Are you afraid your business will tank if you take a little time off? Truth is, as mompreneurs, we don’t necessarily have a choice about how we spend our time in the summer. With the kids home from school, many of us have increased family responsibilities and less time to focus on our online business pursuits. And I’m here to tell you that’s not just okay, but healthy.In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, we’re talking about some practical ways to keep investing in your business through the summer even as you limit the time you spend on it. Ultimately, as Christian business owners and messengers, we run our work according to our values. Taking time off to focus on family during the summer months just might speak louder to your audience than any blog post or podcast episode ever will. Tune in to discover how to maintain your business and your sanity through a summer of pause.Highlights:Is it okay to take a break in the summer? How should we view our businesses during the summer season, especially if we have kids?There is plenty you can do to continue investing in your business even as you reduce the amount of time you spend on it. Choose what you’ll put on pause—and tell your audience you’re doing itDiscern what must stay on your calendar (paid services are top priority) but give yourself permission to limit the time you spend on themSummer is an excellent time to invest in continuing educationMy summer reading challenge and a couple books I recommendSpend your summer dreaming, praying, and making a plan for fallResources mentioned in this episode:The Funnel ClubThe Prayer Powered Entrepreneur by Kim AveryEvery Good Endeavor by Tim KellerProfitable Digital Products Method - released from the vault this summer!Looking for some good summer reads? Check out my list of favorites on Amazon.Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious

Are you trying desperately to grow your email list and gain more subscribers? Do you fret over every single unsubscriber and nasty reply? Do you worry about how much you should or shouldn’t email your list? What are you willing to sacrifice in order to make your subscribers happy? If these questions take up any tiny bit of space in your head, it’s time to flip the script on your attitude toward email marketing. Your subscribers don’t own you, they shouldn’t dictate your business decisions, and not everybody deserves a spot on your email list. It’s better to have a small list of strong leads and supporters than a large list tainted with trolls. In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, we’re getting real about how you ought to view your subscriber list. You are the boss, not the employee. So here’s permission to start acting like it.Highlights:It’s time to start looking at your email list differentlyYou are not desperate for email subscribers… you invite them to your party but you can uninvite them just as wellSocial media, SEO, partner marketing and ads should be designed to add subscribers to your email list because email is the one asset you own and can controlYour email list is not a one-way relationship; it’s reciprocalBoundaries for becoming the boss of your email list:Mean-spirited people get kicked outLimit responses when subscribers ask for free adviceDetermine a subscriber’s status based on their activity (i.e., not everyone is the right fit for your party)Do not fret over unsubscribes! They are doing you a favor.Resources mentioned in this episode:My favorite email platforms: ConvertKit and Kajabi Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious

What does it look like to live an integrated, healthy mompreneur life? Is it possible to pursue your passions and serve other women while also being fully present for your family? In this special Mother’s Day episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, I’m talking with my mastermind friends and FOCUS Retreat co-hosts—Jennifer Ford Berry, Lori Beth Auldridge, and Amy Debrucque—all about the challenges and blessings that come with every season of motherhood, especially as we endeavor to build businesses that support our families.If you’ve heard me talking about the FOCUS Retreat or wonder if it’s the right event for you and your business, you won’t want to miss this conversation. Here is a chance to get to know the four hosts of the FOCUS Retreat, hear their hearts, and get a taste of who’s going to be speaking into your life at the upcoming event. Get ready to love these ladies as much as I do!Highlights:Beauty and challenges of four different stages of parentingHow we build our ministries/businesses around our family prioritiesHow our ministries are designed to support other women, and what that looks like in real lifeFinding opportunities to encourage moms in the moment, free from judgmentThe hardest practices to break or adopt as momsHow we overcome our greatest challenges in motherhoodResources mentioned in this episode:Meet my beautiful friends and FOCUS Retreat co-hosts!Jennifer Ford BerryLori Beth AuldridgeAmy Debrucque The FOCUS RetreatWatch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious

Conversion rate, click-through-rate, open rate… lions and tigers and bears, oh my! What’s the deal with all these digital marketing stats? What’s considered good or bad, and what’s the right benchmark for you and your business? In this episode, we’re talking about the metrics you need to know and how to analyze the data so that you can optimize your digital sales funnel for the best possible results. In plain English, that means know what’s working and what’s not, so you can sell more products and change more lives with your content.Highlights:What is a conversion and why should you careEmail open rates: 30% is average; aim for 50%Email marketing sign-up and sales conversionsLead magnet conversions: I say 50% minimumTripwire conversion rates: too many variables for a standardSuccessful tripwires depend on relevancy and priceBump offer conversions: expect 50% conversion rateTwo-tiered offers and the psychology behind “this or that”Facebook ads click-through rate: aim for 1% to 3%Facebook ads return on ad spend (ROAS): aim for minimum 1.5Let your data, not your emotions, inform your decisionsResources mentioned in this episode:Workshop: The Truth About WebinarsThe Inspired Business Guide BundleEpisode 15: Does a Digital Sales Funnel Really Work on Autopilot?Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious

How can you know if your digital product is going to sell? Several factors can help determine ahead of time whether your sales funnel leads to conversions… or crickets. And it’s all dependent on one critical best practice: market research. Have you asked your customers what they want? How do you know for sure that your product is positioned to solve their problem? Are you certain of what their problem is in the first place? In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, you’ll learn what it takes to create the right product, for the right audience, for the right reasons, in the right way. Highlights:Surveys are not enoughWhat is your customer’s actual problem (vs. your presumption)?Create a product that either serves your existing audience, or that’s designed to break into a new audience… but don’t get the two confusedWhat is the customer’s motivation for purchasing your product?The wrong way to sell is to try to convince somebody to buy your product. The right way is to speak to your audience using their words, not yours.Market research steps:Schedule 5 to 10 Zoom calls, hit recordUpload to Temi.com or Rev.comPrint and highlight transcriptionsUse the customer’s language in your marketing copyQuestions to ask:What frustrates you most about ______ [your topic]? Dive deep into the fears and feelings beneath the answer.What intimidates you or stresses you out about ______ [your topic]?If you had a solution to _______, how would that change things for you?If you could talk to an expert on ________ [your topic], what questions would you ask?Finish this statement: If I had total control over _______, then my problems with [your topic] would be solved.Resources mentioned in this episode:Becky’s books The Inspired Business Guide BundleThe Funnel ClubProfitable Digital Products MethodTemi.comRev.comWatch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious

Did you know? There’s a difference between a good content creator (or “contentpreneur” as I like to call us) and a great one. Lots of people can write or speak or host a podcast and share their thoughts and products with the marketplace. But not everyone does it truly well. Do you know what trips the threshold between good and great? There’s just one key factor that makes a world of difference, and it’s something everyone can do, and should do, if excellence is the goal.In today’s episode of The Inspired Business podcast, I’m unveiling the one key ingredient necessary to becoming the best content creator and digital services provider you can be.Highlights:Good creators and coaches teach; great ones keep learningHow to find good coaching: my top three recommendationsA shout out for the FOCUS RetreatWhy aim for great in the first place?Resources mentioned in this episode:The Funnel ClubEpisode 30: How to Stay Motivated to Make Progress in Your Online BusinessThe FOCUS RetreatRecommended courses, groups, or resources for continued learning:Facebook Ads IntensiveFlourishWritersEmail Marketing FairyWatch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious

Confession: I work a lot. I love what I do, so I tend to want to do it all the time. Which might be an admirable quality if only I didn’t have an entire spectrum of other responsibilities that are equal to and often MORE important than work. How can a successful, work-from-home online entrepreneur create a business that supports the family rather than harming it? What boundaries can we put in place to make sure we dedicate the time and attention God wants us to spend on our families, friends, communities, and church? Is it possible to be a high-performing online business owner AND a fully present wife, mom, friend, and more?Yes. In this episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, you’ll learn four safeties that have helped me prevent work from spilling over into other aspects of my life. These are necessary boundaries for running not just a business but an overall fulfilling life.Highlights:Our work is only one aspect of our lives; we honor God when we give our full attention to every role He asks us to fulfillRecommended safeties you can put in place to ensure you don’t let work spill over into your other priorities:Set a cut-off timeAsk your spouse to partner in holding you accountableSchedule free daysProtect your focus; find what clears your head so you can prevent mental distractions and live in the momentResources mentioned in this episode:CalendlyWatch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious

Do you struggle to find the motivation to get work done as an online entrepreneur? How can you stay motivated to make progress in your content-based business, especially when there’s no boss breathing down your neck telling you what to do or when to do it? You are your own boss. Which means it’s up to you to get the work done, and to keep working toward your goals even when you face setbacks or can’t see the results right away. In today’s episode of The Inspired Business Podcast, we’re exploring seven of my best tips for keeping yourself motivated in online business. These tips will help you reach your potential as an online content creator and have fun doing it.Highlights:When flipping the switch from hobby to business, expect some adjustmentsYou are your own boss; the progress is up to youEat the frog (yes, that’s a thing)Schedule an enjoyable task every dayBreak big goals into smaller tasks to create a map of what’s nextEmbrace the identify shift; act like a CEOReward yourselfFind a mastermind/support groupAttend a conference or retreatRegistration is now open for the FOCUS RetreatResources mentioned in this episode:Free masterclass on digital productsEat That Frog by Brian TracyThe Funnel ClubRegister for the FOCUS Retreat here.Watch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious

What’s the big deal with Chat GPT? AI wordsmith technology has caused quite a buzz among digital marketing experts and online business owners recently, and for good reason. It can make our jobs easier… or replace us altogether. Should we fear GPT, embrace it, or pretend it doesn’t exist? No, somewhat, and no. This episode explores how Christian content creators can use AI to our advantage, without devaluing the role of our God-given voices in running an online content business. And just for fun? I asked Chat GPT to write this episode description, and here’s what it came up with. Not quite accurate… largely generic… but I’ll bet the SEO bots will love it.“In this podcast episode, we explore how Christian content creators can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their digital product marketing strategies. We begin by discussing the basics of AI and its potential applications in marketing. Then, we dive into practical tips and tools for content creators, such as using AI-powered analytics to optimize content for SEO, using chatbots to engage with customers and drive sales, and using personalized recommendations to improve customer retention. Additionally, we discuss ethical considerations when using AI in marketing and how to maintain a Christ-centered approach in digital marketing efforts. Overall, this episode equips Christian content creators with actionable insights to harness the power of AI in their marketing efforts.”Highlights:What NYC taught me about living in WisconsinIs AI a threat to content creators, or a helping hand?Why Christian content creators in particular are skeptical (and with good reason)How should content creators respond to AI?What is AI in the first place… an explanation of GPTA short list of tools that use GPT technology (there are several; I’ll mention just a few)How can you use AI / GPT to your advantage… without selling your soulSpecific benefits of using GPT in Pinterest marketing, ads, and keyword descriptionsGood marketing copy is still an art, not just a scienceResources mentioned in this episode:Chat GPTKajabi AI Creator Hub (free for anyone, no need for a Kajabi account)JasperCanva Magic WriteThe Funnel ClubWatch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious

If you’re not yet earning the income you need from your creative work, it might be time to raise your prices. My guest in this episode, bestselling author Brett Harris, founder of the Author Conservatory, shares his insight on the win-win scenario of charging according to your value, which actually empowers you to serve your audience better. This conversation is an encore presentation from our Inspire Summit. Highlights:When earning an income is a necessity, not an optionChoosing to include Jesus in your work doesn’t mean you can’t charge for itWhy we shouldn’t withhold what we have; we serve people better when we offer moreThe Hollywood/Amazon business model (your book is just a calling card)Three fundamentals of making moneyWhy we should value what we offer (and what it means if we don’t)Charging more enables us to help our customers achieve their goalsWhy you should care about your hourly rateHow much does our audience determine our price?Consider the 10 percent of your audience that wants more from youResources mentioned in this episode:Inspire SummitAuthor ConservatoryYoung Writers WorkshopWatch our FREE masterclass: How to Create and Sell Digital Products Without Feeling Stupid, Salesy, or Sacrilegious