Askpat 2.0: A Weekly Coaching Call On Online Business, Blogging, Marketing, And Lifestyle Design

Gayle has a question about podcasting. Should she start that way to connect with her audience, even if she’s just starting out? Do you have a question about podcasting? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. If you’re looking to go deeper into podcasting, I can show you how to start a great show from the ground up before the end of the year. Check out http://poweruppodcasting.com to sign up for the waitlist.

Today’s question comes from Yukari. She’s trying to get some reviews for her podcast, but has been unsuccessful so far. How can she encourage her audience to leave some reviews? Do you have a question about podcasting? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. In this episode I recommend checking out https://mypodcastreviews.com/, a tool for collating all of your podcast’s reviews into one place. Today's sponsor is DesignCrowd: A website that helps businesses crowdsource designs from over 500,000 designers worldwide. AskPat listeners can receive a free download and $100 off their next design by visiting https://designcrowd.com/askpat and entering the promo code "AskPat".

Monica has a big question today: How does she know when she’s ready to quit her job? Do you have a question about online business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today’s sponsor is FreshBooks. Go to http://www.freshbooks.com/askpat and enter “Ask Pat” in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section for more information.

Today’s question comes from Charvee. Her niche is shifting and she’s concerned that if she begins to market her website with a new focus area, it will discourage or confuse her audience. What should she do? In this episode, I recommend checking out https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/convertkit, an amazing tool for building an email list. [Full Disclosure: I'm a compensated advisor and an affiliate for ConvertKit.] I also highly recommend checking out Episode 205 of the Smart Passive Income Podcast—https://smartpassiveincome.com/session205—a great story about how Simple Green Smoothies grew its audience on Instagram and then turned that following into a business. Do you have a question about niche marketing? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today’s sponsor is FreshBooks. Go to http://www.freshbooks.com/askpat and enter “Ask Pat” in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section for more information.

Today’s question comes from Jeff, who asks: How far in advance should I schedule my social media posts? Jeff's website is http://newmiddleclassdad.com. In this episode I mention CoSchedule—http://askpat.com/coschedule—the tool my team and I use for scheduling social media and blog posts. It’s a great tool for editorial planning; check it out! [Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through this link.] Do you have a question about content strategy? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to ZipRecruiter for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.ziprecruiter.com/pat to get started posting jobs today.

Today’s question comes from Tsh, who asks if I have any ideas for marketing courses or enrollment sites, especially when they have short enrollment windows. What outside-the-box ideas do I have on this subject? Find Tsh online at http://theartofsimple.net/. Do you have a question about online courses? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is DesignCrowd: A website that helps businesses crowdsource designs from over 500,000 designers worldwide. AskPat listeners can receive a free download and $100 off their next design by visiting https://designcrowd.com/askpat and entering the promo code "AskPat".

Russ has a question about starting his online business. He tends to find a lot of free or open-source tools, rather than spending money where he doesn’t have to. At what point is it best to spend money on a tool, rather than finding a cost-free solution? Russ' site is http://russkahle.com. Do you have a question about starting an online business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today’s sponsor is FreshBooks. Go to http://www.freshbooks.com/askpat and enter “Ask Pat” in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section for more information.

Today’s question comes from Walter and Francis. Do I write my blog posts based on podcast episodes, or vice versa? Find Walter and Francis online at https://activerecall.co/. If you want to go deeper in your own podcasting journey, check out my course, Power-Up Podcasting. You can sign up for the waitlist at http://poweruppodcasting.com. Do you have a question about content strategy? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today’s sponsor is FreshBooks. Go to http://www.freshbooks.com/askpat and enter “Ask Pat” in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section for more information.

Ros has a question about his online business. He is a multimedia advisor, but sometimes feels overwhelmed by the competition. How can he differentiate himself from his competitors? Ros’ website is https://www.mpresta.com/. Do you have a question about business competition? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is DesignCrowd: A website that helps businesses crowdsource designs from over 500,000 designers worldwide. AskPat listeners can receive a free download and $100 off their next design by visiting https://designcrowd.com/askpat and entering the promo code "AskPat".

Today’s question comes from Ali. She’s building her first website and needs some advice. How long does it take to get a website up and running? How should she pace herself? Ali’s site (still in the works!) is TeacherTransition.com. In this episode I mention my new, free five-day challenge and course: Build Your Own Brand. In this course I walk you through the process of creating a foundational website. It opens today, and if you enter in the next week you can win a MacBook Pro, and you’ll be entered into a webinar about launching your brand. Check it out today at SmartPassiveIncome.com/byob. Do you have a question about website design? Record it at AskPat.com. Thanks to ZipRecruiter for sponsoring today's episode. Go to ZipRecruiter.com/pat to get started posting jobs today.

Today’s question comes from Aaron, whose site is https://pickakit.com. How can he provide value to his site’s affiliates without being biased in his recommendations? Do you have a question about affiliate marketing? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is DesignCrowd: A website that helps businesses crowdsource designs from over 500,000 designers worldwide. AskPat listeners can receive a free download and $100 off their next design by visiting https://designcrowd.com/askpat and entering the promo code "AskPat".

Today’s question comes from Amir. How can he create leads in a market where there is a lot of competition and lots of free content? Do you have a question about online content? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is DesignCrowd: A website that helps businesses crowdsource designs from over 500,000 designers worldwide. AskPat listeners can receive a free download and $100 off their next design by visiting https://designcrowd.com/askpat and entering the promo code "AskPat".

Adam has a question about competition. How should he handle it? What’s the best way to talk about competition in a positive light? Adam’s website is https://acepodcasts.com/. Do you have a question about competition? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today’s sponsor is FreshBooks. Go to http://www.freshbooks.com/askpat and enter “Ask Pat” in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section for more information.

Today’s question comes from Joey. How can he start an online fund for his wife’s veterinary clinic? Two crowdfunding platforms I recommend for philanthropy are https://indiegogo.com and https://gofundme.com. Do you have a question about philanthropy or fundraising? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today’s sponsor is FreshBooks. Go to http://www.freshbooks.com/askpat and enter “Ask Pat” in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section for more information.

Tina has a question about online marketing: How does she share her progress without having other people copy her? Do you have a question about online marketing? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to ZipRecruiter for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.ziprecruiter.com/pat to get started posting jobs today.

Today’s question is from Jeff, whose site is https://newmiddleclassdad.com. He’s noticed that Twitter brings his website the least amount of traffic; should he curtail his activity on Twitter? Do you have a question about social media? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today’s sponsor is FreshBooks. Go to http://www.freshbooks.com/askpat and enter “Ask Pat” in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section for more information.

Ron has a question about starting out. He wants to enter the personal development niche: How would I advise him to get started? Do you have a question about niche websites? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is DesignCrowd: A website that helps businesses crowdsource designs from over 500,000 designers worldwide. AskPat listeners can receive a free download and $100 off their next design by visiting https://designcrowd.com/askpat and entering the promo code "AskPat".

Emanuel has a growing team for his business, Italy Made Easy, and he’s having some growing pains. How should he organize his growing team and how many tools do I personally use in my business? Find Emanuel online at https://www.italymadeeasy.com/. Do you have a question about team management? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. In this episode I mention several tools that I and my team use for project management. https://coschedule.com for content creation and management; https://trello.com for larger projects like courses or software development; https://drive.google.com for organization and planning; and for team communication and files we use https://slack.com. Today's sponsor is DesignCrowd: A website that helps businesses crowdsource designs from over 500,000 designers worldwide. AskPat listeners can receive a free download and $100 off their next design by visiting https://designcrowd.com/askpat and entering the promo code "AskPat".

Today’s question comes from JT. He owns a handyman business in Colorado and is looking for guidance as far as doing coaching and/or creating an online course. What advice can I give him? Do you have a question about online business? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. In this episode I mention my book, Will It Fly? In it, you'll learn how to test your business ideas so that you don't waste your time and money. Check it out at http://smartpassiveincome.com/will-it-fly/ My course, Smart From Scratch, is relaunching soon. It’s a lot like my book, Will It Fly?, except you get more detailed information about you and your specific idea, and access to a community and me as well. Check out http://smartfromscrach.com to sign up for the waitlist; you’ll hear about it next time enrollment opens.

Today’s question comes from Borja: How do I measure the impact of giving away t-shirts or selling them online? Find Borja’s podcast online at https://www.borjagiron.com/podcast/. In this episode I mention my Serve First t-shirt, which I sell for Pencils of Promise (https://pencilsofpromise.org/), a charity I'm an advisor for. Check out the t-shirt at https://servefirst.io/. Do you have a question about audience engagement? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to ZipRecruiter for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.ziprecruiter.com/pat to get started posting jobs today.