Kevin Freidberg - Need a Website? Start with Email

Summary

In the podcast 'Ditching Hourly', host Jonathan Stark discusses the challenges freelancers and consultants face in creating an effective online presence, particularly with their websites. He is joined by Kevin Friedberg, who shares his innovative approach to solving this problem. Instead of focusing on building a website first, Friedberg suggests starting with email marketing to generate one-on-one conversations. He explains how to leverage email to create a 'Content Solar System' and build a subscriber base without the overwhelming task of writing for a website. The conversation also covers how to use LinkedIn strategically to grow one's email list and the importance of starting small and scaling up. Friedberg's company, 7sec websites, reflects his philosophy of simplicity and direct communication in business.

Takeaways

• 😀 Kevin Friedberg, from 7sec websites, emphasizes the importance of starting with one-on-one conversations rather than building a website first.
• 🔄 Kevin noticed a shift in his business when he realized that websites were not generating leads, prompting a focus on email conversations.
• 📬 The approach taken by Kevin is to initially skip the website creation and start building relationships through daily or weekly emails.
• 🤔 For clients struggling to update their website, Kevin suggests asking problem-based questions to help generate content for emails.
• 💡 Kevin captures clients' insights during conversations to create a series of emails that can serve as a 'Content solar system'.
• 🚀 The process involves setting up an email service provider like ConvertKit and creating a simple landing page to start collecting subscribers.
• 📝 Kevin recommends using a formulaic approach to define the client's value proposition: 'I help these people do this thing to achieve this outcome'.
• 🔄 He suggests using LinkedIn Direct Messages to ask for feedback and permission to sign people up for emails, which is a non-intrusive way to grow the email list.
• 📈 Kevin has found that using LinkedIn for this purpose can result in gaining around 50 subscribers in a month.
• 💌 The script used for LinkedIn outreach is kept simple and open-ended, often ending with a question to prompt a response.
• 🌐 For those without a website, Kevin recommends leveraging existing networks or communities to ask for support and subscribers.

Q & A

What is the main issue discussed in the podcast 'Ditching Hourly' with Jonathan Stark and Kevin Friedberg?

The main issue discussed is the challenge freelancers and consultants face when it comes to creating or updating their websites. Many lack a website or struggle with what content to put on it.

What is the unique approach that Kevin Friedberg suggests to address the website creation problem?

Kevin Friedberg suggests starting with email conversations instead of creating a website. He recommends focusing on one-on-one interactions and using email to productize services and packages.

What is the name of Kevin Friedberg's company and what is ironic about it?

Kevin's company is called '7sec websites'. The irony is that he has been obsessed with websites for a long time, but later realized that no one is contacting businesses through their websites.

How does Kevin Friedberg handle clients who are resistant to creating a website or writing content?

Kevin suggests skipping the website creation entirely and starting with email. He finds that clients are relieved by this approach, as it avoids the daunting task of writing extensive content for a website.

What is the first step in Kevin Friedberg's process when working with a client to update their website?

The first step is to start with emails. Kevin asks problem-based questions to understand the client's business and the problems they solve for their customers.

How does Kevin Friedberg use the information gathered from a client's initial conversation?

Kevin uses the information from the initial conversation to create a series of emails. These emails are based on the problems the client solves and can serve as a starting point for the client's content strategy.

What tools does Kevin Friedberg recommend for setting up email marketing?

Kevin recommends using ConvertKit as the email service provider, due to his familiarity with the platform and personal connections within the company.

What does Kevin Friedberg suggest for clients who don't have a website yet?

For clients without a website, Kevin suggests setting up a landing page hosted by the email service provider, such as ConvertKit, to start collecting email subscribers.

What is the approach Kevin Friedberg uses to grow his email list on LinkedIn?

Kevin uses direct messaging on LinkedIn to ask for feedback and permission to sign people up for his email list. He uses a simple script that ends with a clear question, making it easy for recipients to respond.

How does Kevin Friedberg handle the concern of potential email subscribers about spam?

Kevin addresses the spam concern by making it clear in his message that recipients can unsubscribe at any time, thus reducing resistance and making the sign-up process low-pressure.

What is the long-term goal for clients who go through Kevin Friedberg's email-based approach?

The long-term goal is to eventually turn the series of emails into a website. The content from the emails forms a 'Content solar system' that can be organized into different sections of the website.

What is the name of the program Kevin Friedberg is launching in early August, and what is the website for it?

The program is called 'Market Yourself First', and interested individuals can find more information at marketyourselffirst.com.