I spent $365,000 on ads last year, and now I'm walking away from them to figure out organic marketing from scratch.
In this episode, I get real with Amanda about the messy, in-progress reality of building a content strategy that actually drives sales instead of just filling a feed. We break down why posting "I have openings" doesn't work and how creating genuine desire through community is the real foundation for selling anything.
Amanda opens up about her struggles with comparison and idea-hopping, and I share why I've committed to posting every single day through the end of the year even though I don't expect to see a financial payoff until well after. We also dig into how creators like Jesse Jane, Jessica Carter, and Meg Kilmer found their niches through experimentation, and why now is the time to test the waters before going all in. I dive into my latest experiment using AI to generate B-roll content so I can produce more without sacrificing weekends with my family, and let's just say the first few attempts were... humbling.
You'll learn why the hardest part of content creation isn't making the product; it's building the audience that actually wants to buy it. This episode is for salon owners, hairstylists, coaches, and any entrepreneur who feels stuck on the content hamster wheel and wants to market with more intention and less burnout.
HERE ARE 5 MAIN TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:
Takeaway #1: Marketing Is for Sales, So Know How Your Posts Will Make You Money
I have zero desire to be a content creator just to create, with no plan for monetization. If posting didn’t come back to money, I wouldn’t give it my time, and I’d rather learn to cook. This applies to anyone who wants to post more, whether you’re a salon owner, a hairstylist, an online business owner, a fitness coach, or a mompreneur. Hairstylists especially get caught up in “I have to post, I have to post,” without asking how that work will make them money in their career. The same goes for salon owners. It’s worth asking yourself that question before you create anything.
Takeaway #2: Build Desire and Community Before You Start Selling
If your content is just “I have this appointment open, this one’s open, this one’s open,” it doesn’t work, and I’ve said that for years. When I was behind the chair, I only posted an opening when I knew it would be booked in 30 minutes. That worked because the rest of my content had already created demand. I learned the hard way that if nobody is listening or even seeing your stuff, selling all the time is a really hard sale. Right now I’m not focused on sales. I’m focused on creating community, building relationships, and learning what people actually want. I said on January 1st that I’d create something this year that makes lives easier for moms who are business owners, and outside of salon owners, I need to hear from people before I know what that is.
Takeaway #3: Creating a Product Is Easy, and Selling It Is Where the Work Is
I promised myself I wouldn’t create a product until after December 31st. Making one is super easy, and I could have at least three ready to sell by 5:00 PM today. The hard part is making the selling easy, and that’s what I struggle with most. We’ve always sold through ads, which are great and the reason we’re in business, but they cost a lot. We spent $365,000 on ads last year, and you have to be willing to burn money to make them work. I believe organic is worth it, even though I haven’t seen the fruits yet. I’ve committed to posting every single day until the end of the year, and I don’t expect a financial payoff until well after December 31st.
Takeaway #4: Let Your Marketing Look Messy While You Test
Amanda said she’s throwing spaghetti at the wall, changing her mind a lot, and lightly floating a few ideas to her audience to see what gets interest. I told her that right now is the time to jump around. We have to test the waters and see the response. Switching after five posts that don’t do well is a different story, but at the start I’m committed to my marketing looking funky and all over the place. I’ve been studying a few creators who started out confused about their angle. One was “career confused” and posting DIY from her garage, and people kept telling her she talks well on camera. Another started as a stay-at-home mom and found her footing through her edits. They each learned what to do by listening to their audience and testing different things. When something pops off, that’s my signal to go all in on it. Amanda and I also decided to take on the Yap Challenge, her third time, which will definitely be a stretch.
Takeaway #5: Use AI B-Roll to Create Content Without Giving Up Your Weekends
I don’t want to go to coffee shops for B-roll or take two hours to shoot different scenes around my house. When I’m at church or at the park with my kids, I don’t want to be thinking about content or setting up a tripod. My husband has gotten really good at filming me when we’re out, but I’d rather be where my feet are. So I’m training Claude on my face and body to create B-roll reels and still images of me for carousels. The hair has been the hardest part, and I’ll admit that the first couple of results made me say, “That is not what I look like.” It’s taking a lot of hours right now, but B-roll is the fastest kind of post, and if I can post two or three a day I’ll learn what works faster. I think this will eventually be the new norm, and I’ll watch the metrics to see how it performs.
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