Diving into the world of storytelling today and talking about how to get out of the “Hero’s Journey” and turn your customers into the hero instead. If we’re always talking about ourselves, we’re missing the point - and customer stories help engage our audience in a totally different way. And it’s a solo show, just me and you! Show notes with key points, takeaways, and links for this episode available at www.maggiepatterson.com/episode44.

Items Discussed in this Episode:

• Maggie’s history of ‘voice of the customer’ campaigns
• Why we should be using customer stories instead of just quotes
• Maggie explains why storytelling actually works
• Why making your client the hero instead of yourself is so much more impactful
• The different kinds of proof and when to use each one
• How and why to ‘step up’ from just using testimonials

Top Takeaways for this Episode:

1. Are you always talking about yourself? Then stop it! Let your customer’s be the hero. Look at how you’re sharing your clients’ successes and how you can step it up.
2. What’s one type of proof you can add into the mix to let your customers shine?
3. Learn more about how customer stories can impact your business with The Client Brewery.

Links for this Episode:

HelpScout

Hubspot

The Client Brewery

Link to Free Marketing Moxie Facebook Group

Design, love it or hate it, you need to be somewhat design literate as an entrepreneur. Today’s guest, Christie Halmick is an ex-magazine designer who helps entrepreneurs master the basics of DIY design and she offers some great advice on must-have skills and how to get comfy with design. Show notes with key points, takeaways, and links for episode available at www.maggiepatterson.com/episode43.

Items Discussed in this Episode:

• Christie’s background and how she got where she is today
• Christie’s advice for where to start in the design process if you are brand new
• How to overcome the hesitation, fear, and overwhelm that you feel when you start to design something
• The top pitfalls and traps we tend to fall into when designing something and how to avoid them
• Christie explains how to start to ‘make yourself a brand’ from the beginning
• Why it’s important to pay close attention to your image choices
• Christie’s favorite do-it-yourself friendly tools

Top Takeaways for this Episode:

1. Design is a mindset. It’s not brain surgery, get in a playful mindset and let yourself have fun!
2. Quality over quantity. There are so many design elements available to us now but that doesn’t mean you have to use them all. Really think about starting to simplify, and focus more on telling a story with your design.
3. Focus on visual consistency. Start to think about your brand’s colors, fonts, etc. so there is harmony and consistency with your design. Make sure your images tell the same story.

Links for this Episode:

Jewels Branch

Canva

PicMonkey

Pixlr

Link to Free Marketing Moxie Facebook Group

This is one juicy topic - we’re talking sales psychology, the why behind the buy and all kinds of things you need to understand before you build another website, email campaign or try to sell a single thing on the Internet.  Guest Brittany Becher joins us to talk about why online business isn’t that different and what we can learn from the consumer packaged good industry and Target. Show notes with key points, takeaways, and links for this episode available at www.maggiepatterson.com/episode42.

Items Discussed in this Episode:

• How does sales psychology work?
• Brittany’s tips for figuring out the ‘why behind the buy’
• Brittany breaks down how the purchasing decision is made by the client
• How to get the client in the door, and also how to keep them there longer
• Brittany connects her ‘corporate world’ sales expertise to the online entrepreneur world
• The choice paradox and how to avoid it
• How to use sales psychology without being sleazy or feeling like you’re scamming your clients
• Brittany’s advice for getting your clients to trust you from the beginning so they keep coming back for more
• How to use the sometimes untapped resource of repeat customers
• When to pull the trigger and ‘get to the ask’
• How to make sure clients can give you their money if they want to

Top Takeaways for this Episode:

1. Take the time to consider WHY people do what they do as your create your emails and marketing plans. The more you understand the triggers, the more apt you’ll be to be successful.
2. Choice Paradox. Are you unwittingly creating it? Take a look at your website and see how many decisions people need to make as they go through it. If you find too many - time to streamline!
3. Are you open for business? Don’t make it hard for people to give you their money. Be clear and don’t hide the price away. No price says “I can’t afford this.”

Links for this Episode:

Foundation & Flow

Foundation & Flow on FB

Link to Free Marketing Moxie Facebook Group

Creating an outstanding customer experience isn’t just for big brands. As a small business owner you have the opportunity to create lasting relationships by delivering an amazing experience for each and every customer. Guest Val Geisler joins us today to talk about how to make that happen and all the systems we need to back it up. Show notes with key points, takeaways, and links for this episode available at www.maggiepatterson.com/episode41.

Items Discussed in this Episode:

• Areas where business owners are dropping the ball in customer service
• Val’s must-have basic customer service practices
• The importance of lists and systems in your business
• Why Val is so passionate about customer service, and why it’s so important
• Why and how to address negative reviews and issues that arise, because no matter how good we are - it happens
• The importance of remembering people are ‘people’ even in the virtual world
• Val’s favorite examples of great customer service
• Some of Val’s customer service ideas to differentiate yourself

Top Takeaways for this Episode:

1. Pay attention to what happens once someone becomes a client. We need to continue to impress our clients, even after you get hired.
2. Write out your systems. If you want people to have a great customer service experience, write out step-by-step how exact that happens so nothing gets missed.
3. Understand the difference between service and experience. Service is a baseline, but experience is what tells the story about your brand and makes you memorable.

Links for this Episode:

Aspire and Grow

Systems Finishing School

Link to Free Marketing Moxie Facebook Group

Although Systems Finishing School has already begun, Val will open 2 more spots for the 2 lucky listeners who want in. They just have to email support@systemsfinishingschool.com by Thursday at 8amEST.