Ask April Porter Podcast

When a franchisee signs on the dotted line, they are usually excited for all the tasks lined up for their grand opening. For good reasons too, this is their dream coming to fruition! The first few months are glorious with steady fast growth each month. Eventually, the growth slows down and the business starts to plateau. At this point, the franchisee has a few options on how to overcome and "bust...

Many business owners are hesitant to put themselves out there on social media. Some view it as bragging when they talk about their accomplishments, or that no one cares about what they had for dinner. What needs to be at the forefront of everyone's mind when creating content for their business on social media, is that they are informing others about their business, explaining how they are helping...

At Ask April Porter our business is built on filling the gaps in the franchising industry. Joining me this week is a very special guest, the Director of Marketing for Ask April Porter, Lauren Seiler. Lauren constantly has her finger on the "marketing button". She devotes a lot of time keeping up with the latest marketing trends by reading articles, listening to podcasts, testing strategies she has...

2022 was a big year for a lot of people. So for the last episode of 2022 we are looking back on the year in the franchising industry and at Ask April Porter. I hope that this episode inspires you to look back at how far you've come this year, even if you are not where you want to be just yet. Resources mentioned in the episode: Send podcast ideas or topics you would like covered in 2023 to team@as...

In-person events are finally coming back since the pandemic. In this episode we are talking about where opportunities lie for franchisees and small business owners to optimize and leverage in-person events in 2023. We are hosting a big in-person event in 2023 called the SWAG™ Conference. Learn more and get tickets to the conference here: https://www.askaprilporter.com/conference-0 Keep up with Apr...

When does a franchisor become a franchisor? Spoiler alert - It's not when you get a finalized FDD or when you sell your first franchise location. Join my discussion with Melissa Pang of the Entrepreneur Source, to learn the answer to this, as well as the importance of focusing on the franchisee dream when matching prospective zees to their future brand. About Melissa Pang: Always customer service-...

When I hear the word robotics, I think of the Terminator movies, or mechanical arms picking up and moving objects in a manufacturing plant, but it turns out, "robots" can be on your computer, learning and automating repetitive tasks. Paired with AI, this is the type of technology that can increase a small business's bandwidth without increasing payroll. My guest, Cassie Lincoln Managing Partner of...

Let's solve the mysteries of local marketing! In this episode I am sharing which aspect of marketing every business owner needs to focus on. This aspect not only will bring more leads through your door, but more applications from potential hires as well. Want to learn more about boosting your marketing efforts in 2023? Join the Mega Profit Marketing LIVE Series we are hosting this week! We start W...

We can all benefit from more cash! And if we can get more cash quickly, that is even better! In this episode, you will learn about 3 strategies to get a cash injection in your business. Some strategies you might not have ever thought of before or maybe you just need motivation to pursue. Regardless, listening to this episode will give you ROI x3. “Create those class times during that time find loo...

This week we have a special guest, Zach Garrett, Founder & CEO of Liftify. We had a great conversation about how increasing the number of your Google reviews can be one of the most efficient ways to increase traffic to your business. April visited with Zach Garrett of Liftify to learn the secrets about gaining more 5 star reviews faster. Spoiler Alert! Relying on your franchisor to request the...

This week on the podcast I sat down with Billy Giordano, CEO and founder of Staffed Up to talk about the best ways to get new hires in your business. It was a great conversation and I hope it gives you some new strategies to try during your recruitment process. Connect with Billy: staffedup.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-giordano-011409114/ https://www.facebook.com/billy.giordano Keep up wi...

I have a story to share about barriers in business... Normally, we build processes in our business so that there is structure and ease for our operations departments. But have you ever wondered if those processes would be barriers for your customers or prospects from doing business with you? Keep up with April here: Website : www.askaprilporter.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/askaprilporter For m...

A conundrum that I am sure that we all have lived through at least once in our lives - the best worst day. Bad days can be monumental moments that change the trajectory of our whole life. In this episode I tell you my story. How and why I started in franchising and about the moment that changed everything for me. I hope you enjoy it! Keep up with April here: Website: www.askaprilporter.com Instagr...

The secrets to scaling a business are never talked about because they make us feel uncomfortable and honestly they are hard. It takes work. In today's episode I pull back the curtain to three secrets that will scale your business. Plus, I let you in on a little dream that I have for the Franchising Industry as a whole. This episode is packed FULL of so much useful information. You do NOT want to m...

This week on the podcast I am sharing a conversation I had with Nicole Baker on The Life Coach Baker Podcast. I was able to share some of my story and talk about what it was like opening several franchises, the ups and downs of the industry, what I wish people knew before going into business ownership, and I even opened up about my struggles with perfectionism. I know you all will be able to relat...

Even though it sounds like the title of a horror novel. This is a possibility! So, what would you do if the internet went dark? Do you have a plan in place or would it rock your business to its core? This week I am covering the plans you need to have in place so that, if the internet does go dark, you know what to do and how to keep your business running! Keep up with April here: Website: www.aska...

Surprisingly, the secret to confidence lies inside of you! You have to power to choose to be confident and show your confidence to the world. So then why do we struggle with this? Find out in today's episode! Keep up with April here: Website: www.askaprilporter.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/askaprilporter For more business tips and strategies, join the Franchisees Focused on Infinite Success Fa...

Today's topic is: What do you actually want? What do you actually desire? We just discussed this with our clients as part of our Fast and Focused program. And we go really deep into what you really want. If you are ready to go deep with me, then listen in! “The idea of success when we reach success, what makes us feel successful, is all individualized, it's very customized to the person. And in fr...

If you've listened to any of our marketing broadcasts, you'll know that I usually mention having a three-month marketing plan. Why a marketing strategy of three months? Since the folks that are entering your pipeline today are probably the ones who will make a purchase on Black Friday, if you are using a proper marketing plan, you should be aware of this. This is the episode for you if this is som...

We're going to explore the idea of the zone of genus in depth today. It could be your product or service, or it might be us. How do we evolve over time. Most business owners make mistakes when they try to be jacks of all trades when it is wiser to specialize in what they are masters at. Keep listening if this is something you're interested in! “You have to find people with particular zones of genu...

Influence. It can be nice to have. After-all, if it weren't for those social media influencers chances are you wouldn't have tried the newest summer seltzer, or seen the latest TikTok trend. There is a dark side to influence. (Okay, that is a little dramatic). But the negative side to influence is that it can blur the lines of wanting something and the true deeper reason that you want something. L...

Have you ever found yourself in this conundrum? You need to hire someone in order to grow your business effectively but, you don't have the money to invest in hiring someone right now. Whereas, if you do hire someone, you will grow your business so much faster. Ugh! What do you do?? This episode has the answers. Keep up with April here: Website: www.askaprilporter.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/...

When you are faced with a dilemma and you are not sure what to do, how to respond, or what action to take... do you ever find yourself ignoring the issue all together? Do you find yourself hoping for the best, or hoping it will all work out? Hoping more leads will come in through the door, or hoping the lost sale will come back in a few days to buy your service? Well, hope is not a strategy my fri...

Digital Networking is leaving a bad taste in a lot of mouths lately. While DMs are filling up on everyone's social media profiles, it is good to step back and think about the intention behind the messages. In this week's podcast, we are talking about embracing the DMs and the world of digital marketing today. Keep up with April here: Website: www.askaprilporter.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/ask...

How often do you feel like there is so much to do in your business, but there is just not enough time to do it all? And working on growing your business? That always seems to get pushed to the wayside by other peoples needs. Here is the reality, when people are stealing your time they are stealing your ability to grow your business. In this week's podcast we are talking about how to protect your t...