Mary Ann
Being a successful Sales training & development business owner for over 17 years, was awesome allowing me to create an amazing life for myself and for my family. Two years ago I met my partner, through my radio show Enlightenment of Change. We decided to start a business together (a second business for us both) but not sure what our product should look like. I am from the corporate world, where I teach live sales, service & coaching skills classes, with clients sales teams. My partner, Dr. Mary Ann Pellegrino, came through the University ranks holding various positions including Dean.
We are both communication experts and both teach how to communicate more effectively with our clients. We teach that how we communicate directly correlates to our level of success. With this foundational expertise, we worked with a programmer and developed and amazing free Communication Style Assessment (CSA) (available at www.wisdomdecoded.com) that our clients were able to take online and bring to life during our training & coaching sessions. Beyond this amazing online tool, we had no idea how to market or create a program using the CSA.
Most people in their late 50’s are scaling down, Mary Ann & I are scaling up! Our energy and passion can’t be controlled. We really do love what we do and love teaching. We bring a wealth of experience and a whole of knowledge and fun to helping organizations ignlotite their employees and business success! As we strategized about this new business, Wisdom De-Coded, LLC we realized we needed to shift gears from live training to create an online digital product that could be shared all over the world. We also realized that constant travel, across the United States, would become increasingly difficult as we age. So, we decided to create a digital online product, that we would be able to manage and maintain well into our retirement (although we don't ever use that word).
Here is where it gets interesting. Two middle-aged women, who have no idea how to create an online experience product seemed daunting! As always happens, the Universe reared her beautiful head and sent an email to my inbox, with a very interesting video from Marisa. I watched it, it was totally on board! I sent the video to Mary Ann and after watching the video together we knew that this was the missing ingredient needed for us to create this magical experience product.
During the challenging 10 week Live Your Message Masterclass we felt like we needed to pivot and shift gears more than we thought possible. Throughout the entire experience we did feel excited, challenged, exhausted, and exhilarated all at the same time. We hit mission accomplish by the end of the 10 week period, although at times we thought it impossible. We made over $4,000 in sales during our first marketing effort and have a ton of new clients ready to sign up for the second round of our Masterclass. By the end, using Marisa's proven plan and guidance throughout the Masterclass we realized that her step by step formula worked. We had created our own Experience Masterclass, we had figured out our target niche (which isn't what we originally thought it would be), and are ready to launch our first Masterclass on March 5th. We are already working on our second experience product to help digital marketers close more sales. We plan on launching that third quarter of 2018 so stay tuned.
The journey was amazing and well worth the lack of sleep (smile). The amount of knowledge and support Marisa and her coaching team (Rono) provides is well worth the investment and then some! Thank you, Marisa and the rest of her team for making two middle aged women find a new path ad revenue stream of income, that is more profitable than we could have ever imagined possible! We feel we can continue to be two ordinary women doing extraordinary things using our new found knowledge!
I love supporting women's transformation. But the fact that I had to learn & master marketing to have a successful business sent me screaming into the night with shivers up my spine. I had been in many business programs & nothing seemed to click.Then Marisa's videos appeared in my inbox & I honestly knew in the first 5 minutes this way of approaching marketing was something unique & a cut above. I had to be a part of it.
What is your biggest takeaway from EPM?
This is the hardest question..Where do I begin? I love the concept: Iterate to Awesome! Keep moving forward; keep the content focused, relevant, and fun to learn. Clients prosper with the big picture & step by step..Keep it lively & engaging & of value AND our brains are wired to win... create consistent, clear goals & set our clients up to win & succeed w lots of doable steps!!! I could go on & on…
How did EPM help you become successful?
Each module, bonus, coaching experience was designed to help me create the building blocks so I could construct a coaching program that addressed the needs of my avatar & excited me to facilitate, highly transformational & fun. I am going to rock my program & my women will get tremendous relevant support & value.
How has EPM and your success impacted your life?
I am thrilled to offer a program that I can stand behind to support my women to experience foundational transformation. I also have a level of clarity about the gifts I bring to my community. I feel confident and more secure that I can follow the appropriate marketing campaigns to grow my list, attract the right clients This brings me JOY!
What has been the biggest change in your business?
My price point reflects my level of credibility & expertise. I probably need to increase the price again. I am articulate and clear about my direction & focus for 2018. I'm looking forward to filling in the details at M2MLive. I am offering my 1st on-line program on Feb 21, 2018 YaHoo!! I REALLY HAVING FUN WITH MARKETING! This is a miracle.
What are you most excited about moving forward with your Experience Product?
I can't wait to see the results that my women will experience.
Having been a Real Estate Broker for over 40 years, I have experienced the "rewards" of the up and down marketplace with both great success and excruciating failure. Still working the business when a couple of strokes took me down at 74, my wife convinced me to retire and enjoy the fruits of our labor. We traveled the world for the next six years until she quickly and quietly passed away with brain cancer. Now 80, having lived longer than I anticipated and with diminished savings and income, I decided to re-ignite my real estate career in Hawaii in a new relationship. I studied and received my Hawaii broker license but neither the business nor the relationship were getting off the ground smoothly.
I returned to the mainland in San Diego, my old stomping grounds, and initiated my studies of on-line business oriented to the real estate field. Since I had gone through the "retirement" process myself, I anticipated and planned this would be my niche. My last 10 years of active real estate prior to retirement had been mostly with investment properties and I was finding that the residential real estate business had changed dramatically in the ensuing 18 years. I was struggling with the machinations of on-line gurus with successful programs that could lead to my real estate success and nothing was producing the necessary results. I was now broke and deeply in debt with a minimal Social Security check when I came across one more program that excited me enough to deepen my debt and dive in. It was the Experience Product Masterclass with Marisa!
This was different! There was still the enthusiasm of our leader in spades but there was also daily hand-holding, weekly coaching sessions, feedback through the Checkpoints, extremely well-outlined progress metrics and a guarantee that could only come from one who was convinced of her program. Although I did structure my program with a "product" and anticipate it's future manifestations will lead to a steady stream of clients, the zero dollars collected in the 10 weeks is not a true measure of my success. I have three committed clients and hereby declare my Mission Accomplished.
I can already see avenues of assistance that I can provide to the modern retiree that will enhance their lives meaningfully and add to my streams of revenue. My Last Hurrah has begun!
Although I have been successful I have never really had to market myself and I was afraid of that. Before EPM my story and what I had to offer were known to me, but EPM gave me the confidence to tell my story and what I have to offer to my potential clients.
What is your biggest takeaway from EPM?
The need to have a purpose in life which is aligned with the program I am delivering
How did EPM help you become successful?
It gave me the confidence to implement the chatterbox program
How has EPM and your success impacted your life?
I realize that I really need to nail down my purpose in life before further growing my business
What has been the biggest change in your business?
A reduction in my fear of marketing from before the program to after the program
What are you most excited about moving forward with your Experience Product?
All the fabulous training from Don Crowther who has considerably enhanced my knowledge of how to implement the use of digital technology
I had a mountain of ideas, information, and possibilities weighing down on my shoulders for years. I've been curious about online courses and coaching and so I've purchased at least 10 info-marketing and online business programs over the past 10 years.
I've applied concepts from those programs to my other businesses, but none of those courses inspired me or led me to take action as a whole on what I was learning and actually create what was promised. I never wanted to be an expert or sell a $2000 course that wasn't as valuable as a $15 business book or a free youtube video.
And that mountain on my shoulders was preventing me from moving forward within this business model.
I signed up for Experience Product Masterclass because the marketing around the launch was so powerful and I wanted to see if I could apply that to an eCommerce business. But I was thinking of starting a new business and I had a course idea that I thought could work alongside it.
During the 10 weeks, my idea completely changed and then changed again. And then again. And I ended up serving a completely different niche.
The entire experience was structured in a way that motivated me to keep moving forward and experiment. It was familiar but new and my points of view on certain ideas shifted and were expanded. As I embraced the experience, I was able to let go of my ego and my "know how" and resistance to the process and my need for perfection.
Finally, everything came together and I had a way to start where I was.
The mountain was lifted off of my shoulders.
As a result of EPM, I am now taking my first steps in exploring coaching as a business. And I'm excited and confident to be able to actually help my clients get the results they are after.
How has EPM and your success impacted your life?
I got my first paid coaching client.
What has been the biggest change in your business?
Before EPM I had purchased no less than 10 info marketing and course creation programs. I applied info from those courses to my physical products businesses, but I never moved forward in creating a course or coaching program. I never felt the value I received from those courses was more than a free course or the value of a $30 book on the same subject. And I never felt comfortable launching a huge course just to see if it was something I enjoyed. After EPM I was able to see how experiencing coaching and courses can have a greater impact on delivering results to the client and I've found a way that I can experiment with the process to see if I want to move forward in this business space.
What are you most excited about moving forward with your Experience Product?
Potential impact and helping clients actually get results.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Although it wasn't from my "official" EPM product. I also made $97 from a product I scrapped that I ended up tabling for now. And I have a commitment for $24000 from a marketing client as a result of EPM.
What is your biggest takeaway from EPM?
This is a lot of work, and it can be a LOT of FUN too! Also I have to iterate my way to awesome :-)
How did EPM help you become successful?
The video about the pricing was super helpful for me... Following what Marissa taught there, I just went from $397 to $497, and that way I was able to make $4970 instead of $3970 since I sold 10 spots for my course. I was afraid to go any higher on the price, because I thought people would not buy, but after trying this out I found my conversions stayed the same :-)
How has EPM and your success impacted your life?
I'm feeling more confident about my ability to create products that really deliver the goods, which in turn will help me keep increasing my revenue.
What has been the biggest change in your business?
I'm thinking about and strategizing my product creation process in a very different way now. Before I was making around 6k a month, and last month I made $8960! And that was the result of only partially applying Marisa's teachings... I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next when I finish experiencifying my products.
What are you most excited about moving forward with your Experience Product?
My people getting real results and coming back for more :-)
Julie Moran
I have been messing around with various business concepts for years, and for years have come up against a brick wall called 'marketing'. I really had no idea about the 'how to' of marketing. And for years I've talked about needing to do a course or find a coach who could help me. I've searched for marketing courses but nothing resonated with me until I watched Marisa's video clips that were part of her EPM marketing campaign. As I watched the videos I found myself repeatedly nodding along with the things she talked about and I was fascinated by the fact that these (rather long) videos held my attention and that I became excited about the course.
I attended a launch webinar and was fascinated to watch as 1000 people rapidly became 300 people; Marisa had made some changes to her webinar format and approach and the result was devastating to witness. She invited us back to another webinar. And, still fascinated, I watched as she regrouped and presented a much better version of the webinar. I remember thinking, 'wow what a gutsy, courageous woman; that cannot have been an easy thing to do'. The first webinar must have been devasting for her and yet she's quickly refocused, put on her most professional front and delivered the goods just a few short hours later. It was Marisa's show of courage and professionalism in the 'face of defeat' that hooked me. I signed up. And I'm so glad that I did.
I needed to learn how to focus and find my micro-niche and I'm happy to report that I did. And it feels so great to have this focus.
I needed to learn how to position myself in my clients' shoes and identify pain points and visions of future self so that I could build a product that was on point. And I did. As a result of this, I identified a huge potential client group that I hadn't previously even considered.
I needed to learn how to create a systematic marketing campaign. And I did. I learned so much; the step by step how to's.
I learned these things in the very short space of just 10 weeks. And I feel confident that I can continue to apply those learnings in my business.
I took on board lots of new knowledge and practiced applying this new knowledge, step by step. Alongside this transactional part of the learning process there was of course a whole lot of inner learning going on as well. The biggest internal shift for me was switching negative 'what if....' into positive 'what if...' For example, 'what if no-one wants to purchase my product? became 'what if a whole lot more people than I imagined purchase my product?' or 'what if I can't get the next piece of the program developed in time' became 'what if you lay out the steps and just do it?' And the next biggest personal shift is that I now, very consciously, move forward in steps; one step at a time, I just keep moving forward, instead of allowing myself to become stuck and bogged down in the overwhelm that can emerge from thinking in leaps and focusing on the big picture all the time. My new personal mantra, particularly when feeling overwhelmed or fatigued is 'just one step at a time Julie, that's all, what's the next step you can take right now?'
My specific and tangible wins from participating in EPM include: I have designed a birds eye view of a program called 'design 4 knowhow'; it's 6 short, stand alone courses. I have had a very positive response to my market survey (88 email addresses from 100 survey respondents) and now plan to send out similar surveys to my industry. I have a client who wants to purchase my first short course for 12-15 of his staff and depending on how that goes, he may purchase the whole program for his staff. I have a list of 35 people who want to be part of a beta product that has emerged as I've been designing my EPM product.
It's been an intense 10 week journey. It's been rigorous and challenging. And it's exactly what I needed; my results speak of my learnings. EPM has positioned me to move forward with confidence. I believe I now have some strategies to achieve my business goals. And a lovely side bonus is that I have a new group of peers who all speak the same EPM language, so we can support and challenge each other as we continue on our business journeys.
At the beginning of the program Marisa said focus on 1 thing at a time. I didn't listen.
I raised those stakes and tried to create 3 different programs in 10 weeks or less. I had this fear that if I didn't say yes to everything I would miss out on the rewards coming to me. I was running myself ragged and kicking up a dust storm of stress, and time scarcity chasing multiple rabbit holes.
It was December 27th, and I was set to go into surgery at 5am the next morning. This was a last minute surgery with 4-6 weeks of recovery time. This is when I finally listened to her wisdom.
I scratched all three programs doubled down, and focused on 1 thing.
That one decision helped me narrow my focus and quintupled our income.
Before EPM my biggest launch was under $20,000. I was scraping by from launch to launch. I was always rushed and in scarcity mode.
After making just a few tweaks I learned from EPM we had our first $100,000 launch. I removed unnecessary stress from my life, and healed from surgery in less than 2 weeks. (Using the same vision process I learned from Marisa for my business)
Now I'm able to reinvest big into my business this year and turn 2018 into a million dollar year.
Yesterday I bought a $1600 bike, before that I was riding a single speed bike with crappy back peddle brakes that I bought of craigslist.
I'm able to afford consistent healthy food, and I've already lost 6 pounds.
I'm created more time freedom in my business. My wife and I have monthly vision meetings at Disneyland.
I have something that is duplicatable that I can scale and turn into a million dollar business.
The biggest lesson I've learned from this program is how to say NO to the rabbit holes and focus on that one thing that is most important to you.
What is your biggest takeaway from EPM?
Marisa kept repeating $2,000 in 10 weeks or less. Every time she did that I would replace it with $50,000. I credit this one mindset tweak to most of my success.
How did EPM help you become successful?
At the beginning of the challenge Marisa said focus on 1 thing at a time. I raised those stakes to try and create 3 different programs in 10 weeks or less. It was December 27th, and I was set to go into surgery at 5am the next morning when I finally listened to her wisdom. I scratched all three programs doubled down, and focused on 1 thing. Made those 3 programs into 3 different modules of 1 program that was 6 months long and $5000. I've been parceling myself out to multiple things to have a fall back if one thing didn't work. I learned that when I double down on the thing that is working the best, and cut out the extra rabbit holes, I get the best results. That one decision helped me narrow my focus so much that we created quintupled our income.
How has EPM and your success impacted your life?
Yesterday I bought a $1600 bike, before that I was riding a single speed bike with crappy back peddle brakes that I bought of craigslist. I'm able to afford consistent healthy food, and I've already lost 6 pounds. I'm created more time freedom in my business. My wife and I have monthly vision meetings at Disneyland. I have something that is duplicatable that I can scale and turn into a million dollar business.
What has been the biggest change in your business?
Before EPM my biggest launch was under $20,000. I was scraping by from launch to launch. After making just a few tweaks that I learned in EPM we had our first $100,000 launch that was planned and achieved in less than 8 weeks. Now I'm able to reinvest big into my business this year and turn 2018 into a million dollar year.
What are you most excited about moving forward with your Experience Product?
I have something that is duplicatable that I can scale and turn into a million dollar business. I can continue to go through the program and refine my product.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Most of my results I got by copying what EPM does. I actually didn't finish all the modules, but I picked them up from Marisa by watching what she does. She is very clear and intentional and easy to model. She doesn't just teach you what to do, she is a living example of what to do, and that is why it was so easy for me to be successful following her guidance.
Before EPM I was feeling stuck with how to market myself and my services online in an efficient way that didn't require living 24/7 online. Plus, for a few years now, I have had a strong desire to also move away from the word-of-mouth approach (it is far too time - and life - consuming!). I've been looking for a balanced online and offline approach that integrates well with who I am and my lifestyle. And, I had an idea for a live online program I wanted to market, but I wasn't certain how to go about it, mostly in regards to the marketing aspect of it. I knew I had some missing pieces, like the super duper written copy skills :) and marketing online effectively without taking up all my time and/or money!
EPM came to my attention via a FB Ad. I was attracted to the word "Experience" as I love living life through experiences. So I asked for a call to see if it would provide what I needed to grow my business in the direction I had in mind.
I did come out with a live online program for 12 to 16 women to be delivered in March, 2018. I'm very happy with what I'm offering and I have sold some spots already. However, the second half of what I wanted did not come through as I was told it was possible (to market myself effectively without depending solely on the 1:1 approach). So I have now spent countless hours trying to keep up with all the content and bonuses offered to us (I did the required videos and homework, but didn't get to the bonuses). I stressed out day and night, lost sleep big time, and my partner wasn't happy that it impacted the quality of our life. He warned me that another program would most likely have this outcome.
Anyway, still looking to quickly sort out the tech stuff and the online systems to put in place so that my business and life can be more streamlined and leveraged, plus that I can then be able to grow without trading away all my time - every day! "Convincing" people 1:1 has not been an avenue that I want to continue to pursue as being the exclusive strategy. I've been doing it this way for years, it's effective, but it is no longer the lifestyle I want to have. I want to enjoy time with my partner and friends when I go out without talking about what I do all the time!
So ultimately, what I wanted to accomplish out of taking this program was only partially achieved. It doesn't feel like a win, as I was super clear as to what I wanted out of this program... I am left with still having to figure out how to get myself online quickly and efficiently so that I don't have to keep facing this vicious cycle between having offers > getting clients for a season > and then having to start from zero every time I'm ready for new clients... And the clients that I have already attracted were enrolled into my program through 1:1 conversations, which I feel is not sustainable to get to my goal of 12 to 16 students. It's just a very time consuming approach; this way doesn't allow me to grow my business and at the same time also have the time to enjoy my life!
What is your biggest takeaway from EPM?
Specificity... and the challenge and resistance of that! I do wholeheartedly now accept it, yet I still struggle with it. And the gap is marketing! Word-of-mouth is effective (which i have done for years, but it is not leveraged, can not scale yourself, and it gets tiring running around and talking about what you've got to every living soul. I don't consider that to be a lifestyle. Can't enjoy your time ever, if always looking to sell yourself when you go out). So I also believe - more than ever - that in this day and age, an online presence is critical and urgent (no matter what anyone tells you)... and being confident with your tech, to some degree, in order to have freedom with plugging your "voice" in at any time!
How did EPM help you become successful?
It just got me to put everything in a compact and sellable format for 1:few... Step 1 of 3... Actually i mapped out all 3 steps (programs) of a one year journey!... And i'm delivering Step 1 in March. It's a lifestyle and creating new habits doesn't happen overnight, so being consistent requires discipline and support if you have never known yourself to have that muscle in a specific area of life.
How has EPM and your success impacted your life?
I don't exactly feel the success... I wanted to get online in order to market my offer, not to continue doing what i've been doing for years (word-of-mouth)... there wasn't enough time to keep up with all the videos and homework, plus integrate new systems in place to support growth via online channels. Without having a list (no matter small or medium or large) already saved within an email autoresponder platform > it's not easy to reach out to many... Therefore, constantly doing 1:1 conversations is not a sustainable strategy (our loved ones also suffer, as they also don't get to have any time with us!)
What has been the biggest change in your business?
Before I wasn't tenacious with solving my online presence issue and no I am... My number driver now is to get that sorted, as I have loads to share and offer on a larger scale. Which also means, that I also see the urgency of owning my own writing copy voice, so that I can be consistent across all platforms. A different world when talking 1:1 to people versus being super specific on black and white copy > it really "forces" you to get super specific.
What are you most excited about moving forward with your Experience Product?
Delivering it has always been the part that excites me the most. I know this stuff inside out. It's pretty much a process that I have been living and developing from the age of 13, out of necessity. So my program is an extension of me > offered to more people! Being 43.5 now, i actually feel the deep urgency to get this out to more people, it's so much simpler and sustainable then people think. I don't do "no pain, no gain". I don't exercise every day. I don't feel like i'm avoiding or withholding from food. It's a lifestyle that I love and my body feels great for it. So my wish is that more people get to relate to their body and health with that level of ease and freedom!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I came in to EPM with a different expectation, so although i got to spend again more time on knowledge (great content of course), i wanted something different as a result. I had enquired if this was the program that would help me achieve that. Half of it i did get. I got a deliverable program. But the other half was to market it in a more efficient and leveraged way.
I really appreciate the help and support that I got from EPM. It can be so overwhelming trying to figure out all the tech stuff as well as writing your own copy and knowing what to say that will make people want to buy from you. EPM was helpful with that for me. I now have the confidence to not only create quality programs in the future but I know how to market them effectively to other people in a way that is alligned with me.
What is your biggest takeaway from EPM?
My biggest takeaway from EPM- your clients will become raving fans and succeed more when you offer them an experience that exceeds their expectations.
How did EPM help you become successful?
I think EPM was very wonderful with regards to the support and encouragement that they gave along the way. Having the coaches, the checkpoint document, the tech help on Fridays. All of that was very helpful.
How has EPM and your success impacted your life?
It's helped me to keep moving forward without being afraid that I don't have what it takes or have enough resources to move forward.
What has been the biggest change in your business?
Before, I really didn't know where to start with regards to marketing and writing, but EPM provided so many examples as well as step by step processes to get me moving forward.
What are you most excited about moving forward with your Experience Product?
The fact that I can use and implement these lessons with any product I want.