Episodios

  • BI 388: Bright Ideas Farewell
    Mar 15 2022
    Flowster Live Demo

    https://flowster.app/live-demo/

    Episode Highlights [0:53] — Trent breaks the news
    • Hosting the Bright Ideas Podcast for 12 years has been phenomenal for Trent.

    • Through the podcast, he learned a lot, met many interesting people, and hopefully made a positive impact on his audience.

    • For now, and most likely forever, the show is officially coming to an end.

    [01:31] — Why is Bright Ideas ending?
    • After recording so many podcast episodes, he doesn't enjoy it anymore.

    • It's also been increasingly difficult to make time to do an activity that he no longer enjoys due to other demands on his time.

    • He enjoys talking to people but realized that there are other ways he could spend his time.

    • The ROI on the podcast also steadily decreased since there's an abundance of shows.

    [02:36] — Should you publish a podcast?
    • Podcasts are not a great way to build your audience because they're not searchable.

    • On the other hand, YouTube is a great search engine.

    • While you can publish podcasts on YouTube, a long-form podcast on that platform won't do much for growing your audience.

    • Due to platforms like Instagram and TikTok, people's attention spans have shortened.

    • However, you can also chop up your podcast into smaller segments.

    [03:49] — Advice for YouTube podcasts
    • You can chop up your podcast into smaller segments.

    • Trent believes that if you're using video content for your top-of-funnel awareness content, you must keep it short — ideally 10 minutes or less.

    • Make use of YouTube shorts.
    • Seek advice from someone with millions of followers on their channel.

    [04:45] — What will happen to the website?
    • The Bright Ideas website won't be taken down, but it will be static.

    • Due to the demands of his time running Flowster, Trent no longer has the bandwidth to add content to the site.

    • It might still change in the future, and he'll surely let everyone know if it does.

    [05:45] — What about email subscriptions?
    • For email subscriptions, all current active Bright Ideas subscribers will have their records moved over into the Flowster email database.

    • They will double-check in case some subscribers are already in the Flowster database.

    • Still, all future emails will come from Trent and Bright Ideas.

    • They simply do not want to pay for two databases for email marketing.

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    7 m
  • BI 385: 5 Steps to Easily Double Your Profits on Amazon (Ft Norm Farrar)
    Jan 4 2022
    Flowster Live Demo

    https://flowster.app/live-demo/

    Episode Highlights [2:24] Norm introduces himself
    • Also known as "the Beard Guy," Norm started in 2013 and went to an Amazon Amazing Selling Machine conference.

    • Those who got into Amazon got money easily using simple steps.

    • If he didn't have resilience, he never would've made it.

    • Amazon has changed greatly over the years, so he expanded on what he learned into other markets.

    • Currently, Norm is not just a seller but also a brand owner, business owner, and podcaster.

    [5:57] Processes and delegation
    • Attending Michael Gerber's EMyth Academy, he's taught to be automated and scalable.

    • If it's repeatable, there's a process.

    • Going through a problematic process caused negativity in the office. However, their 5-page policy streamlined everything.

    • Norm delegates everything so he can grow other businesses.

    [10:11] — Creating your brand
    • You can use Amazon Posts, Live, and Brand Story to create a customer experience and build a brand community.

    • In choosing a brand name, you could send out names and descriptions to companies (e.g. PickFu). Doing this gives you access to an inexpensive focus group to assess them.

    • Get a graphic artist that understands corporate identity to create a good logo.

    • Check if your domain name is available on social media.

    [14:49] The power of packaging
    • Increase the perceived value of your product by spending a little more on the packaging.

    • Good packaging can hook customers and drive them over for warranty registration or subscription, leading to more traffic for your brand.

    • Consider outer packaging by unveiling the product, including a welcome message, etc.

    • Be distinctive in your packaging if you can.

    • Buy your own products to maintain quality assurance.

    [22:56] Product innovation
    • Do a proper competitive analysis for your products.

    • By checking product reviews, you can determine what people like and dislike about a product and improve upon them by changing the materials, color, etc.

    • Get ideas for product innovation on artsy websites.

    • Search the keyword, find out what the average product looks like, and be different.

    • Innovation can be expensive.

    [32:03] Getting a graphic of your product
    • Spend the proper amount on your product.

    • It's okay to experiment and fail in the first product, then put in the time and money into your second product. Use what you learned from the first try.

    • A graphic artist and a photographer can work together to bring out the best in a picture and increase your product's perceived value.

    • Standard packaging has legal requirements, but you don't need to use the same label for your product shot; you need to represent your product effectively.

    • Tune in to the full episode to find out the people you need to hire and their usual rates!

    [39:16] Growing your perception
    • Hire a product photographer that does 3D rendering and a graphic artist.

    • The usual rates for product photographers are $500 to $1,250 as you'll need both an infographic and a product image.

    • Find nano-influencers to promote your product, grow your perception, and help increase your perceived value.

    • Consistency and authority are necessary to earn trust and make sales.

    • Expand your network and form partnerships.

    [49:22] Doing the little things
    • Small things, like writing a letter or using a different imprint, increase the perceived value of your product.

    • Take a look at your competitors and make those little changes.

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    55 m
  • BI 387: How to Leverage Webinars to Quickly Ramp Up to 7 Figures (Ft Yuri Elkaim)
    Feb 4 2022
    Flowster Live Demo

    https://flowster.app/live-demo/

    Episode Highlights [3:15] — Yuri introduces himself and Healthpreneur
    • Yuri is the founder and CEO of Healthpreneur.
    • Healthpreneur helps health professionals and coaches gain clients and scale their virtual practices or businesses online.
    • They help clients make more impact, reach more people, and enjoy a better quality of life.
    [4:22] — Webinars as powerful tools
    • Content marketing plays a significant part for most businesses.
    • Regardless of industry, it doesn't matter what you do if no one knows about you — and that's why webinars can become an asset to your business.
    • Creating webinars is a more efficient and effective method of educating and persuading people to consume your brand.
    • Every business should have a webinar that allows them to create leverage.
    • Listen to the full episode to hear about how Yuri used a webinar to educate people and earn money — all while being on a plane to Hawaii!
    [10:56] — Figure out your big idea
    • Answer the questions, "What is this?", "What is it all about?", and "How is this different than what I've tried before?"
    • Build your webinar around the pain points of your target market.
    • The big idea is an articulation of what you believe.
    • The goal of the big idea isn't to be empirically true; — it's to share your truth and persuade people to change their perspective.
    • To create a big idea, you must understand your target audience and the marketplace.
    [17:10] — Identify your perfect client
    • The key to great marketing is marketing to one person, not everyone.
    • Find out the frustrations, fears, wants, and desires of your perfect client.
    • When people feel that they're understood, that's when they start paying attention.
    [21:16] — Knowing what you're talking about
    • Show them you know what you're talking about while holding on to the granular details of the actual process.
    • To justify the unique qualities of your methods, you need to establish the results of what you do.
    • Mapping the details out doesn't equate to success; the devil's in the details.
    • The audience should feel that the webinar resonated with them and made sense. A good webinar primes your clients and shortens the selling cycle.
    [25:36] — Finding an audience
    • Every entrepreneur should master paid traffic.
    • In creating ads, consider the questions: "What's the messaging going to look like?", "Who's the audience?".
    • The ad should lead people to the webinar, where they will be a call to action.
    • Regularly assess what you're willing to spend for a client.
    [31:12] — Determine how much you're willing to lose
    • Invest in your business.
    • Ask yourself, "How much are you willing to lose?"
    • Practice realistic budgeting.
    [33:12] — Live webinar vs. evergreen webinar
    • Doing a live webinar and subsequently putting up the recording as "evergreen" doesn't work very well.
    • Think about what gets people excited enough to show up, such as doing a preamble and offering worksheets.
    • Start promoting your webinar four to five days before the webinar.
    • With evergreen webinars, you could re-record or tweak certain parts to make them more solid and concise.
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    40 m
  • BI 386: How to Systematize Referral Generation in B2B (Ft Dan Englander)
    Jan 25 2022
    Flowster Live Demo

    https://flowster.app/live-demo/

    Episode Highlights [2:53] — A brief background on Dan and Sales Schema
    • Dan is the CEO and founder of Sales Schema.

    • Sales Schema is a fractional new business team for agencies, marketing services companies, as well as other B2B service companies for lead generation.

    • Their company has a forthcoming data product.

    • The biggest challenge their sales team encounters is gaining the trust of their clients for referral marketing.

    • Daniel's strategic approach to referral marketing starts with an account-based foundation, listing quality leads for a specific campaign.

    [6:04] — How does Dan create an account-based list?
    • Lead generation involves a back-and-forth communication process with clients.

    • They source data from different channels.

    • After compiling a list of companies, it will require the approval of their clients.

    • Their clients may either opt to work with brands that are industry-specific or be open to collaborating with any consumer brand.

    • The list is mainly effective for most mid to large companies.

    [8:07] — Leveraging your network to connect with the accounts in your list
    • Come up with a list of accounts related to the market you want to enter.

    • Assess your current network/contacts in the industry you are pursuing. Export a list of these LinkedIn (or other sources available) contacts.

    • Refine the list by finding connections between your contacts and the accounts you've approved.

    • Connect with your contacts, offer value from your end, and request for an introduction to the accounts.

    [12:11] — The key points of lead generation
    • Lead generation requires work and communication with your potential network.

    • Obtaining an introduction from your network grants you a more assessed and focused list of valuable connections.

    • The connections might drive you to other unexplored opportunities.

    • The biggest challenge is building that trust factor.

    [15:00] — Tips to get referrals for the DIYs
    • Start with Flowster and consider the fine line between personalization and scale in referral marketing.

    • For large companies, you can try the carpet bombing tactic for lead generation.

    • If your clients are similar to Daniel's, starting with an account-based list is ideal.

    • Sales Navigator helps to find clients that are industry-specific.

    [17:28] — What are the biggest mistakes people make in their referral marketing program?
    • Backloading the work

    • Spamming your campaign instead of promoting valuable content for people

    • To obtain connections effectively, you need to understand the fine line between personalization and scale.

    • Budgeting the right amount of time and optimizing the sales process are other essential elements in achieving a ranked outreach.

    [19:25] — Helpful tools to systemize referrals
    • For DIYs, using Sales Navigator is a good start.

    • The other tools that he finds effective for sales reps are Reply.io, Streak, and GMass. Different people have their own preferences when it comes to customer relationship management tools and their efficacy.

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    24 m
  • BI 382: How NFTs Are Rocking the Creator Economy (Ft Joe Pulizzi)
    Nov 30 2021
    Flowster Live Demo https://flowster.app/live-demo/ Episode Highlights [4:38] — Joe's Journey in Content Marketing Joe has been in the content marketing industry for over 20 years. They popularized the term "content marketing" and held the largest content marketing event in Cleveland, Ohio, with 4,000 attendees. After leaving the business in 2016 with his wife, he wrote books on content marketing and a novel called The Will to Die. He has started a new business called The Tilt, which focuses on helping small content creators learn to build a business using a "content first" mentality. He dabbled with business models, such as Web 3 and NFTs, that didn't exist before. [6:32] — What is an NFT? (Non Fungible Token) After getting into crypto and discovering NFTs in 2020, Joe realized that content creators could build their own mini economy. He then launched Tilt Coin. A fungible token is primarily for trading dollars; conversely, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are unique, and have an underlying contract. Listen to the full episode to find out how one of a kind NFTs allow creators to set the rules for what happens when the tokens are bought and sold online and give their audience access to unique experiences! [12:54] — Leveraging the Scarcity Element of NFTs Joe mentions that he learned a lot from the Gary Vee model. Gary Vaynerchuk was a huge content creator but was still subject to the whims of more centralized platforms, so he created 10,255 individual NFTs called VeeFriends. NFTs consisted of his art, and each digital artwork had different access points and perks, such as exclusive mail and different levels of admission for his VeeCon. You don't need a large audience. The NFT market is limited; you can provide premium access to your audience regardless of size while also controlling your own business model. Fans also get the chance to own something from the creator and resell it. [17:05] — The Benefits of NFTs for Creators and Fans If an event becomes successful, the pricing for NFTs could go up. The creator will benefit, being the IP owner. With The Tilt, they created Tilt Coin and set membership levels by the number of Tilt Coins someone had. Among the perks that come with the Tilt Coins are VIP access to ask Joe questions and monthly content drops. Launching at 36 cents in March 2021, Tilt Coins are currently priced at $53, which shows that the people who invested are satisfied with it. [18:42] — How to Create an FT or NFT For social tokens, it helps to find an organization that can show you how to do it, or you can look for a contractor or technologist to do it for you. The Tilt worked with rally.io to set up the whole thing on the blockchain as a side chain of their own Genesis coin. Other organizations you could check out are Roll and Coinvise. Outsourcing the creation of NFTs by finding foundations to help you set up underlying contracts and deciding on the royalties would be helpful. [22:05] — The Downsides of NFTs In 2017, initial coin offering (ICO) boomed, and many shell companies would pump up their prices and leave everyone hanging. While it's possible to dump Tilt Coins, it would ruin his reputation. It's not about getting rich quickly but building an economy. Two people recently created Squid Coin based on Netflix's Squid Game, which went up around 5,000%, and the creators made millions before disappearing. Do your homework before investing in any social tokens. [26:42] — Resources for Studying NFTs The Bankless Podcast had an episode with Chris Dixon where he discusses NFTs and paints a picture about why he thinks the future will be tokenized and decentralized. Tim Ferriss' podcast had a more than 2-hour talk with Chris Dixon about NFTs. Another one would be Tom Bilyeu's Impact Theory episode about the gold standard, the usage of dollars, and the transition to Bitcoin. Some people might think non fungible tokens are a scam, especially in the digital art world. However, you'll find value in its scarcity element and asset inflation as you learn more about it. The future is exciting because new business models are emerging. [30:15] — Get Started Owning NFTs It's hard for someone to understand what they're talking about unless they try it. Try getting a digital wallet by going to MetaMask. You'll need Coinbase to buy $50 worth of Ethereum and deposit it into your MetaMask account. After that, find some NFTs worth $5 and buy it regardless of whether you'll lose it. This gives you a taste of NFTs. You can figure out if you want to explore it or continue living in the banking world through experimentation.
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    34 m
  • BI 384: How to Make a Million Dollars Podcasting
    Dec 28 2021
    Flowster Live Demo

    https://flowster.app/live-demo/

    Episode Highlights [0:36] — Creating a Podcast
    • Part of the challenges in podcasting is having insufficient downloads, leads, and social engagement.

    • Podcasters sometimes have difficulty in publishing content consistently.

    • However, you will be perceived as an authoritative figure within your niche when you overcome these challenges.

    • Creating valuable relationships could open up more lucrative opportunities.

    [1:19] — Podcast Mistake #1: Disregarding Editorial Calendar
    • It's ideal to plan your content in advance.

    • You'd always want to ensure that the episodes support your monetization initiatives for premium content.

    [2:06] — Podcast Mistake #2: Inconsistent Publishing of Content
    • Your audience will start tuning out if you don't publish content regularly.

    • Scheduling your pre-production process ensures that your content is regularly produced.

    [2:56] — Podcast Mistake #3: Not Niche Specific
    • We have a habit of wanting to include and appeal to everyone; this makes us a generalist.

    • Being a generalist is equivalent to failing to be of interest to anyone.

    • It is critical that your content targets a specific demographic.

    • Appealing to a target audience encourages podcast monetization and podcast sponsorship.

    [4:52] — Podcast Mistake #4: Doing Audio-only Podcasts
    • We should leverage YouTube because it can offer a large source of traffic for your podcasts.

    • Trent entrusts his editor to format his podcast that caters to different social media platforms, including YouTube.

    [5:32] — Podcast Mistake #5: Relying on Social Media Promotion
    • Depending solely on social media will only give you exposure to existing followers.

    • Guesting in other podcast channels could expand your audience size.

    • Social media ads aren't the most effective method for growing your show.

    • YouTube is a beneficial tool for you to increase the reach of your videos.

    [5:32] — Podcast Mistake #6: Not Repurposing Content
    • Learn how to increase your social engagement with Social Media Video Content Engine

    • You can retrieve multiple social media posts from one single episode.

    [8:59] — Trent's Biggest Secret
    • For him, podcasting is the best networking tool on planet Earth.

    • To collaborate with desired guests, the line, "I would love to have you on my show" is exemplary compared to, "Can I have an hour of free advice?"

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    12 m
  • BI 381: How to Maximize the ROI with Influencer Marketing (ft Brad Hoos)
    Nov 16 2021
    Flowster Live Demo

    https://flowster.app/live-demo/

    Episode Highlights

    [2:57] — Brad Introduces OutLoud Group and Influencer Marketing
    • Brad is the Chief Growth Officer at OutLoud Group, a 60-person influencer marketing agency.

    • Brands can use influencer campaigns to grow their revenue.

    • Social media influencers can be tapped as third-party endorsements because their audience trusts them.

    [7:56] — The Who Of Influencer Marketing
    • Running an influencer campaign is not for everyone.

    • Influencer marketing campaigns are not great for commoditized products, but they work best for B2C brands and those with a story to tell.

    • Brands should make sure to pick influencer types that are either a good brand fit or adjacently related to their brand.

    [15:10] — How To Structure A Deal With Influencers
    • Smaller creators are generally easier to reach since they usually don't work with managers or agents yet.

    • Brad observed that some creators are more reliable.

    • He also recommends starting with an initial test with influencers before committing to a long-term deal.

    • Most influencers will protect themselves by asking for a flat fee regardless of the campaign's success.

    [20:42] — KPIs To Watch In Influencer Marketing Campaigns
    • Brad recommends observing CPM by the increase of traffic to your website.

    • Different creators and their platforms will have different CPMs.

    • The subscriber and follower count is only a vanity metric — it may contain fake followers and cannot assure conversions, potential customers, or traffic.

    • Brad recommends starting with a minimum of 5 creators first.

    [27:48] — What Can Go Wrong With Your Influencer Marketing Campaigns
    • Don't force influencers to use a script of brand voice and marketing buzzwords.

    • Let them do their own thing since they know what will resonate with their audience the most.

    • Don't negotiate for the lowest price. Remember that influencers' work will be affected by how much they feel valued.

    [31:44] — Brad Shares How The OutLoud Group Grew
    • Brad shares that their agency started with a family model. However, as the agency grew, they had to adopt a pro-sports team kind of model.

    • The agency's main principle is to have clear goals and bring out the best in people.

    [36:55] — Where To Automate Or Humanize
    • As their agency grew, the business became more complex. At this point, they implemented Salesforce.

    • Brad shares that their agency prides itself on customer service rather than automation.

    • The agency automates its contracting and execution. However, they keep their humanized communications with different influencers and clients.

    • There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to brands and influencers. So the agency's SOPs evolve over time.

    • The core of their SOP is the willingness to change.

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    52 m
  • BI 383: How to Hire a Virtual Assistant
    Dec 14 2021
    Flowster Live Demo

    https://flowster.app/live-demo/

    Episode Highlights [1:07] — The Benefits of Hiring a Virtual Assistant
    • VAs are the single greatest addition to Trent's business arsenal.

    • Significantly increases productivity at an affordable cost.

    [1:32] — Costs of Hiring a Virtual Assistant
    • Trent typically hires most virtual assistants from the Philippines, while his personal assistant is from Mexico.

    • You can hire a Filipino virtual assistant for around $4 an hour. Trent's executive assistant in Mexico gets paid about $6 an hour.

    • Aside from being less expensive, it also saves costs from providing healthcare benefits.

    • An hour-to-hour basis allows you to terminate them without hassle when they don't perform.

    [2:22] — The Role of a Virtual Assistant
    • Allows you to focus on more critical tasks instead of $10 an hour jobs.

    • You can hire a general VA for all the tasks you don't want to do. Hiring a specialized VA can help you with specific tasks like project management and content creation.

    • Accomplish a collection of tasks that do not require experience. Some examples of these tasks are:

    • Making phone calls and contacting venture partners and clients.

    • Doing first-level research tasks and project management.

    • Order management.

    • Create content, graphic design, digital marketing, social media management, and email management.

    [5:22] — Where and How to Hire a Virtual Assistant
    • Trent typically hires from the Philippines and Mexico. He hires VAs from Mexico to be in the same timezone as them.

    • The best places to find virtual assistants are Upwork and OnlineJobs.ph.

    • Make sure to put a unique code in the job description that you want applicants to put in their application. It will allow you to filter out qualified candidates more quickly.

    [8:23] — The Applicant Screening Process
    • Trent's wife handles the hiring process of all their VAs.

    • They have them complete a test task to filter out applicants who will do a good job.

    • Test tasks are usually one to two-hour jobs. But instead, they tell them it could take up to eight hours and that they will get paid by the rate.

    • The test task works as a trial run to find out who among the candidates does the job most efficiently.

    [9:49] — Common Mistakes When Hiring a Virtual Assistant
    • They don't put a code word in their job posting.

    • They do traditional interviews instead of straightforward project-based interviews.

    • There's no clearly-defined process and instruction documentation in place for the virtual assistant to follow.

    • They set unrealistic expectations far from what they have to offer.

    • Tune in to the full episode to learn more about why people struggle when hiring VAs! Make sure to get your SOP template from Flowster SOP Template Marketplace.

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    15 m