Online Marketing Made Easy With Amy Porterfield

Once I learned to let go, my business grew exponentially If you’re anything like me, you like to have a hand in every single aspect of your business. After all, your business is where you spend the majority of your time, focus, and energy -- so why wouldn’t you want to feel like you’re 100% in control of it?  As you can probably tell, delegation is something that I’ve struggled with for a very long time. In fact, if I had a dollar for every time I said (or thought) “It’ll be easier if I do it myself,” or “It’ll be faster if I just do it,” I’d be a very rich woman. But I’ll let you in on a little secret now that I’m on the other side of it: This is no way to grow, run, or scale a successful business. Not only do you burn yourself out by spinning the wheels on things that are outside of your zone of genius, but your growth will be limited because there’s only one you, and #spoileralert, you can’t possibly do everything because you’re human. Trust me on this one. Once you are able to put your trust in somebo

Why your thoughts have everything to your success in life and business I am so excited for you to listen to this episode because my guest is someone who helped get me out of a really difficult time in my life -- a time that I’ve shared about on this podcast.  Her name is Dr. Nicole LaPera. She’s a Cornell-trained holistic psychologist, and thanks to her book, How to Do The Work, I learned some really great tools on how to examine and correct the negative thought patterns I was having last year that led to a bit of a depression. If you’ve been tuning in to Online Marketing Made Easy for a while, you’ve heard a lot about this period of time in the beginning of 2021, right after our move to Nashville. It took a big toll on my personal and professional life, so that’s why I’m getting super vulnerable in this interview and diving into all-things mental health.  By the way, I am so glad that mental health is a topic that is losing its stigma, and becoming a bigger part of everyday conversation -- because let’s

After 9 years of having my own podcast, I always come back to these This episode was super fun for me to create because I got to revisit my very favorite Online Marketing Made Easy episodes -- the ones that really struck a chord with me, and have stuck with me after all these years! Now, narrowing down the list from 500 episodes to just five was no small task because I honest-to-God love each and every one of them. But I hunkered down and recalled the ones I still think about often, and I am really excited to share them with you. If you’ve been with me for a while, and have already listened to these in the past, even better because as you know, learning something over and over again is how you truly master it. There are so many golden nuggets that will really help you dial in on everything from creating better habits, to talking about your product and becoming a better storyteller. But before we get to it, can I just say that I am still in awe over the fact that my team and I have created 500 episodes of

Grab the free resource for this episode by heading here! Increasing your conversion rate just got that much easier Creating a high-converting ad on a budget may seem super tricky, but it’s actually quite simple if you play your cards right.  Believe me, I’ve had my fair share of ads that have completely flopped, and am no stranger to that feeling in your stomach when you realize that you just spent a ton of money and have absolutely nothing to show for it.  What’s almost worse than that is having to try it all again without the certainty that you’re going to get a return on your investment. It’s not an easy place to be, my friend, and I’ve been there too. So here’s the good news. I’ve done allllll the trial and error for you over the past 13 years of being an online marketing entrepreneur, and have learned a thing or two about how to create ads that convert without spending (and wasting) a ton of money.  In this episode, I share the four principles that I LIVE BY when creating ads for my own business. T

A successful business has everything to do with how you approach your day Imagine this scenario:  Your business is doing great. You’re meeting your goals, things are on track, and overall, you’re feeling extra proud of what you’ve accomplished this year.  But let’s keep it real -- you’re also feeling a little bit burnt out from pouring every ounce of your soul into your business, and some things are starting to slip because… you’re a living, breathing human.  Maybe you’re packing your days so tight that you have absolutely no room to breathe, or you’re losing focus on the tasks in front of you because your mind is constantly occupied with something else. Or maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed and disorganized, and have no idea where to even start. Can you relate?  I don’t know about you, but it’s this time of year -- the end of Q1 -- that I tend to get a little frazzled, and because of that, start to lose sight of the goals and intentions that I set for myself at the beginning of the year. And if you’ve be

When you attract instead of chase, the Universe won’t disappoint When I think of white-knuckling, I imagine myself driving through snow-covered switchbacks of a steep mountainside, someplace like Colorado.  My hands are gripping the steering wheel so tight that my knuckles turn white -- because if I take my eyes off the road for a split second, or hit one little patch of black ice, it could be an absolute disaster. If you’ve ever driven through the mountains you probably know what I’m talking about, and it can be terrifying.  But white-knuckling doesn’t just happen when driving through precarious terrain. It also happens in business, and entrepreneurs -- including yours truly -- are guilty of it all the time.  Instead of gripping the steering wheel for dear life, you’re holding on to some piece of your business that you are desperately trying to control -- maybe it’s your social media, your quarterly revenue goals, or the new lead magnet you created that just isn’t hitting the mark. You zero in on the d

Lessons I’ve learned that will save you time, money, and lots of stress If you have recently taken the deep dive into entrepreneurship, then this episode is for you. Yes, you, friend! The brave soul with the beautiful vision, the passionate achiever who believes in their business with every ounce of their soul, and the one who’s willing to put in the hard work while also saving that sweet, sweet space for what really matters in life. But let’s be real… entrepreneurship is really hard, especially when you’re just getting started. It’s totally normal to feel uncertain about yourself, or like you’re way in over your head, or that you keep spinning your wheels and just can’t get out of that cycle. I’m here to tell you that those feelings are 100% a part of being an entrepreneur. Believe me, I’ve been there, and after 13 years of figuring it all out (with many mistakes along the way), I’ve had some time to look back and reflect on what it is that I would do differently with my business if I had to start over fr

New projects may be fun and exciting, but do they align with your goals? Imagine this scenario: Things are going great in your online business -- you’ve created your ideal work week, you’re on track to meet your quarterly goals, and you have more time than you’ve ever had to focus on in your personal life. And then… you have an idea. Not just any idea, but the most brilliant idea that has ever popped into your head. It’s sexy, it’s fun, and quite honestly, it’s all you can think about.  But the thing is, this brilliant idea of yours isn’t exactly in alignment with the goals that you’ve set for yourself. In fact, it’s not even close. This, my friend, is called Shiny Object Syndrome, and it plagues millions of entrepreneurs all over the world -- including yours truly.  I’m sure you can relate. Instead of focusing on the tasks that will get you closer to achieving your goals, you get sidetracked by an idea or project that feels new and exciting -- because, let’s be real, launching a new product or course

Tried and true steps to crafting an irresistible lead magnet Have you ever poured your blood, sweat, and tears into creating a lead magnet only to have it fail miserably?  If so, two things: 1) Welcome to the club, and 2) Don’t spend any more time worrying about it because you’re going to learn A LOT about how to create a highly successful lead magnet in this episode. The truth is, creating a lead magnet that converts is both an art and a science, which means there are a million and one reasons why yours might not be hitting the mark.  You might find that making small tweaks to your design or copy could help boost conversions, or on the flip side, you might need to rethink your entire strategy and create something brand new. More often than not, it takes time and good old-fashioned trial and error to get it right -- and there's absolutely no harm in that. Because each version of your lead magnet, especially the ones that fall flat, will show you what’s not working so you can make changes and improve. Plu

What to do when you’re afraid you won’t meet your next big goal If you’ve ever created goals for yourself and didn’t meet them, it might be because you set them wrong in the first place. And no, it’s not because what you set out to do was too ambitious (believe me, I’m a huge fan of thinking big), you most likely didn’t meet them because you didn’t have a big enough ‘Why’ behind them.  The ‘Why’ is the fire behind everything that you do -- the driving force that keeps you going when things get difficult or overwhelming, when you’re completely exhausted, and when you want to throw your hands up, shut down your laptop and tune in to the latest episode of Crime Junkie. I know you’ve been there, and I have too. That’s why in this episode, I am sharing a three-step process that you can use when you have something really big in front of you, and you start to doubt whether it’s worth your blood, sweat and tears to accomplish it.  So grab a pen and paper (or open a Google doc) and get ready to do this exercise l

I’m living proof that introverts can be successful online entrepreneurs Here’s one thing that may surprise you about me… I’m an introvert to my core. I know, I know. You’re probably thinking, “But Amy, you host a podcast! You do Facebook Lives all the time! You do in-person events with tons of people watching you! There’s absolutely no way you’re an introvert.”  But it’s true. And I am certainly not the only introvert in an ”extrovert career.”  In fact, some of the best actors in the world, like Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks -- are introverts doing their thing in an industry that is dominated by extroverts. (And no, I’m not comparing myself in any way, shape or form to these magnificent humans, just proving a point!) Of course, there are things I do all the time that make me slightly uncomfortable (ahem, anything in front of the camera), but like anything in business, you make a plan, stick to it, and overcome your challenges. Plus, if it doesn’t make you uncomfortable, are you really pushing yo

Accomplish your business (& personal) goals AND have more freedom Say these three words out loud: Ideal work week.  Say them again.  Ideal work week.  Be honest… have you ever heard three words that sound so beautiful?  If you would have asked me to envision my ideal work week back in my corporate days, I probably would have laughed -- because I was so far off from having one.  Even in the early days of being my own boss, let me tell you, my work weeks were far less than ideal. It’s taken A LOT of trial and error (11 years of it, in fact) to nail it down -- but the good news is, I’ve finally perfected it. That’s right, my friend -- I have set up my work week in a way that allows me to work towards my goals AND have the free time to spend with the ones that I love.  It’s helped me be more focused, productive, and… here’s the clincher… I don’t even work Fridays anymore (You can learn all about my 4-day work week in this episode.) Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: What it means to “theme” you

Why I keep my business close and my friends even closer I love my friends. I mean, L-O-V-E. I am so beyond grateful for them -- they understand me, I understand them, and they’re the type of people I know always have my back. But as you’ll hear in this episode, this hasn’t always been the case. It’s taken many years, lots of tears, and countless hard conversations to get to a place where I am 100% confident that the friends I have in my life are MY PEOPLE. Let me back up a bit and explain why. As an entrepreneur, friendships can be especially tough. Even friendships that you’ve had for years can take a big turn when you make the decision to ditch the 9 to 5 and commit to growing a business. Your priorities and conversations shift when you become an entrepreneur -- your business is your baby, after all. Instead of catching up on the latest episode of Billions over skinny spicy margaritas at happy hour, you’re now rapid-fire texting your friend about your upcoming product launch, or your new copywriter tha

Start investing today and put your money to work. When I first started investing and making my money work for me… I was super intimidated!  In fact, the immediate thought that comes to mind when I think “investor” is a middle-aged man, in a dark suit, briskly walking down a city street with a Starbucks coffee in hand. Maybe he’s wearing a fitted t-shirt instead of a button-down -- if he’s got a little swag.  I am, quite literally, describing Bobby Axelrod from Billions. I love Bobby’s character, but… I think you would agree, that’s definitely NOT ME. ;-)  Google doesn’t think it’s me, either. In fact, if you do a Google image search of “investor,” guess what turns up? Ninety-nine percent of the images that populate are of the guy I just described above (ahem, Bobby) -- and no women.  It’s no wonder I feel slightly uncomfortable thinking about investing -- because women, especially millennials and older, have been so conditioned to think that you have to be a man (and have a ton of money) to invest. But

The strategies I’m using to feel great AND accomplish my goals in 2022 . That’s right, friend! I am getting fully transparent with you about what I am doing to set myself up for success in 2022.  I have always been big on goal setting, planning, and setting intentions for the year ahead (it’s a BIG part of why I’ve seen such success as an entrepreneur)… … but as you know, I struggled with some unexpected depression and anxiety in 2021. This year, I am determined to get ahead of it.  That’s why I’m trying out some FRESH approaches to goal setting that will not only help me to achieve some really cool things both personally and professionally, but ALSO get me in the right mindset before taking on each challenge that I set for myself. Because let’s be honest -- ”success” and “achievement” are not only about what you accomplish, they’re just as much about how you FEEL. In this episode, I’ll share: The goal-setting strategy I LOVE that puts emphasis on how you want to feel, not what you do The 5 goals tha

The good, the bad, and the ugly about the platform that reaches millions Have you ever thought about starting a podcast, only to later question if you have what it takes (time, energy, experience, expertise) to do it? If this sounds anything like you, then read on my friend--because I’m about to share the honest-to-God TRUTH about how I feel about podcasting, and my personal experience creating hundreds of episodes of Online Marketing Made Easy. And even if you haven’t considered starting a podcast, here’s why you should tune in: The podcast industry has absolutely blown up in the past few years, and with that, so have listeners. Fifty-five percent of people in the United States listen to podcasts–that’s up 51% from 2019!  I’m no mathematician, but I do know that’s a BIG increase in listenership, and an even BIGGER opportunity to target (and reach) your audience. But… just because podcasts are getting a lot of traction, does that mean that it’s the right platform for you? My hope is that this episode he

Simple Strategies For Driving Major Traffic To Your Biz In this episode, PR master Jen Gottlieb, teaches you how to find dream PR opportunities for your business. Whether you’re looking to be featured in an article, get your podcast or blog featured, or land a spot as a guest on someone else’s show, pursuing PR opportunities in your business means MORE traffic to your business. Period. Traffic to your website… your podcast… your newsletter… and so much more.  Jen is the co-founder of the acclaimed PR company, Super Connector Media and has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, CBS, Good Morning America, Goop, and more.  And today, she’s giving you a step-by-step approach for landing PR opportunities that will make you jump up and down with excitement,  including: How to find the perfect opportunities that align with your goals How to make an irresistible pitch they can’t say “no” to How to craft a story that effortlessly grabs media attention What you can do TODAY to have the tools to land a PR o

Learn To Trust Your Gut In Business In this quick episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on one of the hardest lessons I’ve learned as an entrepreneur. It’s not having hard conversations. Not making revenue projections. Not keeping a tidy to-do list or a pretty project plan. In this episode, I’m talking about trusting your gut as an entrepreneur. Which is a tall order. We all want to trust our gut… but it’s not always that simple. Because every day, entrepreneurs… → Navigate fear → Bear responsibility for the success – or lack of success – in our biz → Feel the weight of the effects that our big and small decisions make on others  → And, if we’re being honest, try hard not to question our own ability Right? “Going with your gut” can get muddled and lost between ALL we’ve got going on. But it’s also a non-negotiable in entrepreneurship. So after 13 years of running my own online business, I’m sharing how I’ve learned to hone this instinct and stick to my guns… …including one big mistake I made by

Follow The Plan. Master The Project. My team is incredible but I can be reasonable. We’re not at 100% in everything in our business.  But our project plans…? They’re pretty dang bulletproof. So in this episode, I’m walking you through the exact steps of how I create a project plan in my business from conceptualization to completion (and even what we do to make sure the next attempt of that project is 10x easier.) I’ve laid this episode out like a step-by-step guide to project planning mastery so you can reduce overwhelm in your business and maybe, just maybe, become known as the business owner that smashes deadlines every time with room to spare. I believe that for you, my friend! Here’s a glance at this episode... [06:52] A project plan is a process to bring an idea or concept to life through planning and organization. [09:43] 1. Identify the main focus of the project plan.  [10:42] 2. Outline the project. Make categories and then break it down into each task. What tasks need to happen to complete

What I Practice Every Day For Swoon-Worthy Results What?  You thought entrepreneurship was all glistening social media posts and champagne toasts? Juuuust kidding. If you’ve started a business – full time or on the side – you KNOW there are plenty of unglamorous moments. But in this episode, I’m sharing four very specific skills that you probably wouldn’t list on a Bumble profile…but that will definitely make you a more effective and successful entrepreneur and leader.  Promise. Things like the ability to leverage. Or being a proactive planner. Or how I’ve learned to be an effective communicator in my business (and what that’s looked like in different situations.)  Sneak away for a few minutes, dive into this shortie episode, and steal the four unsexy business-making traits that I’ve developed inside my business (so you can build them into yours!) Here’s a glance at this episode... [03:35] 1. Effective communication skills. In the past, I've shielded myself from negative conversations. I use the Rad