Marketing School - Digital Marketing and Online Marketing Tips

In Episode #411, Eric and Neil discuss what they do for content promotion. Tune in to learn why your competitors in the same space are actually your allies. You’ll also find out the tools that Eric and Neil have leveraged to promote their content.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: What Neil and Eric Do for Content Promotion
• 00:35 – Neil isn’t currently doing any content promotion but he used to
• 00:47 – Neil suggests finding other bloggers in your space to ask them to promote your blog
  • 01:00 – You can pay them and have them send traffic to a landing page that has an ebook, download or giveaway
  • 01:14 – Add social sharing icons to your blog post page
• 01:21 – Neil also emails the people who shares his competitor’s article
  • 01:25 – Go to BuzzSumo to find who shared your competitor’s post
• 02:17 – Eric uses Wavve to share audio clips on social media
• 02:54 – Eric and Neil promotes their content on LinkedIn by writing 2-3 sentences and adding a link to the actual post
• 03:20 – If you link out to someone on your blog post, email them telling them that you love what they’re doing, that you linked out to them and to check out your blog post
  • 03:43 – The response for this is high
• 04:18 – You can repost your blog post on Medium where you can increase your reach
• 04:58 – Eric also targets emails that are cheaper
• 05:04 – Facebook is a good way to build your audience
• 05:22 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 06:04 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 06:20 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Not everyone in your field are your competitors, find a way to mutually benefit from one another, linking out to each other’s blogs.
2. LinkedIn drives a lot of traffic, so take advantage of it—promote your content with a link to your page.
3. Facebook is always a good place to promote your content and build your audience.

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In Episode #410, Eric and Neil discuss the bones of an advertorial and how you can use them to grow your business. Tune in to learn the characteristics of an effective advertorial and the websites that will market your advertorial for you. 

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: What Is an Advertorial (And How Can You Use Them)?
• 00:38 – Affiliate marketers usually run advertorial from their microsites
  • 00:45 – Microsites can be a new blog
  • 00:50 – The blog post can be about a story
• 01:00 – An advertorial is like a story or editorial with an ad in it
• 01:13 – An advertorial piece should be well written and trigger people’s emotions
• 01:31 – Eric shares a bed bug example of an advertorial
• 01:53 – Affiliate marketers put domains right into their advertorial
• 02:20 – In an advertorial, you integrate the solution and explain why it is the best solution
• 02:38 – Most advertorials from Facebook drive the most traffic
• 02:50 – Taboola and Outbrain can be options, but be careful using these platforms
  • 03:22 – Think about the long game
• 03:31 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:11 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:25 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Create an advertorial that is educational and evoke people’s emotions.
2. Links are inserted right into an advertorial—making it easy for readers access and buy your solution.
3. Be careful about where you link your advertorial; keep the long-term game in mind.

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In Episode #409, Eric and Neil discuss why you ought to pay for celebrity endorsements. Tune in to find out how to make celebrity endorsements possible and the potential gains you can receive by investing in them.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Why You Ought to Pay For Celebrity Endorsements
• 00:35 – “Anytime you have a celebrity on your landing page, your conversion rate will go through the roof”
• 01:02 – Celebrity endorsements work well
• 01:11 – Beats currently has Kylie and Kendall Jenner, Lebron James and other celebrities endorsing them
  • 01:46 – They’ve increased their target market size
• 01:55 – The question is: if you’re already spending so much on paid ads, can you get a celebrity endorsement for $30-40K?
  • 02:04 – The answer is “yes”
• 02:16 – There are micro influencers that you can connect with and help you promote your business
• 02:36 – Micro influencers have at least 20K followers
• 02:52 – In Shoe Dog, Phil Knight talked about using celebrities to endorse products
• 03:23 – Neil’s friend owns Binary Options and they got Conor McGregor to endorse them after he lost his first fight
  • 03:52 – Binary Option’s conversion rate went up and they paid McGregor quite a low rate
• 04:45 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 05:44 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 05:55 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Celebrity endorsements work well and is a sure-fire way to boost your conversion through the roof.
2. If you’re spending a lot on paid ads, you might want to consider building a relationship with a micro influencer instead.
3. Celebrity endorsements aren’t just the Michael Jordans and Kylie Jenners, reach out to those who have influence and can give you a lower rate.

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In Episode #408, Eric and Neil provide the beginner’s guide to Quora ads. Tune in to learn what you need to know to start advertising on Quora and why now is the right time opt in!

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Beginner's Guide to Quora Ads
• 00:59 – Quora is a questions and answers site which generates tons of traffic
• 01:29 – Quora’s valuation is currently over one billion dollars
• 01:42 – When Eric goes on to Quora, he sees people like Jason Lemkin
• 01:59 – You can have your ads show up with a question or something catchy
• 02:19 – Quora ads is currently cheap
• 02:34 – One of Eric’s clients, Lever, is an applicant tracking system
  • 02:40 – An applicant tracking system helps you manage the whole hiring process
• 03:07 – Lever has an ad that shows up in Quora when a question related to the hiring process comes up
• 03:29 – You want to advertise to people who are asking questions related to your product
• 04:14 – “The numbers have to work for you”
• 04:30 – Eric is currently running an ad on Quora for their e-book
  • 04:40 – The conversion rate to their landing page is 20%
• 04:53 – Cost per click is $3 but the conversion rate is around $15
• 05:45 – Cost per click varies
• 06:27 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 07:10 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 07:22 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Quora currently generates tons of traffic—this is a great place to implement your ads.
2. You target Quora ads to the people who ask questions related to your business service or product.
3. Leverage Quora ads NOW as the costs are still low and the conversions are high.

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In Episode #407, Eric and Neil discuss how to increase your email deliverability. Tune in to discover which provider works best and the techniques you can employ today to increase your deliverability!

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Increase Your Email Deliverability
• 00:41 – To improve your deliverability rate, switch providers
• 00:46 – Infusionsoft has poor deliverability while Drip is great at delivering
• 00:55 – Jeremy Schoemaker has a site that shows which providers have terrible deliverability rates
• 01:07 – AWeber and ConvertKit work great too
• 01:29 – It is easier to use a shared IP to increase email deliverability
• 01:40 – Stop sending someone emails if they don’t open any of your emails
• 01:54 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 02:38 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 02:50 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. If your provider has a low email deliverability, switch providers.
2. Don’t use a permanent IP—instead, use a shared IP.
3. Stop sending someone emails if they’ve never opened any one of your emails.

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In Episode #406, Eric and Neil discuss whether webinars still work. Tune in to learn why webinars still work, though it depends on several factors. Eric and Neil discuss why webinars no longer convert as well as they used to and give you the tools you need to make sure you that you optimize on your next webinar.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Do Webinars Still Work?
• 00:36 – Some marketers are saying that webinars are dying
• 00:54 – From Neil’s standpoint, webinars still work but don’t convert as much as they used to
• 01:14 – The cost to get a webinar is one of the reasons why the conversion rate suffered
• 01:24 – If you have a ton of organic traffic, you should consider webinars
• 01:49 – With Kissmetrics, their webinars work well because of the content
• 02:04 – Webinars work if you educate and give advice that your audience can actually use
• 02:29 – Some are just trying to sell people over
• 02:47 – Neil uses Webinar Jam and AWeber Webinar for his webinars
• 02:53 – You can use email sequences from Drip, Infusionsoft and ConvertKit
• 03:12 – Neil changes his webinars once every 6 months
• 03:30 – With webinars, you have to look at all of your conversion rates
• 03:57 – There’s an ad from Billy Gene Is Marketing Inc on YouTube that is creative and worth checking out
• 04:55 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual conversion tool
  • 05:50 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 06:01 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Webinars still work if your content is educational and the advice is valuable to your audience.
2. If you have consistent, organic traffic, then it is worth utilizing webinars.
3. You have to check your webinars’ conversion rates to see if it’s worth it for you.

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In Episode #405, Eric and Neil discuss whether should you consider sponsoring conferences or not. Tune in to learn the ROI that you can get from sponsoring a conference and why Eric prefers to invest in small events.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Should You Sponsor Conferences or Not?
• 00:38 – There’s an ROI from sponsoring events
• 00:43 – You have to find the right events
• 00:48 – Sponsoring an event is great for branding
  • 00:51 – You will know who attended the conference and the event’s marketing team will send an email blast to the audience dedicated to you
• 01:22 – If you sponsor a conference, make sure you have a speaking slot
• 01:35 – What matters to Eric during conferences is the people that he meets
• 02:00 – Eric just got an invitation to a conference
• 02:27 – If you have $12K, Eric suggests spending it on a dinner or small event rather than a conference
• 02:45 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:39 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:41 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. In sponsoring a conference, find the right event for your brand.
2. When you sponsor a conference, make sure you get a speaking slot and a list of all the attendees.
3. If you have the money to invest, maybe you should consider holding your own small event rather than sponsoring a conference.

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In Episode #404, Eric and Neil discuss whether or not you should throw live events. Live events are excellent opportunities to expand your network. Tune in to learn why Eric throws his live events and dinners monthly and the reason he does them for FREE.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Should You Throw Live Events?
• 00:39 – Live events can serve a broad audience and can be a lot cheaper
• 00:51 – Eric throws live events in LA
• 01:06 – Eric has a “happy hour” event once a month with his small group of marketers and entrepreneurs
  • 01:13 – The purpose is just to get people together
• 01:32 – Eric has generated revenue from his live events which are free for the attendees
• 01:41 – Eric received a $120K deal from one of his events where he only spent around $12K to organize it
• 02:03 – Eric has done two live events every month for the past seven months
• 02:16 – Eric has learned a lot from his live events
• 02:26 – The invited guests are targeted
• 03:10 – Jayson Gaignard of Mastermind Talks will give you a template for how to throw live events and a mastermind dinner
• 03:26 – “When you’re inviting people, you want to make sure that everyone’s on the same level”
  • 03:47 – You can use revenue as part of the criteria for who are invited; that’s what EO (Entrepreneurs' Organization) and YEC (Young Entrepreneur Council) do
• 04:02 – Eric has two sets of dinners: one for marketers and one for entrepreneurs
• 04:19 – The main reason Eric has live events is NOT to generate customers
• 04:45 – The highest ROI Eric made was from these dinners
• 05:00 – You can consider charging people because they tend to take it more seriously if they spend money on it
• 05:25 – Eric usually has maximum of 9 people during the dinners to make it really intimate and 25-30 for happy hour
• 05:55 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 06:35 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 06:45 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Target your guests for your live events—make sure people are on the same level so everyone can benefit from one another.
2. You can offer free live events, but consider charging so people will take the event more seriously.
3. Don’t focus on the money that you can generate from your events, focus on the value that you can get from it.

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In Episode #403, Eric and Neil discuss how to build a personal brand. Tune in to learn the difference between a corporate and personal brand. You’ll also hear how Eric and Neil built their own personal brands up to where they are now. 

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How To Build A Personal Brand
• 00:41 – Building a personal brand opens up a lot of opportunities
• 01:00 – Neil had met various billionaires while building his personal brand
• 01:25 – Neil learned that you’re not going to build your personal brand unless you’re marketing yourself daily
• 01:44 – There’s a difference between a corporate brand and personal brand
  • 01:54 – Corporate brands can be sold
  • 02:05 – Michael Jordan, which is already a personal brand, cost millions and there’s just one of him
  • 02:23 – If Michael Jordan passes away, his personal brand will be gone too
  • 02:31 – Corporate brands will just continue to increase their market price
• 02:47 – Eric started his personal brand by way of his podcast which had single digit downloads
• 02:59 – When you put your content online, you constantly get better and can see what is getting the attention
• 03:20 – Gary Vaynerchuk has all the attention now and he’s all over social media
  • 03:36 – He has 8 people in his personal marketing team
  • 03:48 – He’s always trying new things
• 03:56 – Start slow, be consistent and gradually expand
• 04:03 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:45 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 05:00 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Consistency in marketing yourself is what builds a personal brand.
2. While you can’t really sell your personal brand, it opens a lot of opportunities for you.
3. Update your online channels everyday and continuously grow your online presence.

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In Episode #402, Eric and Neil discuss how to build a strong corporate brand using social media. Tune in to learn how you can strengthen your brand through social media and how you can fast track the growth process by using strategies that have worked for some key companies today!

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Build A Strong Corporate Brand Using Social Media
• 00:42 – Some of the brands that have built a strong brand using social media are Fit Tea, Dolce Swimwear and other swimwear companies
• 01:05 – Eric has interviewed SkinnyMe Tea founder, Gretta van Riel, who has 16M Instagram followers
  • 01:28 – Gretta started by reaching out to micro-influencers on Instagram to build her brand
  • 01:40 – She eventually grew her following to millions
  • 01:50 – Gretta has also coined the term “teatox” which is detoxing using tea which also has a movement behind it
• 02:00 – You can create a movement to make people stick with your brand and connect with different micro-influencers
• 02:20 – Sunny Co Clothing has created a funnel through social media
  • 02:30 – You’ll get a free swimsuit if the post is re-posted and tagged appropriately
  • 02:53 – It can be a profitable campaign
  • 03:00 – There’s a huge spike for the keyword “Sunny Co Clothing” in Google because of their campaign
• 03:10 – It took Gretta months to grow her brand
• 03:43 – Consistency is crucial in social media branding
• 04:01 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:56 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 05:05 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Social media platforms are great for growing your brand for the mere volume of traffic you’ll encounter.
2. Make your brand appealing to people so they’ll spread the word and grow your following.
3. Tap into micro-influencers within your niche and strike a deal that will benefit both parties.

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In Episode #401, Eric and Neil discuss how to get social media traffic when you have no followers and no money. Tune in to learn a few easy tactics that can get people sharing your content. You’ll also find out the importance of reaching out to the RIGHT people.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Get Social Media Traffic When You Have No Followers (And No Money)
• 00:38 – The easiest way to get traffic is to look at your content
  • 00:44 – Google similar keywords that relate to your content and find other posts
  • 00:51 – Get the most popular keywords and type them in the Twitter search box
  • 00:55 – Email people who have tweets related to your keyword and check if they want to see your post
  • 01:28 – Add a note: “If you like it, feel free to share it”
  • 01:33 – You’ll get more social shares by doing this
• 01:45 – Growth Everywhere’s Instagram account now has 6400 followers
  • 01:53 – Eric redoes the hashtags to engage with people more
• 02:26 – You can build pods with Instagram Direct Messaging where people share their posts with one another
  • 02:54 – Join multiple pods, but make sure you’re adding value too
• 03:09 – Reach out to the right kind of people
• 03:22 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:26 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:35 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Search your most popular keywords to find posts that are similar to yours—then, reach out to the audiences you find.
2. Leverage Instagram, especially their direct message feature to find potential followers.
3. Make sure you’re adding value to those you reach out to.

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In Episode #400, Eric and Neil discuss the pros and cons of hosting your own conference, and why you need to accept the reality that you’re going to lose money at the front-end.

• 00:28 – Today’s topic: Should You Host Your Own Conference?
• 00:36 – If you’re just starting out, the best option is to stay away from conferences
  • 00:40 – The conference business is difficult and you’ll probably lose money
• 00:48 – Eric personally thinks that conferences aren’t that valuable
• 00:51 – Eric shares his experience with Treehouse
  • 00:55 – Ryan Carson, CEO, is known for hosting conferences
  • 01:08 – Conferences are a good way to build network
  • 01:19 –Sean Ellis is known for hosting growth hacking conferences too
• 01:27 – Conferences are exceptionally valuable if—and only if—your business is already making money
  • 01:34 – HubSpot has thousands of customers will benefit a lot from holding a conference where they can invite their customers
• 01:56 – Consider hosting a conference only if your business is established and getting $5-6M in ARR
• 02:25 – Alternatively to conferences, you can throw in a dinner or small events
• 03:04 – There are also virtual conferences where you don’t have to spend money on venue and can retail virtual tickets instead
  • 03:22 – With a virtual event, the email list that you build can be repurposed
• 03:45 – When you’re starting out, you don’t necessarily have to pay people
• 04:11 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:57 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 05:07 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. If you’re just starting, instead of conferences, try to host dinners or small events.
2. Conferences are beneficial if your business is stable and already earning at least $5M in ARR.
3. Virtual conferences are also a thing – it’s cost efficient and you can use the leads for future use.

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In Episode #399, Eric and Neil discuss how to rank a 10-page website. Tune in to learn how you can slowly gain traction in spite of only having a few pages by placing massive emphasis on the quality of those 10 pages. 

• 00:28 – Today’s topic: How to Rank a 10-Page Website
• 00:40 – Neil picked 10 pages because a lot of people have small websites
• 00:45 – A 500-page website is easier to rank
  • 00:56 – The more text you have on the page, the more likely you are to rank
• 01:03 – A 10-page website can still rank but it will never get as much traffic as a Wikipedia
  • 01:10 – A small website should focus on link building and outreach
• 01:14 – Make sure your content is detailed and thorough
• 01:18 – Brian Dean of Backlinko started with only a handful of pages website
  • 01:33 – The quality of his content is high
• 02:00 – Review Skyscraper Technique
• 02:10 – Groove HQ and Help Scout both started at the bottom
• 02:19 – Look at linkable assets
• 02:48 – “Look for a spin that can work out there”
  • 02:59 – Slowly expand when your website starts getting traffic
• 03:14 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:01 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:14 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. People who have small websites can still rank their websites, but their websites will never have the traffic of the big players.
2. Create detailed, high-quality content that will solidify your website.
3. As your website gains traffic, add more pages—grow it in a controlled, consistent way that you can manage.

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In Episode #398, Eric and Neil discuss the art of scaling content for outreach. Tune in to learn exactly what you can do to not only develop great content, but promote it effectively.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Scale Your Content Outreach
• 00:35 – Content outreach is about reaching out to people to promote your content
• 00:48 – You don’t just write a content, you have to market it as well
• 01:05 – Content outreach starts with the foundation
  • 01:19 – More than anything else, your content has to be GOOD
• 01:43 – The Skyscraper Technique by Brian Dean is a great strategy
• 01:48 – Create a list of website and social media users that you’re going to do outreach too
  • 02:00 – You don’t want to keep hitting up the same people because they’ll get tired of hearing your song and dance
  • 02:10 – Some will stop responding and some will flat out ignore you from day 1
• 02:35 – Eric uses Hunter and FindThatEmail in finding email
• 02:49 – JustReachOut is great in finding editors and publishers
• 03:02 – An outreach tool like Mixmax works well too
• 03:31 – You want to have your emails 10-15% customized
• 03:41 – Doing outreach is a time consuming game, but if you’re consistent it will pay off
• 04:03 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:49 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:50 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Your content is useless if it never makes it in front of your target audience.
2. Have a list of people who will consistently promote your content and then rotate your content between them.
3. In writing emails to people, make sure things aren’t fully templated.

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In Episode #397, Eric and Neil discuss what Seinfeld emails are and how you can leverage them to enhance your business. Tune in to learn how can writing about nothing (literally) can lead to increases in both your network and your sales.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: What Are Seinfeld Emails (And How to Leverage Them)?
• 00:53 – Eric thinks Seinfeld is just a show about nothing
  • 00:59 – The Seinfeld email is like writing an email about nothing
• 01:07 – Eric shared a bad experience with American Airlines and wrote about the experience
  • 01:24 – He got some great responses from the post
• 01:34 – “The good thing about writing about nothing is relating it to people”
  • 01:45 – People are more likely to convert because they can connect with it and don’t feel like they’re being sold to
• 01:51 – You don’t want to write about nothing when you can’t connect it with your product and services
• 02:40 – For Neil, when someone writes for him, he still checks the end product to see if it matches his vision
  • 03:11 – To be good with Seinfeld emails, you have to do it constantly
• 03:51 – “People love to hear about stories and Seinfeld emails are just one way to do it”
• 03:55 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:41 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:50 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Seinfeld emails are basically emails about nothing—oddly enough, they’re effective.
2. When writing a Seinfeld email, connect with people in your writing while subtly leading them to your products and services too.
3. You have to write consistently to be good at Seinfeld’s email writing.

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In Episode #396, Eric and Neil discuss whether or not you should invest in typical marketing swag. Tune in to learn why Eric and Neil won’t spend a cent on swag while Sujan, Single Grain’s founder, blogged that he made $500K from it.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Should You Invest In Marketing Swag?
• 00:37 – Single Grain’s founder, Sujan Patel, had a lot of shirts and he made $500K out of it
• 00:50 – Personally, Eric won’t invest into swag
  • 00:58 – Although, he has gotten useful swag from conferences before, and every time he uses the swag, he remembers the conference
  • 01:18 – “You want to have stuff that people actually use”
• 01:37 – Neil believes that if you’re a big company, giving away swag is a good strategy in branding
• 01:45 – Swag can be too expensive for startups and it’s difficult to track your ROI from it
• 02:29 – If you want to try something, go to Startup Drugz instead
• 03:04 – Neil doesn’t create swag and would not even if he was a big company
• 03:30 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:25 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:38 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Big companies with extra funds can spend on swag because it can be a good branding strategy—“can” is the keyword.
2. If you are going to invest in swag, make it as usable as possible, and don’t go cheap—you want it to last for a while.
3. Because of the associated costs with having quality swag most startups and small businesses shouldn’t consider it.

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In Episode #395, Eric and Neil discuss whether or not you should think heavily about SEO when building your new website, and what tools you should incorporate if you ultimately decide that an SEO needs to be a big part of your initial build. 

• Today's topic: Should You Involve an SEO When Building a New Website?
• 00:34 – If you’re a first time website builder, probably not
• 00:47 – If you have a website that’s producing an income, then you should involve SEO
• 01:02 – WordPress templates are already SEO friendly
• 01:17 – Big companies have to set the right foundation at first with the right SEO
• 01:45 – A standard SEO plug-in is good enough if you’re not a big company
• 02:14 – Go to Credo to find an SEO consultant help you with the technical audit if you need one
• 02:25 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:21 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:25 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. If you’re a new entrepreneur, you don’t have to prioritize SEO for your website.
2. Big companies should invest in SEO early because their websites are one of the foundations of their businesses.
3. There are tons of SEO plugins available that are user-friendly.

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In Episode #394, Eric and Neil discuss how to get more business value out of LinkedIn. Tune in to learn how LinkedIn is enhancing its platform to create more engagement amongst its users, and the very real benefits of updating your LinkedIn profile daily. 

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Get More Business Value Out of LinkedIn
• 00:34 – Eric is really spending time on LinkedIn at the moment
• 00:48 – Eric and Neil are both posting on LinkedIn every day and the engagement is great
• 01:29 – Spend just a couple of minutes every morning to update your LinkedIn to engage with your audience
• 02:00 – With LinkedIn, you have to participate
• 02:11 – Neil takes his most popular blog on LinkedIn by posting the first few sentences and adding a read more link
  • 02:20 – It drives tons of traffic
• 02:28 – Neil participates in groups and messages potential business partners using his personal account
• 02:41 – Just last month, Neil generated more revenue on LinkedIn than Facebook
• 02:50 – LinkedIn now can target companies in groups
• 03:10 – Things are ramping up on LinkedIn and video advertising is becoming a big thing
• 03:37 – Eric uses Dux-Soup with LinkedIn Helper which allows you to visit targeted multiple profiles
• 04:39 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 05:20 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 05:24 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Post daily updates to have a consistent engagement.
2. LinkedIn is adding more features that let you interact with a targeted audience.
3. Advertising on LinkedIn is also improving and its video ads will be the next big thing.

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In Episode #393, Eric and Neil discuss how to ensure that your team stays productive when you’re out of the office. Tune in to learn how you can keep your people on track with their goals regardless of your absence, and simultaneously build a healthy relationship with everyone.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Ensure that Your Team Stays Productive When You're Out of Office
• 00:40 – Even though Eric was gone for a month, his team was able to work very efficiently without Eric there in person, or even on Slack
  • 01:06 – Make sure your people have clear tasks and goals that are defined with a deadline
• 01:10 – Eric uses Dapulse as his project management tool
• 01:37 – For communication, they use Slack and there’s a constant meeting
• 01:45 – “Make sure you have the right processes to keep things going”
• 01:50 – Richard Branson has 2 assistants that he trusts some of the tasks with
• 02:29 – Neil gives his team tasks, goals, and objectives
  • 02:34 – Neil meets his team once a week to see how they’re doing
  • 02:42 – Neil only checks to see if his goals have been hit and if not, what are the problems with the team
  • 02:54 – “As long as everything is doing good, I don’t care what they’re doing”
• 02:59 – Eric also uses 15Five where you can put your objectives and KPIs and if they’re on track
  • 03:38 – You will also know what people are feeling
• 04:19 – Neil uses a “straight to the point” rule to make sure communication is always flowing clearly with his team
• 04:55 – In the long run, figure out how you want to handle your team and what works well for everyone
• 05:02 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 05:50 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 06:01 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Have employees keep a list of their objectives and goals—give them a deadline for each, and then intermittently track performance while you’re way.
2. Keep your people happy because happy employees are the most productive.
3. As your employees earn your trust, don’t be afraid to give them bigger tasks with bigger responsibilities.

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In Episode #392, Eric and Neil discuss the tools that make paid advertising easier. Tune in to learn why Eric and Neil recommend sticking with Google and Facebook’s native tools to track paid advertising on every channel.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Tools That Make Paid Advertising Easier
• 00:39 – Neil suggests using Google and Facebook’s own tools
  • 01:15 – Neil doesn’t’ believe using paid tools for paid advertising but you can use AdEspresso if you really want
• 01:30 – You can set different audiences with Facebook Insights
• 01:37 – Google has their Display Planner and Keyword Planner as well
• 01:48 – Neil likes AdHawk which lets him see what’s happening through his phone
• 01:59 – Adbeat looks at the trend in advertising spend
• 02:35 – AdStage gives you insights on all your paid advertising channels
• 02:46 – There are some Slack tools for paid advertising
• 03:15 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:57 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:00 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Make use of Google and Facebook’s own tools because they have thousands of engineers who constantly update them.
2. Leverage free tools to track all your paid advertising channels.
3. Slack has its own tools that you can use for your paid advertisements, it’s not just for messaging anymore!

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In Episode #391, Eric and Neil discuss whether you should be worried about your domain authority. Tune in to learn how domain authority helps your search traffic and why Eric doesn’t worry about his domain authority.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Should You Be Worried About Your Domain Authority?
• 00:37 – Domain authority is done on a scale of 1-100 in Moz metric
• 00:47 – Google page rank is scored from 1-10
• 01:01 – Moz is more commonly used now as a metric than Google page rank
• 01:45 – In general, Moz domain authority shows the quality of the website
• 01:50 – Neil likes domain authority because the authority number is typically climbing
• 02:09 – Domain authority is a good way to see if sites are linking to you
  • 02:14 – Are they authoritative and getting quantity?
• 02:19 – As domain authority goes up, so does search traffic
• 02:28 – Eric has Moz and Ahrefs so he can cross-reference and track increases in traffic, etc.
• 02:53 – Eric checks domain authority once a month and doesn’t worry about it too much
• 03:10 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:56 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:05 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Domain authority helps you track how good your site is doing.
2. As your domain authority goes up, so does your search traffic.
3. Ultimately, don’t worry about your domain authority too much.

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In Episode #390, Eric and Neil talk about avoiding writer’s block. Tune in to learn how they keep their creative juices flowing even in those moments of low energy and low enthusiasm, and the tools they use to stay productive and focused.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Avoid Writer’s Block
• 00:35 – Writer’s block is when you don’t know what to write
• 00:38 – Neil shares 3 things to do to prevent writer’s block
  • 00:42 – Go to BuzzSumo, put in your competitor’s URL and it will show you what’s popular within your space
  • 00:58 – Go to Ahrefs and it will show you what drives traffic to your competitors
  • 01:09 – Put in words and phrases on Twitter and you’ll see what people are tweeting out
  • 01:21 – Ask around or create a survey when you need an idea
• 01:36 – Eric has a Pomodoro app on his phone
  • 01:42 – Pomodoro technique lets you focus on something for 25 minutes then a 5-minute break
  • 01:48 – Eric uses this app every morning when he’s writing and it’s effective for him
  • 02:05 – You always start slow but you find the flow after a few minutes
• 02:23 – Writer’s block is usually due to distractions
• 02:49 – Sometimes, writer’s block happens to Eric and Neil while podcasting
• 03:15 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:52 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:05 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. See what the people in your space are talking about, and then write on those ideas.
2. Try to stay focused and never let distractions get in the way.
3. Writer’s block happens to everyone—the people who accomplish their goals in life are those who find away around their writer’s block.

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In Episode #389, Eric and Neil discuss tips for first-time paid advertisers. Tune in to learn what Eric and Neil do personally in handling their paid advertising, how you can be cost efficient in your paid ads, and why it is essential to enroll in a couple of paid courses on AdWords. 

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Neil and Eric's Tips for First-Time Paid Advertisers
• 00:38 – Take whatever Facebook, Google and Bing’s representatives tell you with a grain of salt
  • 00:46 – They won’t always work
• 01:14 – “When you’re just starting off, don’t spend a lot”
  • 01:20 – Bing and Google can give you free credits, take advantage of them and use them
• 01:37 – Eric loves and endorses Brad Geddes’ Advance Guide to Google AdWords or AdWords Fundamental
  • 01:56 – It explained everything very distinctly
• 01:59 – DigitalMarketer has their courses too
• 02:12 – There are certifications from Google AdWords and Facebook Blueprint
  • 02:18 – Facebook Blueprint is quite difficult but definitely worth it
• 02:28 – It is better to invest in paid courses and platforms like Skillshare
• 02:47 – John Loomer has some great stuff too on paid advertising
• 02:58 – Neil suggests going after very specific action-based keywords when setting up an ad campaign
  • 03:46 – Make sure you have the baseline set on your website
  • 04:02 – Retarget people who have visited your sites
  • 04:50 – Make sure you have a funnel that upsells and downsells
• 05:19 – Look out for other channels like Quora ads
  • 05:27 – Eric is testing Quora ads and the results are good so far
  • 05:35 – Snapchat might worth a shot
• 05:51 – Yes, advertising is all about the numbers but you have to be cost-effective at the end of the day
• 05:5 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1-year subscription of Crazy Egg
  • 06:33 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 06:43 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Test the waters first, don’t spend too much on paid advertising when you’re just starting.
2. Don’t use vague keywords. Instead, use very specific action-based keywords that will make it easier for your campaign to generate traffic.
3. Make sure you have a funnel that offers both upsells and downsells so you don’t pour money down the drain.

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In Episode #388, Eric and Neil discuss whether you should invest your time in Snapchat or in Instagram stories. Tune in to learn which social media site should take more of your time, energy and focus. Also, learn from the best as Eric and Neil explain just why Gary Vaynerchuk is winning the social media game.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Should You Invest Your Time in Snapchat Or Instagram Stories?
• 00:35 – For Eric, you should invest more in Instagram stories than in Snapchat
  • 00:44 – Less and less stories are popping out on Snapchat while Instagram is consistently growing
• 01:22 – Neil agrees with Eric that you’re wasting time and energy on Snapchat, because it is dying
• 01:36 – Instagram is a great place to engage with your audience and get more sales
• 01:38 – VaynerMedia by Gary Vaynerchuk is doing well on social media
  • 01:50 – VaynerMedia has over $100M in annual revenue
  • 02:00 – Gary is into pushing businesses to using social media
  • 02:18 – Gary V’s Instagram stories are funny and engaging
• 02:33 – Growth Everywhere posts Marketing School’s episodes as stories on Instagram
• 02:53 – You can repurpose your Instagram stories to use it on Snapchat, too
• 03:00 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool which lets you do changes on your sites easier
  • 03:45 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:57 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Snapchat is dying—focus your time and energy on Instagram stories.
2. More and more people are engaging with Instagram stories today, so now is the time to take advantage of it.
3. Gary Vaynerchuk creates his stories to be unique, engaging and funny—do the same in order to stand out.

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In Episode #387, Eric and Neil discuss marketing lessons you can gain from watching classic infomercials. Tune in to discover the similarities between infomercials and regular marketing tactics. You’ll also find out how infomercials have become so effective in their niche. 

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Marketing Lessons from Classic Infomercials
• 00:35 – Neil remembers an infomercial he watched from OxiClean
• 00:50 – Neil learns about infomercials from his friend Ryan Deiss, who is a copywriter
  • 01:04 – Ryan learned how to write copy from his childhood experiences
• 01:23 – Infomercial is about timing
  • 01:30 – Most are run at night and target females
• 01:44 – “If you want to do any type of marketing, you have to target the right type of people”
• 02:10 – Eric remembers the P90X infomercial which encourages you to work towards a great body
• 02:36 – Being direct and to the point is what Eric has learned from infomercials
• 02:48 – Eric also remembers the Shake Weight infomercial which was quite comical
• 03:14 – Include bonuses and employ scarcity tactics so that people take action
• 03:36 – It’s also expensive for infomercials to gain users; just like regular marketing in that you can lose money
• 03:46 – In any marketing offer, make sure you have back end offers; an upsell and cross-sell
• 03:55 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool that maximizes your conversion and is easy to use
  • 04:30 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:40 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. An effective infomercial is about targeting the right market at the right time.
2. It costs a lot to create an advertisement, so make sure you have back end offers so you’re not losing money.
3. Most effective infomercials have catchy headlines and are straight to the point.

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In Episode #386, Eric and Neil discuss how to manage your first marketing hire if you’re not a marketer yourself. Tune in to learn the right questions you need to ask a potential marketing hire and the importance of a marketer being able to plan and hit expected, weekly goals.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How To Manage Your First Marketing Hire if You're Not a Marketer Yourself
• 00:44 – Neil wants to find out how a marketer plans their week—it should be planned in a way that improves the business
• 01:09 – Neil shares a sample plan a marketer might use
  • 01:33 – There should be expected results and goals
• 01:50 – From Eric’s perspective, there’s a deadline they should hit and they should do what they set out to do
• 02:28 – Eric asks the questions he asks to see if you can be the best fit for his team
• 03:00 – Eric has a one-on-one with his developers and marketers to know if they’re hitting their goals
• 03:36 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:04 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:20 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. A marketer needs to make a plan and track their progress, ensuring that goals and deadlines are met.
2. If you’re not a developer or marketer but want to hire one, ask the developers and marketers you know and find out the questions you need to be asking your potential hire.
3. Make sure you consistently update and touch base with your first marketing hire.

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In Episode #385, Eric and Neil discuss how to monitor your backlinks in 15 minutes or less per week. Tune in to learn the advantages of checking your backlinks—such as building your network and watching for those who can negatively affect your Google search ranking.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Monitor Your Backlink Profile in 15 Minutes or Less in a Week
• 00:34 – Neil uses Ahrefs to continuously see which sites link to him
  • 00:43 – It’s not time intensive and he checks three to four times a week
• 01:18 – You monitor your backlinks because a site that consistently links to you can penalize you and screw up your search ranking
• 01:30 – Eric checks his backlinks to build relationships
• 02:03 – Eric uses Ahrefs as well and sets alerts weekly
• 02:35 – There are other links that can be missing that you need to watch for
• 02:40 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:28 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:35 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Reach out to those who link to you and try to build your network.
2. You can check your backlinks through Ahrefs which already has detailed data regarding your backlinks profile.
3. Be careful with who links to you so you can avoid getting penalized by Google.

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In Episode #384, Eric and Neil discuss why it’s important to diversify your traffic sources. Tune in to know the key traffic sources you should be leveraging and why you shouldn’t focus on just one traffic source. You’ll also discover the top, highest ROI marketing strategy to date.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Why It's Important To Diversify Your Traffic Sources
• 00:40 – Even if Neil is getting traffic from content marketing, if Google decides to ban him, it’s gone forever
  • 00:57 – Therefore, you need to diversify your traffic sources
• 01:07 – There are a lot of people who have invested everything on SEO; they were clueless about what to do after an update
• 01:26 – You should have a good mixture of everything, like Google News traffic
• 01:35 – Social media channels are the best sources of traffic, not just Facebook
  • 01:40 – Your choices are Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest and Quora
• 01:52 – Paid advertising drives traffic
• 02:03 – Create videos or audio files to get into other communities like iTunes and YouTube
• 02:23 – Make sure you’re collecting emails, too
  • 02:42 – It’s still one of the highest ROI in marketing activities
• 02:53 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:38 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:50 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Diversifying your traffic sources gives you more chances to stay in the game should some of your platforms decide to ban or remove you.
2. Leverage ALL social media platforms—this will cover you.
3. Building an email list still drives the most traffic so make it your priority.

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In Episode #383, Eric and Neil discuss how to make users watch your full video. Tune in to learn what strategies you can employ to keep your audience engaged. You’ll find the value of a good hook and the importance of producing high quality videos—all tactics that Neil has used to ensure people stick around to the end of your video.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Make Users Watch Your Full Video
• 00:40 – To make users stay, mention at the start of the video that you have something for them at the end of the video
  • 00:46 – It entices people and it’s a strategy that works well
• 01:01 – “Have a really good hook in the intro”
• 01:18 – When Neil creates a video with a number of tactics, he will say that ONE of them will help the viewers immensely, so they should stick around and watch the whole video
• 02:05 – Eric tends to watch videos that are 5-10 minutes long
• 02:19 – Keep your video in high quality and make sure it’s well produced, even if it’s short
• 02:44 – Add some animation to your videos
• 03:11 – Neil’s editors continually adjust the frames
  • 03:23 – This way, the viewers won’t get bored
• 03:45 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 04:24 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:34 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Entice people by having a great hook at the start of the video; having a surprise for them at the end can also work to keep them watching.
2. A short, well-produced, high quality video is more likely to get watched than longer, poorer quality one.
3. Add animation, adjust your frames—do what you need to do to keep your video enticing.

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In Episode #382, Eric and Neil discuss how to determine customer lifetime value. Tune in to learn the simplest formula you can use to calculate your customer lifetime value. Eric and Neil also drop several online tools that simplify the process and will do the math for you.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Determine Customer Lifetime Value
• 00:38 – There are multiple ways to determine customer lifetime value
• 00:52 – Eric shares an example of a SaaS company’s customer lifetime value
  • 00:55 – Neil’s Crazy Egg has a churn of 10%, which is the number of customers who stopped using the product
  • 01:08 – Average price per user ID is $30, so you divide $30 by the churn to get the lifetime value
  • 01:40 – Technically you take the average pay per month
• 02:00 – Mixpanel can calculate your customer lifetime value
• 02:10 – RJMetrics can do it for you, too
• 02:21 – There’s a formula on Kissmetrics that you can copy to calculate the customer lifetime value
• 02:31 – Eric has tried different formulas and the one on Shopify’s blog is one worth checking out
• 02:50 – You can do the formula yourself, but there will always be flaws
• 03:00 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription of Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:50 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:59 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. There are several ways to calculate customer lifetime value, just find the one that suits you and your needs best.
2. Consider using a tool for a more accurate calculation of lifetime value.
3. You can create and execute the formula yourself, but don’t expect it to be error-free.

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In Episode #381, Eric and Neil discuss the difference between macro and micro-conversions. Tune in as Eric and Neil define what these conversions are and which ones deserve more of your attention and focus, what you need to track and how often, and which conversions (micro or macro) deserve an A/B test.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: The Difference Between Macro and Micro-Conversions
• 01:09 – Your funnel has a lot of small steps which are considered “micro” and the large step is the actual act of purchasing
• 01:24 – How many micro-conversions should you be tracking?
• 01:51 – When Neil does A/B test, he only looks at macro conversions
  • 02:00 – “I really do focus on the bottom line which is sales and revenue”
  • 02:19 – You want people to convert to buy, so that’s what you should be optimizing in an A/B test
• 02:28 – When Eric started, he used to track micro-conversions, like click through rates for example, which led to him losing his focus
• 02:50 – Make sure you focus on the RIGHT things
• 02:59 – You can look at micro things once in awhile, but don’t let it be your main focus
• 03:02 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:51 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:00 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Micro-conversions are the small steps that lead to the purchase, which is called the macro-conversion.
2. Your main focus should always be on the sales, don’t let micro-conversions steal your focus.
3. You can track micro-conversions every now and then, but it’s not necessary to do this on a daily basis.

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In Episode #380, Eric and Neil discuss how to ramp up content production. Tune in to learn how to maintain structure, quality and form when it comes to rapid content production. You’ll also learn how known influencers, such as Chalene Johnson and Gary Vaynerchuk, successfully repurpose their content across several media channels.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Ramp Up Content Production
• 00:54 – Eric grows his business by creating content and building relationships
• 01:15 – In rapid content production, he creates batches of content
• 01:45 – Hiring several content writers can help you ramp up your content production, you can find writers at ProBlogger
  • 01:55 – The key in increasing content production is setting up a guideline or rubric that outline your writing format and expectations
• 02:10 – Neil’s structure includes an introduction, conclusion, body in the middle broken down into subheadings with targeted keywords
• 02:21 – Neil gets topics from BuzzSumo
• 02:28 – Neil goes to Ahrefs to see his competitor’s search traffic
• 02:32 – From the research, Neil gains writing ideas such as variations to competitors’ posts which are better and more thorough
• 02:58 – Chalene Johnson sells Instagram courses and she usually posts livestreams of herself talking about anything under the sun
  • 03:17 – The topics in the video will also become blog posts and/or social images
• 03:31 – Gary Vaynerchuk creates videos and segments them to different social media posts
• 03:56 – Eric is trying other ways to repurpose content in order to grow more
• 04:19 – You can try different formats of content
  • 04:25 – Eric and Neil recreate Marketing School posts using different formats and across different platforms
• 04:46 – Execute one of the methods above and you’ll definitely see changes
• 05:15 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool that shows where people click; you can also make changes on your website
  • 05:42 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 05:55 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. You grow your business by creating content and building your relationships.
2. Have a writing guideline or rubric that you (and other writers) to make the process a lot easier, faster and consistent in quality.
3. Repurpose your content across different mediums and in a variety of forms—especially the content that has always performed well.

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In Episode #379, Eric and Neil discuss what link blending is and how to do it fast. Tune in to learn how to execute link blending as a part of your process for boosting your rank. You’ll learn just what it takes to be in a “good neighborhood” with others who have similar content and keywords as you.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: What Is Link Blending (and How To Do It Fast)
• 00:39 – Eric shares how his friendship with Neil started
  • 00:41 – Eric was just starting when Neil wrote a post about link blending
  • 00:45 – Since Eric didn’t understand what Neil’s post was about, Eric reached out to Neil to ask more questions about link blending
• 01:01 – Link blending is when someone links out to you, like a Wikipedia article for example, and ranks for the keyword you want to rank for
  • 01:12 – Then, they will link to someone who is in the top 20 for the keyword that you want to rank for without using an anchor text for other links—Google will read that you’re in a good neighborhood
• 01:33 – It’s easier to control link blending if you’re building links through black hat ways
• 01:39 – In link blending, you should know who’s linking to your competitors that are at the top
  • 01:43 – If you build links to those sites, you’ll be in a good neighborhood
  • 01:51 – Your ranking will grow faster
• 01:53 – If someone is already ranking for your keyword and links to you from their page, your rankings will go up because your content is similar
• 02:03 – Link blending is a way to make sure you’re in a good neighborhood and your links are relevant
• 02:15 – There’s a template that needs to be followed in guest posting
  • 02:48 – There’s a lot of link blending happening with guest posting in big publications
• 03:17 – Link blending is a process that is good to have on your checklist
• 03:34 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:59 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:11 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Link blending is about being in a good neighborhood with sites that have relevant content who also rank well.
2. Guest posting helps with link blending, but there’s a template or process that needs to be made and followed.
3. Link blending is a process that is good to have on your checklist.

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In Episode #378, Eric and Neil discuss the marketing benefits of Google Tag Manager. Tune in to learn why marketers need to be using Google Tag Manager today and why you will no longer be needing to depend on your developer to get certain tasks done.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: The Marketing Benefits of Google Tag Manager
• 00:35 – Google Tag Manager manages your pixels, is free to use and makes your life easier
• 00:49 – When Eric was just starting, he had to beg developers to get something done
• 01:08 – With different tools nowadays like Crazy Egg and Optimizely, the marketers are now able to control the pixels without going to the developer
• 01:20 – With Google Tag Manager, you can easily add tags to relevant pages without being a coder
  • 01:30 – You won’t be needing your developers to add the code when you’re using Google Tag Manager
• 01:50 – Most websites should be using Google Tag Manager
• 01:56 – Measure School focuses on Google Tag Manager and offers some tips and tricks for it
• 02:30 – Segment is very similar to Google Tag Manager
• 02:38 – As a business owner, you should know the tools that your people are using
• 02:55 – With Google Tag Manager, it encourages you to annotate each change that you make
• 03:18 – Eric’s website experienced a glitch and he was able to find the cause using Google Tag Manager
• 03:35 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg, a visual analytics tool that shows you where people click, how far they scroll and allows you to run A/B tests
  • 04:12 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:24 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Google Tag Manager lets you apply changes to your website successfully without the help of a developer.
2. Annotating the changes that you made on your site makes it easier for you to revert to your previous site, if you encounter a glitch.
3. Leverage Google Tag Manager, it will make your life and work a breeze.

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In Episode #377, Eric and Neil discuss the tried and tested methods for building local links. Tune in to learn the simple steps that will help you increase your rank on a local scale. You’ll also find out who you need to be reaching out to when it comes to asking for those links.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Tried and Tested Ways of Building Local Links
• 00:41 – When it comes to local SEOs, citations are important
  • 00:45 – A citation can be counted as a link
• 00:56 – You can get multiple citations from Whitespark and Moz Local
• 01:05 – Another way to get a citation is to reach out to the local chamber of commerce
  • 01:13 – They also have events where you can network with people
• 01:41 – Reach out to people and try to add value
• 01:46 – Local stores take anything that can help their business
• 02:00 – It’s a lot easier to rank for local keywords
• 02:14 – Go to Ahrefs and put in your competing URLs within your region
  • 02:26 – Reach out to those linking to them and ask for links
• 02:35 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which helps you increase your conversion rate
  • 03:28 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:35 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Reach out to your local market to get citations.
2. Build a network with your local stores and always try to add value to them.
3. Check your competitors and get in touch with those who are linking to them.

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In Episode #376, Eric and Neil discuss whether it is better to create a mobile website or a mobile app. Tune in to decide whether it’s worth your time to create an app or just focus on your website being optimized for mobile. Eric and Neil discuss what they prefer and why it depends on your niche. They also emphasize that whatever route you take—mobile app or website—make sure you focus on making the BEST user experience possible.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Is It Better to Create a Mobile Website or a Mobile App?
• 00:40 – Eric personally prefers creating a mobile website that is a responsive website
• 00:58 – Eric also has a mobile app that they built with BuildFire
  • 01:03 – It includes their podcast
• 01:16 – Unless you’re providing a unique function that requires an app, having a website is just fine
• 01:40 – Prioritize making the best user experience when it comes to your product
  • 01:52 – Neil created an app before but the usage isn’t very high
• 02:00 – Mobile optimized websites are simpler and drives more users
• 02:22 – A website is enough for those content-oriented sites, just make it sure it’s optimized for mobile
• 02:40 – Eric shares a study regarding app usage
• 03:30 – Neil has less than 10 apps on his phone
• 03:35 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool that helps you increase your conversion rate
  • 04:40 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:44 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. The percentage that describes mobile app usage varies per industry.
2. Consider your audience when creating a mobile website or mobile app—are they more likely to use the app directly or just stick with the browser to check your product?
3. Eric and Neil both agree that it is better to focus on mobile websites rather than an app if your site is more content-oriented.

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In Episode #375, Eric and Neil discuss how to distribute your podcast. Not everyone is on YouTube or iTunes. With all the platforms that are out there for broadcasting podcasts, it’s your responsibility as a podcaster to get your content to the people. Tune in to learn where you can go to broadcast your work, the many different ways to expand your reach, and the importance of asking other bloggers, listeners, and websites that you link to share your podcast!

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Distribute Your Podcast
• 00:34 – “A podcast is all about getting reach at the end of the day”
• 00:39 – Eric hosts their podcast on Libsyn
  • 00:59 – With Libsyn, it will publish automatically on YouTube and on Soundcloud
• 01:15 – Not all people are on iTunes, so spread your podcast anywhere you can
  • 01:17 – Tweet out your podcast and share it on Facebook
• 01:45 – Neil used to use Product Hunt’s podcasting section, but it’s been deleted
  • 02:00 – Neil was driving thousands of views a day
• 02:06 – Neil also networks with other bloggers to share their podcast
• 02:20 – Neil and Eric mention tools in their podcast because they use them, not because they’re paid
  • 02:28 – After mentioning a tool, they’ll email those websites to tell them about their episode in the hopes that they share the podcast, too
  • 03:00 – One of their tool’s websites reached out to Eric and Neil when they learned that their tool was mentioned in the podcast
• 03:26 – Wavve allows you to make different social media sharing templates and Eric is testing it out now
• 03:52 – Google Play, Stitcher and iHeartRadio are some of their podcast’s hosts
• 04:07 – Eric just resubmitted their podcast to Spotify
• 04:45 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a heat mapping tool that helps you increase your conversion rate
  • 05:32 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 05:35 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Don’t stick to one platform, broadcast your podcast on every platform you can.
2. Reach out to other bloggers and your audience to share your podcast.
3. You’re the one that needs to work your way to the listeners when it comes to expanding your reach.

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In Episode #374, Eric and Neil discuss whether you should be using manual bidding for your Facebook ads. People have been running ads on Facebook for years now and still rely on the automatic bidding and optimization features for their ads. Tune in to learn what Eric and Neil prefer between the two and how you can know what option is best for you.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Should You Use Manual Bidding on Facebook Ads?
• 00:35 – People have been running ads on Facebook for a couple of years now
  • 00:42 – People just rely on Facebook’s automatic bidding and automatic optimization
• 00:50 – As per any kind of marketing, you want to be testing all the time
• 00:53 – Eric has seen marketers who have switched to manual bidding
  • 01:11 – You can set the manual bid on how much you’re willing to pay
• 01:36 – Every time Neil uses automatic bidding on Facebook, it is way higher than manual bidding
• 01:49 – Neil thinks manual bidding works better
  • 02:00 – Neil saw a 20% increase on his automatic bidding price
• 02:10 – With Google, you can set the bidding to manual at first, then to automatic
• 02:30 – Figure out what your numbers are and just test the water
• 03:00 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool that helps you increase your conversion rate
  • 03:46 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:53 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. People tend to rely on Facebook’s automatic bidding because it’s easier and less time consuming.
2. Know your numbers and test the manual bidding option; it’s cheaper and you stay in control of your options.
3. For ANY type of marketing you choose, you need to be testing it all the time.

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In Episode #373, Eric and Neil discuss how many links you really need to rank well. Tune in as Eric and Neil remind us of the TWO most important factors for SEO. They’ll also explain why The Penny Hoarder gets more traffic than Neil does and why Eric builds links for a post that is already driving traffic.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How Many Links Do You Really Need to Rank Well?
• 00:39 – Two main factors in SEO are content and links
• 00:57 – Eric and Neil uses Ahrefs
  • 01:01 – Ahrefs has a keyword explorer tool that will show you the difficulty and guidelines for using a certain keyword
• 01:23 – The Penny Hoarder is a popular blog which was in Inc 500 list
  • 01:32 – They make 8-figures/year in revenue
  • 01:35 – The blog has more traffic than Neil’s blog
  • 01:40 – They get more traffic because of their content
  • 01:43 – Neil has more backlinks and domain authority than TPH
  • 01:52 – “It just comes down to content”
• 01:58 – You don’t need too many backlinks
  • 02:02 – You need MORE content
• 02:06 – If you want to build up your links, use infographics or Brian Dean’s Skyscraper Technique
• 02:25 – Eric didn’t build links for the top 5 keywords for which they’re ranking
• 02:46 – Focus on the domain authority
• 03:03 – Eric has one post that ranks for the most marketing keywords
  • 03:16 – Eric has built links for that post to boost it
• 03:41 – Check Eric Enge's: Do Links Still Matter
• 04:05 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a heat mapping tool that helps you increase your conversion rate
  • 04:52 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:58 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Content and links are the main factors for SEO—keep track of them.
2. Having too many backlinks may not always boost your post; rather, focus on creating GREAT content.
3. Check the posts whose keywords are ranking well and build links to boost that post.

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In Episode #372, Eric and Neil discuss whether social sharing buttons still work. Tune-in to learn whether social sharing buttons are effective in driving traffic to your site, how to use them properly if you still wish to use them, and an alternative to the buttons that is proven to work.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Do Social Sharing Buttons Still Work?
• 00:39 – Sumo is a plugin for social share buttons
• 00:47 – Eric personally uses Buffer to share
• 00:58 – Neil tracked the social share button clicks
  • 01:03 – It drives traffic once in awhile
• 01:22 – The only way to get traffic from social share buttons are to integrate them within the post
  • 01:30 – Click to tweet
  • 01:34 – Having quotes or snippets within your blog post that is easy to share drives more traffic
  • 01:45 – Integrating the buttons within the blog post is more effective than scrolling social buttons within the blog
• 02:05 – The percentage of clicks is NOT high
• 02:25 – For Eric, social sharing buttons don’t work
• 02:33 – If you still put them in, just choose the major social media sites
• 02:50 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool that helps you increase your conversion rate
  • 03:41 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:46 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Social sharing buttons does work, but it needs to be integrated into the post.
2. An alternative to social sharing buttons is adding a click to tweet somewhere in your post.
3. If you still want social sharing buttons, just pick the major social media sites.

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In Episode #371, Eric and Neil discuss how to get started with podcast advertising. Podcast advertising is becoming more and more lucrative—especially for leading podcasters such as John Lee Dumas and Tim Ferriss. Tune in to learn how much you can earn in podcast advertising and how the process works.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Get Started With Podcast Advertising
• 00:36 – Podcast advertising can be lucrative
• 01:04 – You’re looking at cost per thousand impressions for what you can make in podcast advertising
  • 01:14 – Range is anywhere from $15 to $40
• 01:34 – For more hands-off solutions, you can use Midroll’s service
• 02:25 – The earnings are per ad placement
• 02:36 – John Lee Dumas does a pre-roll then a post-roll
  • 02:42 – Pre-roll is before the podcast starts and post-roll is after the podcast
  • 02:49 – Tim Ferriss has 2 pre-roll ads and 2 post-roll ads
  • 02:53 – John Lee Dumas has 2-3 ads per episode
• 03:09 – For a thousand listeners, you can get around $50 to $100 depending on the number of ads that you have
• 03:32 – Podcast advertising is also a branding play
• 03:50 – If you’re just about to start with podcast advertising, you can do it directly or opt for Midroll’s service
• 03:56 – if you’re a podcaster, people will start to reach out to you
  • 03:59 – Freshbooks and Hostgator have approached Eric before
• 04:15 – Marketing School is more focused on growing the podcast rather than having ads
• 04:24 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool that will help you increase your conversion rate
  • 05:17 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 05:21 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Podcast advertising can be pretty lucrative if you have a large following.
2. As you become a more established podcaster, business will reach out to you for ad placements.
3. Podcast advertising can be a branding play as well.

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In Episode #370, Eric and Neil discuss how to determine your one key metric. When you establish a set goal or priority, then all your tasks will follow suit to achieve that goal. But what IS that one measure that you look to as a company? Tune in to know what your one key metric is and why knowing what you’re after will set you up for success.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Determine Your One Key Metric
• 00:36 – Josh Elman coined the term "one key metric"
• 00:40 – When starting a business and using Twitter, your one key metric will be the number of tweets you want to hit
• 01:09 – First, determine how people are using your product—the core functionality of your product
  • 01:20 – Then figure out if that one key metric is the one to go after, then work from there
• 01:35 – “Figure out what you’re really after and what’s going to impact that”
• 01:40 – If you want to increase your revenue, figure out the different sources of revenue
  • 02:09 – Then you can have control and manage that one key metric
• 02:21 – The purpose of Airbnb is to book a place to stay
  • 02:26 – The core action is searching and booking your accommodations
• 02:36 – Another example is Yelp where you find different local businesses and review them
• 03:18 – Neil’s one key metric for Crazy Egg is the number of tests done a day
• 03:43 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a heat mapping tool that helps you increase your conversion rate
  • 04:28 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:33 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Knowing your one key metric helps you focus your tasks accordingly.
2. Establish what you’re really after and what’s going to influence that.
3. If you want to increase your revenue, then think solely on your sources of revenue.

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In Episode #369, Eric and Neil discuss what drives more traffic, quality content or quantity content. This is an age-old debate and the answer depends on pretty obvious factors such as the size of your team and budget. Tune in to hear the route Eric and Neil chose, why they chose it, and how YOU should make the decision between quality and quantity. 

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: What Drives More Traffic: Quality Content VS Quantity
• 00:39 – Neil took the quality route
  • 00:43 – Neil only publishes high quality content, but he doesn’t have a lot of it
• 00:59 – HubSpot’s is quite popular because they produce a LOT of content
• 01:28 – Eric talked to the managing editor of a website that gets 8M visits a month
  • 01:35 – They hire bigger teams to produce larger quantities of content
  • 01:41 – They often open on guest posts too
• 02:06 – From Eric’s data, it’s “more publishing, more quantity”
• 02:10 – Creating content around the news works very well
• 02:30 – Neil recommends starting out with quality content
• 02:46 – In 24 hours, TechCrunch can create around 29 posts, but not all are quality posts
• 03:05 – Go to Ahrefs and SEMrush to see what’s driving your competitors’ traffic
  • 03:14 – Then make better versions of their blog posts
• 03:20 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which helps you increase your conversion rate
  • 03:58 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:04 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. People can receive more value from high quality content.
2. If you have the budget to create a large quantities of content; then this will be a great option for you.
3. If you’re just starting out, focus on quality over quantity.

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In Episode #368, Eric and Neil discuss why you should pay attention to Facebook groups. Tune in to learn the pros of joining Facebook groups, starting your own for your company, and how to extract and give value to these online communities.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Why You Should Pay Attention To Facebook Groups
• 00:39 – Eric gets a lot of value from Facebook groups
• 00:43 – Eric follows Badass Marketers and Founders Facebook group run by Josh Fechter
  • 00:50 – There’s a ton of marketing information he gains from the group
• 00:56 – Another group to follow: Young Entrepreneurs Council
• 01:00 – There’s a high level of engagement in these groups and people share them with others
• 01:18 – Facebook just launched a summit for Facebook groups
• 01:54 – You can search for terms in groups that are related to your niche
• 02:08 – Answer questions in groups—this will lead people to your website and build traffic
• 02:15 – When you build our own Facebook group, it builds a community with that will strongly support your brand
• 02:22 – Neil has a private Facebook group and most of its members help promote one another
• 02:56 – Find the group that has more signal than noise
• 03:11 – Eric highly recommends Badass Marketers and Founders
• 03:30 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which helps you increase your conversion rate
  • 04:00 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 04:10 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. There’s a lot of VALUE to be had in Facebook groups—build your network and your following to increase your support.
2. Join groups that are relevant to your niche.
3. Be helpful with those in your Facebook groups—answer their questions and promote one another depending on the type of group that it is.

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In Episode #367, Eric and Neil discuss whether blog commenting is dead. Tune in to learn why blog commenting is NOT dead in Eric and Neil’s opinion. They’ll list the reasons why they still do it and explain the benefits you can gain from interacting with your audience.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Is Blog Commenting Dead?
• 01:05 – Nowadays, blog commenting still drives traffic, but not as much as it did before
• 01:13 – For niche blogs, blog commenting will still work
• 01:17 – What works is that people come to your blog and you build a rapport with them—because of this relationship, they are more likely to convert
• 01:45 – Some big publications have shut off their blog comments
• 02:00 – For Neil’s blog, which has educational value, people leave productive comments and build a relationship with him
  • 02:15 – Neil has dedicated time to respond to the comments
• 02:42 – Even if there’s only one person who leaves a comment, you still have to respond
• 03:00 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which is a visual analytics tool
  • 03:45 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:54 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Blog commenting STILL works when it comes to driving traffic to your site.
2. Build a rapport and relationship with your blog followers by responding to their comments.
3. Blog commenting is NOT dead; in fact, it’s a tool that will help you increase your conversion rates.

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In Episode #366, Eric and Neil discuss how growth is getting harder and what you can do about it. In terms of marketing, it seems that everything repeats itself. Now, more than ever, is the time to get CREATIVE in order to stand out. Tune in to learn how you can deal with the fast-paced, competitive market out there and the importance of keeping it fresh and original. 

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: Growth Is Getting Harder (And What You Can Do About It)
• 00:36 – Today’s episode is inspired by Uber’s Andrew Chen who is well known in the growth network
• 00:55 – CPCs and the rise of ad blockers are getting higher
  • 01:18 – “As growth gets harder, you have no choice but to get more creative”
• 01:24 – The main way to grow is to think outside the box and go after different channels
• 01:43 – Facebook has a saturation point and the ad prices are higher
• 01:57 – Aside from the sending people to landing pages from your Facebook ads, take your people to educational/press type articles
• 02:15 – It will all come down to CREATIVITY
• 02:38 – Everyone is getting smarter in regards to growth
  • 02:50 – The competition is tougher
• 03:09 – Facebook and Google are still on the top list of apps
• 03:19 – Develop your own brand to stand out
• 03:37 – Building your brand with corporate personnel
  • 03:50 – Amazon’s customers are loyal therefore, they will always have high conversion rates
  • 04:08 – Beats by Dre entered a saturated market, but still manages to make sales
    • 04:21 – Beats by Dre has a great design that becomes part of one’s lifestyle
    • 04:30 – They pay celebrities to use Beats by Dre
  • 04:40 – Alternatively, you can give out equity in exchange for promotion
    • 04:45 – Vitamin Water gave out equity to promote their product
  • 05:05 – Social media channels are copying each other
  • 05:24 – You have to figure out a way to differentiate yourself from the competitors
  • 06:00 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which helps you increase your conversion rate
    • 06:33 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
  • 06:45 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Leverage all channels that are available to grow your brand.
2. The more creative you are, the more you will be able to adapt to the market and compete.
3. Giving out equity is another way you can promote your brand.

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In Episode #365, Eric and Neil discuss 3 creative ways to mine for leads. Sifting through your inbox for relevant leads is a real time-killer. Eric can get anywhere from 2K to 25K emails a month for his agency and, therefore, knows why it’s important to have a system in place to find those relevant leads. Tune-in to hear how Eric and Neil cut through the thousands of emails to find those key potential emails.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: 3 Creative Ways to Mine For Leads
• 00:37 – Eric gets 2K to 25K emails a month for the agency
  • 00:54 – Eric used to use Drip to get through their emails
  • 01:04 – Now they use Clearbit Enrichment API and have plugged it into Slack
  • 01:10 – When a big company comes in, the data will automatically be pushed into Slack, then to Salesforce, so people can jump on it and reach out
• 01:36 – Neil goes to their email list to check who’s there
  • 01:45 – They’ll check the emails against their LinkedIn to see which connections are ones relevant
  • 01:55 – They then send an email with a small introduction to those relevant leads
  • 02:18 – When you get an introduction from another organization,you will more likely close a sale
  • 02:31 – You can do targeted ads on LinkedIn, find people within an organization and send out a blast making sure they’re opening up their email
• 02:48 – Use Dux-Soup combined with LinkedIn Recruiter or Sales Navigator
  • 03:13 – It will allow you to scroll around different profiles
• 03:44 – Datanyze can scrape the web and search for companies within a certain category
  • 04:03 – It’s the enterprise version of Built With
• 04:27 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which helps you increase your conversion rate
  • 05:25 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:50 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Leverage the tools that will help you find the relevant leads from your emails.
2. LinkedIn is an excellent platform to employ targeted ads and find those relevant leads.
3. Try to get referrals from organizations you already know; it’s almost a guaranteed sale.

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In Episode #364, Eric and Neil discuss 7 apps that marketers should install on their phone. The ideas don’t stop flowing even though you’re on the move, so that’s why it’s good to have the right apps on mobile so you don’t miss a beat. Tune-in to know why these 7 apps are MUST-HAVES and how they can make your life as a marketer more convenient.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: 7 Apps That Marketers Should Install On Their Phone
• 00:35 – Hype Type app allows you to enhance your Instagram story
  • 00:49 – It will make it look more engaging and professional
• 01:06 – Google Analytics app lets you see your website performance
• 01:23 – Facebook ads and AdWords apps let you manage your ads through your phone
• 01:41 – Adhawk helps you manage your AdWords and it has a better interface than Google AdWords
  • 02:09 – The better interface makes it easier to use on mobile
• 02:14 – Fifth app is Buffer
  • 02:22 – If you’re reading an article on mobile, there’s a Buffer button that allows you to share the article automatically
  • 02:32 – You can also share saved articles in Pocket through Buffer
• 02:53 – Sixth app is Evernote
  • 02:58 – You can put anything on Evernote
  • 03:35 – It can be a notebook for your ideas
  • 03:51 – Make sure to still be organized with your ideas when you write your notes
• 04:30 – Nuzzle surfaces the people you’re been following and identifies the signal from the noise
• 05:05 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which helps you increase your conversion rate
  • 05:52 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 06:00 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Track your performance even while on mobile incase you need to act on a problem ASAP.
2. Don’t let those ideas slip by, write them down on your trusted note-taking app.
3. Leverage your mobile phone with the right apps to help ease your workflows.

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In Episode #363, Eric and Neil discuss how to get more traffic from Google News. Eric is currently going through the process of what it takes to be featured on Google News. He breaks down the requirements of Google News as well as the BENEFITS for your company to be featured by this incredible source.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Get Traffic From Google News
• 00:37 – Google News is an incredible place where you can be featured
  • 01:00 – Being featured as a company will drive more traffic
• 01:10 – You have to pass certain requirements in order to be featured
  • 01:23 – You need unique URLS
  • 01:33 – You need HTML articles
  • 01:43 – They don’t accept audio files
  • 01:46 – Create a Google news site map
• 01:54 – Eric is currently in the process of going through the Google News’ requirements
  • 02:00 – They use Yoast plugin
• 02:18 – For Google News, you need to write content that is broad in scope
  • 02:25 – If you do an article about Google, your traffic will boost
  • 02:40 – The more broad the article is coupled with a higher click-through rate, the more people will tend to keep reading and generate more traffic
• 02:55 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which helps you increase your conversion rate
  • 03:42 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway for multiple entries
• 03:50 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. Being featured on Google News WILL drive more traffic to your website.
2. Write articles with topics that are broad in scope and which lead to high click-through rate.
3. Do your best to comply to every one of the requirements needed to be featured on Google News.

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In Episode #362, Eric and Neil discuss how marketing can help your sales team. These two teams have the tendency to be at odds with each other when there is so much opportunity to benefit from one another. In fact, when marketers are successful at their job, it is easier for sales to close a deal as that brand awareness is already top of mind. Tune-in to learn how marketing helps your sales teams and why teamwork is always the way to success.

• 00:27 – Today’s topic: How Marketing Can Help Your Sales Team
• 00:43 – The more people that see your brand, the more your sales team can close a deal
• 00:58 – Neil does marketing case studies that focus on content marketing and press
• 01:28 – When Eric hears “I see your stuff everywhere,” that’s when he knows the marketing is working
• 01:46 – People can get to know you more on an intimate level from videos or podcasts
• 02:48 – A sales team isn’t as data driven as is the marketing team
• 02:59 – Marketing teams should use tools that will help the sales team understand what needs to be done
• 03:36 – Hubspot has tools for marketing and sales teams
• 03:55 – The worst thing you could do is participate in the “blame game”
  • 04:12 – Sales and marketing teams should work together
• 04:38 – Look at the data and don’t focus on the complaints from your team
• 05:07 – Make sure you’re tracking your numbers
• 05:15 – Marketing School is giving away a free 1 year subscription to Crazy Egg which will help you see people’s behavior on your website
  • 06:00 – Go to SingleGrain.com/giveaway to know more details
• 06:10 – That’s it for today’s episode!

1. The more people see your brand, the easier it is for the sales team to close a deal.
2. Marketing should work closely with their sales team—planning hand-in-hand and helping with each other’s weaknesses.
3. Stay data driven; this will inform each and every step you make for your business.

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