When Marketing Can Go Wrong: Taco Bell Adds Quality Meats To Its Creative Roster, How We Are Going To Test Using AI On Our Marketing Qualified Leads

In Episode #262, Eric and Neil discuss how to drive traffic with LinkedIn. Tune in to learn how LinkedIn can actually be cheaper, some tactics you can apply to increase your click-through rate, and how you can divert your LinkedIn traffic to your own website.  Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Drive Traffic with LinkedIn 00:41 – Make sure your targeting is tight and your offer is relevant to your target people 01:01 – You can possibly get a click-through rate of 1% if the target is right and the offer is good 01:07 – These are from the newsfeed ads you see on LinkedIn 01:12 – After seeing the 1% click-through rate, switch the advertising to CPM for cheaper clicks 01:28 – Eric’s click-through rates have gone up to 2-3% 01:39 – You think you can’t make LinkedIn cheap, but you can actually can 01:43 – Add everyone who adds you as friend on LinkedIn; the limit is 30K friends 01:53 – Take all your contacts from your website, post your blog posts on LinkedIn once a day, using the first paragraph or two—then, add a link to continue reading at the bottom 02:05 – That will drive traffic from LinkedIn to your website 02:09 – Neil increased his overall traffic through this tactic 02:30 – Adding the share button is also an option 02:38 – Using Zapier and IFTTT, you can push your updates to LinkedIn automatically 02:58 – LinkedIn drives leads 03:13 – Every time Neil publishes a blog post, he shares it to every marketing group in LinkedIn 03:26 – Participate in the group as well and add value 03:32 – Buffer is also good for sharing in groups 04:07 – That’s it for today’s episode! 3 Key Points: Target your offer to the right demographic. You can get higher click-through rates and cheaper clicks in LinkedIn. Posting your blog posts in LinkedIn and sharing them to groups can significantly boost your overall traffic. Leave some feedback: What should we talk about next? Please let us know in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with us: NeilPatel.com Quick Sprout Growth Everywhere Single Grain Twitter @neilpatel Twitter @ericosiu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

19 Huhti 20177min

In Episode #261, Eric and Neil discuss how to capture more email addresses at conferences. Tune in to learn the routers that you can bring to conferences that make acquiring new email addresses easier. Eric and Neil also discuss the right and most efficient way to network at these conferences. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Capture More Email Addresses at Conferences 00:40 – A startup called Zenreach has a router that allows you to collect emails and it behaves like an automation sequence as well 01:18 – Everybody needs wi-fi, especially in conferences 01:34 – Another way to collect email is to go to the conference’s bar or networking hall and have a chat with people 01:47 – See how you can help people, collect cards, and follow-up 02:02 – If you don’t want to drink, you don’t have to 02:30 – Neil doesn’t really drink at conferences 02:58 – Neil usually gets selfie requests at conferences 03:08 – Evernote Premium can scan a business card and add the email address automatically to your contact form 03:34 – You can also take a picture using the FullContact app, then link it to your Zapier which adds people to LinkedIn automatically 04:02 – Using Zapier with Evernote and FullContact will make your life easier 04:20 – After adding the contacts in your phone, you can add them to your Google Apps as well 04:39 – Make sure you take multiple routers with you to conferences 04:55 – Neil has a good post on networking 05:05 – “Don’t be the guy that hangs around and tries to prolong the conversation” 05:14 – Be efficient with your time 05:18 – Just try to add value 05:31 – That’s it for today’s episode! 3 Key Points: You can collect emails at a conference through online tools and casual conversations. If the conversation is about to die, just say nice to meet you and move on. At the end of the day, It’s all about sharing and adding value. Leave some feedback: What should we talk about next? Please let us know in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with us: NeilPatel.com Quick Sprout Growth Everywhere Single Grain Twitter @neilpatel Twitter @ericosiu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

18 Huhti 20178min

In Episode #260, Eric and Neil discuss the 7 SEO tasks you can start automating today. They drop tried and true tools that will help you automate SEO tasks—eliminating the risk for human error and streamlining your workflow processes. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: 7 SEO Tasks You Can Start Automating Today 00:33 – First is to use Ahrefs for link alerts 00:47 – It shows the new links that have been acquired by your competitors 00:56 – The link alerts can be sent to you 01:15 – Eric shares an example of how to link build depending on your niche 01:36 – Buzzsumo is a tool that can be used for link building, too 01:43 – Second is to use IFTTT: If This Then That to automate social sharing 02:00 – You can also time it 02:15 – Zapier is quite similar to IFTTT 02:22 – You can hook your blog RSS feed to your Slack 02:47 – SEO is like Formula 1 racing where fine tuning is essential 03:03 – One of the best WordPress plugs is in Yoast 03:17 – If you have WordPress multi-channel, Yoast automatically generates the site maps for each domain 03:42 – You can also use Zapier to hook in your RSS feed to your spreadsheet 04:07 – Your content writers can internally link to the links that you have 04:45 – Sixth is to sign-up for an SEO product like MOZ and OnPage 05:01 – It will automatically notify you when something is off with your SEO 05:28 – Track your keywords using Authority Labs 06:18 – Go to Google Analytics and set up alerts there 06:39 – That’s it for today’s episode! 3 Key Points: Automating SEO tasks eliminates room for human error. SEO requires fine tuning and consistent tweaks. Tracking your keywords will help you improve your ranking. Leave some feedback: What should we talk about next? Please let us know in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with us: NeilPatel.com Quick Sprout Growth Everywhere Single Grain Twitter @neilpatel Twitter @ericosiu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

17 Huhti 201710min

In Episode #259, Eric and Neil discuss how to improve your conversion rate using images. Images can easily work for or against you—do they support your message or story? Do they evoke the right emotions? Tune in to learn why custom images convert better than stock photos and the importance of A/B testing your images to maximize on its performance. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Improve Your Conversion Rate Using Images 00:45 – Eric has custom images for his website and custom gifs for his homepage 01:06 – For custom images, you can repurpose them, unlike stock photos 01:14 – Eric’s conversion rates went up on their A/B testing 01:27 – Design is a priority for Eric 01:36 – KlientBoost is an agency focused on design 02:05 – A design that helps convey your message can increase conversion 02:16 – Neil added a heat map in the header 02:39 – Neil used animated gifs that was relevant to the product and service—that change showed a 15-16% increase in the conversion 03:12 – Design Pickle is a good place for graphic designers to make your images 03:22 – As per the founder, you can also request a specific design like an infographic 03:35 – Flat fee is $370 a month for unlimited designs 03:42 – Canva is a good tool for creating images for free 04:04 – Infogram is a quick and easy way to make custom graphics 04:10 – If you use images, make sure it shows a process—make sure it’s not too distracting or hard to visualize 04:38 – If your images are too distracting, it might lessen the conversion rate 04:53 – One digital marketer used the image of an iPhone battery draining when they sold tickets on Facebook 05:19 – Think of how you can draw people’s emotions with your images 05:59 – Test different variations of images 05:52 – Test out different images in different ads tests 06:04 – That’s it for today’s episode! 3 Key Points: Custom images convert more than stock images. If you don’t have a graphic designer, there are tons of tools you can use to create your own custom images. Make your images easy on the eye, make sure it depicts a process or story, and triggers the right emotions. Leave some feedback: What should we talk about next? Please let us know in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with us: NeilPatel.com Quick Sprout Growth Everywhere Single Grain Twitter @neilpatel Twitter @ericosiu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

16 Huhti 20179min

In Episode #258, Eric and Neil discuss the 7 ways to increase Facebook likes without spending a dollar. Increasing your Facebook likes doesn’t have to be an over-complicated process—sometimes all it takes is you asking and reaching out to the people you know. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: 7 Ways to Increase Facebook Likes Without Spending a Dollar 00:35 – First, add the Facebook Widget to your website 00:50 – Second is building up your fan page 01:03 – Use your personal profile to connect with other individuals 01:10 – Do shoutout for shoutout 01:33 – Third is to simply ask 01:44 – Send an intro email to your list asking them to like your page 01:50 – Look at your competitor's posts in BuzzSumo and type in the SEO keywords that are getting likes 02:08 – Share your competitor’s content and ask them to like or share your page, too 02:28 – Just create great content, in general 02:50 – Eric would write content and if people liked it, they would share it 03:07 – Sixth, focus on timing 03:31 – Promoting your content 03:44 – Reach out to people who can do direct outreach 03:48 – Use Pitchbox to help you organize your outreach 04:00 – Boosting a post can also increase your page likes 04:09 – That’s it for today’s episode! 3 Key Points: Build up your fan page by connecting with people using your personal profile. Simply ask people to like your page – there’s no harm in sending out an email requesting so. Track the best time that people are engaging, then promote and organize your outreach accordingly. Leave some feedback: What should we talk about next? Please let us know in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with us: NeilPatel.com Quick Sprout Growth Everywhere Single Grain Twitter @neilpatel Twitter @ericosiu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15 Huhti 20177min

In Episode #257, Eric and Neil discuss whether it is a good time to start a marketing agency. Tune in to learn why starting a marketing agency today IS a great thing due to the internet. Also, Eric and Neil tell you how to keep yourself competitive against the other big guys in the marketing agency space. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: Is It a Good Time to Start a Marketing Agency? 00:39 – Neil just started an agency 01:09 – Neil generates an average of 300-500 leads 01:31 – It IS a great time because online marketing is trackable 01:58 – Facebook and Google’s market cap is so high 02:10 – The real question is: are you good enough to start an agency? 02:47 – Eric thought that their competition was going to eat them up 03:04 – When you’re trying to be a full-service agency and you’re trying to work with all types of clients, that’s when you set yourself up for failure 03:14 – You should focus on a certain area at the start 03:35 – As long as the platforms are out there and they have your attention, there is room for everyone 03:56 – The specialist tends to do their best 04:20 – When you’re starting off, you’re going to compete with the big guys 04:30 – The weakness of the big guys is that they’re not personable 05:03 – Neil’s sample pitch for the big guys 05:27 – Use the company’s weakness against them when pitching against them 05:38 – Go out there and establish relationships 06:06 – Being able to connect with people is going to help you 06:18 – Neil talks about partnership with people in the industry 06:44 – Neil’s Advance Marketing Program 06:55 – That’s it for today’s episode! 3 Key Points: Online marketing is trackable—making it easier to know if your efforts are working. The real question is: are you good enough to start an agency? Establish relationships with the people in your market and build partnerships. Leave some feedback: What should we talk about next? Please let us know in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with us: NeilPatel.com Quick Sprout Growth Everywhere Single Grain Twitter @neilpatel Twitter @ericosiu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Huhti 201710min

In Episode #256, Eric and Neil discuss how to convert your leads into paying clients. Tune in to learn the most effective ways to convert your leads, such as being mindful of your response time and how often you check in with your clients. Eric and Neil also explain why documenting your leads is essential in scaling your business. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Convert Your Leads into Paying Clients 00:40 – There was a study about calling your leads 01:04 – One of Eric’s clients was impressed by their speed 01:23 – If you don’t follow up on a deal quick enough, you will lose a lot of them 01:30 – Converting a lead happens through a lot of follow up 02:09 – Neil uses Yesware to keep track of the follow up 02:29 – Some people focus more on the content without tracking if the leads are opening up or not 03:03 – Track how often you touch base with your client 03:25 – Have a process so it’s easier to pass this onto another person, if needed 03:30 – Document your tracking 03:47 – If you’re trying to scale a business, you need to have everything documented and not just in your head 03:55 – Once you have something on paper, you know where to find it 04:09 – Neil refers to F1 racing as an example 04:42 – Converting requires fine tuning the process 05:11 – What clients said about Eric that made them convert 05:46 – For every lead that doesn’t convert, get in contact with them, and talk to them about why they didn’t sign up 06:03 – Answer their objections for future pitches 06:14 – Marketing School is giving away a copy of Yesware, which is a great sales tool 06:45 – To enter, subscribe, rate and review Marketing School 06:49 – Text MAREKTINGSCHOOL to 33444 06:59 – Eric and Neil paid for the giveaway and wants the listeners to know how helpful the tools are 07:22 – That’s it for today’s episode! 3 Key Points: Call your leads and follow up ASAP—speed is a huge factor when it comes to sealing a deal. The more you follow up on your leads, the more chance you have for them to convert. Know your customer’s objections and use this knowledge to fine tune your process and responses. Leave some feedback: What should we talk about next? Please let us know in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with us: NeilPatel.com Quick Sprout Growth Everywhere Single Grain Twitter @neilpatel Twitter @ericosiu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

13 Huhti 201710min

In Episode #255, Eric and Neil discuss how to keep track of emerging trends in your industry. Tune in to learn why networking is of the utmost importance when it comes to being up to date with the latest trends and tools. You’ll also find out what blogs and social media platforms Eric and Neil use to stay on top of their game. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:27 – Today’s topic: How to Keep Track of Emerging Trends in Your Industry 00:37 – Eric looks at Feedly to take their RSS feeds and segment them 00:52 – When Eric wakes up, he’s puts them into Pocket which is his “read later” tool 01:02 – Looking at the headlines in the morning gives Eric an idea on what is going on and gets his brain moving 01:23 – Neil uses Twitter 01:31 – It is still a great tool to know the latest in your industry 01:49 – Follow the people within your industry 01:59 – For Twitter, Eric uses Tweetbot 02:29 – Eric likes Twitter because when something big happens, it will trend easily 03:03 – Listen to different podcasts in your industry 03:24 – The new tactics and trends can be easily shared through podcasts 03:59 – Eric and Neil discuss with each other what they are doing and their results 04:30 – Eric and Neil are doing this with other people in their space 04:35 – “If you’re not networking with people, you’re not going to be ahead of them” 04:40 – Eric had a chat with Sean Ellis of Growth Hacker 04:52 – Shawn shares why he started Growth Hacker 05:04 – If you meet with other people, you can build relationships 05:18 – Eric shares when he went to the Traffic and Conversion Conference 05:25 – One of Neil’s business partners connected with one of Eric’s friends 06:16 – Make sure you reciprocate 06:28 – Eric enjoys looking at Venture Capital blogs like CB Insights, Mattermark and Crunchbase 07:03 – It can give you an idea of where things are going, in general 07:13 – That’s it for today’s episode! 3 Key Points: Twitter might be dead, but it is still a good platform to know what is currently happening in your space. Networking with people in your industry builds relationships and helps you stay updated on the latest news and trends. You will learn more if you reciprocate. Leave some feedback: What should we talk about next? Please let us know in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with us: NeilPatel.com Quick Sprout Growth Everywhere Single Grain Twitter @neilpatel Twitter @ericosiu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

12 Huhti 201710min