The Entrepreneur Experience is an annual 3-day business conference hosted by Amy Porterfield in San Diego, California.  I love attending business conferences once or twice a year to meet up with other entrepreneurs and hear about new marketing and business growth strategies.

It’s a wonderful way to step back from your business for a few days and take inventory, ensuring you are on the right path.  You get new ideas, hear success stories and are challenged to level up. 

TAKEAWAY 01: The 3 Entrepreneur Challenges

One of my favorite takeaways from the conference were the 3 challenges Amy Porterfield gave us on Day 1 that became the themes of the entire three days. 

She challenged everyone in the room to:  1) Make meaningful connections, 2) Make a decision and 3) Identify where you're playing small, and start playing big.

Challenge #1 - MAKE MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS

When you’re at a business conference you’re literally surrounded by hundreds of other people working to grow their business, expand their audience and make a bigger impact.  Just like you. 

Amy reminded us to find our people, because the people who really GET you as an entrepreneur, are your people.  You need to have those people who are your “ride or dies” to support you, encourage you, and help you as you go.  No one has to do this alone, and it’s much easier when you have your people.

Takeaway Applied: If you’re not able to make it to a business conference in another city, there are other ways to make connections with other entrepreneurs in your area.  My suggestions:

•  Check out local co-working spaces, they typically have wonderful ways to network and connect with other entrepreneurs.

•  Google or search on Instagram for entrepreneur meet-up groups in your area (things like Tuesdays Together come to mind).

•  Create a digital tribe and find your people online - whether in a FB Group or on Instagram and connect regularly or even set up a group mastermind to support each other.

•  Do what I did when I moved to my new location in Orange County, CA and create your own gathering of like-minded entrepreneurs.  Mine is called “ENTREPRENEURS BY THE SEA” and it’s a monthly meet up at my house.

Challenge #2 - MAKE A DECISION

“When you make a decision, it shakes things up.  It gives you the opportunity to step into the person you were meant to be.”

AMY PORTERFIELD

With the amount of content, information and inspiration thrown at you during a 3-day conference, whether from Amy herself, or her guest speakers…you are flooded with ideas for your business. 

Amy challenged the entire audience to let the ideas percolate, but then on Day 3, make a decision.  Choose one thing to go all-in on and take action towards it.

I completely agree with Amy Porterfield in choosing your Top Priority.  It’s the only way that one thing will get done really well. 

Takeaway Applied: This is such good advice for your whole business.  Based on your mission and which direction you want your business to head, check in consistently on what your top priority is.  What would give you the biggest impact towards fulfilling your mission and vision if you tackled that ONE thing? Once you’re done with your first thing, go back to your bank of ideas and choose another one and go all-in on that one.

“The importance of making a decision is that you get into action. Get scrappy.”

AMY PORTERFIELD

Challenge #3 - IDENTIFY WHERE YOU’RE PLAYING SMALL AND START PLAYING BIG

When you start acting like you’re a big deal, you show up differently; you sound different; you carry yourself differently and your whole life can change because of it.  The whole idea behind this is to know you’re made for more and to search out the area in your life or business where you’re playing small so you can change it to reach your full potential.

Amy spoke about the idea that you can feel like your big dream is bigger than you…so you stay stuck and ask yourself questions on the daily that prioritize your daily tasks from a place of playing small…

…should I tinker with my website some more before launching?

…do I need to perfect my social posts first before moving on to other things?

A playing big question to ask yourself in your business would be: 

How can I add value at the maximum level to blow peoples’ minds?

Takeaway applied: If you’d like to do the same exercise Amy Porterfield had us do to start showing up like the “big deal” we’re meant to be, here you go…answer these questions:

•  What does it mean to you to be a “big deal”?

•  List 3 ways you need to show up to be this “big deal” person.

•  What are 1-3 thoughts, beliefs or habits that are keeping you playing small?

TAKEAWAY 02: Amy Porterfield’s List-Building Strategies

I don’t think you can go to an Amy Porterfield conference without getting new ideas for how to grow your email list.  Amy is the Queen of helping online entrepreneurs build their lists in order to have an engaged audience to sell to.  It’s how she’s grown her own digital course business to a multi-million dollar empire.

The big takeaway here is the simple fact that without focusing on list-building, you are playing small in your business.

If you want to do all those big things you want to do, your list is going to help you get there.  If you’re thinking that you can’t launch a product or service because you have a small list?  Not true.  Launching helps you grow your list! 

Amy Porterfield spoke about her own list-building strategy and her key advice…

“Consistency is key. But, when you’re intentional, MAGIC HAPPENS.”

AMY PORTERFIELD

 A new strategy Amy is recommending for entrepreneurs to focus on and prioritize building their list in 2020 is something she calls a “List-Building Boost.”

A List-Building Boost is a specific period of time (7-14 days) done 3x / year where you choose one strategy to focus on that will boost the number of subscribers on your list.  The key here is that during this 7-14 days, you prioritize this “boost” by ONLY list-building.

That means, you’re not creating a course, you’re not writing your book, you’re not launching something…you’re just list-building.

Takeaway applied: Amy Porterfield had 3 specific list building strategies to try during these boost timeframes: 1) A Challenge, 2) A Quiz, or 3) A Mini-Course.  Depending on what your business is, you can choose the one that feels right for yours, and give it a try!

TAKEAWAY 03: Rachel Hollis Wisdom

Rachel Hollis took the stage at Entrepreneur Experience and talked to the audience of entrepreneurs about three main things that will get in your way you need to be aware of.

COMPARISON

According to Rachel Hollis, we never compare ourselves in the areas where we feel secure.  That’s so true!  Which means, we tend to compare ourselves in the areas where we’re insecure or still learning.  So, by comparing, we tend to make ourselves feel more insecure or “less than.”

Takeaway applied: Trust yourself, stay in your lane, stop comparing yourselves to other peoples’ journeys who are vastly different than yours.  There’s only one you, and you’ve got a lot to do if you want to be a big deal and tackle those big dreams.

IT’S HARD

When Rachel Hollis speaks, she doesn’t mince words.  She tells you exactly how it is.  She shared that business owners get stuck because they avoid the thing they actually need to do in their business to move it forward.  You know exactly what to do, but that thing you need to do is HARD.

“Because it’s hard, you think you’re doing it wrong.  This is the price of admission for a life that’s not mediocre.”

RACHEL HOLLIS

Takeaway applied: Prioritize the hard thing, that thing you don’t know how to do yet.  Learn it. Ask for help. Level up.  And do that thing that will have the most impact on your business and for your audience.

FEAR OF FAILURE

According to Rachel Hollis, you’re not really scared to fail.  You’re afraid of “them” watching you fail.  It’s really all wrapped up in your ego.  Failing is essentially a given in life…and, especially in business.  You will fail.  It’s how you learn and grow.  And if you want your business to grow, you'll need to fail.  It’s how you get better at what you’re up to.

“You wanna do this work…you wanna do big things…you have to be willing to suck.”

RACHEL HOLLIS

 Takeaway applied: Embrace the suck.  Fail, learn, grow.  Repeat.

  

TAKEAWAY 04: Jasmine Star Instagram Quick Tips

 Jasmine Star showed up at The Entrepreneur Experience on Day 2 to drop some Instagram strategies and tips.  Here are some of my favorites that I think you’ll love, too.

STOP THE SCROLL

Your goal is to stop your ideal clients’ scroll through Instagram to land on your post and engage with it.  How do you do that?  Create a great hook:

•  Identify a specific audience > “Calling all dog lovers…” or “Calling all busy moms who need time management tips”

•  A juicy share > “Can I share a secret?”

•  Ask an engaging question that’s quick, easy & actionable > “Quiz Time! Which one describes you best: A) ___  B) ___ or C) ___”

YOUR ENGAGEMENT DETERMINES YOUR POSTING STRATEGY

If you’re getting similar engagement by posting once per day, then post once a day.  If you see your engagement increase dramatically when you just post 4x / week, do that.  Pay attention to your Instagram insights and create a posting strategy that works for you.

HASHTAGS

Use hashtags only under 500K, don’t use all 30, and make sure your hashtags are related to what’s in your photo and caption.  Think about location specific, event specific, industry specific hashtags and more (and a good rule of thumb is to not post more than 21 hashtags per post).

ADDITIONAL TIPS Jasmine Star shared are:

•  Consistency leads to growth, so be consistent!

•  Respect the platform…Instagram isn’t Facebook, don’t treat them the same and don’t simply push content from one to the other.

•  Test, test, test…when it comes to trying FB & IG ads, spend a little money upfront and test different creatives and go all-in on the one that performs the best against your audience.

 

TAKEAWAY 05: Amy Porterfield’s 5 Key Elements To Make An Irresistible Offer

Keep these 5 elements in mind when crafting any offer for your customers:

•  Your Content, aka the curriculum within your offer

•  Payment Plans & Tiered Pricing, to make it easier to buy

•  Your Bonus Structure, offering  incentives for your customers when they purchase upfront, all-in or during a specified timeframe

•  Urgency & Scarcity, creating demand and FOMO

•  Knowing Your Offer, or your ability to talk seamlessly about it

  

TAKEAWAY 06: Stu McLaren’s Pre-Launch Content That Converts

Stu McLaren is the founder of TRIBES, a course that teaches entrepreneurs how to create monthly memberships as part of their business.  He wears his heart on his sleeve and his excitement and compassion for his students shines through, especially when he’s presenting on stage. 

Stu popped by The Entrepreneur Experience on Day 3 and I’m so glad he did!  My biggest takeaway from Stu is the three types of content to create for your audience as part of a pre-launch content strategy.

Content Type #1: CONNECTION

The purpose of Connection Content is to create trust.  It includes content on topics around your values, beliefs, philosophies, causes, opinions, what you stand for and ultimately what’s important to you.

Takeaway applied: This is the reason when I work with clients building their brand we do focus time on their brand values and what they stand for because this often can be a primary reason for your audience to connect to you, relate to you and trust you.  Start crafting your brand values!

Content Type #2: INSPIRATION

The purpose of Inspiration Content is to create belief.  If people don’t believe they can get the result you’re promising, they won’t buy.  You need to create awareness for the solution you’re selling (not the product itself).  And the best type of Inspiration content to create to accomplish this are….Stories.

The best stories for your potential clients and students are stories of other people on different areas of their success path.  You don’t want to only share success stories with the final result, but stories of others who are having successes and small wins at every stage of their journey. 

Takeaway applied:  Get testimonials.  Check in with your students.  And write down all of your own stories of success along the way.  Now…share them regularly!

Content Type #3: ANTICIPATION

The purpose of Anticipation Content is to create excitement.  How do you do this?  Seed the idea to your audience that you have something coming and when.  If they already know about your product and you do an annual release of it, for instance, treat it like a movie launch and reveal the launch date.

You may not have a movie trailer, but there are fun ways you could create content around revealing the launch date of your product or service to create excitement.

Takeaway applied: Remember that creating excitement is part of your marketing plan…if your audience doesn’t get excited about what you’re doing and what you’re preparing for them, take a step back and start coming up with a marketing campaign that will do this.

THE WRAP UP

Wow!  There’s a lot of information in my 6 biggest takeaways from Amy Porterfield’s The Entrepreneur Experience!  And, let me tell you, there was a whole lot more over this awesome 3-day conference.  I can’t share it all, but I wanted to make sure to recap some of my favorite subjects that popped out to me.  Hope you enjoyed and got something out of it that you can go and immediately apply.