What’s Coming in 2021

ASG 061 – What’s Coming in 2021

Chris L. Davis: [00:00:00] You’re listening to the All Systems Go podcast, the show that teaches you everything you need to know to put your business on autopilot, learn how to deploy automated marketing and sell systems in your business the right way with your host, the professor of automation himself and founder of Automation Bridge, Chris Davis. Welcome to the All Systems Go podcast.

Chris L. Davis: [00:00:35] I can’t even say Happy New Year. OK, I feel like I was holding that in. Happy New Year. Welcome to the All Systems Go podcast. I’m your host, Chris Davis, the founder and chief automation officer at Automation Bridge, an online publication for small business marketing automation, where we focus on turning digital marketing professionals into automation service providers. And we made it. We made made it everybody. We made it out of 2020. We’re in 2021. And I tell you, no matter what is going on, focus ahead. Can’t leave that mess in 2020. Whatever whatever message for you. Let’s lock in and focus on what’s ahead. And in this episode, I want to take a moment and cast some vision for this year and all that. I’m committed to bring you in your business. And when I say me, this is me and team, as we as we walk into to the new, it is always critical that you clarify your targets, your aims, locking in and hitting them. Bull’s eye, bull’s eye. Not not not not close to hitting them, but nailing it right in the middle. Right. And my hope is that me sharing my goals will encourage you with clarifying yours as well as get you excited for what’s to come. So speaking of what’s to come, make sure you are subscribe to the podcast. There is no reason why you shouldn’t. If you’re listening to my voice right now, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be subscribed, because I guarantee you and I promise you it will be top notch value. I will not disappoint you. OK, we the All Systems Go podcast can be found in Apple podcast. Google podcast. You can subscribe on YouTube wherever you get your podcast.

Chris L. Davis: [00:02:43] This whatever app you get your podcasts with in the All Systems Go podcast is there. If this is your first time listening, just trust me. You want to subscribe. But but if you need a little proof, go ahead and listen. Listen to this episode in its entirety at the bottom of extended another invitation for you to join, for you to subscribe and join. If you have not left a five star rating in review, that’s old. You listening and not leaving a review. That’s old stuff. That’s so twenty. Twenty is twenty twenty one time to fire up that app. Go into the App Store, apple pocket, whatever it’s called nowadays, and leave that five star rating and review it helps. It’s a small way to say thank you to me. Right. And let me know that you’re appreciating what’s being produced. But it also informs Apple that this is a podcast worth featuring, worth putting in front of more people when they’re searching for marketing, business and automation. All right. If you could do that for me is greatly appreciated. And thank you in advance for those who are going to do it soon. All right. So picking up from last last episode last year, we were talking about the fear of focused efforts in how we just we can’t afford to fear focus and we can’t have profit fomo. Right. Thinking that when we when we when we focus in on one, we’re missing out on all of this money and opportunity for others when it when it’s the opposite. That’s true. Right. And there’s a lots, lots of New Year’s resolutions and hopefully focus made the list for you.

Chris L. Davis: [00:04:29] I really do. I hope that was one of the driving themes for you. So in that spirit, in the spirit of focus, I figured I’d start the New Year by by example. Right. And let you all in on what you can expect for this year going forward from Automation Bridge and specifically the podcast. But first, let me say this and and I OK, it’s fine. I’m going to take the risk for sounding self-serving right now. But I just have to say, you’re going to want to join the automation community. I know you’ve heard me mention it many times in the past, but the quality of content that’s collectively being produced around marketing automation is like none other. Not to mention some of the newest developments I’ve been implementing with myself and tinkering around with with just just a just mentioning active campaign and airtime with just. Those are two that I’ll mention how getting taking the automation to the next level and then other third party tools, which I base, my community knows which tools, but other third party tools that integrate with Air Table that that make Leegin easy and then storing it editable table easy and then automating an active campaign easy. And that’s just one example. And that’s honestly that’s a whole nother podcast and possibly a whole nother course. But I just want to give you insight. These are the types of things. There are some issues, there’s some problems there, some challenges that you just need to be in the right space around the right people talking about stuff that’s going to incite your your creativity, gets you to ideate on a higher level and truly knock that barrier down.

Chris L. Davis: [00:06:26] You can’t do it by yourself. You really can’t. This year, let this year be the year of community for you. OK, and again, I know that may sound self-serving, but I wouldn’t tell you if it wasn’t highly valuable. OK, and speaking of you, when I look forward to 2020, I have you in mind this is not a a selfish venture for me. I have you in mind as I’m sitting down, planning, mapping, strategizing. It’s you. Yes, you. And by you, I mean you as the leader CEO, you know what the leader CEO is that that person who needs automation in place but isn’t the right person to do it themselves. In fact, you’re the one that has fueled a lot of my focus for this year. And the goal is to ensure that you get served better. I know it’s hard finding good help. I know it. And it’s equally as hard waiting for it without the temptation of just figuring it out and doing it yourself, you’re the leader, you’re the leader, CEO of the company. Is your job to make sure that this company doesn’t fail. So if I if I have to get in the kitchen and put on an apron, OK, I’ve never baked a cake.

Chris L. Davis: [00:07:54] I’m going to figure it out. Right. That’s you. I get it. And I hats off. To that level of dedication to to your craft, to your business. Right, but I also know how exhausting that can be, how frustrating that can be. How at times depressing that can be. And what I want you to know is that we’re here to serve you better this year and equip you with the right marketer for your business. I am not by by no means everybody do not get it twisted. I am not a staffing agency, OK? I am not in the employment services industry. But what I’ll tell you is the people, the digital marketing professionals that are going through my program. Are the sharpest and if you if you’re going to bring somebody internal to your team to produce results quickly, I’ll bet on my people before anywhere else. Because not only do I trust my framework, I trust them. And they’ve learned my framework and again, this is with you and my.

Chris L. Davis: [00:09:11] Ok.

Chris L. Davis: [00:09:13] And to serve you better, that one of the things that will be launching this year very soon is our jobs board. This is an internal jobs board. It’s not public. So what it will allow you to do is post your automation needs. What do you need right now? And marketing automation. And if we can determine a good fit between, you know, your needs and some someone who’s completed the program will make the connection. We’ll make the connection. Now, let me say this. You’re the leader. It’s still up to you to make sure that you vet, you know, as far as culture for the company and get a feel for the acumen. What have they done? It’s a diverse group of people. Some are in e-commerce, some are service based. Some are traditional corporate folks. You get what I’m saying. So you still have your due diligence. Right. But we want to help make that connection. That’s what we want to do. So as a listener to the podcast, you’re going to get a jump start. If right now, if you go to automation, bridge dotcom for jobs, there’s jobs, automation, bridge, dotcom, forced last jobs, you can submit a brief description of your automation needs in your business right now.

Chris L. Davis: [00:10:33] And get in the queue. And get in the queue.

Chris L. Davis: [00:10:38] Ok.

Chris L. Davis: [00:10:39] Because, again, I understand, I really do.

Chris L. Davis: [00:10:45] I know the frustration, in fact, I hear it so much. I can finish your sentence for you. I’m meeting these leaders, CEOs. I hear it. I just I’ve heard the story all too many times and I’ve also seen the failed attempts. So we’re going to make sure that the automation service providers that are being trained right now being brought up are going to go right into producing results for, you know, fluff. Again, we’re talking about focus. This is where I’m at. OK, so speaking of automation, service providers, 2021 will be the year of certification. I don’t know if I’ve said this publicly, but as we finish up with the first round of candidates that that started in there and we’re readying for the next the next group, please believe me when I tell you I am locked and focused on leveling up, leveling the amount of quality of training to equip marketing professionals with the skills to not just perform but achieve profitability for themselves and your business. Part of that is making sure that they don’t just learn it, but they practice it. So you will see a certification coming this year where you can say, wait a minute, hey, are you out of me when you’re looking at that marketer? Hey, you are amazing certified. You are certified automation service provider, right? I say, oh, yeah, we went through the curriculum. We’ve gone through this. We know Chris. He’s given us the badge. You can rest assured they did not just pay money. They didn’t just take a course and a quick assessment. No, it was a full out program, tracked progress that they had to demonstrably, demonstrably.

Chris L. Davis: [00:12:41] Execute in show. Put their acumen on display.

Chris L. Davis: [00:12:49] Right, like.

Chris L. Davis: [00:12:51] This is this will be a official not I’m not I’m not playing, I’m not playing. OK, and here’s the thing. In the program is Harward as anybody who has anybody in his hardware, but we’re all having so much fun learning and leveling up. It almost feels like we’re cheating. Have you met my entrepreneurs who are in purpose, who are doing their business? And it’s it’s aligned with their purpose in life and you know how it is. You know, find what you love and you’ll never work another day. Right. And some days it’s just like man, especially if you’ve had a long career. Right. You’ve worn many hats in many professions. And sometimes you just sit back and say, man, is this real?

Chris L. Davis: [00:13:41] Are people really paying me to do this? Is this really my life? Right. That’s how it is going through the program is like it is this is this fair that I’m learning this and nobody else is?

Chris L. Davis: [00:13:58] I’m not exaggerating because the the the truth is, for far too long, the promise of understanding true automated system building right. Is evaded. Marketers who frequent groups on Facebook buy these cheap digital marketing courses. Right. Have 10 badges and the footage of their website. And now there’s finally a place to dive deep and not drown. That’s the other side, right? You know, you’ve got these deep wonders out here that try to tell you to do everything you’re like before you realize that you’re dizzy, spinning and in in deep water. Right. But guess what, you’re not going to have to take my word for it, because they, meaning all of the students, everybody has been through a program of mine, will have the opportunity to tell you themselves. As I start to highlight these stories this year with them as guests on the podcast, that means real stories, real results, no fluff. OK, if they haven’t made a million dollars, they haven’t made a million dollars. If they have, they have. Right. What was the struggle? What really was it that was in your own way? Why why did it take you so long? Tell me about the process. I want to give you from their mouth to your ears. I want to give you your insight on the process, because sometimes many of you are quitting prematurely because of your lack of familiarity with the process.

Chris L. Davis: [00:15:41] And in times where energy and fatigue and hope is low. Clarity on the process is what keeps you on track knowing, OK, I know I’m tired and I want to quit, but this is this I know I’m on the right path for some of you. You’ve just been had to having to exercise in faith. Look, I don’t know where we’re going, but I just believe this is the way. Right. So these stories are going to help empower you, encourage you and clarify the journey for you. OK, they’re coming on, they’re committed, they promise a whatever you ask, I’ll be I’ll be honest, if I haven’t done it, I haven’t done it. OK, I’m excited about that, and and since we’re on the topic of guests, OK, I want you to be one. Will you will you join me? Right. We’re officially, officially 2021. I promised this in 2020, we are officially open for accepting podcast guests for the All Systems Go podcast. Is that not exciting? Now, I know many of you and let me say thank you. Many of you have told me, man, you know, you have a soothing voice. I can listen to you all day. It’s just so great. And as much as I would like to continue to steal all that attention. There will be that will be thinking small.

Chris L. Davis: [00:17:11] Right.

Chris L. Davis: [00:17:13] I’m committed to delivering the highest level of value I possibly can by way of this podcast. I’ll be personally inviting some of the top minds in the digital marketing space to be guests on the podcast. But I want you as well. I’m going to be researching, prospecting, inviting, welcoming, scheduling people that I know will make good content for this podcast. But I want to hear your story.

Chris L. Davis: [00:17:48] We’re looking for marketing professionals who are in the field producing results and are willing to peel back the curtain and share some of their strategies. Nothing surface, everybody. A true breakdown of what worked and why. Oh, you ran you ran an advertising campaign that generated on average two thousand dollars a day for for two weeks. Let’s talk through that. What was the main lever? That’s the question that you’re going to hear me ask constantly. Just get ready. What was the main lever that you pulled that produced that big result?

Chris L. Davis: [00:18:27] Because I want to cut through all of the cut through the fat and get straight to the bone. Right, get to the meat on the bone, get right, no fluff. This is what I’m going to be asked to tell us about the lever, we’re going to be super focused on extracting success for you so that it’s more clear what it takes. A lot of people have referred to this podcast up into this point as a mini NBA. And I want to stay true to that amount of value with every guest that comes on, every single one. So if you’re ready and you’re like, look, I want to share something, it does not have to be, I just made 10 million dollars. You need to display that you’ve gotten success consistently so that when you share it is helpful.

Chris L. Davis: [00:19:27] Ok.

Chris L. Davis: [00:19:29] I want people to hear your story, your strategy, and again, help them understand what the mechanics, what the formula was for you.

Chris L. Davis: [00:19:41] Ok, that’s what I’m looking for. So if you want to we’ve updated the Web site, the podcasting page, you can go to Automationbridge.com for his last podcast and lock in a spot to be interviewed. Right now, if you’re if you’re on one of those apps that play in the background and you’re like, oh, that’s me. Keep this in the background, go to automationbridge.com/podcasts, you’ll see my face some headline, and then right under it it says, Look, join the podcast, join the movement and be a guest.

Chris L. Davis: [00:20:15] Ok.

Chris L. Davis: [00:20:17] I want you to go through that right now, if that’s you, OK? All right, one last thing.

Chris L. Davis: [00:20:23] And as if that wasn’t enough, just the jobs board certification, the highlighting of success stories of the students and and now the guest of, you know, me inviting some of the SaaS owners and and experts in various industries. You coming onto the podcast as if that wasn’t enough. I’m also going to start software reviews, yes, software reviews are coming to the All Systems Go podcast, and I’m looking forward to this as as it allows me to help you navigate the technical play space more clearly, more intelligently, I should say. OK, I need you to get beyond scrolling through Facebook and seeing that appsumo deal thinking that that’s the key to what you need or that’s the key to your success.

Chris L. Davis: [00:21:21] Oh, I get it. I haven’t been successful. I didn’t buy this lifetime deal. Let me get to two coupons so I can double up my credits, whatever the terminology is it.

Chris L. Davis: [00:21:33] Absolutely. I’ve got nothing to give someone. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made many lifetime purchases that have paid off handsomely. And I’ve also made some that I left me scratching my head like what was I thinking that day? Right. But what I want to do is review certain tools that I love.

Chris L. Davis: [00:21:55] And use.

Chris L. Davis: [00:21:56] Let you know how I’m using them, so so you have context when I say, OK, I’m not really feeling this to, you know, exactly why. And if you have a different context, guess what? The tool may work for you, but context is everything. Right? So I’ll be reviewing the tools that I use and love. Give you some examples of how I’m using them as well as the ones you couldn’t pay me to log into. OK, and again, it’s not mine is not my intention to, you know, really try to stop you from signing up for a particular software. You know, I don’t know your business. I don’t know your model, I don’t know your team, I don’t know your technical acumen. But I just know for me, in my experience, I know what works and what doesn’t, and more than often, if you have a similar set of considerations as me. And it’s a tool that I like more than likely, you’re going to like it if I don’t. More than likely you won’t. It’s just how it is.

Chris L. Davis: [00:23:00] So I hope I hope just hearing this is getting you excited about what’s to come what’s to come in 2020 from automations, I hope is getting you as excited as I am. And the reason being is because it all benefits. You have you realize that everything that I listed off is you focused this. This has nothing to do with me. I show up.

Chris L. Davis: [00:23:29] To make sure that the value to you is being produced, OK? I am locked in, I have assessed all last year I was thinking, how can I serve better? And I make a big bigger impact. How can I take what I’ve known in part this and more people so that they can go out and make that impact? That’s what 20/20 was about now where in 2021, it’s time to execute Lockean laser laser focus and go right? I can’t stress enough to leave the old and last year and walk into the new new vision, bigger vision, new opportunities.

Chris L. Davis: [00:24:15] Ok, mate, maybe you need to revisit some of those old options are old opportunities with new eyes and a new vision, maybe you see some different.

Chris L. Davis: [00:24:27] New, willingly new willingness, perhaps you could argue that there was a level of success in 2021 that evaded you because there were certain things you weren’t willing to do based on comfort, convenience, familiarity, lack of exposure.

Chris L. Davis: [00:24:49] Let’s get a new willingness to do what it takes, new stretching. You’re going to have to put more into it to get more out of it. That’s just what it is.

Chris L. Davis: [00:25:01] Right.

Chris L. Davis: [00:25:03] Stretching is a good thing that that lets you know you’re on the growth path when you when you have to stretch, when you have to invest uncomfortably, when it hurts to give that amount. Right, whether it’s monetary or time, like, oh, my goodness, I just spent all night and I got to go somewhere in the morning, right? Oh my goodness, I’ve never spent that much money before. I’ve never invested that much money before. New stretching, new approach.

Chris L. Davis: [00:25:31] Some of you, you just may need to scrap the whole thing, your approach to everything is just a little off. Maybe your presence online, right, your approach to how you send e-mail and how you get your website built or how you go about. Spying software, just a new approach, a new strategy.

Chris L. Davis: [00:25:58] If if you’re using the same strategy. That you’ve been using five years ago today.

Chris L. Davis: [00:26:06] A part of me wants to say good job for sticking with not not rocking the boat, right? Like if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But I can’t say that because there’s been so many changes specifically with covid. There’s been so many changes. There is no strategy that has not had to adjust.

Chris L. Davis: [00:26:25] New strategy, new circle, new circle of people, circle of influence, who’s around you, who’s pushing you?

Chris L. Davis: [00:26:33] When you say I want to make 25000 dollars a month, are they floor like, oh, my gosh, I’ve never heard of so much money? Or are they like, OK, that’s a good start. Right, whose inner circle, where are they at with respect to where you’re trying to be, where you’re at? Is there enough space for you to realize, like, man, I got a lot of growing to do.

Chris L. Davis: [00:26:58] Right, and most definitely new revenue.

Chris L. Davis: [00:27:03] I, I just I just heard everybody something happened when I said new revenue, when I said new revenue is like everybody, I felt it. I little I promise you, I just I saw it. Let me say I saw it. Somebody’s shoulders, you know, shivered a little bit. They got a little goose bumps like, oh yes, new revenue. Where is it. My hands are open, ready to receive.

Chris L. Davis: [00:27:31] Why not you, why not? How long do you get to disqualify yourself? How long? How long do you get to sit on the sidelines watching everybody else run up and down the court scoring? No one, you could do the same, if not better. Why not think bigger and be different? Maybe you mimicking what’s in the market is you settling. And that’s small. What if there’s bigger for you? But what if you’re not supposed to look like them? What if your business is not supposed to operate like that? Right.

Chris L. Davis: [00:28:10] Why not commit to whatever it takes to reach profitability and beyond this year, I just don’t see a reason why this can’t be your year. I really don’t. And perhaps you just needed to hear that maybe you just needed somebody to tell you, look, it’s time.

Chris L. Davis: [00:28:33] Level up, you know, my son has me playing games now, and it’s all about XP and VXI, I’m still learning all this stuff makes me feel old, but we didn’t have in game currency and these ranks and all of that when I was coming up, either you were good, you won or you lost. That was it is some secret codes and mortal combat to unlock hidden characters and all that, but XP, vxi and in app purchases and passes and I don’t know.

Chris L. Davis: [00:29:02] But what I do know is that I’ll be watching him play and he’s trying to do something and he doesn’t have enough XP. Right. So you’ve got to increase his exports, we could pull off the move. Well well, what about you? What is it going to take to level up your XP? Right. And why not why not have this year be the year of maximum XP? Right, why just keep watching everybody else. It’s time to get in the game. Why not burn the boats so you can’t look back? And even if you did look back, you can’t go back. The boats are gone. All you can do is go for it. There’s no no path backwards. Forward March. Why not why not burn those boats? Well, why not take off that safety net?

Chris L. Davis: [00:30:02] I’m not telling you to make a frivolous, thoughtless and dangerous leap into nothingness. That is not what I’m saying. Somebody who just wants to be off their job immediately. They’re just looking for a reason to quit. This is not your reason.

Chris L. Davis: [00:30:18] Ok, pump the brakes. What I’m saying is, you know, there’s more to be done. There’s more in you and there’s more for you to give. Why not this year? Why not? I want it to be true for you. I do. I want this year to blow your mind. I really do. And I hope you do, too. Because in closing, you can never desire something for someone at a greater level that they desire it for themselves. So my hope today as where we’re right on the on the beginning, right at the beginning of 2021, is that you listen to this, you get excited about what’s coming, but you also get inspired.

Chris L. Davis: [00:31:10] To make this year the best year in business thus far.

Chris L. Davis: [00:31:18] Ok, can we can we can we agree to that virtual high five handshake, pinky, pinky, what does that pinky promise, whatever the case is? Right. So let me ask you, who need who needs to hear this and be challenged to think bigger in 2021?

Chris L. Davis: [00:31:35] Who really needs that? Perhaps I mentioned some resources that you like, oh, my gosh, this going to be great for you. You’ve been looking for this. Who’s that person? If you found value in today’s episode, share it with them.

Chris L. Davis: [00:31:49] Share it with them, but please don’t don’t you dare share with them you’re not subscribed. OK, so this is the time, new listener, that I want you to go ahead and find where in this app that you’re listening to the podcast and make sure you get the subscribe button. OK, those of you on Apple devices, please go into Apple podcast, leave your five star rating and review. As I mentioned in his podcast, Automation Bridge is dedicated to training digital marketing professionals to become automation service providers. These are these are marketers that are experts at extracting process.

Chris L. Davis: [00:32:31] Matching that process with the appropriate technology and building automated systems not just for your marketing sales, but throughout every operational aspect of your business.

Chris L. Davis: [00:32:44] And small businesses need it. They need it.

Chris L. Davis: [00:32:50] The ability to learn marketing and technology and deploy it in an way by way of automated systems for rapid growth.

Chris L. Davis: [00:32:59] They need it. OK.

Chris L. Davis: [00:33:02] So I mentioned it at the beginning, I know it was a little self-serving, but, hey, when there’s value, I just have to tell you about it. If you would like to take me up on my offer and join the private community automation based private community community of automation specialists who are openly, openly sharing tools, strategies, automation, building tips. I have a private podcast in there, as well as conversations around every podcast episode.

Chris L. Davis: [00:33:33] Ok, it’s all in this community. It’s the only place that I am daily engaging, sharing, ideating.

Chris L. Davis: [00:33:43] I was just sharing with on the office hours call because we were in weekly office hours and in the community. And I was saying, man, I we need to I need to create an automation’s map. And I just needed a different view of everything that’s going on and how things are connected. So all kind of ideation going on. You get to be a part, and the beautiful thing about it is the more the more you engage, the more you get. It’s that type of community, you know, it’s not like you’re just throwing stuff out there and getting these haphazard responses. These are the people in the community. Thank you all who are listening because you’re also subscribe to the podcast. Thank you for being amazing for the community. And if you are if you’re just looking to be in a place where you’re not you’re not the outlier, you’re like, OK, is it me or do you get bothered every time somebody lower has all lower case for tax, you know, whatever the case is. Right. And you can have a. I know this isn’t it. Hey, guys, how are you. How are you doing? Lead source tracking in with Eurail variables. Right. And it’s not weird. And you get multiple responses with tools. You guys use them for this.

Chris L. Davis: [00:34:56] Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. From marketers who are producing results. So it’s great, you know, it’s a great means of of making sure that you can stay focused and stay aligned, locked in for the year. And if you like to if you’d like to join, I’d love to have you visit automation bridge, dotcom force last join for that one. And if you go to right now, by the time you’re listening to this will be finalizing our workshop, our automation building workshop, that we we run these periodically throughout the year. So what you’ll want to do is make sure that you have this you orio bookmark, go to it right now. And registration is probably close because we’re finishing up that. But get on the wait list so you can be the first into the next one. That’s a automation bridge. Dotcom for slash workshop. OK, now I know I’ve given you a lot of resources in this episode, so if you go to item all of the show notes, let me say that let me say all of the show notes and podcasts are accessible automationbridge.com/podcasts. Click on this episode and you will see every resource that I mentioned just in case you missed it.

Chris L. Davis: [00:36:14] Ok, you can subscribe there as well if you want to. You’re not you didn’t take me up on my word. You can go there and you can subscribe and listen to other episodes at your leisure as well.

Chris L. Davis: [00:36:28] Ok, so until next time I see you online Automate responsible friends.