Webinar Wednesday 100 – October 21, 2020

100 Webinars – Thank You! (00:03:10)

• A celebration is taking place for the 100th webinar, which is a significant milestone that was reached after starting the webinars back in 2017, with hundreds of hours of content created (00:03:10).
• The community is being thanked for their participation and for pushing the team to do their best, and it is noted that being part of the webinars and the Facebook group is a joy (00:03:29).
• The Brilliant Directories team and family are expressing their gratitude to the community for being part of their family, participating, and providing motivation to continue improving the product (00:03:42).
• All 100 webinars can be watched in full on the Brilliant Directories blog, which can be accessed at Blog, and many of the tips and topics have been segmented into smaller videos (00:03:59).
• The blog also features replays of older webinars, allowing users to catch up on any content they may have missed, with the option to watch the entire hour and a half or shorter 10-15 minute videos (00:04:17).

Celebrating the Milestone (00:04:20)

• The 100th webinar is a significant milestone, marking over two and a half years since the bi-weekly webinars started in January 2017, with progress made since then (00:04:20).
• Over 3000 people have registered to view the webinars and join every other week, with webinar replays and important segments uploaded to the YouTube channel and blog, resulting in over 66,000 views on YouTube (00:04:29).
• The community’s support and participation are appreciated, with numbers such as over 3000 registrations and 66,000 YouTube views not being possible without the community’s involvement (00:05:17).
• Other milestones to celebrate include nearly 5,000 Facebook group members, with great participation in the group, and almost 6,000 subscribers on the YouTube channel (00:05:22).
• The content created is intended to help the community, and the milestones achieved are a cause for celebration, with the community’s support being a key factor in reaching these milestones (00:05:43).

Cedric The Entertainer’s Message to the BD Community (00:05:55)

• Cedric the Entertainer gave a special shout out to the BD community, acknowledging their hard work and dedication to their website projects, and encouraged them to keep believing in themselves and following their dreams (00:05:55).
• He congratulated the community on reaching 100 webinars and praised their passion and efforts, telling them to enjoy the ride and keep pushing forward (00:05:59).
• The BD community is a supportive environment where members can help answer questions and provide support to one another, and it’s important to remember that the road to success is not always a straight line (00:06:02).
• A quote was mentioned, stating that success is about working consistently on a worthy idea, and it’s essential to define what success means to each individual, as everyone has a different definition of success (00:06:13).
• The key to achieving success is to consistently work on something and stay committed to it, and the BD community should continue to work on their website projects and support one another in their endeavors (00:06:21).
• Cedric the Entertainer’s message emphasized the importance of perseverance, self-belief, and enjoying the journey, and his shout out was a motivational boost to the community to keep rocking their website projects (00:06:28).
• The community was reminded to keep doing what they’re doing, stay motivated, and keep moving forward, with the support of the BD community and the guidance of mentors and peers (00:06:48).

Lifetime Website Plan Raffle #1 (00:07:37)

• A special raffle is being held to give out three lifetime website plans, with the first raffle taking place immediately and the next two occurring 20 minutes later (00:07:37).
• The attendees are listed in alphabetical order, and a random number generator will be used to select the winner by counting down from the top of the list (00:07:58).
• The random number generator produces the number 32, and the winner of the first lifetime website plan is Jose Tan, who is asked to unmute and speak, with his email address already on file (00:08:43).
• Jose Tan is congratulated as the first winner of the lifetime website plan, and two more raffles will be held, with a timer set for 20 minutes (00:09:03).
• The next raffles will be conducted in the same manner, using the random number generator to select the winners from the list of attendees (00:09:10).

Progress Report: Using Facebook Groups and Brilliant Directories to Generate 6-Figures (00:09:21)

• Corey Barnes, a special guest, has made significant progress with his directory site, achieving six figures in sales without traditional paid marketing, and his story is being shared as a progress report, (00:09:23).
• Corey’s primary strategy for driving traffic to his site has been utilizing Facebook groups, which was discussed in a previous webinar, and he has created a large 21,000 member Facebook business networking group in Chattanooga, Tennessee, (00:09:43).
• In his first 90 days, Corey generated over $10,000 in revenue without paid advertising, and he is now focusing on developing the jobs classifieds and events section of his directory website, (00:09:47).
• Corey has created micro Facebook groups, such as a yard sale group, to drive traffic to his directory site, and he mentions the classified section on his site to encourage people to sign up and list their products, (00:11:55).
• Corey’s strategy of using Facebook groups to drive traffic to his directory site has been working well, and he is also using giveaways as a way to engage his audience and promote his site, (00:12:49).
• Corey’s directory site, csbnconnect.com, has been successful, and he offers a course called Facebook Group Accelerator, which provides tips and strategies for growing a Facebook group and driving traffic to a website, (00:11:13).
• To achieve success with giveaways, holding a significant amount of cash, such as $100, and taking a selfie to promote the giveaway can be an effective method, where participants are required to invite friends into the group or visit the directory website to be entered, and this approach has been very powerful (00:12:52).
• Having premium members sponsor giveaways can also be beneficial, as they pay for the giveaway out of their own money, allowing the group to give away something nice and grow the community (00:13:17).
• The directory has been specialized to offer a unique selling proposition, different from bigger organizations like Yelp or Yellow Pages, by tagging vendors in the group, bringing awareness to them, and connecting customers, which is one of the big selling points of the brilliant directories (00:13:59).
• The brilliant directories also offer features such as being ranked to page one, providing free guides and ebooks on the homepage, and having a funnel to get people into the community, which helps to grow the group and provide value to vendors (00:14:25).
• The Facebook group, Chattanooga, Tennessee Small Business Networking, has been used to promote the directory and provide a space for vendors to connect with customers, and posts in the group, such as the one promoting the preferred vendor network, have been effective in generating interest and revenue (00:14:54).
• Cultivating trust and credibility with the community, and delivering on promises, has been key to the success of the directory and the Facebook group, and features like the VIP package, click to call, and other amenities have helped to amplify and turbocharge the brilliant directory site (00:15:49).
• The VIP package, in particular, has been found to be very useful, with over 100 features that help to promote and grow the directory, including click to call, which allows customers to easily contact vendors, and has been a no-brainer for businesses to list their products and information (00:16:13).
• Utilizing the header and footer sections of a website is crucial, as it provides a powerful space to present something for free, such as an e-guide or e-book, to attract visitors and build an email database (00:16:34).
• Creating a hidden gem, like a popular e-guide, and adding a download link to the header or footer of the home page can help collect emails and provide value to the community (00:16:50).
• Adding a custom graphic to social media pages, such as Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, can help leverage traffic and build the community (00:17:26).
• Using a built-in email system to send weekly newsletters, tips, and tricks, as well as upselling mid-tier packages to premium packages, can help provide value and generate revenue (00:17:36).
• Implementing a strategy of giving out three pieces of tips and tricks or value, and then offering a limited-time discount or promotion, can help upsell packages and increase sales (00:17:51).
• Ensuring that preferred vendors or gold premium members are ranking above mid-tier members and getting the most out of their membership is essential (00:18:05).
• Adding confidence boosters, such as video testimonials from premium subscribers, can help build trust and credibility with potential customers (00:18:19).
• Creating a whiteboard video explaining the different plans and packages can help simplify the sales process and increase conversions (00:18:46).
• Circling people back, creating lead magnets, and finding ways to engage them can help keep them in the community’s universe and increase the chances of conversion (00:19:10).
• Reading books like “The One Thing (book)” by Gary W. Keller can provide inspiration and a methodology for success, such as tackling the most challenging task first thing in the morning when willpower is most abundant (00:19:32).
• The importance of tackling important tasks first thing in the morning is emphasized, as it can be extremely helpful in changing one’s life and increasing productivity (00:20:04).
• A strategy for staying motivated involves committing to work on a small task for at least two to three minutes, and then allowing oneself to stop or continue working as desired, as getting started is often the hardest part (00:20:25).
• The concept of building a team to help manage a community is discussed, and it is noted that having a paid employee and a volunteer administrator can be beneficial in managing a large group and implementing plans (00:21:05).
• A paid employee, who is a 1099 employee, moderates and sells plans, while a volunteer administrator helps with ideas and networking, and it is acknowledged that a team is necessary for success (00:21:25).
• An online training course called Facebook Group Accelerator is offered, which is an eight-week online video training that teaches everything needed to know to be successful in launching and administering a Facebook group (00:21:53).
• The course and other free resources, such as free live coaching calls, are available to help individuals drive traffic to their Brilliant Directory site and nurture their member community (00:22:13).
• Having a Facebook group can be an effective way to nurture and foster a member community, and driving them back to a website or online community, but it may not be the best strategy for everyone (00:22:26).
• Using Facebook as a way to cultivate a community can help sharpen digital marketing skills and increase efficiency, and Corey’s progress and experience in this area are appreciated and looked forward to in future webinars (00:23:10).

2 New Add-Ons Coming Soon (00:23:22)

• Two new add-ons are expected to be released soon, with a target release time frame of within the next week or two, following the completion of quality assurance (00:23:22).
• The community comments add-on is considered a significant addition and has been demoed in previous webinars, showcasing its potential to enhance the website community (00:23:32).
• Another add-on, reviews with photos, has also been showcased in previous webinars, and while the details of its settings and functionality will not be discussed in depth, a brief overview of what to expect from this add-on will be provided (00:23:42).
• The release of these add-ons was initially hoped to coincide with the current webinar, but required additional quality assurance testing (00:23:25).

Community Comments Add-On (00:23:57)

• The community comments add-on allows users to enable and choose different post types, such as Blog posts, events, or coupons, and support members leaving comments on the website without requiring additional customizations (00:23:57).
• The add-on enables a “leave a comment” section where people can leave comments on various post types, including blog articles and community discussions, as long as they are logged in (00:24:21).
• The community comments feature can help increase member subscribers and encourage people to join the site to engage in conversations (00:24:38).
• An important note is that users can choose to moderate all comments before they go public, allowing for full control over the comments and the ability to throttle settings (00:24:52).
• The moderation feature provides the ability to have full control over the comments, allowing users to review and approve comments before they are made public (00:24:55).

Lifetime Website Plan Raffle #2 (00:25:09)

• A raffle giveaway for a lifetime website plan is being held, following the same format as before, where a random number generator is used to select a winner (00:25:09).
• The winner of the raffle is Peter Birch (actor), who is congratulated and unmuted to share some words with the group (00:25:36).
• Peter shares his experience with Brilliant Directories, mentioning that the community is a great place to learn, and the resources provided are helpful, including the support team and developers who can do custom work (00:26:05).
• Peter advises newbies to choose a specific niche market to target, as small and uncomfortably small as possible, and to pursue something they are passionate about, rather than just pursuing a market opportunity (00:27:04).
• He emphasizes the importance of being passionate about the area they are in, as it will help them stay motivated and connected to their project, even when things get hard (00:27:32).
• The discussion concludes with Peter’s words of wisdom, and the group is reminded that choosing a specific niche market can help hyper focus energy and leverage better results, especially in the early stages (00:27:56).
• The webinar will continue with another raffle in 20 minutes and will move on to discuss new add-ons coming soon, including post commenting, which will be released in the next week or two (00:28:14).

Reviews with Photos Add-On (00:28:29)

• The Reviews with Photos Add-On will allow members or visitors to include photos with their reviews, which is particularly useful for visually oriented businesses such as design businesses, restaurants, and service industries like handymen or construction people (00:28:30).
• This add-on will enable users to post reviews with images, and visitors will be able to click to enlarge the images, browse the gallery of images, and view the specific detail page of a review with the included images (00:29:00).
• The addition of images to reviews will not only enhance the review experience for visitors but also increase the time spent on the website, which is beneficial for search engine optimization as it indicates to Google that the site is engaging and relevant (00:29:31).
• The Reviews with Photos Add-On is expected to be released in about a week, and its availability will be announced in the Facebook group, with VIP Addons Club members automatically receiving the add-ons upon release (00:29:50).
• The upcoming release of the Reviews with Photos Add-On is part of the BD Lab updates, which also include other helpful add-ons that will be available soon (00:30:04).

Update: Easy Homepage Button Options (00:30:15)

• There is now an easy way to add call-to-action buttons on the home page, instead of starting with the search module, allowing for a more direct funneling of visitors to specific pages or actions (00:30:16).
• The example site, Holistic Health Finder, is used to demonstrate how to swap out the search module for buttons, by going to the design settings and selecting the “hero message with button links” option (00:30:36).
• In the design settings, there is an option to add buttons to the home page, which can be found in the home page layout section, under the search type, and this option is called “hero message with button links” (00:31:28).
• Once the “hero message with button links” option is selected, three columns for button one, button two, and button three appear, allowing for the creation of custom buttons with specific links and button classes (00:31:51).
• The buttons can be customized with different texts, links, and classes, such as primary, info, or danger, which correspond to the colors set in the main design settings (00:32:08).
• The addition of buttons to the home page can be an effective way to direct visitors to important pages or create a portal experience, and can potentially increase conversion rates by funneling people down to specific options (00:33:16).
• To add buttons to the home page, users can go to their homepage layout, select the “hero message with button links” option for the search type, and customize the buttons as needed, with the option to have one, two, or three buttons that auto-align themselves (00:33:38).

Update: Easily Activate Themes / Restore Backups (00:33:53)

• The Brilliant Directories website offers around 10 different themes that users can choose from to change the look of their site, and all the same functionality is built into all the themes, with the difference being the highlighting of certain elements on the home page to create a specific theme (00:34:07).
• Users can now easily activate a new theme by going to their design settings, clicking on the “change theme” tab, and selecting the desired theme to activate, which will update the design settings to give their home page the look of the chosen theme (00:34:34).
• The theme change will only update the design settings for the home page and will not affect other custom settings, such as the main menu, that the user has already set up (00:35:18).
• The design settings now include a backup feature that saves the last 10 changes made, allowing users to go back in time and restore a previous version of their design settings if they made a mistake or want to revert to a previous version (00:35:29).
• The backup feature is continuous, so users will always have up to 10 backups available, and they can restore a previous version by clicking on the “restore backup” button (00:35:40).
• The backup feature will be expanded in the future to include other areas, such as menus, forms, and widgets, allowing users to easily revert changes and recover from mistakes (00:36:08).

Update: Title Settings for Streaming Sections (00:36:22)

• The title settings for streaming sections have been updated to allow for more customization, including font size, alignment, and weight, which can greatly impact the appearance of home pages (00:36:22).
• Previously, the title color could be changed, but not the font size, alignment, or weight, limiting the design options for streaming content such as events, coupons, or newest members (00:36:55).
• The new title settings can be found in the home page layout section, under the home page search settings, and then at the bottom right of the module in the streaming widget settings (00:37:17).
• The title settings include options for title alignment, font size, weight, and padding, allowing for a more uniform and eye-catching presentation of streaming sections (00:37:38).
• These settings apply to all streaming sections on the home page, ensuring a consistent design throughout, and can be used to make sections stand out with background colors or other design elements (00:38:26).
• The updated title settings provide more flexibility and control over the design of home pages, allowing for a more polished and professional appearance (00:38:40).
• Additional design options, such as background colors, can be used to make streaming sections stand out even more, and the updated title settings can be accessed in the home page layout section (00:39:17).

Update: Currency Format Previewer (00:39:25)

• The currency format previewer is a new feature that allows users to customize the format of their currency, which is particularly useful for international users with specific currency formatting needs (00:39:25).
• This feature can be accessed in the general settings under the localization tab, where users can set their currency, date format, website language, and time zone (00:39:43).
• Users can choose the format of their numbers, including the use of commas or dots for decimals, and the number of decimal places, which will be applied to checkout pages and automated price listings (00:40:00).
• The currency format previewer provides a live preview of how the currency will be displayed on the front end of the site, allowing users to make adjustments as needed (00:40:30).
• The previewer shows exactly how the currency format will look, including the currency prefix, and users can make changes to the format, such as adding or removing the currency code, and see the updates in real-time (00:40:51).
• This feature is a one-time setup, but it provides more control over the currency format, which is particularly important for international users who require specific formatting (00:40:56).
• The addition of the currency format previewer is a response to feedback from international users, who required more flexibility in their currency formatting options (00:41:02).

Coming Soon: Draggable Content Blocks for Emails (00:41:16)

• Draggable content blocks were introduced for some web pages, allowing users to drag the blocks in and make changes, and this feature will be released for emails very soon (00:41:16).
• The draggable content blocks for emails will include pre-made blocks where users can swap out the images and text, making it easier to construct and stack email content (00:41:27).
• The upcoming feature is expected to help users, such as Corey, who frequently create email newsletters using the system, to build their email content more efficiently (00:41:28).

Coming Soon: Select “Smart Lists” for Newsletters (00:41:41)

• The ability to select member smart lists when scheduling newsletters is coming soon and is expected to be released next week (00:41:42)
• A specific segment of members, such as non-active California gold members, can be created and saved as a list, which can currently be exported but will soon be selectable for newsletter campaigns (00:41:51)
• With the introduction of smart lists for newsletters, users will be able to select a saved smart list and send targeted newsletters to specific members, allowing for hyper-focused newsletter campaigns (00:42:02)

Coming Soon: Force-End Staff Admin Sessions (00:42:11)

• The ability to force-end staff admin sessions is nearly being released, providing an extra layer of security for website owners who work with staff members (00:42:11).
• This feature will allow website owners to log out staff members, which is particularly useful if an employee has been let go or if there are concerns that someone might be logged in on another device (00:42:15).
• The force-end admin session feature will log out staff members on any device they are currently logged in on, providing peace of mind for website owners (00:42:26).
• This feature is intended to enhance security by ensuring that former staff members or individuals who should no longer have access to the website are automatically logged out (00:42:28).

Coming Soon: “Email Settings” for Any Form (00:42:35)

• The upcoming feature “Email Settings” for any form will allow users to set email settings for various forms on their site, including the contact us form and newsletter sign up form, with the ability to choose a confirmation email for the person filling out the form and an email for the admin after form submission (00:42:35).
• Currently, email settings are only available for the contact us form and newsletter sign up form, but the new feature will expand this capability to any form on the site, such as a coupon creation form (00:42:55).
• With the new feature, users will be able to receive email notifications when someone fills out a specific form, for example, when someone creates a coupon on their site, allowing them to stay informed about various activities on their site (00:43:05).
• The “Email Settings” feature will provide users with more flexibility and control over their site’s email notifications, enabling them to customize email settings for different types of forms and stay up-to-date with user interactions on their site (00:43:17).

Coming Soon: Preview Data when Importing Members (00:43:30)

• A method is being developed to allow users to map and preview their data when importing members, ensuring that the data is matched up to the correct columns (00:43:30).
• This new feature is particularly useful for those who are getting started and need to import members, as it will help them to verify that the data is being imported correctly (00:43:32).
• The goal of this method is to provide a way to preview the data before completing the import process, thereby preventing any potential errors or mismatches in the data (00:43:35).

Coming Soon: Same Page – Express Member Signup (00:43:44)

• The Same Page feature is upcoming, which includes an express member signup option that allows visitors to sign up directly from the login page, and this feature is highly anticipated (00:43:44).
• Currently, members have to go to a checkout page to sign up, whether it’s a free or paid membership, but the new feature will enable pinning one free sign up plan to the login page for express signup (00:43:47).
• The express signup option will be available to visitors who do not have a login account, and this is expected to help increase subscribers (00:44:02).
• The Same Page feature with express member signup is scheduled to be released very soon (00:44:12).

Lifetime Website Plan Raffle #3 (00:44:15)

• The final raffle giveaway for Webinar 100 is being conducted, and a random number is generated to select the winner from the attendee list (00:44:16).
• The generated number is 87, which is considered a high number, and the host starts counting down from the attendee list to find the corresponding winner (00:44:42).
• The winner of the raffle is Shirley Woods, whose microphone is attempted to be unmuted but remains muted, and she will be contacted after the webinar to receive her lifetime website plan (00:44:58).
• After announcing Shirley Woods as the winner, an attempt is made to unmute her microphone again, but it does not work, and the host moves on to interact with another attendee, Dennis Tinarino (00:45:10).

Lifetime Website Plan Raffle #4 (00:45:15)

• A final raffle is being conducted for a free lifetime website giveaway, and the winner is randomly selected, with Lucy Richards being chosen as the winner with the number 49 (00:45:20).
• Lucy Richards is being notified of her win and is asked to unmute her microphone, but it is noted that she is currently muted (00:45:41).
• The winner, Lucy Richards, will have their lifetime website sent to them shortly after the webinar (00:45:56).
• The raffle segment is now concluded, and the focus is shifting to a question-and-answer session to address any questions or concerns about the website or its features (00:46:07).
• The question-and-answer session is open to all participants, who can ask about their website, the features discussed, or share their experiences with the directory software (00:46:18).

How do the new page backups work? (00:46:33)

• The new page backups are automatic and do not require manual intervention, with the system saving a snapshot of the current design settings before saving changes, allowing users to revert back to a previous version if needed (00:46:34).
• When a theme is installed or the save changes button is clicked on the design settings, the system internally takes a snapshot of the current settings, which can be reverted back to, and this snapshot is saved up to 10 times (00:46:50).
• The backups are available for users to revert back to a previous version, with the option to select from one of the up to 10 available backups, allowing users to go back to a previous design if they do not like the changes made (00:47:11).
• The backup feature is useful in case a user installs a theme and does not like the way it looks, as they can simply hit the most recent backup button to revert back to the previous design (00:47:14).
• The webinar also involves interaction with attendees, such as Mark, who has his hand up and is acknowledged by the host, and the discussion is interrupted by greetings and congratulations on the 100th video (00:47:22).

Can LinkedIn be used to cultivate a community and attract website visitors? (00:47:35)

• LinkedIn can be used to cultivate a community and attract website visitors, especially for B2B businesses, as it is a professional platform where corporate individuals and CEOs are more likely to be found (00:47:36).
• Lindsay has a group on LinkedIn with 23,000 members and 35,000 followers, which is the biggest of its kind in her sector, and she has found that LinkedIn is more effective for her business than Facebook (00:48:43).
• Lindsay cultivated her LinkedIn group by inviting HR managers and corporate people to join, and then hosting events, which helped the group grow (00:49:26).
• The difference between LinkedIn and Facebook members is that LinkedIn members are more likely to be professionals and CEOs, whereas Facebook members may be more private and family-oriented (00:49:50).
• Corey suggested using Instagram as a powerful way to reach B2B customers, by following larger companies and redirecting their followers to a website or directory (00:51:19).
• Corey’s strategy involves building a funnel by following the followers of larger companies on Instagram, and then redirecting them to a website or directory through the bio link of an Instagram profile (00:51:31).
• Finding unique ways to tap into potential members and market to them is key, and using platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram can be effective for building a community and attracting website visitors (00:51:50).

Tips from a successful directory website owner (00:52:13)

• Colette is congratulated for attending probably most of the 100 webinars and is appreciated for her support and activity in the Facebook group, with a request for her to share words of wisdom for fellow directory website owners (00:52:13).
• Colette shares her tip, which is to be passionate and stay connected with the community involved with the website, and this helps bring happiness and success to the website owners (00:52:58).
• It is emphasized that having a large number of business listings is not enough, and that members want to feel nurtured and part of a community, which is why directory websites should focus on creating a sense of community and providing value to their members (00:53:21).
• The importance of demonstrating the mission and purpose of the website, and creating resource pages that outline what members can expect from their membership plans, is highlighted as a key aspect of building a successful directory website (00:53:49).
• Colette’s sharing is appreciated, and it is noted that nurturing and engaging with the community is often overlooked, but is a crucial aspect of building a successful directory website (00:54:16).
• Charlene joins the conversation from Saint Lucia in the Caribbean, and her participation is acknowledged (00:54:31).

Are all directory sites focussed on professional niches? (00:54:47)

• A directory site was created to address the need for family-oriented services, particularly for finding trustworthy individuals to care for children or clean homes, and the creator is seeking to know if similar directory sites exist, focusing on personal roles rather than professional niches (00:54:48).
• Some directory sites have been seen that cater to finding caretakers for children or households, but the creator is unsure if these sites are strictly professional or if they have a vetting process in place to ensure credibility (00:55:50).
• To establish a credible directory site, it’s suggested to implement a vetting process that accredits professionals, providing a stamp of approval to reassure users of the site’s credibility (00:56:44).
• It’s recommended to ask both households and professionals about their biggest pain points and challenges in finding or getting gigs, and to address these problems on the website to provide a valuable solution (00:57:16).
• A video resource is recommended, created by Patrick Burnell, which provides actionable steps to identify problems in the community and solve them on the website, ensuring a meaningful launch with data-driven insights (00:57:48).
• The discussion concludes with an announcement of new add-ons, including community comments and reviews with photos, and an invitation to join the Facebook group for further discussions and to ask unanswered questions (00:58:47).