Online Genius Podcast

​​In this episode, we’re talking about your traffic machine, one of the four critical elements in creating an online business. We start at the beginning of a customer journey, which covers how you catch people’s attention and get them into joining your world. There are five key elements here: your weekly content, social media posts, paid ads, guest outreach, and affiliates. You need to cultivate a strategy on how to do all of these to generate traffic to your business, which will help you succeed in the long term. What’s In This Episode What a traffic machine is all about The 5 elements of a traffic machine Weekly Content - raising awareness and building trust with the audience Social Media Posts - engaging with the audience and promoting your content Paid Ads - attracting people to your lead magnets Guest Outreach - finding a way to reach out to people who’ve collected your audience and getting into their world to provide value Affiliates - having other people promote your products and send traffic to your

In this episode, we’re talking about the topic of awareness content and why it matters for your online business. Awareness content, or awareness level content, is content tailored to your audience based on their current level of understanding of an issue.  When you’re creating awareness content, you need to be thinking in terms of the basic questions your audience is searching for and create content around this. This means you need to have a deep understanding of your audience’s struggle. You can do this by finding where they hang out online and listening in or getting on a call with them.  Often marketers create content that is too far removed from their audience’s current level of awareness. For example, educating your audience about emotional eating won’t resonate if they don’t understand that emotional eating is the reason they can’t lose weight. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: Why awareness content is designed to get attention Why you need to tailor your content to address the issues and questions

In this episode, we’re talking in-depth about building out the operations machine in your business. I realize this may not sound like the most exciting thing ever, but it’s an important step if you want to build a real business. Your operations machine deals with the behind-the-scenes stuff that isn’t customer-facing. Most people think of it as the “unsexy” part of running a business. It includes the legal and financial stuff as well as systems to get you out of the day-to-day of your business. We’ll look at the various parts that make up these two sides of your operations machine and cover when you should focus on building the different parts of your operations machine. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: The two sides to your operations machine Compliance  Automations and delegation The compliance side focuses on Legal – LLC, getting agreements in writing, state and local business requirements, industry regulations Finances – bank accounts, bookkeeping, cash flow, planning, controls The automatio

In this episode, we’re talking about your audience’s level of awareness and how that impacts your online business. This was a concept I dug into during my live event in December 2021, and people found it very helpful. A lot of people aren’t thinking about their audience when they’re marketing. Instead, they’re trying to sell a specific product to people who don’t know they have a problem or who only recognize their symptoms. Obviously, that's not going to work well. Part of your role as a marketer will be to move people along the awareness continuum. Your content should help bridge the gap between where they are to get them to the point of being solution aware. Then you can educate them about your product. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: Why you need to recognize where your audience is on the journey of solving their problem Why this “journey” is a continuum Problem unaware – they are blissfully unaware of their problem Symptom aware – they recognize they have a pain point (symptom) but don’t know what

In this episode, we’re talking about the 4 machines that your business needs to succeed. This topic is part of an ongoing conversation we started a few weeks ago about what it really means to create a freedom business. There are people in the online marketing space who are selling the idea that building a business is easy and that all you need to do is hire a VA to run it and you’ll be earning money while you sleep in no time. But this isn’t realistic. Now, you might be wondering what I mean by “machines.” These are simply the different teams or functions in your business that handle a lot of different tasks. In this episode, we'll do an overview of the 4 machines you need in your business so you can see the big picture. In future weeks, we’ll dig into each of these 4 machines so you can see more specifically what you’ll need in each one. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: What people really mean by “freedom business” The two kinds of freedom you need to create in your business Money freedom Time freedo

In this marketing fundamentals episode, we’re talking about onboarding and why it matters for your online business. Now, of course, you know what onboarding is. But the reality is that most people don’t think much about this process. And that’s a problem because onboarding is pretty freakin’ important.  A good onboarding experience is critical for creating loyalty and retention. Let’s dive into this concept and see how it plays out in the online business space. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: Onboarding is important but often overlooked Onboarding is the start of the journey to build loyalty and retention Onboarding for new subscribers should start with your free content The email sequences you need as part of your new subscriber onboarding process You also need an onboarding process for paid offers It’s a mistake to focus on getting people to buy and not think about customer experience Why you need to help people take action and get value Why you need to overexplain and keep it simple The level of onb

In this episode, we’re talking about why you need to build a brand if you want a successful business. Last week we talked about the false promise in the online marketing space. This week we’re going to talk about the solution—the real work. This will be a high-level overview because there are lots of parts to building a successful business. Then in the coming weeks, we’ll be digging into the specifics. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: Many of the popular leaders in the online marketing space aren’t teaching you to build a business but instead are teaching people to create a product, a sales strategy, a marketing strategy, etc. A real business is more than this—it’s about a product mix that can serve people at different levels, price points, and places in their journey Why a funnel is not a business—it’s a marketing and sales strategy Real businesses don’t have a single funnel and don’t rely exclusively on funnels Why you need to stop thinking about your business in terms of your product (course creator,

In today's episode, we’re going to talk about what a value ladder is and why it matters for your online business. "Value ladder" is a term you frequently hear in the online marketing space. The main concept is that you have a lineup of offers that increase in value and price. Let's break it down. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: The term value ladder refers to a lineup of offers that increase in value and price. One model of a value ladder is a process where people start at the bottom and move up Another model provides the same solution but allows people to choose the level of support that works best for them A different type of model is to create offers that make sense for the journey your customer is on Why I created a value ladder that corresponds with where people are in their journey of building a business The difference between a value ladder and series of upsells and one-time offers The mistake that many entrepreneurs make when it comes to their value ladder How a value ladder can increase custom

Happy 2022! Today we’re going to be talking about the false promise of the online marketing world. This is the first episode of an arc where we’re talking about important concepts that we presented at our live event in December.  We’re going to be looking at what it really takes to build a business and cutting through the B.S. that is so prevalent in the space. We’re going to be deconstructing the promises that people are making so you can figure out what you really need to be doing to build your business.  WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: The problem with the promise that you can create a scaled product, choose a launch vehicle or go evergreen, and fill your funnel with ads and get rich The slogans you commonly hear with the promise Why it’s generally much harder to make a living with a course than working 1:1 Why this promise is BS The info product myth: is lack of information the actual problem your customer is facing? Why you need to ask yourself how much is information worth? The problem with peopl

In this episode, we’re talking about what customer acquisition cost is and why it matters for your online business. This conversation is a continuation of the last episode about another metric that you need to know: customer lifetime value.  If you’re going to build a successful business, then your customer lifetime value must be higher than the cost to acquire a customer. Let’s look at the specifics of how to find this metric.  WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: Customer acquisition cost is the average cost of all the front end sales and marketing efforts from when someone becomes aware of your brand to the point that they buy divided by the total number of customers If customer lifetime value > customer acquisition cost, you’re in a good place Why you need to understand all the costs involved in acquiring a customer and not just paid ads Examples of the costs that should be allocated to customer acquisition cost Why it’s important to calculate the cost of customer acquisition for your different marketin

Today we’re going to dive into our end of the year review. Taking time to look at the past can help us see trends in the industry so we know how to move forward. I wanted to share some of the trends I’ve seen in my business, conversations I’ve had with others in the industry, and changes I’ve observed this year. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: That 2021 was a hard year for most people in the online marketing space How iOS updates impacted online businesses The role of market saturation and sophistication How 2020 set unrealistic growth expectations for many businesses The bright spots in 2021 for holistic marketing How social media changed this year What growth looked like in my business this year No affiliate launches Revenue from sales of our own products went up Removed urgency from our sales Mapping the customer journey (EP 257: Why I’m Launching A Membership) The limitations of hiring contractors Money management lessons RESOURCES IN TODAY’S EPISODE: BADA$$ Online Marketing Membership BADA$$

In today’s marketing fundamentals episode, we’re talking about a very important business concept: customer lifetime value and why it matters in your online business.  This is one of two universal business metrics. The other is customer acquisition cost.  Customer lifetime value tells you how much a customer is worth to you so you can figure out how much you’re willing to pay to acquire a customer. This is especially relevant in the online marketing space where the cost to acquire a customer is generally higher than traditional product businesses. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: The two metrics every business needs to know What customer lifetime value is What customer acquisition cost is What the biggest cost is in the online marketing space Why you want to find ways to increase customer lifetime value Why it can be difficult to determine customer lifetime value and one tool that can help you figure this out Where I started out with customer lifetime value and where I am now Key questions you need to as

I’m really excited to release this episode because I’m sharing the lessons I learned while writing my email marketing book called Email Marketing That Doesn’t Suck. I know that some people in my audience are interested in writing a book, and I wanted to give people a realistic look at what it really takes. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: How joking about writing a book turned into reality What my initial vision for the book was and why that changed Why I decided to write about email marketing How to figure out whether you’re writing the right book Why you need to plan on a long process to write a book that will help your brand How long it actually took to write my book How having an outside book team made this possible What’s involved after you write the book Why you need a passion for your subject Why you need to be clear on your message as you go into the writing process Why a book should be based on work you’ve been doing rather than ideas you’re working through Why writing a book will show you that

In today’s marketing fundamentals episode, we’re talking about what a SWOT analysis is and why it’s a useful tool for your online business.  This type of assessment is an important part of creating a marketing plan. Professional marketers will tell you that before you put together any sort of marketing plan, you need to do a situation analysis, like SWOT, so you know where you stand.  WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: SWOT analysis is a type of situation analysis The letters stand for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats 2 are internal and 2 are external S = strengths, this is about an internal analysis of what your company is particularly good at doing W = weaknesses, areas where you’re lagging behind competitors or areas where you intentionally have decided not to focus O = opportunities, this isn’t about specific comparisons to competitors but about opportunities in the larger market and trends T = threats, this involves looking at threats and trends on a macro level RESOURCES IN TODAY’S

Today I’m sharing about my planning process for 2022. Now if you know me, you know that I’m not much of a planner, but after a lot of trial and error, I found a process that works for my business.  If you’re looking for a way to plan that doesn’t cause you to get lost in the details, be sure to listen in so you can try this approach as plan 2022 for your business. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: Why we took a more flexible approach to planning 2022 Why trying to plan too far in advance can be a mistake for some businesses Why we decided not to plan the details for projects outside of Q1 Why we started with the big things that impact the schedules of others How we decided on a promo schedule for our legal templates  How we decided on the focus of the team for Q1 When we’ll start the more granular planning for Q1 How we figured out how to manage my time and what I’ll be doing for much of the year RESOURCES IN TODAY’S EPISODE: BADA$$ Online Marketing Membership BADA$$ Online Marketing University Free Pr

Today my guest is Katie Wussow who is a business coach who works with creative service providers to help them build their businesses. Katie and I have a lot in common, including living in DC and graduating from the same college. The big difference is she actually got a useful degree: finance. In this episode, Katie and I dive into how she figured out what business she wanted to create and the problems she experienced when she followed the popular advice that she should create an online course. Be sure to stick around to the end to hear Katie’s best advice on how to create plans for your business. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: Katie’s journey into the business world and how she discovered what business she wanted to start How Katie got scrappy and leverage her network to start her business How doing 1:1 work in the beginning helped her create a structured program Why Katie uses the term coach instead of consultant/strategist How Katie figured out a way to make her business more scalable How Katie is t

In today’s episode, we’re talking about the customer journey. We’ll look at what the customer journey is and how it affects your online business.  Knowing where your customer is coming from is an important aspect of building a business that’s based on your knowledge and expertise. Until you take the time to understand the struggles your customers are experiencing and figure out the best way to help them get results, you’re not going to have the clarity you need to know what to create in your business. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: What the traditional definition of the customer journey is Why you need to understand the entire journey your customer will face  Why the customer journey is what allows you to understand your customers What you need to know to map out your customer journey What you need to understand about your customers How understanding the customer journey helps you build your business RESOURCES IN TODAY’S EPISODE: BADA$$ Online Marketing Membership BADA$$ Online Marketing University

In today’s episode, I’m making a big announcement. I’m launching a membership. I’ll be sharing the journey that led me to this conclusion and how it fits into the overall structure of my business. As you listen, you’ll want to pay attention to where your business is in the process and whether there are phases you might have skipped. While each business is unique, that doesn’t mean that you have to wing it. Each of these phases is an important step in building a business that will last. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: What led to my decision to start a membership What led me to make my BOMU program free Where our hypotheses were wrong when it comes to people implementing information What we discovered from working with our coaching students How we developed a process to help people in our coaching program 7 phases for building an online business Planner phase (educated guess about the problems your customer is experiencing and what solution to create) Builder phase (building your conversion and custom

Today I’m sharing the second half of my interview with Melanie Howe. We talked about Melanie’s health crisis and the way it impacted her business. Melanie also talks about the benefits of using live video in your business and shares some tips and strategies to help you get started. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: The health crisis Melanie faced and how this impacted her business The experience that helped Melanie get back into action Why consistency is critical for live video The benefits of live video Why live interaction is valuable and how to build it up Why you should focus on delivering good content Why live interaction helps draw people in How live video allows you to serve and delight your audience How live video can be used with any eye to repurposing it The point of live video is to have conversations in the moment Why now is the best time to get started with live video Why video is the most repurposable type of content there is Why going live isn’t difficult How to get started with a content

In today’s marketing fundamentals episode, we’re talking about integrated marketing communication and why it matters for your online business. This is an important concept that refers to the effort to promote a consistent message through multiple channels and strategies that work together. The goal is to deliver the same message through all the different channels you use, so your message and brand are the same everywhere. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN TODAY’S EPISODE: Why you need a consistent message across all the channels you use Why you need to stop thinking that one communication channel is better than another Why you want all your channels to work together Why the whole is greater than the sum of its parts when it comes to your business message Combining social media, email, paid ads, and affiliate marketing is a way to create an integrated system to reach your audience How you can make this work for your online business RESOURCES IN TODAY’S EPISODE: BADA$$ Online Marketing University Free Privacy Policy BADA