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

Today’s question comes from Ashley, who has a question about looking for and landing interviews for her new podcast. Where should she start in finding the right people to interview? What are some tips to reaching out to people for interviews? Since she’s new to podcasting, who should she reach out to for interviews? In this episode, I mention the calendar tool Calendly. Check it out at http://calendly.com. Do you have a question about securing people to interview for your podcast? Record it at http://askpat.com. Today’s sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://freshbooks.com/askpat and enter “Ask Pat” for more information.

Today’s question comes from Kris, who has a question about supporting and serving her audience with an app she purchased. As a non-developer, what should she do? Should she hire someone to help with the development of the app? Does she learn the software on her own? Do you have a question about serving your audience with apps? Record it at http://askpat.com. Today’s sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://freshbooks.com/askpat and enter “Ask Pat” for more information.

Today’s question comes from Katie, who has a question about the SEO impact of deleting old content and setting up redirects for her website. Should she delete her content that’s under 300 words? Should she set up 301 redirects or 410 redirects? What is going to happen to my carnival links? Katie’s website is at http://kitchenstewardship.com. In this episode, we mention SPI Session #200 about doing a content audit on your website. Listen to that episode at http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/session200. Do you have a question about auditing your old website content? Record it at AskPat.com. Thanks to our sponsor, Design Crowd. To learn more about working with their designers, go to http://designcrowd.com/askpat.

Today’s question comes from Josh, who has a question about how entrepreneurs start making money online when they’re first starting out. What should he do first to start making money online? Where should he start when he doesn’t yet have an audience? How does he find and focus on his unique value proposition? In this episode, I mention my book on validating your idea for a business, Will It Fly?, at http://willitflybook.com. I also mention my new online course, Smart From Scratch. Sign up for the next public launch in June at http://smartfromscratch.com. Go to http://www.100emails.com to learn how to start an email list. Do you have a question about making money online when you first start out? Record it at http://askpat.com. The sponsor for this episode is Vistaprint, an excellent resource for your business marketing needs. As a special to AskPat listeners, get 500 custom business cards for just $9.99 (50 percent savings!). Be sure to enter “Pat” at checkout. Learn more at http://vistaprint.com.

Today’s question comes from Greg, who has a question about content scheduling. How does he determine how to get his content into an actionable format? What steps should he take to get his content into a consistent schedule? How should he organize and plan his content? Greg’s website is at http://musicianmonster.com. In this episode, I mention my chat with my Managing Editor, Janna, at http://smartpassiveincome.com/session215. I also mention CoSchedule, the amazing content scheduling tool I use for Smart Passive Income. Learn more at https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/coschedule. Do you have a question about content scheduling? Record it at http://askpat.com. Thanks to Zip Recruiter for sponsoring today’s episode. Go to http://ziprecruiter.com/pat to get started posting jobs today.

Today's question comes from Jeff, who has a question about creating one large blog post to launch his new blog. Should he create one epic blog post to launch his new blog? What other content should he create to launch his blog? As his blog grows, how does he balance the larger blog posts and the smaller posts? Jeff’s website is at NewMiddleClassDad.com. In this episode, we mention my interview with Neil Patel about content marketing for your blog. Listen to that episode at SmartPassiveIncome.com/session214. You can find the FoodTruckr.com article here: http://foodtruckr.com/2013/10/what-i-wish-id-known-before-starting-my-food-truck/. Do you have a question about launching your new blog? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Design Crowd. To learn more about working with their designers, go to http://designcrowd.com/askpat.

Today's question comes from Mike, who has a question about managing a variety of different podcasts. If he has a variety of different themed shows, should he keep them under the same brand and website? Does starting a podcast network make sense? Or should he separate them under different brands and websites? Mike’s website is at http://www.mongoals.com/. Do you have a question about managing multiple podcasts? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Design Crowd. To learn more about working with their designers, go to http://designcrowd.com/askpat.

Today's question comes from Amirra, who has a question about creating a subscription service and creating an online course in the education space. Should she create a subscription service or create an online course? Is there room for both as an educator online? What is the difference between a subscription service and an online course? Should she create specific online courses to help solve specific problems? Amirra’s YouTube channel is Art With Amirra. In this episode, I mention my new course, Smart From Scratch. Learn more by heading to http://www.smartfromscratch.com/. I also mention my new AskPat Live on http://www.Facebook.com/SmartPassiveIncome, which happens every Friday at 1:30 p.m. Do you have a question about creating subscription services and online courses? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Design Crowd. To learn more about working with their designers, go to http://designcrowd.com/askpat.

Today's question comes from Teresa, who has a question about building an audience for her new podcast. What should she focus on first to reach and grow her audience? Is Instagram a good platform to promote her podcast? How can she focus on her niche and set her podcast apart in that niche? Teresa’s website is at http://www.popcollectorspodcast.com/. Do you have a question about building your podcast audience? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.freshbooks.com/askpat and enter "Ask Pat" for more information.

Today's question comes from Tyler, who has a question about writing with a learning disability. Should he throw in the towel after receiving some negative feedback about his writing? What can he do to overcome this obstacle? How can he improve upon the writing he puts out on his website? Should he hire an editor, or someone to help him improve his writing? Do you have a question about improving your writing for your website? Record it at http://www.AskPat.com. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.Freshbooks.com/askpat and enter "Ask Pat" for more information.

Today's question comes from Max, who has a question about monetizing his website. How does he monetize his website? What can he do to incorporate and improve Google AdSense for his website monetization? What are his options for private advertising on his website? Max's website is at http://www.ruinmyweek.com/. In this episode, I mention SEM Rush as a neat tool to help support website monetization. Learn more at http://www.semrush.com/. I also mention Patreon, an amazing crowdfunding-type platform that enables your fans to support what you're doing. Learn about Patreon at http://www.patreon.com/. Do you have a question about website monetization? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is BambooHR, a simple and central system for organizing human resources data in the cloud. For a limited time, you can get a free 14-day trial by going to http://www.bamboohr.com/, clicking on the microphone, and entering the code "Pat."

Today's question comes from Otis, who has a question about starting a YouTube channel. How can he determine what topics his videos should cover? Otis's website is at http://www.lakecitytactical.com/. Do you have a question about YouTube? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.freshbooks.com/askpat and enter "Ask Pat" for more information.

Today's question comes from Jeff, who has a question about using webinars to grow his list. Should he wait until he has a big audience to host a webinar? Can he use a webinar to grow his audience? Jeff's website is at http://www.newmiddleclassdad.com/. In this episode I mention http://www.webinarninja.co/ as a good webinar tool to use. I also mention SPI Session 29 with Lewis Howes on mastering and conducting a webinar. Check that out at http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/session29/. Lastly, we're in launch week for Smart From Scratch, my new online course created to help you validate your business idea. Learn more and sign up at http://www.smartfromscratch.com/. Do you have a question about growing your list through webinars? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Bamboo HR, a simple and central system for organizing human resources data in the cloud. For a limited time, you can get a free 14-day trial by going to http://www.bamboohr.com/ and entering the code "Pat."

Today's question comes from Tyron, who has a question about collecting data on his customers. How does he better collect data on his customers? What are some ways he can monetize that data? How can he start marketing to his list? What is the best way to serve his customers beyond his business? Tyron's website is at http://www.tigdress.com/. In this episode, I mention that we're in launch week for Smart From Scratch, my new online course created to help you validate your business idea. Learn more and sign up at http://www.smartfromscratch.com/. Do you have a question about data collection? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.freshbooks.com/askpat and enter "Ask Pat" for more information.

Today's question comes from Brian, who has a question about business cards. Should he create business cards when he first starts his business? Does he bring business cards with him when he goes to conferences? What are some strategies to use to connect and engage with people at conferences? Are there any alternatives to business cards? In this episode, I mention that today is launch day for Smart From Scratch, my new online course created to help you validate your business idea. Learn more and sign up at http://www.smartfromscratch.com/. Do you have a question about business cards? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. For AskPat Live, go to http://facebook.com/smartpassiveincome. Thanks to Zip Recruiter for sponsoring today's episode. Go to http://www.ziprecruiter.com/pat to get started posting jobs today.

Today's question comes from Bill, who has a question about engagement and traffic from podcast show notes. How much engagement and traffic do I get from my show notes? Could he get away with skipping show notes? What should he include in his show notes? What resources can he use to manage his show notes? Bill's website is at http://www.podcastbyfriday.com/. Do you have a question about creating show notes for your podcast? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Design Crowd. To learn more about working with their designers, go to http://designcrowd.com/askpat.

Today's question comes from Jennifer, who has a question about building a successful mastermind group. What is the best structure of a mastermind group? What kinds of topics should they discuss? How can they best leverage each other? Jennifer's website is at http://www.sideofincome.com/. In this episode, I mention my webinar replay on How to Build a Winning Mastermind Group. You can watch that at https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/tv/how-to-build-a-winning-mastermind-group-webinar-replay/. Do you have a question about running a successful mastermind group? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.freshbooks.com/askpat and enter "Ask Pat" for more information.

Today's question comes from Barry, who has a question about Kevin Kelly's 1,000 True Fans (http://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/). How does he identify which of his fans are his true fans? What's the best way to follow up with these people? How can he continue to grow his audience more strategically with his true fans? Barry's website is at http://www.turningthepage.info/. In this episode I mention a couple of tools you can use to serve your audience and find your true fans, including http://www.commun.it/ and http://www.socialrank.com/. Do you have a question about identifying who your true fans are? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Today's sponsor is Freshbooks. Go to http://www.freshbooks.com/askpat and enter "Ask Pat" for more information.

Today's question comes from Matthew, who has a question about developing routines around online business metrics. Which metrics do I find the most important? Which are my favorite tools for monitoring performance? Do I have any daily, weekly, and monthly routines for analytics? Do I delegate analytics to your team? In this episode, I mention Google Webmaster Tools. Learn more at https://www.google.com/webmasters/. I also mention my new course, Smart From Scratch, which opens next week! Learn more and enroll at http://www.smartfromscratch.com/. Do you have a question about online business metrics? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Design Crowd. To learn more about working with their designers, go to http://designcrowd.com/askpat.

Today's question comes from Richard, who has a question about the importance of having a relevant college degree for the type of industry blog you run. Should he have a Bachelor Degree in Sport Science to run a successful lifestyle and fitness blog? Will his audience care about his background in education? If he don't have a relevant degree but does have the relevant knowledge and experience, how can he make sure that shines? Richard's website is at http://www.aflexibleyou.com/. Do you have a question about how your background and how that affects your value in your industry? Record it at http://www.askpat.com/. Thanks to our sponsor, Design Crowd. To learn more about working with their designers, go to http://designcrowd.com/askpat.