Years ago when I had a corporate job, I had a side hustle.
It was an ecommerce site selling surfing (my hobby) related items.
It was profitable but barely.
It was a flop.
It covered its costs, but I was almost working for free.
Before James Schramko became my coach, I told him about this when we met in the surf one day.
James said one of the problems was that: “You are selling low value, one-off products. You should be selling high value, recurring services”.
I don’t regret this side hustle. So many lessons, plenty about what not to do!
I learnt the fundamentals of advertising and what it was to run an ecommerce site – every part.
And in my current business when I place one of our experienced operators with an ecommerce owner, I can speak the same language.
Back to my side hustle.
Back then I came across Sabri Suby’s company King Kong. It was MUCH smaller back then, and I found an offer for a free consultation with Sabri.
If you don’t know Sabri, he is one of the Sharks on the Australian TV Series “Shark Tank”.
I emailed ahead and warned him this call was likely to be a waste of his time – he took it anyway.
The feedback was honest and polite – I was on the wrong track completely.
Years later I have a flourishing business. And much of it due to getting the advice from experts (and learning from mistakes).
So it delights me to see thoughtful experts like Sabri and James succeed.
Here are some of the things that I should have done with my ecommerce from Sabri’s book “Sell Like Crazy”:
1. Catch Attention
Grab attention with bold, striking headlines.
Use ads that pop.
Make people stop and look.
2. Craft Irresistible Offers
Create offers they can’t refuse.
Add bonuses and guarantees.
Make it a no-brainer.
3. Understanding Customer Psychology
Leverage psychological triggers such as scarcity, urgency, social proof, and authority.
Understand the customer’s journey and address each stage with appropriate messaging.
4. Lead Generation and Conversion
Develop a system for generating leads consistently.
Nurture leads through targeted follow-ups and personalized communication.
Optimize your sales process to convert leads into paying customers efficiently.
5. Write Strong Ads
Use short, punchy sentences.
Highlight benefits.
Include a clear call to action. Guide them to the next step.
6. Build Effective Sales Pages
Lead them through a logical flow.
Use testimonials and clear, compelling descriptions.
Address objections upfront.
7. Implementing Automation and Systems
Automate repetitive tasks to free up time and ensure consistent follow-up.
Use CRM systems to manage leads and track customer interactions.
Implement email marketing sequences to nurture leads and maintain engagement.
8. Measure and Optimize
Watch key metrics like conversion rates and ROI.
Test different strategies.
Tweak and improve continuously.
9. Scale Your Business
Focus on the best-performing channels.
Delegate and outsource to free up time.
Expand through partnerships and new markets.
Talk soon,
Lloyd
PS – Paying it forward. Would you like free consultation about your team and systems? Let’s chat.
