Uncensored Direct Marketing

Hosted by Maria Sparagis, president of DirectPayNet, and payment solutions expert for entrepreneurs in the high risk industries of supplements, dating, business opportunities, gambling and more. On this podcast, Maria shares her knowledge on how to reduce decline ratios, add thousands of dollars to your bottom line with a few simple conversion hacks, and maximize revenue while keeping your high-risk merchant accounts happy and healthy. As a cryptocurrency advocate since 2012, Maria will also share her knowledge on the digital currency markets. Maria has worked with several high level entrepreneurs in Direct Marketing including Christian Hudson, Julian Reyes, Jeremy Schoemaker “ShoeMoney”, Mike Chang and many more. She has been featured in American Banker, Vice, Inside Bitcoins, Coindesk, and Yahoo. Connect with Maria mariasparagis.com or directpaynet.com

Reaching 3% (or lower) Refund Rate

High refund rates will kill your business. So how do you keep them low and what's the sweet spot?Aim for less 5%, but really if you're at 3% then you're golden. Keeping refund rates low also helps against chargebacks (indirectly), improves your relationship with payment processors, and keeps conversions high. Less refunds, more solid sales, higher bottom line. What's not to like?✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

05-06
16:37

The No BS Guide to Building a Powerhouse Email List | with Liss Graham

Liss Graham, of Lisst Email Management, is a ROCKSTAR in the email marketing industry. She knows what to say, how to say it, and who to say it to. If you're hesitant about starting an email list, then Liss is here to show you how it's done. Tune into this episode on all things email marketing and email list management. From regulation and AI to how to start your first!Want more on list management? Get in touch with Liss!https://lissgraham.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-graham-9b34ba7/https://www.instagram.com/mlgraham09✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

04-29
52:24

Adding More Payment Options on Shopify, and Why You Should

Shopify Payments is the built-in processor and gateway for your Shopify store—but it's not the only option you have! In this episode, I'm covering the ins and outs of payment processing, what options you have on Shopify, and why you should consider using alternatives to Shopify Payments to save on fees and better secure your business.✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

04-23
11:28

Direct Response Marketing vs Branding — What's the Difference?

Direct response elicits an immediate response (usually a purchase) from the customer. Branding is more build up for recognition and desire. Here's how you can incorporate some of the best branding tactics into your direct response business.Want more about phone sales and telemarketing? Check out our FTC episode!✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

04-15
24:28

X Advertising: Reaching a Better Audience, Making Millions | with Chris Orzechowski

Meet Forbes' $100+ Million Copywriter", Chris Orzechowski. From wrestler to million-dollar-making marketing expert, we pick his brain on how to get to that million-dollar milestone. But more importantly, we get the ins-and-outs of X advertising—what it looks like, how it works, and who to target.Want to get in touch with Chris?➡️ https://orzy.co/➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-orzechowski-b5531823a/➡️ https://www.facebook.com/orzymedia/➡️ https://twitter.com/chrisorzy✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

04-08
47:31

NEW FTC Telemarketing Regulation — BIG CHANGES

The FTC announced new regulations for telemarketers—inbound and outbound. If you use a call center, if over-the-phone sales is your main method, or if you're hopping on the new cycle telemarketing in 2024, then listen up. These rules WILL affect your sales and whether your business stands a chance.✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

04-02
13:10

Mastermind Affiliate Marketer TELLS ALL | with Gia Liossis

Want in on the affiliate marketing game? Today, we're thrilled to have Gia Liossis, a seasoned affiliate manager with years of experience in the marketing game. She shares all on what it takes to make it, going from social media to affiliate marketing to changing careers and so much more.Whether you're a marketing veteran or new to the scene, this conversation with Gia Liossis is packed with insight. Don't miss out on learning from one of the best in the business!Get in touch with Gia and GiAffiliate Management:https://www.facebook.com/gia.liosiChris Haddad Interview:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wjDo_UxiLU&t=46s✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

03-25
55:29

Crushing Stripe Fees for 6- and 7-Figure Merchants

Are you a 6- or 7-figure merchant using Stripe? You might be spending way too much on Stripe fees per transaction and monthly. Here are some tips to lower Stripe fees with minimal effort that can save you TENS OF THOUSANDS per month (depending on your volume).This episode gives you some simple tips on how to crush Stripe fees in half—OR MORE!From 2.5% to just 0.5%, easy.✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

03-18
16:26

Marketing Madman Jamie Lewis TELLS ALL

Jamie Lewis, the "grandpa of marketing" has had a wild ride on his path to marketing stardom. Today, he shares with me exactly how he got here, from exploring undefined territory in domain flipping and affiliate sales to how success can affect your personal life.Sit back and listen to this tell-all from a marketing madman.Get in on Jamie's BADASS CLASS while there's room:https://www.facebook.com/groups/badassclassgroup✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

03-11
01:47:33

Top Hidden Stripe Features Every Seller Needs to Use

Stripe is a powerful 3rd-party payments platform that many online business owners use (even if they don't know it). Stripe, Shopify, Woo—all if it is powered by Stripe. So if you're going to use it anyway, why not make the most of it?This episode, I'm giving you the top Stripe features every merchant needs to turn on (or off).Stripe SHOULD NOT be used as your primary payment processor for many reasons, but it's a great secondary solution or even to use when you're just getting started.Need a merchant account? Get in touch!maria@directpaynet.com

03-04
14:22

Why Human-to-Human Sales Always Wins | Abandoned Cart Recovery with Jeannie Mai

Jeannie Mai from HelpGrid joins us for a deep dive into abandoned cart recovery, why businesses CONVERT MORE after human-to-human interaction, and just how much you should really be using AI.Get in touch with Jeannie Mai and HelpGrid here:🔗 linkedin.com/jeannie-h-mai-19998776🔗 instagram.com/jeanniethemagician🔗 www.helpgrid.com✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: Facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: Instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 X: twitter.com/directpaynet

02-26
49:07

Is Shopify Right for Your Business? A Breakdown of the Platform

Shopify is a powerful ecommerce platform, but it isn't for everyone. In this episode, I'm going through Shopify Pros, Shopify Cons, and if Shopify is the right platform for your business.✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

02-20
14:03

You Don't Sell Products, You Sell EMOTIONS | with Jason Friedman

The customer journey is based on targeting an emotion. Every sale, every ad, every email, every click—there's a feeling behind it. A successful customer journey is one that connects with their emotions, making them feel that what you offer aligns with what they need, what they want, and the emotion that drives it.Take a list to our interview with Jason Friedman, CEO of CXFormula. He's an expert in the customer experience. From anecdotes to advice, there's something for every business owner to take away from this episode.Seriously, don't miss out.Speaking of missing out, Jason is providing a SPECIAL GIFT for you listeners! Follow the link below:https://gift.cxformula.com/directpaynet🙋‍♂️ Connect with Jason Friedman:🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasondfriedman/🔗 cxformula.com 🔗 https://www.facebook.com/cxformula✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariasparagis🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

02-12
46:15

How to Get Your Money Back from Stripe in 2024

Stripe account suspended? Stripe holding funds? Stripe STOLE your money?Common issues with Stripe from merchants in many industries. So no matter what it is that you sell, if Stripe is holding your money and won't let go, then this video is for you.Stripe USA Address:354 Oyster Point BoulevardSouth San Francisco, CA 94080Stripe Email:notices@stripe.com✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

02-05
12:32

2024 Content Marketing Tips for Solopreneurs with Sarah Noel Block

Content marketing isn't going anywhere. From AI trends to content planning and repurposing, we get the low down on what 2024 holds in the content marketing world.Joining us and sharing her expert tips is Sarah Noel Block, founder and owner of Tiny Marketing, which focuses on getting marketing teams of 0-2 people to their full potential. She knows what's up, what's down, and how to juggle every marketing role under one hat.SPECIAL OFFER 50% OFFSarah is offering an incredible discount on a session that will skyrocket your marketing (even with a team of 0 people). Book that right here, right now: https://www.sarahnoelblock.com/directYou can follow Sarah Noel Block at:LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahnoelblock/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarahnoelblock/✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

01-16
34:31

Bitcoin ETFs Have Arrived, Should You Invest?

The SEC has finally officially announced bitcoin ETFs. There are pros and cons to having a bitcoin ETF, one of them being centralizing something that was created to be decentralized. But the positives might outweigh the cons here.Are you investing in a bitcoin ETF?Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

01-12
14:26

Preventing Post-Holiday Chargebacks BEFORE You Pay $1000s in Fees

Chargeback prevention is the best way to handle chargebacks. The more common solution is chargeback mitigation after they've gone through, but this method involves paying the fee (even when you avoid paying out the refund) AND those chargeback cases that you've won still count against your chargeback ratio.Prevent chargebacks with these 3 solutions you can easily set up today. Once you set them up, they're fairly hands-off, so you can sit back and watch your business grow safely.Interested in chargeback alerts? We can provide you with an alert service aligned with your budget and needs. Contact us about it today!directpaynet.com/contact-us✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

01-03
10:54

How to Reach the US Market as a Marketer from Abroad with Nabeel Azeez

Copywriters and markets living outside of the US, this interview with Nabeel Azeez—successful entrepreneur, copywriter, and marketer living in the UAE—reveals what it takes to make it as a marketer looking for US clients.Not only that, he gives valuable insight into how AI can help or hurt you, invites you to his mastermind, and so much more.✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet🙋‍♂️ Get in touch with Nabeel:🔗 https://nabeelazeez.com 🔗 https://twitter.com/NabeelAzeezDXB🔗 https://www.instagram.com/nabeelazeezdxb/🔗 https://www.facebook.com/nabeelazeezdxb🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/nabeelazeezdxb/🔗 https://dropkickcopy.com/🔗 https://copyskills.com/🔗 https://www.muslimman.com/

12-04
01:04:39

Increasing Subscription Revenue with Ease

Looking for more from your subscription business? Cart abandonment and subscription cancellations are growing among consumers, but your business doesn't have to suffer. In this video, I cover 4 ways to increase your subscription revenue without spending more on marketing, customer acquisition, or chargebacks.✓ Need a merchant account? Get in touch!🔗 Maria Sparagis Website: http://mariasparagis.com🔗 DirectPayNet Website: https://directpaynet.com🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasparagis🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariasparagis.directpaynet🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/directpaynet_paymentsolutions🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/directpaynet

11-28
11:40

Turning Negative Reviews into Money Makers

You can make money and improve your brand name through negative reviews.No one trusts a brand that only has 5-star reviews. Likewise, no one trusts a brand with only 1-star reviews. There is a happy medium, and for all the less-than-stellar reviews you get, they're an opportunity for growth and showcasing your customer service skills.

11-22
11:53

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