Learning how to create a Pinterest marketing strategy can feel really overwhelming for some business owners. They have questions, need guidance, and look to experts to alleviate their fears that they are doing something wrong. Today, an alumni from our group coaching program, the Simple Pin Inner Circle is sharing her story of multiple pivots in her business, her first hand experience with our small group Pinterest coaching, and how she is using Pinterest quizzes to grow her email list.
The Simple Pin Inner Circle is opening its doors again! If you’re looking for help with your Pinterest marketing goals, this group coaching/mastermind might be the solution for you. Doors open now and will close on September 4th.
Amanda McKinney was part of our second Inner Circle Cohort. When we designed The Inner Circle, our goal was to create a learning experience that blended education with interactive communication, allowing for back-and-forth exchanges similar to answering questions or coaching, along with visual, hands-on learning through video content.
Note: The Simple Pin Podcast is adding a video component over on our YouTube channel. So if you want to watch Amanda and Kate’s conversation, hop over there.
An INterview With Amanda McKinney
Kate: Amanda, welcome back to the podcast!
Amanda: Thank you so much for having me, Kate. I’m thrilled to be here!
Kate: I’m always excited to talk with you. When you were last on the podcast we discussed Pinterest Ads. But today, we’re focusing on group coaching, our Pinterest Marketing course, and how it’s benefited your Pinterest marketing. The term “coaching” can be quite polarizing—some find it inspiring and transformative, while others think it’s not beneficial or anything they want to be part of. I hope we can shed some light on how group coaching can be a positive experience, while also acknowledging the negative experiences some people may have had.
Making Business Pivots
Kate: But first, tell us about your business. I know you’ve recently rebranded and made some changes. It’s a unique story, especially for those of us navigating transitions in 2023 and 2024. How did you move from your first business to this new iteration?
Amanda: This is going to be a fun conversation! I’ve been wanting to dive into this topic on my own podcast, so this is a great opportunity. Working with your team really prompted me to think about helping others through business pivots and changes. It was during these interactions that I realized I should assist people going through similar transitions.
When I first pivoted my business, I didn’t think much about how it would impact my traffic. But this time, I came to the table with a full understanding of what to expect, which I think many people lack. I certainly did during my first pivot. This time around, I knew that everything would slow down significantly, or even come to a complete halt for a while. I wasn’t sure how long this pause would last, but I was prepared for it. Pinterest, for example, was one area I anticipated would experience a slowdown.
So let’s rewind to 2017. I was laid off from my job and decided to start my own business. It’s actually a fun part of my story—during a job interview for a Director of Marketing position, I realized they needed someone to implement strategy, not just a director. I tried to get them to hire me as a consultant. That was the moment I considered starting my own business. I went from one Google search to listening to podcasts and reading books, gradually learning and helping people.
I ended up consulting on various marketing tasks. Through saying yes to different opportunities, I eventually taught a class on email marketing. Afterward, a yoga teacher told me she hadn’t seen herself as a business owner until I pointed it out. This inspired me to focus on yoga teachers, and I spent the next four years working exclusively with them.
In 2022, I began receiving feedback from non-yoga teachers who listened to my podcast. This shift in audience was organic—I wasn’t pivoting; my audience was evolving. I started focusing on all entrepreneurs and small business owners, removing the term “yoga teacher” from my messaging.
Then, in 2023, after publishing my book, I realized I no longer wanted to focus on marketing. This was a major shift that I wasn’t fully prepared for. My book coach encouraged me to write the book I truly wanted to write, not just the one I felt I should write. This moment helped me understand that while marketing remains a skill I offer, it’s not my primary focus.
Transitioning away from marketing took about a year, and I appreciate the support from your team during this period. They recognized that I knew this transition would take time and that there would be an initial dip in numbers, revenue, and website traffic. The impact wasn’t immediate, but I was prepared for the long haul.
Now, my focus is on helping female entrepreneurs navigate changes in their business, whether they’re pivoting or feeling stuck and ready to take action. Crafting this message has been challenging, but it’s been a significant revelation, with Pinterest playing a key role in refining my approach.
Kate: That’s such a great insight. So, you made two significant pivots. The first was moving from a corporate job to entrepreneurship—a big leap for many. Some people find this transition liberating, while others struggle with the lack of structure. For you, did the initial pivot from corporate life to running your own business feel like a perfect fit, or were there challenges along the way?
The Shift From CORPORATE Life To Running A Business
Amanda: My initial reaction was that I absolutely loved it. The freedom and flexibility were exactly what I wanted, and I didn’t even realize how much I craved it. I had been on a path to climb the corporate ladder, aiming for top executive roles, and never imagined starting my own business. Once I experienced the flexibility, I knew I never wanted to work for someone else again.
That said, the transition wasn’t without its challenges. I was used to a structured schedule, and suddenly having all this freedom was disorienting. I remember a mentor once told me, “You’ll need to get used to the ebbs and flows of entrepreneurship.” At the time, I heard the words but didn’t fully grasp their meaning. The fluctuations in entrepreneurial life felt far more pronounced than the busy seasons of corporate work, and the instability of not having a regular paycheck was tough. I’m still navigating those ebbs and flows today.
Kate: That makes a lot of sense. And it’s interesting how you then moved into a niche, working with yoga teachers. Did that pivot feel like it fit better, or did you encounter new challenges?
Amanda: The shift to working with yoga teachers felt like it was a natural progression. I really enjoyed it and found it rewarding. However, it wasn’t always smooth sailing. I noticed that as my business evolved, my audience began to shift organically. People who weren’t yoga teachers were reaching out to me and feeling the need to apologize for not fitting into that specific niche. This led to my next pivot, where I broadened my focus to include entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Kate: It’s fascinating to see how your business has evolved. I’ve noticed that some entrepreneurs either pivot successfully or face burnout. I really appreciate how you’ve continued to find your voice and adapt. I experienced something similar with my own business. For years, I felt confined to only discussing Pinterest, but over time, I realized that Pinterest is just one part of the broader business landscape.
Being able to share diverse business stories that include Pinterest has been freeing. It’s amazing how businesses can grow, pivot, and evolve in so many ways.
Amanda: Absolutely. And I love hearing that. Your story and how you’ve navigated your own evolution are inspiring. I remember your story about meeting your first employee at the grocery store—it’s one of my favorite anecdotes. It’s a reminder that business stories often have unexpected and personal touches.
And speaking of personal touches, I want to highlight how you and your team have created such a positive and empowering culture. I know we’re going to talk about the Inner Circle, and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some of your amazing team members. The culture you’ve built is truly special, and it’s clear that the women who work with you genuinely love being part of your team.
Pinterest For Business
Kate: That means a lot to hear. Building a supportive and inspiring culture has been one of my greatest joys. I’m incredibly grateful for the amazing team I have and the community we’re creating.
I was commenting on a thread the other day where someone asked, “How do I get my business to a point where I can take time away and not feel like I’m chained to it all the time?” And I responded with, “Hire a team.” It’s a crucial step, but it’s challenging. For one, it requires capital, and for another, it involves training and navigating personality dynamics. That can be tough, especially right now when many are feeling stretched thin financially.
However, it’s worth noting that hiring doesn’t have to mean bringing someone on full-time with benefits. It can start with hiring someone for a few hours a week or bringing on someone for specific tasks. It’s about finding what works for you. And a team can also include coaches, guides, and groups. It’s about discovering what suits you best.
My experience with coaching, both group and one-on-one, has shown me that finding the right fit is crucial. It’s not just about the person but also the group dynamic. Each experience is unique, and just because one didn’t work out doesn’t mean others won’t. You might find that you thrive in a group setting or that one-on-one coaching is more beneficial.
That’s actually how we approached creating the Simple Pin Inner Circle. We wanted to see if a small group following a structured curriculum could be more effective than a one-off consultation or a membership model. It was an experiment to determine the best way to achieve results for our clients.
So, let’s backtrack a bit to what you mentioned earlier about Pinterest. How did Pinterest factor into your new business direction? Many people tend to prioritize platforms like TikTok or Instagram, with Pinterest often falling lower on their list.
Amanda: Pinterest has always been a priority for me. With my background in marketing and corporate roles, I learned that if your business isn’t searchable, you’re missing out on future opportunities. Pinterest, alongside SEO, is crucial for long-term visibility. Social media is great, but I’ve always seen it as supplementary rather than central to a strategy.
When I first started my business, I had limited resources, both in time and money. I knew I needed to be strategic about where I invested my efforts. I’ve always advocated for understanding the basics before outsourcing. If you don’t know what to do with Pinterest or SEO, it’s easy to get taken advantage of. So, I encourage my clients to get a foundational grasp before they hire help.
That’s why I appreciated the Inner Circle so much. It allowed me to dive deep into Pinterest strategies and understand them thoroughly before handing off the reins. The Inner Circle was instrumental in helping me set up a strategy that worked for my pivot. Even though I was initially overwhelmed by the changes, I was proud of the work I had done since 2017 because it set me up well for this new phase of my business.
Kate: And you also reached out to me about a quiz for growing your email list, which was quite a while ago. I remember I was dealing with some health issues at the time. It was a rough period for me, but I’m glad that our discussion led to you connecting with my team and joining the Inner Circle.
Amanda: Yes, that was a turning point. Even though it was during a challenging time for you, it led to a significant shift for me. Meeting with your team and joining the Inner Circle provided me with the support and insights I needed. It’s been an invaluable part of my business’s growth and adaptation.
Quizzes For Email Growth
Kate: So tell us about that first “aha” moment when you realized you could use a quiz and Pinterest to grow your audience. How did you connect the dots?
Amanda: Oh, that’s a great question. I think it ties back to my initial focus on searchability and building my email list. Social media is a nice addition but not my main priority. I’m really committed to not building my business on borrowed land. So, my focus has always been on creating searchable content and growing my email list—those are my top priorities.
When clients ask how I’ve managed to stay in business and adapt through various pivots, I always point to the value of having a solid email list. Even when I shifted from helping yoga teachers to working with female entrepreneurs, my email list stayed with me. It’s been crucial in maintaining connections and navigating transitions.
I was also experimenting with quizzes as a way to grow my list. My journey with quizzes started when I connected with one of the co-founders of Tri Interact back in 2020. Their story was fascinating, and they were generous in sharing their insights. I stayed connected with them, and when I wanted to revisit quizzes, I reached out again. They were working on integrating AI into their system, which was exciting.
Using their AI tool, you can generate a quiz in just two minutes by inputting your URL. This was a game-changer for me because, historically, creating quizzes was a major hurdle. The AI tool made it incredibly easy to create a quiz quickly. I realized immediately that if the quiz wasn’t performing well, it often meant that my messaging needed adjustment.
After making some tweaks to my quiz based on the AI feedback, I saw a significant improvement in traffic. That’s when I decided to use Pinterest to drive traffic to my quiz. However, I wasn’t sure how to make that work effectively. That’s when I reached out to you.
The Inner Circle
Amanda: You connected me with your team, and from there, I joined the Inner Circle. I wanted to learn not just how to use Pinterest for my quiz, but also how to set it up so it would run in the background without requiring constant attention. Pinterest is not entirely passive, but once set up correctly, it has a long shelf life and doesn’t require daily interaction like Instagram.
Kate: Exactly. One common issue we see is that people often focus on how many pins to post daily or which keywords to use without giving enough thought to the images themselves. It’s crucial to create compelling visuals that encourage people to click. That’s the first step in getting noticed on Pinterest.
You need to make sure the image stands out and grabs attention, then ensure your landing page aligns with what they’re looking for when they click through. It’s about making the entire process—from the image to the landing page—work seamlessly together. You did the right thing by focusing on refining your quiz and its messaging. It’s not just about blasting pins; it’s about strategic tweaks to enhance conversions.
Amanda: Absolutely. The process of refining the quiz and ensuring it’s compelling from start to finish has been eye-opening. It’s not just about putting content out there but about making sure everything aligns and resonates with the audience. That holistic approach has made a significant difference in my results.
The benefits of Group Coaching
Kate: Can you share some of the key ah-ha moments you had? Or benefits you saw in the Inner Circle?
Amanda: Oh my gosh, Kate, there were so many! Let me start by saying that one of my biggest hang-ups was the account cleanup. I was dreading it, thinking it was going to take forever and be a huge task. It felt like it would be a major undertaking, but in reality, it wasn’t as complicated as I had built it up to be.
The Inner Circle was such a game-changer for me. They provided this super straightforward one-page document and a 10-minute video. It was so helpful—just watch the video and follow the steps. Everything was broken down into short, manageable pieces, which was a huge relief. I remember thinking, “This isn’t as hard as I thought it would be.” The support from the group and the structured approach made it so much easier.
Kate: I mean that’s so great to hear because we did change a few things between our first and second cohort. In our first cohort, we realized that we had initially overcomplicated the cleanup and auditing steps. We had packed too much into the beginning, which risked overwhelming participants. So we decided to extend the program over six to seven weeks, allowing people to digest the material more comfortably.
We based the program on our accelerator package, which we use with clients regularly. Given the current economic climate, we wanted to ensure that people could handle the tasks themselves if they couldn’t afford to outsource.
The revised approach allowed participants to understand the rationale behind each step, develop their Pinterest strategy, and apply a structured methodology. We really hoped that by guiding them through this process, they would be able to finish the program feeling confident and well-equipped to refine their strategies as needed.
Images + Keywords
Amanda: Whatever you changed, it worked great!
Another thing I want to mention is how my eyes were opened to keyword strategy. I used to focus only on broad keywords, but I realized how important it is to mix in niche-specific terms as well. This helped me target my audience more effectively. And when it comes to images, my big ah-ha moment was understanding how crucial the visual appeal is. It’s not just about having a nice image; it’s about optimizing it for Pinterest with the right dimensions and a compelling call to action.
But just going back to my experience with your group coaching program, I found it so valuable to get feedback and make adjustments. For instance, I asked your team if they could create a video showing us how to pin in Tailwind. It turned out that a lot of others wanted that too. It made me realize that asking questions and seeking specific help can be incredibly beneficial, and it’s something others might also need.
And I know a lot of people have opinions and feelings about group coaching, but the group dynamic in the Inner Circle was fantastic. The Slack channel was a lifeline for me. I wasn’t afraid to ask every question that came to mind, and that openness helped me get the answers I needed. It’s true that you get out what you put in—dedicating time to engage and take action was crucial for me. If you’re considering joining a coaching program or group, be prepared to fully engage and ask questions. It’s a process, and the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it. And remember, there are no silly questions—chances are, others have the same ones.
And I’ll add here that when I signed up for it, I was honest in asking myself if I could really dedicate time to it? Like, can I dedicate three to five hours a week or two hours a week? To not just going through the motions, but actually take the actions. Because if the answer is no, I don’t need to waste anyone’s time.
Kate: I agree that the time commitment piece is essential. We emphasize that on our sales page-this isn’t just a 30-minute-a-week effort. If you believe Pinterest is a key component of your marketing strategy, this investment is crucial for achieving the growth you need for your business.
Another thing I want to bring up is that there’s often so much mystery around strategies because we see these posts and stories about how someone went from zero to hero on Pinterest, but the details are usually vague. Sometimes it’s just a matter of seeing exactly how things are done.
Amanda: Exactly. And it’s been really helpful to see how even small tweaks can make a big difference. For example, with Pinterest, I had always thought that stock images were the way to go, but when I tested using a personal photo, like a picture of me with my podcast mic, it performed way better than I expected. It was a huge insight for me, and it’s something I wouldn’t have discovered without trying it out.
Kate: That’s fantastic to hear. It’s all about testing and finding what works for your brand. And it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. What works for one person might not work for another, and that’s where the willingness to experiment comes in.
Amanda: Exactly. It’s a challenge, but it’s also what makes it interesting. I’ve learned that sometimes you just have to throw things out there and see what happens. Not everything will work, and that’s okay. Most of the time, things won’t perform as expected, but every now and then, you find something that really clicks. It’s about having realistic expectations and understanding that it’s part of the process.
Another New Phase of Business
Kate: Alright, Amanda, let’s recap and start wrapping things up. You’ve gone through quite an entrepreneurial shift, written a book, and are now focusing on dialing in your quiz. Looking ahead, where do you see your business in the latter half of 2024?
Amanda: You’re catching me on a particularly interesting day! Just last week, I was feeling like everything was falling apart. I had one of those moments where it felt like nothing was working and that my business might not make it through the year. But today, everything seems to be falling into place. I’ve had a couple of opportunities pop up—like being asked to speak at events, which is something I’ve wanted to do for a while. I’m discovering that speaking engagements and thought leadership might be more of a focus for me moving forward. I’ve always loved connecting with people in person and virtually, and I want to continue encouraging others to take risks and go for their goals.
Kate: That’s so exciting! It sounds like you’re embracing this new phase of your business with enthusiasm. And it’s great to hear that the podcast and your thought leadership are becoming central to your plans.
Amanda: Yes, and the podcast isn’t going anywhere—I’m still very much committed to it. But the shift towards more speaking engagements and sharing insights on goal setting and achieving business milestones is where I see myself focusing. I compare it to playing a game of shoots and ladders—sometimes you climb up, and other times you slide back down, but it’s all part of the journey.
Kate: I love that analogy. And I’m really excited for you and the possibilities that lie ahead, especially with your quiz and how Pinterest will play into your strategy over the next year. I appreciate your kind words about Simple Pin Media and the Inner Circle. Starting a new program, especially something like group coaching, always comes with risks, but the feedback we’ve received has been fantastic. We’re about to kick off our third cohort at the end of August, and we’re keeping it to six weeks to ensure it’s manageable and impactful.
Amanda: That’s wonderful to hear. And for anyone listening, if you’re considering diving into Pinterest or thinking about a business pivot, this is a great time. Joining the program now can set you up with a solid strategy before the end of the year. The program helped me develop a strategy that’s both effective and manageable, even though I know I’ll eventually hand it off to my team.
Kate: I’m thrilled that the program has been so beneficial for you. And for our listeners, this is the first time we’ve recorded a podcast with video! You can check out our YouTube channel to see Amanda and me in action. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more content.
Amanda: Definitely, and for anyone interested in connecting with me, the best way is to take my quiz. It’s a quick, fun quiz that takes just two minutes. You can find it at amandamckinney.com/quiz. Right now, it’s designed to uncover your “Get Unstuck Anthem” with options like Alicia Keys, Carrie Underwood, Keala Settle from The Greatest Showman, or Taylor Swift.
Kate: I love that! Taylor Swift had to be a part of it. It’s so creative. And I think it’s a great example of how iteration and tweaking can lead to something really engaging.
Amanda: Exactly. It took a few versions to get it right, but it’s all about adjusting and refining. When people respond positively, you know you’ve hit the mark.
Kate: Well, Amanda, thank you so much for joining us today and for sharing your insights and experiences. It’s been a pleasure, and I really appreciate your time.
Amanda: Thank you, Kate! It’s been great talking with you, and I’m excited to see where everything goes from here.
More Pinterest Marketing Resources:
Join The Simple Pin Inner Circle!
Watch: Amanda and Kate’s Conversation on the Inner Circle + Group Coaching
