The Remote CEO Show

441: How To Focus For A Long Period Of Time

Working remotely can be hard if you don’t know how to focus properly. But it’s actually not that hard once you understand that it’s all about pre-committing. Tell your family/friends/coworkers that you are going to step in “the zone” for a few hours and that you don’t have time to interact with them.

Get rid of all distractions in sight. For example, put your phone away under a big pile of papers or in a closet.

Put your headphones on and listen to instrumental music so you don’t get distracted by lyrics. And lastly, if you get distracted by Youtube or other sites, invest in a browser blocker so you just can’t surf the web while you work.

440: When to stop selling and start closing

Everyone likes to talk to people, but no one likes to close the deal. But your business is not going to make money unless you take that crucial final step. To make that happen then, follow this pattern. Ask questions to understand your prospect’s situation. Cover the ins and outs of your product or service and show how your product will help solve the problems your client just talked about. When the prospect stats asking questions about price, terms, conditions, etc., it’s time to go for the close. Don’t get stuck on the sales side of the conversation, otherwise you will talk yourself out of the deal. If your product is good and you believe in it, you should be proud to take this last step!

439: How To Manage People Effectively

Are you a bad boss? Managing your team is not easy. But there are a few principles that you can keep in mind that will help you be a better leader. Having a morning huddle with your team is crucial to keep everyone on the same page, (especially if you have a remote team.) Don’t forget that this is your business, and no one is going to be as passionate about as you are. That’s why it’s your job to keep people motivated. So lead by example! When issues arise, don’t point fingers, ask questions instead, try to coach your staff. Everything is an opportunity for improvement. Last but not least, don’t have generic targets. A confused mind doesn’t work well. Be specific and make people understand exactly what you consider to be a successful outcome.

438: 4 Daily Habits That Changed My Life

4 Daily Habits That Changed My Life I literally tried hundreds of “hacks” to improve my life, but these 4 are by far the most effective ones. Daily meditation sessions (even just 10 minutes,) help me stay centered throughout the day and avoid getting caught up in small stuff. Now, as soon as something throws me off, I catch myself within 1 second and I am back in my “zen mode.” Working out and sweating are the two things that allow me to stay energetic and alert all day long. If I don’t work out in the morning, I am lethargic and distracted by 2 pm. Cold Showers…. Oh, cold showers… I have been taking them on a daily basis for over one year (never missed a day…) They remind me what it means to be consistent, they relax me, they lower body inflammation, they increase energy and they are obviously the fastest way to wake up too! Planning my work the night before has allowed me to stay on track with my ambitions and literally writing my life. Think about it. All I do is make big goals, break them down into daily actions, assign these daily actions to my days, and execute. Done! Implement some of these habits in your life and watch your productivity and wellbeing skyrocket!

437: Interview with Erik Hatch - How to scale your business and become a better leader

In this episode of The Remote CEO Show, I had the pleasure to interview Erik Hatch. Erik is the founder of Hatch coaching. An agency that specializes in sales marketing and management consulting for the Real Estate niche and not only!

436: My Morning Routine For Maximum Productivity

My Morning Routine For Productivity My clients always ask me if I work every day until dinner time… Truth be told, I barely do. That’s because I know when I function best. I am at the top of my mental and physical capacity during the morning. After lunch, I tend to be less focused, and I get distracted more easily. That’s why I tend to do more reactive work in the afternoon. That means answering emails, getting errands done, etc. I also make sure to have lunch at 2 pm, which gives me a full seven hours of focused work in the morning (between 7 am and 2 pm.) By 4:30 pm, I am always done with all my work. That gives me plenty of time to spend with my wife. Since I wake up early, I am never tempted to stay up past my bedtime. That allows me to wake up at the same time every morning and repeat this fantastic morning routine. Are you struggling with your morning routine? Let me know in the comments below!

435: How to Start A Career in Digital Marketing in 2020

How to Start A Career in Digital Marketing in 2020 When I started my agency in the mid-2010s, digital marketing was not new, but there were a lot fewer agencies. Then things changed in 2017, and now there are so many companies offering it! Business owners have caught on, and they are tough to convince. That’s because every agency promises amazing results, but only a few of them have the data to back those promises. If you are just getting started or are a freelancer who wants to take your business to new heights, do the following. Focus on getting your first couple of clients on a revenue share model. This means that you don’t get paid until you get results. Don’t worry, you are not doing this forever, but you need momentum, so get your feet wet and put your money (and time) where your mouth is. Once you scale those accounts, it’s time to ask for testimonials and as many referrals as possible. Also, reach out to publications in your clients’ niche and try to get featured! Now that you have lots of social proof and authority reach out to as many prospects as possible and produce show your results and experience. When your prospects are on the fence, and they don’t know if they should buy from you, remind them that you are the closest option to a sure thing. You got excellent results; magazines wrote articles about you, and you have a ton of case studies… It’s a no-brainer!

434: How to Master The Cold Call

Alright!!! I know… Cold calling is not fun, but it is the fastest way for you to get in touch with someone that can turn out to be your best client. In all honesty, most people hate cold calling because they don’t have a clear plan. Before picking up the phone, make sure you know who your lead is and how you can help them out. This will give you enough insight to keep the conversation going and the motivation to help them. Once they pick up, try to mirror their energy. People will always respond better to those who sound like them. If they’re excited, be excited. If they sound like they’re tired, relax and go slower. Now it’s time to buy time! The last thing you want to do is give them a boring one-liner like “we help businesses get more clients.” Be creative! “We double our clients’ revenue in 90 days by…” That’s more interesting, and it leads straight into a pitch. Once you’re pitching, don’t be generic. Mention how you help their specific niche. Tell them why your company is the best solution for their business model. Try this system for a few weeks and tell me, and your cold calls go!

433: Things To Avoid When Working With A Remote Team

My first remote team fell apart in less than a month. I had hired three people to work on my Amazon business. I was still afraid to give up control, so I would message them every couple of hours to ask for updates. Sometimes I would even message them at night or on weekends. Within a couple of weeks, I started noticing a drop in the quality of the work, and by the end of the month, two of the three-team members had left. I learned the hard way that remote work is not like on-site work. People that work well remotely have a higher sense of independence and can motivate themselves. If you are not ready to let your team do their magic, maybe you should wait to hire a remote team! Also, don’t make the same mistake I made. Don’t only rely on messaging apps to speak with your staff. Get on a video or audio call with them every day to set the tone for the day, motivate them and share empowering stories. Working remotely is a blessing, but you need to make sure that everyone feels that way. Don’t automatically expect people to be on the same page. Ask questions, and make your morning meetings count! They’re likely the only time that you get to interact with your staff for the day!

432: How to Stop Being tired ALL the Time

“I can’t focus, and my eyes can’t stay open” I used to say that sentence to myself every day through university and for the first few years of working full time. I thought it was going to be like that forever. But at least I always liked to experiment with different lifestyle choices and diets. So, I made it a point to tweak and adjust my food intake and habits, and while doing that, I was journaling to find out how I felt. To my surprise, spending more time in bed did nothing. Actually, it made me feel less productive and gave me quite a few headaches. But, after years of testing, I finally found my balance. I have an excellent evening routine; I read, write, and plan. Then I wake up always at the same exact time; that way, I don’t need an alarm clock. I also make sure to have my workout in the morning, which gives me the mental and physical energy I need to stay focused in the afternoon. And finally, no matter what I choose to eat, I need to have at least one portion of greens. This routine gave me a sustained level of energy for over a year without fail. If you are in a similar situation to where I was, try these steps, and you will see amazing results.