Work Less, Earn More

When you’re thinking about creating a digital product, there are a lot of decisions to make.Should you create a course or a membership site?Write a book or provide one-on-one coaching?There are so many options, and each one has its own nuances, benefits and challenges.Whatever product you decide to create, you’ll have to make choices about structure, pricing, marketing and more.In this episode, I’m talking to Julie Solomon, CEO of EmpowerYou Inc, host of the Influencer Podcast and creator of SHINE.Julie is an expert in digital marketing, PR, and personal branding and I wanted to talk to her about SHINE because it is so different from a lot of what we see online. I wanted to learn more about how she structured the program and what led her to some of the choices she made.We’ll also dig into how she markets a premium program with a matching price tag, growth challenges and the pros and cons of running high-ticket programs.Listen to the full episode to hear:The market challenges Julie designed her program to addressWhy she pivoted away from a monthly membership model to a six-month commitmentHow Julie attracts organic leads to her program with her podcast and social mediaWhy Julie settled on her price point, and why she hasn’t changed it even as she’s iterated other parts of the programLearn more about Julie:JulieSolomon.netInstagram: @julssolomonThe Influencer PodcastSHINELearn more about Gillian:Startup SocietyGet on the waitlist for VALIDATEProfit Planning ChallengeGet in touch!

When you set up email marketing for your business, it can completely change the way you market your business overall. Being in someone’s inbox is a totally different game than showing up in their social media feed.There are so many tools that email marketing opens up to you that allow you to get more personal and responsive with your email list than you could ever be with social media ads.If you’ve been hesitating learning how to use email marketing for your business, today’s episode is for you.We’ll cover everything from choosing the best software platform to setting up your opt-in forms and how to build your list.Listen to the full episode to hear:The pros and cons of three free email marketing platforms you can use while you build your listWhy you might want to use a thank you page instead of a pop-up for new subscribersHow to create an enticing and valuable freebie for new sign-upsHow to promote your freebie to build your listLearn more about Gillian:Startup SocietyGet on the waitlist for VALIDATEProfit Planning ChallengeGet in touch!Resources:MailerLiteSenderConvertKit

So you’re thinking about starting a podcast.Maybe you want to expand your audience, or maybe you want to build an audience and create authority to support your online business. Both are great reasons to get into podcasting.So what’s holding you back?In today’s episode, Melissa Guller of Wit & Wire joins me to talk about strategies for starting and marketing a podcast, from the planning you need to do to marketing strategies. And we’ll break down misconceptions about the charts, market saturation and why you don’t need a ton of equipment or technical know-how to hit record.Melissa Guller is a course creator, podcast producer, and the CEO of Wit & Wire, where she helps online business owners build their authority and reach a wider audience through podcasting. Bigger picture, Melissa loves to teach entrepreneurs. She’s a top-rated instructor on Skillshare and in person at General Assembly, and she previously worked full-time for Ramit Sethi and Teachable. She’s helped over 2,000 podcasting students through her Wit & Wire online courses, and she's on a mission to help more diverse business owners earn money online doing work they love.Listen to the full episode to hear:Three reasons to start a podcast even if you don’t have a large followingHow to use seasons as part of your marketing, to test content, or to give yourself a breakWhy you need to be strategic about choosing your category and what charting means for your podcastThe difference between owned media and earned media and which one you should focus on for growthHow to pitch yourself as a guest on someone else’s podcast and invite guests to your ownLearn more about Melissa:Wit & WireInstagram: @WitAndWireWit & Wire on Pinterest Wit & Wire PodcastLearn more about Gillian:Startup SocietyGet on the waitlist for VALIDATEProfit Planning ChallengeGet in touch!Resources:The Best Podcast Microphones for Any BudgetFREE How to Launch a Podcast in 60 Days Without Feeling Overwhelmed

Email is not dead.When you’re selling products online, you always need a few different tools in your marketing kit.You’ll use advertising so people hear about your products in the first place. Then you’ll need some way to move those leads from lukewarm to interested in buying to paying customers.And most businesses, from small local retailers to big-name brands, are still using email as a key part of their sales process.And that's why I find it, especially ridiculous when people say that email is dead.We’re all still using email. It’s a primary method of communication in general and it’s still a primary sales channel for most businesses.Which is why today, we’re going to discuss how to launch a product with email.We’ll get into the details on conversion rates, how to incorporate webinars and options for setting up your email sequence. Because no matter what your advertising strategy is to move people into your funnel, you’re going to need emails to convert those leads.Listen to the full episode to hear:Why webinars are especially helpful for smaller brands to boost conversionsPros and cons of short and long launch sequencesThe importance of the pre-launch period10 emails that will increase your sales by 500%Learn more about Gillian:Startup SocietyGet on the waitlist for VALIDATEProfit Planning ChallengeGet in touch!Resources: Work Less, Earn More Ep 78: The Beginner’s Guide to Webinars Part OneWork Less, Earn More Ep 79: The Beginner’s Guide to Webinars Part Two

If you’re running an online business, at some point you’re going to have to build a funnel. And of course, you don’t want to spend your time and effort creating a funnel that doesn’t work.Today, to get into the nitty-gritty, full-nerd details of building funnels that actually make you money, I’m joined by Christie Mims, founder of Coach Pony.Christie has channeled the power of her niche into a million-dollar funnel and she is going to break down for us how she did it.From boosting traffic to her website without spending a fortune on ads or the whole day on social media to the data you need to look at every day, Christie walks us through the process of how she got to her million-dollar funnel.Christie Mims is the founder of Coach Pony, a community for new life coaches who want to build their business and client lists. She’s also a Forbes Top 100 Career Coach and the founder of The Revolutionary Club, a career coaching business that serves smart people who want to find their passion.Listen to the full episode to hear:Common sense strategies to boost your visibility without chasing social media followsHow to use behavioral cues to create a “gentle” funnelWhy Christie uses a “less stick, more carrot” approach in her funnelsWhy you should have a secondary sales cycle for folks who didn’t buy immediatelyChristie’s top two tips for building a successful funnelLearn more about Christie:Coach PonyInstagram: @christiecoachponyConnect with Christie on LinkedInCoach Pony PodcastLearn more about Gillian:Startup SocietyGet on the waitlist for VALIDATEProfit Planning ChallengeGet in touch!

Have you ever wanted to get a look at the nitty gritty details of a successful product launch?   Plenty of people will tell you how much money they made or an average of their open rate or the kinds of emails they sent to their leads, but today, we’re diving deep into the numbers on the recent launch of the Creator Fast Track.   The Creator Fast Track launch was one of our most successful launches to date, so we’re breaking it down for you, from warm leads to money in the bank, with what worked, what we wouldn’t do again, and the real numbers underneath it all.   To help me remember how it went down, I’m joined by my operations manager, Cortni Loveridge.   Listen to the full episode to hear: Why “Sell with a Story” emails work How scripting the entire webinar made a massive difference in sales and helped us set up an evergreen funnel How back to back launches netted 50% more sales Why you shouldn’t be afraid to align your webinar result with your product result The email subject lines we used and tips for boosting your open rate   Learn more about Gillian:   Join Startup Society (promo code: earnmore) Get on the waitlist for VALIDATE Profit Planning Challenge Get in touch!

We all know that video is a powerful tool to grow your brand and using video to effectively grow your sales is a specialty in and of itself, especially if you’re trying to bring in leads with organic video content. Where should you post? How do you know your videos are being shown to people who would be interested in your business? What should your videos be about? If you’re brand new to the idea of selling through a short video post, or if the very thought makes you uncomfortable, it can be tough to know where to start. Kate Hore-Lacy is a master at using video as a tool in your business to make more sales. Like a lot of business owners, Kate had to make a big pivot in her sales strategies when COVID cancelled the live events where she would typically find many of her leads. Thinking outside of her comfort zone and pushing past her resistance to doing video has paid off big in her business and today, she’ll share some of her strategies and tips for success with video as a sales tool. Kate Hore-Lacy is a client attraction strategist and sales and mindset mentor. Values-driven service providers who struggle with sales hire her to claim their impact, get clients, get praised and get paid! She has addressed worldwide audiences through summits, videos and workshops to rave reviews and with over 33,000 followers of her daily videos, has recently been named a LinkedIn sales star. Listen to the full episode to hear:How pivoting to video on a platform with less saturation helped Kate bring in sales when COVID caused her live events to be cancelledEasy strategies for selecting video topicsWhy your video description needs a hook tooHow to catch and keep your audience’s attentionWhy you don’t need to spend a ton of money on equipment to do video, and one relatively inexpensive thing that’s totally worth it Learn more about Kate:KateHoreLacy.comConnect with Kate on LinkedIn Learn more about Gillian: Join Startup Society (promo code: earnmore)Get on the waitlist for VALIDATEProfit Planning ChallengeGet in touch!

Whenever you’re pursuing a goal, at some point you’ll want to give up. Making the distinction between frustration, boredom or distraction and it really being time to move on is hard and it can get emotional.   There are times when you’re frustrated and discouraged and things aren’t working, but you can change course and use a different strategy rather than giving up on the goal altogether.   There are times when you’re bored or unmotivated and a shiny new idea seems like a better path.   And there are times when you’ll realize that, for one reason or another, the goal you’ve been pursuing truly isn’t serving you.   So how do you make an informed, solid decision with all those feelings swirling around?   In the final episode of our series on perseverance, we are going to help you answer that question.   I’m joined again by Startup Success coach Gabe Cox. Gabe is a marathon runner, author of Mind Over Marathon, success coach, and homeschooling mom. She helps women use their passions to enhance their productivity and spiritual growth so they can go after their God-given goals.   Listen to the full episode to hear: Why you can be working without doing the work How validating your ideas can help you decide to change course or give up How to tell if you’ve truly lost your passion What to do with roadblocks, detours and other obstacles When it really is just too hard to keep going   Learn more about Gabe: Red Hot Mindset Instagram: @gabecox_redhotmindset Red Hot Mindset Podcast Red Hot Mindset on YouTube Mind Over Marathon: Overcoming Mental Barriers in the Race of Life   Learn more about Gillian: Join Startup Society (promo code: earnmore) Get on the waitlist for VALIDATE Profit Planning Challenge Get in touch!   Resources: Work Less, Earn More Ep 80: How to Stick with Your Plan Until You Succeed with Gabe Cox Work Less, Earn More Ep 81: Setting Yourself Up For Success From The Start with Gabe Cox Work Less, Earn More Ep 82: Motivating Yourself When You’re Not Motivated with Gabe Cox Work Less, Earn More Ep 83: 5 Things That Will DERAIL You From Achieving Your Goals with Gabe Cox

Far too often, we make the plans, we get started full of enthusiasm and excitement, but before long, we either lose motivation or something else actually gets in our way and we fall off the wagon.   This week, we’re focusing on the things that can derail you.   So often when we are thinking about achieving our goals, we think about tips for planning, for staying on track and staying motivated.   But sometimes things literally get in your way.   And they can be the reason why you don’t achieve your goals. It’s not that you didn’t have a good enough strategy or good enough plans, but maybe you didn’t think about–or didn’t even know about–potential obstacles that could derail you.   I’m joined again by Startup Success coach Gabe Cox. Gabe is a marathon runner, author of Mind Over Marathon, success coach, and homeschooling mom. She helps women use their passions to enhance their productivity and spiritual growth so they can go after their God-given goals.   Listen to the full episode to hear: Strategies for tackling fear of criticism and ways to help you remember positive feedback How community and mentorship help you with the unknown and unforeseen obstacles The mindset shifts you need to make around failure The subtle ways fear of success can derail you How the 80/20 rule can help you beat shiny object syndrome How to handle distractions from social media to binge watching   Learn more about Gabe: Red Hot Mindset Instagram: @gabecox_redhotmindset Red Hot Mindset Podcast Red Hot Mindset on YouTube Mind Over Marathon: Overcoming Mental Barriers in the Race of Life   Learn more about Gillian: Join Startup Society (promo code: earnmore) Get on the waitlist for VALIDATE Profit Planning Challenge Get in touch!   Resources:   Work Less, Earn More Ep 80: How to Stick with Your Plan Until You Succeed with Gabe Cox Work Less, Earn More Ep 81: Setting Yourself Up For Success From The Start with Gabe Cox Work Less, Earn More Ep 82: Motivating Yourself When You’re Not Motivated

How do you stay motivated?   Staying motivated is one of the things people think about the most when they think about achieving a goal.   How do you keep going when you’re having an off day or the hard work is taking the shine off your excitement?   Maybe you’ve lost some of the fire you had when you set the goal. Maybe there’s an unforeseen obstacle in your way.   In the third part of our series on perseverance, we're going to be talking about how to stay motivated.   People ask me about staying motivated all the time. But it’s more complicated than simple hacks. They're not going to be enough to have perseverance and to get the results, but motivation is an important piece of the puzzle.   I’m joined again by Startup Success coach Gabe Cox. Gabe is a marathon runner, author of Mind Over Marathon, success coach, and homeschooling mom. Gabe is a powerhouse woman and someone who has really become an expert on persevering through and achieving your goals.   Listen to the full episode to hear: Ways to keep your “why” visually in front of you to help you keep going Why you should ask yourself if “not feeling it” is a warranted feeling How to effectively use rewards for hitting milestones, large or small Why having an accountability partner can be about more than hitting deadlines   Learn more about Gabe: Red Hot Mindset Instagram: @gabecox_redhotmindset Red Hot Mindset Podcast Red Hot Mindset on YouTube Mind Over Marathon: Overcoming Mental Barriers in the Race of Life   Learn more about Gillian: Join Startup Society (promo code: earnmore) Get on the waitlist for VALIDATE Profit Planning Challenge Get in touch!   Resources: Work Less, Earn More Ep 80: How to Stick with Your Plan Until You Succeed with Gabe Cox Work Less, Earn More Ep 81: Setting Yourself Up For Success From The Start with Gabe Cox YouTube: the SCIENCE of Manifestation and the Law of Attraction One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way, Robert Maurer