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Recent content by Mike S

  1. Mike S

    I've Read UNSCRIPTED!

    GOLD! HOT! 
    Just finished reading last night. Many dog eared pages that I'll refer back to. Great info that I'll be rereading for sure!
  2. Mike S

    Cold Calling vs Cold Emailing

    HOT! MARKETING 
    Actually that is the goal. Once you can predict outcomes you can then reverse engineer towards your goal ie how many calls do I need to make to make a sale, how many sales do I need to hit my revenue goals etc....
  3. Mike S

    Cold Calling vs Cold Emailing

    HOT! MARKETING 
    Cold calling and cold emailing are strictly a numbers game with very low (<1%) conversion rates. The key is to develop a "warm" calling approach. I developed a 10 step sales program that took our company national (we did white label web dev for guys like you) Although I had been in sales most...
  4. Mike S

    What business would you start if you had a ranch?

    HOT! SIDE HUSTLE 
    My brother owns a ranch (we call 'em farms here in Kentucky) and he's married to that piece of dirt. No friggin way would I even consider anything like that. You're not only trading your time for money but you are literally chained to the ground due to the amount of work it takes to maintain...
  5. Mike S

    Marketing my pressure washing service

    HOT! MARKETING 
    If you have a local BNI chapter in your area, I'd definitely look into that. BNI teaches and works through word of mouth and referral marketing but in addition to the exposure your business gains you'll get some great training on networking, selling, dealing with other business owners and the...
  6. Mike S

    built a business around MJ's commandments, looking for marketing advice

    MARKETING 
    Definitely need some more information before anyone can even ask the right questions to guide you. What problem are you solving? What is your unique selling proposition? What makes you different?
  7. Mike S

    I cant even give them away!...

    HOT! MINDSET 
    Yea, once we hit the right price point, part of my sales presentation was that "we want you to have enough money left to market your business, we understand that a website is just a component of your marketing mix" We looked at expanding into additional marketing services ourselves (SEO...
  8. Mike S

    Getting into Web Design

    SIDE HUSTLE 
    You hit the nail on the head here. Learn now to sell, the market is oversaturated with web devs (think low barrier to entry) but if you can figure out the selling process and go after a niche or vertical market that is underserved, you can attack the market with a value proposition. Otherwise...
  9. Mike S

    I cant even give them away!...

    HOT! MINDSET 
    We started our business 11 years ago with the same basic concept (free site and a monthly subscription payment for hosting and unlimited support) As we gained traction and played around with different pricing models (all while trying how to figure out scaling this concept) we hit on a price...
  10. Mike S

    Let's Talk About Entrepreneurial Depression

    GOLD! MINDSET 
    Entrepreneurship is definitely a schizophrenic lifestyle. One day you're on top of the world and can do no wrong and the next you're in the depths of despair due to something that you may not have control of. I can say that even when the successes come your way, I tend to be extremely cautious...
  11. Mike S

    Let's Talk About Entrepreneurial Depression

    GOLD! MINDSET 
    I went through a total shit storm about 12 years ago, lost 2 businesses, my daughter imploded and we had to send her to a therapeutic boarding program, etc... I basically lost everything and started again at age 50. One of my motivators was to buy an RV and travel once things turned around. I...
  12. Mike S

    Why Economists never mow their own lawn, and if you want to make money… neither should you.

    HOT! 
    We sold our big house 5 years ago, I sat down and did the math, after comparing the HOA fees vs outside maintenance, landscaping, structural insurance etc... we were WAY ahead by living in a townhome. Also, it allows us the location independence we desired, when we leave for an extended period...
  13. Mike S

    Let’s be real: If you're over 35, you don't have a chance.

    HOT! SPEEDWAY 
    Ever hear of Ray Kroc, Colonel Sanders, how about Abraham Lincoln. Read their stories and tell me people can't make it. I personally lost everything in the crash of '08 and found myself at 50 years of age starting all over again. We totally bootstrapped a web-dev company and went from a...
  14. Mike S

    The Bar of the Damned

    Making your way in the world today Takes everything you got Taking a break from all your worries It sure would help a lot Wouldn't you like to get away? Sometimes you want to go Where everybody knows your name And they're always glad you came You want to be where you can see The troubles are all...
  15. Mike S

    Rereading TMF and/or Unscripted?

    Interesting: I finished reading TMF a couple of weeks ago and am now reading Unscripted, even as I'm reading this, I want to go back and reread TMF then Unscripted as there is so much valuable and insightful information that I'm afraid I'm missing something. I've been dog earing pages as I go too!
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