Rock Your Brand Podcast

Have you figured out your “Why” yet? What drives and motivates you to reach for success in your business? You’ve got to find out what that is so you can tap into it when times get difficult. On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott gives a personal update and a peek into his “Why.” When you hear Scott describe his life and the joy he gets from the freedom he has, you will understand why it’s so important to lock into what motivates you. Make sure to catch this great episode!

Make sure to share your success!

Have you ever done something really difficult that required a lot of determination and effort? During that difficulty, did you have anyone to encourage you or help you push through it? If you have experienced that before, you know it can make all the difference in the world. That is one of the huge benefits of the TAS Facebook group. On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott gives a shout out to one of the TAS Facebook group members who shared his progress. If you aren’t part of this group yet, get on it! You will find encouragement, help, and camaraderie. It’s also a great place to share your success and get fired up! Learn more about this great resource on this episode.

Quality goes a long way

You’ve heard the saying, quality over quantity right? It’s an important lesson to heed when you are putting together your packaging for your product. Remember, anyone can turn out mass produced, low-quality products, but there aren't’ many sellers who take the time to add the little things that go a long way. It doesn’t take a lot to impress your buyers. Start small. Put some effort into quality packaging, a thank you note, a discount code on their next order, a product guide, and even high-quality pictures of the product in the posting. Any one of these options will elevate your product. Take the time and consider how you can take your product to the next level. Hear Scott expand on this concept and more on this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Getting started with FBA

Remember when you were a kid and you were nervous about jumping into a pool without checking the temperature first? Do you ever feel that way when it comes to business decisions? Maybe you are wondering, like one of the listeners on this Ask Scott Session, what is the best way to get started with FBA? Scott gives some great advice and a couple of avenues to go down when you are just getting started in this pursuit. Make sure you take the time to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller to catch all of the insight Scott shares on this subject!

Get involved with other Amazon sellers

If you’ve been selling on Amazon for a while, you know how great it is to get with other sellers and trade tips and tricks. Joining the TAS Facebook group is a great way to get started with interacting with other sellers so you don’t feel like you are out there all alone. Another great option is joining or starting a local meetup with fellow Amazon sellers in your area. One TAS listener asked Scott what he thought about this idea. Scott is a HUGE fan of it and provided some excellent suggestions on how to get started on this episode. You don’t want to miss it!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [0:40] Scott gives an update about his personal life.
  • [2:30] Figure out your “Why”
  • [7:40] Shoutout to a TAS Facebook follower!
  • [9:10] Where do I start to begin putting together an info booklet or some sort of material to include with my packaged product?
  • [20:30] What is the best way to get started with FBA?
  • [27:35] How do you lay the foundation for a local gathering of Private Label sellers?

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS340.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

You are in for a rare special episode of The Amazing Seller! On this episode, Scott sits down with TAS follower and fellow podcaster, Gordon Light from “Fit Successful Dad.” Gordon, an avid fan of Scott’s left a message for him on the “Ask Scott” line and the two connected. With a flip of the script, Gordon interviews Scott about life as an entrepreneur, parent, business leader, and more! If you’ve ever wanted to climb inside of Scott’s head for an hour, this is your chance! Don’t miss Gordon’s excellent interview with Scott on this episode!

Making time work for you

How do you structure your work week? Has it been an effective use of your time? Scott always seems to be fired up and running on all cylinders. Part of his success is due to the fact that he has a very well thought out schedule. He has standing appointments for key business meetings, time planned to be with family, and time scheduled to work on passion projects like TAS. If you’d like to hear more about how Scott organizes his time and makes it work as a devoted husband and father, don’t miss this episode of The Amazing Seller.

How it all started

Some of the best ideas start off in the smallest ways. Scott found himself looking for ways to supplement his photography business when he started dipping his toe into online sales. Before he knew it, his business selling items online took off. There were many ups and downs along the way but Scott’s story goes to show that sometimes it takes just a little push to get things moving. What’s holding you back? What steps do you need to take to put you on the path toward success? Check out more of Scott’s inspiring story on this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Imparting values to your children

How did you learn from your parents? Did they sit down and impart wisdom to you or was it more from observation? What is YOUR plan to pass on your values to your children? On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott talks about his personal life, more specifically his parenting. He describes how his life as an entrepreneur has impacted his children and influenced the way they see the world. You can tell that Scott is super proud of his kids and he loves to share how they are taking the values that he has imparted to them and building off of it. If you’d like to hear more about how Scott teaches his kids about his values, you’ve got to check out this episode.

What is your “WHY?”

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone came along and waved a magic wand and granted your wildest dreams? But would that “Dream come true” be satisfying? Isn’t half the satisfaction in looking back at what you did to make the dream a possibility? On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott shares the advice he would give to parents who are considering becoming entrepreneurs. He emphasizes the need to understand your “Why.” Figure out what that dream is, write it out, print out images of it, and make it your goal. Be as specific as you possibly can so you know when times get hard, and you want to quit, you have something to look to and remember the reason behind what you are doing. To hear Scott expand on this concept further, make sure to listen to this episode!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [2:20] Gordon’s Ask Scott Question.
  • [7:50] Gordon Light joins the podcast.
  • [16:00] What has Scott pumped up right now?
  • [23:30] What is Scott doing to generate revenue today?
  • [32:50] Scott talks about how he connected with his latest business partner.
  • [34:10] What does a typical work day/week look like for Scott?
  • [40:15] How did Scott build his first FBA brand?
  • [46:40] How has parenting influenced Scott’s business decisions?
  • [51:00] Scott talks about his journey pursuing supplemental income.
  • [57:30] How has the entrepreneurial lifestyle impacted Scott’s children?
  • [1:05:30] What was the decision like for Scott to leave his construction job and work for himself?
  • [1:09:00] What would Scott say to parents who want to become entrepreneurs?

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS339.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

What are the latest developments with the TAS crew? What new changes should you be prepared for? What can you do to get the most out of your business? It’s time for another session of the TAS Power Hour! Scott, Dom, and Chris are ready to deliver some great and exciting updates and tackle some important and relevant news. In their long-ranging conversation, they cover an Open Brand update, product positioning, keywords, product images, email list building, and so much more! You don’t want to miss this informative and helpful episode.

Make sure your product is in the right category

When you begin putting together your Amazon product listing, make sure to pay attention to the details. Even things like making sure your product are in the right category can be crucial to your success. The last thing you want is to get into the wrong category, start to rank really well, and then have Amazon come along and move you to your correct category and have you start from square one all over again. It may end up being a slow and frustrating process starting out but take the time and make sure your product is in the right category from the start to avoid a bad situation down the line. To hear Scott, Dom, and Chris discuss this further, listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller.

Don’t underestimate the power of a product’s image!

Getting started with selling on Amazon can be overwhelming. There are a lot of moving pieces and details that you need to pay close attention to in order to get your business started on a solid foundation. Because of all the complexities, you might be tempted to skimp on the image quality for your product listing. A word of caution - don’t skimp! On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott explains how important good quality images are to a successful Amazon listing. If you are tempted to take the shortcut, make sure you listen to this episode before you do!

Build an Email List

What would it take for you to start a marketing email list? Do you need to hear the benefits? What about a successful example that will net you a great start to building a list? You’ve got to hear Scott, Dom, and Chris talk about how easy it is to get started with building a list. This is the vital next step you need to take to expand your business. On this episode of The Amazing Seller, they discuss their recent project of creating a Kindle book that they gave away and how that greatly improved and expanded their email list. It’s a great example of what you can do by learning these easy marketing strategies. If you’d like to hear more about building an email list make sure to check out this episode!

1K Fast Track

Have you been debating about launching an Amazon Private Label business? Are you still kicking the tires and trying to decide if this is for you? Just jump in! The best way to start is by getting involved with the 1K Fast Track. This is a group designed for people just like you. You will learn with others who are trying to get their start and who likely have the same type of questions and concerns that you do. Don’t wait any longer. Take the next step and get your name on the list for the next 1K Fast Track group. You won’t regret it! If you’d like to hear Scott, Dom, and Chris explain more of the benefits of this group, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller.

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [4:00] Dom and Chris join Scott for a TAS Power Hour.
  • [6:10] Dom gives an update on the open brand.
  • [14:00] What was the process like once everything went live?
  • [25:20] Dom and Chris talk about supplier issues in China.
  • [28:40] Amazon keywords, indexing and de-indexing.
  • [36:00] The necessity of having quality images.
  • [41:30] Is it worth it to up your price to qualify for Amazon Prime shipping?
  • [52:30] Scott talks about the Kindle book experiment.
  • [56:40] How much inventory would you ship in for FBA?
  • [58:00] 1K Fast Track update.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS338.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

How has your week been? Have you accomplished the goals you set for yourself? Or are you bogged down with problems in your business? Sit back and tune into this episode of The Amazing Seller. Whether everything is going great or you have experienced setbacks, this episode is for you. Scott talks about some key wisdom that has helped him focus throughout his week and accomplish his long term goals. He also tackles questions from TAS followers like YOU. As usual, Scott brings his fire and passion - you don’t want to miss it!

Stay the Course

Do you have difficulty focusing on tasks for the long term? Are you often sidetracked by distractions less important that fill up your time? You aren’t alone! Many people struggle to focus and finish the things they set out to accomplish. One key lesson that Scott has learned and implemented in his life is this simple yet profound truth, “Stay the course.” Try it! Focus on one objective or plan and give it everything you’ve got for at least 90 days. Scott suggests taking it further and committing to 6 months, but find what works for you. Learn more on this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Separate UPCs for each variation

All the talk about UPC codes and SKUs can be very confusing. Do you need a unique one for each variation on your product listing? The simple answer is yes. You need to make sure that each different option that you provide both in size and color options need to have their own unique UPCs. If you’d like to hear more about this topic and Scott’s breakdown make sure to take the time, sit down with pen and paper and listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller. To go further with this topic and others presented on this episode, you can check out the resources section at the end of this post.

How YOU can get reviews for your Amazon product

Now that Amazon has rolled out its new “Terms of Service” many people are left wondering how to get reviews for their Amazon product listing. Scott shares his view that reviews are not the be all end all. He wants listeners like you to focus on getting sales, not reviews. Scott suggests that you follow up with the individuals who buy your product and offer them great deals. Wow, them, give them discounts and really treat them special. Then ask them to head over to Amazon and let them know how you feel. That's it. No guarantees, no promises, no gimmicks. If you follow Scott’s advice, you will see the positive results. If you’d like to hear Scott expand on this strategy and more, make sure to catch this episode of The Amazing Seller.

Is retail arbitrage dead?

With a lot of the changes going on with Amazon, it can feel like opportunities for sellers are diminishing. But is that feeling true? Are there still opportunities out there for endeavors like retail arbitrage? Don’t pronounce it dead just yet! Scott is convinced that there are still many opportunities for profit and growth while selling on Amazon. Don’t miss this episode of The Amazing Seller to get Scott’s opinion on the status of the marketplace and how you can still succeed in starting and building a business online.

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [1:40] Stay the course.
  • [9:00] Question #1: Do I have to have just one UPC that represents the entire product or do I have to have a unique one for each variation?
  • [14:40] Question #2: How do I get reviews for my product now that the Amazon terms of service has changed?
  • [23:30] Question #3: Is retail arbitrage dead?

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS337.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Jargon and a multitude of terms can be confusing. You might feel like you are just barely treading water with all the information that come at you in the world of Amazon selling. Sometimes it can be really helpful to just pause and take a moment to solidify which terms mean what and how they build upon each other. Whether you are just starting out or you’ve been selling for a while, this episode is for you. Scott and Chris breakdown PPC Sponsored Ads, keywords, when to pull search terms, and so much more! Their helpful discussion will bring you clarity and maybe even correct some previous misconceptions. Don’t miss this informative episode of The Amazing Seller!

What is a “Keyword?”

To understand how a lot of the moving parts work regarding PPC and sponsored Ads, you need to understand some specific terminology. One vital term to understand is “Keyword.” A keyword in terms of Amazon Ads is something that you insert and then Amazon takes that as a base keyword and attaches it to search results for other related items. The “Search term” is what the Amazon customer is actually typing in the search bar. Scott and Chris take the time to slowly unpack and explain the ins and outs of these terms. Make sure to take the time and listen to their helpful training on this episode of The Amazing Seller.

How do you find the most relevant keywords?

As you are building your listing and setting up your PPC campaign, you need to find the most relevant keywords to focus on. How do you find the most relevant keywords to use? The most obvious way is to go to your competitors. Look at their title, bullets, and their description. Those will be relevant to your listing if you have a similar product. Don’t just focus on one competitor, go to multiple competitors and find the common theme. This will give you a good idea of which keywords are the most relevant to your product. To take it a step further, utilize tools to scrape listings for keywords or search terms. "Scope" is a great resource to use, you can find the link to this tool from Seller Labs in the resource section at the bottom of this post. Don’t miss out on more helpful lessons on relevant keywords from Scott and Chris on this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Make sure to OPTIMIZE your listing!

What will it take to see your product listing take off? If you want to rank for certain keywords and if you want your listing to be shown for certain keywords, you have to focus on optimizing your product listing. Don’t neglect this crucial step! Go through your title, bullets, description, and your backend search field. Don’t just stuff your backend search field with random stuff that makes no sense. It will hurt you down the line. Learn more about keywords, relevancy, and optimization on this episode of The Amazing Seller!

When should you pull a search term?

Once you have let a PPC campaign gather the data necessary, you need to pull the search term. How do you know it's the right time to do that? Scott and Chris talk a lot about 50 clicks being the “True relevance point.” Chris will even pull it around 10 clicks. The closer you get to 50 clicks, it will cost you more but relevant your search term is at that point. If you can stay patient it will end up benefiting you in the long run. If you’d like to hear Scott and Chris expand on this concept and more, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [0:30] Chris joins the podcast.
  • [4:50] Auto-targeting vs. Manual Keywords
  • [6:50] What are “Impressions, PPC, CPC?”
  • [11:00] What is a “Keyword?”
  • [12:20] Three different types of keyword targeting.
  • [19:20] What is “ACOS?”
  • [22:00] Auto campaign strategies. The new way vs. the old way.
  • [29:40] The pros and cons of loading up on keywords.
  • [33:40] How do you find the most relevant keywords to use?
  • [39:20] Make sure to optimize your listing!
  • [41:20] Scott and Chris run through a scenario including keyword usage.
  • [58:30] When to pull a search term.
  • [1:09:20] Recapping the “New Way.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS336.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Success stories are great! But it’s also helpful to hear about the challenges that come with the success. Challenges are something everyone can relate to. On this episode of The Amazing Seller, you will hear from one of your fellow TAS followers, Jarret Colton. You might remember him from TAS episode 252. Jarret has experienced recent success and challenges with his private label business. Scott and Jarret discuss inventory problems, building a brand, building an email list, and so much more! This is a great episode with practical applications that you can learn from to improve your business approach, you don’t want to miss it.

Dealing with inventory problems

The two biggest problems an Amazon seller fears are having a product that doesn’t sell and having a product that sells but running out of inventory. Have you thought through how to deal with these scenarios? Do you have a plan for liquidating your product if it doesn’t sell like you expect it to? What about a product that takes off and you run of out of inventory, what is your plan? On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott talks with someone who has gone through one of these challenges. Jarret Colton has seen a good amount of success with his business over the last year but recently ran out of stock for some of his best selling products. Scott and Jarret discuss this issue and some steps you can take to prevent it.

Are you creating a product or building a brand?

It can be easy to get so caught up in finding a product that performs well on Amazon and then focusing on the next best seller that you lose sight of the big picture. Building a brand. The best way to create long lasting and sustainable success is to break into a niche market and start building a brand around those products. On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott talks to Jarret Colton. Jarret is following through with this methodology and is building a great brand around a very specific market. If you want to learn more about the success of focusing on brand building over chasing the next successful product, make sure to catch this episode!

Building an email list

One of the most important things you can do to start setting your business up for success and move away from just relying on Amazon sales is to build an email list. Jarret Colton learned this lesson after he attended a recent TAS event in Arizona. Jarret has a growing and successful private label business that he wants to take to the next level. He put all the pieces in place using the giveaway resource “King Sumo.” Before long he started to get people signing up for his giveaway - that soon translated to likes on the Facebook page he set up. Jarret was impressed with how great this strategy paid off. So what is holding you back? Are you ready to get started and take the steps necessary to build your email list? If you are, make sure to listen to this episode and also check out the email list building resource at the end of this post!

Keep Looking Forward and Take Action!

Are you struggling to find success with your business? Have you put the time and energy in only to see little or no results? Stay with it. On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott has Jarret Colton give an update on his progress with selling on Amazon. Jarret has been an avid participant in the TAS community and attributes his success to following Scott’s advice. He wants business leaders like you to know that it gets better the more you press on. Jarret’s mantra through all the ups and downs of building his business has been, “Keep looking forward and TAKE ACTION.” That should sound familiar. Jarret also highly recommends getting involved with the in person TAS meetups and events as much as possible. He says that has been a HUGE factor in the success he has experienced.

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [4:30] 1k Fast Track update.
  • [6:30] Scott welcome Jarret Colton to the podcast.
  • [7:20] Jarret shares how his business is progressing.
  • [12:30] Dealing with product inventory and delays.
  • [16:20] Jarret talks about selling a product that he was really nervous about.
  • [19:40] What was the process like for Jarret getting this product ready?
  • [29:30] What is Jarret’s biggest problem right now?
  • [39:40] Jarret talks about a celebrity that was using one of his products.
  • [42:30] What is Jarret’s current status with his business?
  • [47:40] Has Jarret thought about expanding to the digital market?
  • [49:45] Parting thoughts from Jarret.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS335.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Do you have the excitement and drive you need to reach your business and personal goals? Are you going into the weekend with focus and purpose? If you need to get fired up about your business or just life - you’ve come to the right place! You know Scott is ready to deliver on some great answers to questions from TAS followers like you. On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott shares some personal insights and stories, addresses hijacked product listings, keyword optimization for multiple listings, and so much more! This is the way you want to wrap up your week and go into the weekend ready to TAKE ACTION!

 The healthy practice of graditude

What are some of the daily habits you practice? Maybe for you, it’s going and grinding coffee first thing in the morning. Or maybe it's getting the kids dressed and ready for school. Beyond the ordinary, do you have daily habits that center you? Do you have a rhythm that brings you focus and purpose? On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott starts off his Ask Scott Session with some helpful advice. He’s been doing this a lot lately and you can tell that the wisdom he shares is really near and dear to his heart. This week Scott talks about the power of appreciation. It’s all about taking stock in the good that you have in your life and reflecting in gratitude. To hear Scott expand on this wisdom further, listen to this episode!

Responding to a hijacked product listing

It’s every Amazon sellers fear - your product listing has been hijacked. Not only that, someone has hijacked your high-quality product photos too! What are your options? What recourse do you have available? Unfortunately, there aren’t many options after this has happened. What you do have is options to prevent this from happening in the future. It’s a difficult and cumbersome process but if you’ve been burned or if you are really nervous about someone hijacking your listing and/or product images, there are resources for you. If you’d like to hear what options are available to you regarding copyright and trademarks, listen to this episode and be sure to check out the resources section at the bottom of this post!

Keyword optimization for multiple product listings

If you’ve been listening to Scott for very long, you know that he is a HUGE fan of diversifying and getting multiple product listings out there. You’ve heard him say that it isn’t a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket. If you’ve heeded this advice you might be in a similar situation that one of your fellow TAS followers is in. He called in and asked Scott how he should focus his efforts on keyword optimization when he has hundreds of product listings. That is a great problem to have! If you want to know the best method to using your time and resources effectively when you have such a large quantity of listings, this is the episode for you!

How do you know you aren’t hijacking someone's product listing?

With all the talk of listings getting hijacked and sellers losing out on hard earned projected profits, you might be wondering, how do I know I’m not hijacking someone else’s listing? If you are just getting started, it's easy to see why this can be confusing. You are trying to do good product research and break into a product category but you don’t want to be a hijacker. Good! Know the difference. When you find a category you can be competitive in - do your research. Don’t be afraid of swooping in and providing a better product and a greater value to the customers. There is nothing wrong with that. It becomes hijacking when you deliberately sell the exact same product that someone else is selling. To hear Scott expand on these differences, make sure to catch this episode of The Amazing Seller.  

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [1:00] Take everyday to pause in gratitude and appreciation.
  • [3:00] Scott shares a personal story.
  • [11:18] Question #1: How can I protect my product photos from being hijacked?
  • [21:50] Question #2: How can I maximize my time with keywords for multiple listings?
  • [31:50] Question #3: What is the difference between a hijacker and someone looking to break into a competitive product market?

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

  • Make sure to catch all the latest TAS resources updates - HERE
  • Take steps to copyright your product images - HERE
  • Listen to Scott’s episode on trademarks and copyrights - HERE
  • Learn how to build an email list - HERE
  • Scope
  • Tony Robbins
Direct download: TAS334.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

You’ve been here before. You know the drill, Scott will have some rockstar guest on the podcast and you will get struck by some powerful insight and then days will go by. You haven’t acted on that great idea or pursued that ambitious goal. Scott’s guest Jamie Masters says that’s because you haven’t focused on “The One Thing.” Jamie is convinced that you often get too overwhelmed by all the possibilities that you fail to act on one great insight or lesson. On this episode of The Amazing Seller, she encourages listeners like you to slow down and grab one takeaway. There is so much content on this episode that it will be hard to choose which one, but having that narrow focus will set you up for great success.

Push outside of your comfort zone

What is holding you back? Why haven’t you completed the goals you’ve set for yourself? It may sound familiar but one of the most important things you can do to increase your productivity and reach the goals you’ve set is to push outside of your comfort zone. If you keep setting low-risk goals, you will never stretch yourself and grow. There is an old adage that says, “If you want something you’ve never had, you’ve got to do something you’ve never done.” What are you waiting for? Push through the trepidation and fear. Set difficult and risky goals that force you to go outside your comfort zone. You won’t regret it. Get more insight on how to push outside your comfort zone by listening to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

The power of meditation

Everyone has a different reaction when it comes to the word “Meditation.” For some, it conjures images of relaxation, quiet, and peace. For others, it is associated with the words boring, useless, and too “Touchy feely.” But everyone needs to have clarity and focus in their lives. Everyone wants to have the peace and freedom that results from meditation but that word or the images it conjures scares them away. Jamie Masters works with powerful and serious professionals. She has found that one of the keys to their success and increased productivity is this habit of meditation. Because she works with professionals who are usually wary of meditation, Jamie has discovered some tools and methods to ease leaders into the practice. If you’d like to hear more about the power of meditation, listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller.

Getting into your “Flow State”

Have you ever noticed that some periods of time in your day or week seem to drag on forever and then others zip by way too quickly? How can you harness these moments to maximize your efficiency and productivity? Business coach Jamie Masters joins Scott on this episode of The Amazing Seller to share the insights she has learned on the topic of time management. She explains that in a recent book, “Stealing Fire” the authors describe a “Flow state.” This is when you plan around and leverage those moments when you feel like you are “In the zone.” Most people are conditioned to notice those moments and think nothing of it, this is a way to hack those spurts of creativity and use them to their fullest extent. To hear Jamie expand on this idea, listen to this episode!

The Master Schedule

Do you ever ask yourself “I have so many things, I don’t know what to work on?” Is it difficult for you to find focus and clarity to accomplish the tasks that you need to complete? Everyone has been there at some point. How can you get the tools necessary to move forward with a clear actionable plan? Scott’s guest on this episode of The Amazing Seller is Jamie Masters. She has a time-tested tool that will help you get the results you need to achieve success in life and business. That tool is the “Master Schedule.” Make sure to listen to this episode as Jamie explains how this tool can help business leaders like you.

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [2:30] Jamie Masters joins the podcast.
  • [3:40] Jamie shares her story.
  • [9:00] The One Thing.
  • [12:20] Push outside of your comfort zone.
  • [21:00] How do you turn off all the “Noise?”
  • [26:10] Getting into the “Flow state”
  • [30:50] How to stick to your priorities.
  • [47:40] The Master Schedule.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS333.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Wouldn’t it be helpful to pick the brain of an expert on Chinese suppliers? Imagine the insights and lessons you could learn from such a knowledgeable individual. Look no further! On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott’s guest is Sam Boyd. He has intimate knowledge of the Chinese supplier market. Sam lives in China and operates a business called Guided Imports that helps business leaders like you get all the resources you need to run your production smoothly. Scott and Sam cover why you shouldn’t focus on a single strategy, how to secure a dependable supplier, a streamlined product validation approach, and so much more! Sam is so generous that he also provides a product validation checklist. You don’t want to miss this helpful episode.

Don’t rely on one single strategy 

A common mistake that many business leaders make when they start their efforts with selling on Amazon and dealing with Chinese suppliers is relying on a single strategy. You need to keep in mind that circumstances change, be flexible and adapt to how the market shifts. There have been many failed attempts to get an operation up and running because the business leader was locked into doing things one particular way and that handicapped their efforts for success. Don’t let that be you! Learn how you can be flexible to change on this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Securing a dependable supplier for your Amazon Product in China

What is the best strategy when starting your interactions with a Chinese supplier? How should you present yourself? Do you go in acting like a big supplier or do you start off being upfront and honest about your size and scale? Sam Boyd lives and works in China, he has a unique insight on how to do business with Chinese suppliers. His advice to sellers looking for a dependable supplier is, to be honest and upfront. Years ago it would have been almost impossible to do business with a supplier if you were coming to them as a small-scale business, but that’s no longer the case. To hear Sam expand on his insight with Chinese suppliers, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

A streamlined Product Validation service

Do you have a bunch of great ideas for products to list on Amazon? Is the one thing holding you back the time needed to validate each product idea? There is a proven and successful way to outsource this step. Scott’s guest, Sam Boyd has a service that will take your product ideas and help you validate them in a streamlined process. This is a game changer. Imagine all the time and resources you’ll save! Listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller to hear how Sam’s service can help you fast track your business toward exponential success.

Go with your gut, don’t be afraid to walk away from a bad Business Deal

Getting started as a Private Label seller can be long and laborious. Hang in there! By coming to The Amazing Seller, you have many of the tools you need right at your fingertips. Scott’s guest, Sam Boyd encourages business leaders to remain patient. If you are not seeing the numbers you would like to or if you don’t feel good about working with a particular supplier, don’t be afraid to start again. This is vital advice to consider that could save you a lot of money down the line. Go with your gut, don’t be afraid to walk away. Be confident that you have the resources there at TAS to help you overcome any struggles you face.

 

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [2:15] Sam Boyd joins the podcast.
  • [3:40] Sam shares his story.
  • [5:20] What motivated Sam to move to China?
  • [8:20] What should business leaders be aware of?
  • [11:00] Sam talks about his checklist for product validation with suppliers.
  • [16:15] Funnel sourcing strategy.
  • [18:15] Are there any other sourcing options out there?
  • [21:50] How do you determine if you are working with a trading company or a factory?
  • [25:30] How do you narrow your supplier search down?
  • [30:00] What does the first communication with a potential supplier look like?
  • [35:20] How do you deal with the financial piece with these suppliers?
  • [41:00] What is the process with inspecting products?
  • [55:00] Sam talks about his validation service.
  • [59:40] What is it that sets Sam’s business apart?
  • [1:03:40] Parting advice from Sam.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS332.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Scott is fired up and ready to deliver on this Friday’s Ask Scott Session! He has been traveling and had the opportunity to meet up with some TAS followers in Dallas, TX. Scott also had the fortune to learn from Tony Robbins! On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott shares some important insights and lessons he learned from both of those experiences as well as get to questions regarding liability insurance, fixing negative feedback, and dealing with no buy box options. This is the place for answers to YOUR questions, so sit down with a pen and paper and get ready! 

Making a personal connection really matters

Making the personal connection really matters! A lot of people may write that off as a platitude or simplistic statement but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Relationships matter in life and business. If you don’t get that, you won’t find success. On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott describes how impactful it was to recently meet up with a group of TAS followers. He wants people like you to know that you have a HUGE influence on how he runs TAS and the services he provides. This isn’t just something Scott is passionate about, it’s applicable in business too! As you are building your business, consider how you can provide quality service and create raving fans - you’ll be better for it.

Lessons learned from Tony Robbins

While Scott was traveling he had the opportunity to hear from Tony Robbins. He walked away so pumped up from the lessons and insights he gathered that he wants to share them with his TAS crew! Here are three key lessons Scott walked away with:

  • Don’t fall in love with your project or product. Not every product will be a “Homerun.”
  • Fall in love with your market/clients/customers. Learn about them and how you can serve them better. Become an expert.
  • Focus. The power of clarity and commitment. If you can focus and commit to your goals, you can achieve whatever you want.

Scott also takes these lessons and shows how he has applied them to his life. He gives a great update on his progress with his personal fitness goals. Make sure to catch this episode of The Amazing Seller to hear more!

Do you need Liability Insurance?

Getting started with selling products on Amazon can be intimidating. Many people have a lot of questions and there are numerous unknown factors. One of the leading questions that comes up is what to do about insurance? On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott gets a question about how to determine if you need insurance as a Private Label seller and also whether you need it as a product reseller. Are you at risk? What do you need to do to cover yourself? Scott isn’t a lawyer but he is able to provide some helpful guidance to this question. Listen to this episode to find out what you need to do to make sure you aren’t putting yourself at unnecessary risk.  

How do you overcome negative feedback?

How do you overcome negative feedback as an Amazon seller? Maybe you made an early mistake and you are trying to recover. One of the best ways to recover your standing is to engage in retail arbitrage. Go out there and find items that you can list and hopefully turn a profit and start getting some positive feedback on your account. You can also reach out to your customers and go the extra mile to make sure they are happy and satisfied. This isn’t unfixable, this is something you will be able to overcome. You just need to sit back, make a plan and put it in place. To hear Scott expand on these solutions and more, make sure to catch this episode of The Amazing Seller!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [7:30] Wisdom Scott learned from Tony Robbins.
  • [16:10] Question #1: Do I need liability insurance as a product reseller?
  • [23:15] Question #2: How can I recover from negative feedback?
  • [28:15] Question #3: I’m not getting the traffic that I expected, is it because I don’t have a buy box?

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS331.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Wouldn’t it be great to get insight from someone who has worked at an Amazon warehouse? How about someone who has built a thriving eCommerce business and sold it at a good profit? What if you were able to get tips and hacks on how to build a strong and valuable relationship with Chinese suppliers? Look no further! Scott’s guest on this episode of The Amazing Seller is David Bryant. He has all the above experiences to share and a lot more. This is an episode you don’t want to miss. So make the time, sit down with a pen and paper and take in all the valuable insight David has to share!

Establishing supplier relations in China

How can you get the best value out of dealing with a supplier from China? Business leader David Bryant has some great tips and hacks to share about making the right connections and getting the best deals. David highly suggests traveling to China if you can make that happen. Once there you can go to trade shows and meet many of the suppliers and establish a relationship. David says that there are many suppliers that don’t show up on Alibaba and they are eager to get new clients. The best part is because they aren’t on Alibaba your competition is very low for their business. If you can’t make it to China, David suggests looking up the suppliers that are on the list for many of the trade shows in China. Then contact those suppliers and try to establish a relationship with them. To hear David expand on these tips and so much more - listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller.

Selling your eCommerceBusiness

Starting something new can be very intimidating, it can also be exhausting. But for David Bryant, it’s exhilarating. David recently sold his eCommerce business and is gearing up for starting something brand new. He has learned the valuable lesson that his worth isn’t in his company, it’s in the skills and expertise that he has discovered in himself over the years. This realization allowed David to do what seems crazy to a lot of FBA business leaders, sell his business. David doesn't regret it for a moment. He was happy to make the deal and he’s fired up for his next project. You can learn more about David’s story on this episode of The Amazing Seller.

What is it like working in an Amazon Warehouse?

What is it like inside an Amazon warehouse? Scott’s guest, David Bryant recently sold his successful eCommerce business and decided to take the free time he had to see what it would be like to work for a seasonal position at an Amazon warehouse. He describes the process as “Seeing the sausage get made.” It was a fascinating and eye-opening experience for David. He spent his time at their “Oversize items” warehouse where he learned that Amazon has the capacity to ship just about anything regardless of size or weight. If you’d like to hear more about David’s inside look at an Amazon warehouse, make sure to catch this episode of The Amazing Seller!

The key to a successful FBA Business

What is one of the most important things you can do be successful with an FBA business? It sounds simple but David Bryant’s advice is to just get started. Don’t wait around for too long, get your feet wet! You might be really concerned about making all the right decisions - dotting your “i’s” and crossing your “t’s.” But the number one thing that is going to bring you success is getting the momentum started. David is confident that once you get that ball rolling, it will motivate you more than anything else can. So what are you waiting for? As Scott LOVES to say, TAKE ACTION!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [2:40] David Bryant joins the show.
  • [4:20] David talks about his background.
  • [10:00] Post college David travels to China.
  • [12:30] How should someone go about finding an overseas supplier?
  • [16:40] David talks about the success he found in his niche.
  • [21:00] Marketing a product well.
  • [23:00] David talks about setting the right price point.
  • [26:00] How did David and his team roll out new products and plan for the future?
  • [30:10] How do you use premium packaging when you are just testing a product?
  • [32:30] How would David test 20 new units?
  • [37:30] David talks about listing his company for sale.
  • [41:50] How confidant is David about starting a new company from scratch?
  • [45:50] How does David pick which products to pursue?
  • [47:30] David talks about working for Amazon as an experiment.
  • [54:20] Parting advice from David.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS330.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Have you considered buying or selling an FBA business? Then you came to the right place! On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott sits down with Justin Cooke. Justin specializes in facilitating the sale of eCommerce businesses. He runs Empire Flippers and has some powerful insights to share with the TAS audience today. Justin and Scott cover the importance of diversification, how to position your FBA business for sale, and how starting and selling small FBA businesses can be profitable. There is a lot of content in this episode so make sure you grab a pen and some paper and even check out the transcript at the end of this post!

How important is it to diversify your business? 

How important is it to diversify your business? You hear a lot about how important it is to diversify your income in the eCommerce industry. Scott and Justin emphasize how necessary it is to grow your business in other sectors. Justin learned this firsthand when he had to make adjustments to his first business early on. The key is to remember that your business isn’t the moneymaker, you are. You are the one who has the skills and the ability to get stuff done. That is the lesson that Justin learned when he had to take his skills and pivot to find success. To learn more about Justin and Empire Flippers, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

What makes an FBA business attractive to a potential buyer?

What makes an FBA business attractive to a potential buyer? If you are considering selling your FBA business, you need to know that cash flowing assets are key. Potential buyers are looking for a business that is ready to go and making consistent profits. They want to be able to take the products that you have refined and marketed and plug them into their operation. To learn more about how you can position your FBA business to look attractive and turn a profit, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller! 

Is starting up and selling FBA business a feasible business model?

Is starting up and selling multiple FBA businesses a feasible business model? If you have found your niche and you are really successful at identifying and marketing products well it would be a great plan to start up small FBA businesses and sell them for a profit. Going down this route would put you in a great position to understand the market and leverage your skills as an entrepreneur and startup specialist. Scott’s guest Justin Cooke goes through the benefits of honing in on this ability and turning a significant profit. You don’t want to miss valuable episode of The Amazing Seller!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [3:20] Justin Cooke joins the show.
  • [10:30] Scott and Justin talk about adapting to changes in the industry.
  • [12:40] Justin talks about diversification.
  • [17:30] What makes an online business attractive to buyer?
  • [24:40] Justin gives an example of an online business helped sell.
  • [28:40] Who are the buyers who purchase these businesses?
  • [33:30] Justin talks about how these online business are purchased.
  • [36:30] How does the inventory factor into the sale?
  • [39:30] How to do you transfer an FBA business?
  • [44:00] Do lawyers get involved in this process?
  • [46:00] What are these buyers doing, are they growing it or maintaining it?
  • [48:40] What is the selling sweet spot for FBA businesses?
  • [51:10] Are Amazon Associate and Ad Sense sites still selling well?
  • [54:20] Is it a business model for someone who can start up these Amazon seller businesses and then flip them?
  • [59:00] Last tips from Justin.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS329.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

This episode of The Amazing Seller is a special one! Scott is celebrating his 100th episode of the Ask Scott Session. Make sure to carve out the time for today’s episode. Scott will announce a very special opportunity for TAS followers like you to enter into a drawing for a FREE 30-minute coaching call with himself or Chris. This doesn’t happen very often and it's an opportunity with great value so pay attention on how to enter! Scott also covers celebrating wins, the future of eCommerce, getting Amazon reviews, and protecting your product from getting hijacked. This is an episode that you don’t want to miss!

Celebrate your wins in life and business!

With the rush of life, you can let “Wins” breeze past you without so much as a little pause and celebration. Don’t let that happen! Take the time to stop and look at what you’ve accomplished. You worked hard and sacrificed to get that win, celebrate it! Every little gain along the way adds up, to fight back against the doubts and setbacks you will need these wins to hold on to. On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott celebrates one of these wins - the 100th episode of the Ask Scott Session! Scott’s enthusiasm is infectious - let his passion and energy get you fired up and ready to go out there and take action today!

Is it too late to get started with eCommerce?

A question Scott gets often is; “Did I miss the boat on eCommerce?” The answer is NO! It’s still a growing and ever changing market, the only thing holding you back from getting started today is YOU. Scott goes back to the main thing that helps business leaders and entrepreneurs thrive - offer a solution to a problem that lots of people are dealing with. If you can figure that out and market it well, you will be on the road to success. If you are on the edge about jumping into eCommerce, you have to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

What’s the deal with Amazon reviews?

Do all the recent changes regarding Amazon reviews have you confused about what you can and cannot do? On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott gives some helpful insights on where to get started with your review strategy. It is important to note that it is against Amazon’s “Terms of Service” to have your family members leave reviews for your product. Scott’s suggestion is to stay away from leveraging your family relationships for that reason. Also, avoid “Deal sites” that offer customers deals in exchange for reviews. Scott suggests going to influencers on blogs, Instagram, etc. and have them run giveaways of your product. To hear Scott talk more about review strategies, listen to this episode and check out the resources in the links!

Working with manufacturers in China

Investing a lot of time and energy into product research and connecting with an overseas manufacturer can be nerve racking. How do you know they won’t give your product design to someone else or use it themselves? On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott tackles this scenario. There are a few things you can do to protect yourself and communicate to the manufacturer that you are serious about protecting your intellectual property. Scott also offers some thoughts on getting legal help and pursuing a patent. Make sure to catch this episode!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [1:50] How to get a FREE 30 min. Coaching Call from Scott or Chris!
  • [4:40] Celebrate your wins!
  • [8:30] Question #1: Am I too late to the party? Can I be successful? Is there an updated cheat sheet to determine what the sales per day are according to the BSR rankings?
  • [14:40] Question #2: Can we give people promo codes or is Amazon not allowing that anymore or should we just pursue unverified reviews?
  • [25:30] Question #3: I’m working with a manufacturer in China and I want to know, how would you talk to the provider in China to make sure that they don't recycle the design that you invested in and sell it to other customers?

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

  • T25 Beach Body Workout
  • Submit your name for a FREE 30 min. coaching call from Scott or Chris - HERE
  • Ask your question to be featured on an “Ask Scott Session” - HERE
  • Tell your success story - HERE
  • TAS interview with Greg from Jungle Scout found - HERE
  • Updated Jungle Scout resources found - HERE
  • TAS episode on Product Research found - HERE
  • TAS episode on digging deeper through the numbers found - HERE
  • TAS episode on review strategies found - HERE
  • TAS episode on future reviews found - HERE
  • Salesbacker
  • TAS resources found - HERE
  • Random.org
Direct download: TAS328.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Crowdfunding has a huge presence and influence in the startup marketplace. There are so many headlines that tell of the overnight success of product campaigns on sites like Indiegogo and Kickstarter. This seems like a perfect platform to integrate your product into. On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott sits down with Khierstyn Ross a specialist in helping entrepreneurs launch their products on crowdfunding sites and beyond. You’ll hear her take on product validation, building a prelaunch audience, and seeing crowdfunding as more than a “One-time event.” Get ready for some powerful insights!

Validating a product for crowdfunding

The key to a successful crowdfunding campaign is momentum. You need to drive a lot of people to make pledges toward your product. How do you know a product will be a hit with a lot of people? Khierstyn Ross shares a few insights she has gathered as she consults with people trying to launch a product via crowdfunding. She encourages business leaders to get out and talk with everyday people about their product. Does it strike a nerve? Does it solve a problem that resonates? She doesn’t pretend to know the ins and outs of every industry or niche that a product will address but she knows how to help an entrepreneur ask the right questions. Get more helpful insights from Khierstyn on this episode of The Amazing Seller.

What is the best way to build a prelaunch audience for your product?

So you’ve done the research and you know your product is solving a problem that will resonate with people. How do you get people fired up about this product? How do you ensure that your launch day goes off with a BANG? Khierstyn Ross has a few ideas that will help you optimize your efforts to build a prelaunch audience. She has found that running Facebook ads with video is extremely successful in building that audience. This strategy is effective when you also include a special promotion to give ad viewers a discount percentage off of the item on launch day. To hear more tips from Khierstyn, listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Is crowdfunding right for you and your product?

It seems like there is no end to the variety of products available on crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. But is this method of product promotion and audience gathering right for you? The truth is you don’t have to have a completely new original idea for a product to be successful on a crowdfunding site. It is a great place for original product ideas but you can also have a familiar product that has been repurposed for a specific demographic or with features that no one else is providing. One fact remains, you need to have a physical product. If you are considering leveraging crowdfunding for your product launch, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Don’t think of crowdfunding as a one-time event

Most people think of crowdfunding as a one-time event. You promote and publicize a product, gain the funding needed, then ship the item to the backers. Done. But is that thinking shortsighted? Could you leverage crowdfunding as part of a larger business model? Khierstyn Ross has built a business assisting entrepreneurs who are just getting their product on the market. She is convinced that crowdfunding can be utilized as a tool to launch into even greater success. Find out how you might be able to use crowdfunding with your product on this episode of The Amazing Seller!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [3:30] Scott welcomes Khierstyn Ross to the show.
  • [4:40] Khierstyn talks about her background in business.
  • [10:00] How does crowdfunding a product work?
  • [14:15] What happens to the funds raised if you don’t reach the stated goal?
  • [18:00] A Kickstarter page ranks high on Google right? Does that page stay up?
  • [20:00] What crowdfunding site is best?
  • [21:30] How would rolling out a product on one of these sites look like?
  • [23:30] What is the first step once you’ve done your product and market research?
  • [25:40] How would Khierstyn validate a product?
  • [30:00] What is the best strategy to build a prelaunch audience?
  • [33:30] Creating an appealing crowdfunding page.
  • [36:30] Who should use crowdfunding?
  • [40:00] What about patents?
  • [41:00] Don’t think of crowdfunding as a one time event.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS327.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

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