Business Brain Food

We spend a lot of time and money on perfecting our brand and message, but do we really understand the minds of our audience? Bri Williams told us a few home truths this week about just how much businesses are missing out on because of a lack of understanding of behavioural economics.

Bri has broken it down into a simple three-part process that anyone can apply across pretty much any area of their business. She has written a critically acclaimed book on the matter, but she was kind enough to share the simple outline of her system with us, as well as some of the following tips:

** Understand how environment can shape somebody’s behaviour. The decisions they make are often swayed by superficial things in the environment, irrespective of the ‘logic’ you may have outlined with your product/service.

** To make behavioural economics work for you, you need to think beyond the end goal of what you want your audience to do. The key is understanding how they can get from the point of not taking action to the end point of taking action.

** When someone’s potential effort is greater than their potential reward, they won’t take action.

** Make your calls to action stand out from the rest of your design. Slick design should not be prioritised over the prominence of calls to action.

** Consider using testimonials higher up your website. To build trust from the beginning is fundamental to the decision your audience makes at the end.

** Understand the power of ‘tension’ in your marketing message. Positive tension, i.e. “only two tickets left” will encourage action.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** The three central elements of behavioural economics

** The Say V Do gap

** “Button anxiety”

** How to create social proof

** The “now me” and “future me”

Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Bri’s website: http://www.briwilliams.com.au

** Bri’s book “Behavioural Economics For Business”: http://www.briwilliams.com.au/be-for-business

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** ActionCOACH: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** ActionCOACH: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

Bri summed it up perfectly: “if you’ve ever had a day where you’re bashing your head against a brick wall saying ‘I don’t get it, I don’t know why people don’t do what they say they do and I don’t know why my customers aren’t buying,’ then you need behavioural economics” Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that! Until next time, have a profitable day. Cheers, Ben Fewtrell (02) 9111 5000


Sharon Livingstone is a real psychological all-rounder. Her expertise stretches across hypnosis, life coaching, NLP and even as far as emotional marketing. There is a lot we can all learn from someone like Sharon. In every aspect of our lives, there is probably something we can improve with coaching.

Sharon has certainly been there and done it. She has been president of both the QRCA (the largest qualitative research group in the world) and the ICCA (an organisation dedicated to the training of coaches), has a PHD in psychology, and as if that wasn’t enough, she is also a bestselling author. Read on for some of the nuggets that came out of the conversation with Ben:

** “What else” is a more effective phrase for making an extra sale than “anything else?”

** It takes 30 repetitions for our brain to learn a new procedure.

** Your brain is most receptive to reprogramming when you are in a state of hypnosis, so it can be very beneficial to listen to educational audio before you go to bed.

** As a general life lesson, always think about your best possible outcomes in life, and constantly visualize the journey that will get you there.

** Life coaching can work for everyone! Don’t ever assume that you won’t need it.

  In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** The process of ‘laddering’

** How emotion features in marketing

** The basics of hypnosis

** The basics of life coaching

** The inner workings of the ‘Breakthrough To Success” workshop

  Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Jack Canfield’s inspirational book “Chicken Soup for the soul”: https://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Soup-Soul-20th-Anniversary/dp/161159913X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469010901&sr=8-1&keywords=chicken+soup+for+the+soul

** Jack Canfield’s book: “Success Principles: https://www.amazon.com/Success-Principles-TM-Anniversary-Where/dp/0062364286/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469011114&sr=8-1&keywords=jack+canfield+success+principles

** Contact Sharon by phone: +1 603 505 3000

** Sharon’s online coaching site: http://www.takethecoachingtest.com

** Sharon’s book: http://www.getlostgirlfriend.com/Book

** Ben’s Daily Business Tips podcast… join the tribe and get exclusive offers at: http://www.dbtpodcast.com

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** ActionCOACH: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** ActionCOACH: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

  Remember that there are experts across all aspects of business and life that can help you. Sharon’s story proves just what can be made possible with the right coaching. Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that! Until next time, have a profitable day. Cheers, Ben Fewtrell (02) 9111 5000


Ed Dale first used the internet in 1984, so he’s a great man to speak to about digital marketing strategy. Ed certainly isn’t your usual technology geek. He actually spent time as an AFL commentator and then used his technical knowledge to develop a stats collection system that is still used today by the top clubs and associations in the league. He then built up an internet marketing company that he sold for AUD3.5m, and for the last ten years he has developed and internet marketing programme called “The challenge” which has helped over 300,000 people across the world.

Here are some of Ed’s top tips:

** The biggest challenge in internet marketing today is generating traffic.

** Product creation has become easier.

** The biggest mistakes people make is to develop a product before they develop a market for it.

** All product makers should aspire to become a market influencer.

** Talk the language of your niche, and understand their pains.

** Think about testing your market by spending a small amount on Facebook advertising, before you jump in to a large-scale campaign.

** Most people are accessing the internet on mobiles, so don’t get stuck on producing campaigns for desktops.

** The way you speak to your friends now is a good trailing indicator of the most effective medium of advertising in the future.

  In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** How to understand the pains of your market

** The value of advertising on YouTube

** How to be specific with Facebook advertising

** The difference in buying intent between Facebook users and google users

** Where email fits in the marketing mix

** The inner workings of “the challenge”

** The merits of using social media V personal email messages

  Resources mentioned in this episode:

** This week’s show sponsor, Bartercard are offering free advertising for your business, and have a special offer of 5,000 AUD credit for BBF listeners. Visit: http://www.go.bartercard.com.au/actioncoach

** Free access to Ed’s marketing “Challenge”: http://www.challenge.co

** Ed’s personal site: http://www.eddale.co

** Ben’s Daily Business Tips podcast… join the tribe and get exclusive offers at: http://www.dbtpodcast.com

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** ActionCOACH: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** ActionCOACH: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

  As Ed says, “there has never been a better time to create a business than now”, so as long as you listen to the right marketing advice, you stand a good chance of making a success of it. Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that! Until next time, have a profitable day. Cheers, Ben Fewtrell (02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF097_Building_A_Successful_Digital_Business_with_Ed_Dale.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

Although Sue has made a career out of her own PR agency, she was kind enough to give us a whole load of tips about how you can get yourself great publicity without having to pay anyone else to do it. Sue spent her early career as a journalist, so she has a great understanding of what a business needs to do in order to persuade the media to cover their stories. What’s more, she managed to get her own business featured on the Australian TV show ‘A Current Affair’ which gave her 40,000 AUD of business within a week. Sue pulled this off long before she was a PR professional, so it is well worth listening to her story of how a small business became national news after just half-an-hour of work.

Sue’s top tips:

** Don’t worry about not being ‘ready’. Publicise your company as much as you can, wherever you are in your evolution.

** Identify what’s interesting to the media and lead with that in your PR efforts. This is not the same thing as just telling the media about what you do.

** Forget about gimmicks and freebies. Remember that most journalists value their integrity, so the best way to butter them up is by fully understanding what their audience wants to read, see or hear.

** When writing a press release, think of the problems that you solve for your customers, and emphasise this in your output.

** Journalists and their audience tend to be interested in what you know about, not necessarily what you do.

** Don’t be offended if the media isn’t interested in what you send them. In as polite and constructive a way as possible, try and find out why they weren’t interested. From that you may well be able to find a better angle.

  In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

** When to time the release

** How to get inside the heads of journalists

** How to set a release plan

** How to find the contacts

** The amount of contacts you need

** The merits of using social media V personal email messages

** How to write a press release

  Resources mentioned in this episode:

** Sue’s “How To” publicity seminars: http://www.publicityforprofit.com.au

** ActionCOACH Business Diplomas: email ben@maxmyprofit.com.au

** Sponsor the show: ben@maxmyprofit.com.au, put in subject line “interested in sponsoring BBF”

** Ben’s Daily Business Tips podcast: http://www.dbtpodcast.com

** Facebook: facebook.com/businessbrainfood

** Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

** Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

** ActionCOACH: http://actioncoachanz.com/itunes

** ActionCOACH: http://actioncoachanz.com/stitcher

  The message from this is “get over your fear”. It’s highly likely that any business is doing something that is newsworthy, so don’t be shy about shouting about it. The key is to understand who to shout about it to. Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that! Until next time, have a profitable day. Cheers, Ben Fewtrell (02) 9111 5000

Direct download: BBF096_How_to_Generate_Publicity_for_Your_Business_with_Sue_Papadoulis.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm AEDT

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