)
[379] How to grow your Instagram posts by 1K in 30 days (podcast)
[385] How to sell on Instagram Stories (without feeling sleazy) (podcast)
[392] How to get more engagement on Instagram (podcast)
[408] 11 Instagram Story ideas to help you make more sales (podcast)
[415] How to use TikTok to build your online audience with Sam Bearfoot (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

[355] How to create and launch your own planner12 Jul 201900:53:10

Do you love the idea of publishing your own journal/planner…but feel unsure where to start?  

If this sounds familiar, you’ll love this podcast episode on how to create and launch your own planner. 

In it, I share everything I’ve learned from creating my own industry planner (the Media Diary), which is now in its fourth year. I break it down, step-by-step - from how to find out whether your planner will sell (without even creating it), to finding someone to design and print your diary, to marketing your planner. 

I’ll also compare the pros and cons of getting your planner printed yourself versus using a print-on-demand service like Amazon’s Createspace. 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}

Step 1: Market research 

While it’s tempting to start with the creative stuff, it’s important to start by carrying out some research to see if there is a market for your planner or journal. Skip this step and you could end up wasting an awful lot of time and money. 

Remember that most online sales convert at just 1-2%, so if you’re hoping to sell hundreds or thousands of copies of your planner, you will need an audience to sell to.

If you already have an audience of people who would be likely to buy your planner/diary(e.g. an email list and/or engaged Facebook group) share your planner idea and ask for feedback. Start by asking quite general questions e..g ‘I’ve got an idea for a planner. Is this something you think you would buy?”

Don’t have an audience? Find 5 to 10 people you think would be the ideal customer for your planner and ask them if they can spare 15-20 minutes for a quick phone/Zoom call to get some feedback on your idea. And please read Step 5 of this post before you take your planner idea any further. 

Sadly getting a few positive responses isn’t enough to justify creating your planner. If you sense there’s some interest, you need to go deeper. This might include sharing your ideas/pictures on how your planner will be structured, what it will look like and how it will be laid out. Not only will this help you validate your idea, it will give you useful feedback that will help you create a planner your ideal customers actually want (rather than what you think they want).

While research is important, it’s worth remembering that you won’t know for sure if your planner will sell until you ask people to pay you for it. This is why I recommend starting with a test offer (more on that later). 

Step 2: Decide on a topic for your planner

Nice-looking stationery is all very well, but if your planner doesn’t solve a problem for people, you’ll probably struggle to sell it. 

If you’ve done your research correctly, you should have a good idea of the problem your planner will solve for your customers. 

Let’s take my media diary as an example. It’s an A4 desk diary that features key dates and awareness days that can help you plan out your content for the coming year. It is also has planning templates that can you help you create annual, quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily content plans. So the media diary solves two key problems for the people who buy it: not being able to think of any/enough content ideas and not having a clear content plan to follow. Not publishing regular content can decrease your visibility, authority and credibility - which can have an impact on the bottom line of your business. 

Remember that your planner doesn’t necessarily have to solve a practical problem e.g. not being able to think of ideas. It can also solve an emotional problem/need, such as wanting to look stylish around your peers. 

At this stage, it’s also important to think about how you might build a community around your planner. For example, Danielle La Porte’s Desire Map brings together people who want a different approach to goal setting. People who want to create goals around how they want to feel rather than what they want to achieve. That shared identity and set of values is really powerful. 

Step 3: Plan the content of your diary - page by page 

In order to get a quote from a printer, you will need some key information.  This includes:

  •  How many pages you want
  •  Size (e.g. A4, A1) 
  •  Type of printing 
  •  Weight and type of paper 
  •  Finish (e.g. gloss/matt) 
  •  Type of binding e.g. spiral or perfect bound 

If you don’t have all of this information to hand, you won’t even be able to get a quote from a printer. 

This means sitting down and planning out exactly what you will include on every page of your planner - even down to how many pages you want for each month of the year. This is generally known as a flatplan. 

This is important because you can only print a perfect bound book (and, essentially, your planner is a book)  in multiples of four pages. This means that if you decide to add or take away content at a later stage, it could have a big impact on your project (and your budget). If you go for spiral bound, you can add or take away pages in multiples of two, but if you don’t plan out your content thoroughly beforehand, you could still create problems for yourself further down the line. 

it’s difficult to estimate how many pages you will need without knowing how you planner will be laid out.  Sites like Canva and Creative Market have planner templates you can browse for inspiration. Pinterest is also a great place to look for inspiration. 

At this stage, you also need to some research on the correct paper weight for your planner and best method of binding. If you want to create a product people can use (and possibly carry around with them) for a full year it needs to be hardy. 

Skip this stage and you could end up with customers complaining that the cover of their planner has ripped or that they can’t write it in (because the ink is seeping through to the next page and/or smudging everywhere). And the last thing you need is a ton of refund requests to deal with. 

Your printer will also want to know the weight of the paper you want on your cover and whether you want a matt or gloss finish 

Most printers will be happy to advise you and/or send through paper samples. It’s important to touch/feel the paper yourself before you get anything printed. I’d also suggest buying some different planners so you can compare size, binding and layout plus how easy they are to use. 

There are instructions on how to create a flatplan for your planner (and flatplan templates), a checklist of information you need to supply a printer with in order to get a quote and a list of all the printing terminology you need to know in my online masterclass on how to launch a planner for your industry. 

Step 4: Calculate your pricing 

Having mapped out the content of your planner and worked out your print specifications, you can start to gather printing quotes for your planner. I’d suggest getting at least three so you can compare. 

While it may be tempting to outsource your printing overseas this may not be the best practical solution. While it can be cheaper, if there is a problem with the printing, it’s much more difficult to fix if your printer is in China. This is definitely something to bear in mind if you want to launch a seasonal planner i.e. one that runs from January to January. Not only will you need to allow an additional time for the initial print and delivery, if you are unhappy with any aspect of the printing, it could take weeks (or even months) to fix. This is not to say it is a bad idea, but for your first planner it may be best to stay local.

Once you have some printing quotes, you can estimate how much it will cost you to produce each copy of your planner. Then, based on how much profit you want to make (and research on similar products on the market) you can decide on the price of your planner.  

When costing out your planner, remember you also need to include things like:

  • Packaging (and postage, although you may want to add this on to each order)
  • Fulfilment i.e. getting the planner packaged up and sent out 
  • Stripe/PayPal fees
  • Design 
  • Proofreading and editing 
  • Marketing 
  • Your own time 
There is a comprehensive list of the costs you need to consider in my online masterclass on how to launch a planner for your industry.

If you don’t want the hassle of organising your own printing, there is the option of using a print-on-demand service like Createspace, Lulu or Ingram Spark. With this option, you upload your artwork file for your planner to their website and, every time someone orders a copy, it is printed and sent to them. This cuts down on packaging and fulfilment costs, but you will still need to pay for design, editing and proofreading. 

While print-on-demand is often less expensive per copy, you also have less control over the process.  So if something goes wrong, it can be much more difficult to fix. Many people mistakenly think that using a large, established platform means you have a ready made audience to buy their planner. This couldn’t be further from the truth. You will still need to work really hard to market your planner. 

There is a detailed comparison of DIY printing versus print-on-demand in my online masterclass on how to launch a planner for your industry. 

Step 5: Do an audience audit

Remember that most online sales convert at just 1-2%, so if you’re hoping to sell hundreds or thousands of copies of your planner, you will need a large enough audience to sell to. You can use my audience calculator to see if you have enough people in your audience right now to make your target sales. 

If you don’t have a big enough audience, you have two choices. You can either focus on building your online audience to the size you need to launch a planner. This may take at least a year but could save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Here’s how to build an audience. 

Or you can explore the idea of doing a short print run to test your idea. This will almost certainly reduce your profit, as shorter print runs are generally more expensive. But it will also reduce the risk of you making a loss on your planner (and ending up with a stack of planners gathering dust in your loft/garage).

At this stage, you should also ask yourself some tough questions about whether you have the authority to launch a planner on your chosen topic. For example, if you want to launch a planner for yoga teachers, but you’re currently working in banking, you may find you don’t have the credibility to make enough sales. In this case, it would be better to spend some time building your audience before launching a planner. 

Step 6: Create a test offer

You can carry out tons of research, but won’t know for sure if anyone wants to buy your planner until you ask people to pay you money for it. 

This is why I believe you shouldn’t print your planner until you have made enough sales to at least break even. 

Instead, create a test offer. This is where you get a designer to create an image of your diary, create a simple landing page (a web page where people can only do one thing i.e. order your diary) and invite people to pre-order their planner at a reduced cost on the understanding that they may need to wait a bit longer for their planner. 

I use Leadpages for building landing pages.

Step 7: Pitch your test offer

Once your test offer is ready and you have worked out your ‘break even’ figure, you can reach out to your hottest leads and offer them the chance to purchase your planner at the pre-order price. I’d suggest making this a limited time offer. Your hottest leads are generally people you already have a relationship with i.e. those who are already working with you or have done in the past. As a result, high-touch strategies e.g. personal messages, voicemails and phone calls may be needed alongside automated emails and/or social media updates. 

Step 8: Hire your designer and printer

Once you’ve hit your ‘break even’ point, it’s time to hire your designer and printer to create your planner. For design, I’d recommend getting recommendations from friends, family and colleagues. Ideally, you should work with someone who has worked on similar projects and has a background in book/magazine publishing. 

Step 9: Create your launch plan

I’d suggest a 12 week run up to your official planner launch. 

  • Month 1: Warm up your audience by starting conversations and getting feedback on the planner you’re hoping to launch (See Step 1). 
  • Month 2: Focus on creating and launching your test offer 
  • Month 3: Having gathered enough pre-orders to break even, you can sell your planner at the standard price leading up to an official launch date when you post out the planners. 

Doing it in this way builds excitement and anticipation amongst your audience so that when their planner lands on their doormat they can’t wait to share pictures on social media. 

This should give you around 6 weeks from your test offer to ‘make’ your planner. I wouldn’t recommend leaving it any longer or your audience might get fed up waiting for it. 

Step 10: Launch 

If you have followed all the steps set out here, at this point, you should be able to enjoy the results of your hard work and watch the sales drop into your inbox.

Shownotes
  • Who should listen to this podcast (3:06)
  • How to find out if there is a market for your planner (4:05)
  • Who do you know that will buy your planner? (08:25)
  • How to decide on a topic for your planner (and what problem does it solve for your audience?)  (14:58)
  • What you need to know before going to a printer (17:09)
  • How to choose a printer (and why a local one is best) (24:22)
  • Key costs to consider when working out how to price your planner (26:53)
  • Pros and cons of printing yourself or using a print on demand service (31:37)
  • Key points to consider when thinking about your buying audience (38:37)
  • How to presell your planner before you create it (41:36)
  • How to market and create a launch plan for your planner (48:20)
Resources

Masterclass: How to launch a planner for your industry

Audience Calculator: Work out the audience size you need that you need with my audience calculator

Graphic design with Canva

Self publish with Amazon Create Space

Self publish with Lulu 

Self publish with IngramSpark

[300] How to Build an audience and why you need to  (podcast) 

[ 334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows (podcast)

[335] How to create a high converting lead magnet (podcast)

[339] How To Build An Audience for an Online Course or membership (podcast)

[342] How To Build an Audience on YouTube with Jessica Dante (podcast) 

[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast) 


Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Course: How to write social media posts that sell 

Build Your Audience Programme

Order your 2019 Media Diary 

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

 

The post [355] How to create and launch your own planner appeared first on Janet Murray.

[354] How To Sell Out A Live Event Or Workshop (Even If You Have A Tiny Audience)05 Jul 201900:40:29

Do you like the idea of hosting a live event but worry you don’t have a big enough audience to sell enough tickets?

Perhaps you’ve tried hosting a live event or workshop but struggled to get enough bums on seats?

If any of this sounds familiar you’ll love this podcast interview with business coach and Expert Empires founder Nick James.

He fills large conference spaces with up to 1400 delegates and, in this episode, he shares practical tips and tactics on selling out your first live event, including how to identify the people who are most likely to attend your event (plus how to get them to buy a ticket).

He also talks about how to find joint venture partners i.e. people who have a similar audience to you who are willing to sell tickets on your behalf. Plus he shares bonus tips on how to land speaking gigs at other peoples’ events.

Nick relies heavily on email marketing and text messaging to promote his own live events, so you might be surprised at some of the advice he shares in this episode. But it is some of the best (and most honest) advice I’ve ever heard on this topic. He shares some priceless advice on building relationships in your industry (and why you need to).

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode} How to fill live events

If you’re interested in running your own live events, Nick’s advice is to start small but think big.

“In my experience, people dramatically overestimate what they can achieve in a year, but underestimate what they can achieve in ten,” he says.

So instead of starting with an event for hundreds of people, try putting on a small event for just 10 to 15 people. As you get more experienced, you can always go bigger.

He speaks from personal experience; just eight people attended his first event in 2009. A more recent event attracted over 1400 delegates.

When it comes to filling your first event (or an online course or programme) it’s always best to start with your hottest leads. These are generally people you know - those you’re working with right now or have done in the past. Which means personal outreach is likely to be far more effective than social media or email marketing.

And the more personalised the better. That’s why Nick favours picking up the phone, sending a WhatsApp message or a voicemail message on social media over email. In fact, if you need to fill an event or programme - and do it quickly - be believes email should be your last resort.

Nick uses both email marketing and text messaging in his marketing, but he still believes that personal outreach is the most effective way to fill an event or programme - particularly when you’re starting out and/or need to bring money into your business quickly.

“Generally speaking, observe the masses and do the opposite,” he says. “What everyone else is doing is sending blanket messages and emails. So, doing something like a voice note...will instantly make you stand out.”

If you’re worried sending personal messages will make you look desperate it’s probably because that’s how you feel. Which is all the more reason to invest time in personal outreach, as this is far more likely to bring money into your business quickly. Strategies like social media and email marketing are effective but typically take much longer to generate leads and sales. “It’s far too easy to hide behind your laptop,” says Nick. “You post can post loads of content, and videos out on Facebook, and LinkedIn, and that’s all very nice…but if it isn’t actually getting anywhere you need to change what you’re doing.”

How to use joint ventures to sell out your live event

Teaming up with people who already have an audience you’d like to get in front of  - otherwise known as ‘joint ventures’ - can be a great way to sell out events, courses and online programmes when you’re just starting out.

But there is a right and a wrong way to approach joint ventures, says Nick. First off, a joint venture has to offer a fair exchange of value for both parties. So if you’re just starting out in your business, approaching someone with a massive audience and asking them to promote your products/services is unlikely to be an effective strategy.

Nick suggests starting with existing relationships. Who do you know who already has your audience, or has people in their audience that would be a good fit for you or products or services? What could you offer them that would represent a fair exchange of value for introducing you to their audience?

It’s worth remembering that for someone who already has an audience, money (offering affiliate payments for example) may not be enough. You have to ask yourself why they would promote your products/services when they could be promoting their own (and making more money for doing so).  This is why there is no substitute for relationship building before you even thinking about launching an event or programme.

“There really is no substitute for good, old-fashioned relationship-building,” says Nick Time in the saddle, building your reputation, building those connections over a long period of time.”

The first question he asks any prospective affiliate/joint venture partner is ‘how can I help you?’ - rather than the other way round.

How to land speaking opportunities

If you’re interested in speaking at other peoples’ events, relationships are equally as important, says Nick. He is frequently approached by people he has no prior relationship with asking if they can speak at his events.

"And I’m like...well, okay. So, I've just spent £200 000 on this event, and now you want to come, and speak on my stage. And what exactly is it that you're doing for me?" Because I'm spending a fortune here, and I'm putting a lot of my time, and energy, and my team's resources into doing this event.”

For Nick, it all comes down to relationships. If you want to speak at a particular event or attract a particular joint venture partner, start by thinking about what you can do for them.

This might include:

  • Buying a ticket to their event so you can meet them in person and get a feel for the event (it also shows you have skin in the game)
  • Investing in one of their products/services
  • Inviting them onto your podcast/Youtube channel - so they can benefit from getting in front of your audience
  • Spreading the word about them on social media

And relationships win over money every single time, he says. “There are plenty of people that I would happily JV [joint venture] with, promote their products and services, for zero financial gain for me. And then there are more people that I would never promote, even with financial gain. So, it doesn't come down to the commercial deal... the relationships will outweigh the commercial value of the partnership every single time.”

Podcast shownotes
  • Nick's business story (02:52)
  • Where to start with live events and why you should start small (5:19)
  • How to fill a live workshop or event (and why personal outreach is the best way) (9:08)
  • Attendees (15:43)
  • How to find the hottest leads for your events and stop hiding behind your laptop (18:53)
  • Tactics for building relationships for event joint ventures (22:58) 
  • Why good old fashioned relationships are your biggest asset  (25:25)
  • The first question to ask when approaching a partner for a joint venture (29:33)
  • How relationships are key for choosing speakers and sponsors at your event (32:32)
  • Why the success of an event stems from good relationships (36:28)
Resources

Nick’s website Seriously Fun Business

Nick James Expert Empires Facebook

Nick James LinkedIn

[300] How to Build an audience and why you need to  (podcast) 

[ 334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows  (podcast) 

[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast) 

How I chose the speakers for build your audience live  (blog post)

How to add captions to your video using Kapwing and Rev.com (blog post)

Buy your ticket to my 2020 Content Planning Masterclass #2020Sorted

Find out more about my Build Your Audience Programme

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook 

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

The post [354] How To Sell Out A Live Event Or Workshop (Even If You Have A Tiny Audience) appeared first on Janet Murray.

[353] How to grow your audience through Instagram Stories with Tyler McCall27 Jun 201900:51:00

Are you using Instagram Stories as part of your social media marketing strategy? Or maybe you're publishing stories but feel unsure how to turn them into sales ?

If you're keen to get to grips with Instagram as a tool for your business (and make it more than just a fun place to hang out, post photos and scroll through dreamy images of holiday destinations), you’ll love this podcast interview with Tyler McCall - an Instagram expert who teaches entrepreneurs to build their online communities through Instagram. We discuss the latest Instagram and Instagram Stories strategies you can use to grow your audience and sales.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode} About Tyler McCall

Tyler McCall started out in marketing for non-profit organisations. After developing a boutique social media agency as a side hustle, he fell in love with Instagram. Now he teaches entrepreneurs to build their online communities through Instagram. He’s particularly fond of Instagram Stories, where he can often be found in Target or on road trips.

Understanding your ideal customer (and why it’s vital for Instagram growth)

Back in 2016, Tyler had just a few thousand followers on his Instagram account. When he saw the kind of results his clients were getting with his Instagram growth strategies, he decided to apply them to his own account. Since then he’s grown his own following to over 30k.

If you’re looking to grow your following on Instagram, the worst thing you can do is focus on the numbers. What really matters is whether you’re attracting engagement, leads and sales from your ideal clients - and you don’t necessarily need a large following to do that. Tyler points to the recent example of Instagram Arianna Renee who has 2 million followers but was unable to sell 36 t-shirts for a new product line she was launching.

He tells students inside his membership community the Follower to Fan Society that he would rather they have a small, engaged following - who will actually buy from them - than a massive one who don’t want what they are trying to sell. "If you can't even get the 10 people, or 100 people, or 1,000 people who follow you right now to buy your stuff, what makes you think that having 10,000 or 100,000 followers is the solution to that problem?" he says.

The most important part is getting clear on the type of person you’d like to follow you - and that person must be someone who would actually purchase your products or book your services (or knows people who would). It’s not enough to think about their age, location and income, you have to understand their hopes, dreams, fears and desires, says Tyler. That way, you’ll be able to create high-quality content that really resonates with them.

Some people get stuck at this point - especially if they have the type of product/service that people only buy once. But Tyler thinks this is short-sighted. If you take the example of a wedding professional, for example, it’s tempting to think you can only capture buyers who are getting married (or thinking about it). But everyone knows someone who is getting married, so if you target your ideal customer and people who are like them (but aren’t necessarily getting married right now) you’re immediately casting your net wider.

How to attract your ideal followers

It’s easy to look at Instagram educators who have tons of followers and think it’s easy. All you have to do is post pretty photos, with great captions and a bunch of hashtags and your following will grow. But many of these experts grew their accounts a few years’ back when these strategies worked. But things have changed on the platform.

Once you’ve established who you’d like to attract on Instagram, you can’t just sit around and wait for the right kind of followers to find you. You have to go out and find them, says Tyler.

He suggests checking out your competitors’ accounts to see who is following them, then checking out those peoples’ profiles and engaging with them there. All of this takes time, but will help you grow your following more successfully - and make sales - in the long run.

What kind of content you should be posting on Instagram

Recent changes to the Instagram algorithm mean one post now lasts three or four days. This means you can get away with posting just a few times a week on your grid - and post on Instagram Stories every single day.

While there are no hard and fast rules about what to post to get engagement, Tyler recommends creating content that inspires, educates and/or entertains your audience.

You should be prepared to test your content to see what is of interest to your audience and not get attached to the results. This means being okay with posting content that may totally flop or bomb. Test different types of photos, captions, videos, quotes, memes and track the engagement.

If you have a product-based business, Tyler recommends making your account a place for your followers to ‘escape’. This means building a following around a vibe or intention rather than a ‘hey look, do you want to buy this thing?’ This is particularly true for product-based businesses who can get stuck in a rut of simply posting photos of their product.

“It could be a moment of beauty, a moment of humour, it's a moment of inspiration...it's making them [your followers] think differently,” he says.

He also suggests product-based businesses think about how they can inject a human element into their photos. “Show someone interacting with the product. Show someone using the product. Those subtle shifts in the content you create can make a huge difference for the value of the content for your followers, and it can also sell more, because people then understand the product itself and how they can actually use the product.”

How to create great content for Instagram Stories

The first thing you need to understand about Stories is that they are not generally about attracting new followers - they are connecting with and converting your current followers. So, there's not going to be much you can do using stories to grow your following.

So if you want to get your current followers to watch your stories, you need to make sure you are directing them there from your grid. So a great way to do this  for a product-based business, for example, might be posting the finished product in your feed, and then saying in your caption, "If you want to see how this product is made, go watch my Instagram story today." Then share the creation process in your story. Because stories disappear after 24 hours, you may need to go back and edit the caption later.

All great stories have a beginning, a middle and an end - and Instagram Stories is no different, says Tyler. So let people know what they are going to see first, take them on the journey with you and wrap it up at the end with a clear call-to-action.

This doesn’t necessarily mean posting your story all in one go (in fact, adding to your story throughout the day can help boost your engagement on Instagram). But posting three or different ‘storylines’ within a 24 hour period can work well.

Make sure you diversify your stories with a variety of content e.g. photos, talking head videos, graphics, text on screen. This will help hold your audiences’ interest.

And keep them interactive by asking questions and/or using the polling function, slider poll or quiz feature. The more you can get your viewers to talk back to you, the better your engagement (and sales) will be. “If you can strive to create a relationship and connection with people that's not rooted in your desire to monetise that relationship. Instead, it's rooted in your desire to just genuinely connect with those people, and that's really what makes all the difference in marketing on Instagram nowadays,” he says.

Get into the habit of giving at least one call-to-action that invites people to DM you, says Tyler.  If you can make it “easy and natural” for your audience to talk to you, that’s when you’ll start to make sales.  If you can get your audience used to chatting to you over direct message about your latest road trip, or visit to Target, when you do put up a post inviting people to book a discovery call, buy your product or sign up for your new programme, it will be far easier for them to reach out and make a purchase.

Many people worry that their life is too boring for Instagram Stories. If you feel like that, you can use stories to ask your followers to tell you about their lives. “Learn more about them, who they are, why they came to you,” he says. You may find some stuff there that will be really surprising to you - for example, they really enjoyed a picture or story you shared about your family or a holiday - which will give you confidence that your life is interesting enough.

Ideas for Instagram Stories
  • A day in the life (a behind-the-scenes account of your day
  • How I Made This (can be anything from a product to a set of coaching materials)
  • Tour - give people a tour of your office/studio
  • Tools/kit (Tyler has had great success showing his followers the tools he uses to record the classes for his membership)
How to make sales on Instagram Stories

Tyler has “story after story” of clients who are generating fantastic income via their Instagram Stories, with sales being made through direct messages. These include a member who landed a $25,000 social media contract from one DM and another who paid off $50,000 in credit card debt by selling her art through Instagram direct messages. “It’s proof that if you know who you're talking to, what you're saying to them, and how to engage with them... if you have those three things figured out, then anything's possible for you on Instagram,” he says.

How to track your success on Instagram Stories

He advises measuring two key metrics: retention (i.e. how long people are sticking with your story, rather than moving onto the next one) and the number of direct message you’re getting.

Adding captions can be a great way to increase engagement (remember most people will be watching on their phone, with the sound turned down). You can either type captions onto your story or, if you’re speaking directly to camera, use a tool like Kapwing to burn them directly onto your video.

Find out how to use Rev and Kapwing to burn captions onto your social media videos.

Podcast Shownotes
  • Tyler's business story (05:19)
  • The key things to grow your followers and engagement on Instagram (09:22)
  • Why you don’t need more followers on Instagram to get more sales (12:26)
  • Why getting engagement on Instagram isn’t about the visuals and hashtags anymore (16:31)
  • Why intentional engagement is key to growing your Instagram followers (17:55)
  • Why old Instagram strategies are outdated and no longer effective (20:20)
  • What you should think about when creating content for your audience on Instagram (23:45)
  • How you can use Instagram Stories to build connections and make sales (30:47)
  • Why you won’t need to sell anymore if you nail your Instagram Stories (38:10)
  • How to get your followers to watch your Instagram Story and what to post (43:08)
Resources

Tyler McCall Instagram

Tyler McCall Website | Free Instagram Masterclass

Get your ticket for 2020Sorted

[348] How to write social media posts that sell (podcast episode)

[346] How to look and feel more confident on live video with Ian Anderson Grey (podcast episode)

[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast episode)

How to add captions to your video using Kapwing and Rev.com (blog post)

Build Your Audience Programme

Order your 2019 Media Diary

Rev.com*

Kapwing

Social Media Video Engagement Playbook

Social Media Engagement Playbook

LinkedIn Content Strategy Playbook

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

The post [353] How to grow your audience through Instagram Stories with Tyler McCall appeared first on Janet Murray.

(352) How to sell in a Facebook group (without annoying your members)21 Jun 201901:01:48

Would you like to make more sales in your Facebook group but are worried about annoying your members? If this sounds like you, you’ll love this podcast episode on how to sell in your Facebook group - without appearing pushy or ‘selly’. Whether you’re just starting your Facebook group (or are thinking about it) or... READ MORE

The post (352) How to sell in a Facebook group (without annoying your members) appeared first on Janet Murray.

[351] How to get corporate clients (and why you should) with Dylis Guyan14 Jun 201900:59:40

Do you like the idea of working with corporate clients but feel unsure how to get started? Perhaps you've heard it's difficult to break into the corporate world or that these type of clients take too long to make decisions. Or maybe you feel like you can't make a big enough difference in the world... READ MORE

The post [351] How to get corporate clients (and why you should) with Dylis Guyan appeared first on Janet Murray.

[350] How to use surveys to increase your online sales with Rob and Kennedy07 Jun 201900:50:25

Hypnotist Rob and mind reader Kennedy had successful stage careers before turning their attention to helping others build entertainment businesses through online courses/membership sites.  When they started using surveys to find out what products/services their ideal clients wanted, they discovered something surprising. People were much more likely to buy their products/services if they were offered... READ MORE

The post [350] How to use surveys to increase your online sales with Rob and Kennedy appeared first on Janet Murray.

[349] How to find the right niche for your business30 May 201900:42:52

You may think niching down is a bad idea because specialising in a very specific topic, service and/or type of client will mean you’ll lose out on business. Actually the opposite is true. Focusing on a tight niche will help you earn more money and attract better opportunities in your business. But how do you... READ MORE

The post [349] How to find the right niche for your business appeared first on Janet Murray.

[348] How to write social media posts that sell24 May 201900:51:40

Do you ever see those clever social media posts that really grab your attention? Perhaps they tell a compelling personal story or use language in a really sit-up-and-take-notice kind of way? Or maybe the writer is just really good at asking questions? You can’t quite put your finger on what/how they do it…but you find... READ MORE

The post [348] How to write social media posts that sell appeared first on Janet Murray.

[347] How to create engaging social media videos (even if you hate being on camera)17 May 201901:11:25

Experts predict that by the end of 2019, 80% of the content we consume online will be video. So if video isn’t part of your social media strategy, you could be missing a trick. But what kind of videos should you be posting on social media? How long should your videos be? And can you... READ MORE

The post [347] How to create engaging social media videos (even if you hate being on camera) appeared first on Janet Murray.

[346] How to look and feel more confident on live video with Ian Anderson Gray10 May 201900:51:00

Would you love to do more live video to promote your business but find perfectionism holds you back? Perhaps you’re worried about making mistakes or looking stupid in front of your friends or colleagues. Or maybe you find yourself making endless excuses not to go live - like telling yourself you don’t have the right... READ MORE

The post [346] How to look and feel more confident on live video with Ian Anderson Gray appeared first on Janet Murray.

[441] How to use Clubhouse to build your online audience22 Jan 202100:30:56

What’s this new social media app Clubhouse everyone’s talking about? And how can you use it to build your online audience? 

In this podcast episode, I share how this audio-only app can be a powerful way to build your online audience and how you can use it to build your authority and your network.

You’ll learn how to get started with Clubhouse (if you haven’t already). PLUS how the exclusive invite system works. 

I also share what I like about Clubhouse and what I’ve discovered (so far) about the best strategies you can use to build your online audience (yep - even if you have a product-based business).

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}   Podcast shownotes

 

  • About my Instagram Success Academy (01:30)
  • What is the Clubhouse app and how does it work (04:08)
  • How to find the topics that you’re interested in on Clubhouse (06:33)
  • How to get an invite for Clubhouse (07:25)
  • How to start a Clubhouse broadcast and promote it to your audience (09:45)
  • The best way to get started and show up on Clubhouse (10:33)
  • How to get used to speaking on audio on Clubhouse (14:08)
  • What I like about Clubhouse (14:40)
  • Why Clubhouse is good for building your authority and your network (16:13)
  • Disadvantages of the Clubhouse app (16:48)
  • How to use Clubhouse to build an online audience (18:35)
  • How to choose people to collaborate with on Clubhouse (22:15)
  • Why you should niche your conversation topics on Clubhouse (23:15)
  • Come and join me on Clubhouse this Friday to talk about this episode (24:59)
  • Why you need to be giving and helpful and not just sell (25:47)
  • How to use Clubhouse if you have a product-based business (26:51)
Resources

Find out more about my  Instagram Success Academy here
Join my 2021Sorted Club
Buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner
Join my Build Your Online Audience programme Build Your Online Audience programme

Other useful podcasts

[Bonus] Should you join Janet Murray's Build Your Online Audience Programme? (podcast)
[Bonus] Should you buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner? (podcast)

[373] How to get more followers on any social media platform (podcast)
[379] How to grow your Instagram followers by 1K in 30 days (podcast)
[415] How to use TikTok to build your online audience with Sam Bearfoot (podcast)
[438] Five things you must stop doing if you want to build your online audience in 2021 (podcast)

 

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram Facebook and LinkedIn

[345] How to increase your social media engagement - fast03 May 201900:54:51

Are you frustrated by the lack of engagement with your social media content?   You’re publishing content regularly, but your posts aren’t attracting enough likes, comments and shares - leaving you wondering if it’s worth bothering with social media at all.   If this sounds like you, the first thing you need to know is... READ MORE

The post [345] How to increase your social media engagement - fast appeared first on Janet Murray.

[344] How to build your audience through a Facebook group26 Apr 201900:52:09

Is your Facebook group taking up all your time but not making you any sales in your business? In this episode, I talk to Gordon Burcham, Martial Arts School Owner and Multi World Kickboxing Champion about how he is generating a six figure income from a Facebook group. He also shares the remarkable story of... READ MORE

The post [344] How to build your audience through a Facebook group appeared first on Janet Murray.

[343] The three audiences you must build to create a profitable online business18 Apr 201900:54:16

Are you feeling frustrated because you're trying to build your online audience...but you still don't have enough clients? While activities like social media marketing, blogging and building your email list are brilliant for attracting cold leads (i.e. people who don't know about you yet), research consistently shows that most people need at least 7 or... READ MORE

The post [343] The three audiences you must build to create a profitable online business appeared first on Janet Murray.

[342] How to build your audience on YouTube with Jessica Dante11 Apr 201901:08:33

YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google. So if you want to get in front of a large audience, having a Youtube channel can be a smart move. But if you’re not familiar with the platform, the practicalities of setting up a channel, deciding what kind of content you should be creating and... READ MORE

The post [342] How to build your audience on YouTube with Jessica Dante appeared first on Janet Murray.

[341] How to use stories to attract your ideal clients with Marsha Shandur04 Apr 201900:53:29

Do you want to attract more of the right clients? Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to build an audience and to establish trust and credibility. But many people either lack confidence in their storytelling ability or are scared of revealing too much of themselves. In this episode, I talk to story coach... READ MORE

The post [341] How to use stories to attract your ideal clients with Marsha Shandur appeared first on Janet Murray.

[340] How to create a coaching or consultancy package for your business28 Mar 201900:47:28

Do you offer coaching, consultancy and training and find yourself spending hours creating bespoke proposals every time a prospective client gets in touch?   Or perhaps you’d like to offer some kind of coaching, consultancy or training but you’re not sure what you should be offering and you keep procrastinating about it and never actually... READ MORE

The post [340] How to create a coaching or consultancy package for your business appeared first on Janet Murray.

[339] How to build an audience for an online course or membership21 Mar 201900:51:53

If you’ve already tried to create your own course or membership programme you’ll know that it’s not a simple case of ‘build it and they will come’. In this episode, I share the reasons why you must build an audience before you launch an online course or membership site. I also break down the steps... READ MORE

The post [339] How to build an audience for an online course or membership appeared first on Janet Murray.

[338] Why you feel scared of selling (and what to do about it)14 Mar 201900:55:38

Are you scared of selling? Are you crippled by nerves when it comes to pitching for new business or asking for the sale? In this episode, sales expert Marcus Cauchi gives practical advice on overcoming your fears using tried and tested techniques that will allow you to make sales naturally and authentically. {Click on the... READ MORE

The post [338] Why you feel scared of selling (and what to do about it) appeared first on Janet Murray.

[337] The tools I am using to build my online audience07 Mar 201900:52:35

When you're doing business online, the more tasks you can automate, the more time you have to serve your customers/clients. Plus you'll be able to build your audience quicker.  In this episode I share the tools I use every day in my business that save me tons of time, including everything from email marketing and... READ MORE

The post [337] The tools I am using to build my online audience appeared first on Janet Murray.

[336] How to make sales from your business blog28 Feb 201900:45:40

You think you’re doing all the right things to build a successful business blog. You’re showing up every week, you spend ages researching, writing and promoting, but it’s not making you any money. In this episode, I break down the steps you need to take to create strategic blog content that people actually want to... READ MORE

The post [336] How to make sales from your business blog appeared first on Janet Murray.

[440] The secret to a successful online course or membership launch15 Jan 202100:41:12

Want to know the secret to launching a successful online course or membership site?

In this special podcast episode, I’m sharing a game-changing lesson from my Build Your Online Audience Programme which has helped some of my clients generate thousands of pounds in revenue.

You’ll learn the steps you need to take to launch an online course or membership (some of which might surprise you).

PLUS how long it will take to build the audience of the size you need to launch a profitable online course or membership .

You'll find out how spending too much time on the wrong activities can hold you up (and what those activities are).

There’s also tons of ideas on how to generate income in your business FAST (even if you haven’t built your online audience yet).

Want to know more about my Build Your Online Audience Programme? Head to the links in the show notes below.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.} {Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.} Podcast shownotes
  • About the science of audience building (04:12)
  • Why your audience need to get to know you before they buy (08:50)
  • How long it takes to build your audience for an online course/membership (13:01)
  • Why you need a bigger audience than you might think (15:57)
  • What I didn’t realise about audience building when I started out (17:35)
  • Why your course/membership launch flopped (18:15)
  • How to make money in your business  - even if you haven’t built an audience yet (20:12)
  • The three online audiences you need to build to sell online courses/memberships (22:17)
  • Why you might be spending too much time on the wrong audience (23:33)
  • How long it takes someone to trust you enough buy from you (24:37)
  • Your mindset - and how it can holdiyou back from building your audience (26:04)
  • How to reach out to the people who are most likely to buy from you (28:14)
  • How to work out your hot, warm and cold leads (28:51)
  • Why you shouldn’t be afraid to go for the 'no' (35:20)
  • How to get more leads and opportunities from existing clients/customers (36:33)
Resources

Join my 2021Sorted Club
Buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner bundles
Buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner
Join my Build Your Online Audience programme

Other useful podcasts

[Bonus] Should you join Janet Murray's Build Your Online Audience Programme? (podcast)
[Bonus] Should you buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner? (podcast)

[339] How to build an audience for an online course or membership (podcast)
[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast)
[418] How long does it take to create an online course (podcast)
[426] The ultimate course launch checklist: how to plan and create content for a course or membership launch (podcast)
[427] How to make more money teaching online (and how to do it really well) (podcast)
[438] Five things you must stop doing to build your online audience in 2021 (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Resources

Join my masterclass LINK
Join my 2021Sorted Club
Buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner bundles
Buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner
Join my Build Your Online Audience programme Build Your Online Audience programme

Other useful podcasts

[Bonus] Should you join Janet Murray's Build Your Online Audience Programme? (podcast)
[Bonus] Should you buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner? (podcast)

[339] How to build an audience for an online course or membership (podcast)
[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast)
[418] How long does it take to create an online course (podcast)
[426] The ultimate course launch checklist: how to plan and create content for a course or membership launch (podcast)
[427] How to make more money teaching online (and how to do it really well) (podcast)
[438] Five things you must stop doing to build your online audience in 2021 (podcast)

 

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram Facebook and LinkedIn

[335] How to create a high-converting lead magnet21 Feb 201900:47:05

If you want to attract leads and sales for your business, you need an email list. But in a time when most of us are overwhelmed with information, inviting people to sign up for your lead magnet is not enough. In this episode, I break down the steps you need to take to create a... READ MORE

The post [335] How to create a high-converting lead magnet appeared first on Janet Murray.

[334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows14 Feb 201900:31:23

Are you trying to grow your audience but don’t have the funds for paid advertising?  Or are you feeling fed-up with forking out on ads which aren’t bringing you a good return on investment? In this episode, Callie Willows from The Membership Guys, shares practical tips on how to grow your audience through content marketing,... READ MORE

The post [334] How to build a large audience without paid advertising with Callie Willows appeared first on Janet Murray.

[333] 39 Surprisingly easy ways to increase your email subscribers07 Feb 201901:06:43

In January 2019, I launched a new online course How To Write Awesome Sales Copy which generated £20k in sales. It was a fairly relaxed launch, based around my six-part launch sequence (available as part of the course) and a handful of social media posts. The launch represented less than 50% of my monthly sales... READ MORE

The post [333] 39 Surprisingly easy ways to increase your email subscribers appeared first on Janet Murray.

[332] How to make sales on LinkedIn with Sam Rathling31 Jan 201900:47:50

Are you on LinkedIn but struggling to makes enough sales?  Find out how you can start making the connections you need, from ensuring your profile leaves a great first impression to how to create engaging content that attracts (and converts) the right customers with LinkedIn expert, Sam Rathling. {Click on the player above to listen... READ MORE

The post [332] How to make sales on LinkedIn with Sam Rathling appeared first on Janet Murray.

[331] What it really takes to build an audience with John Lee Dumas25 Jan 201900:32:21

Are you struggling to build your audience right now?  John Lee Dumas, host of the Entrepreneurs on Fire podcast, tells all in this episode about how he built his business from the bottom up, including how niching down helped him stand out from his competition PLUS the most important thing you need to do to... READ MORE

The post [331] What it really takes to build an audience with John Lee Dumas appeared first on Janet Murray.

[330] How to write awesome sales copy for your business18 Jan 201900:48:03

Do you struggle to write sales copy for your business? In this  podcast episode I share practical tactics for writing sales copy in your business including sales pages, marketing emails, Facebook ads and more. And I share the frameworks I use in my own business to help me write awesome sales copy - and do... READ MORE

The post [330] How to write awesome sales copy for your business appeared first on Janet Murray.

[329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville10 Jan 201900:50:28

https://youtu.be/vqOJ-T0jLUA Do you feel like Facebook is constantly changing and you can’t keep up? In this podcast episode, Facebook ads specialist Liz Melville shares her thoughts on what’s working on Facebook right now, including whether we should ditch free Facebook groups, why the algorithm isn’t to blame for poor engagement on your content, plus what... READ MORE

The post [329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville appeared first on Janet Murray.

[329] What’s working on Facebook right now with Liz Melville10 Jan 201900:50:48
[328] The three numbers you should focus on in your business in 201904 Jan 201900:57:16

Want to make more money in your business in 2019? Then you need to start tracking key marketing metrics in your business. But which numbers should you be monitoring and how often? In this podcast episode, I share the three numbers you must focus on to grow your business in 2019. {Click on the player... READ MORE

The post [328] The three numbers you should focus on in your business in 2019 appeared first on Janet Murray.

[327] Why I’m closing my 13.5k Facebook group (and other changes I’m making in 2019)20 Dec 201800:50:38

If you’ve been following me for a while you’ll know that my large Facebook group (with over 13.5k members) has been a huge part of growing my business in the last four years.  Want to know why I’m shutting it down?  Listen to this podcast to find out, PLUS other big changes I’ll be making... READ MORE

The post [327] Why I’m closing my 13.5k Facebook group (and other changes I’m making in 2019) appeared first on Janet Murray.

[439] How to create a content batching week with Jordan Gill08 Jan 202100:40:12

Do you struggle to make the time to create content for your business?

Would you love to start each month knowing you’ve nailed ALL your content for the month ahead?

If that sounds good then you’ll love this podcast episode with systems expert and host of Systems Saved Me podcast Jordan Gill.

Jordan explains how to create a content batching week - so whether you have a podcast, YouTube channel or regular blog post you can get your content creation wrapped up FAST - and avoid the time sink of creating content in dribs and drabs.

Discover why you need to stop squeezing your content creation in between other work tasks and why carving out some time to intentionally create your content, will REALLY take your content to another level (as well as saving you time and brain space).

Find out Jordan’s own systems and processes for batching her podcast episodes and how to make sure you stay on track and get in the right headspace to do it.

And if you can’t manage a whole week of content batching Jordan’s got some tips that will help you batch on a smaller scale.

PLUS why batching content and using systems will make sure you show up as your best self in your content (and REALLY help you build your online audience).

There’s so much value in this podcast episode with Jordan Gill and I d love to know if it’s inspired you to try a content batching week.

 

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode.}   Podcast shownotes
  • About my Masterclass How to create a launch plan (03:30)
  • About Jordan Gill and how she helps business owners (06:05)
  • How to create a content batching week for any type of content (08:32)
  • Why batching content will help you do your best work (10:22)
  • How Jordan gets in the right headspace to create content (10:57)
  • What to do if you’ve batched your content ahead of time and things change (13:30)
  • How to batch content and stay relevant if you create timely content (15:11)
  • Why you should have some backup content in case you need to be flexible (17:45)
  • Why you need to give yourself time to get your processes streamlined (20:27)
  • How Jordan has set up her podcast batching processes  (21:09)
  • How to make sure you stick to your systems even if others don’t (22:38)
  • How Jordan would structure a week of creating podcast content (24:15)
  • How Jordan manages her podcast guest onboarding and content curation (25:24)
  • How Jordan chooses the content that she’s going to create (27:42)
  • How batching content will help you show up as your best self for your audience (29:50)
  • What to do if you can’t manage a whole week of content creation (31:55)
  • How to get to grips with creating systems if you’re not a natural (34:24)
  • Why systems are so great and worth investing the time to get right  (37:20)
Resources

Tools that Jordan uses:

ClickUp
Airtable

Jordan's podcast: Systems Saved Me
Jordan Gill: website
Jordan Gill: Instagram

Join my masterclass How to create a lunch plan
Join my 2021Sorted Club
Buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner bundles
Buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner
Join my Build Your Online Audience programme Build Your Online Audience programme

Other useful podcasts

[Bonus] Should you join my Build Your Online Audience Programme? (podcast)
[Bonus] Should you buy my 2021 Social Media Diary & Planner? (podcast)
[Bonus] How to generate income fast by creating a power hour for your business (podcast)

[411] How to become the Number one choice in your industry with Jen Hall (podcast)
[438] Five things you must stop doing to build your online audience in 2021 (podcast)

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram Facebook and LinkedIn

[326] The one thing you need to generate passive income for your business17 Dec 201800:27:02

Do you want to generate passive income for your business in 2019?  Listen to this podcast to find out the one thing you should be doing to help achieve this goal, including some practical advice on the ‘magic numbers’ you need to know to help you reach your sales targets. Here’s what you’ll learn in... READ MORE

The post [326] The one thing you need to generate passive income for your business appeared first on Janet Murray.

[325] Three social media posts that will help you generate sales today13 Dec 201800:29:21

Do you feel like you spend all your time on social media but never actually make any sales? In this podcast episode I share three different content ideas that are guaranteed to help you start making money today. Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: Why you need to actively tell people your products are... READ MORE

The post [325] Three social media posts that will help you generate sales today appeared first on Janet Murray.

[324] How to stop talking about video and actually do it with Dan Knowlton10 Dec 201800:24:02

In this special edition of my podcast, I share a brilliant session from my recent event, Content Live, in which Dan Knowlton, a digital marketing expert, shares practical tips and strategies on how you can use video in your business to attract and convert more customers. Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: Why video... READ MORE

The post [324] How to stop talking about video and actually do it with Dan Knowlton appeared first on Janet Murray.

© My Podcast Data