Test-Launch Issue

LaunchThe Independent 1

InsTihdeeLaunchVisuals Identity Promotion Feature 6 26 36 48Putting Together an Epic The Brand Identity Check- How to Plan an Amazing Behind-the-Green: HowVisual Strategy for Your list of Physical & Digital Launch-Promoting Blog I made $2,000 with a $97Launch by Erika Madden Launch Items by Brittany Crawl by Sarah Von product by Maya Elious Mays BargenCommunity Creativity 40Community Content How to Find the People 18 28 You Want to Target by 56 Alisha NicoleReady to Launch Your How to Generate Ideas How to Successfully UseBusiness Community? by for Your First Launch by Video During a LaunchKayla Hollatz Colleen Pastoor by Nathan AlloteyInspiration Office Hrs Office Hrs 62Events 24 32 46 How to Launch a Local Event Series by Ciera20 Ways to Jostle Your Find out what you should Discuss the legal stuff you HolzenthalCreativity and Get Your write for your launch in need to know when launch-Ninja Groove Back by this Office Hours with ing a product in Office HoursRegina Anaejionu Jenna Arak with Lemuel Anaejionu2

Edition Vol. 164Services Business Business Office HrsHow to Create & Launch 74 96 110Services that Sell byMelyssa Griffin The Low-Stress, Long- How to Launch a Biz (or Ever wanted to know how Term Launch Plan by Product or Service) with a to launch your eCourse? Jamie Starcevich Friend by Jamie Varon Find out with Regina AnaejionuSelf-Care Content Promotion Business 70 82 98 112 How to Get Through a Launching a Podcast How to Launch (and Grow) The Anatomy of an Awe- Launch Without Totally Made Easy by Jen Your Email List by Lisa some Relaunch by Jessica Stressing Out by Sarah Carrington Butler Johansen MorganBusiness Community Promotion Self-Care 72 90 104 1187 Key Rules for Your Free- How to Find Your Target How to Create a Legiti- How to Have a Successfullance Career Launch by Market on Social Media mate Fan Base Through Launch Without the Post-Wes Evans by Nailah Blades Wylie Social Media Content Be- Launch Crash by Marianne fore You Launch by Deidre Manthey Guillory 3

EditorsLetter From the Hi friend, Welcome to the very first edition of The Independent! We’re unbelievably excited that you’re holding this fine publication in your hands (and we hope you are, too). WHAT IS THE INDEPENDENT? The Independent is an ad-free, bi-monthly publication featuring high-value, actionable content—you know, like adult homework and checklists—centered around a specific theme. (Seriously, this stuff is GOOD—check the Table of Contents). We’re using every square inch of the space you’ve so graciously paid for to provide you with only the content that will serve you. The Independent is a first-rate curation of content from the smartest, most creative minds in the business. In this issue alone, Maya Elious shares how she made over $2,000 when launching a $97 product (page 48), Melyssa Griffin tells you how to launch services that sell (page 64), and Lemuel Anaejionu is laying the ground rules for all of the “legal stuff” you need to know about launching (page 46). We created The Independent to help people—to help YOU—make money doing the work that they love. It’s that simple. WHY IS THIS THE “LAUNCH” ISSUE? It seems a pretty fitting theme for our inaugural issue, doesn’t it? All of that relevance aside, the launch is where every entrepreneur, side-hustler, solopreneur, business owner, and creative starts. It’s the word that indicates you are getting your work out into the world. It is the first big step—and we’re dedicating the launch of this publication to helping you navigate the entire process. But that’s just the start. Each issue of The Independent will focus on a specific theme and the content will be evergreen. It is timeless and applicable to you, wherever you may be in your journey. WHO ARE WE? We’re Brittany, Jenna, and Regina—creative entrepreneurs, friends, and collaborators on this epic proj- ect. (And no, we’re not sisters, despite what appearances may seem.) The Independent is the “blog-in-print” that we’ve wanted to see, and we’ve come together to create it—for you; for our entire creative, solopreneur-ing, side-hustlin’ community; and for ourselves. Our goal is to share stories, insight, advice, and actionable next steps in every issue. When you finish reading and working on The Independent, you will be that much closer to doing the work that you love for the money that you deserve. So with that, we’ll stop hogging your eyeballs and let you dive in. Thank you so much for your support. 4

Regina, Brittany, & Jenna Happy Launching! 5

PuttingTogether anEpic VisualStrategy forYour Launch An overall strategy including content, promotion, & planning 6

Let’s be clear about something, okay? Launching your New Irresist- Meet Erika Maddenible Thing—whether that’s your blog, an Etsy shop, a service-basedbusiness, or a product like an eCourse or book—is going to, at least Erika is a blogger and reputation styl-once (but probably more often), feel like a terrible impossibility. ist who works to make the Internet aOne day while your nose is buried in WordPress code or LLC pa- delightful place. First for her main fo-perwork, the nauseating thought will hit you: How am I supposed cus–the determined creatives, entrepre-to make this launch work? There are 10,203 other people doing the neurs, freelancers, and bloggers–andexact same thing as I am. Who will notice me? How will I get people then for all the remarkable people theyto care? serve. Her mission is to help indepen-In this second, you will want to abandon everything. Or, at least, eat dent business folks rebel against skeevya package of Double Stuf Oreos. online marketing, insolent customer ser- vice, and withering digital reputations soAnd believe me—I get you. that they can be confident, classy, and sought after as a brand owner.More than once I’ve started something, only to wake up in the middleof the night with that dreadful fear gnawing at my insides. find me at: Olyvia.coBut what if I told you there’s a way to stand out from the 10,203 otherpeople, get noticed, and help (like, really help) people care? What if I Instagram: @erika_maddensaid that if you had sound visuals and a savvy plan, you could eat just Twitter: @OlyviaMediatwo or three Oreos and go on to launch fiercely? Facebook: @OlyviaMediaWell, that’s what I’m telling you. And if you believe me, I can help you Pinterest: @OlyviaMediado it right now. 7 (…Still here? Yessss. You and me are going to do great things.)Before we get into the specifics, let’s start with a comprehensibledefinition of “visual strategy.” (When I hear phrases like that, my brainshuts off. I have no idea what it means. Do you?)A visual strategy for your launch is simply your long-term plan toshare photos, graphics, and/or videos in a way that will get people tosay: “This blog/product/etc. was meant for me! I’m liking/following/subscribing/buying.” Or: “This looks so fab and professional. That’sit, I have to let everyone know about this!”Creating a visual strategy for your launch doesn’t have to be a com-plicated endeavor to be effective, but it can paralyze you if you aren’tsure how to organize yourself or don’t know what constitutes a goodplan.In this article, you’re going to get a specific, step-by-step walk-through on how to intelligently support your launch with imagery(which includes video, if you choose). You’ll learn about: The nine main types of visual content and where they work best online How to plan out what you’ll be sharing so that it builds the most interest What crucial things you need to consider and gather before you create the actual content The only three image sizes you need for sharing on the major social networks

Why having graphic templates will drastically Look at this list of the nine primary types of visu- improve your launch results al content, then decide what you can and want to share for your own brand: How to set up a manageable social sharing schedule and more! 1. Photography - still images from a camera Let’s get started: 2. Screenshots - images captured on your computer or phone screen 1. GET THE BASICS IN ORDER 3. Illustrations - hand-drawn people, As you begin to plan out what you need for your objects, shapes, or words launch, your first step is to be sure all of your foun- 4. Infographics - information dational visual branding is in place. This includes presented in graphic format and in a the very basics, such as: a logo, Twitter and/or visually appealing, easily understand- Facebook covers, or—if you’re releasing some- able way (e.g., launch details, statis- thing like an eBook or an eCourse—an “official” tics, etc.) product image. 5. Quote graphics - an image featuring quotes, words, or sayings (For a complete list, see Brittany Mays’ “The Brand 6. Memes - humorous or Identity Checklist for Your Launch” on page 26.) shocking images/videos that are passed around the interwebs, with You want all of this in place before you do anything people adding their own variations else, so that when you are releasing ongoing visu- and interpretations (e.g., lolcats) als to support your launch, you’ll have a profession- 7. Cartoons - fictional or semi-fiction- al, complete, and “tangible” appearance people al drawings often representing a funny can discover. or satirical idea 8. Blog post graphics - the primary I know: it doesn’t seem like it would be a big deal. graphic representation of your blog “A simple Facebook cover? So what?” But when post; includes the title, as well as ele- that’s all people have to go on in order to decide ments from any of the above whether you’re a trustworthy person/brand, or whether your Fantastic Product is for them, it can 9. Video - all of the above, put into make the difference between a new love-struck fol- motion and typically enhanced with lower and one who casually passes you by. sound and/or voice In advertising, every image counts, and online they count twice. A missing logo on your “Coming Soon” page or an incomplete social media profile is a big deal. 2. DECIDE ON YOUR VISUAL CONTENT TYPES So, you have a solid foundation that people can look at. Good! Let’s get to the juicy stuff so you can start to determine what your one-of-a-kind visual launch strategy is going to look like. vLeist’us asltasr,t whehrea:twchoemnesytoou think of mind? For some people, it might be photos. For others, it might be cartoons and illustrations. For a few, it might be video, video, video. Everyone is right, but a good plan will utilize more than just one vi- sual type in order to: A) make things more inter- esting, and B) appeal to people’s preferences. For instance, there are some people in your ideal audi- ence who will refuse to watch a 30-second video, but who will study an infographic for 15 minutes.8

3. CHOOSE YOUR VISUAL HANGOUT(S) SNAPCHATWhether you’re releasing a new website or a prod- An app that displays photos or videos, with cap-uct/service that’s part of your pre-existing business, tions or drawings, to people for 10 seconds beforeit’s helpful to write down all the platforms you’ll be they disappear. It’s supremely fun for building antic-using to announce and build excitement around ipation and exclusivity with your audience.your launch. VINEIf your brand is well-established online, it’s a great Make a memorable video that’s six seconds or lessbet that you already know where you’ll want to fun- and you’re #winning.nel your visual energy. You know what platforms YOUR BLOGwork best for you and where your awesome audi- Killer for any kind of visual! Of course, your blogence congregates. post graphics are the stars of the show—so focusBut if you don’t already have a presence, the an- on making them excellent.swer won’t be so clear. To help you, here are the YOUR EMAIL LISTmain possibilities (there are likely others—if you Like your blog, you can share anything in an email.have a niche platform you know about, you can Interweave gorgeous graphics or videos and peo-definitely consider that as well): ple will swoon when they see your name in theirTWITTER inbox.All visuals excel here, but it’s the perfect platformfor sharing your quote graphics, blog post graph- When deciding where your imagery will have theics, and small infographics. most impact for your specific brand, it’s helpful toINSTAGRAM ask yourself the following questions:The go-to place for stunning photography. Also For new bloggers and business owners:nice for quick, informal videos that pique interest.FACEBOOK Of the platforms listed above, where do I thinkLike Twitter, all visuals are suitable for this platform. my ideal reader/client/customer is spendingVideos perform well, and—if they suit your audi- most of her or his time?ence—so do memes and cartoons. Where do I spend most of my time?PINTEREST What’s a fun platform for me that I will findIf you have a clean, beautiful blog post/landing easy to update consistently with photos/page graphic or super-long, vertical infograph- graphics/videos/etc.?ic, this is the place to show it off. Unique quote What heavily visual platform have others sug-graphics are also a hit. (But note: it’s not that vid- gested would be a stellar place to build myeo-friendly.) brand?YOUTUBE For already-established brands:All the videos, baby! Of the platforms listed, where am I seeing theGOOGLE+ most engagement from my current ideal read-A cross between Facebook and Pinterest; it’s opti- ers/clients/customers?mized for displaying your best vertical images, but Where do I update consistently and alreadyit’s also sooo nice for video. have a solid following in place?LINKEDIN Which platforms do I use that enable me toMore traditional and business-y, information-based directly reach the most people? (e.g., an emailvisuals or quote graphics are at home on this net- list or blog with 500 followers is better thanwork. (For best results, keep things looking pol- Facebook posts that only reach 20)ished.) Go ahead and write down your two to six primaryPERISCOPE hangouts under the first section in the “My VisualA LIVE video app, you can build major momentum Content Prep Sheet” included with this article.here by giving people exclusive real-time glimps-es of what you’re launching, teaching around your 9launch, and so on.

Oh, and a parting word of wisdom: whatever you Behind-the-scenes development decide, don’t (oh please) over-extend yourself Crowdsourcing questions here. It’s far, farrrrr better to rock two platforms in a Quotes and sayings consistent, spectacular fashion than give in to me- Product previews diocrity because you’re bogged down under the Workspace photos obligation of catering to seven different platforms. Testimonials + buzz Client work I only say this because I’ve made this exact mistake. Tips + tutorials (Errr, okay: a few times…) It’s not the Worst Thing Personal life Ever, but you’ll be happier and see better results Your ideas here: if you direct your valuable energy into just a few different platforms. 5. PLAN OUT + GATHER YOUR CONTENT AND TOOLS 4. COME UP WITH A CONTENT FOCUS FOR You’re almost ready to start creating your launch EACH PLATFORM visuals—but before you start missing meals due to The beauty of having a few different online plat- the Photoshop Twilight Zone (just wait; it’s a real forms at your disposal when you’re launching is thing), you’ll need to consider and then pull to- that, not only can you capitalize on their different gether everything you’ll need first. Think of it as visual strengths in order to present your brand “mise en place” for bloggers and biz owners. in the strongest light possible, but you can (and DIY or Hire should) use each platform to share a unique snip- While this article largely assumes that you’ll DIY pet of your brand’s “story.” your visuals, you might think me presumptuous! So, I admit: while it’s empowering to be able to In other words, instead of posting the same three pump out all of your own branded illustrations or teaser screenshots of your blog-in-process to Twit- videos when you need them, it’s definitely not the ter, Instagram, and Facebook—and potentially ideal solution for everyone. If you need to hire out (read: probably) boring your core fans to tears— pieces of, or all of, your launch visuals, start think- you would do something more like this: ing about that now. What specifically do you need help with and who will do it? (T1w) Pitotsetr the teaser screenshot to with an update about how exhilarating it is to put the finishing touches on your first blog post about _________. (I2n)sPtaogstraam stylized photo to of new biz cards you designed for a client, alongside a glass of sparkling lemon water that is sitting next to your laptop as you work on said blog. F(3a) Pceobsotoka quote graphic to that expresses a key sentiment for your brand. (For example, “Keep Calm and Illustrator on.”) See how that takes the interest quotient from a yawning three to an OMG 10? (I can hear people oooh-ing over you already. Listen. Can you hear it, too?) Keeping every platform fresh and different is going to make your launch sizzle, so as you review the online spaces you’ll be using, you’ll want to also decide what each of those platforms will uniquely reveal about your brand. Following are just a few suggestions on what you may want to feature. Mix and match or use your own ideas, then map out your sweet custom plan on the “My Visual Content Prep Sheet” under the10 second section.

BUDGET has recommended image dimensions for optimal quality and appearance, so before you create oneAre you going to spend anything on your image graphic or crop even one photo, you’ll want to:or video creations? Can you spend anything? Don’tworry if you can’t—you can spend as little as $0 and (1) Figure out the sizes you’ll need for thestill create something super attractive and effec- platforms you’re using.tive. But if you have some money to work with, you (2) Create a standard template with thosemight want to consider using it to upgrade some sizes in your graphic software (e.g., Canva orof your visuals (e.g., with higher quality paid stock Illustrator) that you can use each time you de-photos). Also: if you’re hiring out help, what can sign something for those platforms.you realistically afford? The recommended pixel dimensions typical-RESOURCE, TOOL, + SOFTWARE NEEDS ly change a bit each year (sometimes every few months) as platforms evolve, which is why if you What do you need to pull want exact sizes I recommend searching online off your epic imagery? for the latest numbers when you’re ready to start creating your templates. Using a keyword phraseFree items might include: like “social network image dimensions” + [a recent month] + [the most recent year] will return a num- Your own photos ber of relevant results. Free stock photos (l like Death to the Stock However, if you’re going to be making graphics for Photo and Pexels) more than three places, trying to juggle all those Styling props from around your home different templates in your design process can be- Your smartphone come, shall we say, cumbersome? I don’t like any- Fonts from FontSquirrel.com thing that’s cumbersome, frankly, and, therefore, Snapseed, Canva, PicMonkey, Pixlr (for photo I sought out a shortcut solution. It turns out, you editing or graphic creation) really only need three sizes to produce pro results Screencast-O-Matic (free screencast software) across all six of the major networks. (Hallelujah my friends, hallelujah.) I like you a lot, so I’ve sharedPaid items might include: those dimensions with you in the (simplified!) “Im- age Specs for Social Media” cheat sheet included Paid stock photos (Etsy, Creative Market, in this article. BetterThanStockPhotos.com, Fotolia, Graphic Templates Stocksy) Once you’ve set up your graphic “canvas” for each New styling props platform or size you need, it’s time to start building Paid fonts (MyFonts, Creative Market) your complete, on-brand template designs for ev- Photoshop, Illustrator ery kind of graphic that you’ll be using during your Screenflow or Camtasia (screencasts and launch. This will help you stay consistent which, in video editing) turn, does wonders for your pro appearance, repu- HD DSLR camera tation, and launch success. Lavalier microphone Lightbox material 11 Light stands5. DESIGN YOUR LAUNCH GRAPHICSBreak out your favorite beverage and dust off yourright-brain. It’s design time!Image DimensionsWhen creating your visuals, your first and mostpressing concern is that they look like they fit seam-lessly onto each platform. Every social network

To illustrate the point, let’s say someone was shar- Examples of well-planned imagesing quote graphics on Instagram to attract peopleto their eCourse launch. On day one, they shared 6. SET UP YOUR SCHEDULEa graphic that was mint and orange with a chunky To use a cheesy western line I just made up (I’mfont (their eCourse visual branding style). But then from Montana, I’m obligated): it’s about time toon day two, they posted a graphic in shades of saddle up and ride off into the launch sunset, part-blue with a script font, a style that has nothing to ner. You’ve done good. But before I hoist you updo with their brand or their eCourse. On day three, onto the proverbial horse, there’s still one crucialthey went back to the mint and orange and chunky thing left to complete your epic visual strategy. It’sfont, but this time the text was in all lowercase let- this: a sharing schedule.ters. The disjointed visuals continued for the rest of As irresistible as your graphics and/or videos maythe launch period. be, they need to have a semblance of structure as you send them out into the world. If not, a few pos- How well do you think people sibilities are bound to happen (none of them good, connected with that eCourse? And how if you were wondering): much trust was built for that brand?This kind of disconnect is avoidable IF you taketime to design templates exactly as you want themin advance, and then commit to using them (as-is!no sudden changes!) for the duration of the launch. Here are a list of questions to assist you in thinking through your (soon-to-be spectacular, I just know it) template designs:When using photographs, will you use the same photo or differentphotos? If the same, how will you make each one look compellingand new? If different, what common quality will they have (either nat-urally or through your own edits, overlays, etc.) that will tie them to-gether?What color or colors will you use for your graphic backgrounds?Overlays? Fonts?What font or fonts will you use?Will your text be centered, left-aligned, right-aligned? Will it beplaced at the top of the image, in the center, at the bottom, on aside? Will it be capitalized, lowercase, normal?Will you have any shapes on your graphics: rectangles, triangles,circles, hexagons?Will you have your logo placed somewhere over your graphics and/orphotos? If so, where: at the top, in a corner, centered at the bottom?Does it need to be different colors depending on the background?12

(1) You’ll share a lot of stuff all at once, then white bright photo #1, red graphic #1, white drop off the map entirely when you run out of bright photo #2, red graphic #2) you’re go- steam and/or content. Momentum = lost. ing to double your impact with very minimal (2) You’ll forget what you shared previously, effort. risking a repeat share or the failure to share a (3) Use Buffer, Hootsuite, or another social visual at all. media scheduling app and fill up your visual (3) You’ll forget your visual strategy altogeth- shares for the week ahead of time. This will er (the specific kind of content you were shar- clear up your mind for all the other launch de- ing and where) and mish-mash everything, tails you need to attend to while keeping your sabotaging your success. brand looking smooth and professional. (But These are all bummer thoughts, but they will not be keep checking in and talking to people daily your destiny. I know because I’m going to walk you —pre-scheduling is sooo nice, but it’s not a through your schedule set-up right now, and give substitute for real human interactions.) (yoNuotheexctuipsseyso!)u need to complete it successfully. AND FINALLY… This is where the Epic Visual Strategy guide endsStep 1 Grab a pencil and paper, open Excel, or and where your ambition takes flight. If you’ve an- create a simple table in Google Docs. swered the questions, heeded the suggestions, and made use of the worksheets, you’re ready to con-Step 2 Across the top of the page, write/type all quer even the most nauseating project promotions. the days of the week. Somewhere near You have every reason to be confident! Having a there (above or below) specify the month steady flow of consistently-branded and intelligent- and days to which this schedule is as- ly planned visuals is a cornerstone feature of the signed. Example: October 5 - 11. best launches—and now you can (and will) achieve them for your brand.Step 3 Down the left-hand side of the page— Thanks for having me on your team, friend. Go forth leave lots of space—write/type all of the and launch. online platforms you’ll be using to share your visuals (those that you wrote down 13 on the “My Visual Content Prep Sheet”). If you’re marking this out by hand, draw lines to create rows and columns.Step 4 With all of the precision and detail you can muster, record exactly what kind of visual you will be sharing on each of your plat- forms within the appropriate cells. Consid- er writing down even the exact file names. Refer to your answers on the “My Visual Content Prep Sheet” to help you plan out what should go where. On this last point, here are three expert tips and tricks that will help your schedule serve your launch best: (1) You will feel the need to fill in something for every slot on your schedule. Don’t. It really is unnecessary to share a visual every single day on every single network unless you love doing it and have the time to pull it off. For the days you don’t have visuals, share a writ- ten status instead. (Sometimes you might not even want or need to share anything at all.) (2) If you stagger your visual shares in such a way that they create a pleasing pattern (e.g.,

My Visual Content Prep SheetThe top two to six areas online where you’ll be using visuals to build excitement about your launch (e.g., Facebook, Twitter,Instagram, email list, etc): 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.For each of the above platforms, plan out which of the nine Platform:types of visual content you’ll share, as well as the platform’s Content Type:specific content focus (e.g., behind-the-scenes development,motivational quotes, launch information, product previews, Content Focus:welcome videos, etc).You will have some overlap between the platforms, but try your Platform:best to make each one unique. Content Type: Content Focus:Platform: Platform:Content Type: Content Type:Content Focus: Content Focus:Platform: Platform:Content Type: Content Type:Content Focus: Content Focus:14

What is the plan for Do it Hirecreating your visuals? myself someone elseIf you’ll be creating your own (if not, skip to the next page):What can you afford to spend in up-front costs for additional resources and/or tools you might need? $0 - $10 $20 - $40 $60 - $100 $200 - $500 $10 - $20 $40 - $60 $100 - $200 $500+Write down the extra resources and tools (e.g., stock photos, (Simplified!) Image Specsstyling props, DIY lightbox, lavalier mic for videos, etc.) you’ll for Social Medianeed in order to create your visuals, as well as their cost.Item: Item: FOR IMAGE SHARING:Cost: Cost: Horizontal Image Size for:Item: Item:Cost: Cost: Facebook & Twitter 1200 x 627 pxWrite down the software (e.g., Snapseed, Canva, Pixlr, Photo-shop, Illustrator, Screenflow, etc.) you’ll use to create and edit Vertical Image Size for:your graphics and/or videos, as well as their cost. Pinterest & Google+Item: Item: 800 x 1200 pxCost: Cost:Item: Item: Square Image Size for:Cost: Cost: Instagram, FB, & Linkedin 1000 x 1000 px Video Uploads Thumbnail Graphic Size for: YouTube 1280 x 720 px 15

If you’ll be hiring (if not, go back to the previous page):What can you afford to spend?$0 - $50 $100 - $200 $400 - $900 $1500 - $3000$50 - $100 $200 - $400 $900 - $1500 $3000+For your graphic templates, what Write down the services you will need: graphic designer,dimensions (in pixels) will you be using? photographer, videographer, stylist, etc.1. Use the area below to brainstorm, sketch out, and/or record the visual branding elements of your images:2.3.4.5.6.On a scale of 1 - 10, how intense do you want to bewith your visual sharing schedule? (1 = approximatelyone visual release per week, 10 = at least one new visu-al every day on all platforms [excluding blog/email] andat least 35% of visuals consisting of video)1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10In thinking about your desired post frequency on allof your chosen platforms, rank them in order of mostactive to least active and specify how many times perday/week you plan on sharing a visual on that platform:1. (most active platform) __________________ Shares per day/week: S M T W T F S Times:2. _______________________________________ Shares per day/week: S M T W T F S Times:3. _______________________________________ Shares per day/week: S M T W T F S Times:4. _______________________________________ Shares per day/week: S M T W T F S Times:5. _______________________________________ Shares per day/week: S M T W T F S Times:6. _______________________________________ Shares per day/week: S M T W T F S Times: 16

If you’re notpassionateabout your business, maybe it’s headed in a direction that you can’t sustain (happily, anyways). Colleen Pastoor (pg. 28) 17

Ready to LaunchYour BusinessCommunity?Here is where you should start. Ideal member profile + social media quiz Kayla Hollatz is an online presence and community strategist who helps creative bloggers and entrepreneurs make a killer impression online and build sustainable, organic communities with a pulse. She is a public re- lations professional by day and a short form poet by night. When she’s not writing, you can find her fighting Minnesota winters with a cup of hot chocolate in hand. find me at: KaylaHollatz.com Meet Kayla Hollatz Instagram: @kaylahollatz Twitter: @kayla_hollatz18 Pinterest: @kaylahollatz

You’ve probably seen the word “community” idealWho is yourtossed around a lot online. It seems like everyoneand their mother is trying to build one for their communitybrand—but what does it all entail, and how many member?people are actually building active communities? One thing is certain: the “build it and they will come” strategy is dead.In order to be successful, you need to understandwho your audience is, what they want, and wherethey want to talk with you.A new wave of inspiring, influential communitiesis here. And I want to see you become a part of it.Let’s start at the beginning: having a solid under-standing of what the word means. A communityis a group of like-minded people who form a col-lective around a shared vision. It fosters supportand encouragement among its members.So, before you start building, you must have aclear picture of who your audience is. Withoutthis, you may spend your time trying to attractthe wrong people.Member Profile:Start by filling out the following information about your ideal community member:Age: Values:Gender:Location: Mission:Occupation: Lifestyle:Interests: 19

Now that you have a better idea of who you are targeting (hint: it’s not everyone!), we can talk about whatsocial community platform is best for your brand.SO, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHERE TO HOST YOUR COMMUNITY?Let’s get the ball rolling with a short quiz to help you identify your community-building strengths.1. What is my favorite thing about blogging? 4. Do I value individual comments? A I’m attached to my camera so I’d say taking photos. A I like comments and “likes” equally B I love creating inspiration boards. for engagement. C Being able to jump into conversations when they apply to me and offer my expertise. B Not really, I’d rather collaborate visually. D Talking with other bloggers in real-time. E Planning and editing video content. C Yes, I like comment threads and forums. D I value real-time conversations even more. E Yes, they help guide the direction of my content.2. If I had to describe the community I want to 5. Are my readers consistently gushing overbuild in one word, it would be… my high-quality photos? A Visual A Yes, that’s where I get most B Inspiring of my engagement. C Leadership-oriented D Engaging B Yes, that’s where I get most of my traffic. E Personable C Somewhat, but my traffic usually comes from3. I want to attract… links and word-of-mouth. A Storytellers B New readers D I make more of an impact with my words. C Business pros D Creatives E Filming videos and vlogs are more my thing. E DIYers 6. How much time do I have to devote Caounnst wupetrhosse to my community? A I’d like to spend an equal amount of time on behind-the-scenes work and community- building. B I have minimal time, but I’m still interested in building a community. C I have time to jump into my community whenever needed. D I mostly have time at a specific hour every week. E I prefer more time to present.If your answers are mostly A’s, Instagram is your platform. If your answers are mostly D’s, TwitterIf your answers are mostly B’s, Pinterest is your best choice. is your go-to.If your answers are mostly C’s, start planning a Facebook group. If your answers are mostly E’s, Google+ Hangouts & Periscope may be your answer

FACEBOOK GROUPS With Periscope, you can save recordings, too! Sim-Facebook groups are where increased conversions ply locate the Settings tab of your app account andand engaging conversation collide. While these swipe right to turn on Autosave Broadcast. Thiscommunities take a large dedication of time to means each scope will automatically download togrow, they can be incredibly effective if done well. your phone or tablet’s camera roll after you finishFacebook groups are also great if you want to build streaming. These videos can also be repurposedsomething bigger than yourself. The platform al- for your community to enjoy again and again. Somelows you to add multiple admins to your group, ideas for repurposing scopes include a montage ofmaking it easier to bring other bloggers and busi- scopes around a similar theme or topic, a roundupness owners into your mission. There’s power in col- of your favorite scopes, or an archive of your livelaboration. Q&As.TWITTER CHATS INSTAGRAMThere is no better way to connect with your audi- Many Instagram communities use a specific hashtagence in real-time than with Twitter. Through hosting to track the community’s conversations. Membersa Twitter chat, you will be able to hand-pick the top- tag their photos with the hashtag to populate theic and guide the conversation by how you craft your feed so when other users search for the hashtag,questions. If you’re looking for a way to boost your they’ll see a photo stream filled with user-generat-thought leadership while being available to answer ed content (UGC).your audience’s questions live, look no further. This UGC is gold for your brand. With permission,Want to get in front of influencers in your niche? By you can repurpose your community member’s pho-offering special guest spots through chat co-host- tos and use them for various purposes like futureing, you’re able to collaborate with experts in your collaborations, blog photos, features, and more. It’sfield, which increases your credibility. While it takes a great way to showcase your community members’a good amount of prep work behind-the-scenes to creative works, give them a shout out, and spreadcoordinate, it’s worth it. the love.The most rewarding thing I’ve built online is my GROUP PINTEREST BOARDSTwitter chat, #createlounge. I know every Wednes- If you are short on time, group Pinterest boardsday at 7 PM CT, I get to connect with some of the are a great solution. To find contributors, publishmost brilliant minds in my niche all in one place—a a blog post announcing the new board or reachplace I cultivated. Whether you decide to host a out to specific bloggers about the opportunity. Re-chat weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, the consistency member, you can only add people to your boardwill pay off. who currently follow your Pinterest account.GOOGLE+ HANGOUTS AND PERISCOPE You can simply pin a few things a day and commentWhat’s more personable than video content? Live on other pins that your contributors pin. While thisvideos help you communicate with your community isn’t a long-term community growth strategy, it’smembers face-to-face from anywhere in the world. great for visual-heavy brands wanting to boost traf-For that reason, Google+ Hangouts On Air and fic while connecting with other artists and design-Periscope are worth the time investment. ers. If you’re looking to dip your toes into onlineIf you prefer a structured outline with in-depth community-building, this is a great place to start.learning and streamlined presentations, Google+Hangouts On Air webinars might be right for you. Now that you’re excited about putting your ideasIf you’d rather interact with user comments in re- to work, I’d like to end with a few of my best tips foral-time and you value a casual atmosphere, Peri- community building.scope will be your best option.Worried that your audience won’t be able to stream Your community won’t be theyour video content live? Google+ Hangouts on Air right fit for everyonewill record your video and post it to your Google+and YouTube account page automatically. That way, If you try to reach everyone, you won’t reach any-you can link to the recorded video for later viewing. one effectively. This is why the ideal member profile activity you completed in this article is so important. In order to feel like the community you’re building 21

is the right fit, you have to attract “your people.” Focus solely on them and watch your community flourish. Listen more than you talk No one knows your community members’ needs more than your community members. Listen to what they are excited about and what resources they wish they had. When you fill that need, you earn their trust. Also, when building your commu- nity, your communication style should be similar to that of a telephone, not a megaphone. Great community leaders talk WITH their members, not AT them. Slow growth can be the best growth It might feel awesome to tell your blog besties: “Hey, I have 5,000+ community members”, but if you’re focused solely on the numbers, you’re build- ing a community for the wrong reasons. I whole- heartedly believe the best way to grow your com- munity is organically. Quality members will help you reach skyrocket growth faster than quantity. Remember, 100 people gushing about your brand are better than 1,000 people who are silent. I can’t wait to see you all become community archi- tects and marvel at what you build. Where will you host your community? What will it look like? Connect with me on Twitter at @kayla_hollatz and share your story.2222

I honestly think that it’s unfair to leave your audience hanging without anopportunityto work with you. Inviting them to reach their goals is what you’re supposed to do. Maya Elious (pg. 48) 23

20 CWraeyatsivtoityJo&stlGe eYtour Date Attempted Worked? Y or N1) Do a project outside of your main niche.2) Create a type of content you’ve never created before.3) Think up the title and first few scenes of the movie they’re going to make about your life.4) Imagine how you’ll introduce yourself, what you do, and what your next project is when you meet the president (or highest official) of your country. Oprah. Justin Timberlake. Kanye West.5) Take 15+ photos outside (with your mobile device or camera). Edit your three to ten favorite photos with VSCO Cam.6) Write, or voice record, a story (for 10 minutes straight) about anything you want. Pick your first two random thoughts/items and create a story that connects them.7) Go grocery shopping for foods you don’t normally eat and cre- ate a concoction with them (without the help of a cookbook or online recipe).8) Try to invent your own card game or board game. Plan it out. What would it be like?9) Read a book or watch a movie unrelated to your industry.10) Re-arrange a bookshelf or cabinet in an attractive way.

Your Ninja Groove Backby Regina Anaejionu Date Attempted Worked? Y or N11) Try your hand at crafting or painting something.12) Buy a new type of candle, oil, or generally awesome-smelling item and use it in your workspace.13) Listen to one of your favorite types of upbeat music and dance for at least seven minutes.14) Play a logic/brain game or puzzle.15) Check in at a hotel or offer to house sit for a friend so you can change locations for a few days.16) Leave your house with no plan of where you’re going and just end up somewhere cool and appreciate the moment—no matter how brief.17) Try an adult coloring book or art therapy course.18) Try to build a table or sew a pillow/quilt.19) Head to a public place with a friend and take turns making up stories about the lives of the people who pass you.20) Meet up with a friend you haven’t seen in a while for coffee, a 25 run, a window-shopping extravaganza, or a bookstore browse.

The Brand Idenity Check-list of Physical + DigitalLaunch Items We’re going beyond the basics. Make sure your brand identity ducks are in a row before you say “go!” Even the ducks you haven’t thought of yet. Meet Brittany Mays There is a serious disease in the entrepreneurial community that I like to call Brand Disorganization-itis. Maybe you’ve heard ofBrittany Mays is a brand-creating, it? If you know anything about medical conditions, you will knowgraphic-designing, idea- and family- that it is extremely contagious, very common, and anyone candriven entrepreneur who loves to make contract it.things pretty (or handsome, dependingon your taste). She has five kiddos who Ok...so, you got me. It’s not a real disease. (Captain Obvi-keep her constantly searching for new,innovative ways to handle and balance ous is my idol). But the symptoms are very real—and very ram-life, business, and relationships. Oh, pant in our business community.and that’s what she tends to talk abouton her blog. She loves working closely What are the symptoms, you ask? Well, think about the personwith clients, and for any project, she is who plans to launch a new website without a style guide. Or thefocused on efficiency, balance, satisfac- person that is showing off a new product at a conference with notion, and the many ways she can incor- business cards to hand out—or even a way for others to find outporate fresh, creative ideas. more about the product. Those people—while likely very smart and talented and deserving of your time, attention, and mon- find me at: bmays.com ey—are suffering from Brand Disorganization-itis, and will likely lose your time, attention, and money because of it. Instagram: @bmaysdesign Twitter: @bmaysdesign You don’t have to be like those people. Let me help you. Consider each of the following as you develop your own brand identity—some may seem obvious and others not-so-much. But they’re all important and worth your attention before you begin sharing your brand with the world: GATHER LOGO FILES IN VARIOUS FORMATS AND RESOLUTIONS Why? You will create special promotional images for your launch, and you will need each image to be consis- tent with your branding. You should compile low-resolu- tion images (around 72 dpi) for the web, and high-resolu- tion (or original design files) for print (around 300 dpi). If you wait and rely on your designer to send the items when you’re ready to launch, you may be cutting it too close to your deadlines. SET UP YOUR CANVA (OR CANVA FOR WORK) ACCOUNT Why? Canva provides an easy and awesome way to create nice, professional-looking images for your launch. And, if you have Canva for Work, you can save your colors and logos to use any time you come back to the site.

CREATE YOUR BRAND STYLE GUIDEWhy? As you create (or hire someone to create) the promotional materialsfor your launch, you need your brand to be front and center. A brand styleguide will communicate your fonts, colors, headline treatments, patterns, im-agery style, textures, and anything else that you need included, so that allpromotional materials are consistent.DESIGN AND PRINT YOUR BUSINESS CARDSWhy? Do we even have to go there? The business card isn’t dead. You neverknow when you may meet someone with whom you need to leave a piece ofyour brand.SET UP SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS WITH BRAND-APPROPRIATE DESIGNWhy? Honestly, you need to get this together well before you launch any-thing if you can help it. Building anticipation on social media before your launchis key—and if your accounts fail to look the part, you won’t be taken seriously.People may even assume they have landed on the wrong account if your brandisn’t incorporated properly into your design.DESIGN DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL SWAGWhy? Whether your brand identity swag is digital or physical will dependon your business and your launch, but this does apply to everyone. Don’t be-lieve me? Imagine this: someone lands on your blog just as you are launchingyour brand new eCourse, and you have a free, downloadable, well-designedimage that brags about all of the cool stuff your visitor will learn by the endof the course. Yes, that can be swag—but it must be designed on brand. And,of course, if you are going to be at a seminar or a conference, you can havephysical swag, too: notepads, pens, thumb drives, or whatever else with yourbrand on it.DESIGN YOUR EMAIL GRAPHICSWhy? You want to start collecting email addresses as quickly as possible,and have a nice “Welcome” email ready to send out to your new subscribers.Don’t just stick with the basic templates your email list platform provides—re-main consistent to your brand identity by designing graphics for your newslet-ter prior to your launch.CREATE YOUR DIGITAL MEDIA KITWhy? A digital media kit provides other people with the opportunity topromote you, using visual materials that are consistent with your brand. It alsocommunicates your vision, purpose, audience, stats, services, and more!PLAN ON STOCK PHOTOGRAPHYWhy? Your brand is as cool as your images. If you plan on using photos foranything in your business, have a plan. Maybe you will be creating your ownstock photography or maybe you will purchase photos online. Either way, fig-ure out what you can afford/do, and plan ahead. 27

How to Generate Ideas forYour First Launch Plus, a quick worksheet to help get the creative juices flowing. Meet Colleen Pastoor One of the things I see and hear from creatives who have either just launched their business or are planning to launch a businessColleen is a wife, mama to 23-month- is that they don’t know how they will keep coming up with ideas.old twins, and the DIY and lifestyle Usually, before a business launch, you’ve got enough ideas toblogger behind Lemon Thistle where get you started and keep you going for a little while. But whenshe shares printable art and hands-on those run out…how do you come up with more? You’ve totallytutorials for DIY home decor, parties, taken all the good ones! For some businesses, this isn’t a bigand gifts. Colleen believes you can deal—once you have your product, you’re ready to roll. BUT forhave a beautiful life, home, and par- many of us (I’m a DIY blogger), ideas ARE our business. So howty without spending a lot. When she’s do you keep them flowing?not creating projects for her own blog, I want to give you seven concrete strategies to build idea gener-she enjoys freelance DIY, home renova- ation into your daily life and routine. These strategies should nottions, and teaching university students only help you to come up with launch ideas in a pinch—becauseabout event management. we’ll all be there one day, but they’ll also help you form a habit of idea generation so you find you have more ideas than time,find me at: lemonthistle.com instead of no time and no ideas. These strategies come from my “Never Run Out of Ideas Again” mini eCourse, so I know they’ve Instagram: @colleenpastoor been tested by bloggers and business owners alike to help break Twitter: @ColleenPastoor down idea block. Facebook: @lemonthistleblog Before I give you strategies to change the way you think about Pinterest: @colleenpastoor idea generation, what’s keeping you from having never-end- ing ideas right now? Are you afraid that they’re just not good enough, or do you feel like they’ve all been done before? Do you not make the time for it ,or do you not even know where to start? Knowing what you think is wrong with the way you are coming up with ideas now is a good place to start. Maybe you’re just not making time for it! Fix that by setting up a coffee date with yourself. Ready for my strategies? 1. NEEDS As a DIY blogger, this is one of my biggest strategies. Look around your life and see what your needs are. Whether they be physical needs (I need a shower curtain that isn’t super lame!) or personal (I wish there were someone to help me prioritize my time!), chances are if you have a need, someone like you also has that need. And what better way to sell a product than by ad- dressing a need? Because if no one needs it, why would anyone buy it? 2. REQUESTS & FEEDBACK Are you rolling your eyes at me with this one? Listening to what customers, readers, and critics are saying is essential to idea gen-

eration and directing your business. When is the last time you really listened and took inventory of your feedback, blogcomments, coworkers’ praises, and even complaints? How about social media? There are so many places to look forfeedback and nuggets of direction, you just need to be intentional about it. What do people love, what do they loveabout it, what don’t customers like? If you want to get really enthusiastic, create a survey for blog readers, past custom-ers, or your ideal target audience (or if that’s too big—your friends and family).3. YOUR PASSIONSSo now we know what we need, and what others are saying. But what do you want to do? If you’re not passionateabout your business, maybe it’s headed in a direction that you can’t sustain (happily, anyways). How can you align yourpassions and your business to make idea generation and growth fun? For example, I am a DIY blogger, but have beenloving hand lettering lately. So, to keep producing the content my business promises, while still enjoying myself, I’vebeen pairing the two and creating DIYs that incorporate hand-lettered elements. Feel me? Good, because this one’s bigfor your long-term success.4. THE ‘STASH’For crafters or makers that create a physical product, this one might seem obvious. Head to your storage closet and pullout everything hiding in there. What can you do with what you have? But if your product isn’t a physical good, look backin your sketchbooks, look at old designs you’ve scrapped, or old offerings that you love but that aren’t doing well. Howcan you improve on those and adapt them into something new? What have you been hanging onto forever? If you wantto take this one step further, take inventory of your skills and talents—the things you really excel at. How can you makeuse of those to create something new?5. PARAMETERSLimits are so often considered a negative by us creatives. After all, we are in business for ourselves; we don’t want to betold what to do! But parameters can be freeing. Instead of every idea ever being acceptable, you’re drawing boundar-ies. Then, you can pour your creative power into one area instead of spreading it thinly over every area. See what I’msaying? Try mind mapping for parameters such as your core values, client requests, or product categories. Your param-eter is not a hard and fast line (although it could be), it’s a limit you put on yourself to allow yourself to better focus inon one subject.6. BE INSPIRED BY OTHERSHow many times have you heard you should avoid looking at businesses that are similar to yours so you don’t end upcopying them? It’s fair. In the world of Pinterest, we are so exposed to everyone’s genius that it can be easy to imitate.But I know you’re better than that, right? I’m saying that sometimes you need to get out of your head and get into thecreative sphere—be inspired by what other creatives are doing! The key is to write down what specifically inspires youabout a project or product that someone’s created. Is it the colors? Can you apply them in a completely different way?And if you really do think your idea is being too heavily influenced by someone else’s work, pitch them a collaboration—it’s a win-win!7. GET OUT. . . of your workspace, that is. I know everyone says to go for a walk in nature, and that’s cool, but maybe that’s notwhere you find the most inspiration. Call me materialistic, but for what I create, shopping is my number one source ofinspiration. Please don’t limit this to “give yourself a break” because it’s so much more. If you’re an artist who’s inspiredby nature, go somewhere beautiful and record that beauty. If you’re a photographer, hit a gallery with a photo exhibit. Ifyou’re a crafter, hit a craft store. If you’re a food blogger, hit a gourmet grocery store or farmers market. You’re not justlooking at what others have created or staring at the “final product” all day. Think about how things are created: whatgoes into them? The key here isn’t just shopping, or being inspired, it’s recording that inspiration so you can take action.That’s seven! Time flies when you’re having fun, doesn’t it? If you incorporate these activities into your work sched-ule, I’m positive you will find yourself with more ideas than time. You’ll be stuck with the wonderfully difficult task ofchoosing your best ideas instead of scraping the bottom of the barrel.I hope that after reading this, you’re no longer overwhelmed by the thought of generating ideas regularly, but thatyou’re excited about it. The only thought I’ll leave you with is that a goal (or idea) without a plan is just a dream. Onceyou have ideas, come up with a system to best manage them to make sure you see them through. 29

Idea Generation WorksheetWhat’s stopping me from generating ideas? What are some of my needs?What requests and feedback have I gotten? What are my passions?What’s hiding in my stash? What are some parameters I could exercise?Who/what inspires me? What about them? Where can I go to be inspired? Ideas that popped up while reading this . . .30

Creating avisual strategy for your launch doesn’t have to be a complicated endeavor to be effective, but it can paralyze you if you aren’t sure how to organize yourself or what constitutes a good plan. Erika Madden (pg. 6) 31

Office Q: I’m overwhelmed by theHours amount of copy (SO MANY WORDS) that I need to write with Jenna Arak for my launch! What content should I focus on and howJenna Arak is a soulful storyteller. She shows women how to use the written can I get started? Anyword to share their story: to teach, to connect, to have an impact on the advice on how to jumpstartpeople who need to read about who they are, what they’ve done, and what my brain?they do—because through reading one another’s stories, all of our liveswill be changed for the better. Jenna’s mission is to encourage women to A: Ooh, good question! Ifollow their dreams, build upon their strengths, and bring new, interesting, LOVE to write and even I getand innovative ideas into the world through storytelling. She is also a copy- overwhelmed by all of thewriter, an editor, and a denizen of any bookstore’s self-help section. Her content there is to createwriting has been featured on Salon, Thought Catalog, The Everygirl, The around a launch.Muse, Darling Magazine, Career Contessa, and more. She is a co-founderand editor of The Independent. Other than your product itself (which may also be content-heavy, like an eBook or an eCourse), Website: jennaarak.com here are the main areas to focus on when creat- Twitter: @jennanicole ing content (otherwise known as “sales copy”) 32 Instagram: @jennaarak around your launch. YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE/BUSINESS’ LANDING PAGE/SALES PAGE/WEBSITE Launch Purpose: To act as the official “home” of the product, service, or business that you’re launching; this is where potential customers can find all of the details about your launch and pur- chase whatever it is that you’re selling! Length: These are pretty lengthy, usually clock- ing in at around 2,000+ words. Additional Resource: Check out Jessica Jo- hansen’s article on page 112 for more tips on designing a website that aligns with your brand! YOUR BLOG POSTS Launch Purpose: To inform and educate on topics that are aligned with your launch, while also acting as a place to host giveaways and blog crawls. Length: Usually 800-1,500 words Additional Resource: Check out Sarah Von Bargen’s article on page 36 for more tips on hosting your own blog crawl to promote your launch!

YOUR EMAIL NEWSLETTER work from a satisfied customer. It doesn’t necessari-Launch Purpose: To speak directly to your most ly have to be a testimonial of the product or serviceloyal fans, keeping them up-to-date on all things that you’re launching (though that helps!)—it onlylaunch, and potentially offering special giveaways needs to prove your credibility. If Susie and Davidor discounts. and Liz think you’re awesome, why wouldn’t we all?Length: Usually 300-500 wordsAdditional Resource: Check out Lisa Butler’s arti- One More Time, With Feeling: How do youcle on page 98 for more tips on building an en-gaged email list prior to launch! want people to feel when they read your sales pageYOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS copy? Do you want them to feel relieved? Hopeful?Launch Purpose: To help build buzz around your Excited? Anxious? The single most important thinglaunch, with an ever-expanding, engaged commu- to understand about writing launch content is thatnity. it should convey your sincere understanding—youLength: Usually 50-150 characters need to understand exactly what your readers areAdditional Resource: Check out Deidre Guillory’s thinking and feeling and going through, and ap-article on page 104 for more tips on creating social peal to that in your copy.media content that converts! And, of course, I understand that sometimes—noWhen you create content for your launch, you need matter what you have to write—the creative juic-to keep in mind that your ultimate goal is to serve es just aren’t flowing. You need to “jumpstart youryour people—and you do that by selling them what brain,” as you so cleverly put it. These are a fewyou have to offer! Keep the following tips in mind, ways I have found helpful for doing just that:so you can manage the careful balance betweensales and service: Batch: Set aside an hour or two for like-mindedKnow Your Audience: And pick one of them! content projects in the weeks before your launch. Reserve a couple of hours to write all of your blogThat’s right—just one person, in that big ‘ol audi- posts, then all of your social media content, thenence. Then, picture that person in your mind and each of your email newsletters. (You can actual-write specifically to them. There are a ton of great ly do these in whatever order you want, so longresources on identifying your target audience in as you’re batching.) If possible, schedule each ofthis issue (Alisha Nicole has a great resource for re- these batches on different days. It’s easiest to writeally digging deep on page 40!), so use those to fig- in bursts when you stick to like-minded content—ure out who you’re selling to, and write as if you’re and give yourself a breather in between—insteadspeaking directly to him or her. of moving between many different tasks, so your brain has to hop from one random thing to another)Consider the Problem: Remember the prob- trying to get everything written at once.lem that you’re solving; the pain point that you’re Free Write: Start by dumping everything youalleviating. This will be your focus in your copy—you want to show your target customer how you know and/or want to share onto paper. This doesn’twill be helping them, how your product (or service have to be pretty—just get the words out. Ask your-or business) will be serving them. As Nathan Allotey self: What MUST my audience know? Some peoplementioned in his article on page 56, it’s important like to set a timer and write until the buzzer goes off.to focus on the benefits of whatever it is that you’re Often, it helps to remove yourself from your normallaunching, not just the features. In trying to deter- environment to spur different creative thought. I’vemine how your product benefits your readers, you been known to take a long walk around my neigh-can actually start with the features. List it all out. borhood, notebook in hand, when I need to free-Then ask yourself: What can my potential customer write. I’m usually squatting on the sidewalk, scrib-do, have, or be as a result of these features? Those bling words down furiously, just steps outside myare your benefits. door.Prove It: For those of us who don’t already know Follow the Formula: Elias St. Elmo Lewis ishow incredible you are, include testimonials as so- credited with having come up with the secret for-cial proof of your awesome-ness. What’s a testimo- mula to copywriting success. The AIDA formula isnial? It’s a positive testament of you and/or your an infamous sales and marketing acronym that lists the seemingly perfect way in which to engage with a consumer: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. You can use the worksheet on the next page to follow the formula with your own copy! 33

Use the AIDA formula to help structure your main launch content. You might write one section at a time, or take the disparate pieces and put them under their individual sections—attention, interest, desire, action—tweaking your copy until you’ve found a flow that reads well and makes sense to your potential customer.Ais for Attention There are several ways to do this: You could start by asking a question (“Do you ever feel uncomfortable in large groups?”) or maybe include an anecdote (“I’ve known two things my entire life: I would be a writer and I would be rich.”) Whatever you do, it’s important that your first sentence—your first paragraph, really—is intriguing. You want to entice your readers’ attention; get them to continue reading down the page, all the way to the “Buy Now” button. How will you grab your customer’s attention? is forI Interest Now that you’ve got their attention, it’s time to pique their interest. This is a great place to start talking about the basics of your launch product: what is it about, what does it include, why did you create it? Lay out the features (don’t worry, we’ll get to the benefits shortly) that would be interesting to the audi- ence you’re hoping to serve. How will you pique their interest? 34

Dis for DesireAnd here’s where you come in with the benefits. “Remember all of those great features I told you about?” you’ll tell them. “This is what they mean for you!”You have very important knowledge at your fingertips—how your customers feel and how you want them to feel—so put that into action here. Identify withwhere they are and show them how your product (or service or business) can take them to where they want to be. Build desire by showing them how muchthey need what you have to offer! How will you inspire desire in your potential customers?Ais for Action The Call-to-Action is one of the most important parts of any sell, and is unfortunately, oft forgotten. You have to tell people exactly what to do. Tell them where to click or lay out the steps, so that it’s remarkably clear how to purchase your book. It may seem simple to you, but you don’t want to leave room for question or confusion. Be clear and close the sale.How will you encourage potential customers to take action—in other words, how will you close the sale? 35

How to Plan an Amazing,Launch-Promoting BlogCrawl Meet Sarah Von Bargen Congratulations, friend! You’re about to launch something fantastic.Sarah Von Bargen is a blogger, ghost-writer, and writer-writer who helps Maybe it’s an eCourse that will change your customer’s life.people make their online spaces more Maybe it’s a page-turner of a book.popular, profitable, and awesome. Maybe it’s a real, physical product (how gloriously retro!).She’s been blogging for eight years at No matter what you’re launching, I’m sure you’d like as muchYesandyes.org to a daily readership of buzz as possible and a healthy traffic bump to accompany that12,000+ readers, which she finds equal launch. There are tons of great ways to promote your launchparts flattering and bizarre. (heck, this magazine is full of ‘em), but I’d like to sing the praises of that under-appreciated traffic-building hero of yore: The Blog find me at: Crawl. sarahvonbargen.com “And what, pray tell, is a blog crawl?” you ask. Facebook: @yesandyesblog Blog crawl (n) - A tool used to drive traffic from one blog to Twitter: @yesandyesblog another. Contributors write about a specific topic on their own Instagram: @yesandyesblog blog. In their blog posts, they link to the blog crawl host’s site and link to each other. Online traffic flows between the main host site to contributors and from contributor to contributor through blog posts and social media promotion. If you’re thinking “that sounds like entirely too much work,” you’re not alone. Not many people host blog crawls because they can be a bit of an undertaking and there are a lot of moving parts. But! The fact that they’re relatively rare makes them that much more effective—the last time I hosted a blog crawl, more than 9,000 people downloaded the free sample of my eCourse! If I haven’t convinced you, here are three reasons you should consider hosting a blog crawl. IT WILL BRING YOU (AND YOUR CONTRIBUTORS) LOTS OF TRAFFIC When coordinated correctly, everyone involved in the blog crawl promotes each other’s work. That means heaps of talented, love- ly people with engaged followers linking to your stuff. Between everyone who took part in my blog crawl, we had a combined Twitter reach of 100,000+!

IT WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR RELATIONSHIP APPROACH PEOPLE WHO HAVE AWITH YOUR CONTRIBUTORS SIMILARLY-SIZED READERSHIPI’m a big fan of good karma and spreading good Huge bloggers are less likely to partake in blogwill and traffic all around the internet. I really ap- crawls if they don’t know you personally or if therepreciated the work my contributors put into their isn’t much “in it” for them. Reach out to peopleblog crawl posts, and I was so, so happy to return who have a readership that’s similar in size to yoursthe favor. When you work on a project with anyone, – look at their social media following or read theiryou get to know them a little better and strengthen “sponsor” page if they have one. That’s where theyyour friendships. share their numbers. You can also use your blog crawl as an opportunityIT WILL (HOPEFULLY) INCREASE YOUR SALES to point the internet in the direction of ‘smaller,’ un-BY ONE METRIC TON der-appreciated bloggers. If you like someone andA blog crawl will bring in more traffic, which will you know your readers would too, invite them!bring in more sales. Of course, you need to funnelthat new traffic onto your list, which triggers an au- MAKE SURE YOUR CONTRIBUTORS BENEFITto-responder set … but I’m sure you can read all FROM THE BLOG CRAWLabout that elsewhere in this issue. We don’t want our blog crawls to be the internet equivalent of the friend who only calls when she How to Choose + Woo Contributors to needs a ride. You can make your blog crawl extra Your Blog Crawl beneficial to your contributors by tweeting each of their posts, sharing their posts in your newsletter, orThe most important ingredient in your blog crawl aggregating their posts into one that you share onpizza is all the outrageously awesome contributors. your own blog.Here’s how to find them and convince them to join Continue to support your contributors after thein the fun! blog crawl. Share their content, leave comments on their site, and promote their launches.APPROACH PEOPLE WITH WHOM YOU AL-READY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO SAY “YES”This isn’t the time to email a huge blogger you’ve Keep your pitch email concise and clear. Tell themnever talked to before. This is when you email that why and how this blog crawl will benefit them. Linkinternet friend you’ve partnered with three other to a sales page for the launch so they understandtimes. Or your designer. Or your client. Or your what they’ll be helping promote. Give them datesonce-monthly coffee partner. When you’re putting for the proposed blog crawl and (politely) tell themtogether a blog crawl, you’re simultaneously asking when you’d like their answer by.people for a pretty significant favor and introducing Don’t overwhelm them with too much information!them (with your endorsement) to your readers. You Once you get a “yes” then you can tell them alldon’t want to take a chance on someone who will about group tweets, etc.flake out or write something so deeply unlike youthat your readers will question your judgment. The Logistics of Hosting a Blog CrawlPARTNER WITH PEOPLE WHOSE AUDIENCEWOULD LIKE THE PRODUCT YOU’RE LAUNCH- Let’s talk nitty-gritty. Let’s talk spreadsheets andING schedules!Think about the problem your product solves, orthe question it answers. Whose readership has that MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A PERMALINK FORproblem or asks that question? Find those people! YOUR SALES PAGE READY FOR YOUR CON-My blog crawl promoted The Post College Survival TRIBUTORSKit, an eCourse designed to help 20-somethings Each of the posts in your blog crawl will be linkingnavigate career, finances, dating, and domestic life back to your sales page. Many of your contributorsafter college. So I left my fashion and food blogger will want to write and schedule their posts well be-friends out of it. Before you invite someone to take fore the launch is live, so make sure you have a per-part in your blog crawl consider their readership’s malink ready before you even pitch them. Imagineage, income, interests, and needs. If it doesn’tseem like a match for your product, keep moving. 37

emailing 20 contributors and saying “Soooooo, I need you to change the link you’reusing in that introduction paragraph.” Ugh, right?CHOOSE THE RIGHT POST TOPICThis, my friends, is the million dollar baby. When you’re asking your friends to writesomething for your blog crawl, consider topics that: (a) complements the subject of your blog and the product you’re launching (b) would be interesting/helpful to anyone who reads it—regardless of whose blog they usually read or if they’re the target market for your new product (c) are customizable to match your contributor’s voice/area of expertiseSince my product was aimed at 20-somethings, I chose the topic “Notes To My Young-er Self.”CREATE A BIG OL’ DORKY SPREADSHEET FOR YOURSELFThere’s a lot to remember and manage when you’re coordinating a blog crawl withtons of contributors. Make yourself a giant spreadsheet with columns devoted to whoyou approached to be part of the crawl, if they responded and how, which week theyare scheduled to post, their email/url/twitter handle, and links to their post once it’sgone live.SEND YOUR CONTRIBUTORS PRE-WRITTEN, BLOG CRAWL-SPECIFIC COPYYou’ll need to send your contributors a pre-written intro well before the actual blogcrawl starts.Here’s what I sent my contributors:Here’s an intro for the top of the post: Notes To My Younger Self is helping spread the word about The Post College Survival Kit. We learned the hard way so you don’t have to! You don’t have to wait till your thirties for a better job, a cuter apart- ment, financial stability, better relationships + friendships.And then I added this P.S. Of course, feel free to edit this so it’s in your voice – all that’s really important is that it includes the link ;)CREATE BLOG CRAWL-SPECIFIC IMAGESIn a perfect world, it would be nice if all your contributors accompanied their postswith launch-branded images. This can be a bit of a “big ask” because the imagesyou’re sending them might not match with their branding.To counteract this, I had my designer make four different images that were all on-brand for my launch but in different colors so my contributors could choose the imagethat worked best with their branding. Or you could create a few graphic text files sothey can overlay your text onto an image of their choice.MAKE IT EASY FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTORS TO PROMOTE EACH OTHER’SWORKAt the end of each week, send your contributors pre-written tweets linking to andpromoting each other’s posts. I like to remind my contributors that none of this is 38

“required” and that they should feel free to write their own tweets and promote eachother in a way that feels right to them. But most of us are busy, and if I like you andtrust, you I’ll probably be happy to tweet links to the smart, interesting people whoare also involved in this project.Here’s an example:It’s Friday! You guys wrote some amazing things this week. Thanks again for takingpart in this blog crawl and promoting each other’s stuff. I hope you’re seeing a niceuptick in traffic!Here are tweets in support of this week’s contributors: “A man is not a financial plan” and other awesome advice from @ DanielleDowling_ [link] I loved @kylaroma’s advice to her younger self: Check in and see if your normal is normal [link]You get the idea!ASK YOUR CONTRIBUTORS TO @MENTION YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA WHENTHEIR POST GOES UP SO YOU CAN PROMOTE ITIt’s hard to get 20 people to email you their blog posts ahead of time. It’s a lot easierto convince them to @mention you on Twitter when their post goes up.PROMOTE THEIR STUFF ON YOUR BLOG AND IN YOUR NEWSLETTERIn addition to all that social media promotion, I think it’s nice to promote your contrib-utors on your own blog. Each Friday of launch month, I’d assemble a post with head-shots and wise pull quotes and then link directly to the featured contributors’ posts. The Last, Most Important Step That A Lot of People ForgetYou boosted your traffic! You boosted your contributors’ traffic! You made a bunch ofsales! You can relax now, right?Well, sure. But if you take things one step further, you’ll grow your email list and createsomething evergreen for your readers and your contributors’ readers.MAKE AN EBOOK OUT OF THE BLOG CRAWL POSTSThis is what separates the kids from the grown-up professionals. Once your blog crawlhas wound down, assemble all those amazing posts into a nicely designed eBook andgive it to your contributors as a thank you. They can share it with their readers, use itas an opt-in freebie for their own newsletter, or just print it out and read it in bed witha glass of wine.What are you going to do with it? You’re going to use it to growyour list and find new customers!There’s no denying that blog crawls are a bit of work, but if you follow these steps(especially that last one) I promise it’ll be worth it. Your blog traffic and bank accountwill thank you! 39

How to Find the PeopleYou Want toTarget Meet Alisha Nicole Talk to the people who want to hear what you have to say. Alisha is a creative business coach and blogger at TheAlishaNicole.com. She So there’s a famous saying that goes a little is dedicated to helping creative wom- something like this: en turn their passion into a profitable business and is a firm believer in elim- “You can’t possibly market anything inating the stress and confusion that without first knowing who comes along with the process! you are marketing to.”find me at: theAlishaNicole.com Okay, the saying may not be “famous”, per se. (In fact, I just made it up.) But the actual reality is, whether or not you choose Instagram: @thealishanicole to discover and define exactly who your target audience is can Twitter: @THEAlishaNicole make or break your business. The last thing you want to do is Facebook: @TheAlishaNicole waste what could potentially be a ton of precious time and mon- Pinterest: @TheAlishaNicole ey marketing to the wrong person—let alone, create several amazing products just to find out no one is actually interested in them. You can easily eliminate that stress and worry by getting clear on who exactly you’re speaking and selling to when branding and creating content for your business. THE MOMENT OF TRUTH: When I opened my first business, I was willing to sell to anyone with a pulse and, quite frankly, didn’t think twice about my ideal customer. As a result, I wasted hundreds of dollars on failed marketing attempts and countless hours attending events to sell to people who had NO interest in what I had to offer. Moreover, I continued to release products that I thought would be best instead of thinking twice about what my customers would like. It was a complete disaster. Please, don’t repeat my mistakes. Uncovering your target audience can be a daunting task. Think of how deeply you know and understand your siblings, or your best friend—that’s exactly how well you should know your ideal customer. We’re going to be digging way beyond the basics of gender, age, location. So, how do we get started? First and foremost, for the sake of understanding your audience, research is key. And listen people, don’t be afraid to get borderline stalker (but no binoculars in the trees, okay?). To make it a little easier, think of your target audi- ence as just one person—your ideal customer or client. If you could only sell to one single person for the rest of your career, who would it be? In the marketing world, we call this creating a “persona”. You can go as far as naming them, thinking of what their hobbies might be, what kind of job they have, or how they

might consume media. (We’ll answer audience enjoys the most, what theythese questions a little later). need, and what topics you could possi-DIVING A LITTLE DEEPER bly elaborate on.I’m sure you’re thinking, “Alisha, So let’s start with the basics. The nexthow in the world am I supposed to few questions will act as a launch pad,know someone I have never actual- if you will, to help give you a better idealy met before that well?”. Well. my of what type of audience you want to fo-friend, over the years I have found cus on and how to create your audiencethat, more times than not, our ideal persona:customer is a lot like us. The reality isthat we found our niche because we The Basicswanted to fill some type of void, orhave an outlet for our passions. The Age?type of person you’re targeting may Gender?currently be where you were just two Income?or three years ago. Education Level?Take a minute to think about your- Career Type?self, your journey, and why you once What do your people wish they had more of?needed (or saw a need for) whatyou’re currently offering. Personally, Does he/she have children?I created my brand because I wanted Personality Type?a place to share not only my journey Beliefs/Values?as a creative entrepreneur, but alsomy business tips and advice in a way What is he/she interested in?that my right-sided brain could un-derstand. Sure enough, I was able What are his/her hobbies?to tap into a community of creativebusiness women like myself with the What are your people passionate about?same wants and needs.A great place to start your research How would she describe his/her personal style?is by taking a look at your analytics.Pull up Google Analytics (or Metrics 41if you use Squarespace). Some of theinformation you’ll find can be a fan-tastic resource for focusing in on whoyour audience is, and how you canalter your business habits to servethem. For example, understandingwhere the majority of your audienceresides in the world can help you de-cide appropriate times to post yourblog, tweets, etc.In addition, take a look at whichsocial media sites bring the mosttraffic to your website. This informa-tion can tell you where your targetaudience is spending the majorityof their time, thus preventing youfrom spending time and/or moneyon platforms your audience just isn’tinterested in. Also, check out yourmost popular content. This can bea great indicator of the content your

Online Presence & Free Time What types of websites/blogs does she/he read?Next, we’ll break down his media What blogs/websites does he/she visit daily?consumption. This includes where 1.she is online, and how she uses me- 2.dia. If you’re struggling with this, 3.again, look back at your analytics to 4.see where the majority of your traf-fic comes from. If you don’t have Which social media sites do your people use?much traffic coming to your sitejust yet, try finding a few bloggers What times is he/she on social media or reading blogs? (Early morningor other business owners who you before work? Sporadically during the day? Every chance she gets?)know you’d love to sell to or thatpotentially have an audience similar What device does he/she use to read blogs/websites & use socialto yours to use as inspiration. We’ll media? (computer, cell phone, tablet, etc.)also be taking a look at what shedoes in her free time when she’s How does he/she prefer to be reached? (email, phone, etc.)not online. What email newsletters has he/she signed up for? How does he/she spend her weekends? What would he/she rather be doing than sitting at work? What television shows do your people watch? Who is his/her favorite music artist? Where is he/she most likely to shop?42

Lastly, we’ll be digging deeper into who your ideal customer is, and why she wouldfind you and your content valuable. Take some time thinking on these questions—these tend to be a little more emotional, so in order to properly find your targetaudience you need to know her pain points and how you can be part of the solution.These questions may seem simple, but trust me when I say they will help a ton whenyou’re ready to market and launch your business. After answering these questions,we’ll piece the most crucial bits of information together to create a short summary ofyour target audience. MY TARGET AUDIENCE Dig Deeper Just to give you an idea of how easy it is to sum up your ideal customer, here isWhat is her/his ultimate goal in life? my business’ target audience summary: When creating my business, I want toWhat is stopping her/him from reaching her/his ultimate goal? target creative women aged 23-35. She is intensely career-driven, but unhap-What frustrates your people? py in her current 9-5 position. Creative and ambitious, she often dreams aboutHow can you help her/him through these frustrations? turning her passions into a profitable business that will allow her to make aWhat value does she/he see in your product/service? full-time living doing something that sheWhy would she/he purchase from you instead of someone else with a similar prod- loves. She is eager to start or grow heruct/service? current business, but figuring out the “how” is what frustrates her. She often asks herself, “How do I go from hobby to business? How do I gain a consistent income? How do I get over the fear of taking the leap of faith into entrepre- neurship?” I will eliminate that stress and confusion via blog posts and coaching services, not only answering her “how,” but also creating an actionable plan that will help her reach her ultimate goal. NOW IT’S YOUR TURNWhat would make her/him hesitant about purchasing your product Use your answers from the questions youor service? have answered to write a brief summaryWhat is she/he willing to pay for a product like yours? of your ideal gal (or guy). Remember to get as specific and detailed as possible. The narrower you get with your target audience, the easier it will be to target them with specifically-tailored content, better branding, and audience-appro- priate business plans. APPLYING YOUR ANSWERSDoes she/he currently use a product or service like yours? If so, what makes yours Let’s say your ideal customer is a 26-yeardifferent? old woman who just had her first childHow would she/he describe your products/services to others? and is interested in being a work-from-If she/he could ask you anything, what would it be? home mom. She’s frustrated because not only is she struggling to build her business, but she also fights managing her time between family, her 9-5 job, and her new passion. From the infor- mation you’ve gathered, you know to provide her with actionable resources on how to build her business and how to better manage her time. You could even touch on topics related to being a

young ambitious mother and what she can expect in the months or years to come. Everything that you do would cater to her needs in help- ing her achieve her ultimate goal of being a work-from-home mom. Now that you’ve done your research and summarized your target audi- ence, how will you appeal to her? Keep in mind, it’s your responsibility to your consumers to take into ac- count the things listed in the previ- ous questions and apply them when launching and positioning your business. More importantly, taking the time to understand your audi- ence will make for some seriously enjoyable and stress-free business practices—making your brand and your content more rich, more valu- able, and more appealing.Who really needs whatyou’re offering?Would you need it?Would you want it? 44

Recognizing theClient type is crucial for me.I’ll gladly take a humdrum gig so the client will never forget mywork ethic, Quality, and that they like working with me. Wes Evans (pg. 72) 45

Office Q: “I’m launching aHours product. What legal stuff do I need to worry about?”with Lemuel Anaejionu A: Great question—let’sLem is an entrepreneur first and a lawyer second. Lem empowers new and break it down as a checklist.experienced entrepreneurs by explaining, advising and “handling” the le-gal-ish stuff so entrepreneurs can tackle the real business issues--like mak- Confirm the product name is noting money. already a registered trademark in aLem earned his undergrad degree in finance at the University of Texas atAustin in 2004. Thereafter he wrestled a JD and an MBA from Columbia Rsimesiloaurrpcreo:dhutcttp:c/a/ttmegseoaryrc.h.uspto.gov/University in New York city in 2010. He then earned his “stripes” at a majorlaw firm in NYC ( 2010 - 2013), but then returned to his calling--consulting bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=4809:1tnx-with small online businesses and entrepreneur. lk.1.1 Confirm the product name is not the Website: TooLegit.co name of another product/company that eRxeisstosuirnceth:ehsttapm:/e/winwdwu.gstoroy.gle.com Confirm the product name is not a registered business name in the state/ territory I plan to register in. Resource: Check the Secretary of State’s website (or comparable division) of the state you live in File my business as a legitimate entity and obtained an EIN from the IRS. • Resource: Secretary of State’s Web- site (or comparable division in your state) • Resource: www.corpnet.com • Resource: www.incorporate.com • Resource: https://www.irs.gov/ Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Em- ployed/Apply-for-an-Employer-Identifica- tion-Number-(EIN)-Online Obtained product liability insurance, errors + omissions insurances, or other insurance related to my industry or product. Side Note: If your business includes physical products, professional services, or in-person interaction, then insurance is very important.46

Checked with my local authorities and commerce division to make sure my type of business or product does notrSeiqmupirleeadHdaitciokna: lTlhicisencsaensb, eceinrttiimficidataitoinng, ,oerstpeesctiianlgly.if you are new to an industry. You can figure out the laws and rules ofyour industry quickly by taking a look at one of your competitors.• What permits do they have?• Do they have any legal disclaimers on their website, store, other physical location?• Does their TOU / TOS reference any specific laws? If they do, you should probably figure out why the laws are referenced.• Check out their sales literature. If they are licensed, they usually say it.Apply for a sales and use tax permit (or the equivalent in my state/country).Side Note: Some products or services are not subject to sales tax, but MOST are. Make sure you figure this out soonerrather than later. Also, once you obtain your sales tax permit make sure you keep up with the filings. Late filings and slowpayments can end up costing you more than you actually owe.•••S• igRRSRnieeeumssspooopuuuflorrrecccr eeeaH:::ccawwwocwwwukwwwnt...:gwbinoeaTgnovaecgkshaeole.pfct.tpciowmos(.amePcroa/aeismtdhol)ee(rFeasrsteesteto(F)unrpeceea)an accounting system to record expenses and revenue. revenues. This is week, month, or quarter to collect all your expenses andgoing to make tax time much easier (though still not fun!).Get all employees and subcontractors to sign a “work for hire” agreement, which clearly outlines that my business isthe sole owner and copyright holder of all work created for me.Warning: Avoid being extorted in the future. And yes, this happens. Make sure you own your logos, designs, articles, etc.If you don’t, then when your site / product is really profitable, a number of “friends” and former employees who helped youout will be looking for a pay day. Sad, but true.Optional Things You May Want to Do: Apply for a trademark. Resource: www.corpnet.com Obtain a standard “cease and desist” letter to use if anyone copies/misuses the intellectual property of my business. Create an operating agreement between myself and any business partners. Side Note: In the beginning, it doesn’t have to be anything overly complicated, but make sure you agree on the following issues in writing! • Profits: Percentage breakdown between partners; eat-what-you-kill; or other breakdown • Expenses: Are expenses paid first? How are they broken up? • Losses: How are they allocated? Does each owner have to contribute more money to the business? • Major decisions: How are major decisions made? Majority? Unanimous? One per- son? • Dissolution (ending the business): Who gets to decide when the business ends? Majority? Unanimous? One person? • Taxes: Who is responsible for making sure taxes are paid? 47

Behind-the-Green How I Made Over $2,000 in One Afternoon Selling a $97 ProductMeet Maya Elious Instagram: @mayaelious_ find me at: MayaElious.com Maya Elious is a personal branding strategist that teaches blog- gers and coaches how to expand their influence online so they can elevate their impact and income. At her creative academy, BRNDWCH, she breaks down branding into her trademarked principles (purpose, positioning, and pre- sentation) and offers courses catering to brand messaging, strat- egy, and design. Through her blog, MayaElious.com, Maya has used her manifesto “Follow Your Passion, Live Your Purpose” to inspire college stu- dents and creative women to step outside of their comfort zone and into their calling so they can live their purpose full-time. Facebook: @mayaeliousdotcom Twitter: @mayaelious Pinterest: @mayaelious48 Google+: +MayaElious

I PAID ATTENTION TO WHAT MY AUDIENCE This was the original mock up beforeWAS STRUGGLING WITH. I had my branding 100%.When I started blogging two years ago, I had noidea where it would take me. I shared outfit posts As you can tell, I got it togetherand other things I liked because I thought that’s eventually.what blogging was. I thought it was all about look-ing good on the Internet and showing your life to It ended up doing really well, and tripled my list inpeople. But really great things happen when you just one week. And by tripled, I mean it took mejust pay attention. I decided to blog about the from 80 subcribers to 240—still something to cel-seven amateur mistakes I had made as a business ebrate! The biggest value in the book, however, isowner one day. Years later, it’s still one of my most that I found people were more into my content onpopular posts. People wanted to know about me having a profitable online presence than workingas a business owner—so that’s exactly what I began on their personal development. Free products likeblogging about. As I shared more stories about my this can help you better understand your audience,journey running an online business, I began attract- their needs, and what type of content they will re-ing young women who also wanted to jump-start spond to best.their business. My brand as a designer and youngbusiness owner who dropped out of college to fol- 49low her passion, began taking form.I continued running my web and graphic designagency, and towards the end of my run, I learnedwhy I needed to start coaching. It occurred to methat people thought branding was just pretty col-ors, and looked past branding staples like clearmessaging and effective strategy. As I found myselfconsulting with clients for free, the realization setin that design was no longer a space for me. Af-ter focusing my brand, I expanded my platform bycreating more content around blogging, person-al development, running an online business, andbranding in the digital space. I learned quickly thatpeople were most confused with personal brand-ing and presenting themselves online as an expert.It appeared that for my audience, there was a seri-ous level of discomfort in being so transparent andin going after their dreams.I TESTED OUT FREE PRODUCTS TO HELPALLEVIATE THEIR STRUGGLES.Before I started paying close attention to my au-dience, the first lead magnet I ever created was afive-week email series on unlocking your full poten-tial. Each week came with an amazing workbook. Ican’t lie, the content was awesome. The only thingis, I had to wait five weeks to get full feedback frompeople, and not a lot of people stay committed tosomething that long. If you decide to go this route,here are a couple tips. If you want to do a series ofemails, it should be called a “course”, making it au-tomatically sound more valuable. It also shouldn’ttake them five weeks to get all of your great val-ue—consider making it 30 days or less.My second lead magnet was an eBook called “WebDesigner’s Secret: 5 Ingredients To Make Your Web-site More Profitable.” I was extremely proud of it. Imade a cool mock up and everything.

My third lead magnet was a combination of the After 700 people signed up for my free personaltwo. It was a free five-day course on jumpstarting branding eCourse, I didn’t necessarily need a sur-your personal brand. Voila! My list surpassed 1,000 vey to know that they were into personal branding.subscribers easily. This was also after I rebranded, It did, however, help me with a price point. A lot ofpurchased LeadPages, and became more strategic people wanted to work with me, but one of theirwith everything. biggest struggles was lack of disposable income. My next move was based on specific feedback. IAfter my readers signed up for the free course, the offered a free training via webinar on the biggest“thank you” page invited them to share the course mistakes bloggers and coaches make when build-with their Twitter followers. I also used the hashtag ing their brand. I also invited them to continue“#PBJcourse” to create buzz on Twitter. Lastly, I building their brand with my masterclass for $97 atput the URL of the free course in my social media the end of the webinar.bios so all the traffic was sent to a landing page. The goal is to create a val- Note: If you don’tAn astounding 700 people signed up. SEVEN. ue-packed webinar that pro- have enough infor-HUNDRED. vides actionable resources mation on a sub- that they can use to reach ject to give awayDuring this time, I was also producing more con- smaller goals. Even if they information for free,tent through my blog and started my first few Peri- couldn’t afford to join the you shouldn’t bescope broadcasts. These free products allowed me masterclass, they still re- charging for it.to build trust with my audience, and helped posi- ceived immense value fortion me as an expert in personal branding. free. After the webinar I had a decent conversionI CREATED A PRODUCT THAT SPOKE TO THEIR rate, because by this point, I had built trust with allSTRUGGLES BASED ON SPECIFIC FEEDBACK. of my free content on building a personal brand.The next amazing thing I worked on was my per- In short, how was I able to make over $2,000 insonal branding masterclass. The class covered dis- one afternoon by selling a $97 product?covering your purpose and implementing three I grew my list by giving something away that wasprinciples I’ve used to build a personal brand andmake money online within the past two years. Even in line with my paid product.before my list had hit over 1,000, I sent out a read- I built my authority by creating consistent contenter survey to my subscribers and asked them whattype of content they wanted to see from me. Many and speaking to 100+ webinar viewers.people said more content and more paid courses I invited 80 viewers (amount of people able to stayat an affordable rate. Done. I decided to make theearly bird pricing for the master class $97. until the end) to see more results by taking my master class.Note: I sent the reader The purpose of creatingsurvey to a list of under a reader survey is to get I had a 25% conversion rate that generated over1,000 people. Do not a better understanding $2000 in sales.procrastinate on check- of your audience so youing in with your sub- can better serve them. Honestly, I’m still surprised I was able to do it. Ini-scribers and creating a You can create a reader tially I expected to earn about $600, max. I real-product until you reach survey at SurveyMon- ized that webinars are the most scalable, profitablea number goal. Waiting key.com and ask up to thing you can do for your business. A number ofto do “X” before we get 10 questions for free. people are scared to “pitch” or be “salesy”, but“Y” is why a lot of us For example, I wrote I honestly think it’s unfair to leave your audienceprocrastinate. Do what an email on indepen- hanging without an opportunity to work with you.you have to do regard- dence day and talked Inviting them to reach their goals is what you’reless of the circumstance. about how building my supposed to do. If you’ve been too scared to invite your audiencebrand has allowed me to live independently dai- to purchase one of your products, programs, orly. Then I asked: “How can I help you reach your courses, it’s time to jump in. Unless you’re afraid ofindependence?” and added a link to the survey. money, you have no reason to avoid helping yourAlways frame your surveys in a way that helps your audience to the best of your ability (and gettingaudience understand that it will benefit them more paid in the process).than it benefits you. I HOSTED A FREE WEBINAR (OR LIVE TRAIN- ING/WORKSHOP) FEATURING MY FREE AND PAID PRODUCTS.50