The Graham Cochrane Show (Graham Cochrane)

Email deliverability is huge when it comes email marketing

There's nothing I hate more than sending a powerful email to my list of subscribers only to have it end up in their junk folder.

How can I expect someone to click on my offer link let alone open the email and even SEE that I'm offering something if that email never lands in their inbox in the first place?!

In today's episode I'm going to help you out. There are 4 simple things you can be doing right now to increase your email deliverability and thereby increase your chances of making a sale. Inside I cover:

• Your ideal open rates for a healthy email list

• Why open rates only tell half the story

• My favorite tool for ensuring my emails don't go to spam

Most people assume that the only way to build a business from the ground up is to grind it out with 60, 70, or even 80 hour work weeks. Especially at the beginning.

In fact, many think that's how I started my business. Sure these days it only takes me 5 or so hours a week to run it but they assume I was hustling hard in the early days.

Not true.

The max I've ever put into my business is 32 hours a week.

And it's all because of a challenge. Years ago, someone older, and wiser than me presented me with the No Fridays challenge - and it changed my life.

Today I want to share that story with you and then help you take the challenge yourself. In this episode I'll reveal:

• The 3 reasons you MUST take Fridays off

• How to easily free up 8 hours a week, without needing to hire someone

• Other creative ways to apply the No Fridays challenge in your business

Email marketing is still the best way to sell your digital products and grow your online business, but when it comes to writing promo emails and sending them to our email list most of us get stressed out.

We don't want to feel pushy or "salesy", and yet we still need the emails to work! (i.e. sell)

Did you know that you could sum up all promo emails into two categories? The hard sell and the soft sell. But which one is best for your business? That's what I want to discuss in today's episode, including:

• When exactly in your promo to use hard sell and soft sell emails

• How to write marketing emails that feel genuine and non pushy

• A simple "test" to know whether your email is going to be effective or not before you send it.

Most entrepreneurs I know say they don't have enough time to work on the important stuff in their business.

But the reality is, that's not how time works.

We don't "have" time we "make" time. And the only way to "make" more time is to stop wasting time on things that truly don't move the business forward.

Today I want to share with you what I've discovered to be the 5 biggest time wasters that most entrepreneurs struggle with...myself included.

After listening, your homework is simple: figure which of these 5 is your #1 time waster and take one step to eliminating it from your daily and weekly rhythm. Let's dive in!

If you've launched your online course and are trying to find out how to turn it into an automated income stream then today's episode is for you.

Evergreen online course sales are the backbone of a healthy online business. Why? Two reasons:

1. They create dependable, predictable income

2. They allow you to work less and earn more

But HOW you turn an online course into a perennial seller as an evergreen course is critical.

Today I want to share with you the three components you need in place to create evergreen income from your course, including:

• How to time your sales pitch to be most effective

• What to cover in your email funnel

• And how to maximize your evergreen course revenue without lifting a finger

Evergreen course sales are so foundational to the lifestyle I'm able to live and I bet they will be the same for you if you implement this material!

If you want your online business to grow you need people to actually open your emails and click on your stuff. Brilliant insight, I know.

But here's the thing, too many people spend all their effort crafting a (hopefully) powerful email that converts only to whip up a subject line at the last minute with little to thought or careful consideration.

What you end up with is email subject lines like this one: "Better Body Bootcamp Announcement 1"

Whaaaaaaa??!! 😱

Yeah, that was an actual subject line I saw (product name has been changed).

Would you open that email?! At best it's a "maybe". And that my friend isn't good enough.

Today I want to share with you 3 rules for writing email subject lines that actually get people to want to open your emails. In this episode I reveal:

• The two core types of email subject lines that work every time

• What tone of subject line that will separate you from every other person promoting in people's inbox

• How to promote your products without having to "promote" your products

Here's to writing better subject lines that actually make people click!

I want to ask you an important question: Why do you work?

Why do you do what you do each and every day? Why are you working so hard to build and grow your online business? This is bigger than just what your specific goals are. I'm curious as to the motivation behind those goals - the why (or whys) behind your effort.

Let me put it a different way. If you had made millions of dollars in your business, would you keep working? If yes, then why?

That's what I want to share with you today as I unpack the 6 reasons why I still show up to work each week even though I don't have to financially. In this episode I break down:

• How getting clear on your "why" helps you deal with both adversity and success

• Why I most certainly will never truly "retire"

• What specific Bible verses inform my 6 "whys"

Most people are leaving money on the table when they launch their online course. I don't want that to happen to you.

I'll be honest with you though. The three things that will affect how much money you make with your course launch the most are likely set in stone at this point. Those factors are: the size of your email list, price of your product, and relevancy of your offer.

However there are still a few things you can do during launch week that will increase your revenue. I call these launch revenue multipliers, and in today's video I'm going to share with you:

• Why most people won't buy during your launch (and what you can do about it)

• How to instantly increase your average order value without making more sales

• How to identify your super fans during launch week and offer them even more value (so you make more money)

Happy Launching!

One of the beautiful things about having a membership site is recurring revenue. People sign up once and then their credit card is billed every month until the end of time - or at least that's the dream.

But if you own a membership site of your own then you know the reality is much different. People churn (or cancel) every month and it has a huge affect on your bottom line.

The key to making money with memberships is to not only sign up new members but to keep your existing members from cancelling. So in today's episode I want to share with you 5 specific ways you can keep people from cancelling your membership site. In this episode you will learn:

• Two pricing tricks to keep people around longer

• How to make your community more "sticky"

• The biggest thing I learned from the membership master Stu McLaren

Enjoy!

The most important thing you could be doing for your online business is growing your email list.

But Graham! How can I grow my list faster? I don't have enough people on my email list?

Today I have you covered. In this episode I share four simple ways to increase your email opt ins, grow your list, so you can ultimately grow your income and serve more people. Specifically I break down how you can:

• Know exactly what lead magnet to offer your audience

• Leverage every piece of content you make so it's growing your business automatically

• Hijack other people's audiences and email lists to grow your own!

Enjoy!

Just because have an online course doesn't mean you're ready to sell. Unless you have a killer sales page, no one is going to buy it!

So what I thought I would do today is walk you through a simple process you can follow to write your next sales page in just 60 minutes. This framework won't be overwhelming, confusing, or long.

All it takes is one hour!

In this episode I walk you through the most important questions you need to answer about your product before you write a single word of sales copy. Questions that will help you:

• Grab your prospects attention and curiosity instantly

• Create empathy with your potential customers so they trust you more and want to buy from you

• Get to the heart of what makes people pull out their credit card and buy - even with a short sales page!

I hope you not only enjoy this episode but also take massive action on it by setting aside 60 minutes this week to write your next sales page using this framework! Enjoy!

What would your life look like if you took a year off of social media? How would you feel? Would your business continue to thrive?

These were all questions I had 12 months ago when I set off on a one year social media fast. No Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok, Clubhouse. None of it.

And now that my 365 day break has come to a close it's time for an update! In this episode I cover these big questions:

• Did I miss it?

• Did I feel out of the loop?

• Did not engaging with people affect my business?

• What was the best thing about taking the break?

• Am I going back?

Whether or not you join me on a social media fast of your own or if you love these platforms, I hope you find this episode insightful and encouraging!

So you have an online course (or two) and you're wondering whether you'd sell more copies and make more money if you offered a payment plan option.

But you have questions, like: How many payments should you offer? What are the downsides to offering a payment plan? When is the best time in the sales process to mention a payment plan?

Have no fear! Today I'm going to break down the pros and cons of offering payment plans for your online courses and then give you my personal stance on them so you can decide if payment plans are for you.

As your online business starts growing and you begin making more profit you need to decide what to do with that money to build your wealth.

The last thing you want to happen is that you make a lot of money, live it up for a few years, and then have nothing left to show for it in your later years. Business is about more than lifestyle, it's about wealth building and changing your family tree.

So today I want to share with you what I think are the 4 best investments you can make with your business profit each month so you can not only make money but keep (and grow) it for the future!

Not everyone running an online business has the same goals.

Sure some people want to "escape" their 9-5 and go "full time" with their passive income business. But not everybody.

Today I want to share with you the 3 different levels of online business so you can decide which one aligns with your goals and your dreams so you can stop feeling the pressure to model your business off of someone else with an entirely different set of goals.

One of the most common struggles I see online business owners making is with promoting to their email list. They just don't know how or how often to sell. These are some of the questions I get:

"What if I bug my list too much?"

"What if they unsubscribe?"

"What's the right ratio of sales emails to content emails?"

Today I'm going to give you the simple back of the envelope answer to the "how often" question so you can feel confident promoting and selling to your list. Plus I'm going to give you a simple tool that you should 100% be using to keep your selling and promoting balanced.

If I could encourage you with anything as you build your online business it would be this: you can break the rules.

There is no one "right" way to build an online income stream that serves a ton of people and takes care of you and your family. You have way more freedom thank you think to ignore the gurus (myself included) and chart your own path.

To drive this point home, today I'm going to share with you 3 classic online business "rules" or best practices that I intentionally break, explain why I break them, and show you how my business has only skyrocketed in revenue and reach in spite of it all.

Here's to the freedom to build your business and life your way!

Pop quiz: Would you like to make more money in your business while working less?

The answer should be YES!

Well today I want reveal three normal everyday tasks I gave up that not only gave me my time back but actually allowed my business to skyrocket at the same time. And yes they are related!

Full disclosure: one of these tasks is super controversial to quit, and another is so sneaky you don't even know you're doing it!

Are you ready for permission to quit some stuff and make more money in the process? I thought so!

Membership sites are like the holy grail of passive income businesses. But they are also incredibly misunderstood.

From all the students I've coached who have membership sites or want to build a membership site I've come learn there are a few huge myths out there that many online business owners are falling for. Today I want to break down the 3 big ones so you are in the know and can get the most out of your membership.

Once you know the truth about what goes into a successful membership site I think you'll have a lot more fun and make a lot more money!

Do you know where your money goes the moment you make it? Do you have a plan for that money before it even hits your account? Are you keeping your money in the right place?

If you're like most small business owners you are likely focused on just one side of the money equation - the making of the money. Rarely are we thinking about where to put that money once it's been made.

Today I want to share with you the 5 types of bank accounts you should be putting your money in each and every month so that you can avoid tax issues, build wealth, and have peace of mind.

No, you don't need more customers, email subscribers, or money pumped into ads to increase your income.

You likely are leaving money on the table with your current offerings.

If you have only one tier/option for your product at one price you’re making a mistake. Some people will be glad to spend more with you if you only offered more value. Give people the option to give you more money!

And when done right, tiered pricing can easily increase your average order value by 25-50% - all without lifting a finger! Let me show you how.

If you do any kind of email marketing then you likely pay close attention to an important stat called "open rate".

And if your list is anything like mine (and everyone else's on planet earth) then you might be a bit disappointed to see that not everyone opens your emails. What the heck?! How could they not care about your awesome emails as much as you?!?

I feel your pain.

Here's the thing though - unopened emails aren't a waste. In fact there are 3 huge reasons why they are anything BUT a waste. In fact, they can be powerful tools for your business. Let's discuss.

Are you as productive as you'd like to be when working on your business?

Or are you scrambling each week trying to get as much done as you can, stuffing as much into each work day as you possibly can?

Been there done that. After running an online business for nearly 12 years now, I've tried just about every kind of work schedule you can imagine. Here's what I've learned: time blocking is the key.

In that decade plus I've developed 4 simple time blocking strategies I use to stay productive without feeling rushed or stressed.

When it comes to online courses, you might be wondering: How much is too much to charge for your online course? How cheap is too cheap?

The short answer is: it depends.

I have a simple pricing framework I use to determine what I should be charging for my online courses and today I want to share it with you. Also at the end of this episode I give you a few other things to consider when it comes to online course pricing and finding that sweet spot.

What can a book published in 1926 based on an ancient civilization teach us about how to handle our money, grow our businesses, and see success in our lives today?

If it's The Richest Man In Babylon by George S. Clason - it can teach us a lot!

Today I'm bringing back the book reviews, starting with one of my favorite little books of all time, The Richest Man In Babylon. In this episode I break down the 3 golden nuggets from the book and how you can apply them to your life and business right now, including:

• How to build true wealth
• The secret to goal setting
• And why some people seem to have more "luck" than others

Do you struggle to know how to sell to your email list when it's time to launch or promote a product?

Have you ever stared at a blank email screen completely at a loss for what to say that won't sound too salesy, pushy, or generic?

Today I want to help you out by giving you not one, not two, but FIVE email templates you can use to sell your products to your list. These email types work great for online courses, membership sites, or even online coaching.

If you're thinking about launching a membership site this year, that's awesome! Membership sites have been a huge source of income, growth, and fun for me and my business over the years.

However HOW you launch and WHEN you launch a membership site is critical to its success.

Today I want to break down some practical dos and don'ts of membership site launches so you can not only make as much money as possible but help as many people as possible over a long period of time.

Every year I play a little game. I try and maintain or grow my business while working fewer and fewer hours in it.

Working less is a huge part of my business model (so I can live more fully and give myself to those around me) and today I want to share with you how to do it.

Specifically I want to share 3 powerful rules you should follow if you want to work less while at the same time increase your income, impact, and enjoyment of your business!

If you build and sell online courses then I have some good news for you. 2021 will likely be a good year for you.

If 2020 was any indication, online courses and membership sites are only growing in popularity and demand. There are a few global trends at play here that lead me to believe this will only surge in 2021.

Today I break down my prediction for digital course creators like us and the two implications for you and your business!

Every year I get away for two nights and do some focused work ON my business (as opposed to just working IN my business). I look back at the previous year and look ahead to the next, planning out specific elements of my business, schedule, and goals.

This year I decided to show you my process so you can get some ideas of how to implement your own year end planning retreat. Keep in mind that you can do this retreat ANY time you like. End of the year, beginning of the year, the middle of the year. It doesn't matter.

Also, feel free to adopt some of what I'm doing and tweak it to fit your goals and needs.

Making money in your online business is one thing. Knowing what to DO with it is something entirely different!

I've seen so many talented people who learn how to generate a good income online, lose it just as quickly because they make one or all of these 3 critical money mistakes.

I don't want that to happen to you. So I'm going to get super practical today as I expose the biggest things to watch out for as you start growing your online business.

In 2015 I was hitting a plateau in my business. I had grown my income further than I could have ever dreamed, but I was at a ceiling.

On top of that, I felt alone and burned out. But then I joined my first mastermind group changed all of that for me. I got new insights, was challenged in fresh ways, and was encouraged to dream bigger and try new things. And my business grew! 

Instead of looking for new knowledge, I looked for like minded entrepreneurs who were committed to my success and held me accountable. I found these in one off friendships, people I met at conferences, and multiple paid mastermind groups.

Today I want to explain to you what a mastermind is (and is not), what it can do for you and your business.

Do you struggle to complete tasks in your business or stay on top of your goals?

Have you felt overwhelmed by #AllTheThings and feel like you put in the work but have little income to show for it?

If so, then you might be in need of a system that helps you stay productive in your online business. And by system I don't mean paying for some fancy app. I mean having a process for getting stuff done.

Personally I use a stupidly simple 4 part process that helps me achieve my business and income goals, while keeping my work hours manageable and free of stress.

Let's be honest, most of the gurus and "experts" in the online business space make you feel yucky inside.

Just me?!

With so much garbage out there it can be hard to discern what resources are really worth your time and which experts are truly for your success. Today I thought I would make that search a little easier for you.

I want to share with you 3 of my favorite online business experts and specifically 6 things I've learned from their collective wisdom. After listening to this episode, do yourself a favor and go check out their content yourself!

I don't know much about the future but one thing is certain - 2021 is going to continue to see some economic challenges world wide.

Now, I'm an optimist (and history would back me up on this) so I believe that things will get better. We've been through worse. But it might be rocky for a while.

If that is the case, how will your business hold up? Will you make it through the fire so to speak and live to fight another day?

Today I want to give you 4 ways to pandemic proof your online business for 2021 so that you can not only survive hard times, but thrive and position yourself for long term success!

What does it take to grow your YouTube channel and get more views?

Well, short of taking your clothes off or doing something incredibly shocking, it seems that gaining traction on YouTube is all up to chance.

Except it's not.

There is a tried and true method for getting more views, watch time, and subscribers on YouTube. In fact there are 3 powerful types of videos that perform really well on YouTube and I'd like to share them with you today.

Do you want to know the secret to wealth and prosperity?

Here you go: stop focusing on yourself!

Instead focus on influencing others, inspiring change in their lives, and then my friend you can't help but prosper. It really is that simple.

And today I want to speak from the heart. No notes. No script. Just what I truly believe will both help you reach your income goals and make the world a better place at the same time!

Tell me if you've ever had one of these thoughts:

"Who am I to teach this?"

"I’m not an expert."

"I don’t have any credentials."

Welcome to the club my friend. According to the Journal of Behavioral Science 70% of us struggle with this thing called Imposter Syndrome, no matter how successful we are.

Part of being an expert is going to be a battle with your own fears and insecurities. No way around it.

However, you can become an expert in your field. In fact it's a relatively straightforward process. So clear in fact that I've outlined it all in an easy to digest and follow 7 step formula.

And today I'd like to teach you that formula.

Fun fact: I'm not the only online business owner in my house.

My wife (a multi six figure CEO) has been running a version of her photography business ever since we got married 15 years ago this week. And I've learned a lot about business just by observing her.

So to celebrate 15 years of marriage to this amazing woman I decided to share 15 powerful and practical lessons on business that I've picked up from her over the years in the hopes that even just one of them will encourage and inspire you today in your business!

Let's play a little game of True or False when it comes to online courses.

TRUE: Anyone can build and launch an online course today.

FALSE: Everyone who launches an online course will make hundreds of thousands of dollars.

So what is the difference maker between just launching and actually making good money with online courses?

Turns out there a FEW difference makers and today I want to share them with you. I want to unpack the 3 biggest online course myths I see floating around on the Internet so you can avoid them and get to making money!

I recently surveyed over 10,000 of my students asking what their biggest goal was this year. Do you know what most people said?   To launch their first online course.   And do you know how much money most of them wanted to earn from their course specifically? $1000 per month.   Seems like a reasonable goal to me. But they haven't achieved it yet.   I then asked in the survey what is their biggest frustration, holding them back from achieving that goal. And what stood out to me was a clear thread of 4 distinct reasons why my students hadn't launched yet.   Today I want to share those 4 reasons with you in the hopes that we can break down those obstacles and help you launch an online course this year!

If you're trying to make money on YouTube or become a YouTuber then I'm here to tell you "Stop!"   If you actually want to reach your financial goals there is a much better vehicle than trying to make money on YouTube - selling online courses!   Today I'm going to break down the pros and cons of running a YouTube based business and an online course based business, give you some real numbers, and help you figure out which business model makes sense for you!

Which is better for your online business, a membership site or a Facebook group?   Are they basically the same thing? If not, how different are they? And should they be free or paid?   Today I'm going to break down the pros and cons of both a membership site and a Facebook group (including a hybrid of both) and share with you what I think is the BEST route for you to actually make more money in your online business.

I launched my first membership site way back in 2012.   And while that became a multi-six figure a year product for many years, I made a ton of newbie mistakes along the way that held it back in the early years.   In fact there are 3 critical mistakes I made that I don't want YOU to make with your first (or 5th) membership site. If you can avoid these, you can not only grow bigger but grow faster.   I've since launched two more six figure membership sites and you better believe I do things a bit differently today.   Let's jump in and make sure you are launching (or growing) your membership site the right way.

What would an extra $500 to $1,000 a month do for your world?   For most of us, that is game changing money.   You could pay off debt faster, save for your kids’ college, give more to your church, or even replace a car with cash within a year!   Or maybe you’ve got all those financial goals covered but you’d just love to LIVE a bit more in the here and now. Maybe take a much needed vacation or have money for a regular date night (babysitters ain’t cheap these days!)   Whatever the reason - having a side business that could generate extra income like that might be a dream for you.   But for many of us it remains only that, a dream.   That’s because in order to have a business that makes $500, $1000, or even $4000 a month requires time - and that is unfortunately in short supply for the majority of us!   Work, school, kids, marriage, church, friends, community, exercise, eating, sleeping - it all takes time!   So today I want to break down the task of starting an online business into 3 simple steps you can follow - even if you only have 30 minutes a day!

For the first four years of my business I did absolutely everything myself. And it worked.   That was the problem. It worked a little too well.   While my income grew so did my audience and my customer base. It got harder and harder to keep up with all of the email inquiries (both good and bad) that I found myself spending 3+ hours a day in my inbox.   After a frustrating moment on vacation (laptop in hand) I broke down and made my first hire. Today I want to share the details of that story AND give you a step by step plan to make your first hire so that you can get out of your own way and grow your business.

A couple of years ago a team conducted the largest study of millionaires ever.   They surveyed over 10,000 millionaires (people who have a net worth of at least $1M) to see what the hard data showed these successful people had in common. Or IF they had anything in common.   The survey results, put together in the book Everyday Millionaires by Chris Hogan, are fascinating. And encouraging!   What I found most intriguing were 6 habits that the majority of millionaires have that are so insanely simple that you can I can copy them right now - and today I want to share those with you!

It used to be that the wealthy would flaunt their status by spending copious amounts of money on things like fancy purses, expensive cars, and massive mansions.   But have we as a culture become so sick and twisted that we now try and flaunt how hard we work as the new status symbol of choice?   Today I'm pulling back the curtain on a pervasive shift in what we take pride in as Americans, starting with three of the world's top CEOs - and then bringing it all the way down to you and me.

Have you ever felt stuck in your online business journey, unable to reach a consistent amount of income every month?   That's what one of my students, Stephen, told me in my Six Figure Coaching Community just the other day. He's been teaching guitar for 10 years and creating content online for a long time - and yet he's unable to reach $1000 a month in revenue.   He expressed discouragement that some people seem to make money easily online while others (like himself) struggle.   My response to him was straightforward. Making $1000 a month (or any amount) consistently and reliably comes down to two simple things. Today I want to break them down for you and do a case study on how Stephen (and you) can pull it off.

Oh Internet Marketers, what are we going to do with you guys?!   Today I've gotta rant about what I'm seeing as the worst Internet Marketing strategy right now and why you should do the opposite of what they tell you.   And it's not just the sleaze bags in this industry - some of the good guys and gals do this and it just drives me bonkers!   After I share what the strategy is and why I don't like (or use) it, I'll give you four reasons why doing the opposite of what they preach actually will help you grow your business faster!

I know I'm the guy always telling you to start an online business, build passive income, and launch a digital product, but I honestly don't want you to start down that path until you've heard what I'm about to say.   As much as everyone makes running an online business look glamorous, it has a dark side.   Actually, it has three dark sides. And today I want to share with you those three biggest negatives to online business. But that's not all.   I want to share with you three ways you can redeem those negatives and turn them into positives so you can start or run an online business that thrives!

Why would someone buy your course if there is so much information available for free?   This is probably the number one question I get from students. And it’s a logical one given how much amazingly helpful information is out there for free with just a single Google search.   It’s an even bigger question when you start to regularly give away a ton of your own great content for free. It’s almost as if your own free stuff is competing with your paid stuff.   But that’s simply not true.   Today I'm breaking down the 3 key reasons why people will happily pay for your premium online course or membership, even with the proliferation of solid free content.

If you are slowly building an audience through a blog, podcast, or YouTube channel but have yet to make good money from it, you might not be monetizing the right way (or at all).   While there are a lot of ways to make a living online, I find that most bloggers, podcasters, and YouTubers who make a full time living use one (or all) of 6 core monetization models.   That's right - there are 6 ways to make money with your online audience and today I want to break down all them so you can decide which one(s) is right for you!

I believe the single most underutilized piece of real estate on your website is the "thank you" page that your people see when they opt in to your email list.   If you think about it, that page is the only thing 100% of your email subscribers see.   I hope a lightbulb just went off.   Because if it did, then you my friend are waking up to possible one of the simplest and easiest ways to increase revenue in your business right now.   It's something I call the Thank You Page Strategy and today I'd like to show you a few ways to make it work in your favor.

Have you ever felt icky about selling?   Has it been hard for you to form your thoughts clearly and have it come across as genuine and not too much like marketing speak?   Or maybe you're asking yourself these questions:   Does long form sales copy still work?   Do you need to be using it in your sales pages?   Today I'm going to give you my answer and speak to the 3 critical truths about sales copy - no matter what you're selling.

I always thought there was one defining quality of a successful entrepreneur - a high risk tolerance.

To me, every successful business owner I had known or read about did something risky and seemingly was unafraid the whole time.

So a scaredy-cat like me wasn't going to make it in business. I didn't like the unstable nature of freelance work when I tried it early on so I figured entrepreneurship wasn't for me.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

Turns out a high risk tolerance isn't necessary for being successful. And in fact, there are OTHER more important qualities that DO lead to success. Three to be exact.

Today I'd like to share all three with you. And the good news? You can learn these qualities even if they don't come naturally.

In an ever growing ocean of content online, what is going to make yours stand out?   How can you ensure people not only checkout your videos, articles, or podcasts but also love them, engage with them, and more importantly take the next step of diving deeper in the relationship with you and your brand?   Well it's all in how you structure things.   Today I'm sharing with you my 5 part formula for crafting the piece of content that has served me well for over a decade.

It’s been almost 90 days since the official designation of this global pandemic.   Back in early March I had NO CLUE what was going to happen to my businesses in light of COVID-19. Now I do.   Specifically I see 4 key takeaways from this situation that have proven true in my businesses and I think can apply to yours.   My hope is that this episode will encourage you and give you wisdom as to how to navigate your business in the wake of our current economic climate.

I'm sick and tired of all the "gurus" online talking about passive income in front of a Ferrari. It just makes me feel icky and uncomfortable.   And I teach people how to build passive income too!   Today I want to cut through the hype and just give it to you straight. Passive income is a beautiful reality and there are 3 core ways to create it online.   I'm going to give you the truth about all 3 ways including pros and cons for each and I'll start by sharing two huge prefaces about passive income that you have to understand.   I hope you enjoy!

I'm a huge fan of passive income. Virtually 90% of my businesses are automated.   So you can imagine how I felt when a troll on YouTube recently left me this comment: "Living on passive income is immoral and does nothing to advance society."   Is he right?   Not by a long shot! Time to bust some myths and faulty assumptions !

So many online business owners are obsessed with getting that magical "k" at the end of their Instagram follower count.   Or hitting 10k and getting the all elusive "swipe up" feature!   The reason? They want to grow their business.   But does having a larger following/presence on Instagram really help you make more money?   Not really.   What most entrepreneurs should be focused on is putting out strategic YouTube videos instead. And in today's video I break down not only WHY YouTube is a better platform than Instagram if you actually want to make more money but HOW to do it right.

One of the best things you can do in life is to commit to creating more than you consume.   I know the economists want to label all of us humans as "consumers" and in some senses it's true - consuming doesn't have to define us.   But in reality it does.   Most people consume TV, video games, YouTube videos, and social media content FAR more than they create anything.   If you want to have a successful business, heck if you just want to have a happier and more fulfilling LIFE than you need to create MORE than you consume.   Today I breakdown four reasons why.

If it seems like a lot of work to build an online business, you're right.   But that doesn't mean that you HAVE to wait until you've built up a big list and finished a massive flagship online course or membership to be able to sell something.   In fact you could build, launch, and sell a simple mini course in the next few weeks pretty effortlessly if need money quickly.   In today's video I break down what the difference is between a mini course and a full fledged online course, and step by step how to build, price, and sell your own!

Have you ever been scared to put yourself out there and start sharing content with the world?   Scared that people will criticize what you say or question your credibility?   Afraid that you'll make a mistake and say something foolish?   Afraid that none of what you do will actually work and create the income you really need?   Welcome to the club.   I've been scared since Day 1 of my business, and today I'm here to tell you that's OK.   In fact I want to walk you down memory lane and open up about every moment I've been scared to death in my business, including recently.   I hope you find this encouraging.

Now is the time to be creating as much content for your brand as possible.   And while that can seem like a daunting task, I personally can attest to the fact that live video is practically the easiest and fastest way to do that.   Not only is it easy, it can help you grow your audience (and business) faster than just about any other method!   In today's video I reveal the 3 ways live video can help you grow fast + I break down how to best structure your live videos so maximize growth and minimize awkwardness :-)

Right now it's looking like we are heading for some kind of global recession.

And what's fascinating to me is some of the world's most profitable companies were started in the throws of a recession (think Apple, Microsoft, and Disney)

In facts recessions and economic downturns create more millionaires than almost any other time.

So my question for you is: why shouldn't YOU become one?

Today I want to break down 3 things you should be doing right now to benefit from this down season and position yourself to build wealth long term.

How come so many businesses are being forced to shut down during this economic crisis when they just finished a decade of incredible prosperity?!

Where did all that money go?

And more importantly what should YOU being doing right now to ensure your future prosperity?

Today I break down three critical lessons that this crisis just taught us.

I don't know where you stand on social media use - whether you love it, hate it, or fall somewhere in between.   But I am about to quit social media (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter) for a full year.   And in this video I'm going to share with you the 5 reasons why.

Do you struggle with that tension of wanting to promote your online course or membership to your audience but without feeling sleazy, pushy, or like your constantly selling?   We all know that guru, or business you follow that seems to be launching something new every single week and flooding our inboxes with promotional emails.   We definitely don't want to be THAT guy (or girl).   Well today I want to share with you my framework for how I sell, on the regular, without burning out my audience.

Have you ever launched a product that got zero sales?   Or sold so few that you feel like giving up?   Welcome to the club.   But the question in your mind might be "Is there something that I'm missing?"   Or, "Am I just not cut out for this online business thing?!"   Today I want to share with you my method for creating products that are virtually guaranteed to sell.

Did you know there are two primary ways business owners see the world?   You either have an abundance mentality or mindset OR you have a scarcity mindset.   The difference between the two can be life or death for your business, no matter what your current circumstances are.   In today's episode I break down the difference between these two opposing mindsets and then share with you what I call The Abundance Formula!   (And yes I made that up - but it's still game changing!)

Sometimes I think we make marketing and selling way too complicated.   I was reminded of this just the other day when my 10 year old daughter Chloe explained to me how she sold a bunch of product in this business simulation event she participated in.   She went from selling hardly anything all morning, to clearing out her entire store inventory in the afternoon - all by making two simple changes to her approach!   Let's break them down today...

There's a reason why I make fun of Facebook Ads so much in my content.   Simply put, there is a MUCH better way to grow your business than running ads.   There is a marketing strategy that no one seems to want to talk about, and yet it works day and night for me and my businesses.   Today I want to share that strategy with you and give you 5 reasons why it is truly the best and most effective way to market your products!

Everybody wants to be "the best" at what they do in career and business.   Instead, I believe you should focus on simply being good enough.   When you focus on trying to be the best there are 4 key consequences that people fail to realize.   But when you focus instead on just being good enough to make a living there are 3 key benefits that follow.   Sound crazy? Let's discuss!

Are you afraid to start a business because you feel that the topic or niche you're serving is an oversaturated market?   Are you stuck in a business that you've already started and think it's because of market saturation?   What if I told you that market saturation is actually a good thing?   That might sound a bit crazy but trust me it's true.   Today I want to help change your mindset on market saturation plus give you three tips to start (or grow) your business even if the market is saturated!

There’s this “motivational” video on YouTube that’s a compilation of Elon Musk interviews (billionaire founder of Tesla and Space X) called WORK EVERY WAKING HOUR.   In it Musk actually shares some fascinating thoughts that I found very inspiring indeed - but I was intrigued to hear what this “work every waking hour” thing was really about.   About half way through the video it cuts to an interview where Musk says the following:    “When my brother and I were starting our first company, instead of renting an apartment we rented a small office and slept on the couch and we showered at the YMCA.   We had one computer, so the website was up during the day and I was coding at night. 7 days a week. All the time. I briefly had a girlfriend at that time and in order to be with me she had to sleep at the office.   Work hard. Every waking hour. That’s the thing I would say, particularly if you’re starting a company”   Wow! We have a lot to discuss...

In a world of powerful data and analytics tools at our fingertips, could looking at the numbers actually be hurting our business and growth potential?   I mean, the quote goes: "What gets measured, gets managed" right?! Maybe.   Today I want to uncover the darker side of our insatiable appetite for analytics and make the case that there's a better way to grow your business than looking at the numbers.

I’ve always heard the average millionaire has 7 or more streams of income. Meaning they earn income from 7 different sources.   As compared to say the average worker in America which has exactly one stream of income - their job.   Over the years I've slowly built up to 10 streams of income myself (not including my wife's business) and in today's episode I break down exactly what they are and give you 6 ways you can begin adding some more streams of income to your life!

Things ain't what they used to be when it comes to online business.   If you are running or building your business and presence online in 2020 like many of us did in the past 5 years you probably won't hit your income goals this year.   Or worse, you'll have to shut your online business down entirely.   Today I want to kick off the new year by sharing with you 3 huge mistakes I see online business owners making in today's landscape that will hold your business back in 2020.   Let's discuss!

As the New Year rolls in and everyone is excited about making resolutions and becoming a better person, I feel like there is a huge missed opportunity.   Instead of announcing bold new goals to the world for 2020 that have no basis in reality, there is something more strategic you and I can do.   In fact it's a simple question that you should ask yourself (and your spouse if you're married).   It's a question my wife and I ask each year as we wind down and look ahead to the next 12 months.   And it's a question that has so much potential to change your life.

We all are in the business of selling something and a transaction must take place in order to pay our bills - but are you too focused on selling your thing that you get the order of things backwards?   Instead of selling and then giving our customers the thing they bought (and hopefully good service) what if we gave BEFORE we ever sold anything?   Today I want to share with you not only WHY this is so powerful for your business (i.e. it will help you sell more) but 6 practical ways to actually implement this giving strategy in real life.  

Which would you rather have: a $1 Million product or a $1 Million launch?   It's kind of a trick question as million dollar launches are virtually impossible for most people to pull off and can create a TON of stress and pressure if the revenue is necessary for your survival.   Plus, even if you DO someone hit a $1M launch there's no guarantee you can repeat yourself.   Having a product sell $1M over a few years time nice and consistently with virtually no work is much more appealing - and realistic!   I'm a big fan of slow and reliable growth. It’s the tortoise vs the hare approach.   What does this look like practically? Building an evergreen model of online business verses a launch model. Let's break down the differences.

How often do we get tripped up in business (and life) because we are trying to run someone else's race and not our own?   How often does comparison and jealousy lead down the path of wasted time and discontentment?   What would it look like in 2020 if you simply ran your OWN race in business?   How much more joy and freedom would you have? How much more could you get DONE?!   The question becomes then: what does it take to practice "selective ignorance" and run your own race?   Today I have three things for you that will help you do just that!

In a sea of ever growing content and media it’s getting harder and harder to stand out.

Safe, predictable, expected content won’t cut it.

And I’d argue it never did.

One of your power tools to growing your audience and consequently your income is to create polarizing content - content that divides.

Sound scary?

Welcome to the club. But you know what is scarier? Having nobody listen to what you have to say.

Can I go on a rant for a minute?

If you're looking to start a business, you will never have everything lined up or figured out perfectly before you launch.

Never.

And this is true for one simple reason: things change. Constantly!

The secret then to creating a lasting profitable brand is to two fold: start now and evolve later.

Both verbs (start and evolve) are crucial. Let me give you some examples that will drive this home.

Want some "low hanging fruit" type easy ways to increase revenue in your business?

Then it's time to realize an important truth in business: there is no “one price fits all” scenario.

If you have only one tier/option for your product at one price you’re making a mistake. Some people will be glad to spend more with you if you only offered more value. 

Your job is simple: give people the option to give you more money!

That's what tiered pricing is all about and exactly what we're talking about in today's episode!

There's nothing really special about me or my business that allows me to run it in under 5 hours a week.   I've simply followed a 4 step process over the past 10 years that have allowed me to reduce my work hours little by little, each year.   And the good news is you can follow that same 4 step process.   Maybe your goal isn't 5 hours like me. Maybe it's just 20 hours a week but with a six figure business. That would be sweet.   Let me show you how!

Here's a secret to have a successful business: you don’t need to innovate, just add value.

That's right - you don't need some once in a lifetime, original idea to make a good living. And you certainly don't need to be in front of the "wave" in order to make a profit.

You simply need to find ways to add value to people day in and day out.

Today I'm going to give you 7 different ways you can do just that.

One of my students recently grew her email list by 25X in just one week!

What's her secret?

That's what I'll be discussing in today's episode. The fastest way to get more subscribers on your email list so you can sell more product and grow your business.

Every good story or movie follows the same 7 element pattern.

Without one of these 7 elements, audiences rarely connect with the story and it has no impact.

Ironically the best way to sell your product to the world is to use the exact same 7 elements in your sales copy, positioning, and branding.

Author turned marketing coach, Donald Miller, wrote an incredible book called Building A StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen and in today's episode I want to break down each of these 7 elements so you can apply them to YOUR business.

People over profit sounds like a nice idea. But is it really a wise business philosophy?

Granted, profit over people sounds like a recipe for disaster but is the idea of focusing on people and letting the profitability of our businesses take care of itself a smart move?

The answer might surprise you!

If you need to dramatically increase revenue in your business then you need to charge more.   It's that simple.   But by charge more I don't simply mean just increase your prices (although that might be in order).   I mean you need to create and offer some premium products or services that cost a lot more than your base line stuff.   But what if you are racking your brain and wondering: "What will my people actually pay me more for?"   You're in the right place my friend.   In most businesses around the world we see time and time again that there are 3 things people will almost certainly pay more for.

Email is taking over our lives as business owners.   We spend hours and hours inside our inboxes many of us trying to “manage” our email and achieve what’s called “Inbox Zero” where we clear out our email inbox each day.   What a giant waste of time!   Today I want to break down the 3 biggest mistakes we are making with email each day and then I want to show you a better way.   Specifically I'm going to show you my 4 steps to handling email like a boss - so you can ACTUALLY make money and grow your business!

I recently got an email from Hannah and she asked a great question:   "Should I sign up for Kajabi now even though I'm not making any money or should I use cheap alternatives until I'm making enough to switch to Kajabi?"   Now - as an unapologetic Kajabi evangelist you know where I stand on Kajabi. It's the absolute best platform to run your entire online business on.   I use it to run a million dollar a year business.   But it's not the cheapest game in town.   If you're starting out and don't have a lot of money (or any money) coming in, does it still make sense for you to build your business on Kajabi?   I answer that question today.   Also - you can grab your 28 day free trial of Kajabi + the 28 day challenge training videos here: http://GrahamCochrane.com/Kajabi

Some days I just feel like I'm one giant phony.   If you've ever asked the questions: "Who am I to create this business/content/product?"   or   "I'm not an expert, why should people listen to me?" then welcome to the club.   What club is that?   Club Imposter Syndrome. And yes - it's a real problem.   Today I want to be candid about how I've struggled with feeling like an imposter in both of my businesses over the years and share the 3 steps you can take to beat it.

I used to scramble for content ideas for my business.

I’d sit at my computer staring at a blank screen waiting for a good video or blog post idea to come.

Basically I was "winging" my content strategy (if you can call that a strategy) and I hated every minute of it.

I've since changed my ways.

These days I actually map out a year's worth of content in advance. That's right - 12 months of content - all pre planned out before the year begins.

And the best part? I do this all in one day.

Today I want to show you how you can do the same.

As a business owner you should always be investing in your future and building wealth.

Last episode we talked about cash flow management for your business (bank accounts, taxes, paying yourself a salary, setting aside profit). 

We then talked about there being 3 things you should do with your business profit (after reinvesting in your business) and the first one was build cash reserves.

Today let's talk about the other 2 things - and they both revolve around investing.

How you handle the money and finances in your business will make or break you.   If you don't have a strategy and system to manage the cash flow each and every month - even when the numbers are small - you are headed for stress and trouble when both the good and the bad times come.   Over the next two weeks I'm going to dive deep into how I handle the money in my business and give you some frameworks you can follow in yours.   Today we're going to talk about the foundations of a healthy business: cash flow, paying yourself, and handling expenses, taxes, and profit.