Rock Your Brand Podcast

Are you fired up and ready to take your ecommerce business to the next level of growth? What are you waiting for? Would you like to get more information and best practices before you jump in with both feet? If so, you’ve come to the right place! It is time for another session of Ask Scott here on The Amazing Seller. On this episode, you’ll hear from Scott as he shares his thought of the week, an answer to a question from a TAS follower like you, and much more. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Scott’s seasoned advice!

Slow and steady wins the race.

You’ve heard that old fable about the tortoise and the hare right? Of course the moral of the story is that the steady persistence of the tortoise is more valuable than the bluster and speed of the hare. Which character best represents your approach to building your ecommerce business? There are way too many hares out there and not enough tortoises! If your ecommerce business has any hope for long-term success, you’ve got to willing to put in the time and effort required. To hear more about the value of going slow and steady, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Content creation tips.

Do you find yourself struggling to come up with content ideas for your ecommerce business? Let’s face it, coming up with engaging content that will keep people coming back sounds like a huge task but in reality, it is easier than it sounds! Think about the type of content that draws you in as a customer, do you resonate with the polished and perfect messages or do you relate to a more authentic and down-to-earth approach? If your audience is the high-end beauty market, you’ll probably want a more polished approach, but if you are targeting rock climbers, you can be a little more barebones. Get more helpful tips on content creation from Scott by listening to this episode of The Amazing Seller; you don’t want to miss it!

Doing nothing isn’t an option!

If you’ve been around the TAS community for very long, you know that Scott doesn’t sugarcoat his message. He often explains that building an ecommerce business will be difficult and that you shouldn’t buy into success-overnight messages. While it will take hard work to build your business, that doesn’t mean that you should sit on your hands until the stars align (because they won’t)! You’ve got to be willing to take advantage of the time and resources you have at your disposal, don’t get hung up on what you don’t have. At the end of the day, doing nothing isn’t an option! Learn more about staying the course and building a successful ecommerce business on this episode!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [5:30] Scott’s thought of the week; slow and steady wins the race.
  • [8:30] Question: What is your advice for content creation?
  • [18:30] Doing nothing shouldn’t be an option!
  • [20:00] Closing thoughts from Scott.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS652.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Have you ever thought of buying an existing ecommerce business as a starting point or to expand your current brand? Do you want to eventually sell the ecommerce business you are currently growing? On this episode of The Amazing Seller, you’ll hear from Scott as he breaks down the pros and cons of building your own business vs. buying an already established ecommerce business. If you’ve been wondering about the options for selling a business, this is the episode for you! Have pen and paper ready; you don’t want to miss a minute of this informative episode!

Why you should buy an existing ecommerce brand.

There are a ton of risks and challenges when it comes to purchasing an already established ecommerce brand but what about the positive aspects? According to Scott, there are many sellers out there who are putting in the time and effort to grow a brand with the intent to sell it. Here are the advantages of buying an existing ecommerce brand.

  • You get to shortcut the brand building process.
  • Instantly you get an established sales history.
  • You get a built out product suite with connections to suppliers.
  • You’ll have turnkey access to a website, email list, and social media channels.

To hear Scott expand on all the benefits of purchasing an established ecommerce brand, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

The drawbacks of buying an existing ecommerce brand.

If there were no drawbacks to purchasing an already established ecommerce brand, everyone would be doing it! The truth is, by opting for an established brand, you are paying for the hard work and labor someone else poured into the brand. Here are the negative aspects to consider when it comes to buying an ecommerce brand.

  • The purchase price is going to be high, likely $100,000 or more.
  • You are exposing yourself to risk. The money you use to purchase the brand is tied up.
  • The brand could hit a ceiling after you purchase it.
  • There could be elements of the brand that aren’t visible before purchase.

Make sure to catch this full episode of The Amazing Seller as Scott expands on these drawbacks and much more!

Look for ways to expand and grow the brand!

What is the best case scenario for purchasing an ecommerce brand? Ideally, you’ll find a brand for sale that is underpriced or underdeveloped but with a ton of potential. Sellers like you need to put in the time and do your homework, so you know how ecommerce brands operate. Once you’ve done your research, you’ll have a better idea of what to look for, and you’ll have a reasonable expectation on how to grow the brand. If you are inching closer to the idea of purchasing an ecommerce brand instead of building one from scratch, you need 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!
  • [4:45] The pros of buying an existing brand.
  • [13:20] Look for ways you can advance the brand you want to purchase.
  • [16:00] The cons of purchasing an established brand.
  • [21:00] Should you buy a stake in a brand to expand your brand?
  • [27:00] Closing thoughts from Scott.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS651.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

How do you attract external traffic to your website or product listing? If you really want to get your ecommerce business going, you’ve got to be an expert at driving traffic! On this episode of The Amazing Seller, you’ll hear from Scott as he talks about how to attract traffic to your website, what it takes to create a digital product, why market research is so important, how to build a home base, and much more! This is the episode you need if you are prepared to go out there and grab attention for your brand, have pen and paper ready!

Scott’s approach to attracting external traffic.

Do you find yourself lost when it comes to getting traffic for your ecommerce business? Don’t waste your time guessing and stumbling around in the dark! On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott provides his time-tested approach for attracting external traffic.

  1. Focus on your niche market.
  2. Build an email list.
  3. Launch your product on Amazon.
  4. Publish content regularly on your blog and other channels.
  5. Turn on Ads and start collecting passive income from your hard earned traffic.

There you have it! Your excuses are gone, you’ve got a roadmap to start driving traffic to your website. To hear Scott expand on each aspect of his approach, make sure to listen to this helpful episode!

How to create a digital product.

If you’ve been around the TAS community for very long, you know that Scott is big on creating and marketing digital products as part of a robust brand growth strategy. Have you dabbled with digital products yet? Do they sound too complicated for you? They don’t have to be! Digital products are a great way to grow the depth of your brand and gain credibility in the eyes of your audience. If you are ready to put in the time to create a digital product, then make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Why you need a home base.

Did you notice a few days ago when most of the internet lost their collective minds when Facebook and Instagram were down for a couple of hours? If Amazon suddenly went down for most of the business day tomorrow, what would you do? Unfortunately, many ecommerce sellers have their entire brand wrapped up in and dependent on, Amazon. The best way to disaster-proof and future-proof your ecommerce business is to start building out your home base. To get the full scoop from Scott on this critical aspect of expanding your brand, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Don’t be afraid to try something new!

Let’s face it; building a brand is hard work! You will never get to where you want to be if you keep doing the things that kept you stuck, you’ve got to be willing to step out and try something new. Don’t let the fear of failure hold you back and keep you from the success you deserve! On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott gives some helpful insights and lessons that will prepare sellers like you to go out there put it all on the line. Get the help you need to make your goals and dreams a reality!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [3:30] How to validate digital products in your niche market.
  • [6:20] Scott’s process for attracting external traffic.
  • [13:00] What is an order bump?
  • [16:30] How do you create a digital product?
  • [24:00] Don’t jump the gun, do your market research!
  • [26:00] Why you need to build a home base.
  • [27:45] Where should you start?
  • [30:30] Scott talks about an experiment that he’s planning.
  • [33:30] Closing thoughts from Scott.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS650.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

What is the status of your ecommerce business? Is everything going according to plan or are you struggling to gather the momentum you need to succeed? If you need some solid advice that you can put into practice, you’ve come the right place! It is time for another session of Ask Scott here on The Amazing Seller! On this episode, you’ll hear from Scott as he shares his thought of the week, an answer to a question from a TAS follower like you, and much more. Don’t miss a minute of this helpful and informative episode!

Fall in love with the process.

Let’s face it, work can be challenging, and it can be even more challenging when you hate to do the work you have to do. What is the solution? Do you quit and find a job you love or do you go into business for yourself? Even when you are self-employed, there will be things that you have to do that you don’t enjoy. What you need to do, according to Scott, is to fall in love with the process. When you fall in love with the process, it doesn’t matter what aspect of your business you are working on, the process of figuring it out and making it work is the point. To hear more from Scott about falling in love with the process, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Building a platform for success.

Scott often gets asked the question, “If you had to start all over again, what would you do?” As many of you know, Scott has been doing business online for over a decade, and his approach has evolved over the years. If he had to start over today, Scott says that he would focus on brand building. He would start with market research, niche down like crazy; then he’d begin creating content that would attract his target audience. Essentially, Scott would follow the exact path he lays out in his Ecom Business Formula ebook. Make sure to grab your copy of Scott’s ebook by checking out the link in the resources section at the end of this post!

Are you willing to put in the work?

Scott will be the last person to tell you that building an ecommerce business from the ground up is easy work, and that’s the point, building something worthwhile shouldn’t come easy! Where are you at with your commitment level? Are you all in or do you find yourself struggling to stay focused and motivated? Don’t buy the lie that you can build a brand with little effort. The effort required to build a sustainable business is great but so is the reward! Listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller as Scott encourages sellers like you stick it out, don’t miss it!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [5:00] Why you need to fall in love with the process.
  • [11:00] Question: If you're starting over from scratch, what are you going to do?
  • [20:00] Are you willing to do the work?
  • [23:00] Closing thoughts from Scott.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS649.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:11am EDT

Building a thriving ecommerce business is hard work, wouldn’t it be nice if there was a relatively easy way to generate consistent passive income for your brand? On this episode of The Amazing Seller, you’ll hear from Scott and Chris. In their conversation, the guys talk about the success of their new brand, how they’ve used digital products, what an “Order bump” is, how to increase traffic to your site, what it takes to scale your brand, and much more. You don’t want to miss a minute of this valuable episode!

Should you create and sell digital products?

If you’ve been part of the TAS community for very long, you know that Scott and Chris have been working on a new ecommerce brand for the last twenty months. In that new brand that they created, Scott and Chris decided to see how successful they could be with selling a digital product. As it turns out, their efforts paid off! By creating, marketing, and selling their digital product, they’ve been able to generate over $1,500 in monthly passive income. To get the full scoop on how the guys were able to accomplish this feat, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Increasing traffic to your site.

As an ecommerce seller, you know that a great product either physical or digital is only as good as the traffic you get coming to your site or listing. What does it take to increase traffic to your brand’s website or listing? You need content! You can’t expect people to give you their attention if you don’t give them something worth sticking around for. What have you done to keep your audience engaged? Have you been able to build trust with your target audience? Make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller as Scott and Chris explain how sellers like you can increase traffic and expand your brand!

How to scale your brand.

If you want to see your ecommerce brand stand the test of time, you’ve got to become an expert at cultivating a connection with your audience. Too often sellers get excited about building their brand that they forget about how customers buy products! Think about how you made your last purchase, did you make the purchase because it was on sale or because you trusted the brand name? Let’s face it, people love to get a good deal on a decent product, but they stay loyal to a brand that they trust. Don’t you want to create a brand people can trust? To hear more about scaling your brand from Scott and Chris’ expert perspectives, 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!
  • [2:15] Scott talks about the success they’ve had with the new brand.
  • [5:20] What is an “Order bump?”
  • [8:00] Chris talks about providing a one-time offer.
  • [10:10] How do you start driving traffic to your site?
  • [20:00] Scaling a brand requires grabbing your audience’s attention.
  • [24:10] Closing thoughts from Scott and Chris.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS648.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:48am EDT

Did you know that there have been three significant updates from Amazon recently? It’s true! If you find yourself wondering what you missed or why these updates are important for you and your ecommerce business, you’ve come to the right place! On this episode of The Amazing Seller, you’ll hear from Scott and Chris as they discuss Amazon Live, Amazon’s Voice of the Customer (VOC), the value of good customer service, the “Portfolios” addition to Amazon PPC, and much more. Make sure to have pen and paper ready; you don’t want to miss a minute of this helpful and informative episode!

Amazon LIVE

Have you checked out Amazon’s new Live feature? Are you wondering if it is similar to Facebook Live and other tools? According to Amazon, there are three main reasons why you should consider getting your brand featured on the service.

  • Drive sales. During your livestream, shoppers can purchase your featured products in the carousel displayed next to your stream.
  • Interact with viewers. Chat and interact directly with shoppers as they watch your livestream.
  • Be discovered. Reach more shoppers on Amazon.com and build your brand through interactive livestreams.

To find out if it is a good idea to get your brand featured on Amazon Live, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Amazon VOC

What if there was a way to get a more accurate idea of what customers think of your products beyond the review they post? Amazon is rolling out a new tool called Amazon VOC; it is designed to display the Customer Experience Health of a seller’s offers and customer comments that are meant to help sellers identify product and listing issues so they can take action to resolve problems. Here are the three main issues Amazon is trying to achieve with Amazon VOC.

  • Review Customer Experience (CX) Health - Understand how each of your offers is performing relative to similar products in terms of customer experience.
  • Understand your customers - Read recent comments and identify common product or listing issues affecting customers.
  • Improve products and listings - Take action to address product issues identified through customer feedback and optimize your listings.

Do you think you’ll use this new feature from Amazon? To get Scott and Chris’ take on this new feature and what it will mean for your ecommerce business, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Will “Portfolios” make your life easier?

Let’s face it; there are few people who get as excited about PPC updates as Chris Shaffer! But there is a good reason for sellers like you to get at least a little happy about Amazon’s new update with the “Portfolios” tab in your Amazon PPC account. In the portfolios tab, you can take multiple PPC campaigns and view them as one campaign in terms of ad metrics over time. With this new feature, you can consolidate a broad match campaign, a phrase match campaign, and an exact match campaign into one portfolio inside the Amazon ecosystem. With the new process, you can still view all of your campaigns individually, or you can view them in summary as a group. For an even deeper understanding of what this means for your ecommerce business, 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!
  • [2:30] Scott and Chris talk about Amazon Live.
  • [9:00] Why you should take advantage of tools like Amazon Live.
  • [15:30] What is Amazon VOC?
  • [19:20] Why taking care of your customers will make you stand out.
  • [22:50] Chris about the “Portfolios” addition to Amazon PPC.
  • [28:00] Closing thoughts from Scott.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS647.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Do you have all the tools you need to help your ecommerce brand compete in a tough market? Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a clear approach that you could use to time and time again to launch products in a challenging market? It’s time for another session of Ask Scott here on The Amazing Seller! On this episode, you’ll hear from Scott as he shares his thought of the week, answers a question from a TAS follower like you, and much more. Don’t miss a minute of this helpful episode featuring Scott expert insights!

If it were easy, everyone would do it!

How do you handle difficulty that comes your way? Do you easily throw in the towel or are you the type that sticks with it to find a solution? Too often people get excited about their plans only to give up on them when things get challenging. Don’t fall for that trap! If you want to build something that lasts, you’ve got to be willing to stick it out in good times and in difficult times. Let’s face it; if creating a successful and thriving ecommerce brand was easy, everyone would be doing it! If you’ve made it this far, you can count yourself among the brave and determined few. Get more helpful insights like this one from Scott by listening to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

How to sell products in a competitive market.

Are you ready to go all in and build your ecommerce brand in a competitive market? Do you think you’ve accounted for all the challenges you’ll face along the way? On this episode of The Amazing Seller, Scott lays out his plan for selling products in a competitive market.

  1. Research the market you want to compete in as a whole.
  2. Niche down and get specific.
  3. Find out how you can educate your target market.
  4. Go where your market is hanging out — Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, etc.
  5. Leverage your interests or your area of expertise.

If you are ready to start putting in the work necessary to build an ecommerce brand that can compete in a crowded market, this is the episode for you. Don’t miss it!

Don’t build your brand around a product!

If you’ve been around the TAS community for very long, you know that Scott wants to help sellers like you build an ecommerce brand that will last. All too often ecommerce sellers focus on the wrong aspects and get distracted by building their brand around a product. That approach might work in the short term, but it won’t work for the long haul! Scott has created a resource that sellers like you can use to build a well thought out ecommerce brand, you can find a link to this resource at the end of this post. Go further with this topic and much more from Scott by listening 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!
  • [2:20] Scott’s thought of the week; if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
  • [7:15] Question: How can I sell products in a competitive market?
  • [17:40] Scott recaps his approach to selling in a competitive market.
  • [19:20] Closing thoughts from Scott.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS646.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:40pm EDT

Do you want to grab attention for your ecommerce brand? Of course, you do! If you’ve been a TAS follower for very long, you know that attention is the new currency! On this episode of The Amazing Seller, you’ll hear from Scott as he talks about the new Amazon Live feature, how sellers like you can take advantage of it, why brand building is so important, how to create a good video, and much more. If you are ready to put yourself out there and make a bold move for your ecommerce brand, this is the episode for you!

It’s all about getting attention.

Recently, Amazon has rolled out a new feature called Amazon Live. According to Amazon, there are three main reasons why you should consider getting your brand featured on the service.

  1. Drive sales. During your livestream, shoppers can purchase your featured products in the carousel displayed next to your stream.
  2. Interact with viewers. Chat and interact directly with shoppers as they watch your livestream.
  3. Be discovered. Reach more shoppers on Amazon.com and build your brand through interactive livestreams.

On this episode of The Amazing Seller, you’ll hear from Scott as he takes a tour of Amazon Live and gives a rundown of how he thinks the service will work for sellers like you. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Scott’s keen insight!

Brand building is the way forward!

Let’s face it, the days of hitting a huge ecommerce homerun with a one-off product are long gone. Sure, some sellers will strike gold here and there but the wave of the future, according to Scott, is brand building. Scott is not the only one sounding the alarm when it comes to brand building; Amazon has just validated Scott’s insight by showcasing this new feature for brands. Will you take advantage of the direction that the ecommerce industry is headed in or will you be left behind? If you are ready to start your journey to build a thriving ecommerce brand, make sure to pick up Scott’s Ecommerce Business Formula ebook, you can find a link in the resources section at the end of this post!

Scott’s basic video formula.

If you find yourself convinced that shooting an Amazon Live or Facebook Live session is the right move for your brand, but you just can’t bring yourself to step in front of the camera, what should you do? Should you focus on working up the courage or is there another solution? Would your fear be reduced if you had a blueprint to creating a good Live video? If so, you are in luck! Scott has compiled his basic video formula that sellers like you can use to get started with creating video content.

  1. Lead with the hook. Right out of the gate you want to tell your audience what they will learn.
  2. Repeat a call to action. Get people to engage by liking, commenting, or sharing.
  3. Deliver the goods. Make your content simple and engaging.

To hear Scott expand on this basic video formula, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller, 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!
  • [5:00] Why you need to invest in building a brand.
  • [7:00] Scott explores Amazon Live.
  • [11:45] How sellers like you can use tools like Facebook Live and Amazon Live.
  • [16:00] Scott shares his basic video formula.
  • [19:30] Get into the brand building business!
  • [21:45] Closing thoughts from Scott.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS645.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Does your ecommerce business have a solid foundation? Does it have what it takes to go the distance and provide you with reliable income for years to come? If you are looking for ways to diversify your revenue stream, you’ve come to the right place! On this episode of The Amazing Seller, you’ll hear from Scott as he goes over the seven ways he’s identified and tested to increase your profits and diversify your revenue stream. This is the episode you need to future-proof your business; you don’t want to miss it!

Add to your product line up.

Did you know that you could have a great addition to your product line up sitting in plain sight? Think about it! You could easily add some variations in size, color, or quality to your existing products. You could also bundle several product or variations together as a packaged deal. Think of how you buy items online and try to target your audience that same way. It doesn’t have to be as complicated as coming up with an entirely new product idea, experiment with the idea that works! To hear more about this important topic from Scott, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Content + Traffic + Ads = Increased Revenue

If you’ve been around the TAS community for very long, you know that Scott is passionate about helping sellers like you see the value in creating content for your niche market. Have you started creating content yet? What are you waiting for? It may sound intimidating and scary, but it doesn’t have to be! Just start creating content like product reviews, or comparisons, or helpful tips for others in your niche. What do you have to lose? Sure, your first videos or blog posts won’t be completely polished and professional, but that’s OK. There is always room to grow and improve, but you’ve got to put yourself out there!

According to Scott, if you can build traffic through your content, then you can capitalize on that traffic by turning on Ads. Turning on Ads will help you with a new income stream so you can focus on expanding your brand. Learn more about creating content and driving traffic from Scott’s expert perspective by listening to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Create or buy digital products to sell to your audience.

Did you know that you can create an income stream simply by writing an ebook? It’s true! All an ebook would cost you is the time to write it and edit it; the rest of the process is free. That means, when you sell your ebook, you get all the profits! If you don’t think that you have an ebook in you, that’s OK. There are a ton of options out there that allows sellers like you to buy up resources like ebooks or instructional videos that people have created that you can buy or sell on your site. To learn more about these great options to diversify your revenue stream, 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!
  • [3:00] Add a new product, variation, or bundle to your brand.
  • [6:45] Consider selling your product on another platform like Ebay or Etsy.
  • [9:00] Add related products to your blog and link to it as an affiliate.
  • [12:00] Build traffic through the content on your blog and then turn on ads.
  • [15:45] Add content to YouTube and use Adsense.
  • [17:50] Include digital content in your brand. Either create it or pay for it.
  • [23:20] Create sales funnels and use Facebook Ads to drive sales.
  • [25:50] Scott recaps all seven ways to diversify your revenue streams.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS644.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Are you fired up and ready to take on all the challenges that stand in your way of success? Could you use a little push in the right direction? If so, you’ve come to the right place! It is time for another session of Ask Scott here on The Amazing Seller! On this episode, you’ll hear from Scott as he shares his thought of the week, an answer to a question from a TAS follower like you, and much more. Don’t miss a minute of this helpful episode featuring Scott’s experienced perspective!

Think bigger than just the buyers!

Everyone is going after buyers on the ecommerce marketplace today, are you going to join along with the crowd or are you going to do something that makes your brand stand out? No one wants their business to fade in the background while someone else shines, but so many sellers are not willing to do the hard work to differentiate themselves from their competitors. If you want to stand out, you’ve got to think bigger than just the buyers in your niche, you’ve got to think of your whole niche market and how to stand out as a brand that serves them. To hear more on this vital topic, make sure to catch this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Why niching down works.

Time and time again, sellers turn to Scott to find out how they can sell more of the product they’ve been selling on Amazon. While Scott can provide helpful tips here and there that will move the needle, his approach is focused on identifying niche markets and building a brand from there. Scott doesn’t teach how to niche down to a specific market just for the heck of it, he’s done it and he’s seen the successful results first hand. Don’t be content to just make a few bucks off of the next fidget spinner, build an ecommerce business that will last! Listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller as Scott expands on this important subject.

Make sure to build out your assets.

If you’ve been around the TAS community for very long, you know that Scott is passionate about helping sellers like you build out your ecommerce brand by using tools like external assets. External assets like YouTube channels, Facebook pages, email lists, and ebooks are just a few of the examples that Scott teaches sellers to embrace. Where are you at in the process? Have you started building your external assets yet? If you are looking for a good place to start, make sure to check out the link to the ebook that Scott wrote located in the resources section at the end of this post!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [6:00] Scott’s thought of the week.
  • [10:50] Question: How do I know which niche to build my brand around?
  • [20:00] How to validate your niche market and grow your brand.
  • [23:00] You need to have a unified and consistent brand.
  • [27:30] Closing thoughts from Scott.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS643.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

Is your ecommerce business prepared to handle new sales tax changes that multiple states are adopting? Have you been worried about sales tax compliance and find yourself desperately looking for answers? If so, you’ve come to the right place! On this episode of The Amazing Seller, you’ll hear from Scott and his guest, Martina Chavez from Avalara. In her conversation with Scott, Martina talks about the recent Supreme Court ruling involving Wayfair, the solutions that Avalara has created for sellers, what you need to do to make sure your business is in compliance, and much more. Don’t let the stress of tax stuff distract you! Get the critical information you by listening to this episode!

What happened with the Wayfair case?

If you avidly follow ecommerce news, it's likely that you’ve heard of the Supreme Court case involving the ecommerce business, Wayfair. For those of you who missed the big news, here is what happened in that case.

Basically, the ruling decided that states may charge sales tax on purchases made from out-of-state sellers, even if the seller does not have a physical presence in the taxing state.

This was a major change overturning a case from 1992 which stated that the Dormant Commerce Clause barred states from compelling retailers to collect sales or use taxes in connection with mail order or Internet sales made to their residents unless those retailers have a physical presence in the taxing state.

If you are wondering if this new decision affects your ecommerce business and the state you operate out of, make sure to check out the resource that Martina and her team at Avalara put together, you can find it in the resources section at the end of this post.

How new and seasoned sellers can make sure they are in compliance.

Now that you have a basic idea of what happened with the Wayfair case, you’ll probably want to know how that impacts your ecommerce business. For sellers starting out, this process is easy, start by registering to collect sales tax in your current state (unless your state doesn’t collect sales tax). From there, depending on your volume of sales, new sellers should start the registration process for collecting sales tax in the most populated states like Texas, California, and Flordia. You can also wait and just watch where most of your sales are coming from and start the process in those states.

For more seasoned sellers, the process will prove to me a bit more complicated but not impossible! Basically, follow the same steps as the new sellers need to follow, but you also need to respond to any letters that any states have sent you regarding sales tax compliance. Another good option for many seasoned sellers to submit a Volunteer Discolusre Application (VDA) that allows you to get into compliance with a large up-front sum of money that you have to pay.

The information that Scott and Martina have provided regarding sales tax compliance is only a starting place for sellers like you. Make sure to consult with your professional accountant to ensure that your business is on the right track.

Tax compliance solutions from Alvara.

Let’s face it; all this tax talk is complicated, confusing, and often overwhelming. What if there was a way to cut through all the complexity and trust that all of your tax obligations were taken care of? Good news! The folks at Alvara have worked hard to create a whole line up of solutions that small business ecommerce sellers like you can use.

You can let Avalara handle your sales tax compliance and get more accurate bookkeeping in the process. Avalara can automate sales tax rates, prep, filing, and payment. To hear more about Avalara and the amazing work they are doing to help small business owners, make sure to check out the link to their site located in the resources section below!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [3:30] Scott welcomes his guest, Martina Chavez.
  • [8:15] Martina talks about the recent case involving Wayfair.
  • [17:15] Tax talk is scary only when there is no solution. Martina talks about solutions.
  • [25:15] What should new sellers do to make sure they are in compliance with tax rules?
  • [31:30] How current sellers can get their business into compliance with tax rules.
  • [39:00] Martina talks about how Avalara can help sellers like you.
  • [46:50] Closing thoughts from Scott.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS642.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:15am EDT

What is the next big step you need to take with your ecommerce business? Are you still in the research phase? Are you focused on building your brand with content to publish on social media? On this episode of The Amazing Seller, you’ll hear from Scott and his son Scotty as they have a “Real Talk” session. In their conversation, the guys talk about eliminating excuses, providing value to their audience, taking action, avoiding the trap of perfection, and much more. You don’t want to miss a minute of this engaging episode!

Stop making excuses.

There will always be a reason why you should wait or get this or that lined up before you launch your ecommerce business. While there are a few legitimate reasons to delay your business, the truth is, most of them are excuses. Don’t let yourself fall for the excuses that keep thousands of men and women from pursuing their dreams. You don’t need to have all the answers, and everything figured out to take your first step. To hear Scott and his son expand on why you need to kick your excuses to the curb, make sure to listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller!

Provide value.

If you can find a need or pain point that people in your community or your niche subject of interest want to be solved, then you’ve got yourself a recipe for success. Seriously! People will pay for you to walk them through a careful analysis of products they are interested in or a specialized topic they care about. What is it that you are uniquely positioned to deliver to the marketplace? Are you an avid rock climber or basketball player? Do you love to create tools that will help you in your garden? Whatever it is that you spend your free time doing, you can likely use it to serve a community and provide value. Find out how you can get started by listening to this helpful episode of The Amazing Seller!

Take action!

Where do you hope to be five years from now? Do you have dreams of your ecommerce business running smoothly or even expanding into other areas of interest? What steps are you taking right now to achieve your goals? Too often leaders like you delay taking action because it is risky or uncertain, but that rarely ever changes! You’ve got to be willing to do the hard things now you can enjoy the fruits of your labors down the line. To hear more about this critical topic, 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!
  • [3:00] Welcome to Scott’s Real Talk session with his son, Scotty.
  • [6:15] Is college the best investment for your future?
  • [10:00] Stop making excuses!
  • [15:00] Don’t let perfection keep you from taking action.
  • [20:00] There is a ton of opportunity out there, what are you waiting for?
  • [22:00] Closing thoughts from Scott.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS641.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:14pm EDT

When was the last time you took a serious look at the direction of your ecommerce business? Are you hitting all the milestones you’ve been aiming for? If you need a little boost to keep you going, you’ve come to the right place! It is time for another session of Ask Scott here on The Amazing Seller. On this episode, you’ll hear from Scott as he shares his thought of the week, answers a question from a TAS follower like you, and much more. Don’t miss a minute of this engaging episode!

Build for your future right now!

Often those who want substantial financial success are too impatient to make the decisions that are needed to reap that type of benefit. Put it this way, most young people are too impatient to invest their money into a savings account for their future but by the time they are knocking on the door of retirement, they’ve lost their advantage! If you don’t make deliberate decisions now to impact your future, it will be too late. Listen to this episode of The Amazing Seller as Scott shares a helpful example from his family life that illustrates this important lesson, you don’t want to miss it!

Scott’s 6 steps for quick cash flow.

What would you do if you were strapped for cash but wanted to start growing your funds to start an ecommerce business? What would be your first step? Would you work a side hustle like driving for Uber or would you try to pick up a second or third job? On this episode of The Amazing Seller, you’ll hear from Scott as he shares the six-step process to get some quick cash and start an ecommerce business. 

  1. Start selling items through retail arbitrage.
  2. Find your market and sub-niche down. Then validate the potential for growth.
  3. Begin your product research process.
  4. Start producing content for your brand with blog posts, videos, or social media.
  5. Build an email list.
  6. Repeat steps four and five consistently. 

Would you add anything to Scott’s list? Have you started the road to building your ecommerce business yet? What are you waiting for? Here you have an easy to follow guide created by an expert! To hear Scott expand on each step, make sure to listen to this informative episode!

Do you have your copy of Ecom Business Formula yet?

If you’ve been around the TAS community for very long you know that Scott wants to help as many people as possible as they seek to build their very own ecommerce business. Have you grabbed your copy of Scott’s new ebook yet? In it, Scott has a detailed and easy to follow formula to build an ecommerce business from the ground up. If you think you have all you need for success, why not take a look at Scott’s approach? What do you have to lose? Check out the link the resources section below to get your copy today!

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE AMAZING SELLER

  • [0:03] Scott’s introduction to this episode of the podcast!
  • [2:45] Make sure to grab your copy of Scott’s Ecom Business Formula book!
  • [4:20] Scott’s thought of the week.
  • [9:20] Question: I need cash flow quick, what should I do?
  • [11:10] Scott’s 6 steps for quick cash flow.
  • [19:15] Scott recaps all 6 steps.
  • [21:00] Closing thoughts from Scott.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Direct download: TAS640.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am EDT

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