Now, Edie is back for a whole new kind of episode! You know I always say that rules are for suckers, and today I’m throwing them out the window. You see, Edie and I have been accountability partners and business besties for almost a decade. We love to chat about all things marketing and business, but our lives are so busy that we don’t get to have these talks as often as we’d like. But today, we’re just going to sit and chat about business! And I’m sharing our conversation as a podcast episode so you can be a fly on the wall.

One of the things that Edie has been struggling with a lot lately is whether to self-publish or traditionally publish her newest book. (I have to admit I was kind of confused when she brought this up in our conversation, because we’ve already talked about this several times!) I have a very strong opinion on the subject, and we’ll explore both why Edie should go this route, and why she’s so resistant to my advice.

We’ll also dig into the topic of podcasting in general. One of the fun things about this free-form episode is that I get to answer questions too, instead of just interviewing a guest! Edie wants to know how I feel about podcasting and whether I enjoy it, and the answer is mixed. It’s fantastic to be able to really connect with my audience on a deeper level, and a great excuse to reach out to people I admire. But sometimes I struggle with the pressure of needing to have a new episode every single week.

And that’s just the beginning! Tune in to hear me and Edie talk about basically everything. We’ll explore why giving too much away in exchange for an email sign-up isn’t actually a good thing, why it’s so important to be willing to try things (even if they don’t work out!), and how important it is to treat the various parts of a business as interconnected. Don’t miss this chance to listen in on a value-packed conversation with one of my favorite people in the world.

Highlights

[00:49] – This episode is brought to you by Elite Blog Academy, a program that teaches you to build a successful online business! Right now, you can get a FREE copy of Ruth’s book How to Blog for Profit (Without Selling Your Soul).
[01:51] – We hear about today’s unique free-form episode with Ruth’s business bestie, Edie Wadsworth.
[05:09] – Edie fills us in on what’s new in her life since she was last on the show almost a year ago.
[08:41] – We learn about how Edie and Ruth originally met, and how much of an impact Edie has had on Ruth’s life and business.
[11:00] – What are Ruth’s thoughts on the current state of book publishing? Should Edie self-publish her next book?
[13:54] – Ruth has three self-published books and three traditionally published books.
[17:28] – Edie talks about her fear archetype from Ruth’s The Do It Scared Fear Assessment. She and Ruth then chat about workshops.
[20:28] – What’s holding Edie back from self-publishing instead of going through a traditional publisher?
[23:00] – Edie is having an imposter syndrome crisis, Ruth points out.
[26:18] – We hear Edie’s next question, which is about podcasting: does Ruth like podcasting? She answers in detail, explaining what she does (and doesn’t) enjoy about the experience.
[31:02] – Does Ruth prefer the podcast episodes that she does by herself?
[33:08] – The hardest part for Ruth from a strategic business perspective is not seeing a clear path to revenue.
[36:37] – What does Ruth think are the best opt-ins for lead magnets these days?
[39:01] – One thing that Ruth sees working well for people is having a challenge, then offering the workbook as a paid upsell.
[43:39] – Ruth offers insight into the best way to grow your list faster.
[45:03] – Is Ruth a fan of having as many lead magnets as possible, or does she focus on just having a few really good ones?
[45:48] – What are Edie’s lead magnet and trip wire? And what is her conversion rate?
[48:45] – Ruth and Edie talk about button color, which Ruth has tested a lot.
[50:34] – Another thing that Ruth has tested is the sales form, she explains, and reveals which option has won.
[52:51] – What’s Ruth working on right now? And what’s next for her? As they chat, Ruth and Edie commit to running a half-marathon together.
[55:10] – Ruth shares the second of her three major goals for this year: leading her team to hit a specific profit goal.
[59:25] – We hear Ruth’s third goal for the year: a new course for Living Well Spending Less. She goes into detail about what she wants this course to accomplish.
[64:49] – Edie responds to what Ruth has been talking about in terms of the interconnectedness of different parts of a business.
[66:08] – Did you like this free-form episode with Edie? Reach out to Ruth at ruth@livingwellspendingless.com or on Instagram and let her know!