Social Media Business Hour with Nile Nickel

John Warrillow is the creator of The Value Builder System, a statistically proven methodology for improving a company's value by up to 71%. 

He is also the author of The Automatic Customer: Creating a Subscription Business in Any Industry and Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You.

 

As any business knows the lifeblood of your business is repeat customers. But customers can be fickle, markets shift, and competitors are ruthless. So how do you ensure a steady flow of repeat business? The secret—no matter what industry you’re in—is finding and keeping automatic customers.

These days virtually anything you need can be purchased through a subscription, with more convenience than ever before. Far beyond Spotify, Netflix, and New York Times subscriptions, you can sign up for weekly or monthly supplies of everything from groceries (AmazonFresh) to cosmetics (Birchbox) to razor blades (Dollar Shave Club).

According to John Warrillow, this emerging subscription economy offers huge opportunities to companies that know how to turn customers into subscribers. Automatic customers are the key to increasing cash flow, igniting growth, and boosting the value of your company.

Consider Whatsapp, the internet-based messaging service that was purchased by Facebook for $19 billion. While other services bombarded users with invasive ads in order to fund a free messaging platform, Whatsapp offered a refreshingly private tool on a subscription platform, charging just $1 per year. Their business model enabled the kind of service that customers wanted and ensured automatic customers for years to come.

As Warrillow shows, subscriptions aren’t limited to technology or media businesses. Companies in nearly any industry, from start-ups to the Fortune 500, from home contractors to florists, can build subscriptions into their business.

Warrillow provides the essential blueprint for winning automatic customers with one of the nine subscription business models, including:

  • The Membership Website Model: Companies like The Wood Whisperer Guild, ContractorSelling.com, and DanceStudioOwner.com offer access to highly specialized, high quality information, recognizing that people will pay for good content. This model can work for any business with a tightly defined niche market and insider information.
  • The Simplifier Model: Companies like Mosquito Squad (pest control) and Hassle Free Homes (home maintenance) take a recurring task off your to-do list. Any business serving busy consumers can adopt this model not only to create a recurring revenue stream, but also to take advantage of the opportunity to cross-sell or bundle their services.
  • The Surprise Box Model: Companies like BarkBox (dog treats) and Standard Cocoa (craft chocolate) send their subscribers curated packages of goodies each month. If you can handle the logistics of shipping, giving customers joy in something new can translate to sales on your larger e-commerce site.

This book also shows you how to master the psychology of selling subscriptions and how to reduce churn and provides a road map for the essential statistics you need to measure the health of your subscription business.

Whether you want to transform your entire business into a recurring revenue engine or just pick up an extra 5 percent of sales growth, The Automatic Customer will be your secret weapon.

Direct download: John_Warrilow_Final.mp3
Category:SMBH Weekly Episodes -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

World-changing with words is the manifesto of Creative Custom Writing, Inc. Sarah Grear is a creative copywriter, speaker + published author. Her focus is on helping entrepreneurs turn online lookers into buyers by making an emotional connection with persuasive writing.

Along the way Sarah has been a speaker at Social Media Week Los Angeles and her work can be found in a National Public Radio ad campaign, Open Places Travel Blog + Los Angeles Fashion.

 

When she’s not hosting live Unleash Your Voice workshops giving entrepreneurs the time + space to write their own website content she is holding online writing classes that have been taken by over 150 people in more than 15 countries. Wherever she goes her mission is to help entrepreneurs reveal their greatness while amplifying their voice.

 

Direct download: SMBH_Sara_Grear_FINAL.mp3
Category:SMBH Weekly Episodes -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Robbie Kellman Baxter created the popular business term "Membership Economy" and is the author of the McGraw-Hill book by the same name. She is the founder of Peninsula Strategies LLC, a strategy consulting firm. The Peninsula Strategies website is www.peninsulastrategies.com

Her clients have included large organizations like Netflix, SurveyMonkey and Yahoo!, as well as smaller venture-backed startups. Over the course of her career, Robbie has worked in or consulted to clients in more than twenty industries. 

Before starting Peninsula Strategies in 2001, Robbie served as a New York City Urban Fellow, a consultant at Booz Allen & Hamilton, and a Silicon Valley product marketer. 

As a public speaker, Robbie has presented to thousands of people in corporations, associations, and universities. 

Robbie has been quoted in or written articles for major media outlets, including CNN, Consumer Reports, The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

SMBH Robie Baxter

 

Robbie Kellman Baxter created the popular business term "Membership Economy" and is the author of the McGraw-Hill book by the same name. She is the founder of Peninsula Strategies LLC, a strategy consulting firm. The Peninsula Strategies website is www.peninsulastrategies.com.

Her clients have included large organizations like Netflix, SurveyMonkey and Yahoo!, as well as smaller venture-backed startups. Over the course of her career, Robbie has worked in or consulted to clients in more than twenty industries.

Before starting Peninsula Strategies in 2001, Robbie served as a New York City Urban Fellow, a consultant at Booz Allen & Hamilton, and a Silicon Valley product marketer.

As a public speaker, Robbie has presented to thousands of people in corporations, associations, and universities.

Robbie has been quoted in or written articles for major media outlets, including CNN, Consumer Reports, The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

Direct download: SMBH_Robbie_Baxter_FINAL.mp3
Category:SMBH Weekly Episodes -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Get the secrets to creating affluence from a successful business woman who was once, just a wide eyed little girl growing up around millionaires.  Listen to the simple strategies for creating affluence that even a child can understand.  There are only three types of personalities on the “Affluence Wheel” – Which one are you?

SMBH Alison Pena

 

How does money define, and narrow or expand our view of whats possible for us? Alison Pena grew up rubbing elbows with millionaires. She saw that limitless opportunity and limitless possibility aren't just about money, but affluence. Affluence is seeing all the possibilities around you. And having the faith, confidence, and skills to go after them. The myth is that affluence is for the lucky or rich. Alison consults with entrepreneurs and businesses, unlocking their affluence code mindset and actionable strategies for sustainable affluence.

 

Direct download: SMBH_Alison_Pena_FINAL.mp3
Category:SMBH Weekly Episodes -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

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