Webinar Wednesday 183 – July 31, 2024

BD App 00:01:28

• The Brilliant Directories app is a free app that allows users to refresh their website on the go, view new members, and track revenue.
• The app is available for download on the Apple Store and [[Google Play]].
• Users can access the app by visiting brilliantdirectories.com/slappa for the Apple Store or by searching for "Brilliant Directories" in the Google Play Store.

BD Swag Shop 00:01:57

• A giveaway is being announced for 20 winners to receive a $20 gift card to purchase items from the BD Swag Shop.
• The BD Swag Shop is located at shop.brillianddirectories.com and is a way to give away free swag to members.
• To enter the giveaway, members must join the BR Director [[Facebook]] group and leave a comment on the designated post.
• Winners will be announced the following day at noon Pacific time.
• The webinar will cover topics such as increasing traffic, converting visitors to members, revenue opportunities, collecting email addresses, publishing, and promoting content.
• The webinar will include a Q&A session for members to ask questions about their BD websites.

ICONS: 5 Million+ icons added to the stock photo section in admin area 00:03:39

• The text describes a new feature added to a website builder platform, providing access to over 5 million icons.
• These icons can be used in both web page design and email templates.
• The icons are sourced from a company called [[The Noun Project]] and can be searched using keywords.
• The icons can be used to represent various concepts and actions, such as "sign up," "rate and review," and "contact us."
• The icons can be used in place of photographs to create a more minimalist or stylized design.

BUTTONS: New styling options for buttons in the web page builder 00:06:54

• The web page builder now offers new styling options for buttons, including a secondary color option that matches the default font color of the website.
• Users can now choose a circular style for their buttons, which will make them round instead of rectangular.
• A new outline style option allows users to create buttons with a border instead of a filled-in background, providing a modern look.
• An extra-large button style is also available, creating larger buttons for emphasis.
• These new button styling options are currently available in the web page builder, and will be rolled out to other areas of the platform in the future.
• For web designers using the platform's code, the outline style can be created by adding "BTN-outline" to the button code.

CHATGPT: Content creator add-on uses GPT-4O-Mini model – faster and cheaper 00:09:26

• The content creator add-on for a website editor now uses the GPT-4O-Mini model, which is faster and cheaper than the previous GPT-3.5 model.
• The GPT-4O-Mini model is available to everyone and can support longer text chains.
• The add-on allows users to input text into the editor and receive a response from [[ChatGPT]], which can be used to generate content such as mission statements, landing page copy, and other text-based content.

BUSINESS DATA: Reimport deleted records without using credits (soon) 00:11:03

• The Business Data feature will soon include a reimport button for accidentally deleted business listings.
• The reimport button will reimport deleted records without using credits from the user's allotted credit amount.
• The reimport button will be located in the completed business records section, and will display the number of deleted records.

CREDITS: Select types of transactions member credits will work with (soon) 00:11:46

• The Member Credit system is being updated to allow website owners to select which types of transactions member credits can be used for.
• This update is being made in response to feedback from users who want to restrict the use of member credits to specific transactions, such as lead purchases or payer post purchases, and not allow them to be used for membership plan payments.
• The update will include advanced settings that allow website owners to choose whether member credits can be used for membership plan upgrades, automated recurring payments, lead purchases, payer post purchases, and digital products.

ACCOUNTS: Canceling members can close account at subscription end date (soon) 00:12:44

• Currently, members can cancel their subscriptions on a website in real time.
• A new feature will allow members to choose between canceling their subscription immediately or at the end of their paid subscription period.
• This feature is in quality assurance (QA) and is expected to be released soon.

Is ChatGPT available to users? 00:14:05

• The [[ChatGPT]] function is available to users of a membership website, but only if the website administrator enables it for their specific membership plan.
• The administrator can choose whether or not to enable ChatGPT for each membership plan.
• If enabled, members can use ChatGPT to generate content within their listings.

Guest Presenter: Spencer Mercy 00:15:17

• The speaker introduces a guest presenter named Spencer Mercy.
• Spencer Mercy has previously been a guest on the show.
• The speaker hands the presentation over to Spencer Mercy.

About Spencer 00:15:29

• Spencer is the founder and Senior strategist of Brilliant Setups, a third-party professional listed in the Brilliant Directories Marketplace.
• Spencer is a marketplace partner and may have worked with some viewers in the past.
• Spencer previously presented a webinar on strategies to grow membership websites, focusing on introducing upsells into pricing strategies and clarifying the value offered to prospective members.

Introduction 00:16:18

• The speaker expresses gratitude to the audience for their presence.
• The speaker acknowledges the updates and progress made by the Brilliant Directories platform.
• The speaker introduces themselves as Mercy, the founder and Senior strategist at Brilliant Setups, a company specializing in sales and lead generation for brands utilizing the Brilliant Directories platform.

Case Study 00:16:42

• The International [[Teaching English as a second or foreign language | TEFL]] Academy [[Costa Rica]] (ITA Costa Rica) is a brand that sells TEFL accreditation courses for native [[English language | English]] speakers who want to teach and travel around the world.
• ITA Costa Rica uses a unique approach to their sales funnel by starting with a top-of-the-funnel strategy that educates potential customers about their brand and offerings.
• Their homepage features a call to action that leads to lead magnets, provides information about their location and courses, and builds trust by showcasing their accreditation, graduate numbers, and industry recognition.

BD as the Top Funnel of the Sales Cycle 00:18:32

• Business Development (BD) as a top funnel in the sales cycle: BD is used to generate leads, create content, capture emails, and initiate workflows. It is particularly useful for businesses selling products outside of a membership plan.
• Sales funnel stages: The sales funnel consists of awareness and interest, intent, evaluation and action, and finally, the action stage where customers purchase the product.
• Lead magnet strategy: A lead magnet is a valuable resource offered in exchange for contact information. The text describes a case study where a lead magnet was created specifically for [[Costa Rica]], targeting potential teachers interested in teaching [[English language | English]] there. This lead magnet was designed to be more specific and relevant to the target audience than the previous lead magnet, which focused on teaching abroad in general.
• Building trust through featured content: The case study highlights the importance of featuring content from other brands on a website to build trust and credibility. This strategy demonstrates that other reputable companies endorse the product or service being offered.

Why BD Is the Top Funnel 00:22:53

• The text discusses the use of a website platform called "Brilliant Directories" (BD) as the "top funnel" for a membership website.
• BD is used to create engaging content, landing pages, and calls to action, which aim to generate awareness and interest in the membership website.
• The text highlights the use of third-party platforms like [[Zapier]], Active Campaign, and [[HubSpot]] to automate and manage the process of nurturing leads.
• Zapier is used to capture information from lead magnets and send it to Active Campaign for email automation.
• Active Campaign is used to send automated emails to nurture leads and build brand awareness.
• HubSpot is used for sales management, including tracking open and click rates for emails.
• The text emphasizes that the BD website serves as the initial point of contact for potential members, focusing on generating awareness and interest.

Types of Content to Attract Website Visitors 00:25:31

• Types of Content: The website features various content types, including ebooks, infographics, courses (past and upcoming), blog articles, and event listings. This content serves as a content hub for the top funnel, attracting visitors and educating them about the possibilities offered.
• Lead Magnet and Form Design: The website utilizes a lead magnet, a "starter kit," to capture visitor information. The form associated with the lead magnet includes several questions to qualify leads for the sales team. These questions include educational background, citizenship, and preferred program type. The form is designed to target specific demographics and ensure that leads are qualified for the sales process.
• Lead Magnet Content Strategy: The lead magnet content is designed to address the specific pain points and questions of potential customers. The content is created based on feedback gathered through surveys and conversations with existing customers. This ensures that the lead magnet provides valuable information that resonates with the target audience.
• Utilizing Surveys for Content Creation: Surveys are a valuable tool for understanding the needs and desires of potential customers. By asking questions about their pain points, challenges, and desired outcomes, businesses can create content that directly addresses these concerns. This approach increases the likelihood that potential customers will find the content valuable and engage with the business.
• Leveraging AI Tools for Content Creation: AI tools, such as [[ChatGPT]] and [[Canva]], can assist in creating high-quality ebooks, [[PDF | PDFs]], and other content. These tools can help generate content ideas, write text, and design visuals, making the content creation process more efficient.

Businesses That Can Benefit from This Process 00:35:37

• The discussed process is effective for businesses in the travel industry, specifically for ITA Costa.
• The process can be applied to various industries, particularly those selling products, courses, and services.
• The process is particularly useful for businesses that utilize directories as a lead generation tool, offering lead magnets, calls to action, and landing pages.

Conclusion 00:36:18

• The speaker emphasizes that Brilliant Directories is being used in a unique way, not for a traditional membership site or business directory, but for creating custom forms, landing pages, compelling content, and blogging.
• The speaker highlights that Brilliant Directories serves as a content hub, with automations triggered after form submissions.
• The speaker mentions using [[ActiveCampaign]] for nurture emails and [[HubSpot]] for tracking lead progress, showcasing a multi-platform approach to sales and marketing.
• The speaker encourages viewers to reach out for further information and directs them to additional resources, including videos on email automation, content writing, and a sales course.

Qualifying Signup Page 00:38:05

• The text discusses strategies for creating a qualifying signup page for a membership website.
• One suggestion is to replace the "Get Listed Today" button with an "Apply to Join" button, which directs users to a landing page with a custom form.
• This form can be used to gather additional information from potential members and determine their suitability for the membership.
• Another option is to have users register as a "general user" or "application" and then manually review their information before granting them full membership.
• The text provides an example from the BD Marketplace, where developers and designers can apply to join the platform.
• After submitting an application, users are placed in a hidden profile until their application is reviewed and approved.
• Once approved, their membership plan is changed to a "basic partner" status, making them visible in the directory.

Custom signup form 00:41:00

• The discussion revolves around the idea of using a custom signup form for a membership website. This form would ask specific questions before the user reaches the payment information page.
• The speaker suggests that this approach can help qualify potential members and create a sense of exclusivity.
• The speaker also mentions the concept of "form fatigue," suggesting that the form should not be overly extensive and should only include critical information to avoid discouraging users from completing it.

"Coming soon" Landing Page 00:43:43

• The text describes a method to temporarily redirect a website's homepage to a "coming soon" landing page.
• This can be achieved by changing the website status from "live mode" to "staging mode" in the website's general settings.
• The "coming soon" page can be customized using the website's page builder, allowing for the addition of elements like embedded content, videos, and widgets.
• The "coming soon" page can be edited by clicking the "edit static page" option in the website's admin bar.
• The user can embed code into the "coming soon" page using the "insert video" option, which allows for the insertion of iframes and other embedded content.
• The user can also use widgets to embed code into the "coming soon" page.

How to differentiate the value between different membership plans? 00:46:58

• Different membership plans can be differentiated by offering varying levels of access to member information on profile pages. Higher-tiered plans can display more contact information, such as phone numbers, website links, and social media handles, while lower-tiered plans can have this information hidden.
• Search visibility can be used to prioritize members based on their plan. Higher-tiered plans can have higher search results priority, appearing earlier in search results.
• Members can be given different levels of access to categories and [[Subcategory | subcategories]], which can affect their visibility on the website. Higher-tiered plans can have access to more categories and subcategories, increasing their visibility across the site.

Profile Customization 00:49:25

• The discussion focuses on profile customization options for membership websites, specifically the ability to create a unique design for each member's profile.
• The speaker mentions that the header and footer display can be customized at the membership level, but other design elements, such as the top banner, are applied across all membership tiers.
• The speaker acknowledges that there is currently no built-in feature to apply custom CSS or design rules specifically to profile pages for individual membership plans, but offers to provide a workaround solution through the [[Facebook]] group.

Demonstrate value to free members for potential upgrade 00:51:18

• The text discusses strategies for increasing membership and visibility on a website, particularly for a new website with a free tier and a paid lifetime membership option.
• The speaker suggests offering free upgrades to a select group of free members, providing them with badges and featuring their content prominently.
• This strategy aims to demonstrate the value of the paid membership by showcasing the benefits enjoyed by upgraded members, potentially encouraging other free members to upgrade.

Categories / Instant Business Data 00:53:16

• Hiding Empty Categories: Website owners can hide categories with no members from public view by adjusting the search settings. This prevents the site from appearing incomplete.
• Populating Categories with Instant Business Data: The platform offers a feature to import business data, allowing users to quickly populate categories with real businesses. This can be done by searching for businesses in a specific location and importing a limited number of entries.
• Marketing Benefits of Populated Categories: Having populated categories makes the website appear more established and seasoned, which can be used as a marketing tool when approaching real businesses. This allows website owners to showcase existing members and offer potential members a place within the directory.

Automated Free Trial 00:57:26

• The discussion centers around automating the process of downgrading members from a free trial to a basic account after the trial period ends.
• The goal is to create a system where members automatically revert to a free membership if they don't upgrade their account after the trial period.
• The conversation explores using webhooks and email automation to achieve this, but the current system limitations prevent automatic downgrading.
• The suggested workaround involves using existing billing reminder emails and modifying their wording to apply to both paid members and trial members.
• The speaker suggests using generic language in the emails to address both scenarios, such as mentioning that the "Rockstar plan" is expiring and providing options to maintain the plan or switch to a free account.
• The speaker acknowledges that the current system lacks the functionality for automatic downgrading based on trial expiration, but suggests using the existing billing reminder emails as a temporary solution.

shop.BrilliantDirectories.com 01:04:30

• The text describes a promotional offer for viewers of a webinar.
• The offer includes two coupon codes: "webinar20" for $20 off any purchase and "free ship" for free shipping.
• The offer is valid for purchases made at shop.brilliantdirectories.com, which features products such as [[Bluetooth]] speakers, fanny packs, and mouse pads.