Inspire to Engage

Customer interviews. Most business owners overlook this gold mine, and it's right at their finger tips. Literally. This treasure trove is just a phone call away.

It's amazing what we can learn about our business in a 10 minute phone chat with a loyal customer.

This episode is about the why, the how and the questions to ask when you interview your best clients.

In it, I include...

my tip for scheduling the calls that will keep you from pulling out your hair.

a template for your email initiating the customer interview.

the questions to ask.

how this short chat provides you tons of great content for social media posts, emails, etc.

Most of us spend hours and days, even months, pondering our next business move or wondering if our copy resonates with customers...when we could be spending a few minutes on the phone, learning from our most loyal clients.

Customer interviews save you time and worry in the long run!

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

Google Doc for Email Template and Questions to Ask

Creating an Ideal Customer Story (a short course that helps you identify and write to your ideal customer) - inspiretoengage.com/onlinecourses

Are you familiar with Upwork? If yes - awesome! If not, no worries! I learned of Upwork about 10 months. Since then, I've realized the power that little app has to grow my business...and, perhaps, yours too.

In this episode, my friend and terrific guest, Carly Cheton, teaches us the 4 things we must have to be successful on Upwork. (FYI - She's gotten so good at Upwork that the jobs come to her now! Oh yeah!!)

And although Upwork is typically for freelance service providers, Carly's advice is ideal for product businesses too. If you must write profiles to join wholesale websites, business membership groups, etc., then this episode is a must.

Carly even goes into mindset and how not to "grip" at every job. (I love this part of our chat!) She also talks about pricing yourself on Upwork and how and why to make your profile about those you serve, not about you.

It's an awesome episode full of advice for Upwork. But the best part? Carly's suggestions apply to all platforms where we're asked to describe our businesses and how they help.

Enjoy!

To learn more about Carly Cheton and her program Getting Your First Client:

LinkedIn - Carly Cheton

Instagram - @carlycheton

To get Creating an Ideal Customer Story:

Click here.

To learn about my done-for-you services:

Copywriting Services

Many of us small business owners think of sales as a gift - you're either naturally good at selling or you're not. And, if you're not one of the lucky ones, well, poor you.

That's not what Natasha Hemmingway thinks, though.

She's a sales coach to small business owners. Natasha teaches what she learned in corporate sales (over a decade of experience!) to small business owners who are clamoring to feel more confident on sales calls and to have a system for getting leads.

This episode runs the gamut - from "selling with heart not hustle" to commission breath (this one made me laugh out loud!) to the shaking head test to knowing your lead pipeline. We cover a lot!

Natasha is intelligent, passionate and oh so funny! She'll make you laugh + learn.

Enjoy this episode!

To learn more about Natasha Hemmingway:

website (natashahemmingway.com)

Instagram (@natashahemmingway)

Facebook (@natashahemmingwayspeaks)

YouTube (Natasha Hemmingway)

More Episodes about Sales

episode 20 with Sarah Mae Dickinson

episode 44 with Jamie Clauss

To purchase "Creating an Ideal Customer Story"

inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Hmmm...should I create a Facebook Group? What about a podcast? Or maybe a YouTube channel? The avenues to grow a loyal community are almost too many to count...which leads to overwhelm. Confusion. Indecision.

In this episode, I interview Randy Lee, a self-professed serial entrepreneur. He began his first Facebook group in 2014 and recently started a YouTube channel. And, yes, he has a podcast that's growing like crazy.

He knows how to build a community. And, more importantly, he's honest about the hard work it requires and the plain ole "trial and error" that it takes.

If you've considered a podcast or delving into video or wondering the merits of starting a Facebook group, this episode is perfect for you. (Plus, Randy's a funny man. Humor is always a great addition to any episode.)

Enjoy!

More about Randy Lee:

Website: flippingenius.com

YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCqUS22WTBfcRm9olZsgdnWA

Podcast: Flipping Genius on Spotify

Email: [email protected]

Where to Find "Creating an Ideal Customer Story"

online course: inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

As business owners, we clutch our products and services tightly against our chests...so afraid to hire help or confused on where to even start hiring. The problem with clinging to our businesses so tightly - they'll never grow.

This episode is with Emily Perron, a hiring consultant and recruiter for entrepreneurs. After leaving her corporate job, she started her own entrepreneurial journey and quickly burned out. Emily knew there had to be a better way to run a business! From that tough lesson came her business today, one that helps other entrepreneurs make smart hiring choices.

Our chat covers topics like...

• to hire a freelancer...or an employee
• what to include in a job posting and where to post
• how to set realistic expectations for a new hire
• steps to being a good manager of people

At some point, every business owner dreams of growing bigger, of making more money, of taking a vacation (or just a day to yourself!). Hiring the right people makes these things happen.

Enjoy!

To learn more about Emily...

website - emilyperron.com

Instagram - @emily.perron

video on mistakes to avoid when writing job posts - on IGTV and her Instagram account on March 4, 2021

to get the job posting template - emilyperron.com/jobpostingtemplate

To purchase Creating an Ideal Customer Story - inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

We think we can do it all. But...can we really?! And, are we hurting our bodies and our productivity with the “sleep when I’m dead” mindset? In this episode with Dana Stone, we talk about sleep, batching tasks and bedtime routines, plus so much more. Like, for example, did you know that poor digestion and stomach troubles can be traced to exhaustion? 

Dana Stone is a life coach with a background in sleep coaching. She’s also a mama juggling motherhood and a business (and trying to rest some along the way!). 

If you’re looking to be more productive in your business, while still caring for yourself and others, this episode is for you. 

To learn more about Dana, visit…

her website at liveandrest.com

her Instagram account @thedanastone

To learn more about my course Creating an Ideal Customer Story, visit...

inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Ever had a great product or service but couldn't get people to purchase it? If your answer is "yes," that makes you normal. It's common in business, but not something we want to happen for long.

This episode will help you look at your product/service differently. It's about positioning - putting your product or service in a context that your ideal customer understands and, better yet, wants and needs.

April Dunford is my guest expert She's spent years in the tech world helping companies understand their products from the customer's standpoint.

In this episode, April shares what question we should all ask ourselves to start positioning our product/service correctly. Plus, she talks about saying no to customers (and how that has actually grown her business and referrals).

April may come from a tech and engineering background, but she has a knack for making the conversation fun and the lessons easy.

Enjoy!

For more about April Dunford: aprildunford.com

For more about her book, Obviously Awesome: aprildunford.com/obviously-awesome

For my online course, Creating an Ideal Customer Story: inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Question - Were you born an entrepreneur? (Honestly, I wasn't. It's something I've grown into.)

Ericka Edwards was! But even with her natural abilities and mindset, 2020 wasn't easy. She's a lash specialist and permanent makeup artist. So, obviously, the 2020 pandemic made it tough for her business.

This episode is about what she learned from 2020 and is using to thrive in 2021. She's inspiring, kind and humble - definitely a gal you want to call a friend and mentor.

At the end of the episode, I share ways we all can use her 3 big takeaways from 2020 and apply them to our businesses...like right now.

I give tips about being a guest on podcasts, how to use your instinct in a good way and why our perfectionism is holding you (and me) back.

Ericka's a mom, a wife, a business woman and an all around go-getter. You don't want to miss her insights in this episode!

More info on Ericka Edwards:

website - lash-belle.com

Instagram - @lashbelle_

Facebook - @lashbellehsv

More about my course Creating an Ideal Customer Story:

link - inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

Do you love Instagram? Perplexed by it? Can't stand it? There for All. Of. It?!

No matter your feelings on The IG, most of us use it for business because we know our people are there.

In this episode, Molly Marshall GETS REAL about Instagram. No promises of gaining a 1,000 followers a day or only selling in the DM's. (If you're looking for "hacks," this episode is not for you. Just real talk of using this platform on a consistent basis.)

Towards the end of our chat, Molly talks about the "should-ing" disease, which cracks me up. But, she's right! It's an ailment many of us suffer from with social media platforms (well, with anything really).

If you're ready for honest talk about Instagram, this episode is for you.

More info on Molly:

website - mollymarshallmarketing.com

Instagram - @mollymarshallmarketing

My course:

Creating an Ideal Customer Story - inspiretoengage.com/online-courses

More about Skylar Scott Studios:

website - www.skylarscottstudios.com

Facebook - @skylarscottstudios

Do you struggle to talk about pricing? Do you offer your clients the cheapest option? Do you feel guilty to talk about your most expensive package? If so, this episode is for you, my dear. (Really, this one is for any small business owner because we all want to make more money.)

My guest Jamie Clauss is a pro at sales. What she puts down, you're gonna wanna pick up!

In this chat, she shares so many tidbits about your perspective on sales - ones that lead to big mindset shifts.

Here's one - You're too expensive at any price! (Yep. You know that price that you lost money on and a customer still said it was too expensive.)

Here's another - Offering the cheapest option is like saying how can I serve you the least.

Jamie is full of these reality checks, business knowledge and real-life examples. You don't want to miss this episode.

Enjoy!

To learn more about Jamie Clauss and her business consulting: www.jamieclauss.com

To learn more about Creating an Ideal Customer Story, the online course: www.inspiretoengage.com/online-courses