For me, the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers. Home cooking made in someone else’s home: what could be better?
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that I do not have the temperament to be a good cook, let alone a great one. I felt I should get an award from Julia Child when I made my first smoothie.
So when a friend offered me a coupon to try Blue Apron – one of those home prep meal programs – she warned me, “There’s a lot of chopping involved.” I realized that it’s a terrific value but I’m better off with a few one-pot recipes and the GrubHub delivery number on speed dial.
Similarly, some Black Friday deals will be amazing but they don’t fit my business or my style. They’ll end up sitting on my hard drive, forgotten and forlorn.
So this post has two parts.
First, some questions to guide any business purchase. I need to ask them myself periodically.
And second, I’ve identified some good opportunities and added a Black Friday special of my own.
So… the questions:
1 – Do I have a start date to implement the tips, framework or software?
One marketing guide recommends, “Put it on your calendar.”
If it’s something good (and that’s why you bought it, right?) there’s no need to delay.
2 – Does this purchase support my existing strategy?
Recently I talked to a client who wants to coach clients to reach a very specific lifestyle goal. It’s a potentially lucrative market and she’s exceptionally well qualified.
She’s got her target market. Now she needs to tighten her offer and choose a marketing method, which might be videos, webinars, podcasts or Facebook ads.
If she chooses webinars, she can safely ignore every single ad for videos, Facebook ads, and podcasting, until she’s become so good at webinars she could teach the technique (and might then launch a very profitable sideline). At the same time, she can be on the lookout for deals relating to webinars.
And she’d better be sure she enjoys webinars. Most of us can finish the sentence, “I’d rather have a root canal than use this [your choice] marketing method.
3 – Is this something on my wish list?
If you’ve got a wish list, you can confidently grab a deal. In particular, try to grab something that’s usually offered with a monthly fee for a one-time payment. But it’s not a bargain if you don’t need it.
What I’m Recommending Today
With that in mind, I have just 2 recommendations for products I use almost every day. They have responsive help desks and continually upgrade their offers.
Reommendation #1: I use Podia to host my courses. They’re more affordable than the alternatives. You can use Podia as a complete platform for a membership site, affiliate program and more. You have just a couple more days to get their 15% discount offer.
Recommendation #2: I’ve been growing my list more easily since I switched to ConvertKit. It’s one of the most flexible platforms out there, . It integrates with everything and it’s easier to use than other systems I’ve tried. Save a sizeable 31% on their most popular plan when you click here.
PLUS my own specials through November 28:
How to use storytelling to write headlines that sell: $49.50 Click here. No coupon needed.
Buy either of these books on Amazon. Send me the receipt and get a free pass to my course:
Build Your Personal Brand by Telling Stories
(1) Aging in Sneakers (a fun book that makes a great gift) (Click here for link and trigger warnings)
(2) Grow Your Business One Story At A Time (Kindle only for now)