The world of online marketing is constantly evolving, with new tools and platforms emerging every day. However, one name that has remained a constant force in the industry is Clickfunnels. Clickfunnels has revolutionized the way businesses approach sales funnels and landing pages. In this insightful interview with co-founder and chief product officer Todd Dickerson, we dive deep into Dickerson’s journey as an entrepreneur and his vision for Clickfunnels as the ultimate solution for businesses looking to increase their online conversions. Please tell us more about yourself? Please tell us more about yourself?
My name is Todd Dickerson, and I am the co-founder of ClickFunnels, a sales funnel builder used to help entrepreneurs get their message out to the marketplace. I lead the company alongside Russell Brunson, ClickFunnels’ other co-founder. For my entire life, I have had one singular mission: to create value. Starting in third grade with creating magazines for my friends and classmates and leading to today, catapulting ClickFunnels from nothing to over $100,000,000 in sales in just over three years. My family is my greatest and most prized possession. With my wife Ashley, I hope to lead the charge for a new generation of entrepreneurs and dreamers in my four daughters. Could you tell us more about ClickFunnels and the unique solutions you provide? Could you tell us more about ClickFunnels and the unique solutions you provide?
ClickFunnels is a one-stop platform for building sales funnels, crafting compelling landing pages, handling email marketing, building online storefronts and more. Simplifying funnel marketing, our unique platform enables entrepreneurs to effectively communicate their message to their target audience. Incorporating easy-to-use templates, drag-and-drop page editing, A/B testing, analytics and workflow automation, our software makes online marketing and sales processes easier — even for those with limited technical skills. Additionally, the easy-to-use platform allows businesses to integrate with popular third-party tools and services, such as email marketing software and payment gateways, further enhancing their overall marketing and sales capabilities. Tell us about the sales funnels SaaS market, how big is this industry, what is influencing the demand for sales funnels and the trends shaping the industry? Tell us about the sales funnels SaaS market, how big is this industry, what is influencing the demand for sales funnels and the trends shaping the industry?
The sales funnel software-as-a-service market is growing remarkably because people increasingly recognize that different online marketing tactics work at disparate stages of a customer’s journey. Businesses value how sales funnels facilitate a structured and efficient customer buying journey — essentially automating the marketing-to-sales transition. But, the demand for automated marketing solutions will only grow as industry professionals are challenged to deliver greater results with less How does ClickFunnels simplify the process of marketing and selling products online for entrepreneurs with limited technical skills? Can you explain how the sales funnel concept works and why it is crucial for businesses looking to optimize their online sales? How does ClickFunnels simplify the process of marketing and selling products online for entrepreneurs with limited technical skills? Can you explain how the sales funnel concept works and why it is crucial for businesses looking to optimize their online sales?
Traditionally, an entrepreneur must hire a development and design team and sign up for several different software subscriptions to create an effective online sales machine. However, our platform brings everything needed to create a successful sales funnel in one place. By streamlining the customer journey into predictable stages, ClickFunnels empowers entrepreneurs to influence buying decisions, turn leads into sales and optimize their conversions. The sales funnel works like an effective travel guide, helping potential customers traverse each step of the buying journey. The traditional sales funnel has four stages: awareness, interest, decision and action. Awareness: This is at the top of the funnel, where potential customers learn about the business, product or service. Interest: The stage where potential customers show interest in the company’s offerings. Decision : Potential customers start comparing different options available in the market and prepare to buy. Action: At the bottom of the funnel, potential customers finally take the action you want, whether making a purchase, signing up, subscribing, downloading, etc. In each stage, ClickFunnels provides tools and features that allow businesses to guide their leads effectively and convert them, making the sales funnel concept crucial for companies looking to optimize their online sales. What are some key features or tools offered by ClickFunnels that make it an attractive platform for businesses in need of a comprehensive online marketing solution? What are some key features or tools offered by ClickFunnels that make it an attractive platform for businesses in need of a comprehensive online marketing solution?
ClickFunnels provides best-of-breed features tailored to fit any business model, including efficiently designed sales funnel templates, drag-and-drop webpage editors, email autoresponders, store funnels, smart checkout and much more. Here are some key tools Clickfunnels provides: Easy-To-Use Funnel Builder: With its simple drag-and-drop editor, users can build beautiful, high-converting sales funnels without writing lines of code. Pre-made templates provide a starting point, speeding up the funnel creation process and ensuring every funnel is optimized for conversions.   E-Commerce: ClickFunnels streamlines the e-commerce process with easy-to-use store funnels and smart checkout features that utilize Payment.AI and can integrate with popular payment solutions like Stripe and PayPal, providing a seamless checkout experience for customers. Automated Email Marketing: Time kills sales, so a quick follow-up is essential. ClickFunnels offers built-in email automation, allowing you to create personalized email sequences for different segments of your audience, keeping them engaged and nurturing them toward a sale. A/B Split Testing: ClickFunnels lets entrepreneurs test different funnel elements — from headlines, images, buttons, color schemes and more — to see what works best for their audience, ensuring the highest possible conversion rate. Knowledge Hub: The state-of-the-art platform also offers educational resources, like tutorials and webinars, alongside a supportive community that helps users make the most of ClickFunnels. Think of ClickFunnels as a Swiss Army knife of online marketing solutions. The platform’s integration capability allows businesses to easily connect to their existing marketing and payment software, meaning you don’t have to worry about being locked into just our platform. In what ways does ClickFunnels cater to entrepreneurs who want to deliver services online, rather than selling physical products? In what ways does ClickFunnels cater to entrepreneurs who want to deliver services online, rather than selling physical products?
We’ve built ClickFunnels to work equally well for physical and digital product sellers. For instance, entrepreneurs can create a fully functional website or blog quickly and easily using our customizable drag-and-drop page builder. We have ready-made templates allowing anyone to present their services professionally and engagingly, regardless of their computer skills. We’ve had a lot of updates on the e-commerce side of things this past year, releasing new store funnels and smart checkout features to our users. Store funnels allow businesses to easily stand out in a crowded e-commerce market by creating online storefronts, where each product is its own funnel, with customizable product listings, shipping zones and rates. Smart checkout leverages Payments.AI technology to streamline sales transactions, creating a frictionless experience. A significant feature for anyone providing subscription services or digital content is our membership site functionality, which allows users to create secure, intuitively designed spaces for their subscribers. The simplicity of uploading content or training materials to these areas means anyone can grow a subscription-based business on our platform. We are big on data at ClickFunnels. Our advanced analytics offer insights into open rates, click-through rates, page conversion rates and even average cart values to help entrepreneurs optimize their strategies. Proper customer relationship management is another crucial element for businesses. Our built-in CRM helps users maintain relationships nurturing their brands by keeping track of customer growth and creating funnel automation based on customer behaviors. How does ClickFunnels address the affordability aspect for startups and small businesses, considering their often limited budgets compared to larger corporations? How does ClickFunnels address the affordability aspect for startups and small businesses, considering their often limited budgets compared to larger corporations?
We understand the financial restraints startups and small businesses often have to navigate. That’s why ClickFunnels offers competitive pricing options that ensure affordability and allow users to try the software free for 14 days before subscribing. Could you provide any success stories or case studies showcasing how ClickFunnels has helped entrepreneurs achieve significant growth or revenue milestones? Could you provide any success stories or case studies showcasing how ClickFunnels has helped entrepreneurs achieve significant growth or revenue milestones?
ClickFunnels is a one-stop solution for businesses marketing and selling their products or services online. We provide multiple tools within one ecosystem, eliminating the need for multiple software subscriptions, enhancing cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency. Whether building landing pages, email autoresponders, shopping carts or checking analytics, everything is under one roof. Technology is constantly evolving, and we know people don’t have time to learn to code to start a business. We offer a straightforward drag-and-drop page builder to simplify creating custom funnels for users. In addition, our built-in templates and extensive training material help users get up to speed quickly. Another aspect that sets ClickFunnels apart is catering to specific marketing needs across various industries. From retail to SaaS to digital products, e-learning or nonprofit, ClickFunnels can adapt to your marketing requirements. Our platform offers various prebuilt funnel types, each designed for different kinds of businesses and products. Moreover, our integration capabilities with third-party tools ensure we can seamlessly fit in — no matter the tech stack. Most importantly, we’re active users of our software. We’ve implemented our solution across the entire company, meaning we directly experience and understand our users’ challenges. Operating this way ensures we maintain an intimate understanding of customer needs and respond promptly and effectively to any issues. What sets ClickFunnels apart from other SaaS platforms in its ability to support businesses across various industries and niches with their specific marketing needs? What sets ClickFunnels apart from other SaaS platforms in its ability to support businesses across various industries and niches with their specific marketing needs?
A key differentiator of our platform is our commitment to using the software we’ve built, ensuring it meets the diverse and specific marketing needs across various industries. ClickFunnels stands out for its unparalleled customization, integrated marketing tools, robust education, and community support, all underpinned by continuous innovation driven by our firsthand experience as users. This unique combination enables us to offer a versatile, user-centric platform that simplifies the creation and optimization of sales funnels, making it easier for businesses of all sizes to convert their online visitors into loyal customers. Our deep understanding of the challenges our users face, coupled with our commitment to solving these challenges, positions ClickFunnels as a comprehensive solution that supports businesses in achieving their marketing and sales objectives effectively. For someone just starting out as an entrepreneur, what advice would you give them on leveraging a platform like ClickFunnels effectively to maximize their chances of success? For someone just starting out as an entrepreneur, what advice would you give them on leveraging a platform like ClickFunnels effectively to maximize their chances of success?
For budding entrepreneurs, my advice is simple: Understand your target audience and create a compelling offer that meets their needs. Align this with an effective sales funnel to attract, engage and convert prospective customers. And remember — always be testing.

A total of 66 897 livestock animals were marketed in January 2024, recording an increase of 13 093 from the 53 804 recorded in the previous January, and a slight decline from the 79 148 marketed in December 2023. In an agricultural monthly report for January, Simonis Storm Securities economic researcher Halleluya Ndimulunde says cattle marketing in particular saw an increase, with 20 398 head of cattle marketed, compared to 12 659 in December 2023. According to Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPBN) statistician Fransina Angula, the growth in cattle sector marketing is credited to increased exports of weaners to South Africa, primarily due to anticipated improvements in grain harvests that would enhance feeding margins. Furthermore, goat marketing witnessed an uptick, with 6 596 animals marketed during January 2024, compared to 5 554 goats during the same period in 2023, the LLPBN says. The pig sector also experienced growth, with 4 306 pigs marketed through approved abattoirs during January 2024, reflecting a 13,6% increase from the 3 791 pigs marketed in January 2023. However, the LLPBN says on its website that 431 250kg of pork was imported during the period under review to cover local consumption shortfalls. Sheep, however, dominated the market, with 35 597 marketed in January 2024, Ndimulunde notes. The sector recorded a growth of 31,6%, led by live exports and slaughtering at A-class abattoirs. Year on year, live exports, particularly to the South African market, expanded by 64,1%, growing from 16 085 head of cattle in 2023 to 26 399 in 2024. In addition, slaughter activities at export-approved abattoirs grew by 98,5% in January this year. “Analysing the destinations for Namibian beef exports, we saw that Europe continues to be the primary market, absorbing a weighty share of the exports. “For January 2024, Europe maintained its lead, obtaining 79,6% of the total 640 65 tonnes exported,” Ndimulunde says. African nations, with South Africa at the forefront, imported around 105,7 tonnes, making up 16,5% of the exports. China has solidified its position as a key market within the ‘rest of the world’ category, accounting for 25 122 tonnes of the beef exported from Namibia. “Europe remains a major destination for Namibian beef, representing a substantial portion of the total exports. South Africa is a significant African market, demonstrating the importance of regional trade relationships.” China’s emergence as a key market emphasises Namibia’s success in diversifying its export destinations and tapping into growing economies. “Overall, the distribution highlights the strength of Namibian beef in international markets and the effectiveness of strategic export initiatives,” Ndimulunde says. According to the LLPBN, generally, marketing is known to start slow during the first month of the year due to reduced activities, however, this was not the case during January 2024, as all sectors have recorded increased activities during the period under review. “Increased activity mirrors drought expectations in the highly active central and southern regions,” the board says. Meanwhile, Ndilumunde says fish maintained its status as one of the non-mineral products among the top five export items, securing the third position on the list and contributing 9,6% to total exports. Primarily, fish were exported to Spain, Zambia, and Mozambique during December 2023, resulting in a trade surplus of N$1,1 billion for the month. The value of fish exports saw a year-on-year increase of 15,2% in December 2023, compared to the 20,0% year-on-year growth recorded in November 2023. Meanwhile, the Namibian Agronomic Board restricted imports of most controlled products during January 2024, except for washed potatoes and lettuce. This exception was due to insufficient local supply of these items to meet demand. In Windhoek, the average retail price for 1kg of potatoes was N$30,59, with an average farm gate price of N$13,45. Additionally, the average retail price for a head of lettuce stood at N$33,42, while the average farm gate price was N$20, Ndimulunde says in the report. – email: matthew@namibian.com.na
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Do you want to learn the ins and outs of content repurposing? This blog post is your guide. Creating new content from scratch isn’t just challenging; it’s also time-consuming. But what if you could maximize your existing content to keep engaging your audience without the constant need for new ideas? It’s one of the most effective ways to create quality content consistently — without losing hours of sleep. But if this concept sounds new to you and you’re not sure where to start, keep reading. We’ve put together all the key tips you need to learn how to repurpose content effectively and get the most out of everything you create. Is Content Creation Taking Up Way Too Much Of Your Time? Let’s be honest — content creation is work. Trying to come up with new, high-quality content ideas can be challenging, especially when you have the rest of your business to focus on. And there’s only so much keyword research you can do before you end up feeling like you’ve hit a wall. Enter content repurposing (also known as content recycling) — a key marketing strategy. This strategy involves taking your existing content and transforming it into different formats to extend its shelf life and reach new audiences. Whether it’s turning blog posts into engaging infographics, webinar recordings into bite-sized tutorial videos, or compiling statistics and insights into compelling eBooks, content repurposing can breathe new life into your old content. The benefits of repurposing content goes beyond saving time and resources — it also helps you get the most out of every piece of content you create. That way, you can execute a consistent content strategy, build solid engagement with your audience, and position yourself as an expert in your industry. 13 Practical Tips for Creating a Content Repurposing Workflow These tips work for bloggers, content creators, and business owners who want to share more insights on different content mediums. 1. Create Templates For All Your Content The easiest way to speed up your content publishing process is to have templates for all your content. If your blog only consists of how-to guides, product updates, and thought leadership posts (e.g. “X Tips to Optimize Your Digital Marketing Strategy”), then you should create outline templates for each post type. When you create a new piece, open the outline (in Google Docs, for example), copy it and fill in the placeholder text. All you’ll need to do, after, is fill in each section and edit your content – saving you from having to think of a post structure from scratch. From a design perspective, you should also have blog post templates on your website. Having these will save you hours in designing your content – making the content creation process much easier Product Spotlight: Thrive Theme Builder Thrive Theme Builder helps bloggers and business owners set up a professional site in minutes. All you have to do is select a template for each part of your website and they’ll be configured automatically. Part of these templates include blog post types. You can choose from a selection of options (with a sidebar, without a sidebar, etc.) and every blog post you create will take up that exact format. If you want to add custom features to your template, you can go ahead and do that from the “Templates” section in the Thrive Theme Builder dashboard. The drag-and-drop editor lets you add or remove elements on the page in a few clicks – no need to worry about complex code. Most WordPress themes come with a pre-built blog post template that’s near-impossible to customize on your own. But Thrive Theme Builder removes that stress by letting you have more control over your posts’ design, so you can tailor it to your exact liking. 2. Spot Your Top-Performing Evergreen Content You don’t have to repurpose all your content; just focus on the pieces that really hit the mark. We recommend focusing on evergreen content — popular posts that aren’t time-sensitive and will remain relevant for a long period of time. Dive into your Google analytics tool and spot the content that’s getting the most views, shares, likes, and interactions. These metrics show help you find your winners, the ones that truly connected with your audience. When you look at these top-performing pieces, you’ll start to notice trends. Maybe certain topics get more attention, or maybe your audience loves specific types of content — e.g complete guides, guest posts, or YouTube videos. Paying attention to what your audience says is also important. The comments and feedback you get can tell you a lot about what works and what doesn’t. Thrive Tip Thrive Tip The quality of your analytics is only as solid as the tool you use. If you feel like you aren’t getting the right info from your current platform, we recommend using an analytics solution like MonsterInsights. This user-friendly plugin makes Google Analytics easy to understand and act on — equipping you with the right data you need to make the right decisions. 3. Break Down Your Large, In-Depth Pieces When you have a lot of long-form content like in-depth guides, whitepapers, eBooks, or extensive case studies, it’s a smart move to break these down into smaller, more digestible content formats. This makes it easier for your audience to understand and engage with your content piece by piece. For example, a lengthy industry report could be turned into a new format — like a series of blog posts, each highlighting a key finding or trend. Or a detailed how-to guide could be broken up into a collection of short, focused YouTube videos, each explaining a step or concept in more detail. 4. Turn Blog Posts into Podcasts Turning your blog posts into podcast episodes (and vice versa) is a clever way to reach a wider audience. It allows your audience to engage with your content in a format that suits their lifestyle, whether they’re commuting, exercising, or just relaxing at home. Podcasts bring a unique, personal feel to your content, as your voice can convey nuances and emotions that text alone might not capture. Start with your most popular blog posts, the ones that have already struck a chord with your audience. Transforming these into audio content not only breathes new life into your existing work but also expands your reach to include people who might prefer audio over written content. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to create your podcast episodes. The structure and key points from your blog posts provide a solid foundation for each episode. 5. Create Videos from Blog Posts Videos offer a dynamic way to present information, from how-to guides and tutorials to deep dives into specific topics. They cater to those who prefer visual content. Start with selecting blog posts that have a strong narrative or provide valuable information that can be visually represented. These could be how-to guides, deep dives, or stories that resonate with your audience. The key is to choose content that will translate well into visual storytelling, capturing the essence of your message in a dynamic and accessible way. Producing the video involves recording voiceovers, sourcing or creating visuals, and editing everything together into a cohesive piece. Remember, the goal is to make the information easy to digest and engaging, so keep the pacing lively and include elements that will hold your viewer’s interest. Once your video is ready, share it across different platforms (LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, etc.), embed it in the original blog post, and include it in your email newsletters. 6. Turn Your Data into Engaging Infographics Infographics allow you to present complex information, statistics, or data in a visually appealing and easily digestible format. This method is particularly effective for summarizing research findings, illustrating trends, or explaining processes in a way that is both informative and entertaining. Start by identifying data-rich content within your existing resources, like quiz results, annual reports, or performance statistics. This data, when visualized, can tell compelling stories or reveal interesting patterns that might be overlooked in text-heavy formats. The key to creating effective infographics is simplicity and clarity. Focus on the most important data points you want to convey and use design elements like charts, graphs, and icons to illustrate these points visually. Infographics are also easy to share on social media platforms, websites, and blogs, increasing your content’s reach and visibility. They can also enhance your SEO strategy, as visually compelling content can help attract backlinks and social shares. 7. Compile Blog Posts into an eBook or Guide This is a fantastic way to bundle your knowledge on a particular subject and create a valuable, comprehensive resource for your audience. Start by selecting blog posts that cover related themes or subjects. These should be pieces that not only stand well on their own but also complement each other to form a flowing narrative or guide. Once you’ve picked your posts, organize them in a way that makes sense to the reader. You may need to update parts of the content or insert new sections to bridge gaps. The design of your eBook or guide is plays a major role in turning your blog content into an engaging read. Pay attention to the layout, font choices, and imagery that will make the text more appealing and readable. An eye-catching cover important too, as it draws readers in and sets your work apart from others. Promote your eBook or guide across your channels, offering it as a free download to build your email list or as a value-added resource for existing customers. 8. Update and Republish Old Content Over time, even your best pieces can become outdated or lose visibility. By revisiting these old blog posts, you can refresh them with the latest information, insights, or trends relevant to your audience today. This approach not only ensures that your content remains accurate and up-to-date but also gives it another chance to capture attention and engage new readers or viewers. Start by identifying content that has performed well in the past or covers evergreen topics with lasting interest. Look for opportunities to add new developments, updated statistics, or fresh perspectives. This process can transform an old post into a current and valuable resource, boosting its appeal and relevance. Republishing updated content can also improve your SEO rankings. Search engines prioritize fresh, relevant content, so updating old posts can increase your visibility and attract more traffic to your site. It’s also a chance to reach new segments of your audience who may not have seen the content the first time around. Moreover, this strategy is cost-effective. Instead of constantly creating new content from scratch, updating and republishing allows you to maximize the value of your existing efforts. 9. Use Quotes from Existing Content for Social Media Posts This is an effective strategy to maximize your content’s visibility and engage your audience. You can easily turn a single piece of content into multiple shareable snippets, extending its reach and engagement on social media platforms. The simplest way to carry out this content marketing strategy is to pick out quotes and key takeaways from your posts or videos that will grab attention or spark curiosity. Once you’ve chosen your quotes, use a tool like Canva to create eye-catching images for your social media posts. Sharing these graphics through social media content (e.g. visual posts, tweets, etc.) can drive traffic back to your full content — which should be one of your main goals. 10. Create an Email Series from Webinar Content This is a great way to extend the life of your webinar and engage with your target audience on a new level.  Break down your webinar content into key points that can be covered in individual emails. Write your emails in a conversational and informative tone, and be sure to include summaries of the most compelling points, answers to audience questions, and any additional resources or links that can deepen the reader’s understanding of the topic. You can use these emails to encourage non-attendees to watch a replay of the full webinar, or direct them to another digital product that covers a similar topic. Alternatively, you could offer exclusive content, like behind-the-scenes looks, additional resources, or early access to future webinars, as part of your email series. 11. Create Tutorial Videos for Your How-to Guides This strategy involves taking the step-by-step instructions that you’ve laid out in text and bringing them to life through visual demonstration. You can use this format can help break down more complicated concepts or actions into manageable, easy-to-follow segments – helping your viewers see the process in action. Recording these types of videos are easy to do, too. Use a screen recording tool like Loom or Droplr for the video walkthrough and edit out the unnecessary parts before publishing. You can embed the video in your written posts and add a link to the blog post to the video description on platforms like YouTube or Vimeo. This cross-linking strategy not only makes your content more accessible and engaging but also drives traffic between your video content and written guides. 12. Turn a Testimonial into a Customer Success Story There’s a lot you can do with one testimonial beyond just adding it to your sales pages or emails. Take it a step further by transforming your best testimonials into customer success stories, to spotlight your customer’s journey with your product or service. This is a great way to personalize positive customer feedback, turning it into a relatable story that potential customers can see themselves in. Whenever you receive impactful testimonials, reach out to the customer for a deeper dive into their experience. This conversation can uncover the challenges they faced, the solution your product or service provided, and the tangible benefits they’ve enjoyed as a result. You can present this story in written or video format (or both). 13. Use FAQs to Create How-To Guides The best place to find potential content ideas is in the questions your customers ask. These questions highlight the information gaps or challenges your audience faces, providing a solid foundation for your guide. Organize these questions into categories that follow a logical sequence or theme and develop a detailed answer that not only solves the problem but also educates your audience. Include step-by-step instructions, tips, and best practices to enhance understanding and application. Visual aids like screenshots, diagrams, or videos can further clarify complex steps, making your guide more accessible and user-friendly. Publish these answers as how-to guides on your website or blog and share them with your audience on social media and email. Next Steps: Create Your Next Lead Magnet One of the main goals of your content strategy should be to get more of your target audience to sign up for your offers — both free and paid. In terms of free offers, lead magnets are your key to getting your audience’s contact information to build a deeper relationship with them. Here are four free tutorial you can use to create lead magnets that generate conversions: Content Repurposing: It’s Your Turn Now You have all the tips you need and now it’s time to get to work. It’ll take time to go through your existing content and find the right pieces to start repurposing — and that’s okay. The goal is to create a sustainable, ongoing system for your content marketing, so don’t rush it. Good luck!

A marketing expert has revealed the reasons why Taylor Swift’s popularity could be about to decline. TikToker user bee.better.company explained the pop star’s popularity will eventually diminish as Swift ‘won’t be able to maintain her “girl next door image” for long’. ‘As her fame and wealth skyrockets, it’s becoming increasing hard for her to relate to her fans and present this image [of being a friend to fans],’ he explained. ‘It’s sort of hard to maintain that everyday girl next door image when you’re existing in a life that is completely unattainable to the average person.’ ‘So as her fanbase grows up and start to understand these issues a little bit further, her image becomes harder and harder to maintain and they relate less and less and her personal brand declines.’ A marketing expert has revealed the reasons why Taylor Swift’s popularity could be about to decline The entrepreneur also said that she won’t be able to maintain her good image for long as negative stories will also eventually come out. ‘Some of the darker stories she’s involved in get buried very effectively [because she is the most popular person at the moment] but as we’ve already started to see, the vase is cracking,’ he continued. ‘That’s why in my personal opinion I think her personal brand will only continue to decline at this point.’ It comes after Swift performed her final show in Sydney during the Aussie leg of her Eras Tour. However, one fan has been slammed for singing loudly during the singer’s sold out show. In footage shared to TikTok, a girl is heard shouting the lyrics to a song during night two at Accor stadium, and many agreed it was too much. TikToker user bee.better.company said the pop star’s popularity will eventually diminish as Swift ‘won’t be able to maintain her girl next door image for long’ ‘Don’t be selfish. Have concert etiquette please,’ TikTok user lucjaz_kk wrote in their caption alongside the clip. ‘I agree… sing, dance, have an amazing time but also have situational awareness and be respectful to those around you,’ another TikTok user added in the comments. ‘Concert etiquette is important but sometimes people don’t even realize how loud they’re being. In my concert vids I was loud af and I didn’t even realize,’ one more said. ‘Accidentally dropped my drink on one it worked,’ teased yet another while one more person pointed out, ‘There is a huge difference between singing and obnoxiously screeching’. ‘As her fame and wealth skyrockets, it’s becoming increasing hard for her to relate to her fans and present this image [of being a friend to fans],’ the Tiktok user explained ‘People used to quietly sing along or lip synch to the songs because they were aware that people spend money to hear the artist sing, not them,’ one more chimed in. ‘A group of girls behind me did that and I turned around and asked them to please stop. Right at the beginning too, don’t regret it at alllll,’ someone else wrote. Not everyone agreed however with several pointing out that the fan paid for tickets and has a right to have fun.

Recently, I asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell me about a time they bought into a movie’s hype, only to be severely disappointed once they actually watched it. Here are 19 of their top responses: “I agreed with my partner that we should leave and get a refund because of the rowdy kids that snuck in and kept shouting, ‘Balls!’ in the middle of everything.” Here’s the trailer:

2.

” Saltburn , definitely. I struggled to get to the half point of the movie, abandoned it, and then finished it a few days later. I couldn’t understand why everyone was so wild about the bath scene when THE FUNERAL HAPPENED. Anyway, not even my lady and savior Rosamund Pike was enough to entertain me.”

Saltburn , definitely. I struggled to get to the half point of the movie, abandoned it, and then finished it a few days later. I couldn’t understand why everyone was so wild about the bath scene when THE FUNERAL HAPPENED. Anyway, not even my lady and savior Rosamund Pike was enough to entertain me.”

“It didn’t help that I’m kind of scared of Barry Keoghan (and the final scene left me confused). I couldn’t wait to finish the movie so I could watch some comfort show.” Here’s the trailer:

3.

” Mean Girls (2024). I was ecstatic to see the musical on the big screen in a more modern day retelling, and they butchered it. The cast (minus Damian, Janis, and Regina) are not strong enough singers, and to fix that, they changed the songs instead of the people singing them.”

Mean Girls (2024). I was ecstatic to see the musical on the big screen in a more modern day retelling, and they butchered it. The cast (minus Damian, Janis, and Regina) are not strong enough singers, and to fix that, they changed the songs instead of the people singing them.”

“I also wish that they used less technology. It dated the film by using too many references and fashion that will be out of date in the next month.” Here’s the trailer:

4.

“I work in advertising, and we were all in awe of the Barbie marketing campaign — my favorite being the billboards which had nothing on them but a date and the signature Barbie pink. The movie wasn’t great.”

Barbie marketing campaign — my favorite being the billboards which had nothing on them but a date and the signature Barbie pink. The movie wasn’t great.”

” Barbie . Sorry, not sorry. Mediocre movie. Don’t know if I really laughed once. It’s all marketing with movies like this, which sucks. Just pushing consumerism.” Here’s the trailer:

5.

” Suicide Squad nailed the trailer with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ all the marketing, the stacked cast, Twenty One Pilots releasing ‘Heathens’ for the soundtrack, everything. It was genuinely a gut punch when you started the movie and quickly realized what an absolute dumpster fire it really was.”

Suicide Squad nailed the trailer with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ all the marketing, the stacked cast, Twenty One Pilots releasing ‘Heathens’ for the soundtrack, everything. It was genuinely a gut punch when you started the movie and quickly realized what an absolute dumpster fire it really was.”

Here’s the trailer:

6.

” Birds of Prey . I genuinely thought after the shit show with Suicide Squad (2016), DC creating a tell-all story with Margot Robbie, Cathy Yan as the director, and a fun soundtrack would mean that this movie might be the turning point. I was wrong.”

Birds of Prey . I genuinely thought after the shit show with Suicide Squad (2016), DC creating a tell-all story with Margot Robbie, Cathy Yan as the director, and a fun soundtrack would mean that this movie might be the turning point. I was wrong.”

“The movie was pretty boring and lacked substance in terms of character and story. And the villain was super dull. Kinda wish I didn’t go see it, haha.” Here’s the trailer:

7.

” The Joker . It was boring; it reminded me of Taxi Driver . Another movie for film bros and sad/angry guys to idolize the main character as some sort of hero.”

The Joker . It was boring; it reminded me of Taxi Driver . Another movie for film bros and sad/angry guys to idolize the main character as some sort of hero.”

“After seeing the film, my father said, in its defense, ‘Film isn’t always supposed to be good.'” Here’s the trailer:

8.

” Bridesmaids ! Maybe part of it was because by the time I had seen it (when it came out on DVD) there had been so much hype about it that I went in with high expectations. I didn’t find most of it funny, and the diarrhea scene, which had been SUPER hyped up, was simply not funny.”

Bridesmaids ! Maybe part of it was because by the time I had seen it (when it came out on DVD) there had been so much hype about it that I went in with high expectations. I didn’t find most of it funny, and the diarrhea scene, which had been SUPER hyped up, was simply not funny.”

“I was bummed because I desperately wanted to like it, but I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch it again.” Here’s the trailer:

9.

“Our cinema famously made the national news when it emerged that we’d given refunds to people who hadn’t realized that The Artist was a black-and-white silent film.”

The Artist was a black-and-white silent film.”

Here’s the trailer:

10.

” Frozen 2 . Everyone was so excited for it to come out, but when I finally was dragged into watching it with my sister, I was so confused why everyone was so obsessed with it.”

Frozen 2 . Everyone was so excited for it to come out, but when I finally was dragged into watching it with my sister, I was so confused why everyone was so obsessed with it.”

“The plot was horrendous, the songs were sub par, and it totally ruined the first  Frozen  for me.” —cnf1 Here’s the trailer:

11.

“TBH Leave The World Behind . While I thought I was going to like the movie, it wasn’t necessary for them to force the movie to share a universe with Mr. Robot . It became an unneccesarry stealth sequel to the series as a result and ruined the ending of the series.”

Leave The World Behind . While I thought I was going to like the movie, it wasn’t necessary for them to force the movie to share a universe with Mr. Robot . It became an unneccesarry stealth sequel to the series as a result and ruined the ending of the series.”

Here’s the trailer:

12.

” The Huntsman: Winter’s War , the sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman . It had a stacked cast — Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt, Chris Hemsworth, Jessica Chastain — and the trailer made it seem like it was going to be a fun fantasy/action story.”

The Huntsman: Winter’s War , the sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman . It had a stacked cast — Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt, Chris Hemsworth, Jessica Chastain — and the trailer made it seem like it was going to be a fun fantasy/action story.”

Here’s the trailer:

13.

” Don’t Look Up . I can’t honestly say it was a movie I was actively pursuing, but I thought I would eventually get to it. All the clips and trailers made it look funny and intriguing. I like Leo, I like J Law, but good Lord, what a dumb movie.”

Don’t Look Up . I can’t honestly say it was a movie I was actively pursuing, but I thought I would eventually get to it. All the clips and trailers made it look funny and intriguing. I like Leo, I like J Law, but good Lord, what a dumb movie.”

Here’s the trailer:

14.

” Thor: Love and Thunder . Taika Waititi is brilliant, and the Thor actors are fantastic. But it flatlined.”

Thor: Love and Thunder . Taika Waititi is brilliant, and the Thor actors are fantastic. But it flatlined.”

“They tried to make it an action comedy instead of an action movie with a couple of jokes, like they had done with previous  Thor  movies. That was a fatal mistake.” Here’s the trailer:

15.

” Battle: Los Angeles . I was so psyched for this movie that my friends made it a part of my bachelor party. We left the movie and apologized to everyone.”

Battle: Los Angeles . I was so psyched for this movie that my friends made it a part of my bachelor party. We left the movie and apologized to everyone.”

Here’s the trailer:

16.

” Wonder Woman 1984 was…so not good. The hype of the showdown between her and Cheetah was in actuality only, what, five minutes long? And so anti-climatic.”

Wonder Woman 1984 was…so not good. The hype of the showdown between her and Cheetah was in actuality only, what, five minutes long? And so anti-climatic.”

“The first film was magnificent, and it was so disappointing to see them drop the ball on the sequel.” Here’s the trailer:

17.

” Freddy vs. Jason . Waited my whole life since I was a kid for this to happen. When it finally did, I saw the cast and was beyond upset but decided to give it a chance. I walked out 30 minutes in.”

Freddy vs. Jason . Waited my whole life since I was a kid for this to happen. When it finally did, I saw the cast and was beyond upset but decided to give it a chance. I walked out 30 minutes in.”

Here’s the trailer:

18.

” Scream VI for me. I kept hearing we were getting the most brutal Ghostface, and he’s loose in NY. What we got was a killer who didn’t actually kill anyone of importance, and they CLEARLY were not in NY.”

Scream VI for me. I kept hearing we were getting the most brutal Ghostface, and he’s loose in NY. What we got was a killer who didn’t actually kill anyone of importance, and they CLEARLY were not in NY.”

Here’s the trailer:

19.

And finally: “I worked at at one of the busiest cinemas in England for over three years. I can tell you some films we had walk-outs from. Drive with Ryan Gosling was a big one. Even before someone famously decided to sue the studio for false advertising, I was already advising people when they requested tickets at the box office that it wasn’t like a Fast and the Furious film and to treat it like a character study.”

Drive with Ryan Gosling was a big one. Even before someone famously decided to sue the studio for false advertising, I was already advising people when they requested tickets at the box office that it wasn’t like a Fast and the Furious film and to treat it like a character study.”

Here’s the trailer: Which overhyped movies wound up severely disappointing you? Why? Let us know in the comments! Note: Some responses have been edited for length/clarity.

ROCHESTER — Minnesotans got a first look Tuesday at the state’s new ads touting tourism and a move to the Land of 10,000 Lakes that will launch in March — the largest nationwide marketing campaign the state has ever done. The ads in the new “Star of the North” campaign aim to draw more visitors and new residents, and will launch March 4 in 22 states and Canada. Explore Minnesota, the state’s tourism arm, unveiled the ads to travel industry experts at its annual conference in Rochester. This is the first time Explore Minnesota is marketing beyond tourism, hoping to inspire Americans to consider relocating to Minnesota, with digital, TV and radio ads targeting communities like Seattle, Boston and Austin, Texas. Separate tourism ads will air mostly in the Midwest as well as cities like Denver and Dallas. “Our campaigns are going to showcase the best of our state,” said Lauren Bennett McGinty, executive director of Explore Minnesota. “Minnesota can be the next positive chapter in their journey.” The effort is needed, leaders say, to keep up with other states’ marketing efforts and fill critical jobs. Minnesota’s 3.1% unemployment rate — lower than the national rate — means the state has more job openings than workers. Minnesota also loses more residents than it gains. “This campaign allows us to stand out,” Bennett McGinty said. “We want people across the country to know our secret: … Life is better in Minnesota.” The national ad campaigns are part of new efforts at Explore Minnesota thanks to more than $25 million in extra funding the Legislature approved last year for the agency over the next two years, the first time its budget has increased in more than a decade and the largest investment ever. Gov. Tim Walz said Minnesotans have long been humble and don’t brag about the state, but now is the time to sell its merits. He and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan addressed about 500 people at Tuesday’s conference, the largest attendance ever in decades of it. “Nothing drives me crazier than to see other states advertising here knowing that what we have here can compete anywhere,” Walz said. “We need to tell the story … This is the place to be.” The tourism ads feature influencers experiencing Minnesota for the first time in documentary-style ads, such as female anglers from South Carolina catching walleye on Lake of the Woods after visiting the headwaters of the Mississippi River and dining at Krewe in St. Joseph. The livability campaign highlights recent transplants from other states, including Oregon and New York, who have moved to Sartell, Minneapolis and Duluth. “Talent recruitment is so important,” said Bill Von Bank of Experience Rochester, where the number of visitors has increased this year, nearing pre-pandemic levels. “Once you visit, maybe you’ll move here. Every state wants that.” Of the new state funding to Explore Minnesota, $11 million is starting a new division called Explore Minnesota for Business, focused on economic development. The first phase is focused on attracting residents, followed by campaigns to lure new businesses and pitch college students on staying here for school and after graduation. Minnesota loses more college students than it attracts. More than half of the states in the country have livability campaigns like this, Bennett McGinty added. “To date Minnesota has been too quiet on that,” she said. “We haven’t been doing a good job of marketing of what we have to offer those job seekers or business owners. But that is changing.” Most of the new funding, including for the new economic development division, is one-time funding this biennium. Bennett McGinty said she will likely be back at the state Capitol next year to ask legislators to sustain the funding. “This is a long-term plan,” she said. “This isn’t just one and done. I’m hoping people see the effectiveness. I think people understand we need workers.” Walz said the state will continue to fund the agency’s operation. Minnesota’s leisure and hospitality sector makes up the fourth largest industry in the state, with about 250,000 employees at resorts, hotels, restaurants, museums and theaters. The COVID-19 pandemic devastated the sector, which lost $14 billion and saw its workforce shrink by 23,000 workers from 2019. There are some signs of a recovery. Average monthly hotel occupancy rates bounced back to 55% in 2022, up from 36% in 2020, though still below 2019′s rate and still lagging behind U.S. and other metro areas’ hotel indicators. The number of passengers traveling through Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport increased to 31 million in 2022, up from less than 15 million in 2020 but still below the nearly 40 million travelers at MSP in 2019. In 2022, the state recorded 77 million visitors — finally rebounding to the same number as 2019. Those visitors generated more than $13 billion in economic impact. New data comes out in April. Explore Minnesota is also rebuilding, back to its pre-pandemic staffing levels of about 50 employees. “We have some ways to go, but … 2023 has proved that travel is back,” Bennett McGinty said. “I would love for Minnesota to have a strong brand that lives on for a long time.”

Man bribed SMU Academy associate director with S$62,800 to get marketing services gig After learning that his junior college schoolmate was an associate director with SMU Academy, Cher Kheng Than set up a company for the sole purpose of providing marketing services to the university’s professional training arm. SINGAPORE: After finding out that his junior college schoolmate was an associate director at the Singapore Management University (SMU) Academy, a man set up a marketing services company and bribed his friend with a cut of commissions to ensure he received business from the academy. Cher Kheng Than, a 46-year-old Singaporean, was sentenced to one year in prison on Tuesday (Feb 20). He pleaded guilty to two counts of corruption and a third charge of obstructing justice, with another six charges considered in sentencing. The court heard that Cher reconnected with co-accused Christopher Tan Toh Nghee, also 46, during a gathering in 2018. They were schoolmates at Temasek Junior College when they were younger. At the gathering, Cher learned that Tan was an associate director at SMU Academy, the professional training arm of the university that provides continuing education programmes for working adults. As associate director of business development, Tan managed the academic staff in the academy’s Service, Operations and Business Improvement (SOBI) department as well as those who attended its courses. SOBI engaged marketing partners to help advertise its courses. Sometime in December 2018, Tan suggested that Cher help him develop a new course called “Advanced Certificate in Entrepreneurship”. Tan said Cher could work for SMU Academy as a marketing partner under a commission-based structure. Cher found out that Tan was receiving a one-third cut of the commissions of another marketing partner and decided to follow suit and offer a portion of his payments to secure the business opportunity. In January 2019, Cher set up a company called CJ Synergy (CJS) for the sole purpose of providing marketing services to SMU. THE CORRUPT ARRANGEMENT His company was later engaged by SMU Academy on Tan’s recommendation to provide marketing services and take up advertising jobs such as running roadshows to promote the academy’s courses. Cher gave Tan 50 per cent of his payments for some of the jobs, higher than one-third, in order to make sure that he continued to get jobs. He would meet Tan about once per month to hand over Tan’s “commissions” in cash. Between June 2019 and October 2019, Cher gave Tan S$62,800 in corrupt cash payments. CJS’ business continued to grow, and Cher earned at least S$126,200, increasing the amount he gave in bribes. In July 2019, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) received a complaint that Tan had been soliciting kickbacks from three vendors involved with marketing SMU Academy’s courses. On Nov 26, 2019, Cher’s mother told him that CPIB officers were looking for him. Cher found out that CPIB had also visited Tan’s home, and realised what they might be investigating. When a CPIB investigation officer called Cher to ask him to report to the agency’s headquarters for investigations, Cher deleted his WhatsApp chat log with Tan. He was afraid that the conversation would contain evidence against him such as payment details. He also deleted an electronic note containing records of money he had given to Tan. He concealed these actions and lied to CPIB that he had no WhatsApp communications with Tan. He claimed that they communicated via phone calls and emails, and that the money he had given Tan was to repay a loan. Cher admitted to the corrupt arrangement later that day and CPIB was able to retrieve the deleted electronic note. The prosecutor sought 14 to 16 months’ jail for Cher, stating that the corrupt transactions took place in relation to a contract with a public body. Describing Cher as “cultivating” Tan over almost a year to gain favour and advance CJS’ business interests, Deputy Public Prosecutor Eugene Phua said SMU suffered “real and actual economic detriment”. The university paid more for the services provided by CJS than it ought to have, in order to fund Tan’s illicit gains, said Mr Phua. Tan was personally involved in the drafting of the agreement with CJS, which included a clause on how much commission SMU was to pay. SMU also suffered the loss of ensuring that the best marketing partners were engaged. Another vendor who bribed Tan, Jeffery Long Chee Kin, was jailed for 13 months last August. Tan was originally set to plead guilty on Tuesday, but his case has since been adjourned until March.

The Plague Of Fake Leaders in Network Marketing Guest post by Stefano Orrù from Italy: I’m here to say something that many people will resonate with, while some individuals (obviously the fake leaders) will get quite angry. However, nobody will say anything, because they prefer to hide behind the scenes. Network Marketing has changed in many ways in the last few years. Many companies decided to embrace the Social Media WAVE, following the lead of industry leaders who have developed new strategies and systems to build their businesses. The Direct Sales Industry was hard to convince that digital transition is crucial, but over the past 4-5 years, many companies decided to push their digital development, integrating technology, new systems, apps, emails, blogs, and more tools. Some 100% digital companies were born in the last decade. Many of them with a great offer, while others present counterfeit propositions, and many are outright scams. The fake ones and the scams have either closed down or constantly reopened under new names, new entities, and new faces, yet they remain the same “get-rich-quick” schemes designed to steal some money from the masses. Direct Sales is an industry characterized by high turnover among independent contractors. Sometimes, a new distributor lasts only a week and quits so fast that that their presence goes unnoticed. Many individuals quit within their first year, while others switch companies within their first month of business. This phenomenon is common when there is a lack of professionalism, skills, training, and culture within both the company and the community.Over the last decade, with the emergence of new types of companies and the proliferation of scams, turnover has become a significant aspect of this industry. I don’t want to call it a “problem” because it is not a real problem, but it has certainly grown in significance. This migration of teams and leaders has become a commodity for many companies, which actively seek out dissatisfied individuals and recruit them, treating them and their teams as valuable and tradable assets. These processes, hidden in some sort of contract called BDA or similar, became a part of the expansion strategies for some companies, some of which are now defunct or experiencing financial difficulties. (You cannot buy people; you must provide them with vision, culture, and reasons to stay. If the reason to stay is a monthly contract, people will inevitably seek better options). This “strategy” became part of the industry, and many leaders (or fake leaders, as I call them) started to move from one company to another, from one community to another, looking for better deals, upfront money, and the best VIP treatment. This, let me tell you really straight, is a very bad disease. As professionals within this industry, we need to DESTROY this disease, killing the symptoms and cleaning the entire industry.Here are some identifying characteristics to find fake leaders: Their primary focus is on monetary gain They look for Business Development deals (BDA) They ask for spillover (in a binary comp plan, it is an entire Fake line with virtual PV or a pre-established team producing some volume that is dropped into the downline of the fake leader) They ask for incentives upfront They ask for special treatment They ask upfront for “leadership positions “Basically, following the 5 Level Leadership of John Maxwell, they are looking for a really bad and poor LEVEL 1 of Leadership (the TITLE one) because they have never had the possibility to CREATE a REAL LEVEL 5 (the pinnacle) Leadership, and they are forced to bring people from one deal to another only with FAKE promises, big announcements, guarantees of success, and big percentages or claiming systems of easy or no work and high return.” This is a plaque, one that weakens our industry far more than it should. Having recognized this epidemic of fake leadership and having wasted valuable time in negotiations with such individuals, only to realize after the sales process that they were only looking for money upfront payment, spillover, or VIP treatment, I decided to write down some steps to eradicate this plague. Show UP and boldly share your strengths – you can BUILD a business from scratch Be strong enough to say “f**k” as I did more than 7 times to “BIG TEAM MIGRATION in exchange for money or contract”. Teach people how to work FOR REAL and BUILD A BUSINESS for real. Build SYSTEMS and TRAININGS that elevate people. Focus on SKILLS (hard skills are necessary as soft skills). Start creating a CULTURE of hard work. Stop selling the illusion of passive income as an EASY INCOME (passive income can be built through leadership, systems, hard work, and training). “I’m against those people who pretend to be leaders when they are not even able to take a risky decision and commit themselves to something.” If they need special treatment, it means they have no skills to build by themselves. They are not LEADERS, they seems like a normal employee looking for a better job. “Throughout my ten years in business, I changed company only once. While such transitions can occur, I made the move after extensive research and painstakingly rebuilding everything from scratch. I was prepared to lose everyone, but I wasn’t afraid to do so.” Fake leaders are scared to lose their team, and when you are scared to lose your people, you’ll lose them for sure. The only way left for fake leaders is using FAKE CLAIMS to bring people into their new super business. Those FAKE claims bring bad reputation to the entire industry. “I saw “super EXPERTS” and “LEGENDS” of this industry quitting a company, saying that they were hyper millionaires without any necessity to work in their life, and eventually jumping into the next super big deal of the history because they found the only company that respects some specific and strategic requirements for the long term. Yet, after 12-16 months, you see the same leaders going into another company, talking sh*t about the past one.” Those are the fake leaders. There are no SELF-PROCLAIMED LEGENDS in this industry. Like all businesses, this model is grounded in tangible numbers, statistics, and documentation Show the numbers, show the stats, show the documentation. Stop talking, start working. This is my message for the Fake Leaders out there. If someone gets angry after this, they are a fake leader. Stefano Orrù Italy. Disclaimer: While we have used our reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of the data used in this website, data should be read as indicative of magnitude rather than exact figures. Business For Home BV has made every attempt to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided on this website. However, the information is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind. Business For Home BV does not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained on this website. No warranties, promises and/or representations of any kind, expressed or implied, are given as to the nature, standard, accuracy or otherwise of the information provided in this website nor to the suitability or otherwise of the information to your particular circumstances. 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