How to Handle Demographic and Psychographic Segmentation (without Looking Like an Idiot)

A common newbie marketing mistake is trying to talk to everyone. There are all kinds of buzzwords around speaking to a specific audience — segmentation, demographics, psychographics, generational marketing. Today Sonia talks about a few pitfalls and best practices.
Last week the New York Times ran a funny little piece about the Baby Boomers being The Next Hot Market to sell to. It sparked some thoughts on how (and why) we divide our markets into segments, the perils of trying to speak to everyone with the same message, and some of the dangerous curves on the road to segmentation.

In this 20-minute episode, Sonia Simone talks about:

Using broad terms like “Boomer” and “Millennial” when those groups are incredibly diverse
A few examples of dumb things marketers say about the millennials
Demographics vs. psychographics
The fascinating world of recommendation algorithms
How to gather psychographic information when you don’t have a massive budget
The dangerous can of worms segmentation can open, and how to handle it

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Why Open-Source-Based Communities Are So Powerful

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Carrie Dils. Carrie has been around the Genesis community for a number of years. She’s a WordPress developer, consultant, speaker, and teacher.
She loves sharing what she’s learned with others to help them be more successful in their businesses. She hosts a weekly WordPress podcast at OfficeHours.fm and is a course instructor for Lynda.com.

In this 29-minute episode Brian Gardner, Lauren Mancke, and Carrie Dils discuss:

What open-source means
How open-source projects can be attractive to developers
The pros and cons of open-source
Using helpfulness to build authority
The benefits of an open-source ecosystem
The expansion of the Office Hours podcast

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How to Create Courses to Monetize Your Brand, with David Siteman Garland

In this episode of Youpreneur FM, Chris Ducker sits down with mediapreneur David Siteman Garland to talk about online course creation.
With the rise of content marketing in the last few years, the amount of information you can find online has been growing exponentially. You no longer have to pay for most information — it’s available for free, and it’s only a few clicks away.
So, does this mean that selling info-products is dead? Not at all. The key is finding very specific problems that your audience has and offering specific solutions. The concept of selling access instead of just information is an important element too.

Today, I talk with David Siteman Garland about building awesome online courses — and becoming very profitable at it. Get ready to take notes, because this episode is jam-packed with specific, actionable advice.
David delivered some great insights into how he made his online course such a huge success. In fact, this episode is a perfect illustration of what he is talking about: provide amazingly valuable information and people will want more!
In this 57-minute episode, David and I discuss:

The earning potential of having your own online course to offer
How to create a survey to understand your audience’s needs
Testing your content before developing a course
The biggest myths of course creation and marketing
Why you shouldn’t be using YouTube to host your course content
How to market your course, the non-sleazy way

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Be Humble Enough to Ask

My guest today is the CEO and founder of Songfreedom, a music licensing platform where photographers and cinematographers can find the perfect song for their story with the click of a button.
My guest is not afraid to leap down paths others fear to tread. From young manager to music licensing entrepreneur, my guest used a natural inclination for persuasion and sales to become a leading force in the democratization and expansion of music licensing.
He is also the co-founder of UManagement, a unique and dynamic management company for artists.
Now, let’s hack …
Matt Thompson.
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Ethics, Professionalism, and Good Manners for Content Marketers

There’s a lot of great content out there … and then there’s the topic of today’s podcast. Sonia looks at the good, the bad, and the ugly.
There are two kinds of people. Some folks do the right thing for its own sake, and some do the right thing because the other option has negative consequences.
This one’s for both types.

In this 20-minute episode, Sonia Simone talks about:

Plagiarism, content theft, and how to use someone else’s material ethically
Considerations when content marketing touches on serious news
Great news for people worried about the world discovering they’re not perfect
Some elements of a good apology
Thoughts on whether or not content creators should wade into hot-button conversations
A widespread bad habit I’d love us to work on quitting

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Should You Trust Your Gut or Follow Your Mentors?

My guest today is a serial entrepreneur in the truest sense of the term.
While in college, he started importing and selling pool tables online, when he co-founded PoolTables.com. For six years he grew the company until finally selling it.
He jumped straight back into business by founding Baby.com.br, Brazil’s leading e-commerce retailer of baby products. This company went on to raise $40M+ in venture capital.

He is currently the founder and CEO of Cotopaxi, an innovative outdoor gear brand with a social mission at its core.
He is also on the United Nations Foundation Global Entrepreneurs Council, a nine-member strategic advisory council committed to finding innovative solutions to global problems.
Now, let’s hack …
Davis Smith.
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How to Find Your Next Big Thing

Entrepreneurs and independent business people are always working on the next thing, often on the side while we maintain our current income. And as your mind begins to see the world in a more entrepreneurial way, you’ll spot opportunity everywhere.
A good problem to have, right? But we know that pure economic opportunity and even the status that comes with success are not enough to make you happy.
You need that avalanche of good ideas, because you need a process to get rid of the ones that are not a good fit for who you are, and who you’d like to become through the work you choose.

Looking back over my own evolution, I started off perhaps making some choices for the wrong reasons, but adapted my process in the last 10 years to match opportunity with who I am.
Today’s guest, Jenny Blake, opens Season Three of Unemployable having written a book I think we all wish we could have had years ago. It’s called Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One, and it reveals an adaptable process that will help you weed out the wrong ideas faster, and get rolling on your next big thing.
Listen in for some great tips.
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Quantifying the ‘YouEconomy,’ with Shelby and Josh from Success Magazine

In this episode, we focus in on something that a lot of entrepreneurs go through: entrepreneurial self-doubt. Many budding entrepreneurs find themselves asking the question, “Is this right for me?”
So, today Chris dives into his personal strategy for when he faces doubts, how small goals can help you boost confidence, and so much more.
The signs are there that the business landscape has shifted once again as more and more people seem to be leaving their 9-to-5 jobs and building their own businesses based on their passions.

On today’s show, Josh and Shelby of Success magazine join me as we talk about the latest YouEconomy revolution, how it’s taken center stage in the business world, and what it means for entrepreneurs everywhere.
We also dive into the numbers and statistics behind the YouEconomy and how the magazine not only highlights the movement but also acts as a resource for entrepreneurs to show them how to really succeed in this new landscape.
This is a great episode that focuses in on the concept of taking your future into your own hands, along with so much more; so sit back, tune in, and enjoy!
In this 22-minute episode I discuss:

How the YouEconomy is changing the game for everyone, big names included
What entrepreneurs need to do to stand out as leaders in their industries
Why moonlighting is such an obvious entry point when starting your own business
Why freelancers are becoming the “new normal”
How the YouEconomy has democratized the ability to help others

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3 Questions that Can Haunt Creative Professionals

Sonia’s back on the podcast this week with suggestions on how to address three challenges that pop up often in our communities.
When we’re talking with creative professionals, and content marketers in particular, we’ve noticed certain challenges that come up again and again.

In this 22-minute episode, Sonia Simone is back on Copyblogger FM to talk about:

The “cobbler’s children have no shoes” syndrome and finding the time to work on your own site
How to know when it’s time to raise your rates
Why it can be tough to get onto your own professional calendar
The often-overlooked social media marketing technique that gets new sites off the ground
The simplest (but not easiest) way to differentiate yourself in a crowded market
The content framework that supports success for any kind of project

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The Business of Food Blogging: Is It Lucrative?

On this week’s episode, we’re joined by Shay Bocks of Feast Design Company. Shay started hustlin’ in 2008 to connect her creative gifts and ravenous curiosity with the ambition of creative entrepreneurs. Nowadays, that dream has manifested into a full-time operation serving other dreamers just like herself.
Within the Genesis community, Shay is best known for her Foodie Pro theme, one that has continually been the best-selling theme on StudioPress. She followed that up with a theme called Brunch Pro and will soon be releasing a third food blogging theme called Cook’d Pro.

In this 31-minute episode Brian Gardner, Lauren Mancke, and Shay Bocks discuss:

How Shay’s first seven jobs shaped what she does today
Challenges she faces as a small business owner
The popularity of the Foodie Pro theme
What makes a successful food blogging brand
A recipe solution: the Cookbook Plugin

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