Build Your Online Audience

Masterclass - How to generate passive income in your business

Masterclass - How to plan sell and launch an online Webinar or Masterclass for your business

Masterclass - How to turn your in-person services into online offerings

Masterclass - How to launch a playbook for your business

Other podcast episodes

[333] 39 surprisingly easy ways to increase your email subscribers (podcast)
[343] The three audiences you must build to create a successful online business (podcast)
[374] How to create a year's worth of content in one morning (podcast)
[386] The four types of content to create that will help you make more sales in 2020 (podcast)
[390] How to stop overthinking your content (podcast)
[391] How to write better social media captions (podcast)
[398] What sort of content should you create during a global crisis (podcast)
[399] How to build your online audience during a global crisis (podcast)
[405] The secret to creating bingeworthy content (podcast)

[Bonus] How to turn your in person services into online offerings (podcast)
[Bonus] How to generate income fast by creating a power hour for your business (podcast)

How to create an editorial calendar for your business (blog post)

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass)

Join the Media Diary Owners Club

How to add closed captions to your video using Rev and Kapwing

Join my get your podcast live in 60 days course

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

[406] Mindset problems that can slow your audience growth 0

Download this Episode

May 22, 2020

Ever felt that something in your mind is holding you back from growing your business and your online audience? Then you’ll love this podcast episode with performance and mindset coach Osmaan Sharif.

Osmann explains the common struggles that affect our mindset as entrepreneurs and how this can get in the way of building our audience.

Discover why you need to know your entrepreneurial super power and how this will help you identify the parts of your business that you should be focusing on and what you might need to let go.

Find out how aligning your values with your business goals will motivate you and help you achieve your goals and what happens to your mindset when they get too far out of synch.

He shares practical advice that you can apply in your business to deal with overwhelm, procrastination and perfectionism. Plus how 90 day goal setting can help us move forwards in business.

As always I'd love to know what you think.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Podcast Shownotes

About this podcast episode (3:12)
About Osmaan and how he helps entrepreneurs with mindset (4:27)
Why mindset is so important to business owners (6:49)
Why a past corporate background can hold people (9:15)
Why big goals can overwhelm you and hold you back (10:44)
Why expecting too much of yourself can overwhelm you (13:08)
Why perfectionism will hold you back and (14:22)
About the different entrepreneurial superpowers and how it can affect your strategy (17:11)
Why you need to focus on the parts of your business that you are good at (20:08)
What procrastination is really telling you about your business (21:40)
Why the wrong mindset can really affect your business (24:15)
Why being clear on your goal will stop holding you back (28:03)
How ninety-day goals will help you move forward and focus (33:15)
Why shorter goals are better and flexibility is key for achievable goals (36:00)
How accountability will help you stay focused (37:15)
Why we need to align our values with what drives us forward (40:01)
How knowing your values and your goals will help you make decisions in your business (44:38)
Why we can struggle with what we think we should do and what we actually do (47:57)

Resources

Osmaan Sharif’s Rapid Transformation website

Find out more about your entrepreneurial superpower in this podcast episode:
[217] How to find your entrepreneurial superpower with Osmaan Sharif (podcast)

Masterclass - How to generate passive income in your business

Masterclass - How to plan sell and launch an online Webinar or Masterclass for your business

Masterclass - How to turn your in-person services into online offerings

Masterclass - How to launch a playbook for your business

Other podcast episodes

[Bonus] How to turn your in person services into online offerings (podcast)
[Bonus] How to generate income fast by creating a power hour for your business (podcast)

How to create an editorial calendar for your business (blog post)

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass)

Join the Media Diary Owners Club

How to add closed captions to your video using Rev and Kapwing

Join my get your podcast live in 60 days course

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

[405] The secrets to creating bingeworthy content 0

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Download this Episode

May 15, 2020

Want to know how to make content so good that it’s like your favourite show on Netflix where one show is never enough?

The sort of content that people just can’t get enough of and they want to binge on it.

Listen to this podcast episode where I explain how you can make your content bingeworthy and make people crave your content so much that they just can’t stop consuming it.

I explain why Netflix is SO addictive and how we can learn so much from it by applying the same principals. Discover how you can make your regular content be it email, podcast, YouTube or blog just as addictive as Netflix and people can’t wait to get their eyes (or ears) on it.

I share practical tips and tactics about how to make your content bingeworthy and why it’s so powerful if your content can do this.

Find out why our brains crave familiarity and how you can make your content irresistible.

As always I’d love to know what you think.

p.s Warning you might want to go on and listen to other episodes after this one.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

My daughter and I have a serious Netflix habit.

We sit down at 10pm every night with a chocolate covered Oreo and cup of tea to get our ‘fix’.

Over the past few months we’ve watched:

Tiger King
Spinning Out
Anne With An E
The Marvellous Mrs Maisel

Over the past few years we’ve watched the entire seven series of The Gilmore Girls - including the revival - several times. And I think we’re on our third time through Call The Midwife, which has seven series.

At 11pm we often end up bickering because my daughter wants to watch another episode. And it’s hard to play the responsible parent because I’m DYING to see the next one. If you think 11pm is late for a 14-year-old to go to bed, by the way…well I’ll tell you about that tomorrow.

From a behavioural science point of view, our behaviour follows a classic pattern of habit formation.

There is a cue (the time - 10pm)

There is a routine (the cup of tea and the chocolate Oreo)

There is a reward (the enjoyment of the show)

This is followed by a craving for the next show.

The reason Netflix shows are so addictive is because they flood us with the feel-good hormone dopamine, leaving us ‘hungry’ for the next show.

And there is so much we can learn from Netflix on how to make our own content more ‘binge worthy’.

For example, I’ve been publishing a new podcast every Friday for the past four years (cue). People often tell me they plan their dog walk/gym visit around this (routine). I know that if people have enjoyed the episode (reward) they’ll want to listen to others on a similar topic (craving). Which is why I often mention other relevant episodes on the show (and include them in the show notes).

And since I’ve been publishing my daily email on/around 7am each day (cue), people have started telling me it’s the first thing they read each day over their coffee (routine). If they’ve enjoyed the email (reward) they’ll be looking forward to the next one (craving). Which is why I sometimes hint at what I’m going to cover in the next one.

What does this mean for you? If you can make your content part of someone’s routine, you’ll find it much easier to build an engaged online audience.

So how do you do this?

A cue can be created by deciding on a regular day/date/time. For example, if people know you put a new podcast out every Friday, they can plan their activities around it. My podcast, daily email, podcasts, Boris

A routine can be established through a familiar format. Even this podcast has one. As human beings we like to know what to EXPECT.

We can learn a lot from the news/magazine shows.

Radio 4 - news on the hour, half hour, 15.

People watch Newsnight - Emily Maitlis reads the news, then there’s a few interviews

So my Daily email works because it’s the same every day.

The reward mostly comes from the enjoyment/value of the content. But there are other ways to reward people who engage with your content - for example reading out reviews/doing shout outs. When people feel seen, heard and appreciated, they’re far more likely to keep engaging with your content.

You can create cravings by telling people what’s coming up in the next post/show. Or referring to other related content they might find interesting.

Teasers or trailers e.g. daily emails - gave them the title...what is it going to be about?

On a platform like Youtube you can actively encourage people to binge on your content by creating playlists of videos on similar topics. On a blog, you can create round-up posts of blogs on similar topics. On a podcast you can record ‘seasons’ on specific topics to encourage people to listen to a bunch of episodes at once.

In psychology this is known as clustering. People have a limited amount of space in their short-term memory. In fact, most people can only remember around seven pieces of information at a time. So planning/organising your content in this way can make it easier for people to consume (and binge) on your content.

Clustering doesn’t only apply to how you plan your content - but also how you present it too i.e. how you design and lay out your content to increase memory retention.

One way to do it is by grouping similar topics together -- either under numbered bullet points or with different header sizes.

Besides being much easier to scan, your content will be much easier to remember and recall down the road -- especially if you’re creating long form content.

In BYOA we look at other psychological principles

Reciprocity

Social Proof

Paradox of choice

Podcast Shownotes

About my Build Your Online Audience programme (02:10)
Why routines, cues and rewards are so important when creating bingeworthy content (3:55)
How we can learn a lot about our content from Netflix (06:05)
Why it’s so powerful to crate content that becomes part of someone's routine. (08:03)
How my daily email has become a part of people’s routine and sparks conversation (09:52)
How you can create bingeworthy content in your business (10:36)
How to create a cue and make people expect your content (11:23)
Why you need to create familiar content to create a routine for people (12:41)
Why our brains love familiarity and how you can use this to get people to love your content (15:20)
How to create the reward in your content by making it good and using shout outs (17:45)
How podcasters reward their listeners (18:50)
How to get people to crave your content (20:14)
How to use teasers to get people to crave your content (21:09)
How to create make your content bingeworthy on YouTube (22:36)
How to use clustering to make people consume more of your content (23:09)
Why you should plan your content in groups or seasons to encourage bingeing (23:30)
Tweaks you can make to your content to see if it is bingeworthy (24:37)
About my Creating Bingeworthy Content Class (25:42)

Resources

[395] How to write addictive email copy with Rob & Kennedy (podcast)
[401] How often should you email your list (podcast)

Masterclass - How to generate passive income in your business

Masterclass - How to plan sell and launch an online Webinar or Masterclass for your business

Masterclass - How to turn your in-person services into online offerings

Masterclass - How to launch a playbook for your business

Other podcast episodes

[Bonus] How to turn your in person services into online offerings (podcast)
[Bonus] How to generate income fast by creating a power hour for your business (podcast)

How to create an editorial calendar for your business (blog post)

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass)

Join the Media Diary Owners Club

How to add closed captions to your video using Rev and Kapwing

Join my get your podcast live in 60 days course

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart

[404] Five compelling reasons to email your list every day (or at least more often than you do now) 0

Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

Download this Episode

May 8, 2020

If you’re like most business owners I know the idea of emailing your list each day might seem crazy. Won’t people get sick of hearing from you every day? Won’t you lose all your subscribers?

I recently started sending a daily email to my list and, in this podcast episode, I share the surprising results.

Even if you have no intention of sending a daily email to your audience, this episode will give you ideas and inspiration for what to write in your emails so you can build a closer relationship with your audience.

This is probably one of my most personal podcasts and I share a lot of my business and what inspires me to write.

I’d love to know if it inspires you.

{Click on the player above to listen to the podcast episode and/or read on for a detailed overview. Scroll down to the bottom to read the show notes including all the links mentioned in this episode}

Here's five great reasons to email your list regularly with practical tips on how to get into the habit of writing every day and why it will make you a better writer.

1.You’ll develop a daily writing habit (which will help you get better at writing)

People often tell me they struggle with writing copy for their business. Writing an email newsletter, sales pages - or sometimes even a simple social media post - can paralyse them for weeks. And this isn’t just newbies. I hear this from experienced business owners too.

But like everything, writing is about practice. And the more you do it, the easier it gets.

My friend Kennedy started sending a daily email to his list because he’s dyslexic and wanted to get better at writing.

He’s been doing it for two years now. But if you read his stylish, entertaining emails, you’d NEVER guess (and, yes, it was Kennedy who gave me the idea for MY daily email).

Which is why developing a daily writing practice is such a powerful thing to do - even if (like me) you're already a confident writer.

I get up at 5am and make coffee. Then I write my daily email, then my Instagram post, followed by any social media copy, email marketing copy, Facebook ads I have to write. And - apart from a daily team meeting at 10.45am - I don’t do any meetings or coaching calls until midday. I just write/create content.

Why do I do it this way? Because I believe it’s easier to write when you first wake up - when your mind is uncluttered by the worries of the day and - crucially - there are no interruptions.

And while I never suffer from writer’s block (which is what 18 years in journalism does for you), I do write better copy when I’m feeling inspired.

Now I’m not saying you should get up at 5am every day and write a daily email, like me and Kennedy (who’s also an early riser). But developing a writing routine - where you write and/or journal at a certain time of day (ideally first thing) is one of the most powerful ways to improve your writing and/or creativity in general.

2. You’ll develop a bank of content you can repurpose into other things

Since I started my Daily Email in April 2020, I’ve racked up a cool 13,000 words of copy that can be repurposed into social media posts, email marketing copy and Facebook ads.

I recently created a whole series of Facebook ads for my new Instagram course from ‘daily email’ copy - and a bunch of marketing emails. And I’d much rather have a bank of good writing to draw from, than force myself to write an eight-part email marketing sequence when I’m not feeling it.

In fact, I actually repurposed some daily email copy to create this podcast episode and blog post.

3. You’ll develop a deeper relationship with your audience

Since I’ve been sending my daily email I’ve been getting tons of emails back from people who resonate with the stories/experiences in my emails. Being more vulnerable and sharing some of the downsides of being an entrepreneur has resonated particularly strongly. For example, when I shared the contents of the email below, I got a flurry of emails in return from people who'd also had shirty emails from clients - so they could relate to my story.

Your emails are constant. Quite annoying. And very pushy. I buy your social media diary because it is helpful. I do not expect to be literally bombarded daily. And some of them are highly inapproriate, very 80's salesy (not how the world works these days) and even for someone who is all about the business and all about marketing and sales, verging on rude in their tone and somewhat patronising/look at me how wonderful I am, at times. Feedback I hope is useful. I will buy the diary again but please remove me from mailing and marketing lists.

4. You’ll sell more of your products/services

When I invite people to sign up for my daily email, I make it clear that I might mention relevant products/services. In fact I put a link to a product/service in pretty much every email. And people buy.

5. It’s a form of therapy

I also see writing as a form of therapy. So while writing the daily is (I hope) helpful for my audience. It’s also a way of helping me process my experiences and emotions. Some people journal...I write my daily emails.

If you have kids or other responsibilities, it’s easy to tell yourself that you don’t have time. Or that it would be ‘impossible’ to find 15 minutes to write each morning.

But where there’s a will there’s always a way, right?

Podcast shownotes

About my Instagram Success Academy (01:26)
What inspired me to start a daily email (3:55)
How to develop a daily writing habit and why it’ll make you a better writer (5:55)
How to find the right time for your writing and why you should make it regular (8:40)
How you can batch create your content for your emails (9:28)
Why you'll get better responses if you write about current events (12:15)
Why you don’t have to get up at 5am to be successful (13:38)
How to create social media content by repurposing your daily emails (14:21)
How I organise my content/topics and themes for my daily email (15:40)
Why you can’t force your writing (18:25)
How I’ve used my daily email copy in this podcast (19:28)
How sending a daily email can deepen your relationship with your audience (20:25)
Examples of daily emails that have created a conversation (22:05)
How sharing content that makes people feel something will connect with them (25:28)
How my daily emails have prompted engagement in my paid membership group (30:11)
Why sending a daily email will help you sell more (31:32)
Why writing every day can be great therapy (32:33)
Tips for getting your daily emails right (34:54)
Why you should always check your email open rates (37:35)

Resources

Rob & Kennedy Podcast

[395] How to write addictive email copy with Rob & Kennedy (podcast)
[401] How often should you email your list (podcast)

Masterclass - How to generate passive income in your business

Masterclass - How to plan sell and launch an online Webinar or Masterclass for your business

Masterclass - How to turn your in-person services into online offerings

Masterclass - How to launch a playbook for your business

Other podcast episodes

[Bonus] How to turn your in person services into online offerings (podcast)
[Bonus] How to generate income fast by creating a power hour for your business (podcast)

How to create an editorial calendar for your business (blog post)

How to write social media posts that sell (online masterclass)

Join the Media Diary Owners Club

How to add closed captions to your video using Rev and Kapwing

Join my get your podcast live in 60 days course

How to create a high-converting lead magnet course

Buy my book Your press release is breaking my heart