Inspire to Engage

Customer interviews. Most business owners overlook this gold mine, and it's right at their finger tips. Literally. This treasure trove is just a phone call away. It's amazing what we can learn about our business in a 10 minute phone chat with a loyal customer. This episode is about the why, the how and the questions to ask when you interview your best clients. In it, I include... my tip for scheduling the calls that will keep you from pulling out your hair. a template for your email initiating the customer interview. the questions to ask. how this short chat provides you tons of great content for social media posts, emails, etc. Most of us spend hours and days, even months, pondering our next business move or wondering if our copy resonates with customers...when we could be spending a few minutes on the phone, learning from our most loyal clients. Customer interviews save you time and worry in the long run! Links Mentioned in the Episode: Google Doc for Email Template and Questions to Ask Creating an Ideal Customer Story (a short course that helps you identify and write to your ideal customer) - inspiretoengage.com/onlinecourses

Are you familiar with Upwork? If yes - awesome! If not, no worries! I learned of Upwork about 10 months. Since then, I've realized the power that little app has to grow my business...and, perhaps, yours too. In this episode, my friend and terrific guest, Carly Cheton, teaches us the 4 things we must have to be successful on Upwork. (FYI - She's gotten so good at Upwork that the jobs come to her now! Oh yeah!!) And although Upwork is typically for freelance service providers, Carly's advice is ideal for product businesses too. If you must write profiles to join wholesale websites, business membership groups, etc., then this episode is a must. Carly even goes into mindset and how not to "grip" at every job. (I love this part of our chat!) She also talks about pricing yourself on Upwork and how and why to make your profile about those you serve, not about you. It's an awesome episode full of advice for Upwork. But the best part? Carly's suggestions apply to all platforms where we're asked to describe our businesses and how they help. Enjoy! To learn more about Carly Cheton and her program Getting Your First Client: LinkedIn - Carly Cheton Instagram - @carlycheton To get Creating an Ideal Customer Story: Click here. To learn about my done-for-you services: Copywriting Services

Many of us small business owners think of sales as a gift - you're either naturally good at selling or you're not. And, if you're not one of the lucky ones, well, poor you. That's not what Natasha Hemmingway thinks, though. She's a sales coach to small business owners. Natasha teaches what she learned in corporate sales (over a decade of experience!) to small business owners who are clamoring to feel more confident on sales calls and to have a system for getting leads. This episode runs the gamut - from "selling with heart not hustle" to commission breath (this one made me laugh out loud!) to the shaking head test to knowing your lead pipeline. We cover a lot! Natasha is intelligent, passionate and oh so funny! She'll make you laugh + learn. Enjoy this episode! To learn more about Natasha Hemmingway: website (natashahemmingway.com) Instagram (@natashahemmingway) Facebook (@natashahemmingwayspeaks) YouTube (Natasha Hemmingway) More Episodes about Sales episode 20 with Sarah Mae Dickinson episode 44 with Jamie Clauss To purchase "Creating an Ideal Customer Story" inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Hmmm...should I create a Facebook Group? What about a podcast? Or maybe a YouTube channel? The avenues to grow a loyal community are almost too many to count...which leads to overwhelm. Confusion. Indecision. In this episode, I interview Randy Lee, a self-professed serial entrepreneur. He began his first Facebook group in 2014 and recently started a YouTube channel. And, yes, he has a podcast that's growing like crazy. He knows how to build a community. And, more importantly, he's honest about the hard work it requires and the plain ole "trial and error" that it takes. If you've considered a podcast or delving into video or wondering the merits of starting a Facebook group, this episode is perfect for you. (Plus, Randy's a funny man. Humor is always a great addition to any episode.) Enjoy! More about Randy Lee: Website: flippingenius.com YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCqUS22WTBfcRm9olZsgdnWA Podcast: Flipping Genius on Spotify Email: flippingquestions@gmail.com Where to Find "Creating an Ideal Customer Story" online course: inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

As business owners, we clutch our products and services tightly against our chests...so afraid to hire help or confused on where to even start hiring. The problem with clinging to our businesses so tightly - they'll never grow. This episode is with Emily Perron, a hiring consultant and recruiter for entrepreneurs. After leaving her corporate job, she started her own entrepreneurial journey and quickly burned out. Emily knew there had to be a better way to run a business! From that tough lesson came her business today, one that helps other entrepreneurs make smart hiring choices. Our chat covers topics like... At some point, every business owner dreams of growing bigger, of making more money, of taking a vacation (or just a day to yourself!). Hiring the right people makes these things happen. Enjoy! To learn more about Emily... website - emilyperron.com Instagram - @emily.perron video on mistakes to avoid when writing job posts - on IGTV and her Instagram account on March 4, 2021 to get the job posting template - emilyperron.com/jobpostingtemplate To purchase Creating an Ideal Customer Story - inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

We think we can do it all. But...can we really?! And, are we hurting our bodies and our productivity with the “sleep when I’m dead” mindset? In this episode with Dana Stone, we talk about sleep, batching tasks and bedtime routines, plus so much more. Like, for example, did you know that poor digestion and stomach troubles can be traced to exhaustion? Dana Stone is a life coach with a background in sleep coaching. She’s also a mama juggling motherhood and a business (and trying to rest some along the way!). If you’re looking to be more productive in your business, while still caring for yourself and others, this episode is for you. To learn more about Dana, visit… her website at liveandrest.com her Instagram account @thedanastone To learn more about my course Creating an Ideal Customer Story, visit... inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Ever had a great product or service but couldn't get people to purchase it? If your answer is "yes," that makes you normal. It's common in business, but not something we want to happen for long. This episode will help you look at your product/service differently. It's about positioning - putting your product or service in a context that your ideal customer understands and, better yet, wants and needs. April Dunford is my guest expert She's spent years in the tech world helping companies understand their products from the customer's standpoint. In this episode, April shares what question we should all ask ourselves to start positioning our product/service correctly. Plus, she talks about saying no to customers (and how that has actually grown her business and referrals). April may come from a tech and engineering background, but she has a knack for making the conversation fun and the lessons easy. Enjoy! For more about April Dunford: aprildunford.com For more about her book, Obviously Awesome: aprildunford.com/obviously-awesome For my online course, Creating an Ideal Customer Story: inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Question - Were you born an entrepreneur? (Honestly, I wasn't. It's something I've grown into.) Ericka Edwards was! But even with her natural abilities and mindset, 2020 wasn't easy. She's a lash specialist and permanent makeup artist. So, obviously, the 2020 pandemic made it tough for her business. This episode is about what she learned from 2020 and is using to thrive in 2021. She's inspiring, kind and humble - definitely a gal you want to call a friend and mentor. At the end of the episode, I share ways we all can use her 3 big takeaways from 2020 and apply them to our businesses...like right now. I give tips about being a guest on podcasts, how to use your instinct in a good way and why our perfectionism is holding you (and me) back. Ericka's a mom, a wife, a business woman and an all around go-getter. You don't want to miss her insights in this episode! More info on Ericka Edwards: website - lash-belle.com Instagram - @lashbelle_ Facebook - @lashbellehsv More about my course Creating an Ideal Customer Story: link - inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Do you love Instagram? Perplexed by it? Can't stand it? There for All. Of. It?! No matter your feelings on The IG, most of us use it for business because we know our people are there. In this episode, Molly Marshall GETS REAL about Instagram. No promises of gaining a 1,000 followers a day or only selling in the DM's. (If you're looking for "hacks," this episode is not for you. Just real talk of using this platform on a consistent basis.) Towards the end of our chat, Molly talks about the "should-ing" disease, which cracks me up. But, she's right! It's an ailment many of us suffer from with social media platforms (well, with anything really). If you're ready for honest talk about Instagram, this episode is for you. More info on Molly: website - mollymarshallmarketing.com Instagram - @mollymarshallmarketing My course: Creating an Ideal Customer Story - inspiretoengage.com/online-courses More about Skylar Scott Studios: website - www.skylarscottstudios.com Facebook - @skylarscottstudios

Do you struggle to talk about pricing? Do you offer your clients the cheapest option? Do you feel guilty to talk about your most expensive package? If so, this episode is for you, my dear. (Really, this one is for any small business owner because we all want to make more money.) My guest Jamie Clauss is a pro at sales. What she puts down, you're gonna wanna pick up! In this chat, she shares so many tidbits about your perspective on sales - ones that lead to big mindset shifts. Here's one - You're too expensive at any price! (Yep. You know that price that you lost money on and a customer still said it was too expensive.) Here's another - Offering the cheapest option is like saying how can I serve you the least. Jamie is full of these reality checks, business knowledge and real-life examples. You don't want to miss this episode. Enjoy! To learn more about Jamie Clauss and her business consulting: www.jamieclauss.com To learn more about Creating an Ideal Customer Story, the online course: www.inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Truthfully, the New Year can be overwhelming. The possibilities are wonderful...but also stifling. Newness is terrific...but wears off quickly. The pressure to tackle the new year full force leaves some of us exhausted and sad. This episode is about choosing one word for the new year because, well, it seems doable. Not overwhelming. Not crushing. For this episode, I invited my dear friend April Coleman to share her one word for 2021. She was my first friend to talk about the one word strategy with me several years ago. So, I invited her to discuss this practice and how she's greeting the new year. April's a mom, wife, educator, mompreneur and so much more. This episode is full of real talk and, hopefully, encouragement for you. Enjoy. And go get'em in 2021. To learn more about April and her business, Created Resources, visit here: Instagram -@createdresources Website - www.createdresources.com For the one year Bible reading plans she mentioned: Get this free app: Capstone Church - Tuscaloosa. (The reading plan is inside it.) Or, visit this website - She Reads Truth For the online course called Creating an Ideal Customer: Visit here - www.inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Whew! 2020, you've done a number on us! But, we've survived! This episode is about analyzing how your business did in 2020 and then prepping for 2021. Do you enjoy reflecting? Planning? Personally, I don't. Analyzing numbers from the past year makes me antsy and frustrated. So for this episode, I invited back my friend and sales coach Sarah Mae Dickinson. She pushes me - and you, by virtue of listening - to ask ourselves the tough questions. By taking time to answer these questions, to analyze 2020 and to plan for 2021, we'll feel more in control, and we'll know steps for moving forward. I hope this episode helps. (Just so you know - I think you're amazing! I've watched small business owners like you work harder than ever before. That's saying something because you already worked like a maniac! Way to survive 2020!) To learn more about Sarah Mae Dickinson, visit her website (https://www.sarahmaedickinson.com/) or her Instagram account (@smdcoaching). (To learn more about my course, Creating an Ideal Customer Story, visit this link. https://www.inspiretoengage.com/online-courses)

It's the month of Thanksgiving! But 2020 sure has thrown us all for a loop, to put it mildly. This episode is with my sweet friends Amy Boyle and Deanna Mason. Both are business owners, and both have made big changes in their businesses this year. We talk about how they adapted their businesses in this crazy time, what things they're most thankful for and what triumphs they've seen others have. It's an episode about choosing to be thankful in these wild, sometimes devastating times. Hopefully, this episode is a blessing to you and that you find things in your business to be thankful for too. More about Amy and Deanna - Amy Boyle - https://gracegirlbeads.com/ and Instagram (@shopgracegirlbeadshuntsville) and Facebook (@gracegirlbeads) Deanna Mason - https://deannamason.com/ and Instagram (@refreshedmoms) and Facebook (@refreshedmomswithdeanna) To find Creating an Ideal Customer Story - https://www.inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Oh, the subject line. It's the gateway to your email. How do you write it so someone wants to click on your email...when there are 40 others sitting in the inbox wanting to be opened too? In this episode, I look at 4 common emails (and their subject lines!) that small business owners write - sales/urgency, deliverables, newsletter and nuture/onboarding. I share tips for writing great subject lines and also give examples of subject lines for the most common kinds of emails. It's an episode created help you step up your email game! Enjoy. >> sites mentioned in this episode: sendcheckit.com 455 Spam Trigger Words The Ultimate List of Spam Trigger Words >> course mentioned in this episode Creating an Ideal Customer Story at https://www.inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Product pages - We all have questions about them. How many words should they have? Is SEO important? What about keywords? What's a good load time? Should I do alt text for images? Plus more! On this episode, I've called in the experts to help. Michela, Ren and Tim are from Cake Commerce, a marketing agency based in Madison, Connecticut that specializes in e-commerce businesses. Boy, do they have a lot of expertise to share (and graciously do in our chat)! I challenge you to take one of their suggestions and apply it today. And, of course, then choose another. :) Enjoy! To learn more about Cake Commerce, visit Instagram, Facebook and its website at cakecommerce.com This episode's sponsor: Creating an Ideal Customer Story

In this Halloween edition, I tackle a scary topic...telling stories from your own life to market your business better. Truthfully, there's not much "Halloween" in this episode. But, I do hear often from my clients that they are afraid - spooked - to write about their own lives. They wonder, "Who wants to really hear this?" Or, my clients say, "People will laugh or think I'm dumb." It's because of these fears that I decided to create this episode. In it, I define the two kinds of stories we can tell as business owners. (And, there's one of your stories you should be telling OFTEN!) I also outline criteria for when - or if - to tell personal stories. Oh, and I give a few tricks for storytelling too. (Sadly, many of us actually do descriptive writing when we think we're telling a good story. I'm guilty.) I hope this episode encourages you to use stories to market your business. People mentioned in this episode: Annie F. Downs (on Insta) and her website Kindra Hall (on Insta) and her book Stories That Stick My course, Creating an Ideal Customer Story, for getting clear on the client you serve and how

What holds you back when writing for your business? Poor punctuation? The dread of writing? Not knowing what to say? Writing but getting no response? Ugh! So many business owners let things like these keep them from communicating with customers (and potential ones). But, let's charge ahead. Let's not keep our ideal clients waiting. Let's help them buy from us, and your writing can do just that! In this episode, I delve into 3 mistakes we often make when writing for our businesses. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I outline ways we can improve or shift our mindsets. Below are the 3 mindsets I see most often and ones addressed in this episode. Believe me...I've learned to combat these mindsets the hard way. I hope my suggestions help you. This episode's sponsor, SMD Coaching, is found at https://www.sarahmaedickinson.com/ Find the slides mentioned in this episode at https://www.inspiretoengage.com/blog/episode37

Okay, this episode has it all! From when Erin almost lost her business due to Etsy issues to her 3-lever system for revenue growth, we cover a lot of topics. You don't want to miss this conversation with Erin Hooley, the founder of Bailey's Blossoms. She started her infant and toddler clothing line in her garage and now has a 25, 000 square-foot warehouse. (Yes, I know you're jealous of the storage!) To say she's grown the business is an understatement. In this episode, we talk about how she and her small team bounced back from a huge setback and how she's prepping her e-commerce site for holiday shoppers. Warning, you'll need paper and pencil (or smartphone) for notes. Enjoy! To learn more about Erin Hooley and Bailey's Blossoms, head to: Instagram, Facebook and the website at https://www.baileysblossoms.com To learn more about Creating the Ideal Customer Story, head here: https://www.inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Are you ready for holiday shoppers? With the uncertainty of 2020, it's best to go into this season prepared. Control what you can control (and planning is one of those things). In this episode, Stacy Hamner and I talk about what's on her to-do list to prep her brick and mortar store for the holiday rush. Stacy's the owner of Reclaimed Spirit, a lifestyle boutique, in Florence, AL. It's a great episode full of practical advice and one you don't want to miss! To learn more about Stacy Hamner: Reclaimed Spirit on Instagam and on Facebook website: https://www.reclaimedspirithome.com/ The course mentioned in this episode: https://www.inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Vicki Morris has spent much of her entrepreneurial journey making sure networking opportunities are available for every entrepreneur. In this episode, she talks about the power of networking and how to do it. If you've shied away from social media, this episode is for you. It's a reminder that, while social media is important, it's not the only way to grow a business. If you've shied away from networking because you're timid or feel uncomfortable or think it's cheesy, well, this episode is for you too. Vicki reminds us of the purpose and shares tips. Listen in as Vicki shares her passion for networking and marketing, in general. To learn more about Vicki Morris... website - Face to Face Marketing Vicki on Facebook and on Instagram RISE Networking in Huntsville, AL To learn more about my online course mentioned in this episode... inspiretoengage.com/onlinecourses