Thu, 28 September 2017
If you’re making sales on Amazon but are struggling to convert through your own channels, you probably haven’t built a brand. During the recent Content & Commerce Summit in Los Angeles, Ryan caught up with the incredible expert marketer Ezra Firestone to discuss strategies for positioning your company as a business that takes orders from Amazon — not an “Amazon business." Ezra Firestone is an expert when it comes to building a brand and community. He’s the CEO of Smart Marketer, Inc. and founder of Zipify Apps, a company building solutions for Shopify stores. Plus, he is speaking at The Capitalism Conference in Austin, Texas this December. Ezra teaches business owners the trick to turning cold advertising into profit. It starts with focusing on building your brand (not just your Amazon store) and being willing to test strategies for engaging your audience. In previous episodes with Ezra, we’ve discussed ways eCommerce entrepreneurs can leverage Facebook Messenger to add more customers to your business. This time with Ezra, Ryan zeroed in on his belief that if you’re making sales on Amazon but struggling to convert through your own channels, you haven’t built a brand. On this episode of Freedom Fast Lane, Ezra talks to us about the solid strategies for building a brand beyond Amazon, strategies for turning social media views into conversions, and creating a long-term view of your model using a direct response funnel. Plus, Ezra shares an exciting new solution by Zipify Apps called Zipify Pages, which allows Shopify users to create landing pages quickly. Zipify Pages gives entrepreneurs the ability to write long-form sales pages which they can test and optimize to turn visitors into converters more effectively. Key takeaways:
Connect with EzraCheck out Smart Marketer for loads of great content on how to build your eCommerce site with an effective marketing strategy. Ezra on Facebook Ezra on Twitter Ezra on LinkedIn Ezra on YouTube Ezra on Instagram Connect with RyanOn Youtube Subscribe to Freedom Fast LaneSubscribe to the Freedom Fast Lane Podcast with Ryan Daniel Moran Tickets for this year’s Capitalism Conference (Formerly Freedom Fast Lane LIVE) are now on sale. Go get your tickets here!
Direct download: FFL_EZRA_FIRESTONE_EDIT_VSN_1_MIXED_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:01am EST |
Mon, 25 September 2017
Building any kind of empire is hard work, but it also has to be smart work. This episode is a recorded conversation between Ryan and one of his mentors, Geoff Woods. As Ryan has been building his own empire he has come to a place where various kinds of frustration have set in. He knows he needs to be doing something different but isn't sure what it is. So he asked Jeff to speak to the issues and give him insight into what he needs to do next. As you will hear in this conversation, Ryan got some of the best advice he could get. You won't want to miss this one. Seriously. We think we’re being clear about our goals, but are actually only broadly stating them.One of the most important things that became clear for Ryan in this conversation with Geoff Woods was that his goals have not been specific enough. He can state them in broad terms but when it comes to drilling down into the details of what will make each of the goals a reality, Ryan was a bit fuzzy. This conversation Jeff pushes him to clearly define the needed steps toward his goals so that he can take the precise action required to bring them about. Geoff's insight is so clarifying you will get incredible value from what he shares. Can you step away from your business for 6 weeks and see the value go up?Anyone who considers themselves to be a business owner needs to ask this question, “Can I step away from my business for 6 weeks and the value of it still go up?” If you can't honestly answer that question with an emphatic “Yes!” then you can't rightly call yourself a business owner. In some way, the business still owns you. Of course, we all have to get to that point over time, but the question helps to clarify where we are in the process. Geoff Woods shares some of the additional questions Ryan needs to ask himself about the action required to move him to that point in his business endeavors on this episode. You could hear the entire conversation on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane. The owner’s job is to be the recruiter and coach who equips others to fuel business growth.Every business requires the ground level work to establish a valuable product or service that can then be offered for sale. But the point comes when the owner of the business has to step out of those ground-level roles in order to scale things to a greater degree. That's when multiplication begins. It's when the business really starts to have an impact. Geoff Wood says the owner's job is to be the recruiter and coach of the business who recruits the right people for the right roles and then equips them to build out the systems that will fuel growth long-term. Don't miss Geoff's advice, given to Ryan in a one-on-one conversation. As you build your empire you need to hire empire builders.Part of building a business empire is knowing that you can't do it on your own. When your business reaches a high enough level, the people you bring alongside to help you build the empire have to be of the same mindset and empire building nature that you are. In other words, you need to hire empire builders who can do so inside your organization. You want people who have the attitude that they are going to conquer the role they've been given, regardless of the obstacles. In this conversation, Geoff Woods describes what those people look like and some of the ways you can find them, so be sure you listen. Outline Of This Great Episode
Action Steps From This EpisodeFOR GETTING STARTED: Refine and build a very clear, compelling vision for where you are headed. You won’t go anywhere intentional or worthwhile without it. FOR GREATER SUCCESS: Continually be discerning what “one thing” you need to do in order to get you the most traction toward your overall goal. That’s what makes for multiplying gains in any endeavor. Connect With Today’s guest: Geoff Woods
Resources Mentioned On This Episode
Connect With Freedom Fast LaneWebsite: www.FreedomFastLane.com On Youtube On Facebook On Twitter On Google Plus On LinkedIn On Instagram Subscribe to Freedom Fast LaneSubscribe to the Freedom Fast Lane Podcast with Ryan Daniel Moran
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Thu, 21 September 2017
As a business grows it’s tempting to take the route of raising capital - and in some instances, it’s entirely appropriate. But how do you know if you should take on equity partner? That’s a huge step and it can be a risky thing to give away some of your company. In this episode of Freedom Fast Lane, Ryan answers a listener question about when it’s right to take on an equity partner. Ryan’s insight into the things that make a business grow are very helpful when it comes to assessing the timing on this sort of thing, so if you’ll take the time to listen you might come away with a different perspective than you had before listening. And you’ll be better off for it. Equity partners are not only about getting more funds.When you hear the term “equity partner” you probably think one of two things: #1 - You’re giving away part of your company (true). #2 - You’re doing it to get more money (half-true). The purpose of any kind of equity move, including the addition of an equity partner, is not just about the cash that will be infused into your business. It’s also about the things you can do with that cash and how they will amplify your ability to scale and grow your company. But there are even more benefits to bringing on equity partners, including what they bring to the table in terms of experience and counsel. Ryan’s got a boatload of advice to dump on you regarding equity partners, so be sure you listen to this episode. Taxes are really about whether you should make your own choices or others should make them for you.As Ryan was recording this episode he was in the process of writing a HUGE check for his quarterly taxes and he used the opportunity to make a point about taxes, government programs, and why it’s always better for those who are successfully generating money to keep it instead of giving it to the government. Ryan makes his case on this episode - and it’s sure to give you food for thought. So stick those earbuds in and hit “play” on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane. How do you deal with haters most effectively? You don’t if you’re smart.Ryan receives questions quite often about how to deal with haters - those people who feel it’s their duty to let you know how badly you’re doing, how wrong your cause is, or how disappointing your products are. In this episode, he gives a response borrowed from one of his friends and mentors, Jesse Elder. How does Ryan deal with haters? He doesn’t. If you’re curious what that means you can hear the full-blown response and the reasoning behind it, on this episode. Entrepreneurs are commissioned to fix the problems government creates or can’t solve.That’s a loose version of a belief Ryan expresses quite often, and he believes it with all his heart. Capitalism is the economic system that enables any person (even you) to create products or services that bring benefit to the world and be paid handsomely for doing so. Then you have the ability to employ people, support causes you believe in, and address issues around you that you feel a compulsion to address. It’s from this perspective that capitalism drives innovation and change in our culture and Ryan’s on a mission to encourage and enable capitalism. You can hear his rant about the benefits of capitalism on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane. Outline Of This Great Episode
Resources Mentioned On This Episode
Connect With Freedom Fast LaneWebsite: www.FreedomFastLane.com On Youtube On Facebook On Twitter On Google Plus On LinkedIn On Instagram Subscribe to Freedom Fast LaneSubscribe to the Freedom Fast Lane Podcast with Ryan Daniel Moran
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Mon, 18 September 2017
A-Players are those people who do everything a notch or two above everyone else. And while that may not sound like such a big deal it makes a world of difference when it comes to productivity, morale, and team dynamics. Get more than one A-player on your team and the results become exponential. Russell Brunson says if was starting all over, building a business from scratch, the first thing he’d do is refine his mission and product idea, then he’d go find A-players to help him make it happen. He goes into an amazing amount of detail on what he’d do in this episode, so be sure you listen. Finding A-players for your team is the key to amazing success.One of the things you’ll notice about Russell Brunson is that his success seems exponential. And it is for a very simple reason: He finds and hires the very best people to be part of his team. They are the A-players, the ones who are self-motivated, incredibly good at what they do, and who buy the vision of his companies and get behind it full force. Russell says any company that is struggling is probably not building a team to begin with, and those who have are probably not finding the best players for the team. Russell knows what he’s talking about from mistakes he’s made along this line in the past. Find out how he remedied his problem and found A-players, on this episode. An A-player is worth 30 times more than a B-player. Find them.It’s easy to find people to do the work you need done in your company. But it’s extremely difficult to find the RIGHT people, with the RIGHT skills and attitude and drive, to do the RIGHT jobs that will move you forward. Russell Brunson says it’s absolutely vital for massive success to find the A-players who will move your company forward. They free you up to do what you do best and amplifies everything your company does. Find out how he goes about doing that on this episode. It’s fairly consistent what it takes to get to $1M in revenue.When Ryan described the typical FFL listener - a physical products brand owner who’s approaching or has reached $1M in sales - he asked what advice Russell would give those people about how to reach their next level of success. Russell said it’s not difficult. The same things that enable one company to go from $1M to $10M are the things other companies have to do as well. It has to do with delegation to the right team members, systems and processes, and getting out of your own way as an entrepreneur. You can hear all of Russell’s advice for owners of physical products brands in this conversation. Will you coast to the end of the year or will you double-down and make more happen than ever?When your business is doing well you can get complacent, feeling you can afford to sit back and watch your profits come in. But you may find that it’s not very fulfilling to do that. You’re an entrepreneur, you’ve got to be creating, growing, and building something of value. What would it mean for your business if you decided to double-down on your effort until the end of the year? What if you invested in yourself and your company by getting the help and insight you need to make greater success happen? The Capitalism Conference is coming up and it’s an event that will undoubtedly be the biggest thing to happen to your business - ever. Find out more on this episode. Outline Of This Great Episode
Action Steps From This EpisodeFOR GETTING STARTED: Find your face, mission, and message to firmly establish your brand. FOR GREATER SUCCESS: Infuse personality into your brand, even if it’s a physical products brand. People buy more from people than they do from brands. Connect With Today’s guest: Russell Brunson
Resources Mentioned On This Episode
P.S. Tickets for this year’s Capitalism Conference (Formerly Freedom Fast Lane LIVE) are now on sale. Go get your tickets here! |
Fri, 15 September 2017
James Altucher had generational wealth created. But then he lost every dollar, his home, and could barely afford to buy diapers. This happened not just once, but several times. At a turning point, James realized he had to look at why this was happening and fix the cause. And in studying his behavioral patterns, he realized that there were very important, but basic things in his life that he had to keep track of. In this episode of the Freedom Fast Lane podcast, James shares how to achieve real freedom following four guiding principles for a healthy lifestyle, as well as the investment strategies he would have told his 20-year-old self to follow. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play and YouTube. And be sure to check out Capitalism.com for more great shows.
Direct download: FFL_Altucher_Edit_INTRO_VSN_4_LINKS_1_-_Correct.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:14pm EST |
Thu, 14 September 2017
There is a lot of talk these days about the economy - specifically, the talking heads are saying that we are in an economic bubble that is about to burst. The problem is that most people who are talking about it have something to sell. They're hawking their “solution” to the problem. So what’s the real story? Can you even know? On this episode of Freedom Fast Lane Ryan is going to tell you why it doesn’t matter if we’re in an economic bubble or not - and what you should do either way, so be sure you listen. Where is the greatest opportunity, no matter what the economy is doing?Whenever there is a lot of speculation going on regarding the economy you need to be careful. Nobody knows the future so it’s dangerous to take anyone’s advice as gospel. But one thing you can be certain of is this: in every economic climate there are opportunities that can be found and you need to be looking for them. THAT is where you’ll get the best return on your investment and where you’ll find yourself able to leverage profits to build even more revenue. Where are those opportunities right now? Ryan tells you what he thinks, on this episode of FFL. Why “Are we in a bubble?” is the wrong question.It really doesn’t matter if we are in an economic bubble or not. Don’t misunderstand, you need to know what areas of the economy provide opportunities, but you don’t need to worry about a crash. Instead, you need to figure out where those opportunities are and get busy making the most of them. Right now, that seems to be in the realm of business. Find out why Ryan is not making many stock investments or real estate investments right now and is instead, doubling-down on his own businesses. Why you should double-down on your business, or build one if you don’t have one.There are areas of the economy that have historically been very profitable - real estate, for example. But in times where the market is incredibly high and the professionals in that niche are working hard to maximize returns, it doesn’t make much sense for you to step into the market with an expectation that you can find great opportunities. Instead, you’ll be better off working toward something you have a much greater degree of control over, your own business. On this episode Ryan tells why building your own business is the smartest move and what you can do to maximie your profits once you get it rolling. Higher margin products could be the next step for business profitability.Toward the end of this episode, Ryan fields a question from one of his students about how they can build on the current success of their company. At $200,000 in sales per month this company needs something significant to focus on and Ryan gives them just that. His advice is that they find a product with a higher profit margin. That will enable them to build a broader customer base, make buyers into customers, and gain additional income they can roll into marketing in order to create greater exposure and bring in new leads. It’s one example of the kind of expertise Ryan gives his students regularly so listen to find out how you can get in on the FFL Bootcamp and learn how to build your own business. Outline Of This Great Episode
Action Steps From This EpisodeFOR GETTING STARTED: Get your mind straight about financial gains: you don’t need to worry about whether the economy is going to tank. You need to assess where the greatest opportunities are and get busy there. For most people, that’s going to be in building a business. FOR GREATER SUCCESS: Create product options that have higher margins. It will enable you to build your customer base, make buyers into customers, and gain income you can then roll into marketing. Resources Mentioned On This Episode
Connect With Freedom Fast LaneWebsite: www.FreedomFastLane.com On Youtube On Facebook On Twitter On Google Plus On LinkedIn On Instagram Subscribe to Freedom Fast LaneSubscribe to the Freedom Fast Lane Podcast with Ryan Daniel Moran
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Mon, 11 September 2017
Everybody wants to invest in things that yield a profit - and everyone wants guaranteed returns. The first desire is important: it motivates you to do research and invest wisely. The second desire is a pipe dream: you can never guarantee a return because you can’t predict what will happen with all the variables involved. So pursuing good investments is a good idea - and creating an investment strategy based on what you learn in your research pays dividends in and of itself. On this episode, Ryan shares what he’s doing now that he has an influx of cash from the sale of one of his businesses and what he’s determined are his best bets for investments. In essence, he’s sharing his own investing strategy, so don’t miss this episode. Entrepreneurs are good at making cash, they are bad at keeping and growing it.One of the things Ryan has noticed in his years as an entrepreneur is that those who have been successful at making a lot of money AS entrepreneurs are typically not as good at keeping that cash and making it work for them. He believes that part of the benefit successful entrepreneurs can create in the world is the growth of wealth which then serves to create more jobs and fuel the economy. On this episode, Ryan gives you a peek into his own investment strategy - with details about the things he’s investing in right now for passive income and growth of his personal capital. He not only shares what he’s doing, he also tells you why. In some cases, the only thing you should be investing in is your own business.Investments sound exciting and the prospect of putting your money someplace that it can grow without much effort is very appealing. But if you are still working a 9 to 5 job and running a side hustle or part time business on the side, Ryan says that you’ll receive a far greater return if you put that cash into the growth of your business. When you do that you’re creating a machine that can generate more income over the long haul and it’s more likely to succeed because you’re greasing the gears with financial lubricant, so to speak. Find out why Ryan believes that’s the best approach to investing for many new entrepreneurs, on this episode. Attention and audience are currency, they are assets that can be turned into cash flow.One of the things Ryan has said on previous episodes of the podcast is that he’s leery of investing his money when markets are high. It’s like trying to catch the very last bit of a good thing, and it’s risky. In times where investment returns are not as certain he’d rather invest his money in things that will position him well for the future. One of those things is advertising. He’s putting some of his funds into promotions and getting more people onto his mailing list. In his mind, doing that is setting him up to make use of that list of followers to sell his own products should the market turn down. You can hear more from Ryan about how he’s investing his money, on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane. Here’s why investing in companies that are experiencing hard times is a good move.There have been a lot of interesting news items lately about companies that are having an image problem, and sometimes it’s more than just their image. The recent United Airlines fiasco about how they dragged a man off one of their planes is an example. Ryan says that when those kinds of things happen to a well-established company, their stock tends to go down. But in his mind, if the company is a stable company otherwise and is well run overall, he’ll actually buy stock when things like that happen. His assumption is that the company will rebound and stock prices will rise again as a result - and he has a win. You can get a bit further into Ryan’s “investing brain” on this episode. Outline Of This Great Episode
Resources Mentioned On This Episode
Connect With Freedom Fast LaneWebsite: www.FreedomFastLane.com On Youtube On Facebook On Twitter On Google Plus On LinkedIn On Instagram Subscribe to Freedom Fast LaneSubscribe to the Freedom Fast Lane Podcast with Ryan Daniel Moran P.S. Tickets for this year’s Capitalism Conference (Formerly Freedom Fast Lane LIVE) are now on sale. Go get your tickets here! |
Thu, 7 September 2017
These days when you hear about a company selling for billions of dollars it's easy to fall prey to the myth that every internet-based company has that possibility. But that's not the truth. Most product-based companies or e-commerce companies only sell for two to three times their annual revenue. But there are things you can do to tweak your company structure and brand so that you can get more for your company when and if you're ready to sell it. On this episode, Ryan discusses 3 small tweaks that any business owner can make to his business to get a higher evaluation for their company. Shame on you for failing to pivot and remaining stuck in a business you’re unhappy with ~ Gary V.At the Freedom Fast Lane event in 2015, Gary Vaynerchuk famously said, it is a shame for anyone to fail to pivot their business at the right time and remain stuck in it to their own unhappiness. What he saying is that those of us who are building a business need to resist the temptation to hang on to what is safe instead of making changes that will make our business more profitable and therefore more attractive to a potential buyer. If you think you might sell your business some day in the future you want to make sure you're building in things that will get you the highest price possible on that day. Find out some simple things you can do that will make a huge difference, on this episode. Get a higher evaluation for your company by controlling your audience.Many of the listeners of Freedom Fast Lane sell products on Amazon. It's a great marketplace for anyone to start their own business and has proven to be a very successful sales channel even for well-established brands. But Amazon can only take you so far. The fact that you don't have direct contact with every single one of your customers makes it difficult for a prospective buyer of your business to feel secure about your income figures. That makes them less optimistic about the value of your company. How do you fix that problem? You need to do everything you can to connect with your own audience in a personal way and have the ability to control the communication that goes out to that audience. That little tweak alone will sometimes double the price you're able to get for your company. Discover more tweaks like this on this episode. A compelling brand story can increase your company’s evaluation when you’re ready to sell.One of the reasons that extremely successful companies ARE successful is it they are able to tell a story about themselves that draws in people who think or feel the same way. It's called a brand story and it is one of the things you can do to position your company in such a way that should the day come you want to sell it, the value of your company in the buyer's eyes will be greater. This episode includes three simple tweaks that if done right, can make your business more profitable when it comes time to sell. Don't miss this one. If you want to get more for your company make sure you have clear systems and processes.Put yourselves in the shoes of a prospective buyer who is looking for a company to purchase. What sort of things would need to be in place in order for you to feel comfortable that after you purchase the company it would continue to thrive along the lines that it has in the past? Thinking about your own business from that perspective can help you put in place systems and procedures that will be very appealing to a prospective buyer someday. Those are the things that enable them to feel comfortable that the company could be run without them and still be very profitable. Ryan shares a number of great tips about getting a higher evaluation for your company when it comes time to sell, on this episode. Outline Of This Great Episode
Resources Mentioned On This Episode
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Mon, 4 September 2017
Selling Premium Products, Acquiring Customers Off Amazon, and Getting Influencers with Athletic Greens
Establishing a premium products brand is no easy task. The higher price point that is characteristic of premium products scares most brand builders away. They’d rather settle for a more affordable product that appeals to a broader audience. They believe that approach will generate more sales. But more sales are not what is most important when it comes to premium products. Product quality and a commitment to excellence are what sets them apart. Ryan’s guest on this episode is Chris Ashenden, founder of Athletic Greens. In this conversation, he shares the journey from small startup to becoming a premium products brand that does things outside the realm of what’s normal, on a number of levels. Why your product is the best possible marketing tool you have.When building a premium products brand, a commitment to producing the best product available is vital when it comes to marketing. It's not only about the number of eyeballs that see your advertisements nor is it only about getting big-name influencers to endorse your product. Your product itself sets a standard that is hard for the competition to reach, much less exceed. That in itself sets you up for higher pricing and a more loyal following in the end. Ryan digs deep into the journey of Athletic Greens with the company’s founder, Chris Ashenden, on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane. Nutritional product sales using a subscription model: Unheard of but incredibly successful.Recurring monthly income is a gold mine when it comes to e-commerce. But it's not the typical way a product based business is able to operate. But the team at Athletic Greens has learned how to make it happen for their premium product green supplements. If you're at all curious how they were able to set up a subscription-based model that retains customers over the long term then you will want to hear this conversation between Ryan and the company's founder, Chris Ashenden. Chris thinks way outside the box and what he shares will challenge you to rethink what you know or think you know about product-based businesses. If what you’re doing doesn’t match your brand mission you need to stop it.As Chris and his team built the Athletic Greens brand they did all kinds of things to both learn who they were as a company and to figure out the best ways to market and sell their products. That is normal for most businesses but the unique thing about what happened in their journey is that though many of the things they tried were very profitable, they gave them up when they realized those things didn't match their brand mission. Initially they took a hit financially, but in the long run, those decisions served to move their brand forward like nothing else. Find out why Chris believes that brand consistency matters more than sales volume, on this episode of Freedom Fast Lane. Knowing and targeting your audience gives greater success than broad stroke marketing campaigns.Every company has to determine how it is going to go about marketing its products. Marketing is the lifeblood of customer acquisition and company profitability. But the common approach to marketing is not always the best. The Athletic Greens team determined that they were better off taking the time to discover the type of person who is most likely to use their products and then target them, and only them. On this episode founder Chris Ashenden describes the benefits they have seen from doing targeted, smaller marketing campaigns. Outline Of This Great Episode
Action Steps From This EpisodeFOR GETTING STARTED: Make sure you focus on two things: First, understand exactly who you are trying to reach. That’s what will enable you to target your products to the people who will be willing to pay for it. Second, make your product state-of-the-art for whatever it is. Don’t compromise quality for anything. FOR GREATER SUCCESS: Secondary products need to be a result of discovering what your existing customer base wants and needs. That enables you to build a quick-selling, market-tested sales process. Connect With Today’s guest: Chris Ashenden
Resources Mentioned On This Episode
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