Episode #80: Building A Multi-Million Dollar Business Through Email With Amy Porterfield
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Amy Porterfield is an online marketing expert and the host of the top-ranked podcast, Online Marketing Made Easy. Before building a multi-million-dollar digital course business, Amy worked with mega brands like Harley-Davidson and Peak Performance Coach, Tony Robbins, where she oversaw the content team and collaborated on ground-breaking online marketing campaigns.
And today, friend of the show Amy Porterfield joins The Toy Coach for a conversation around the importance of list building. In this fun conversation we dive into the mistakes and lessons Amy learned while starting her own online business. Amy shares a bit about a partnership that didn’t work in her favor and admits she avoided list building in her business far longer than she should have. You’ll leave today’s episode feeling inspired to take chances and make mistakes because no one starts out knowing exactly what they’re doing. Not even our expert guest Amy Porterfield.
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Want To Learn More About Building Your Email List With Amy Porterfield?
Sign up for this Free Masterclass with Amy: The 3 Step Plan To Getting Your First 1,000 Email Subscribers In this FREE masterclass Amy will show you her complete getting started strategy for growing the most important asset you’ve got as an entrepreneur — your email list.
*The Toy Coach is an affiliate of Amy Porterfield’s LBS and may receive compensation if you purchase the course. See the terms and conditions for our full earnings disclaimer.
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Azhelle Wade: [00:00:00] You are listening to making it in the toy industry, episode number 80.
[00:00:04] Well, Hey, there toy people, Azhelle Wade here. And welcome back to another episode of the toy coach podcast, making it in the toy industry. This is a weekly podcast brought to you by thetoycoach.com. Well guess what? This week is a very special week because this week marks the one year anniversary of my becoming a full-time entrepreneur in the toy industry. Yup. It's been one whole year. Can you believe it? I seriously cannot. But to help me celebrate today, I decided to bring on my teacher, mentor. And now I'm pretty sure I can call her a friend. The online marketing expert, Amy Porterfield, who helped inspire and guide me to take the leap, to form my own business, leave my nine to five and take a real chance at this whole entrepreneurial thing.
[00:01:18]If you don't already know Amy Porterfield, she runs a multi-million dollar digital course business and before that Amy worked with mega brands like Harley Davidson and peak performance coach Tony Robbins, where she oversaw the content team and collaborated on ground breaking online marketing campaigns. Through her best-selling courses and her popular podcast Amy's action by action approach proves that even the newest online entrepreneurs can bypass the overwhelm and instead generate exciting momentum as they build a business they love.
[00:01:58] Now I brought Amy on the podcast today to talk about her journey into entrepreneurship and share her list, building knowledge with all of you. I tell my students time and time again, that they need to be building an email list so that they can promote their toy products. But I, myself am still a student in list building. So who better than to come on the show, back me up on the importance of list building and teach you how and why it's done other than Amy frickin Porterfield.
[00:02:29]Today's episode, we'll leave you feeling inspired to build your email list, to revamp your website and even create a digital lead magnet that promotes your toy product. Now, if you're a member of the toy coach podcast insiders club, I've got to tell you, I put together a special bonus for you today. When talking with Amy, we were having way too much fun in this interview.
[00:02:55] And our time together ended sooner than I expected leaving a number of questions unanswered because I had to skip them to make sure we had time to wrap the interview. However, A lot of those questions, Amy has already answered on her own podcast pretty brilliantly if I might add. So if you are a toy coach podcast, insiders club member, I created a helpful word document filled with all of the email marketing and list building interview questions that I didn't get to ask Amy during our interview today.
[00:03:34] And a link to Amy's podcast episodes that answer those questions. So once you're done listening to our chat today, and you want more, cause I know you will head over to your members area and grab that bonus resource. Okay. That's enough of an intro, but this is a big deal to have Amy Porterfield on this show let's not waste any more time and dive right into the interview. Amy Porterfield. Welcome to the show. I'm so happy to have you here.
Amy Porterfield: [00:04:08] Oh, well, thanks so much for having me. I've been looking forward to this. This is going to be a lot of fun.
Azhelle Wade: [00:04:13] I can't believe it. I mean, You know, I've been following you for years. This was never something I ever thought would happen, but I'm so excited and just like flattered that you're here.
Amy Porterfield: [00:04:23] I'm honored you asked I'm so glad you asked.
Azhelle Wade: [00:04:25] Okay. No, you know, you know, because I tell you, I've told you that my show caters to entrepreneurs and toy inventors. So I'm sure some people listening might be wondering, why an online marketing expert is on the show today. Like why? But I have to say Amy, in 2020, the toy industry actually grew 16% online toy sales were up crazy numbers in April when the pandemic first started. And as of October, 85%. Like we're doing numbers that we thought we would do in 2030
Amy Porterfield: [00:04:56] Whoa. I love hearing that.
Azhelle Wade: [00:04:58] Yeah. So since the majority of those sales happen online, I always teach my students. You really need to build your list, your email list. So there's no better time in the world, in my opinion, to bring you on the show and share all of your marketing genius with my listeners.
Amy Porterfield: [00:05:16] Oh, bring it on. I mean, the fact that, you know, list building is so important and you're bringing it to your community, you know, I can talk about this topic all day long, so I'm like bringing it up. Let's do this.
Azhelle Wade: [00:05:27] Okay. Let's do it. But before we dive into list building, because you're, you, I do want to hear a little bit about your story. So would you mind if we start off with entrepreneurship?
Amy Porterfield: [00:05:36] Let's do it.
Azhelle Wade: [00:05:37] Okay. So I know because I know you that you're super 8+ style student and that mentality serves the corporate world so well, you get rewarded for working all hours of the night and giving 150%, never seen your family.
Amy Porterfield: [00:05:53] You must've also been a corporate girl. Like I get it.
Azhelle Wade: Yeah, a hundred percent.
Amy Porterfield: Right.
Azhelle Wade: [00:05:59] So I'm curious. Why did you leave? Why did you leave? You were working at Tony Robbins right before you made the leap to entrepreneurship. So why did you make that leap?
Amy Porterfield: [00:06:08] So I love this question because I always thought I would be a corporate girl and I was really good at it. I always say I was a corporate. Yes, girl. You need it now. No problem. You need me to work all night. You got it. You need me to get on a plane and meet with a client I'm your girl. And I loved climbing the corporate ladder. I love the accolades and the raises and the promotions. I lived for that because in school I lived for getting good grades and this was like my way of getting good grades in the corporate world.
[00:06:37] And then one day when I was working with Tony Robbins, he had a meeting where you brought in a bunch of internet marketing in that time gurus. Like these were the top of the top. All of them were men by the way. And they were doing these really cool things in terms of creating products and selling them online.
[00:06:57] And they all had their own businesses. And Tony went around one by one and ask them about their businesses because Tony was starting to sell more online of his own courses. And so I was brought in here's the humbling. part I was brought in to take notes. I wasn't an assistant, but I was brought in to take notes.
[00:07:14] I sat at a side table wasn't even at the main table. And one by one, these guys went around to talk about their online businesses and I don't even, I think I took the worst notes in the world that day, my ears perked up. I don't know what these guys are doing, but I keep hearing freedom, lifestyle time with family, great revenue.
[00:07:35] And I thought, I don't know even what they're doing. I don't even get it, but I'm going to figure this out because I wanted more freedom. I didn't want a boss. I didn't want to be told what to do when to do it, how to do it. And as much as I loved Tony, I didn't even want him as a boss. And so it got to the point.
[00:07:52] I thought I got to figure this out so fast forward a year from that fateful meeting. And I went out on my own and started my own business and it was a disaster in the beginning, but I did it. So it was because I wanted that lifestyle freedom more than anything.
Azhelle Wade: [00:08:08] You know, when you told, I've heard this story a little bit before, and when you told it, it brought me flashbacks to sitting in big meetings at companies like Toys R Us and being on the sidelines and just absorbing and absorbing. But. With no one telling you that this is an opportunity you could have, what in those conversations made you even think that was a possibility?
Amy Porterfield: [00:08:30] You know, that's such a great question because I never thought I would be an entrepreneur that word wasn't in my vocabulary and it wasn't even a huge desire, but I think it got to the point that I realized I am. Always going to be on somebody else's time and I'm always going to be creating for somebody else. And there was just this little voice, a little knowing, like, yeah, but you could do it for yourself. You could do this. And I had just gotten married and my husband Hoby. I was on the road at least 200 days of the year.
[00:09:05] We, I traveled to the events. I worked on the content Tony did at events like unleash the power within date with destiny. I got to work on that content. So I went to these events and I never saw my husband. And I thought, I don't want this lifestyle. So I think it was like, what I didn't want propelled me into being an entrepreneur, not really knowing what I exactly wanted, but I knew what I didn't want any more.
Azhelle Wade: [00:09:27] That is exactly what happened to me. That is the same thing. Yeah. You know, I'm sitting in the pandemic and it just realized, like, I don't want to not be home. I, and I think seeing what it's like to be home was like, I don't want to go back to not being home with my partner. Okay. So, today thankfully, you follow that voice and now you have this multimillion dollar business. Crazy, which is super impressive to say the least, but what's even more impressive is that you've built a multi-million dollar business that builds other multi-million dollar businesses . That is so cool. I've got to say your work feels very genuine and like very mission-driven.
[00:10:09] So from the very first day that you started your business, where you really, as mission-driven as you come off today, like, did you always have that clear why in your head and your reflection.
Amy Porterfield: [00:10:23] Absolutely not, no. And this is another question I'm glad you asked, because I think it needs to be said, and I think more people need to hear it from people, entrepreneurs like me and you in the sense that, that when I left my corporate job, my, why was, I didn't want a bus again. I didn't want to be told what to do.
[00:10:42] When did you, how did you. I wanted to live my life the way I wanted to live my life. And I wanted to be creative in my own right. That it was very selfish in that sense. I wasn't thinking I wanna change the world. I wasn't thinking I want to help tons of people. Of course, I always come from a place of wanting to help, but it wasn't at the forefront. And then about two years And because it took me a good two years to figure out what the heck I was doing. Okay. I. Wait, I could genuinely add value to people's lives. I could change lives, you know, coming from Tony Robbins, he changes lives in huge ways. So I'm like, I can't change lives. I had major imposter syndrome.
[00:11:18] I can't change lives like that. But then about two years in, I realized, well, in my own way, I can. So today and for many, many years, I wake up every morning with the mission of helping female entrepreneurs specifically find their way in this entrepreneur entrepreneurial world. Meaning there's a woman in a cubicle right now working a nine to five job corporate like us.
[00:11:41] And she's like, there's got to be something more. I know. I don't know what there is. I don't know what to do. But I can't live my life driving into this office, working for these people every single day, hitting that glass ceiling. So my mission today and has been for a while is I want to help every single woman that wants to start her own business. And I do so as you know, specifically helping people take their knowledge and turning it into a digital course, but that was not always my why, my why was more selfish for a few years. And that's just what it had to be to get me to where I am today.
Azhelle Wade: [00:12:14] Wow. It's so nice that you share that nobody shares that nobody shares that. Like, no, I was, I was always altruistic, but I mean, at some point you do have to think of about like, what's going to put food on the table and what's going to help you achieve your dreams. Like you have to start that way. So I love that you shared that. Thank you now for a little surprise, have you ever heard of the way back machine?
Amy Porterfield: [00:12:37] I'm very nervous. If those early days were a little rough, what are you going to say next?
Azhelle Wade: [00:12:45]Okay. Listeners, I'm popping in, in the middle of this interview to let you know what's about to go down visually, so you can follow along. If you're listening to the audio interview. Now, the Wayback machine that I mentioned to Amy is an online archive of websites.
[00:13:01] I used the archive to pull up some screenshots of Amy's homepage through the years and surprised her with those screenshots during the interview. So you're going to hear us calling out years and laughing at graphic details from her site years ago, Amy porterfield.com. So if you are a member of the toy coach podcast, insiders club, I would recommend you watch the full interview you see the video that we're talking about and you can laugh along with us. If you're not a member, you can still sign up today at club.thetoycoach.com to access the video interview. Okay. Let's get back to it.
Azhelle Wade: [00:13:41] Now for a little surprise, have you ever heard of the way back?
Amy Porterfield: [00:13:45] I'm very nervous. If those early days were a little rough, what are you going to say next?
[00:13:53] I'm not going to say anything, but I do want to show you something because when you talk about the early days, I have to say, cause I follow you like religiously. So when I joined digital course academy and I saw the quality of your course, first of all, let me start there. I was like, oh no, I can never do this. It's like, oh no, I don't even know. I mean, I don't even know. So I went back in your website because I was like, okay, show let's reframe. Amy had to start from somewhere. Okay. So I went back. I went back.
Amy Porterfield: Whoa, you went so far back, like first of all, what is that? Look on my face. Second of all. What's the necklace and third what's I don't even remember that logo. I'm like blushing. I'm so embarrassed right now, but I love it so much.
Azhelle Wade: This was 2009. This is 2009. And I, honestly, I was like, okay. I was like, all right, Azhelle, you can, you can do this.
Amy Porterfield: [00:14:59] Yeah.
Azhelle Wade: [00:15:00] 2010.
Amy Porterfield: Oh yes. This one. I remember very vividly. We took a picture in my front yard and a cut out like all the grass and everything behind me. This was in my front yard.
[00:15:12] When you do online, they can't help, but notice you, I remember I was very proud of that tagline.
Azhelle Wade: So cute.
Amy Porterfield: Oh gosh. I was building my email list. Get, go. Okay. This is amazing.
Azhelle Wade: [00:15:27] I love that red was your color because red is red is one or was one of my favorite colors and I would put it everywhere. Why did you choose red? What you have?
Amy Porterfield: I always felt like I looked good in red. I was like, makes me happy. It may, it makes me look good. So I read a lot in the beginning. Yeah.
Azhelle Wade: I love it. So that where we're at, what are we at 2012 and then you were really into the pop-up game, which was released strong.
Amy Porterfield: Strong pop-up game. Yes. This is when I got the book deal to coauthor, the dummies book. Oh yes. I remember this what you're showing, right. Took me hours to put together, big deal. Yes. I was like, what do I say? What do I write? You are taking me back. Oh my gosh.
Azhelle Wade: Love it so much. Let's go to 20 we're at 2014, but I think the next big visual jump happens at like 2016.
Amy Porterfield: Yeah.
Azhelle Wade: This one gets a big, this is very [00:16:28] Pinterest, very Pinterest. Right?
Amy Porterfield: Funny. Someone was in my business at the time. [00:16:34] That was a Pinterest expert, honey, that you're saying that yes, she had a lot of influence on me at the time. Very Pinterest. I remember like taking these picture. I hate photo shoots. You remember that photo shoot. I hated it. Keep going.
Azhelle Wade: And so the latest one, well, before what you are today is 2017. So this is where you really, you got your blue, you started to bring it in your yellow and you really cleaned it up. What happened with chase?
Amy Porterfield: Okay. So let's see here. This one was, oh, I got a really pro photographer, actually. Jasmine star. Do you know Jasmine? That's one of my favorites. She came over to my house that day, took this picture. She's like, let's just like streamline this a little bit. I was ready to go a little bit more sophisticated at the time. [00:17:21] I was making a lot more money by that time. Obviously I just want to let everybody know these extensions. They're taping extensions. I've had them for years. Because that's literally the length of my hair will go well, not really. Yes.
Azhelle Wade: Okay. Look, women need to hear that. No, there is a lot of insecurity, at least for myself as a black woman, how long our hair can grow. [00:17:43] So I love hearing a powerful white woman is still using extensions.
Amy Porterfield: Yes. I told my husband, you bury me whether I'm 80 or tomorrow. Make sure my extensions are intake. Don't put you don't let me down. So yes, but these are, oh my gosh. I want to say something that I know you didn't ask, but I've got to say this, look at all of these.
[00:18:04] And I think that poor sweet girl, she had no clue. She was so scared for so long. Like I just, I know, you know, when you look back at yourself and you think I know what that was going through, even 2017, there was some stuff going on. I was getting out of a partnership. I was, it was a rough time. And so I think we all should be so kind to this journey because it's tough.
[00:18:30] It's tough to be an entrepreneur. And, oh my gosh, I'm going to have to tell my team. You just did that. They're going to die. I can't wait til they see this. My marketing expert makes fun of me all the time. My, I have a chief marketing officer. Yeah. She was like, oh, remember when you did this way before her time, I'm like, okay, move on smarty bands.
Azhelle Wade: [00:18:49] I loved it though, because looking at your old websites just allowed me to let it go because you know, you're, you're building your website when you're first starting. You want it to be perfect. And it just allowed me to move on. Like I have this like robot image on my site and I obsessed over it for the longest time.
[00:19:06] But seeing your evolution, I just felt. I'll get there. We'll get there, you know, we'll get there every step. So you mentioned your partnership and I'm so glad you did, because I really want to know more about it. I don't know how much you can share, but I, as a new entrepreneur, I was one of your students.
[00:19:22] I've been considering certain partnerships. So I would love to know what advice would you give entrepreneurs out there who might be considering. Partnering with people. And I do want to caveat this with one thing. I have interviewed a toy entrepreneur who partnered with a hair products company. And so that's, that's where I'm coming at this angle. Okay. Yeah. No.
Amy Porterfield: [00:19:46] When you say partnership and you might mean the whole gamut, but do you mean like affiliate partnership or do you mean actually getting into business and creating like an LLC together? When you say that word, what are you thinking?
Azhelle Wade: [00:19:59] Okay, good point. So when I say that word, I'm thinking sort of an agreement to kind of co-promote. So whether we're cross promoting on social channels, we're selling joint products or, and for a limited time. So it's not a new, we're not informing a new business together, but we have an agreement to sell together.
Amy Porterfield: Great then I absolutely encourage it.[00:20:20] I do believe. Okay. So this is such an important topic to talk about because I believe that those relationships, those affiliations are so important to the growth of your business. They are not essential. Like you don't have to do it. I have friends that haven't done any of that and have grown big businesses.
[00:20:39] It allows you to collaborate with somebody and more ideas, more creativity. I think the most important thing about any of those relationships is to have very clear expectations of each other and very clear details of how you're But the revenue and the expenses. So as long as that's clear, I absolutely love them.
Azhelle Wade: [00:21:01] If you could go back in time before your partnership. I don't know if this one was specifically like a business partnership or if it was more of a, an affiliate partnership, but what advice would you give yourself? To start it or to create it in a better way. So say you were going to move forward with it either way, but what advice would you give yourself back then to say, do this better?
Amy Porterfield: [00:21:21]So my situation, so I do tons of affiliate partnerships. I promote other people's programs. They promote mine, but the partnership I talked about in that one picture where things were a little. I got into a partnership where someone came into my business and I made them a 50, 50 partner. Oh yeah. So they we split revenue. We split expenses. We were partners in my, I say my business, the business, I started, we actually created a different business name on the back end, but no one knew on the front end.
[00:21:50] And I did that because the person I partner with was genius, such a marketing genius. He was incredible. Smart. He was fast. He just had new things. I didn't know. And so his strengths would bring bringing into this business.
[00:22:06] It was incredible. Like literally we did skyrocket our revenue together. Oh, wow. But I got to a point that without getting into all the details, I lost myself along the way. I'll ask my voice. I started not speaking up. I started thinking, well, what does he think we should do? I would go to him with all the questions instead of turning inward. And it got to a point that I realized oh, this is not what I, what I want.
[00:22:29] This is not the kind of way I want to grow my business. So together we got together and figured out over a long period of time, how to end that partnership. And it was scary and it was sad and it felt like a divorce. And, and, and I, to answer your question, what I would do differently or what I learned, if I let's say I did, I, I probably wouldn't get back into a partnership.
[00:22:52] I will never get back into a partnership, but let’s say if I could change anything, I would have set the expectations clear, what are you going to do? What am I going to do? How are we going to figure this out together? So I didn't lose my way along the way. I didn't set good expectations.
Azhelle Wade: [00:23:07] Oh, I see. It sounds like you almost turned yourself back into an employee in your own way. Oh, amen. You're exactly right. I'm writing a book right now about how women can become their own bosses. And I say in that book, I literally just like started operating, like I was in corporate again. It's so easy to go back to that. So you, you hit it.
[00:23:27] Oh my gosh. Okay. Tell me about a time you really wholeheartedly, almost quit your business. Like you're like it's too hard, I’m done.
Amy Porterfield: [00:23:38] Okay. So it was that time. Oh, that time and, well, okay. So I almost quit in the sense of, I thought I had to give it all up. Cause I couldn't figure out how we were going to get out of it, but we did figure it out. So let me tell you one other time and I almost quit it all. I'm going to go in that way back machine. First launch, I almost literally went back to corporate, so I did my first launch and it was, I launched a digital course on a topic. I didn't know, a lot That was just my desperation. And it made $267 and I had watched everybody else like you do, like, we watch everyone else's launches and I'm like, let the money rain bring it. And then it was $267. And I thought I am a failure. I am. I never thought I would be an entrepreneur because, so I'm like, oh, this proves it. That was like literally a week of not getting out of bed. I tell this funny story where I had this black cotton target robe, and I wore it every day. And my husband's like, I need you to get out of that road and that's enough. So I almost said I'm gonna just have to go get a job, which was terrifying to me because it meant I failed, which not necessarily, but that was scary time.
Azhelle Wade: [00:24:56] Oh my gosh. Yeah. I can't even imagine. I would probably do the same. I would probably do the same. I would definitely think the same. I would probably at least get a freelance gig.
Amy Porterfield: That's what exactly. Yes.
Azhelle Wade: [00:25:08] Okay. Let's get into email marketing. This is why we're supposed to be here, but I'm just, you know, pulling all your, all your knowledge for myself, so selfish, but let's dive into email marketing. Did you know from day one of starting your business? That list building was important for it.
Amy Porterfield: So I knew it, but I didn't want to believe it because I do believe, you know, when you don't understand really how to build an email list, it feels very daunting. Lots of steps, lots of work, lots of unknowns. So at that time, that's what it was for me.
[00:25:42] And so I wanted to do everything in my business except build an email list. So I knew it was important, but for two years I didn't make it a focus.
Azhelle Wade: [00:25:52] So, what were you focusing on? Instead?
Amy Porterfield: I was focusing on, on getting clients because I was like, if I lose a client, I won't be able to put food on the table, which was not necessarily true, but my mind goes to like a deep, dark place because the first two years of building my business, I did a social media management for small businesses.
[00:26:10] Now I don't do any one-on-one or anything like that, but in the first two years I did, So I was focused on getting clients, keeping clients. I was a yes girl still. So I did like way more than I should have for them. So I was working every hour in every weekend. So I was overwhelmed by that. And then I was looking for opportunities for networking. I would go to conferences and networking events and focus. They're very outward versus like, let's look at the business and think, how are we going to build a strong foundation? I wasn't doing that yet.
Azhelle Wade: [00:26:42] So when you did discover email marketing was the way you were going to build that foundation, how did you even find your voice without an Amy Porterfield to guide you? How did you figure out what your voice was in email?
Amy Porterfield: Well, it's funny because you are so kind to tell me that you listen to my podcast and you follow all my things and you're in my program. Well, the reason that touches my heart so much. I was you following another female entrepreneur, Marie Forleo.
Azhelle Wade: [00:27:09]Hey, there, I'm popping back in, in the middle of this episode to blow your mind for a moment. I had no idea that Amy had followed Marie Forleo. When she was building her online business. And during the time of this interview, I was actually already booked to speak with Marie Forleo on Marie TV and on her podcast.
[00:27:32] So if you haven't already listened to that Marie TV episode yet I want you to head over tothetoycoach.com/80 so that you can watch my interview with Marie Forleo, but do it after you've finished this incredible episode. Okay. Let's get back to it.
Amy Porterfield: [00:27:52]Well, the reason that touches my heart so much. I was you following another female entrepreneur, Marie Forleo.
[00:28:00] Oh, you, oh okay.
Amy Porterfield: Like just like you listening to all the things and learning all the things I literally did that. I'm a huge, huge proponent of you Got it. No, one's gonna teach you this stuff in school. In corporate event, you got to learn it outside. And so she was in my ear and one of the things she taught was you've got to create consistent content, consistent original content. So the way I found my voice is I started with blogging.
[00:28:25] It turned into podcasting years later, but blogging was the thing that I did over and over and over again, until I finally kind of found my voice and started attracting my audience.
Azhelle Wade: I did see that in the back machine, you can see the menu options changed from blog and then there's blogs and podcasts.
[00:28:42] That, that is so interesting. So there are probably a number of toy industry organizations that might be listening right now. So what tips would you have for them to find their voice? Because it's so different from you, like as an individual, but what does an organization do to find a voice that's more, I don't know, general, but still personal?
Amy Porterfield: Yeah, I think that first you get super, super clear on who you're talking to and, and you have to remember, you're talking to a human being, whether they be or a business person or not like if you're talking to the consumer, maybe different than you're talking to the distribution in a company or whatever that, that department, but they're all human.
[00:29:23] And so having a casual really friendly and inviting voice in all you do, no matter who you're talking to is important, but then understanding what are they thinking? What are they feeling? How can I make them think, oh my God, you're in my head. So that's what you want to do. So really understanding who is your market?
[00:29:44] Who are you talking to? That is where you want to start, because then you can start creating content and around that.
Azhelle Wade: How long do you spend on an on writing email?
Amy Porterfield: So I send one email out a week. Now I have a copywriter now, but for many, many years I didn't. And so it would probably take me a good 45 minutes to, to write the email that I send every week. [00:30:05] I was slow. I was a slow writer for sure.
Azhelle Wade: No, but I think that's an important thing to say, because I feel like a lot of twin entrepreneurs, they don't [00:30:13] value. Like really taking that time to talk to their list because they think no one's listening, but it's important to say like, look, this is somebody who has built a business off of their email list essentially.
[00:30:25] And they were dedicated for 45 minutes to sit down and write a message that would resonate with their audience. So that's, I think that's really, really important to say too. Now your email style is super personal. Have you ever shared too much in your emails? Okay.
Amy Porterfield: [00:30:42] No, but I am guilty of not sharing enough.
Azhelle Wade: [00:30:46] Oh no.
Amy Porterfield: I'm going to take it the whole other way. I am. I'm not an overshare, so I'm never going to be in that kind of danger zone of like, okay. Pull it back just a little bit. But I have been told by my audience, like, we want to know more about you. Tell us more about your relationship with Hoby or your struggles with like, I talk openly about my struggles with my weight and being self-conscious like share more of that or share more of your stumbles or how were you feeling and, you know, those pictures you showed, like, what was that like that year? And it's not that I want to look perfect. And I've got it all buttoned up. It's just that in my mind, this is my corporate mind. Really. I really think it came from that. No one cares about it. They want to know how to grow an email list, how to create a digital course, how to do a webinar. So I feel like I'm wasting people's time by getting too personal.
[00:31:36] I've learned over the years. That is actually very untrue. You're not, they want to know the human behind the teacher.
Azhelle Wade: [00:31:42] I agree. I think that makes sense. I agree. So is there anything that you've seen change in email marketing since the pandemic, anything bigger, like more like higher open rates, lower open rates, or just like new tools that are more necessary now than before the pandemic.
Amy Porterfield: [00:31:58] You know, that's a great question. I think more so than ever, I seen just a mindset. Changed since the pandemic. And so it's not necessarily the tools we're still using the same tools. We're still emailing. We're still doing webinars. We're still doing Facebook lives and podcasting. But I think that in the beginning of the panel, People were in a place like, and I think the toy industry probably felt this, like they were actually buying more than I ever expected in the beginning.
[00:32:29] And I think if you look, people are at home, their jobs might be a little shaky, but they're at home and they can't do anything. And so now getting out of the pandemic a bit, I have noticed that people are a little bit slower to, to, to make their decisions or they're like, oh, the world's opening up.
[00:32:45] I don't know what's going on. So, what we've done in our business is we've, we've slowed down and said, okay, maybe they need to explain a little bit more of what they're buying or what they get, or the huge benefits of this. So in our own marketing, we just go a little bit of that extra mile to do a little bit of hand holding, to help them understand if what my product is, is right for them. So the communication feels a little bit different than let's say even a year or two ago.
Azhelle Wade: Okay. Yeah, that makes total sense. [00:33:14] Okay. I want you to share your list builder society course before I have to let you go. I really don't want to let you go, but I want to be Respectful of your time. So list builder society is the very first thing I ever purchased from you. [00:33:30] It's a great course around building your email list and teaches all the processes and strategies and how to even set up an email. I mean, it's fantastic.
[00:33:38] Could you just explain. There's so much to explain, but the very first thing I want to explain. A lead magnet, because that is like the key to starting to build your email list. Could you just tell us what a lead magnet is?
Amy Porterfield: Yes. Is it a lead magnet is a freebie. So it'd be like a free PDF guide, a free cheat sheet. Sometimes it could be a discount code. A freebie is something that you give for free in exchange. [00:34:08] For name and email and name and email is a hot commodity. And so that's what a lead magnet is. It's a freebie in exchange for a name and email.
Azhelle Wade: What's the first lead magnet you ever made?
Amy Porterfield: Okay, you should go back to that one that you showed on that very first. Wait, can you go back to it? Let's talk about this really fast.
Azhelle Wade: Let me go.
Amy Porterfield: Very first one where I've got, of course the red. [00:34:33] No, the white shirt, the white shirt. Take me back. There's no lead magnet there. Okay.
Azhelle Wade: This one didn't pop up.
Amy Porterfield: Okay. So get free instant access to my video Mini course. Oh, you were ahead of the times. Charge your Facebook page. Didn't even know it was a mini course, but, okay.
[00:34:51] So it was obviously a mini course. This had to have been my first freebie because I don't think I even had one. In that very first, that very first website you showed was not up long for the record. So that's probably why to you, I might not talk about putting this up that be, might not be friends anymore, but yeah.So I guess it was a mini course because that genuinely was my first freebie.
Azhelle Wade: That is awesome. And so I do, I would love if you could give an example because a lot of my students I've told them this. I'm like, you need a lead magnet. You need to build your email list and we'll be in our group calls and they'll be like Azhelle, I sell toys, What could I possibly create? So first I want to tell you, and I share this with you because you're going to love this. One of my lists. She had a product. It was actually a book. It was a book about a book of cultures, about kids from all over the world. And she has plush toys and things. So when the pandemic happened, she actually launched a Kickstarter.
[00:35:45] So she created a lead magnet that was an educational tool and activity for kids to learn about different cultures. So that's how she built her list for her kickstart. So right. So good. So what are some amazing lead magnets that your students after taking list builders, society have come up with?
Amy Porterfield: So some of that amazing lead magnets tend to be. [00:36:09] When, when my student asked themselves, okay, where is my ideal client? The one I want to spend money with me or. Where are they right now in their journey and their life and their experiences. That's the perfect lead magnet to meet them where they're at and either [00:36:28] Help them with a challenge and obstacle a pain point or a desire, or in your case with toys, entertainment, something fun, something enjoyable, something inspiring.
[00:36:39] And so with my students, one of my students, she is a dog trainer. I always use this example. And her lead magnet. It is a PDF cheat sheet. So it's super simple. And it's how to get your dog to stop jumping on people when they come to the front door. So she, in her course that what she sells, she does so much more than that, but she's like the number one thing they want is just like, don't jump on people when they come to the door and if I can help them with that, they're going to think, whoa, this girl knows what she's talking about.
[00:37:11] What else has she got? And so that's what you want your lead magnet to. But talking to your audience. I do think there's something to be said about the entertainment. And I was going to tell you like the exercise that she gave out, like even coloring or crafts or anything, that's, that's fun just to get them into your world is a great idea.
[00:37:32] It doesn't have to be a cheat sheet, 10 ways to do XYZ. Your world might feel different than that, but just you're wanting to meet them where they are.
Azhelle Wade: You just inspired an idea. Listeners, take this, run with this. [00:37:45] When I work in the toy industry, one of the things we do to create new craft kits is you go to Michael's and you buy a bunch of pieces to build out what you think your product will be, so you can cost it out and all that.
[00:37:56] But how great of a lead magnet would it be? To give somebody basically a shopping list and say, this is what you can create, like an activity book and a shopping list. Go to Michael's. Here's a coupon code because you can download those offline for likely right. Coupon, code, shopping lists, and instructions to this like craft, which is related to my toy product which is a lead magnet just to get you into my world. Oh, that's so good.
Amy Porterfield: Love. If this comes through fruition, you got to tell me that's a great idea.
Azhelle Wade: [00:38:22]Amy Porterfield I just can’t thank you enough for being here today. If there is anything else you would like to share, please do. So now let us know where we can find you what you're up to.
Amy Porterfield: [00:38:33] Oh, well, thank you so much. Well, I have a podcast online marketing made easy, and so that might be beneficial for those, some of those listening, and you can find me anywhere on social with my name, Amy Porterfield,
[00:38:45] but I'll leave you with this. First of all, I adore you. Thank you for having me. You are. Star star student in our world. We talk about you all the time. And what I love most about you is your tenacity and your excitement. And you're like, I'm going to figure it out. So anyone listening right now, she's your girl, because you will and teach other people how to just figure it out and stick with it and take it risk and just do it. So I love having you in my community. I was so honored when you asked me to be here. So thank you so very much, you always have a fan.
Azhelle Wade: Thank you so much, Amy. That was lovely. Thank you.
[00:39:21] Well, there you have it toy people. That was an incredible interview with Amy Porterfield if I do say so myself As I was in the process of editing this episode and pulling out all of the valuable takeaways that I want you to remember. I realized there was one major, low hanging fruit concept for a lead magnet for toy people like us, that Amy and I didn't even touch on.
[00:39:50] And. Is NFTs. Now we've been hearing a lot about NFTs. They are typically put up for sale on digital platforms, but imagine if we utilized NFTs as lead magnets as something that could be a free giveaway that we give out in exchange for an email to build our list. I want you to think on that, chew on it.
[00:40:16] And I promise to have an NFT episode soon so we can dive into that thought process a little bit deeper. Okay. Before I jump into this summary of today's incredible episode, I want to give a listener spotlight. This listener spotlight comes from the early days of the podcast from Palm top tiger. Who said. So informative so far, the two episodes have been a great insight. Not only is the information presented in a way that's engaging, but I feel like the host is an approachable, knowledgeable person. I can't wait for the future episodes, especially about the factories. Thank you so much for that awesome review Palm top tiger.
[00:41:01] And that was a year ago. So in celebration, again, of being an entrepreneur for one year, thank you so much for that wonderful review. And if you haven't left a review yet, but you also love this podcast. What are you waiting for? Those reviews keep me inspired and motivated to keep bringing you valuable content week after week.
[00:41:25] Okay, let's dive back into summarizing what we've learned from today's interview with online marketing expert, Amy Porterfield. Now I pulled out four important lessons for us today. Lesson number one, just because you're a corporate woman or man today does not mean you have to be one tomorrow. Amy was born for that corporate life.
[00:41:51] The raises, the promotions, the accolades, it all fueled her"gotta win" type personality, but our conversation today goes to show you that it just takes a simple shift in mindset to go from loving that corporate. To wanting to leave it to having the passion and the focus to try the road less traveled and dive deep into the waters of entrepreneurship.
[00:42:19] Lesson number two, I want you to take away today is about partnerships. Partnerships. Amy says are a great way to grow your toy business. If you choose to enter in to one. Be really clear on the goals and expectations of the partnership outline things like how much work will you put in each week who will split the revenue.
[00:42:44] Ideally, a partnership that doesn't combine your business assets is best as it's easier to leave that form of a partnership when the time comes.
[00:42:57] Lesson number three that I'd love you to take away is how to communicate with your email list. Now, I know if you are a toy organization or if you're a more formal toy company, you could be unsure of how to talk to your email list. How do you come off professional yet? Personal. Now Amy told us to remember that your emails are always going to another human you're speaking to a real life person. So emails that focus on answering the problems that they're having today are going to work better.
[00:43:37] Much like the listener example. I mentioned in the show, Evie, one of our former guests of the podcast created a downloadable worksheet and activity to promote her product, which launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when parents were desperate for, at home activities. And that email campaign worked because she was speaking to her ideal target market, her ITM and telling them exactly what they needed at the time.
[00:44:11] Lesson number four from the podcast today. And it's a final lesson I'm going to highlight, even though I know there was a ton in this episode, but it's important that you make sure as you're building your business, that you're focusing on what is going to actually build a foundation for growth and success in your business.
[00:44:34] Now that may not be an extra client project or a small order of toys going to a really small shop. Even though those things are monetary cash and injections that feel like you need them right now to put food on the table, we've got to learn to think long-term how are we building a foundation, a plan that will help us grow our revenue in the future.
[00:45:05] That foundation might include content building or list building, and it might not include an immediate cash injection, but we've got to be really strategic about when we are going to take those steps back away from earning a little bit of money today so we can earn a lot more tomorrow. Okay. Now this episode was all about list building.
[00:45:30] I know it is an overwhelming topic. So Amy gave us a special gift today. If you would like Amy's help in building your email list. I am inviting you to check out Amy's free training. All about building your email list. You'll learn three steps to get your first 1000 subscribers.
[00:45:53] And you can grab that link. If you head over to thetoycoach.com/80, it is waiting for you in the show notes. As always, thank you so much for being here with me today. I know there are a ton of podcasts out there, so it really means the world to me that you tune into this one until next week. I'll see you later Toy people.
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