The Inspired Business Podcast: Recent Episodes
Becky Kopitzke
The Inspired Business Podcast is where we talk all about how to earn a God-honoring income from your creative work so you can serve more people, sustain your message financially, and make a bigger difference in this world. I am a multi-published author turned digital products coach… but once upon a time, not too long ago, I was terrified of technology! I didn’t know a tag from a tripwire from a Tupperware lid. If I can figure out how to love digital marketing, then believe me, you can, too. Together we’re going to discover how to grow your audience and your income with biblically sound business principles that align with your faith and family values.
Thinking about running ads on Facebook and Instagram? Social media ads are still a great strategy for growing your audience and your income, but only when they’re done well. Do you know what it takes to conduct a successful ad campaign? In this episode, I’m sharing three steps to ensure your ads efforts will lead to profits, not regrets.
Highlights:
- What it really means when people tell you ads are a waste of time and money
- Why social media ads? (Even if you hate social media)
- Three assets you need before you create an ad campaign
- An opportunity to get some free ads training from an ads expert
- Encouragement to take the leap
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- The Funnel Club
- Idea to Impact: The Inspired Business Mentorship
- Register HERE for Facebook Ads in an Hour with Alana Terry {free workshop}
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Are free lead magnets the best way to attract customers? Usually no, but sometimes yes. There are a few occasions when offering a freebie before asking for the sale is a smart strategy. But it has to be the right kind of freebie, meaning, one that attracts the right people and nurtures them toward a conversion. In this episode of The Inspired Business podcast, you’ll learn when you should use a freebie and when you shouldn’t—and why. Plus we’ll touch on what makes a freebie valuable (for you as well as for the customer) and why giving stuff away for free is still not my favorite strategy in most situations.
Highlights:
- One thing that makes me different from other digital marketing coaches
- When to use a freebie vs. direct to sale depends on two factors: price and marketing strategy
- In general, low-ticket can skip the freebie and go direct to sale UNLESS you’re using partner marketing. And high-ticket needs a warm-up offer… which may or may not be a freebie.
- Low-ticket through ads = direct to sale
- Low-ticket through email marketing = direct to sale for your own subscribers
- Low-ticket through partner marketing = lead magnet
- Lead magnet rules for partner marketing
- High-ticket = offering a warm-up / buffer experience is wise
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Episode 6 - Why Freebies Are Hurting Your Email List, and How to Attract Subscribers Who Will Actually Buy From You
Podcast series on email marketing
- Episode 16 - How to get new email subscribers
- Episode 17 - How to communicate with your email subscribers
- Episode 18 - How to turn email subscribers into paying customers
Podcast series on partner marketing
- Episode 47 - What is partner marketing and how does it work?
- Episode 48 - Seven partner activities to grow your email list and your sales
- Episode 49 - How to find great marketing partners
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Thinking about running an online coaching membership? They can be a great source of recurring income as well as a rewarding experience for you and your members alike. But memberships can also be a pain in the butt for creators who don’t like to churn out content or deal with turnover on a regular basis. In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, you’ll get some insight on what makes a membership successful, why people leave, what you can and can’t do to retain customers, and why sometimes the best thing you can do is let a member go.
Highlights:
- What memberships have in common with prom dress shopping
- Pros of running a membership: changing lives and getting paid
- Cons of running a membership: burnout for you and the buyer
- What causes members to leave a paid community
- When losing members is a reflection on you and when it’s not
- How continual market research can help you keep your members happy
- Don’t give in to the bells and whistles; serve within your parameters
- Trust your funnel
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Crowdcast
- For details on our own membership, The Funnel Club, click HERE.
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Which is better: low-ticket or high-ticket? That’s a big debate in the online business world. Lots of sellers are pushing high-ticket offers these days because higher-priced programs earn money faster. But did you know the majority of your audience will never buy a high-ticket offer? If you’re not selling a low-ticket offer on autopilot, either with or without a higher-ticket offer on the back end, then you’re missing an incredible opportunity to scale your online business to new income heights. In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, I’ll share three reasons why low-ticket funnels can lead to breakthrough growth, plus some key factors to consider when choosing the right low-ticket product for your audience.
Highlights:
- The definition of a low-ticket product
- Are you ignoring 99 percent of your prospective customers?
- Low-ticket offers give customers a low-risk chance to get to know you
- High-ticket buyers will come from your low-ticket pool of customers
- Why recurring income from automated low-ticket funnels benefits more than just the bottom line
- The key to choosing a low-ticket program is the problem it solves
- Three factors you should reserve for your high-ticket offer
- Your low-ticket offer should be valuable yet scalable in terms of your time and availability
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Partner marketing podcast series:
- Part 1: What Is Partner Marketing and How Does It Work
- Part 2: Seven Partner Marketing Activities You Can Do to Grow Your Email List and Your Sales
- Part 3: How to Find Great Marketing Partners
Click HERE to learn more about the Inspired Business Mentorship.
Click HERE to learn more about the Funnel Club.
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Partner marketing is one of the most effective methods of growing a business. Today we’re wrapping up a three-part series on this topic by talking about the interpersonal aspects of partner marketing. How should you go about connecting with partners? How can you find them in the first place? And what makes a really great partner (as opposed to someone who might be a fabulous person but the wrong fit for your business)? Let’s answer all those questions and more in today’s episode of The Inspired Business Podcast.
Highlights:
- The one thing you can’t avoid about partner marketing
- Same audience, different product
- Who are your biggest fans?
- How engaged is your partner’s audience?
- Partner marketing is not social climbing
- Working with friends, colleagues, idols, and long-shots
- Go where the partners dwell
- How to ask potential partners to work with you
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- The Funnel Club
- Podchaser
- ConvertKit Creator Network
- Episode 47: What Is Partner Marketing and How Does It Work?
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Last week I explained why partner marketing is one of the most effective and cost-efficient methods of growing your business. Today we’re diving into seven specific activities you can engage in with a partner in order to bless their audience, boost your own email list, and increase your sales. These activities, also referred to as “partner campaigns,” are some of my favorite methods of building relationships in the marketplace while benefiting everyone involved. Which one will you implement first?
Highlights:
- Why everybody should get married in January in Wisconsin
- The truth about whether or not you can grow a business without social media
- How to leverage a guest spot on somebody else’s podcast
- What is a freebie swap and why is it the easiest way to get subscribers
- Live teaching isn’t just for your own audience
- Why summits are a different bird and one thing in particular to watch out for
- Yes, you can skip the lead magnet and still be successful in partner marketing
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- TheInspiredBusiness.co/quiz
- TheInspiredBusiness.co/register
- Crowdcast
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Partner marketing is one of my favorite methods for generating leads to my online business and growing my email list. It checks all the boxes of a great marketing strategy: low-cost (and in many cases, totally free), effective at bringing in boatloads of leads at one time, easy to execute, and centered on building real relationships (not algorithms). Sign me up, amen?
But how does partner marketing work, exactly? What will it look like inside your own business? And why in the world would anybody want to partner with you in the first place? All these questions and more are waiting to be answered inside today’s episode of The Inspired Business Podcast. Click play and let’s be encouraged together!
Highlights:
- How I can work when my kids are in school and take a break when they’re not (a.k.a the beauty of running your own schedule)
- The definition of partner marketing and its many buzz-word synonyms
- Three reasons why partner marketing is my fav
- What’s in it for the partner?
- How much should you pay an affiliate?
- Go for the Triple Victory
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Last week’s episode: My Top 3 Favorite Marketing Strategies for 2024
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Is this the year you’ll finally crush your online business goals? It can be… if you know how to promote your content consistently and powerfully. In this episode I’m unveiling my top three favorite marketing strategies for selling digital products and services and growing your income month over month. Best part? None of them rely on social media.
So plug in your earbuds and tune in to this helpful overview of three digital marketing activities you should focus on in 2024. I’ll show you how to grow your email list, reach the right customers, and finally break through your biggest goals toward recurring revenue.
Highlights:
- Why natural born planners have an advantage in marketing
- Yes, friends, it IS possible to build a successful, profitable business without social media
- Why everything you do should feed your email list
- Three types of marketing mails and what to say in each of them
- A math equation for measuring email marketing success
- Two reasons why partner marketing is so effective
- Why webinars still work (especially when merged with partner marketing)
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Email marketing series on The Inspired Business Podcast:
- Ep. 16: How to Get More Email Subscribers
- Ep. 17: How to Communicate with Your Email Subscribers
- Ep. 18: How to Turn Your Email Subscribers Into Paying Customers
The Truth About Webinars workshop (plus a chance to get my high-converting webinar slides template)
Email Becky at becky@theinspiredbusiness.co or DM on Instagram @beckykopitzke
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Don’t you love it when a message practically writes itself? It’s that moment when God suddenly downloads some brilliant piece of content into your brain, and you get to receive it, record it, and share it with the world… all for His glory.
But life doesn’t work that way every day. As content creators and business owners, we know work still needs to get done whether it’s divinely inspired or not. As faith-based creators, how are we to handle the tension between inspiration and craft?
Does it honor God to create content without waiting on His direction? How can we build a sustainable business if those moments of inspiration don’t gel with our deadlines? And what are we really called to do as contentpreneurs? The answer might be much simpler than you think.
Tune into this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast to discover what the Bible says about inspiration from God, creating messages of hope even when we don’t “feel” like it, and how to treat your calling with respect for the One who called you… and the ones He called you to serve.
Highlights:
- My clearest memory of God-inspired content
- What inspiration means and doesn’t mean
- God equips us to do His will… even when it doesn’t “feel” inspired
- God has also commanded us to be ready
- What it looks like when the Holy Spirit answers our prayers for words
- You have everything it takes to create… plus this one key ingredient
- The role of planning for the business-minded content creator
- Three tips for making your creative work a craft
- Why the results don’t matter as much as we think they do
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- The Sound of Snow Falling… blog post from BeckyKopitzke.com, December 2012
- Colossians 3:23
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17
- 1 Peter 3:15
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
There’s a point in every online business where you can choose to persevere or quit. But what does it really mean to persevere? You might be surprised to learn perseverance in business does NOT necessarily mean doubling down, putting in more hours, moving full speed ahead, ride or die. Sometimes perseverance looks like taking a break. And in this episode of The Inspired Business podcast, we’ll tell you why.
If you’re in a stage of business growth where you’re feeling burnt out, or burdened by the costs of sustaining your passion work, then tune in to today’s episode to discover how staying in business means staying the course, even when the course involves winding roads and detours.
Highlights:
- What’s the difference between success and failure in online business?
- The entrepreneur brain and how different ideas fit for different seasons
- To be a serial entrepreneur, it helps to be a serial learner
- Perseverance doesn’t necessarily mean working harder; sometimes it means pivoting or taking a break in order to keep from burning out
- The “messy middle” of entrepreneurship
- First things first: take care of the money stress, which might mean “tent making” (and why that’s the opposite of failure)
- What it really means to be “all in” in your business
- Pivoting in business might look like change, or it might look like adding a new venture
- What do you need to do to make sure your business is still fun?
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Happy Joy Goods
- Her Business Rocks
- Episode 11 of Her Business Rocks: Surviving the Awkward Middle Stage of Business
- The Inspired Business Mentorship
- Looking for an online business manager? Contact Heidi at heidi@theinspiredbusiness.co.
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Do you ever feel stuck? Ever dream about a goal but can’t figure out how to achieve it? If you’ve got voices in your head saying you’ll never reach that goal because you’re not smart enough, or you don’t have enough time or money or talent… Wouldn’t it be great to slap a restraining order on that voice and replace it with someone who cares, and who can help you reach the goal?
That’s life coaching in a nutshell. Your life coach is the person who helps you look toward the future with clarity, purpose, and actionable steps, then holds you accountable to your potential—so that you can become the version of you that you dream of.
In today’s episode, we’re talking with certified Christian life coach Ginger Myers of Ambassador Vision about what a life coach can do for you, who’s the right fit for coaching, and why entrusting your challenges and opportunities to a faith-based life coach can empower you to become the person God designed you to be.
Highlights:
- What is life coaching and how does it help people
- The difference between life coaching, discipleship, and counseling
- Why Christian life coaching carries more authority
- Demystifying the process of working with a life coach
- Scaling from one-on-one coaching to a membership
- 27 questions you can ask to coach yourself
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Ambassador Vision
- Book a complimentary consultation with Ginger HERE.
- Click HERE to get Ginger’s free gift: 27 Powerful Questions for Christian Women to Coach Themselves Through Decisions, Scheduling, and Goals
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Why should more Christian business owners pursue financial gain? The money itself is not the reward, but rather what we can do with that money to further God’s kingdom. What would the world look like if more godly people had wealth to share?
In today’s episode we’re hearing from Alyssa Omdal, a top leader in Shaklee Corporation and an experienced direct sales professional. As a Christian mom, former Christian school teacher, and a pastor’s wife, Alyssa has wrestled with the concept of earning money, and she’ll share what she has learned over 12 years of successes and mistakes. Together we’ll discuss how our culture influences our thoughts on wealth (both for and against), and how feeling the tension of idolatry is actually a reminder to keep Jesus the main focus.
Finally, we’ll explore the stigma surrounding networking marketing, and reveal how when done well, network marketing is actually an excellent business model, especially for women and moms who want to prioritize family and help provide for their households.
Highlights:
- Why does it matter who owns the wealth in our world?
- Refuting prosperity gospel as well as poverty gospel
- What does Batman do for a living, anyway?
- Cultural judgments on making money
- What does Jesus think about wealthy people?
- How to keep money from becoming an idol
- Insight into the people who funded Jesus’s ministry
- How our work spreads “wealth” that’s not just financial
- Slaying the stigma surrounding networking marketing
- Getting over our misconceptions about money and working
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Thou Shall Prosper by Rabbi Daniel Lapin
- Rich young man and Jesus - Matthew 19:16-22
- Village of Hope in Zambia
- Shaklee Corporation
- Connect with Alyssa on her Facebook page
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
What role does prayer play in your business? As Christians, prayer is the most powerful tool we have at our disposal, and it’s not limited to your “non-work” life. Just as God is sovereign over every aspect of your character, activities, and relationships, He is also actively involved in your business. Therefore, prayer is a key ingredient in navigating your personal entrepreneur journey.
In this episode of The Inspired Business podcast, we’re talking with Alana Terry, co-host of the Praying Christian Women podcast and a highly successful contentpreneur and coach. She’ll give us an inspiring dose of encouragement and insight into how prayer can and should be an integral part of our business lives.
Highlights:
- Why we shouldn’t separate faith from business (and why it can be hard to pray for our work)
- Why praying for your business isn’t selfish but selfless
- How prayer gets you off the hustle hamster wheel
- How to discern what God is saying in response to our prayers
- What if God says no?
- Why it’s healthy to pray through disappointments
- A fresh way to look at “failures”
- Praying for your finances
- Alana’s grandma’s advice about money
- Why gratitude is key to a powerful prayer life
- The importance of “you” showing appreciation for “you”
Resources mentioned in this episode:
NEW! Praying for Your Business: A Personal Planning Retreat for Christian Entrepreneurs
Alana Terry’s author website
Alana’s writer coaching courses: The Successful Writer
Praying Christian Women podcast
“Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.” (Psalm 51:6, NKJV)
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Got too much work on your plate? As online business owners, we wear a lot of hats. Product creation, marketing, customer service, social media, podcast editing, bookkeeping, the list of to-do’s is endless—but our skill sets are not.
Most of us aren’t experts at all the skills needed to run a business, nor do we have the time to do it all. What would it do for your business to offload some of those non-favorite tasks to somebody else—somebody who is GOOD at those things you aren’t. How would that open your time to focus on the aspects of your business you love best?
In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, we’re chatting with the founder of the Virtual Assistant Studio, Amanda Rush Holmes, all about what a virtual assistant can do for you, and why hiring one might be the best investment you can make in your business growth.
Highlights:
- What is a virtual assistant, anyway?
- How a virtual assistant helps you stay in your zone of genius
- How can we determine when it’s the right time to hire help?
- Amanda’s formula for calculating what you can spend on a VA
- How to become a virtual assistant
- Integrating work and family life is like blending colors with a paintbrush
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- The Virtual Assistant Studio
- Full Time VA (Amanda’s signature program)
- The Millennial Mom Movement podcast
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Has anybody ever told you to believe in yourself? Or to follow your heart? On the surface these words appear to be encouraging, but dig into the Bible and you’ll find that “encouragement” is actually bad advice.
As Christian communicators and business owners, it’s imperative that we discern between worldly wisdom and God’s wisdom, especially when it comes to how we manage the call God has placed on our lives. In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, we’re dissecting three pieces of popular advice and revealing why the opposite is actually a wiser approach.
Highlights:
- Recognizing the actual source of your value and why it takes the pressure off
- Trusting that God will open and close the right doors, even if they aren’t the ones you picked in the first place
- What the definition of insanity gets wrong
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Hebrews 13:20-21
Philippians 2:13
John 15:5
Ephesians 3:20-21
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
What's the deal with all these online business coaching programs? What does a coach do? How can a coach help you grow your audience, your influence, and your sales? How can you tell if and when it's time to hire a business coach?
In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, we'll break down the difference between online courses, coaching memberships, and one-on-one coaching programs, and we'll explore three factors that will help you determine if hiring a coach is the right next move for you and your goals.
Highlights:
- Where I've been over the past few months
- Memberships vs. one-on-one or small group cohort coaching experiences
- Three factors that will determine if you're ready to hire a coach
- Time... how are you spending yours?
- Clarity... what should or shouldn't you offer your audience?
- Commitment... how dedicated are you to reaching the transformation?
- Course collectors: Are you a DIYer or do you work better with guidance?
- The purpose of courses and coaching programs is to generate results
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Ep. 37 | How to Slow Down for the Summer Without Breaking Your Business
- The Funnel Club
- Introducing The Inspired Business Mentorship
- Book a call with Becky to learn about the Mentorship
Are you a digital marketing genius? Take our quiz to find out!
Plus watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Are you afraid your business will tank if you take a little time off? Truth is, as mompreneurs, we don’t necessarily have a choice about how we spend our time in the summer. With the kids home from school, many of us have increased family responsibilities and less time to focus on our online business pursuits. And I’m here to tell you that’s not just okay, but healthy.
In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, we’re talking about some practical ways to keep investing in your business through the summer even as you limit the time you spend on it. Ultimately, as Christian business owners and messengers, we run our work according to our values. Taking time off to focus on family during the summer months just might speak louder to your audience than any blog post or podcast episode ever will. Tune in to discover how to maintain your business and your sanity through a summer of pause.
Highlights:
- Is it okay to take a break in the summer? How should we view our businesses during the summer season, especially if we have kids?
- There is plenty you can do to continue investing in your business even as you reduce the amount of time you spend on it.
- Choose what you’ll put on pause—and tell your audience you’re doing it
- Discern what must stay on your calendar (paid services are top priority) but give yourself permission to limit the time you spend on them
- Summer is an excellent time to invest in continuing education
- My summer reading challenge and a couple books I recommend
- Spend your summer dreaming, praying, and making a plan for fall
Resources mentioned in this episode:
The Funnel Club
The Prayer Powered Entrepreneur by Kim Avery
Every Good Endeavor by Tim Keller
Profitable Digital Products Method - released from the vault this summer!
Looking for some good summer reads? Check out my list of favorites on Amazon.
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Are you trying desperately to grow your email list and gain more subscribers? Do you fret over every single unsubscriber and nasty reply? Do you worry about how much you should or shouldn’t email your list? What are you willing to sacrifice in order to make your subscribers happy?
If these questions take up any tiny bit of space in your head, it’s time to flip the script on your attitude toward email marketing. Your subscribers don’t own you, they shouldn’t dictate your business decisions, and not everybody deserves a spot on your email list. It’s better to have a small list of strong leads and supporters than a large list tainted with trolls.
In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, we’re getting real about how you ought to view your subscriber list. You are the boss, not the employee. So here’s permission to start acting like it.
Highlights:
- It’s time to start looking at your email list differently
- You are not desperate for email subscribers… you invite them to your party but you can uninvite them just as well
- Social media, SEO, partner marketing and ads should be designed to add subscribers to your email list because email is the one asset you own and can control
- Your email list is not a one-way relationship; it’s reciprocal
- Boundaries for becoming the boss of your email list:
- Mean-spirited people get kicked out
- Limit responses when subscribers ask for free advice
- Determine a subscriber’s status based on their activity (i.e., not everyone is the right fit for your party)
- Do not fret over unsubscribes! They are doing you a favor.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
My favorite email platforms: ConvertKit and Kajabi
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
What does it look like to live an integrated, healthy mompreneur life? Is it possible to pursue your passions and serve other women while also being fully present for your family? In this special Mother’s Day episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, I’m talking with my mastermind friends and FOCUS Retreat co-hosts—Jennifer Ford Berry, Lori Beth Auldridge, and Amy Debrucque—all about the challenges and blessings that come with every season of motherhood, especially as we endeavor to build businesses that support our families.
If you’ve heard me talking about the FOCUS Retreat or wonder if it’s the right event for you and your business, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Here is a chance to get to know the four hosts of the FOCUS Retreat, hear their hearts, and get a taste of who’s going to be speaking into your life at the upcoming event. Get ready to love these ladies as much as I do!
Highlights:
- Beauty and challenges of four different stages of parenting
- How we build our ministries/businesses around our family priorities
- How our ministries are designed to support other women, and what that looks like in real life
- Finding opportunities to encourage moms in the moment, free from judgment
- The hardest practices to break or adopt as moms
- How we overcome our greatest challenges in motherhood
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Meet my beautiful friends and FOCUS Retreat co-hosts!
Jennifer Ford Berry
Lori Beth Auldridge
Amy Debrucque
The FOCUS Retreat
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Conversion rate, click-through-rate, open rate… lions and tigers and bears, oh my! What’s the deal with all these digital marketing stats? What’s considered good or bad, and what’s the right benchmark for you and your business? In this episode, we’re talking about the metrics you need to know and how to analyze the data so that you can optimize your digital sales funnel for the best possible results. In plain English, that means know what’s working and what’s not, so you can sell more products and change more lives with your content.
Highlights:
- What is a conversion and why should you care
- Email open rates: 30% is average; aim for 50%
- Email marketing sign-up and sales conversions
- Lead magnet conversions: I say 50% minimum
- Tripwire conversion rates: too many variables for a standard
- Successful tripwires depend on relevancy and price
- Bump offer conversions: expect 50% conversion rate
- Two-tiered offers and the psychology behind “this or that”
- Facebook ads click-through rate: aim for 1% to 3%
- Facebook ads return on ad spend (ROAS): aim for minimum 1.5
- Let your data, not your emotions, inform your decisions
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Workshop: The Truth About Webinars
The Inspired Business Guide Bundle
Episode 15: Does a Digital Sales Funnel Really Work on Autopilot?
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
How can you know if your digital product is going to sell? Several factors can help determine ahead of time whether your sales funnel leads to conversions… or crickets. And it’s all dependent on one critical best practice: market research. Have you asked your customers what they want? How do you know for sure that your product is positioned to solve their problem? Are you certain of what their problem is in the first place? In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, you’ll learn what it takes to create the right product, for the right audience, for the right reasons, in the right way.
Highlights:
- Surveys are not enough
- What is your customer’s actual problem (vs. your presumption)?
- Create a product that either serves your existing audience, or that’s designed to break into a new audience… but don’t get the two confused
- What is the customer’s motivation for purchasing your product?
- The wrong way to sell is to try to convince somebody to buy your product. The right way is to speak to your audience using their words, not yours.
- Market research steps:
- Schedule 5 to 10 Zoom calls, hit record
- Upload to Temi.com or Rev.com
- Print and highlight transcriptions
- Use the customer’s language in your marketing copy
- Questions to ask:
- What frustrates you most about ______ [your topic]? Dive deep into the fears and feelings beneath the answer.
- What intimidates you or stresses you out about ______ [your topic]?
- If you had a solution to _______, how would that change things for you?
- If you could talk to an expert on ________ [your topic], what questions would you ask?
- Finish this statement: If I had total control over _______, then my problems with [your topic] would be solved.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Becky’s books
The Inspired Business Guide Bundle
The Funnel Club
Profitable Digital Products Method
Temi.com
Rev.com
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Did you know? There’s a difference between a good content creator (or “contentpreneur” as I like to call us) and a great one. Lots of people can write or speak or host a podcast and share their thoughts and products with the marketplace. But not everyone does it truly well.
Do you know what trips the threshold between good and great? There’s just one key factor that makes a world of difference, and it’s something everyone can do, and should do, if excellence is the goal.
In today’s episode of The Inspired Business podcast, I’m unveiling the one key ingredient necessary to becoming the best content creator and digital services provider you can be.
Highlights:
- Good creators and coaches teach; great ones keep learning
- How to find good coaching: my top three recommendations
- A shout out for the FOCUS Retreat
- Why aim for great in the first place?
Resources mentioned in this episode:
The Funnel Club
Episode 30: How to Stay Motivated to Make Progress in Your Online Business
The FOCUS Retreat
Recommended courses, groups, or resources for continued learning:
Facebook Ads Intensive
FlourishWriters
Email Marketing Fairy
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Confession: I work a lot. I love what I do, so I tend to want to do it all the time. Which might be an admirable quality if only I didn’t have an entire spectrum of other responsibilities that are equal to and often MORE important than work.
How can a successful, work-from-home online entrepreneur create a business that supports the family rather than harming it? What boundaries can we put in place to make sure we dedicate the time and attention God wants us to spend on our families, friends, communities, and church? Is it possible to be a high-performing online business owner AND a fully present wife, mom, friend, and more?
Yes. In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, you’ll learn four safeties that have helped me prevent work from spilling over into other aspects of my life. These are necessary boundaries for running not just a business but an overall fulfilling life.
Highlights:
- Our work is only one aspect of our lives; we honor God when we give our full attention to every role He asks us to fulfill
- Recommended safeties you can put in place to ensure you don’t let work spill over into your other priorities:
- Set a cut-off time
- Ask your spouse to partner in holding you accountable
- Schedule free days
- Protect your focus; find what clears your head so you can prevent mental distractions and live in the moment
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Calendly
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Do you struggle to find the motivation to get work done as an online entrepreneur? How can you stay motivated to make progress in your content-based business, especially when there’s no boss breathing down your neck telling you what to do or when to do it?
You are your own boss. Which means it’s up to you to get the work done, and to keep working toward your goals even when you face setbacks or can’t see the results right away. In today’s episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, we’re exploring seven of my best tips for keeping yourself motivated in online business. These tips will help you reach your potential as an online content creator and have fun doing it.
Highlights:
- When flipping the switch from hobby to business, expect some adjustments
- You are your own boss; the progress is up to you
- Eat the frog (yes, that’s a thing)
- Schedule an enjoyable task every day
- Break big goals into smaller tasks to create a map of what’s next
- Embrace the identify shift; act like a CEO
- Reward yourself
- Find a mastermind/support group
- Attend a conference or retreat
- Registration is now open for the FOCUS Retreat
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Free masterclass on digital products
Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy
The Funnel Club
Register for the FOCUS Retreat here.
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
What’s the big deal with Chat GPT? AI wordsmith technology has caused quite a buzz among digital marketing experts and online business owners recently, and for good reason. It can make our jobs easier… or replace us altogether. Should we fear GPT, embrace it, or pretend it doesn’t exist? No, somewhat, and no. This episode explores how Christian content creators can use AI to our advantage, without devaluing the role of our God-given voices in running an online content business.
And just for fun? I asked Chat GPT to write this episode description, and here’s what it came up with. Not quite accurate… largely generic… but I’ll bet the SEO bots will love it.
“In this podcast episode, we explore how Christian content creators can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their digital product marketing strategies. We begin by discussing the basics of AI and its potential applications in marketing. Then, we dive into practical tips and tools for content creators, such as using AI-powered analytics to optimize content for SEO, using chatbots to engage with customers and drive sales, and using personalized recommendations to improve customer retention. Additionally, we discuss ethical considerations when using AI in marketing and how to maintain a Christ-centered approach in digital marketing efforts. Overall, this episode equips Christian content creators with actionable insights to harness the power of AI in their marketing efforts.”
Highlights:
- What NYC taught me about living in Wisconsin
- Is AI a threat to content creators, or a helping hand?
- Why Christian content creators in particular are skeptical (and with good reason)
- How should content creators respond to AI?
- What is AI in the first place… an explanation of GPT
- A short list of tools that use GPT technology (there are several; I’ll mention just a few)
- How can you use AI / GPT to your advantage… without selling your soul
- Specific benefits of using GPT in Pinterest marketing, ads, and keyword descriptions
- Good marketing copy is still an art, not just a science
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Chat GPT
Kajabi AI Creator Hub (free for anyone, no need for a Kajabi account)
Jasper
Canva Magic Write
The Funnel Club
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
If you’re not yet earning the income you need from your creative work, it might be time to raise your prices. My guest in this episode, bestselling author Brett Harris, founder of the Author Conservatory, shares his insight on the win-win scenario of charging according to your value, which actually empowers you to serve your audience better. This conversation is an encore presentation from our Inspire Summit.
Highlights:
- When earning an income is a necessity, not an option
- Choosing to include Jesus in your work doesn’t mean you can’t charge for it
- Why we shouldn’t withhold what we have; we serve people better when we offer more
- The Hollywood/Amazon business model (your book is just a calling card)
- Three fundamentals of making money
- Why we should value what we offer (and what it means if we don’t)
- Charging more enables us to help our customers achieve their goals
- Why you should care about your hourly rate
- How much does our audience determine our price?
- Consider the 10 percent of your audience that wants more from you
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Inspire Summit
Author Conservatory
Young Writers Workshop
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Should you offer refunds for digital products? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a generous return policy, and when is it appropriate to offer one (or not)? If you’re selling downloadable products, online courses or memberships, live training events, or coaching programs, money-back guarantees and refunds are a factor you’ll need to consider as a part of your overall business plan.
In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, we’re dissecting the reasons why it can benefit your business to provide refunds and guarantees, as well as the reasons why you might want to consider saying no to refunds. The good news is, there’s no right or wrong answer. The choice is yours. This episode will help you make an informed decision about whether or not to guarantee your digital products or services with a refund policy.
Highlights:
- Refunds for digital products are a preference, not a rule
- Three common arguments against offering refunds for digital products
- Three reasons refunds can benefit your business
- How money-back guarantees and refunds are tied to your integrity
- Tips for crafting an effective refund policy
- Two situations in which The Inspired Business does not offer refunds
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Build Your Skills Workshop Series
Inspire Summit
Worship Music Academy
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Your podcast isn’t just for sharing content. It’s a powerful marketing tool. If you’re not utilizing your podcast as a means of growing your business, then you’re missing out on a gold mine of income opportunities. In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, you’ll discover how to position your podcast at the top of your funnel, so you can gain more subscribers and more buyers while you bless listeners with your message. You’ll get an inside peek into how I use this podcast to draw in customers through a targeted Pinterest strategy, among other tips. It’s time to start making money from your podcast… without incorporating ads or compromising your content. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!
Highlights:
- Your podcast is not just a means of sharing content with the world. It is also a means of generating income. It is a marketing tool.
- Your podcast helps establish your expertise. So make sure it focuses on your niche, whether topically, demographically, or ideologically.
- Your podcast should help increase your subscriber list and, as a result, your buyer list. In other words, your podcast acts as the top of your funnel.
- How to maximize traffic through guest interviews
- Why you should include a call to action in every episode
- How to share your podcast through blog posts
- Don’t be shy about mentioning your products and services on your podcast
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Join our live masterclass on March 9 at 11 am (replay will be available): The Truth About Webinars—How to Create a Marketing Webinar That Actually Works
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Confused about what it takes to launch a podcast? Join the club. Podcasting can seem like an enigma from the outside looking in. What do you need to do in order to make sure your new podcast doesn’t fall flat? Is there a magic formula to announcing a successful podcast? Not really. But there are some simple best practices you can follow.
This episode of The Inspired Business Podcast is all about giving you an inside look at the steps required to start a podcast so you can move confidently toward your own podcast launch. We’ll talk about the nuts and bolts of recording and publishing your episodes, as well as how to get listeners rallied around your podcast before it even goes live. You’re going to discover that launching a podcast is not actually confusing or difficult at all, once you know the steps to take.
Highlights:
- Four steps to follow in order to successfully launch your podcast
- Why you need a trailer and kick-off episodes posted for launch day
- Recommended tools for recording your podcast episodes
- Recommended tools for hosting your podcast
- Recommended podcast directories (and how to submit to them)
- How to tell people about your podcast and ask for reviews
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Misty Phillip - Spark Media Ventures
Spark Collective - Misty’s private member group
Carrie Vajko - Podcast marketing expert
Podcast recording tools:
- Riverside (this is what I use)
- StreamYard
- Zencastr
Podcast hosting services:
- Buzzsprout (this is what I use)... Sign up through this link and you’ll get a $20 credit applied to your Buzzsprout account.
- Podbean
- Libsyn
- Anchor
Podcast directories:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Stitcher
- Google Podcasts
- Overcast
- Amazon Music
- Lots more…
Article: How to submit your podcast to Apple
My podcast editor… he’s the BEST. And he’s taking new clients.
Dan Mlodzik - mlodzik.dan@gmail.com
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Afraid of self-promotion? Your book, podcast, coaching group or online course is NOT about you, that’s true. It’s about serving your customers and glorifying God with your talents. Yet hiding under a rock is not good stewardship—or good for business.
As a Christian content creator, you are the face of your business; therefore, it’s important to put yourself out there, promoting your work without coming across as salesy. How? This episode will break it all down. We’ll explore some foundational truths about why it’s okay to get paid in the first place, how to find freedom and courage to tell people about your work, and three tips for ensuring you don’t turn into an ego monster.
Highlights:
- Why are we so afraid of marketing ourselves?
- What we can learn from King David about self-promotion
- Marketing is not peddling; it’s something else {which requires an explanation}
- Profiting from the gospel: what it means and doesn’t mean
- Biblical support for earning an income from your content (and therefore promoting it)
- Three tips for avoiding becoming salesy
- My little side rant about four-star reviews
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Commentary on 2 Corinthians 2:17... click HERE
My coaching group, The Funnel Club
My digital products course, Profitable Digital Products Method
Email me at becky@theinspiredbusiness.co.
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Thinking of hosting an online summit? In this episode we’ll explain what a summit really is (hint: it’s not just a conference, it’s a tool), the primary purpose behind hosting an online summit, the two major benefits of online summits and how to maximize them, plus a few tips of what NOT to do based on my experience on both sides of the table (as summit guest and summit host). This episode is packed with info and a few snarky soapbox moments, so get ready for a behind-the-scenes look at online summits in their underwear… no fancy hype here!
Highlights:
- Online summits, explained
- Why should you consider hosting an online summit?
- How to maximize the two primary “payoffs” of running an online summit
- Your guest experts are the key to your summit’s success
- What to do and NOT do to motivate guest experts to share about your summit
- I’m calling this total bunk and I’ll tell you why
- One strategy I might try—the good numbers game
- Don’t believe the hype (on either side of the spectrum)
- A final word of encouragement because results aren’t guaranteed
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Build Your Skills Workshop Series: Self-Publishing Checklist—Everything You Need to Know to Self-Publish a Book... Successfully (with Alexa Bigwarfe)
The Inspire Summit
Praying Christian Women Online Prayer Conference
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Scared of all the technology involved in running an online digital products business? There are pros and cons to doing it yourself. When is outsourcing your tech tasks actually a better choice? Do you really have to learn how to use Kajabi, ConvertKit, WordPress, ThriveCart, LeadPages, Zapier, MailChimp, oh my!
In this episode, we’re exploring the good, the bad, and the ugly of managing digital marketing platforms yourself vs. hiring an expert to manage it for you. If you’re a content creator and you got into the online space to make a difference in people’s lives, technology does not have to be an obstacle to your success. In fact, tech platforms should serve as a vehicle toward your success. The key is to decide how you’re going to utilize them to your best advantage.
Highlights:
- A quiz to test your tech knowledge
- It’s not about CAN you do it, but do you WANT to
- Technology should make your job easier, not harder.
- Pros and cons of DIY
- Pros and cons of outsourcing (#1 - surprise)
- The one point I wish I didn’t have to make
- DIY or outsourcing, we can help
Resources mentioned in this episode:
The Funnel Club
Custom build services || We’ll build your product or sales funnel for you
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Are you ready to make more sales without spreading yourself thin? That’s the goal of scaling an online business, but it requires some prep work. In this episode we’ll talk about the difference between seasons of expansion and seasons of selection, and how one leads to the other. I’m giving you a peek under the hood of The Inspired Business today and sharing what’s working for me, what totally flopped last year, and how I’m planning to grow without making myself crazy. Then we’ll wrap up with three big tips for simplifying your business so you can scale your results to new heights.
Highlights:
- My word for the year: simplify
- What pre-simplification looks like (maybe you can relate)
- Wins and losses in 2022
- How I shed $4K in one month (not recommended)
- We can do our due diligence, but one part of the decision process is not up to us
- Experimentation/Expansion vs. Selection/Simplification
- My two goals for this year
- My primary strategies for growth
- Three key tips for simplifying your business in order to scale your results
Resources mentioned in this episode:
The Inspired Business Guide Bundle
Profitable Digital Products Method
The Funnel Club
Want to partner with Becky by hosting a digital products masterclass? Contact her at becky@theinspiredbusiness.co.
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Is it really possible to pursue a dream and motherhood at the same time? I hear a lot of women say they feel called to write a book, launch a podcast, start a business, pursue a speaking or coaching ministry… yet they’re afraid there’s no way they can manage it without sacrificing time or attention for their kids. Family is priority; therefore, their dreams must wait. Or so they fear. But is that really true?
I don’t think so. And neither does my family. In this special episode, you’ll hear from my firstborn daughter (a sophomore in high school now) about what it’s really like to live with a mom who has her head in the clouds (sometimes) or at least in her computer (most of the time), and how that has affected her upbringing. Her answers might surprise you. And they will for sure encourage you.
Highlights:
- This episode is “totes” cool (not)
- Being there matters
- Mom working from home motivates kids to become independent problem solvers
- Adapting to one another’s schedules is part of the process
- Advantages of having caregivers who aren’t Mom and Dad
- How being distracted by deadlines appears to the family
- Positives about having parents who work from home
- Perseverance, problem solving, and determination
- Demonstrating the value of doing what you love
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Becky’s books
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
New year, new goals? Great. How are you planning to reach them? If you’re like most content creators and entrepreneurs, chances are you’re eyeing a new coaching program or online course in hopes it’ll help level up your business. But there’s a reason many courses fall flat. And it might surprise you.
In today’s episode, I’m sharing some tough love on the real reason you’re not making any progress, and how ONE important decision will make the difference between hitting your goals this year… or not.
Highlights:
- How I find joy in January
- The one thing you MUST do if you hope to reach your goals this year
- What actually makes a difference in your business growth (it’s not the course or program you choose)
- Some pathetic stats about online course completion
- Solidarity for the course junkies out there
- You are your own missing piece… the craftsman uses the tools
- What James says about online coaching and courses
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- The Funnel Club
- Profitable Digital Products Method
- Facebook Ads Intensive
- Kate Doster: Email Marketing Fairy
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” (James 1:22-25)
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Email marketing is critical to succeeding in online sales. Yet having a huge email list will do nothing to grow your business if you don’t know how to turn those email subscribers into buyers. In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, we’re wrapping up a three-part series on email marketing by exploring how to get your subscribers to take interest in your products and convert to paying customers. This episode includes my insider’s secret to gaining customers on autopilot through email marketing.
Highlights:
- Why your top focus for email marketing should never be strategy or sales, but something much more valuable
- Creating an automated welcome sequence, and how your welcome content will depend on how a subscriber entered your list
- Two directions you can go after the initial welcome sequence
- Advanced email marketing strategy: the extended nurture series
Resources mentioned in this episode:
The Funnel Club
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
You work hard to get new subscribers onto your email list. How should you treat them once they get there? What should you say to your subscribers? How often should you email them? And how in the world can you get your subscribers to actually open your emails when you send them? These are the questions we’re answering in today’s episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, which is part two of our three-part series on email marketing.
Highlights:
- Three main types of email content you should be sending to your subscribers
- Simple guidelines for determining when and how often to email your subscribers
- Five tips for motivating subscribers to open your emails, and how to avoid getting stuck in spam
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Email Marketing Fairy
Open rate benchmarks
Spam words to avoid in email subject lines
Email Becky at becky@theinspiredbusiness.co
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Your email list is the most powerful marketing tool in your online business toolbox. Today we’re kicking off a three-part series on email marketing, starting with how to get more people onto your email list in the first place. What are the most effective ways to grow your email list? Why does it matter how big your email list is, anyway? And are free lead magnets really the best way to grow a list? (Hint: not always. In fact, lead magnets can be the WORST way to grow your email list, if you choose the wrong freebie.) Get the scoop in today’s episode, the first of our three-part series!
Highlights:
- The goal of growing your email list is to stop marketing outside of email
- How I really feel about lead magnets (and why freebies are hurting your business)
- An alternative to free lead magnets: a low-ticket sales page
- An obligatory mention of GDPR
- My top four favorite methods for growing your email list:
- Lead magnet swap
- Publicity
- Online summits
- Ads… if you dare
- Is organic Pinterest the next big thing in email list growth for online content sellers?
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Episode 6: Why Freebies Are Hurting Your Email List, and How to Attract Subscribers Who Will Actually Buy From You
GDPR
Inspire Summit
My favorite resource for Facebook and Instagram ads training: Brilliant Business Moms Facebook Ads Intensive
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Passive income. Selling on autopilot. Make money while you sleep! We hear these phrases tossed around in relation to a successful online business, as if all a content creator has to do is flip a switch and suddenly the sales roll in with no effort. But is that how digital product sales funnels really work?
Yes and no. In this episode, we’ll bust the misconception that sales funnels mean you can “set it and forget it.” And we’ll talk about the real benefits of automating your digital product and online course sales… which, spoiler alert, does still require some work on your part. Just a different kind of work, and not as much (hallelujah).
Highlights:
- Why matching jammies are still cool in my book
- That day I took my dog for a walk and made $180
- Is a sales funnel a magic bullet?
- How your job changes once the product is built
- Marketing strategies I recommend for getting traffic to your funnel: affiliate or partner marketing, ads, email marketing
Resources mentioned in this episode:
My favorite resource for Facebook and Instagram ads training: Brilliant Business Moms Facebook Ads Intensive
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Creating a digital product or online course is a lot of work. It takes time, energy, and resources to build a salable item and the automated sales funnel behind it. But did you know you can get paid WHILE you create your product? That’s the beauty of beta testing and pre-selling, two related but slightly different methods of earning sales BEFORE your product is launched (or even built in the first place).
In this episode you’ll learn how to run a beta test or pre-sale, and how inviting customers into your product development process can actually help ensure your course or program becomes an offer your audience really wants.
Highlights:
- How to slow down for the holidays and ramp up for the new year at the same time… and get paid for it
- Beta testing: What is it, how to acquire testers, and how to deliver your content to them
- Pre-selling: How it’s different from beta testing but still effective at helping you earn money before your product is ready
Resources mentioned in this episode:
The Cranky Mom Fix by Becky Kopitzke
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Summary:
If you started a blog or online business because you love to write, speak, teach, and create content, chances are you’re feeling stretched thin by all the additional tasks required to run a profitable business. What happens when making money calls for skills beyond your sweet spot?
Good news—you don’t actually have to do ALL the things. You only need to start with this ONE thing. And it might be nearer to your sweet spot than you think.
Highlights:
- Sweet spots in life and work: what’s yours?
- What ONE product or strategy can you implement right now to start making money?
- A pretty business website is nice, but it does not make money
- Page views are a vanity metric, not a money maker
- Don’t get caught up in creating a library of products and services at first
- What you need first is one SALES PAGE for ONE product
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Episode 8
The Funnel Club
The Inspired Business Guides
TheInspiredBusiness.co
50 Fabulous Digital Product Ideas with Canva Templates
Custom Build Services from The Inspired Business
Are you interested in one-on-one coaching with Becky? Email us at becky@theinspiredbusiness.co.
Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
As Christian content creators, we have a responsibility to wield the Word of God accurately, and for good and honest purposes. Are you certain you’re interpreting the Bible correctly? Bible scholar and esteemed teaching pastor Dr. Mark Harris gives us critical insight into how we can (and must!) apply God’s Word within our messages the way the Lord intends. This is one episode you cannot miss!
Highlights:
- If we can rightfully divide the Word, then we can wrongfully divide it as well
- Christian writers, podcasters, etc. will give an account to God one day
- How to root ourselves in God’s truth so we don’t fall prey to false teaching
- Principles of Scripture interpretation:
- Descriptive vs. prescriptive text; a biblical example in itself is not authoritative unless accompanied by a command
- Never interpret Scripture in light of your experience; interpret experience in light of Scripture
- Don’t interpret Scripture out of context
- How truth is being challenged in our modern day, and the lies we should look out for
Resources mentioned in this episode:
2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV) – “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
James 3:1 (NIV) – “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Emotions: Can You Trust Them? by Dr. James Dobson
“Never Read a Bible Verse” by Greg Koukle
The Inspired Business Summit: click HERE to purchase a pass
In today’s Thanksgiving week episode of The Inspired Business podcast, we’re talking about thankfulness in life and work. How does gratitude come into play in our creative endeavors, our business conduct, and our attitude toward the people we serve? Why is gratitude such an important part of doing business online, especially as Christian believers? Listen and be encouraged today, friends. Happy Thanksgiving!
Highlights:
- Doors to the Funnel Club open on Friday! Check it out here: theinspiredbusiness.co/funnelclub
- Gratitude is a big theme in Scripture; as Christians we’re meant to give thanks
- Three ways to incorporate gratitude into your business practices:
--Thank God every morning for whatever is coming
--Be generous toward customers
--Be generous to your staff - Generosity in business shouldn’t be a rarity. For us as Christians, it should be the standard.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Black Friday special enrollment into The Funnel Club: theinspiredbusiness.co/funnelclub
Launch in Style || Kajabi templates by Amanda Genther: Click HERE for details.
How do you show generosity and gratitude in your business? Email Becky at becky@theinspiredbusiness.co.
So you’ve got an idea for a digital product or online course. Maybe you’ve already created it. Now all it needs is the finishing touch… a price tag. {Gulp!!} What should you charge for your product, program or service? What will people pay for it? How can you determine the best price BEFORE you launch your online offer?
This episode of The Inspired Business podcast is all about how to price your digital product, online course, or membership program. Buckle up and take notes because this one is jam-packed with my best advice on what to do (and not do) when choosing a price for your product!
Highlights:
- What do digital products have do with my favorite box of cereal
- The most encouraging news about pricing your digital product
- Three general guidelines for pricing your digital product
- Factors that will determine the most effective price point:
--What is the value-add to the customer?
--How many pages/video lessons does your product contain?
--Where does this product fit in your sales funnel?
--Will you be running ads to the product? - The role of urgency and scarcity in pricing your offer
- Pros and cons of offering coupon codes
Resources mentioned in this episode:
SamCart
ThriveCart
Be the first to hear about our Black Friday special announcement: theinspiredbusiness.co/waitlist
Email Becky about your Black Friday offer at becky@theinspiredbusiness.co.
Ever hopped on a Zoom call just as your dog started barking at the UPS delivery guy? Or watched helplessly as your five-year-old smashed her finger in a kitchen drawer while you were on a very important phone call with very stuffy office people… so you desperately started shoving M&Ms in the kiddo’s mouth to keep her from wailing? {Tell me it’s not just me.}
Everybody knows there are no wailing children in business, right? Or wrong?
As work-from-home content creators and entrepreneurs, our daily lives overlap our daily work responsibilities. What does professional conduct look like in this situation? Is it possible to run a family and a business from home… without feeling like an amateur (or a basket case)?
This episode is going to blow the lid off the old-school concept of professionalism, and help us embrace a new type of professional woman in the workplace… wherever that workplace may be.
Highlights:
- Old-school professional vs. new work-from-home professional
- As an entrepreneur, you get to decide the rules
- How merging work and personal life = authenticity
- Are you bringing your true character to your business?
- Welcoming clients and colleagues into your home-based business means welcoming them into your life
- One area where I wish more people would loosen up
- When we appear relatable and show our humanity, we offer hope
- How Jesus is our best model for authenticity in business
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Becky’s writing course, Write Like a Pro
Philippians 2:6-8: “Because even Jesus, Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
Be the first to hear about our Black Friday special announcement: theinspiredbusiness.co/waitlist
Got too many product ideas and don’t know which to choose? You’re not alone. Many content creators struggle to focus on one product or service for their online business because there’s so much they could do and want to do.
This leads to either paralysis (doing nothing) or dabbling (doing too many things, and none of them completely). Neither of those scenarios leads to customers’ lives being transformed (nor money in your pocket).
In this episode we’ll explore how to choose one digital product or service to focus on first and fully, in order to serve your customers to the best of your ability AND earn recurring income from your efforts.
Highlights:
- What a potluck has to do with digital product sales funnels
- Every product is based on two key decisions:
(1) What will your product DO
(2) What will your product BE
What will your product DO
- What is your customer’s real problem?
- How can you solve that problem with your expertise?
--What do your customers go to you for?
--How does your ministry/business help them?
--What knowledge or skills do you offer them?
What will your product BE
- What are your strengths?
- How does your audience consume information?
- Once you sell your offer, be open to tweaking it based on feedback and experience
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Becky’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe
Episode 7: Why It's Important to Know Your Audience If You Hope to Serve Them Well and Earn Money
Be the first to hear about our Black Friday special announcement: theinspiredbusiness.co/waitlist
What’s the best way to sell a digital product online? Create what your audience is asking for. In this episode we’ll talk about the importance of knowing who you’re selling to and why, so that your online business can rake in sales and happy customers. It starts with asking your audience questions. I’ll tell you what to ask and how!
Highlights:
- Beware the movie theater, people
- What happens when you target your product to the wrong audience
- When it’s time to build a different audience
- How to communicate with different segments of buyers
- Market research is the key to understanding what to sell
“When you know who you’re speaking to, who you’re creating for, and what they’re really dealing with in their own words, then you can create content and products that solve their actual problem. Not just one you imagined they might have.” – Becky Kopitzke
Resources mentioned in this episode:Becky's devotional/lifestyle blog and books: beckykopitzke.com
Becky's guest appearances on Focus on the Family Daily Broadcast:
- Finding True Joy in Blessing Others
- Ditching the Cranky Monster Mom
Be the first to hear about our Black Friday special announcement: theinspiredbusiness.co/waitlist
Email marketing plays a huge role in a successful online business strategy. But who’s on your email list in the first place? Are you marketing to subscribers who want to buy your digital products and services, or to people who expect to get them for free? This episode is all about how to grow an email list of buyers even when you start your sales funnel with a lead magnet (freebie).
Highlights:
- What Costco has in common with digital content marketing
- Freebie seekers vs. buyers {hint, you want one and not the other}
- Two options for growing a list of buyers {we’ll focus on one in this episode}
- Your bait will determine your catch
- A smart lead magnet strategy involves five assets:
- A taste of your product
- A mini sales page
- An upsell (a.k.a. tripwire)
- An exit offer (optional)
- An email follow-up sequence
- How to get help with creating your sales funnel
Resources mentioned in this episode:
20 Questions to Help Siblings Get Along
PDPM 2.0 Waitlist Sign-up: https://www.theinspiredbusiness.co/waitlist
Becky’s email: becky@theinspiredbusiness.co
Do you feel like you need to choose between running a family and running a business? It is possible to build your business around your top priorities of family and faith. In this episode we’ll talk about what it looks like to build a work-from-home business that enables you to spend your time on the things that matter most to your heart.
Highlights:
- The transition from stay-at-home mom to full-time business owner
- Why I can homeschool and still run a business
- Pursuing your passion as a business and not just a hobby enables you to build a life you love
- Not everybody is built for entrepreneurship
- Talk to God about next steps for your own business and family goals
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Profitable Digital Products Method
Free masterclass on digital products
Has anybody ever told you that your dream of writing, speaking, or starting an online business was impractical, impossible, or downright dumb? Choosing to listen to encouraging voices over discouraging naysayers can make the difference between success and failure. It all comes down to believing what God says, and finding friends and mentors who will point you to His truth. In this episode we talk about why encouragement matters, and where you can find it.
Highlights:
- Why I might be either the best or worst mom in the world
- How cheerleading can make the difference between success and failure
- Why God’s opinion matters more
- That time when Matthew West was a punk
- Why my useless college degree was actually anything but
- What encouragement does for us
Resources mentioned in this episode:
TheInspiredBusiness.co/Summit - $57 ticket for a year of access
Are you tired of hustling free lead magnets in order to grow your email list? There’s a better way to gain more subscribers and, ultimately, paying customers. In this episode, we’ll explore four strategies for getting paid to grow your online audience. Yes, you read that right—there are many proven, effective methods of adding subscribers to your list while also earning an income from that growth. Savvy marketers listen up! It’s time to change the way you build your list.
Highlights:
- Wants vs. needs: How we neglect our financial “need” in search of our “want” to grow an audience
- How partner campaigns can help you earn money while you grow your list
- Social media ads can be a game-changer when you know how to run them well
- Beta-testing can help you get paid to develop your product
- Hosting a summit is a lot of work but a great way to grow your email list
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Facebook Ads Intensive course
Jared Messer’s YouTube Ads marketing course
The Inspire Summit
There are tons of ways to earn a living from your writing, speaking, teaching or other content work. But only one of them can be done without you… while you sleep, or take the dog for a walk, or play a board game with your kids. In this episode we’ll explore how digital products and automated sales funnels can change the game for Christian content creators, empowering you to serve more people in less time so you can focus on the tasks that matter most to your heart.
Highlights:
- From your first job to now
- How to get paid to walk your dog
- What is a digital product?
- You are already positioned to create a great digital product
- Selling digital products is a wise business strategy for content creators and influencers
- A digital product sales funnel can help you grow your audience
- Digital product sales funnels allow you to serve more people in less time
- Digital product sales can create a floor of consistent income
- Digital products allow you to explore your book topic from more angles, and in more formats
- What a sugarless cake taught me about digital product marketing
Resources mentioned in this episode:
FaithGirlz
The Inspired Business Guide Bundle
SamCart
The Inspire Summit
Let’s All Get Along sales funnel (starts with a freebie)
Generous Loveby Becky Kopitzke
Profitable Digital Products Method
Masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious
Have you ever heard the phrase, “Money is the root of evil”? Not true. The Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil. Money itself is just a tool. So as Christian content creators and entrepreneurs, how should we view earning money? What does the Bible actually say about running a profitable business? How can we honor God and generate an income at the same time? This episode of The Inspired Business podcast is the basis of everything we do as business owners. Don’t miss it!
Highlights:
- What does a fourth round of braces have to do with entrepreneurship?
- How should Christians think about money?
- People should get paid for their work
- God honors wise investments
- Commerce is not evil
- Ask to get paid
- Set up a system
- Discern when pro bono is better
Resources mentioned in this episode:
The Inspired Business Guide BundleBeckyKopitzke.com The Inspired Business blog
Are you stuck in a rut of creating content and serving people with your writing, speaking, podcasting, teaching… with little to no financial return? Are you drowning in the costs associated with running an online ministry or building an audience? I was there, too. Until a conversation with a colleague changed the way I viewed my writing career, and led me on a path to serving more people in less time, while generating a full-time income online. It’s time to look at your creative ministry as a business. Here’s why!
Highlights:
- The journey from blog to book deal
- When expenses stack up and your ministry drains the family bank account
- How a meeting with an old friend caused me to question my path
- Reconciling the ministry of content creation with the business of selling it
- What is the real purpose of earning an income from your creative work?
- What generating an income from your creative work allows you to do