The Portable Entrepreneur Podcast: Recent Episodes
Christine Maisel
Starting a web design & SEO business doesn't have to be hard. In this podcast, Christine Maisel, a web designer, SEO & founder of Portable Entrepreneur, answers questions directly from web design and SEO entrepreneurs on topics of starting, running and growing their business.
One of the best things you can do for your business is a disconnect from it. This will help you show up better for your business and your clients. If you've been waiting for the clarity you need in your business or you have a decision to make that you can't figure out, this episode just may be your answer.
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Selecting the service you provide to clients should never be random. Of course, understanding the client's needs has a lot to do with this as we've discussed and today we're talking about the impact your service selection makes on your business.
Are you creating a business that is an asset?
In this episode, I'm going to share 3 ways to make sure your agency is an asset.
Resources : https://www.portableentrepreneur.com/leads
When outreaching to businesses to find new web design clients, should you be approaching businesses that don't have a website or is there a better way?
After listening, you'll know which businesses you should be targeting and what you should really be offering them.
Resources : Monthly Marketing Playbooks (https://www.portableentrepreneur.com/playbooks)
How you handle (and hopefully exceed) client expectations will not only help you win over more clients, it will also help you keep your existing clients. In today's episode, we explore a handful of strategies you can implement into your business immediately.
Resources :
Episode 25: How to Handle Pricing Objections https://www.portableentrepreneur.com/podcast/
Guide to Handling Pricing Objections https://www.portableentrepreneur.com/pricing
Finding new clients can take a look which means if you aren't equally focused on keeping the clients you do have, you're making business much harder than it needs to be. In this episode, I share 16 tactics you can use to keep your current clients paying you month-after-month.
Resources
Download 16 Tactics to Keep Web Design & SEO Clients http://www.portableentrepreneur.com/keep
Want to know how I run an agency, build a team, help entrepreneurs do the same, run a podcast, travel, spend lots of time with my kids and just get it all done? I'll tell you exactly how, what my focus is and a few tips for how you can get more done too.
Resources :
90X: 90-Day Goal Planner: https://amzn.to/2BYbzE2
Does the thought of raising your prices make you feel greedy or does it make you wonder if you could really offer a service worth more? After listening to this episode, you'll see why charging premium prices is actually one of the best things you can do for your clients.
Charging more isn't something you're doing to your clients, you're doing it for them (and they'll be happy you did).
Are you thinking about all the expenses needed to start your own web design and SEO business? However, you do not have the funds available. Tune into this episode to know more about what I recommend in order to get started!
Starting your own web design and SEO business can take up a lot of your time especially in the beginning phase. So in this episode, we'll discuss the specific steps that you can take to grow your business faster. Tune in to know more!
Have a call or meeting coming up with a prospective client? Here's how I recommend you prepare for the meeting. Plus, an extra step you can take to continue warming up the client, showing your value and making sure the client comes fully prepared for the meeting.
You have an idea for a niche but you don't feel confident moving forward. Where is this hesitation coming from and more importantly, what can you do to know you're selecting the right niche so you can move forward with your business? Find out in this episode.
Build an agency and acquiring a pre-established agency both have their pros and cons. So which one is right for you? Here we dive into the pros and cons of each option and what to consider when selecting the right option for you.
Join me for a free, live video call on how to create income producing websites without directly serving clients at www.portableentrepreneur.com/noclients
Are you tired of serving clients or just looking for another way to generate income with your web design, SEO and marketing skills that doesn't involve you directly serving clients every day?
In this episode, we explore 3 ways to create income producing websites that generate income without having to work with clients.
Plus, join Christine Maisel for a free, live video call to learn more about each of these options in more detail here: www.portableentrepreneur.com/noclients
Which comes first? The portfolio or the client? Discover 5 options you have for building your web design or SEO portfolio without having clients. Plus, we'll also talk about whether or not you need a portfolio in order to land your first client.
Partnering with others is an excellent way to easily generate more leads in your business because...the partners are doing the lead generation for you! Here we explore 3 ways you can pay them to encourage them to send you more frequent and more high quality web design and SEO leads.
Once you send a web design or SEO proposal to a client, the waiting game begins. But how long should you wait to hear back from the client before you follow up? And do you need to wait at all? In this episode you'll learn how to stop overthinking this process and my 2 recommendations for how to send proposals and close your deals faster and easier. The Statistically Perfect Proposal: https://training.portableentrepreneur.com/better-proposals-webinar
Listen in to find out if you're making this excuse (you may not even realize you are) and how you will choose a new story to move your business forward.
To kick off the new year I’m hosting a free call where I’ll share with you my 5-Step Agency Growth Planning System so by the end of the call you will know how to craft your success plan and exactly how to start acting on it.
Join me here: www.portableentrepreneur.com/plan <<
It's so easy to get caught up in the excitement of the next best lead generation strategy but to be successful we need to make sure we are better prepared before we even dive into lead generation. In this second episode of our new years series, we cover the 3 areas to focus on for business growth in the new year. When implemented, these will help you generate better results in the upcoming year.
Successful entrepreneurs think differently. What we've been told is required to be successful isn't true. If you feel like you are always missing something in order to take the next step in your business, if you're working at your business but aren't making progress or you find yourself always avoiding the unknown or uncertain, this episode is for you. You will walk away with what you need to leave behind in 2018 in order to make the next 12 months your most successful yet.
As a web design and SEO entrepreneur, are you working on projects that are taking months to complete? Have you noticed projects that take longer are less fun, your work quality decreases as does your motivation and your overall profit goes down? If that sounds familiar, in this episode we discuss a few strategies you can implement to finish projects faster and keep your profits high.
How do you know when is the right time to start your business? Can you really start even when working full-time, having a family and other responsibilities? Here I'll share how I did it and what you need to do to make it happen.
In this episode, we're going to talk about the 4 stages of learning that most entrepreneurs go through when they're building a web design, SEO or other forms of marketing business. These stages will help to identify where we are in the learning process and how to manage the ups and downs during the learning cycle.
Ready to introduce more recurring revenue in your business while at the same time providing amazing results to your clients? Whether you're looking for a different approach or just getting started, this strategy will help you land more clients and keep them around month after month.
Make sure to also join me this week for a free training on the 5 Proven & Tested Steps to Generating More Leads & Customers for Your Clients.
Register now > www.portableentrepreneur.com/5steps
Have you ever found yourself checking out other web design and SEO companies looking for ideas or inspiration, only to end up feeling demotivated and unsuccessful? If the answer is yes, then you need to listen to this episode!
Have you ever worked with a client who drained your energy, that you hated to work with and the project took WAY longer than it should have? Today we talk about when to fire a client, how to prevent these situations moving forward and some very important questions you should be asking yourself so your focus stays on growing your business.
Are you happy with the current price that you're charging your customers for web design and SEO services? Or are you struggling to decide if you can increase your price and still attract high paying clients? If the answer is yes, then jump on over to this episode where we will talk about raising your prices and attracting the right customers in your business"
Do you face a fear of rejection? Does it hold you back in reaching out to potential clients in order to grow your web design and SEO business? If so, you need to listen to this episode. In today’s podcast, we’re going to talk about being told NO and how to learn the things that help us to get past the rejection and get into the YES territory!
Developing an entrepreneurial mindset is the first step towards building your web design and SEO business. On our special 50th episode, we are going to discuss something that every single entrepreneur goes through in their journey. I share some great clips from the private training we had with a special guest speaker inside my mentoring program Local Growth Agency so you have the opportunity to learn about what's really holding you back from your true potential.
Building a business is done one decision at a time. When you excel at decision making, your business success will excel as well. In this episode, I share three ways you can make better decisions for your web design and SEO business.
In order to make a real difference and getting the most out of your web design and SEO business, you need to question yourself if you're fully committed or are you playing it safe? One of the things that nobody really reflects upon is asking yourself, "Are you all in?"
Struggling to find your first (or next!) web design or SEO client? This episode is specifically for you and will tell you what is likely keeping you from getting the number of new clients you want.
Reading the right business books will not only help you better strategize but it will also help you develop better thinking as a web design and SEO business owner. In this episode, I share my top 3 favorite books for growing your business.
Not sure of the best domain name for your business? Today we talk about which domain name to use and whether or not to consider SEO when selecting a domain name for your web design and SEO business.
If you have never provided a service before, whether it is SEO or any other form of marketing then how do you know when you can turn off the learning mode and switch to service mode. To know more, tune into today's episode
If you're struggling on how to deal with wishy-washy people who show a lot of interest in your web design and SEO business and then don't follow up, then you need to listen to this episode!
Are you getting a decent amount of leads in your web design and SEO business, however, when you send a proposal the client often stops communicating? If your answer is yes, then you must listen to this episode as we're going to talk all about proposals.
Coming up this week, we have also partnered with the Better Proposals team to offer a free training called "The Statistically Perfect Proposal". Make sure you're registered for this webinar because it is going to be super helpful.
To be able to scale your web design and SEO agency without having to be consumed by your agency, it's important to automate parts of your business. So if you'd like to work less and get more out of your business, this is a must!
Plus, grab the free automation cheat sheet that shows you what you can automate in a web design and SEO business and how to make it happen.
In today's episode, we will talk about how we can set up proper boundaries and expectations with our clients to avoid unexpected situations
If you're looking to scale up your web design and SEO business and attract ideal clients to be able to charge higher prices then this is an episode you don't want to miss!
Are you stalling your web design and SEO business because you don't have enough time to work on it? Or you do not have enough content to post on your website? If your answer is a yes to these questions, then you really need to listen to this episode!
Find out best practices for setting up client accounts in Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Hosting and more. If you work with web design or SEO clients, you need to make sure you are doing this properly to avoid problems down the line.
Coming up with a name for your web design and SEO business can be hard. How do you pick a name and should you use your personal name or a brand name? Find out in this episode.
In today's episode, we are going to address one of the most commonly asked questions, "How do I convert my site visitors into paying customers?" If you run a web design or SEO Business or are in the planning phase, you'll definitely benefit from this podcast.
In today's episode, we're going to talk about some common obstacles faced by many web design and SEO entrepreneurs. If you are someone who would like to have a successful business but hates selling, or you get nervous on the phone, this one is for you! Tune into this episode to find out how to overcome this so you can grow your business.
In this episode, I share tips for SEO and web design businesses that are interested in serving a geographic area. There are pros and cons to whether you'd like to serve a particular niche or a specific area, but it all comes down to maximizing your pros. What makes the biggest impact is how you want your business to look.
Starting a new web design and SEO business is scary and that's how it should be! We all don't start with hindsight, we start from ground zero. In this episode, I talk about the things that are most important for your business but no one tells you about. These are some of the things that have made the biggest difference in my business that you can do too.
Finding your first client can be overwhelming if you are just starting out. In this episode, I share how to create a game plan for moving forward, what are the questions that you need to ask yourself and what is the correct approach to building and establishing a long-term relationship with clients.
Selecting a niche for your web design / SEO business is one of the best decisions you can make if you want to see results faster and easier. In this episode, I share how to brainstorm ideas for selecting a niche, plus the important questions you should be asking to make sure the niche is a good fit for your business and will be profitable for you.
Plus, I'm giving away a list of 100+ web design and SEO niche ideas.
Find client SEO reports confusing? Not anymore! In this episode I tell you the 5-parts you need to include in every client SEO report. Plus how to keep the reports simple so you can create them faster and help the client to see the value you are providing. Don't forget to download the sample client SEO report from www.portableentrepreneur.com/29
Today's question came from David who asked "What should I include in a client SEO report?"
It is easy to get a client to stay yes but sometimes, making them stay committed takes a little work. In this episode, we will discuss how to make a client stay committed on your project to help you both stay on track and achieve goals
Complaints will always be part of any business and that is okay. What’s important is how we handle it and make sure our relationship with our client is not affected. In this episode, we will learn more about how to resolve client concerns and using it to our advantage.
Finding web design and SEO clients can feel difficult and overwhelming. When this happens it's easy to resort to using freelance websites to find new jobs but is this a good approach? Here I'll share my thoughts on using freelance websites plus some tips on how to stand out if you choose to use them.
At some point after presenting a web design or SEO proposal to a potential client, you'll hear the objection "It's too expensive." But when a client says that, is that really what they mean? In this episode we dive into how to communicate with your client to avoid this pricing objection plus specific ways you can respond to successfully overcome this pricing objection and still land the deal. Plus, I'm giving away some additional pricing objection busters you can print off and keep handy for your next lead!
When speaking with a potential web design or SEO lead, it's much easier to determine if you can help them if you know your budget. The only problem is asking the budget question can feel, well...a little awkward! In today's episode you'll learn specifically how to ask a potential client for their budget in a way that continues to build trust and avoids wasting time for both parties. Plus, I'll give you the specific questions you can ask potential clients to get an honest answer from them.
There will be times that we have to deal with clients that put us in a tough situation when they don't pay for our services. After listening to this episode, you will know have a better understanding of the steps you can take to collect payments in a professional manner. We'll also discuss what you should be doing in your business to help avoid these situations. Plus, I'm giving away email and phone script templates you can use in your business so you know exactly what to say.
Partnering with other companies can be very effective for growing your web design and SEO business. Is pricing different when you work with these companies and how do you price your services accordingly? Find out in this episode! We'll be covering the do’s and don’ts you should know when working with a partner.
What is the best way to explain SEO so that clients will easily understand? That's exactly what we'll discuss in this episode. We also cover an easy way of providing an estimate to your client using a SEO Value Calculator.
When providing web design services to clients, inevitably a client will need a web hosting account. But who should set-up the account? Designer or client?
Today, we talk about your options for setting up a client hosting account, the pros and cons of each option, the hosting company that makes this process easier, and the 2 ways you can make more money from web hosting.
Episode resources:
For all the resources mentioned in this episode, visit: www.portableentrepreneur.com/20
The skills that are most useful to clients aren't the ones you might thing. In this episode, we cover how to determine which skill you should learn first, what web design and SEO clients really want you to know and why you shouldn't try to be a one-stop shop.
Today we discuss the 2 mistakes most web design and SEO entrepreneurs make when it comes to keeping clients paying month after month. We also cover what you should be focusing on to have the most success and why recurring revenue is important for long term success in your business.
Don't miss out on anything! Subscribe to Portable Entrepreneur's Podcast
Is learning to code in order to run a web design business really necessary? In this episode I share 4 things you should know before learning to code and why coding isn't the most important thing you need to know to run a business. Find out how to make your web design & SEO business not only profitable but fun too. By the end of this episode you'll know where your focus needs to be.
Continuing your SEO education is important for your business but spending too much time learning can hinder your business. In this episode, I give you my top recommendations for continuing to improve your SEO skills while still focusing on your business.
In this episode I'll be sharing my favorite SEO tools and the ones I recommend when you're first getting started. I'll also share my recommendations for selecting the right tool, what to do after you select a tool and how to get the best results.
Today we'll look at the factors you should be considering when hiring or outsourcing your web design and SEO work. Plus, we'll talk about the importance of your hiring process and building a business around what you love doing.
In this episode we discuss how to build trust with international clients even if you live in another country and speak another language. I will also share 6 key points to consider when targeting international web design and SEO clients.
In this episode, we will talk about what you should include in your SEO service packages and how to let your client know what to expect. You'll learn how to and when to communicate this with your client so both SEO and client are happy.
In this episode, you will learn about when and how to support a client post website launch and where to draw the line between supporting the client and working for free. We'll also talk recurring revenue and how to make sure you and your web design client are on the same page.
In this episode we explore the importance of growing your web design and SEO's email list and how to use email sequencing to grow your business by engaging with both current and prospective clients.
Find out the 3 changes I made in my business that had the biggest impact and the change that would have helped me make a bigger impact on my client’s businesses and earn a lot more money had I done it sooner.
In this episode we talk about narrowing down your scope to improve your conversion, the change that will help you grow faster and easier, and what you should be hyperfocused on in your business to get results.
This episode talks about the 12 signs of a bad client, how to know if a client is one to stay away from, and how to talk to a client if they show a “red flag”. This also talks about a better approach for dealing with troublesome clients, why using a 3-part qualification and sales process will reduce bad clients, and how to set clear expectations with your clients. How to professionally fire your clients
This episode talks about the best way to get client referrals, how to keep a client referral program simple when you’re getting started, and find out which clients you should be getting referrals from. It also talks about how to create a client referral program and additional tips for getting more referrals.
This episode talks about what I always talk to the client about during our first conversations and the 3 benefits to disclosing client's design style after. It also covers the right approach to starting a conversation with clients and how this conversation can help you increase recurring revenue in your business.
Learn when is the right time to create web design and SEO service packages, whether those should be displayed on your website and how to use packages to increase your sales.
Pricing your web design and SEO services can feel hard but it doesn't have to be. If you're struggling to price your services or are tired of clients negotiating on price, this episode is one you don't want to miss. You'll walk away with some actionable tips you can use to charge higher prices so you are paid what you're worth.
To receive a free, in-depth web design & SEO services pricing guide, sign-up for Portable Entrepreneur's free business planning tips.
On the next episode, we'll be talking about how and when to use service packages on your website and in your proposals so stay tuned!
To ask a question visit: www.portableentrepreneur.com/podcast
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
- Planning services to help you determine who you service (+ the free pricing guide)
- Portable Entrepreneur Podcast Giveaway
You've been thinking about starting a web design and SEO business but some people tell you you're not ready. So how do you know when is the right time to get started and what you should be able to do before working with clients? Find out my recommendations in this episode.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- How to Build a Website From Scratch Without Coding
- How to Build a Portfolio Without Clients
To ask a question visit: www.portableentrepreneur.com/podcast
Find out which service roadmap will help you get the best results not only for your business but for your client's businesses as well. Is it web design, SEO or something else? Find out now.
To learn more about determining who your ideal client is, selecting a niche and pricing your services, sign-up for the Portable Entrepreneur's series of web design & SEO business planning tips.
To ask a question visit: www.portableentrepreneur.com/podcast
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE * Portable Entrepreneur Podcast Giveaway
In this episode, you'll learn if there are there still opportunities to start a web design and SEO business. I'll tell you why you can still be successful with a new web design and SEO business even if you feel the market is oversaturated. Plus, you'll learn 2 ways you can easily stand out from the competition and grow your business.
Thanks for listening!
To ask a question visit: www.portableentrepreneur.com/podcast
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE * Portable Entrepreneur Podcast Giveaway