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Syed Irfan Ajmal

Syed Irfan Ajmal

By Syed Irfan Ajmal

This is a no-nonsense show where your host Syed Irfan Ajmal will be revealing success secrets as well as massive mistakes of tech entrepreneurs, digital marketers, speakers, writers, creatives and more from all around the globe.
This isn't about working 16 hours a day. This isn't about being unproductive or having unhealthy obsessions while ignoring other important parts of your life. This is about keeping it real and balanced while still growing a business venture that you love so that you have a life that you can be content with.

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Currently playing episode

How to Earn Publicity & Backlinks With HARO? #ASKIrfan [S01E06]

Syed Irfan AjmalNov 30, 2018

00:00
14:41
Quantifying Backlinks Quality - The Bare Minimum [S04E06]
Nov 28, 202209:19
Guest Post Pitch Tear Down: Avoid These 11 Mistakes Like the Plague [S04E09]

Guest Post Pitch Tear Down: Avoid These 11 Mistakes Like the Plague [S04E09]

We've picked up a guest post pitch we received and we provide a teardown highlighting the 11 mistakes of the pitch.

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VIDEO VERSION OF THE EPISODE: https://youtu.be/RM77dUJAbpU


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FIND MORE ABOUT US: 


➡️ AGENCY: https://dmr.agency  

➡️ BLOG: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com 

➡️ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/syedirfanajmal 

➡️ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedirfanajmal/ 

➡️ BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Please contact irfan[at]dmr[dot]agency

Dec 13, 202115:53
Boomerang Review - Our Favorite Tool of Our Agency for Pitching and Email Management [S04E08]

Boomerang Review - Our Favorite Tool of Our Agency for Pitching and Email Management [S04E08]

USE THE BOOMERANG TOOL: https://www.boomeranggmail.com/referral_download.html?ref=5k36f 

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VIDEO VERSION OF THE EPISODE: https://youtu.be/_UUsBKYgmgM

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FIND MORE ABOUT US: 

  • AGENCY: https://dmr.agency  
  • BLOG: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com 
  • TWITTER: https://twitter.com/syedirfanajmal 
  • LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedirfanajmal/ 
  • BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Please contact irfan[at]dmr[dot]agency
Dec 03, 202115:16
Two Methods for Finding No-Follow Links - And why one of them isn't too good #SEOQuestions [S04E07]
Nov 25, 202111:54
Amazon Affiliate: The super-quick guide for absolute beginners [S03E04]

Amazon Affiliate: The super-quick guide for absolute beginners [S03E04]

Amazon affiliate marketing can be easy to set up - especially if you have a blog already. 

This is a super simple guide for absolute beginners on how to add Amazon affiliate links to your blog.

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FIND VIDEO VERSION OF THIS EPISODE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwnZ5Ssa5eQ 

FIND MORE ABOUT US: 

  • AGENCY: https://dmr.agency 
  • BLOG: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com
  • TWITTER: https://twitter.com/syedirfanajmal
  • LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedirfanajmal/
  • BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Please contact irfan[at]dmr[dot]agency


Nov 21, 202105:19
Reviewing SEO KPIs of Target Websites [S04E05]
Oct 13, 202105:38
The difference b/w creating links vs earning links #SEOQuestions [S04E04]

The difference b/w creating links vs earning links #SEOQuestions [S04E04]

Building backlinks is an old archaic, low-quality, and ineffective method of getting links for your site. As opposed to that earning backlinks is a more complicated but much more beneficial process for boosting your website's SEO authority, getting free traffic, and conquering the SERPs. 

❌ Building/Creating Backlinks CROSS ❌

  • Posting a blog comment
  • Posting in a forum 
  • PBN (private blog networks) links

✅ Earning Backlinks - contextual backlinks CHECK TICK✅

  • Finding relevant websites 
  • Not a black and white thing
  • It’s more of a spectrum

➡️ Reviewing SEO KPIs of Target Websites During SEO Outreach 

  • DR
  • Traffic
  • Ratio of incoming and outgoing backlinks
  • Quality of content 
  • Design/branding
  • Is there a real person behind it? 
  • Crafting quality pitches
  • Personalization
  • Wit/humor
  • Research
  • Relationship building
  • Social Media Interaction

VIDEO VERSION OF THIS PODCAST

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aMeC1xdzlY

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FIND MORE ABOUT US 

  • AGENCY: https://dmr.agency 
  • BLOG: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com
  • TWITTER: https://twitter.com/syedirfanajmal
  • LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedirfanajmal/
  • BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Please contact irfan[at]dmr[dot]agency
Oct 13, 202105:46
Brendon Burchard's High Performance Planner - My 1 Year Experience [S04E02]

Brendon Burchard's High Performance Planner - My 1 Year Experience [S04E02]

I started to take self-reflection and planning seriously quite late in my life. However, even when I intentionally wanted to get better at both, I was unable to find good resources. 

I tried a few journals and planners but each has had a myriad of problems. 

That’s when I stumbled upon Brendon Burchard’s High-Performance Planner. In this episode, I share what it is and why I find it to be better. I also share some of the things that it doesn’t help with, and why you are better off starting it after checking Brendon’s book The High Performance Habits first. 

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RELATED RESOURCES

[NOTE: We may earn a small commission from Amazon if you buy anything using our Amazon links, but this doesn’t impact the price you pay]

• How 10 Months of Journaling and Planning Boosted My Productivity: https://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/how-10-months-of-journaling-and-planning-boosted-my-productivity


• Top 11 Scientific Benefits of Writing [INFOGRAPHIC]

https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/top-11-scientific-benefits-writing-infographic/


• High Performance Planner [Lasts 2 Months]: https://amzn.to/3xjo6do


• High Performance Planner [Lasts 12 Months]: https://amzn.to/3yk86bb


• High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way Hardcover – September 19, 2017: https://amzn.to/3AkbXH8 


• GoodReads Reviews of the Planner: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42393626-the-high-performance-planner

• Brendon Burchard’s ResourceS + Downloads Page: https://brendon.com/the-charge-resources-downloads/

[NOTE: We may earn a small commission from Amazon if you buy anything using our Amazon links but this doesn’t impact the price you pay]


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FIND MORE ABOUT US: 


• AGENCY: https://dmr.agency  


• BLOG: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com 


• TWITTER: https://twitter.com/syedirfanajmal


LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedirfanajmal/ 


• BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Please contact irfan[at]dmr[dot]agency

Jul 05, 202120:56
Lead Scraping With Ahrefs {Operation: Competitor Spying} [S04E01]

Lead Scraping With Ahrefs {Operation: Competitor Spying} [S04E01]

Your online visibility can be boosted at significantly lower costs with SEO.

And SEO depends heavily on backlinks.

But how do find backlinks? How to ensure that more of your cold email outreach campaigns get positive replies?

This is where Operation Competitor Spying comes in.

It's simply about checking your competitors via Ahrefs (or similar software) to see which sites have granted them backlinks.

But there's a catch. In fact, there are quite a few catches. You've to ensure you filter the leads you find smartly so as to only end up with sites that will actually boost your search engine rankings. 

Check out this episode to know more.

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RELATED RESOURCES: 

COLAB LINK BUILDING: Collaborating with some other companies in related industries or shoulder niches, in order to earn backlinks: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/collab-link-building-s02e06/ 

CASE STUDY: Taking NTA TO $1.2 MILLION /month revenue from organic traffic: https://dmr.agency/case-studies/national-tyres-and-auto-care-case-study/

TOOLS: AHREFS.COM 

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FIND MORE ABOUT US: 

AGENCY: https://dmr.agency  

BLOG: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com 

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/syedirfanajmal LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedirfanajmal/ 

BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Please contact irfan[at]dmr[dot]agency

Feb 16, 202110:26
Our Agency's 3-Step Client Onboarding Process [S03E10]

Our Agency's 3-Step Client Onboarding Process [S03E10]

Only 2 reasons you clicked on this description: 

1. You are wondering if our onboarding process can be replicated by your company (go ahead; do it)

2. You are considering to use your agency's services (yayy!)

Either way, you will learn a big deal. 

So tighten your seatbelts and facemasks, as I ain't going to disappoint you! 😀

RELATED RESOURCES: 

• INFOGRAPHIC [DMR Client Onboarding Process]: http://bit.ly/38Qz1QP

 • Campaign Google Sheet Sample by DMR:  http://bit.ly/34ZNDMQ

 • Sample Monthly Report for Clients by DMR http://bit.ly/2KQToFG

• OUR AGENCY: https://dmr.agency 

• OUR SERVICES: Performance-based SEO #linkbuilding and #digitalPR

Dec 31, 202011:12
🔗Discussing HARO Outreach, SEO Agency Business, and Backlinks Management with Greg Heilers [S03E09]

🔗Discussing HARO Outreach, SEO Agency Business, and Backlinks Management with Greg Heilers [S03E09]

#seoagency #harooutreach #backlinking

This is a more interactive episode of the show where your host Syed Irfan Ajmal (that's me speaking about myself in 3rd person) had a fellow SEO agency co-founder Greg Heilers on the show to discuss: 

  • how they started HARO outreac
  • their team size and dynamics
  • their pitching process
  • links management (and how the Link Sourcery tool Greg and his team at Jolly are building would make it easier)

PS: I am most excited about the Link Hunters feature of Link Sourcery.

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RELATED RESOURCES: 

  • Greg Heiler's Agency: https://jollyseo.co/
  • Greg Heiler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregheilers/
  • Link Sourcery: linksourcery.com 

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FIND MORE ABOUT US: 

  • AGENCY: https://dmr.agency 
  • BLOG: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com
  • TWITTER: https://twitter.com/syedirfanajmal
  • LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedirfanajmal/
  • BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Please contact irfan[at]dmr[dot]agency
Dec 16, 202001:08:21
➡️⓷#SEObacklinks Tutorial - Type 3 Backlinks [S03E08]

➡️⓷#SEObacklinks Tutorial - Type 3 Backlinks [S03E08]

#seobacklinkstutorial #backlinktypes #thirdbucket

Types of links that fall in the 3rd bucket of links. These include: 

3. (a) Original

3. (b) Duplicate

3. (c) Republished

4. (d) Scraper

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NOTE: LINKS TO OTHER 2 TYPES OF LINK BUCKETS

Type 1: https://youtu.be/Z_2FeHjvDXY

Type 2: https://youtu.be/ZDq9jZxK0lk

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FIND MORE ABOUT US: 

AGENCY: https://dmr.agency 

BLOG: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/syedirfanajmal

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedirfanajmal/


BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Please contact irfan[at]dmr[dot]agency

Oct 17, 202005:39
➡️⓶#SEObacklinks Tutorial - Type 2 Backlinks [S03E07]

➡️⓶#SEObacklinks Tutorial - Type 2 Backlinks [S03E07]

#seobacklinks #contextualbacklinks #authorbiobacklinks

Types of links that fall in the 2nd bucket of links. These include: 

2.(a) Contextual

2. (b) Author Bio

2. (c) Image

2. (d) PDF

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NOTE: LINKS TO OTHER 2 TYPES OF LINK BUCKETS

Type 1: https://youtu.be/Z_2FeHjvDXY

Type 3: https://youtu.be/__UauayC64k

**************************************

FIND MORE ABOUT US: 

AGENCY: https://dmr.agency 

BLOG: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/syedirfanajmal

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedirfanajmal/

BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Please contact irfan[at]dmr[dot]agency

Sep 12, 202005:31
➡️⓵ #SEObacklinks Tutorial - Type 1 Backlinks [S03E06]

➡️⓵ #SEObacklinks Tutorial - Type 1 Backlinks [S03E06]

#seobacklinkstutorial #dofollow #nofollow

Types of links that fall in the 1st bucket of links. These include: 

1. (a) Do-Follow 

1. (b) No Follow 

1. (c) Mention Only 

1. (d) Sponsored/UGC

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NOTE: LINKS TO OTHER 2 TYPES OF LINK BUCKETS

Type 2: https://youtu.be/ZDq9jZxK0lk

Type 3: https://youtu.be/__UauayC64k

**************************************

FIND MORE ABOUT US: 

AGENCY: https://dmr.agency 

BLOG: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/syedirfanajmal

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedirfanajmal/

BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Please contact irfan[at]dmr[dot]agency

Aug 12, 202005:11
✅ SEO Outreach Project Management Made Easy [S03E05]

✅ SEO Outreach Project Management Made Easy [S03E05]

#seoprojectmanagement #googlesheetsprojectmanagement #seooutreach

If you've been earing backlinks at scale, you got to have a good system for organizing your backlinks.

We started using Google Sheets to keep track of our outreach. The Google Sheet you see in the video is used in combination with other tools like Slack, Trello, etc. 

We also use a points-based system whereby our team members earn more points (and higher commission) if they earn a higher DR backlink. The sheet that we use incorporated points as well. 

We also feel having multiple micro-teams to work on the same projects helps in a variety of ways like: 

• healthy competition internally

• ensuring that we are able to meet client goals 

This points-based system along with a team-based structure is critical since outreach is an extremely time-consuming, and at times, unpredictable way to earn quality whitehat backlinks. 

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FIND MORE ABOUT US: 

AGENCY: https://dmr.agency 

BLOG: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/syedirfanajmal

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedirfanajmal/

BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Please contact irfan[at]dmr[dot]agency

Jul 12, 202005:33
🔅HARO Outreach vs Conventional Outreach for Quality Backlinks [S03E04]

🔅HARO Outreach vs Conventional Outreach for Quality Backlinks [S03E04]

#backlinking #seo #haro

We've used both HARO outreach and Conventional outreach to earn quality links for our own sites and the sites of our clients. In this episode, I share how both differ from each other along with which one may be more ideal for you in a given situation. I also share the pros and cons of both along with some examples of links we've earned.   

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The website shown in the video is that of our marketing agency DMR and its URL (in case you want to check it out) is https://dmr.agency/ 

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FIND MORE ABOUT US:   

AGENCY: https://dmr.agency   

BLOG: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com 

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/syedirfanajmal 

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedirfanajmal/ 

BUSINESS INQUIRIES: Please contact irfan[at]dmr[dot]agency

Jun 12, 202026:41
🛠 Faisal Khan on Remote Team Management, Getting Inbound Leads, Working Smarter & More [S03E03]

🛠 Faisal Khan on Remote Team Management, Getting Inbound Leads, Working Smarter & More [S03E03]

Faisal Khan is “an independent banking, payments and fintech consultant”. He helps companies all around the globe “solve their complex banking & payments-related issues.” 

His primary expertise is in “cross-border transfers, payment processing, mobile payments, and licensing/regulatory issues”. 

I first came to know Faisal via his Quora profile before we met at DYS in Peshawar, and then again in Dubai. Speaking of Quora, check this out.

FAISAL KHAN'S QUORA STATS

• ~20 Million Views

• 5000+ Answers

• Earning the “Top Writer” badge from Quora in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018

Content creation on steroids via Quora, YouTube, blogging, and podcasting have been instrumental in generating high-ticket inbound leads for Faisal Khan & Company.

Faisal's business enterprises is a 100% remote company where all the employees are females.

QUOTE:
They [female employees] solve the mess that I make.”
- Faisal Khan on why his company hires women only

SHOW NOTES:

  • Faisal Khan’s background (going from being an engineer to starting a micro remote company way back in 2009)
  • Why Faisal Khan & Company is a 100% remote company?
  • How COVID-19 has made everyone take WFH (work from home) take more seriously.
  • Faisal’s key tips on ensuring that WFH (working from home) for him and every one of his 16-member company is a disciplined, productive, and effective endeavor.
  • Things Faisal misses about the traditional workplace environments, and how WFH is quickly evolving to give similar work experience to remote workers
  • How Faisal Khan leverages inbound marketing to general high ticket leads?
  • Working Harder vs Working Smarter - Faisal Khan shares an excellent example of each. You can’t afford to miss out on this one!
  • Why Faisal Khan & Company has an unlimited leaves policy for all team members?
  • • Why the combination of higher pay and WFH is ideal for both employees and employers?
  • Life Lessons Faisal Khan Wishes He Knew When He Was in His 30’s - (This will be later explained by Faisal in his Youtube Channel)
  • The one misconception people have about change (as in changing personal habits, business practices and more)
  • How change is akin to doing calligraphy


QUOTE:
I don’t go to clients. Clients come to us.”
- How Faisal Khan’s Inbound Lead Generation results in high-ticket sales

RELATED RESOURCES

  • Official Website: https://faisalkhan.com/
  • Blog: https://blog.faisalkhan.com/
  • Podcast: Around The Coin: http://www.aroundthecoin.com/
  • Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Faisal-Khan-1 
  • Faisal Khan’s favorite book on personal development: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
  • [INFOGRPAHIC] How to Manage Remote Teams With HubStaff: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/managing-remote-teams-with-hubstaff-time-tracking/
  • [PODCAST] Liam Martin (CEO of Staff.Com & Time Doctor) on Productivity, Remote Employee Management, & Fighting the Distraction Economy: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/liam-martin-productivity-remote-employee-management-fighting-distraction-economy-s01e02/

➡️ FOR MORE DETAILS PLEASE VISIT https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/faisal-khan-interview/

May 12, 202040:44
👨‍🔧 Remote Work Productivity - Our Top 7 Tools [S03E02]

👨‍🔧 Remote Work Productivity - Our Top 7 Tools [S03E02]

Our agency DMR has been a remote-first company since its inception in 2013. With a team that's spread over multiple cities, countries, and continents, we use the following 7 types of tools to ensure that we maximize efficiency, boost productivity, and ensure seamless communication.

OUR TOP 7 TOOLS FOR REMOTE WORK PRODUCTIVITY

➡️ 1. TIME TRACKING
• We use Hubstaff
• Related Resource #2: Get 10% OFF on HubStaff ❯❯❯
http://ssqt.co/m5emF2J
• Related Resources # 1: [INFOGRAPHIC] Managing Remote Teams: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/managing-remote-teams-with-hubstaff-time-tracking/

➡️ 2. VIDEO MEETINGS
• Zoom + Uber Conference
• Zoom'S URL: https://zoom.us/
• UberConference'S URL: https://www.uberconference.com/ 

➡️ 3. CHAT UPDATES
• We use Slack.
• URL: www.slack.com 

➡️ 4. PROJECT MANAGEMENT

• Trello:
• URL: www.trello.com 

➡️ 5. COLLABORATION
• Google Suite (Google Docs, Spreadsheets, etc)  
• URL: Gsuite.google.com 

➡️ 6. SCREEN CAPTURE
• Skitch / Jing
• Skitch'S URL: https://evernote.com/products/skitch 

➡️ 7. VIDEO SCREEN CAPTURE
• Loom  
• URL: https://www.loom.com

To know why we use these tools and their pros and cons, please check out the episode.

🎯 FOR MORE DETAILS PLEASE VISIT: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/remote-work-productivity-tools/

Apr 20, 202024:12
🎯 Fighting the Corona Recession: Our 7-Pronged Business Plan [S03E01]

🎯 Fighting the Corona Recession: Our 7-Pronged Business Plan [S03E01]

The 3rd season of the SIA Business Podcast is here. And currently, we've been quarantined for several weeks while witnessing how COVID-19 is impacting businesses all around the globe.  

When this video was being published, millions have had applied for social security benefits within the US. Several entrepreneur friends of ours have had reported listing 50-80% of their revenue, and frankly, our own agency DMR wasn't any better.   

So we created this 7-part business plan for battling the Corona recession, and to hopefully not just SURVIVE but THRIVE in the process.   

It is always useful to be proactive and to have a plan in place. We hope our plan on how to tackle the economic impacts of the #coronavirus will help you create a plan for your own business too. 

Wish you good luck!


➡️ FOR MORE DETAILS, PLEASE VISIT: https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/fighting-corona-recession-our-plan


#coronarecession #businessplan #riskmitigation 



Mar 10, 202029:60
⤴️Unleashing Your Inner Sales Warrior With Jason Forrest

⤴️Unleashing Your Inner Sales Warrior With Jason Forrest

Everything we do requires some kind of sales. 

Anytime a kid convinces his parents to let him watch his favorite cartoon for another 30 minutes is sales in action. 

Anytime you persuade a team member to take on a project which she wasn't too excited about initially, is sales. 

Then there's, of course, the more conventional sales. 

And I was keen to discuss that (especially high-ticket selling) with someone who has the right kind of expertise. 

Meet Jason Forrest. 

Jason's Bio

Jason is the founder and CEO of FPG (Forrest Performance Group), a leadership, and sales training company” which was named as one of America’s Best Workplaces for 2017 by Inc. Magazine.

He is also an award-winning speaker and published author.

As a certified NLP Master Practitioner, Jason is on a mission to convince every person that they are enough.

He does so by reprogramming their mindset so as to remove any mental blocks which hold them back from becoming a better version of themselves.

While studying his profile, I checked out some of his previous podcast interviews and training videos. And I can assure our listeners that Jason’s bold, unorthodox, and game-changing mental toughness strategies will surely leave an impact on you.

His most recent book, The Mindset of a Sales Warrior, contains 42 strategies that unleash human performance through transformational mental models.

Last but not least, Jason has also built quite a following over social media given that he has over 1 Million followers on Facebook.

We spoke about sales (obviously), mindset, training, team building, writing, and more. 

Check out the episode to know more. 

➡️ SHOW NOTES & MORE DETAILS AT https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/jason-forrest/



Dec 26, 201955:50
🎯Finding Your Unfair Advantage With Ash Ali & Hasan Kubba [S02E09]

🎯Finding Your Unfair Advantage With Ash Ali & Hasan Kubba [S02E09]

When things go wrong…

We, sometimes, blame OTHERS. 

At other times, we decide that there is something inherently wrong with us, and hence we will never become successful.

But what if I tell you, that each one of us has a unique unfair advantage, leveraging which will make us successful.

ACTUALLY, rather than me telling you about it, why don’t we speak to a couple of gifted entrepreneurs who have tons of related experience and expertise.

OUR GUESTS TODAY:
ASH ALI & HASAN KUBBA who are startup entrepreneurs and the co-authors of an upcoming book called The Unfair Advantage.

ASH'S BIO:
Born to immigrant parents, there was crime and poverty all around Ash in Birmingham. He didn’t go to a university either.

BUT Ash became the first marketing director of Just Eat (an online food order & delivery startup).

And his growth hacking and marketing skills were instrumental in growing JustEat which IPO’ed at £1.5 billion.

HASAN'S BIO:
Hasan
built a successful startup from his bedroom with nothing more than an online course and a yearning to escape the corporate ‘rat race’.

They have each spoken at TEDx, advised and mentored hundreds of startups all over the world, and are passionate about spreading the opportunities of startup entrepreneurship.

SHOW NOTES

In today's episode Hasan and Ali share:

  • How to succeed in an unfair world?
  • What is your unfair advantage
  • What is the MILES framework? 
  • How to use the MILES frame to find and leverage your unfair advantage? 
  • Why being born rich and poor - both can be key to your success? 
  • The 4 types of startup leaders (the visionary, tech expert, commercial leader, the catalyst)
  • How to rid yourself of the impostor syndrome
  • The role of self-awareness in finding your unfair advantage
  • The importance of internal status (credibility, faith, and trust)
  • The role of external status (your accent, the watch you are wearing) 
  • Why you got to focus on your strengths rather than your weaknesses
  • What to do if you don't have all the factors of MILES
  • Why Ash thinks entrepreneurs and leaders need to be generalists rather than specialists
  • The importance of EQ, soft skills in leadership 
  • Why going from a lean marketing budget to a big one became a problem for Ash at JustEat
  • How investing in a £250K TV ad changed everything for JustEat
  • How to go from finding MILES of excuses to succeeding with MILES (Money, Intelligence & Insight, Location & Luck, Status) 
  • How Ash and Hasan used growth hacking principles to come up with an MVP for their book 
  • How Ash and Hasan used UX methodology to make their book super-engaging

RELATED RESOURCES


➡️SHOW NOTES & MORE DETAILS AT www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/

Dec 26, 201957:57
〽️Automated Outreach: Why I (Kind of) Changed My Mind About It? #AskIrfan [S02E08]

〽️Automated Outreach: Why I (Kind of) Changed My Mind About It? #AskIrfan [S02E08]

I always thought of automated outreach as downright insulting, bad, and useless. 

I and our team send customized pitches via HARO (Help a reporter out) which I talk in S01E06 and S01E07 of this podcast. 

And our results speak for themselves:  just got cited on HBR (Harvard Business Review)!> 

Even when we did guest post outreach, we always did our best to personalize our pitches. 

But recently I had a bit of a change of heart regarding automated outreach that many SEOs do in order to earn backlinks. 

Don't get me wrong. 

I still (and always will) absolutely detest all those annoying email pitches which are: 

  • badly researched
  • copy and paste 
  • colder than a "banker's heart" and a "brass toilet seat in the Yukon"

Example: I mean I got one asking me to write about them in my Forbes column, and they were a startup that has had made some kind of special socks.

SOCKS! 

You must have received at least some of those pitches from salespersons, SEOs, and PR 'professionals.

But, I now realize, there's a better way. 

I share what can help you earn links at scale, without annoying your recipients.  

Results Earned

We've used this same technique in quite a simple and basic manner to see results like:

  • Earn backlinks from sites with DR (Domain Rating) of 40 to 70+. 
  • Moving our Google SERPs ranking for a keyword (600 searches/month) from position ~80 to position ~30 
  • Improving rankings of other keywords (100-300 searches/month) and get them to page 2 and 3

Tools Used

  • Ahrefs
  • Hunter.io
  • MailShake
  • G Suite

Check out the episode to know more.

SHOW NOTES & MORE DETAILS AT
https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/

Related Resources: 


Dec 20, 201920:41
🆒Standing Out in the Crowd With This Simple Hack I'd Used in Denmark[S02E07]

🆒Standing Out in the Crowd With This Simple Hack I'd Used in Denmark[S02E07]

🗣Time for a true story from my personal life.   It's in 2008. I'm broke, ill, unemployed, and depressed. 🤒 I've just moved from Stockholm to Copenhagen. I am on the verge of being homeless (and NOT for the first time). And I already feel like a loser and a lost cause. Then, I started doing something different to find a job. My roommates and everyone else was laughing at me and mocking me. ⚡️But after a week or so, I had secured not one but 2 jobs. BENEFITS OF MY UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACH ① live comfortably (for the first time during my Scandinavian stay) ② make some savings ③ learn a few new things ④ realize (with more certainty) that jobs ain't for me ⑤ eventually leave Scandinavia and my 2 jobs, and then finally become a full-fledged entrepreneur E N J O Y ! 🙂 Show Notes & More Details at ➡️ https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/
Nov 01, 201915:59
❇️Collab Link Building [S02E06]
Oct 30, 201908:36
☣️Digital PR Vs SEO: Key Similarities & Differences [S02E05]
Oct 10, 201931:14
📰Leveraging Newsjacking for Content Promotion [S02E04]
Aug 25, 201917:34
🏋️‍♀️Ron Carucci on Power, Leadership, and Persuasion [S02E03]
Aug 07, 201935:13
🀄️Top 3 Mistakes of My ~6 Year Speaking Career [S02E02]

🀄️Top 3 Mistakes of My ~6 Year Speaking Career [S02E02]

I went into speaking without much of a plan or a vision way back in the summer of 2013 when, frankly, I had hit rock bottom after having said farewell to company I was running with multiple co-founders.

It turned out that not only did I enjoy speaking, but it was a good way to position myself as an expert and authority which contributed to a decent flow of inbound leads.

More over, as I later found out, it was also a good excuse for me to enjoy "workactions" abroad once I committed to travel to a country only if I have secured a speaking gig (no matter how small) there.

While I've had the pleasure of speaking and events small and large in multiple countries, there were several mistakes that I've made. Here in this episode, I the biggest 3 which I hope no one else makes.

Check out the episode and enjoy!
Mar 31, 201912:23
✴️ Recap of Season 1 + Introduction of Season 2 [S02E01]

✴️ Recap of Season 1 + Introduction of Season 2 [S02E01]

Let's take a look at what we did during Season 1 of this podcast, followed by what you should expect to learn and listen in Season 2 which we are kicking off with the publishing of this very episode! 

Mar 29, 201910:42
🎯How Negating Conventional Wisdom Led Me to Massive Success [S01E10] #TrueTales

🎯How Negating Conventional Wisdom Led Me to Massive Success [S01E10] #TrueTales

Consider This:

  • We've spent several weeks doing HARO Outreach for a client.
  • We've zero results to show.
  • I first assumed this isn't going to work, and I should stop sending any more pitches.

Bu​t Then I Tried Something Different:

First off, I changed my mindset, by letting go of my fears, my ego, and my presumptions.

THE POWER OF MINDSET + MASSIVE ACTION

Come up with a new plan, after a hard and long look at the facts of the matter, our performance, the quality of our pitches, and what others are doing. We go on to get some brilliant results.

BENEFITS REAPED

① We make much more revenue for our clients and ourselves
② The clients love us
③ Our team's happier

SHOW NOTES & MORE AT ➡️https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/negating-conventional-wisdom-massive-success/

Dec 31, 201809:57
My Top 2 Game-Changing Productivity Hacks of 2018 [S01E09] #SoloEpisode

My Top 2 Game-Changing Productivity Hacks of 2018 [S01E09] #SoloEpisode

🗣[SOLO Episode]: I started doing something different in 2018.  


🚫First off, I realized (by reviewing some data; more on that in another episode) that being busy is NOT always akin to being productive. 🚫


Then, using 2 simple hacks (a bullet journal and a POMODORO app), I was able to:

⚡️minimize distractions
⚡️ maximize focus
⚡️boost my productivity
⚡️ attain exponential ROI growth in 2018

Check out the episode to know how I use these hacks, and how they helped me.


📖SHOW NOTES & MORE AT: ➡️ https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/2-game-changing-productivity-hacks-2018/


Dec 24, 201807:19
PR Expert Melanie Marten Speaks About a $2.3 Million ROI Publicity Stunt & More [S01E08]

PR Expert Melanie Marten Speaks About a $2.3 Million ROI Publicity Stunt & More [S01E08]

400 media mentions & press clippings in 4 weeks, along with the artwork being bought for $2.3 million. ⚡️ Not a bad result for a controversial publicity stunt (or should we call it an art project) right? German 🇩🇪 Public Relations expert and entrepreneur Melanie Marten shares what Die Guillotine (The Guillotine in German) was, what was its main purpose, and how it was pulled off. Melanie also shares her insights on PR in general, how she got into PR, the right way to pitch and build relations with editors & journalists, and how companies can leverage PR to be more ⓀⓃⓄⓌⓃ. SHOW NOTES & MORE AT ➡️ https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/melanie-marten-public-relations/
Dec 06, 201801:04:05
Unique Twist to HARO Outreach for Better & Improved Backlinks #AskIrfan [S01E07]

Unique Twist to HARO Outreach for Better & Improved Backlinks #AskIrfan [S01E07]

THE BACKGROUND: Experts like Neil Patel suggest that (most) companies should (for the most part) avoid homepage links as these are not going to increase conversions. This is because the home page isn't usually focused on a single or particular product, service, or keyword. THE PROBLEM: Keeping this in mind, how beneficial is it for you to earn backlinks via HARO (since you typically get homepage links via it), and what is HARO's true #SEOvalue for your brand and business? THE SOLUTION: In this episode, we speak about this issue in detail, and we also suggest a unique twist you can employ in your #HAROoutreach to earn inner pages backlinks. Yes it is possible and you can implement it with ease. This tactic (which we've implemented with good success) will boost your SEO, and increase your targetted and 'free' organic traffic, leads, and revenue. SHOW NOTES & MORE DETAILS AT ➔ https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/haro-outreach-twist-for-better-backlinks/
Nov 30, 201817:06
How to Earn Publicity & Backlinks With HARO? #ASKIrfan [S01E06]

How to Earn Publicity & Backlinks With HARO? #ASKIrfan [S01E06]

In this solo #ASKIrfan episode I share: • what HARO is • How we increased our HARO success rate from 0% to 47.06% • the one Chrome extension which will make your HARO campaign 10X better SHOW NOTES & OTHER DETAILS AT ➔ https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/publicity-backlinks-haro-s01e06/
Nov 30, 201814:41
Top 3 SEO Myths of Today? #ASKIrfan [S01E05]

Top 3 SEO Myths of Today? #ASKIrfan [S01E05]

In this episode, I answer a commonly asked question, "What are the top SEO myths of today?" IMHO, the top 3 SEO myths of today include: 1. SEO is D.E.A.D. 2. SEO is all about writing search engine optimized content. Yep, stuffing your article and its meta description with commercial keywords won't get you ranked (unless, perhaps, if you are working on local SEO, or an extremely rare low-competition industry) 3. Well, let's have you listen to the episode to find this one out ;) I also speak about: • The difference between old SEO and new SEO. Hint: One is spammy & low-quality while the other is better, nicer (to your readers and search engine bots), bigger & stronger. • What makes backlinking extremely critical to attaining sustainable and 'free' organic traffic (and no we ain't talking about low-quality, irrelevant backlinks harvested through software or spammy VAs). • And much more! ◉ PS: With this episode, I am starting a new format of the SIA Business Show whereby, from time to time, I will be doing solo episodes to answer questions listeners have asked me, or to share things that I would like to speak about. *** ◉ PPS: The original format (long-form interviews with distinguished entrepreneurs, marketers, speakers, creatives etc will continue).*** FOR SHOW NOTES & MORE, PLEASE VISIT ➔ https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/top-3-seo-myths-sia-s01e05/
Oct 24, 201811:26
Elvin Zhang on 6 Figure Exits, Pitching to VCs, & Blockchain Technology [S01E04]

Elvin Zhang on 6 Figure Exits, Pitching to VCs, & Blockchain Technology [S01E04]

Elvin Zhang is a Singapore-based polymath and #startupfounder with his interests ranging from Quantum Physics to #Blockchain and #Fintech. He also has won an award for playing a unique Chinese musical instrument. 

In this episode he speaks about:

• Why his family moved him from China to Singapore
• Why he spends 70% of his social media time on Facebook and 30% of his time on #WeChat (a Chinese super-app)
• Why he rejected UC Berkley after getting rejected from MIT, Stanford, and Harvard (and why he lied about it to his parents)
• Elvin's first business in a $100 million Singaporean industry
• Elvin's first startup exit (a 6 figure USD amount)
• How Toucan Pay came into being
• Why Peter Thiel's Zero to One concept means different things for different startups
• The mismatch between business and technical teams
• The right way to pitch to VCs
• The importance of Blockchain Technology

FOR SHOW NOTES & MORE, PLEASE VISIT ➔ https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/elvin-zhang-startups-sia-s01e04/

Jul 31, 201801:08:34
Lisa Zahran on Million Dollar Campaigns, Copywriting, & Email Marketing [S01E03]

Lisa Zahran on Million Dollar Campaigns, Copywriting, & Email Marketing [S01E03]

From being a biotechnologist in New Zealand to an entrepreneurial and “spiritual” #copywriter in Malaysia, Lisa Zahran has a pretty interesting story. 
Listen to her speak about: • The first #milliondollar campaign she helped launch at #Mindvalley • Exponential growth through a combination of functional and cross-functional teams • The key ingredients of a great #landingpage • How good #emailmarketing is “like a knock on the door” • Tips on sales emails, launch sequences, and how to “plant the seeds of curiosity” to build suspense • Strategically mapping out content versus just ranting, and how the number 1 rule of chefs “respect the knife” can help you be better at it • Why #genuinescarcity is better than fake scarcity, and how to use it • Key things entrepreneurs should look for while working with a copywriter • Her FREE ebook "5 Success Mindsets to Boost Impact & Sales With Integrity"  FOR SHOW NOTES & MORE, PLEASE VISIT ➔ https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/lisa-zahran-copywriting-sia-01e03/
Jun 06, 201801:00:50
Liam Martin on Productivity, Remote Employee Management, & Fighting the Distraction Economy [S01E02]

Liam Martin on Productivity, Remote Employee Management, & Fighting the Distraction Economy [S01E02]

A shocking failure led Liam to ditch his Ph.D., and he then went on to create Staff.com and Time Doctor both of which improve productivity through #timeanalytics & #timetracking. Managing 80 employees #workingremotely from 27 countries, Liam has spent the last 10 years working measuring & improving productivity. Liam talks about: • How productivity & staying in office for 8-10 hours are not the same • The benefits and challenges of remote work • The one personality type that’s ideal for remote working • How to hire and groom remote employees • Why Liam spends 2 hours each day doing nothing except thinking • How the Distraction Economy spends trillions of $$$ to keep you distracted & addicted • Liam reveals a secret project: comparing your health data with your productivity • The goals of the Running Remote Conference that Liam & Co are organizing (it’s happening in a Bamboo jungle of Bali!) • A discount for our listeners if they want to attend Running Remote Conference FOR SHOW NOTES & MORE, PLEASE VISIT ➔ https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/liam-martin-productivity-remote-employee-management-fighting-distraction-economy-s01e02/
Apr 27, 201858:29
Peter Gould on Design Thinking, Branding, and Productivity [S01E01]

Peter Gould on Design Thinking, Branding, and Productivity [S01E01]

From designing kids apps to games, and from creating a clothing range to multiple online creative platforms to getting an award from the ruler of Dubai, Aussie entrepreneur Peter Gould has done it all.

His Islamic Design Thinking company has worked with governments, a Prime Minister, and brands like Etihad Airways, Thomson Reuters, and more.



In this podcast episode, Peter talks about:

• How, during the early years, Peter used to get an hour of sleep in the corporate boardroom before the client’s arrival to make up for sleepless nights 

• How Peter and his team helped an organization raise over a million dollars of extra donations (70% increase)

• Using the Dove Analogy for better work performance. It's really good! 

• The significance of the 4-Hour Work Week and how many people get it wrong 

• Peter’s tips for the shift from employment to entrepreneurship

• Peter’s secret but simple marketing strategy for bagging big brands

Show notes are & other details at ➔ https://www.syedirfanajmal.com/podcast/peter-gould-s01e01/

Feb 11, 201841:30