3 High ROI things you can be doing right now

When it comes to building up an online business from scratch – or even growing one that’s already moving along – there are certain activities which are higher ROI than others.

Some things that you do can have a higher impact than other things that you do.

And I want you to especially listen up if you’re in the very beginning stages of all this. If you’re still trying to figure out your offer… or even what people really want from you… then this is important.

With all this technology, it is easy to start thinking of everybody like an anonymous blob. Another pixel on our traffic graph. Another random email address on our list. But, lest we forget that…

… those are all real people. Actual human beings. Each with their own thoughts, their own viewpoints… their own experience.

As I write this very email, I know I’m about to send this out to my list. There are many thousands of you who are about to get this. And every time I write, I imagine ONE person. It never occurs to me that I’m speaking to… my list. It is too impersonal that way. I imagine I’m speaking to one person. A friend with a mutual interest.

YOU have your own unique perspectives, thoughts, experiences. And your’s are likely different than each of the other several thousand people who are about to get this email.

And the biggest mistake business owners make (and trust me, I’ve done it, too) is to assume that we know what people want. Or… to know what they NEED. We, in all our supposed expertise, sit there and we determine what would be a good product for them. Then, we go build it and hope it will work out.

But, making those kinds of assumptions is just short-sighted.

So, you may think that the right thing to do is to ask questions of them. Run surveys. Posts questions on social media. Things like that.

You’re getting warmer. 🙂 But we can do better.

With all this technology… and all the NOISE that our subscribers and customers are getting out there… just stepping up and being a REAL HUMAN BEING goes a REALLY long way.

Not only that, it will enable you to learn way more than you can ever do through an email. Or a social media update.

I’m talking about actually TALKING to people. Doing interviews.

When’s the last time you actually SPOKE with people in your market? Never? Well, it is time you do. And, no, I’m not talking about people you already know. I’m talking about strangers. People you don’t know personally. These are the people you wish to serve with your business. You need to actually TALK to them.

To that end, there are some really high ROI things you can be doing. In fact, these are things I’ve done before… but I’m about to systematize this into my business so that it takes place all the time.

Some ideas…

#1 – Use a service like Bomb Bomb to send video emails to people. 

Video stands out like crazy. And with a service like this, you can communicate with groups or even individuals via personalized video that they get via email.

You could randomly reach out to a few of your email subscribers with a private video email and invite them for a quick Skype interview. If somebody buys one of your offers, send them a personalized welcome video where you welcome them by name and just talk to them.

You say it isn’t scalable, perhaps? Who gives a sh*t. Do it anyway.

#2 – Interviewing people who request a refund.

Seems weird, right? Well, if somebody asks for a refund from you, there was something that didn’t fit their needs. You need to know what that is.

And there is no more direct, personal way to do that than a conversation. A written survey to all refunders is one way to go. But, you should ask them if they’d be willing to have a 10-minute chat with you. Make it clear that you have ZERO intentions of trying to change their mind. You’re just looking to learn.

#3 – Interviewing people who cancel.

Perfect for your membership site. People cancelling is part of life. You’ll never not have people cancel.

So, do an exit survey on all of them and then, if you can, get them on the phone or Skype and interview them.

What do you ask? Just find out what their situation is and ask them what kinds of things they would suggest to make your program better.

Again, you’re not selling them. Just take all the pressure away. No sales! No money. Nothing. You’re just asking them a few questions and then you’re done.

It might seem weird to call talking to them and doing interviews a high ROI activity when you’re not trying to make a sale. But, truth is, there is SOOOO much value and power in those personal conversations. You will learn more about how you can serve them better in those short conversations than you EVER will in a long email thread. Plus, it is more personal. More… intimate. You’ll gain a much stronger reality and empathy for your market, prospects and customers. And that will make you much better at what you do.

Again, it might not be scalable. And everybody seems to think everything we do in business has to be scalable, high leverage… something we can “Set it and forget it”.

But, no.

These days, I think the things most likely to make a real difference for you are the UNSCALABLE things.

Do more of those unscalable things.

They might think that’s naive. Just watch your metrics and do everything based on numbers, graphs, open rates and split tests.

But, while you’re doing the unscalable things and building a really strong empathy and understanding of the people you serve… those other people are blending into the scenery.

So, for me personally, here’s something we’re going to be implementing very shortly here at the Blog Marketing Academy…

• Soon, you guys are going to see me reach out to schedule a series of short interviews with some of you. Short 10-15 minute conversations.
• Any cancellations and refunds are going to be getting exit interviews… some of them via phone or Skype.
• I’m going to begin welcoming all new LAB members personally… via video.

It is time to get personal again.

And perhaps I’ll talk to some of you soon. 🙂