{#6} July 6: Matcha tea, decluttering + a killer FB post

I’m currently a week into my experiment of writing a blog post each day of the week (M-F) throughout the month of July, and already I’ve had a few realizations:

1. Keeping a list of topics + ideas on the notes of my phone is crucial. Inspiration normally doesn’t strike at the specific time I’m ready to write, and it’s hard to recall inspired ideas from earlier in the day.

2. Writing one day in advance is my sweet spot. Writing the day of becomes too pressure filled. The day prior still feels current and of-the-moment, minus the deadline induced stress.

3. Keeping things succinct is a challenge for me (I’m working on it). I tend towards long emails that take even longer to write. Which isn’t ideal for a daily emailing routine.

4. Despite taking up some of my limited worktime time, I’m genuinely still looking forward to writing this email each day, which is good news!

Today, in my pursuit of trying out different writing styles and blog formats to keep things fresh, I’m giving a nod to the weekly newsletter style of Austin Kleon (author of the excellent book, Show your Work) and I'm giving you 10 things that I find worth sharing this week:

1. I’m a new convert to Matcha tea. I wanted to cut down to 1 cup of coffee per day, and I needed a good replacement to fill my other cups. You’ll now find me with warm or cold Matha lattes frothed up with almond milk, that are hitting the spot for me.

2. On the weekly Q+A call with my Overlooked 2 Obsessed program members, I shared about the Chrome extension, Loom. It’s pretty much the simplest (free) way I know to easily record screenshare videos (also with the option to show your pretty face!). Perfect for tutorials, personal video memos, or even course recordings!

3. This killer FB post from Ron Reich on “10 Steps to Building a $500,000 per Year Expert Business” is must-read material.

4. Anyone else with little kiddos that have decided their summer activity of choice is to push each others’ buttons? (as well as mommy’s!) I’m listening to this book on Audible, and can already tell a significant difference in our home dynamic when I utilize the strategies!

5. I mentioned in one of my earlier emails this week that I’d bought a makeup course, and I received several messages back asking me which one! In case you were wondering, this is it.

6. On Monday, Kendrick Shope (creator of Sales School - the leading online sales training for female entrepreneurs) kicks off her month of free sales training centered around how to get more clients. She’s been my personal mentor this year, and I highly recommend you take advantage of this opportunity to learn her sales skills for free!

7. Want to *finally* get around to that personal goal you've been putting off for-EVER?! (think fitness, relationships, finances, etc.) Adrienne Dorsion is hosting “Commit Camp” in a private FB group to encourage everyone to commit to making ONE of your personal goals (no business allowed) happen. It kicks off on Monday.

8. My husband and I are trying to make it a priority to work on US more this summer (which often gets pushed to the backburner with 3 little kids and busy lives). We’re loving the ideas and strategies from Rachel and Kyle at the Wright Wellness Center.

9. Two of the ladies in my Live More Mastermind program put together this incredibly detailed prep + launch checklist for when you’re ready to launch a new website. Literally step-by-step through the entire process!

10. I’ve been working on decluttering our home and throwing things away room by room this summer. This blog has been the biggest inspiration to me on this journey, especially considering she’s making it happen with 5 little kiddos in tow.

That’s a wrap!

Happy dog-days of summer weekend, and I’ll see you on Monday!

xx

Summer

{#5} July 5: Why the majority of people get NO results in their business

Formulas. Step-by-step. Duplicatable. Systems.

There is a reason we’re so drawn to them.

Because who wouldn’t want to get it right the first time?!

A formula that tells me exactly what to do to avoid setbacks and mistakes? Sign me up!

:: Follow these 15 steps and you’ll meet your dream guy in less than 3 months ...

:: Here’s the 12 step formula to host a $10K+ producing webinar …

:: Duplicate this recruitment system to bring in 7 new leads your first month …

:: Here’s the exact system to lose 10 pounds by Labor Day …

Now let’s say the person making these claims is honest, and has achieved the results promised for themselves or for someone else they have assisted.

There’s no denying the formula works. It’s been proven it does.

So where’s the hang-up?

How come when you purchase the course/program/coaching/ebook that makes this claim, you don’t achieve the same results?

Of course there are variables at work.

But doesn’t it stand to reason that even if you didn’t lose the full 10 lbs or bring in exactly the $10K claimed, that you’d still achieve some pretty incredible results if you do your best to follow the system?

So what gives?

Why do the large majority of people get little to no results?

It’s not because they didn’t implement correctly.

It’s because they didn’t stay with it long enough to make it work.

You’ve got to develop the grit needed to ignore the shiny new formulas being dangled in front of you every day, and commit to that ONE until it works for you too.

I love a concept that Clay Collins (from LeadPages) developed called “The Five Ones”.

5 Things. One for Each:

--> ONE Target Market: ideally one that you truly enjoying talking with and serving

--> ONE Product: that you fully believe in

--> ONE Conversion Tool: for example webinars, sales calls, live events, etc. (only pick one)

--> ONE Traffic: a scalable source that won’t “run out”

--> ONE Year: focus in for a full year sharpening your skills in each of your “ONES”

There’s nothing complicated about it.

Really, it’s quite simple.

Yet, the dedication needed to ignore the shiny objects fighting for your attenion and stay the course, means a very small percentange will actually do it.

Will you take the plunge?

xx

Summer

{#4} July 4: Freedom

Freedom.

Today we celebrate in the USA. Independence Day.

It's a value that too often we take for granted.

I take for granted.

5 short years ago I was an elementary school teacher that wasn't sure how I'd ever fulfil my dream of being a stay-at-home Mom.

Now life looks much different.

It's definitely not all rainbows and roses. Balancing 3 strong-willed, indepedent little kiddos while running a business, isn't for the faint of heart. But what life is?

So today I celebrate my freedom ...

And I encourage YOU to celebrate your's, wherever you are on this journey.

Your freedom ... to open your mind to new possibilities and push the status-quo.

Your freedom ... to say yes, even when it pushes hard against your comfort zone.

Your freedom ... to take the first step forward, and then dragging that second foot up to meet it.

Your freedom ... to decide, and then making the same conscious choice every single day.

Your freedom ... to fail, and fail again, and again ... yet still keep striving.

It's not a "someday" type thing. It's not a "once I've made it" type thing.

As Seth Godin said in his daily email this morning ...

It's not Independence Day ... it's Responsibility Day ... because what matters is what you're actually going to do with it!

Doing nothing is a choice. (one I don't suggest)

Freedom is a choice.

And today I choose to celebrate.

Happy July 4th 'Merica!

xx

Summer

{#3} July 3: What an e-course on makeup taught me about sales

I recently purchased an e-course on how to do makeup.

Now, if you know anything about me, I’m the type of girl who normally shows up with a swipe of face powder, a little brown mascara, and potentially some clear chapstick (if I can find it).

MAYBE … just maybe … I’ll put on a little lipstick if it’s an important event.

Basically I’m the girl who most of the time is rocking the “I rolled out of bed like this look".

Did you know people actually put on makeup to look like they don’t have makeup on?

Who knew!?

But back to the point.

So how did a girl like me become convinced that I needed a course on doing my makeup?

If I had of received marketing emails that pitched me on learning how to pick the ideal lipstick color, or how to do the perfect smokey eye (is that even a "thing" any more?), I would have deleted the emails without a second thought.

At first glance, that’s how you might think you’d market a makeup course, right?

Maybe that would make sense if your audience was already sold on wanting to learn how to do makeup.

But remember … the need to improve my makeup skills hadn’t even crossed my mind at this point.

It wasn't even a blip of a desire on my radar.

So what did the emails say instead?

(Listen in to yourself and see how this resonates with you; especially if you’re a Mom of littles, since that was the intended audience.)

The person marketing the course shared that after going through this course (she was an affiliate for it), she ….

• Started wanting to go out with her husband more and they created a weekly date night

• Started doing more live videos in her business, thereby increasing her engagement and revenue

• Started feeling confident running errands spur-of-the-moment, without praying she didn’t run into anyone she knew

• Started feeling more secure, confident, more beautiful, more capable

Look back through that list.

Was makeup ever mentioned? Even once?

Nope, not a chance.

Makeup didn’t sell this course to me.

The feelings, outcomes, benefits … the potential results in my life …. THOSE were what did it.

If you want to sell your offers (no matter what they may be) …

Don’t focus on the features.

Tell us what’s going to change for us. Show us. Describe it. Let us experience it.

THAT’s how you sell.

xx

Summer

{#2} July 2: Stinky trash + Stale lists

I’ve already started this blog post 5 different times.

In 5 different ways.

With 5 different “angles.”

This is blog post #1 out of my commitment to a month of blog posts.

If you missed the announcement yesterday, here’s the scoop …

{This blog post is a part of my Summer Snippets (S.S.) 2018 series, where I’m writing daily blog posts (M-F) throughout the month of July, with a goal to prove you can provide high-value to your subscribers, while still moving forward your business goals. }

I’ve already got doubts going through my head.

--> Who am I think what I have to say matters enough to take up this much inbox space?

--> No one wants to hear from me THAT much.

--> And what in the world have I just committed myself to? (if I’m being completely honest, the thought of “how can I still get out of this?” has come up … more than once).

Email marketing is a practice.

It’s like those unfortunate activities such as taking out the trash or doing laundry.

You can’t just do it once for the month, and check it off your to-list (unless you want a stinky house and a stale list).

However I don’t want this challenge for myself to turn into a mindless mission or a line-item on my daily routine.

It’s too easy to turn everything into a system, or a set of processes, or automate it all to the 9th degree.

Entrepreneurship isn’t about figuring out the perfect “formula” for writing a social media post that gets the most likes.

It’s not about about trying to beat the algorithm and get more “visible" all the time.

When it comes down to the heart of it, entreprepreneurship … being your own boss … running a business … it’s an opportunity to provide a solution for someone who has a real problem, that desperately needs your solution.

Still trying to find your niche? Unsure of your direction? Thinking it’s time to shift focuses?

It all comes down to solving problems.

Pick the one primary problem you’ll solve, and you’ll be halfway there.

The other half?

Finding the people who are actively pained by that same problem, and are looking for a solution.

Put more simply … the other half of the puzzle is finding your CLIENTS.

xx

Summer

{#1} July 1: Summer biz slumps, hiding out + 30 days of commitment

Adventure camp, lake days, summer swim team, dinners outside, beating the humidity the best we can … anyone else letting business take a “back-seat” this summer?

I’m all about honoring season of life, and for me June traditionally represents a time of “play” for me …  school has just let out and it’s time play in life and play in business.

So what’s the look like, specifically around business for me?

It’s fewer outward actions … fewer emails, fewer social media posts, fewer launches, fewer forms of outward interaction.

And it’s MORE internal creation and “play.”  

For me that looks like …

• closing out the final month with the 9 women who I’ve had the pleasure to mentor for the past 6 months in my Live More Mastermind

• live Zoom-call style teaching each week with my Overlooked 2 Obsessed {o2o} beta program members (we’re 4 weeks in and I’m loving this style of course creation!)

• Trying out new list building strategies (promoted pins are currently getting me subscribers for $0.60-0.80 per person. #WIN)

• Putting my skills to the test with a small email list of 250 that I’ve built in a non-business related category just for fun to test my email-based audience building and sales skills. (I’ll share results when my “test” is complete!)

It’s been fun. It’s been low pressure. It’s the type of month that gets me back to my love for online marketing, testing out strategies, tweaking, and playing to see what works.

Next month for July I’m continuing the theme of business and life “play” (a.k.a. challenging myself, trying new things, etc.)  in two ways, and for this coming month, I’d love to invite you to be a part of it with me!

Way #1 (play in life):

I’m joining my friend, Adrienne Dorison’s, free pop-up FB group called Camp Commit where she’s inviting everyone to spend 30 days in July (officially starting July 9th) to recommit to a PERSONAL (no business goals allowed!) goal that you’ve been wanting to conquer.

Think ONE (she’s a stickler … only 1 goal :)) in an area like fitness, nutrition, relationships, spirituality, finances, personal growth).

Like I said, it’s totally free, she just asks that if you’re in, that you’re really ready to be in the group, showing up, and of course COMMITTING. I mean this is Camp Commit.

I’m starting my personal commitment TODAY since I’ve got family vacay starting on July 31st and I want to be complete by then.

Intrigued as to what mine is? Join me in the group! (I’ll be posting mine there.)

Way #2 (play in business):

For the month of July I’m committing to sending 1 email per day to my list (that’s you all), Mondays through Fridays.

My ultimate goal? For you to NOT feel like “Summer! Why are you “torturing” us with an email every day?” LOL. And instead feel like you’ve spent a few minutes being inspired, motivated, educated, or otherwise entertained by the time you spent reading my email that day.

To prove that it’s possible to promote in a way that makes you still want to open and read.

Because the value is to be had before any link has ever been clicked.

I’m treating this as a challenge to myself. How can I write VALUE for a 20 full days (weekdays of the month), enjoy the creative process, while using this as a profitable strategy in my business?

Some emails may be short. Some may be longer. Some may be sent out at 10pm at night because that’s simply when I got to it that day.

But regardless I’ll be testing my email skills (and my commitment) to making this happen.

Up for being a part of my fun little “test”? I’ll see you tomorrow.

xx

Summer