Test-Launch Issue

How?Questions to ask yourself before sending out a surveyWhy? How do you want to ask?Who? I personally used SurveyMonkey.com for help generating the perfect questions (they have a question library), but you can also create a form using TypeForm. Whatever you choose to do, I would use a third-party form or questionnaire so the responses can remain anonymous. Allowing the responses to be anonymous encourages honesty. Why do you want to ask? The most important steps in a survey are figuring out what you actually want to know and making your objectives clear and simple. Primarily, I wanted to know what products I could create for my audience in the future. Secondarily, I wanted to know who my audience consisted of (their age, gender, lifestyle, etc.) Who do you want to ask? For my first survey, I asked a population (my entire list) because my list was somewhat small. A population is the entire set of people you want to ask. After growing my list with other lead magnets, I asked a sample. A sample is a more targeted portion of the bigger population. You can also share your survey in blog posts or online communities (like Facebook). Make sure you’re aware of any biases that can (and will) take place depending on who you decide to ask. 51

When do you want to ask?What? When? Depending on why you’re asking, when you ask will also play a factor. You can ask in one of your regular newsletters. You can ask right before the holidays if you want to do a New Years launch. It all depends on your specific strategy. What do you want to ask? When it comes to question content, my best advice is to keep your questions simple, straightforward, and concise. This will make it easy for your audience to understand what you’re asking, and easy for you to analyze the data. If some of your questions include multiple choice, try to keep it at or under seven answer choices for any given ques- tion—people get overwhelmed easily.A really great tip I read from SurveyMonkey.com was to label the answer choices. That means don’t ask them to rate an emo-tion on a scale of 1 to 5. Ask them if they’re extremely happy, very happy, moderately happy, slightly happy, or not at all happy.Words are easier for people to think about than numbers. Here is the perfect 10-question survey to send out to your list when you want to learn more about your audience and the best product to create for them.Demographics Stats:1. Age:(18-24) | (25-24) | (35-44) | (45-54) | (55-64) | (65-74) | (75+)2. Gender:(Male) | (Female)3. Income:($10,000 - $29,999) | ($30,000 – $49,999) | ($50,000 - $69,999) | ($70,000-$89,999) | ($90,000+) 52

Market Research:4. How did you hear about [your blog/brand name]? I suggest leaving this open-ended unless you specifically investedin advertising.5. What type of posts do you like most on [your blog/website]? List out your categories.6. What would you like to see more of from me? List out categories or leave open-ended.7. How interested are you in ________? I said “blogging and/or running an online business full-time.”8. What is one thing keeping you from your goals? Open-ended, let them rant about their struggles9. What could I do (write a blog, sell a book, create a program, etc.) to help you reach your goals?I included sample options within the question so I could leave the response open-ended. Ego Boost:10. Anything else you would like for me to know? (This part is usually just filled with nice things about you.)“If you don’t have enoughinformation on a subject togive away information forfree, you shouldn’t becharging for it.” - Maya Elious 53 53

Creative VIDEOS & 3 4 21 651. CANON 70D 3. FINAL CUT PRO 5. LOGITECH HD WEBCAM C920Price Range - $1,000 - $1,300 Price - $300 Price Range - $80 - $150Top Features: live view shooting capabil- Top Features: magnetic timeline, multicam Top Features: records in full HD video,ities, powerful processor, built-in wireless perspective, multichannel audio editing, stereo recording and broadcast, 15 mptechnology, captures HD 1080 clip connections, 3D titles, color grading snapshots, H.246 AVC Compression2. JOBY GRIP TIGHT MOUNT 4. CAMTASIA 6. IRIG MIC CASTPrice Range - $20 - $30 Price Range - $100 - $300 Price Range - $40 - $50Top Features: fits smartphones and small Top Features: upload videos or edit Top Features: compact size, two differenttablets, connects to all GorillaPods and screencasts, easily shareable, ready-to-use sensitivity settings, includes two free apps,most tripods, foldable and portable themes and graphics, etc. works for IOS and Android devices

Tools forPODCASTS 8 10 9 7 11127. SENNHEISER HD 202 II 9. SANDISK 32 GB MEMORY CARD 11. APPLE GARAGEBANDPROFESSIONAL HEADPHONES Price Range - $30 - $35 Price - Free if you have a MacPrice Range - $20 - $40 Top Features: lots of space for videos Top Features: full control over your audioTop Features: noise suppression, detach- and audio, increase space up to 512GB if recording, including built-in features andable ear cups, lightweight, cord take-up needed sounds8. BLUE YETI USB MICROPHONE 10. ADOBE AUDITION 12. ECAMM CALL RECORDERPrice Range - $130 - $150 Price Range - $20 - $50 monthly Price Range - free - $30Top Features: four audio settings, master Top Features: can be packaged with other Top Features: records HD, easily sharedvolume, mute button, zero-latency output Adobe products, record files, clean audio with others, side-by-side split screen

How toSuccessfullyUse VideoDuring aLaunch Video planner + ways to be effective . . . you’re gonna love this. 56

When I browse the Internet, I see tons of them. MeetNathan AlloteyBlog articles, that is—and they are everywhere. As a matter of fact, Nathan is digital media consultant by day who thrives on helping freelancers, busi-you are reading one right now. (Thanks, BTW). ness owners and entrepreneurs reach their goals while building better busi-But when it comes to content strategy, if you only focus on writing, nesses. His passion for making thingsyou are missing out. Google is the top search engine, of course, but better has brought him to where he iscan you guess which is next in line? now—creating valuable resources thatThe answer is YouTube. This is, by no means, a secret, but not ev- help people grow professionally. Nathaneryone is making videos—often because it takes some work or they learned quickly and feels a responsibili-don’t know what to do. And it’s this very reason why video can be the ty to share what he has learned. He justkey to differentiating yourself from everyone else online. can’t keep it to myself.Perhaps you have a new business or product, and you want to let theworld know how awesome it is. Video is a great way to get the word find me at: NathanAllotey.comout—but where do you begin and what type of videos should youcreate? Twitter: @nathanalloteyHere is what not to do: Don’t create videos that look like a QVC YouTube: nathanallotey.com/youtubeinfomercial and brag about how great your product is. People buyfrom those people that they like, trust, and believe in. With video, 57you have a great opportunity to share who you truly are and the valueyou provide—thus, building an audience of likable, trusting fans whoare ready to buy.WHY VIDEO?When launching a new product, you have to remove the thought ofbeing a salesperson and replace it with the thought of being a teach-er: educate people on why they should care.Let’s take a page from the teacher’s handbook: when transferringknowledge to another person you have to understand not everyonetakes information the same way. There are three main learning styles: Auditory (hear) learners Visual (sight) learners Kinesthetic (touch) learners Auditory learners learn by listening to someone; an audito- ry explanation is all they need to comprehend the information. Visual learners learn by viewing the information or watch- ing a demonstration. Viewing lists, charts, and graphics help them absorb the information more easily. Kinesthetic learners learn by touch. When they connect the instruction with a physical action, the information is con- firmed and memorizedWith video, you can easily address all three learning styles and makesure your message is well received regardless of who is viewing thecontent.VIDEO BEGINS WITH WRITINGThe first step to successfully using video in a launch is writing.

(But, wait a minute! I thought we were Start with Writing and Outliningtalking about video?!) Your VideoNot sure about you, but I have tried jumping infront of the camera to improvise before, and this What is the main theme of the video?has always led to bloopers and 30 minutes spenttrying to record a three-minute video. What is your goal for the video? (to entertain,Start by taking the time to write out what you are to educate, to demonstrate)going to say. Some find it advantageous to writeout every word, while others only write the mainhighlights they want to touch on and freestyle therest. At the very least, I recommend writing outsome bullet points of the content you want to cov-er.An added benefit to beginning with writing is that,by the time you finish your video outline, you willalso have the makings of a good video descriptionthat you can repurpose in your accompanying blogpost!Is this a single video or a series?What problem is your video solving? What is your ideal video length?If someone was to search for your video on What resources do you plan to mention in thethe web, what keywords would you expect video?them to type? (Write the links here.) What video format will you choose? (screencast, teaching lesson, etc.)58

ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE VIDEO Elements of anLet’s take a look at the breakdown of an effective Effective Videovideo.The first part of the video is what I call “the YOUR HOOKhook.” You only have about 10 seconds at thebeginning of the video to draw the viewer in be- YOUR MAIN YOURfore they make a decision to keep watching your POINTS SUMMARYvideo or move on to watching “fail videos” onthe Internet. YOUR CONCLUSIONIn these first 10 seconds, give a quick introduc-tion on who you are, a summary on what the vid- (call-to-action)eo is about, and what the viewer will learn fromthe video. Practice until you can get the hook 59down to between 10 - 15 seconds.Break your main content into sections. Peoplecan better absorb information when it is present-ed as sub-sections around a central idea. Videossuch as “4 Steps to Growing an Email List” or “10Blog Articles You Should Be Writing” have mem-orable sub-points that make for great headlines.Whatever you choose to discuss in your video,break it down into sections.Summarize everything covered in the video.Towards the end of the video, give a quick sum-mary of what you discussed as a reminder and todrive the point home.Remember that the conclusion is just as im-portant as the beginning of the video. Thinkabout it: if the person took the time to watch yourvideo until the end, use this as an opportunity toextend the conversation.Give the viewer one clear call-to-action. Ask themto watch another video, subscribe to your emaillist, visit your website, subscribe to your YouTubechannel, or purchase your product. Whatevercall-to-action you choose, make sure there is onlyone primary call-to-action at the end.4 WAYS TO SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHWITH VIDEO (1) Give a product tour using video. Show your audience the ins and outs of your product and explain the benefits. When showcasing your product, it’s key to focus on the benefits and not only the features. Features highlight the details of the prod- uct, while benefits inform the consumer of how your product will make their life better or directly solve a problem they are having. Think about the problems your product solves, and use these as a guide to create the main talking points of your video.

(2) Show practical use of your product in action. Take a real world situation and show how a person would apply your product to that situation. Amy Porterfield has an infoproduct on how to be effective with Facebook ads. Amy created a video in which she walks the viewer through how to create a Facebook ad using some of the principles she teaches in her infoproduct. You can do the same. Take a problem and show in your video how your product solves that problem. This will help your audience visualize them- selves using your product better than a blog post ever could. (3) Chronicle the product-building process with a video blog. If you are like me, then you want to spend all of your time locked in a room working on your product like a mad scientist. Then, when the project is fin- ished, your will emerge from your product laboratory and unleash it on the world. The problem with this method is no one will truly understand all of the time and value you put into creating your product. It’s easy to see a product with a price tag and miss the countless hours it took to make the product. Cre- ate a series of videos in which you give your audience a behind the scenes view of your progress. Inform people on why you made certain decisions, celebrate your milestones, discuss how you overcame difficulties, and show what tools you are using to create the product. There will be a new found appreciation for your product once people understand the investments put it. (4) Teach the best content from your product. It can be tempting to save the best parts of your product for purchase; however, when trying to grow an audience for a launch, you have to leave a memorable impression. Identify what you feel are the most valuable pieces of information your product has to offer and use these as the subject matter for video content. Teaching encourages reciprocation; you teach valuable content for free, and, in return, your audience will want to repay you with purchase. You can use a combination of the four methods described above to create many different videos that engage your audience. A video product tour can be integrated into the landing page to give potential buyers a look at what they are receiving right at the point of sale. A vlog can be presented as a video miniseries leading up to the day of the launch. Teaching videos can be used as a lead magnet to build an email list for your launch.60

Video Equipment and ToolsThere are a number of tools—both free and paid—to help you produce quality video content. Whichever route you take, un-derstand that it is more important to start where you are and use what you have rather than wait to create a fully-produced,high-quality video.VIDEO EDITORS STARTING DSLR CAMERASThere are a wide range of video editors, with Most high-quality videos have been shot with avarying degrees of difficulty, but they can create DSLR camera. There are many different types,just about any type of video you can imagine. each with different features. As a starting point,There is somewhat of a learning curve for each, I recommend one of these three to get started:but if you learn these, then the sky’s the limit: Canon 70DAdobe Premiere Pro Canon Rebel T5iFinal Cut Pro Canon Rebel T6iScreen Flow If you want to go this route and are intimidatedCamtasia by the price, don’t worry. Most of these modelsWindows Movie Maker (Windows) can be rented for as little as $60 a week.iMovie (Mac) WEBCAMSYouTube Free Editor You may find that the webcam on your computerSCREEN RECORDERS is suitable for the type of videos you would like toScreen recording programs allow you to record create. If that is the case, then go for it!your actions on the computer and create screen- I also recommend you check out the Logitechcasts: C920 Webcam. For under $100, you can get oneQuicktime (Mac, free) of the best webcams around and it records atScreen Flow (Mac) 1080p.Camtasia CELL PHONESScreencast-O-Matic (free/paid) The key to a recording a video for your launchGoogle Hangout (free) could be in your pocket as we speak. Certain cellHYBRID VIDEO EDITORS phones have decent video quality, and all youHybrid editor programs are programs that can need to do is acquire a cell phone stand to getnot only record what is on your screen, but they started.are also able to edit video files:Screen Flow (Mac)Camtasia 61

How to Launch a LocalEvent Series Asking the right questions means developing the right strategy for your event launch. Meet Ciera Holzenthal Ever wish you could get together with inspiring, like-minded people right in your city? Maybe you’re looking to network, col-Ciera Holzenthal is the owner, graphic laborate, or simply make some new friends. If that perfect localdesigner, and blogger behind the New event doesn’t already exist, have you ever thought about startingOrleans-based Ciera Design Studio, your own?founder of the Made in Mind Social and Planning a local event can feel intimidating. Where do you start?co-founder of the VenturePop Confer- How do you create a successful meetup—the kind that makesence. Specializing in visual brand de- people want to return each time it takes place? How can youvelopment, she adores working with avoid starting from scratch and learning everything through trialcreative entrepreneurs to design cap- and error?tivating and cohesive brand identities A couple of years ago, I kept hearing about all of these greatallowing them to fulfill their greatest events and conferences for designers, entrepreneurs, and cre-potential and skyrocket their business- atives that were happening across the country. They soundedes to new heights. awesome, but it seemed like every time I looked into the details, the events were only held once a year, took place somewhere find me at: cieradesign.com far from my home base of New Orleans, and costed more than I wanted to spend. Instagram: @cieradesign As a graphic designer who specializes in brand development for Twitter: @cieradesign creative businesses and entrepreneurs, I thrive on collaboration, Facebook: @CieraDesign community, and the creativity of others. I started to think about Pinterest: @cieradesign how great it would be to meet up with other creatives in my own Google+: +Cieradesign city. In 2013, I had the opportunity to attend Alt Summit, a business conference for lifestyle and design bloggers, in Salt Lake City. Completely inspired, I wanted the excitement I felt at Alt to live on and come to life locally. I envisioned an event series that occurred on a regular basis and was affordable for attendees— maybe even free! Of course, a local event would exist on a small- er scale than an experience like Alt Summit, but it could serve as a complement to those bigger conferences, a chance to connect in a more accessible way. Starting a local event that brought together creative people in my community went beyond simply networking. Forget awkward small talk and exchanging business cards. This would be about sharing passions, making connections, building relationships, and creating opportunities for collaboration. In June 2013, I launched the Made In Mind Social. Our very first event took place at the end of July at a local hotel bar—a launch party to celebrate the official start of Made In Mind, a social

gathering of creatives in Louisiana. Since then, we’ve held events every other month, varying the locationand feel each time. We’ve hosted a networking event at a vintage clothing store where creatives mingledand crafted their own DIY project, a market to feature local artists’ work, and a photo walk where we ex-plored a New Orleans neighborhood. We’ve also had a floral demonstration and a letterpress workshop.Prior to founding Made In Mind, I didn’t have any experience with event planning. In the beginning, I faceda million questions, did tons of research, and had more than a few challenges. The good news? I learned alot about how to plan and host a successful event through these experiences—and I’m ready to share thatknowledge with others who hope to do the same!In this article, you’ll find first-hand knowledge I’ve acquired through my experiences in planning The MadeIn Mind Social events. Of course, your vision may look a bit different than mine. Your goals, background,and location may be different, too. That’s okay. What’s important when planning an amazing local eventseries is that you start with a strategy. And I’ll show you just how to do that. Like many strategies, you need to start with the Why, Who, What, When, How, and Where.Why? PURPOSE, PASSION, AND GOALS It’s not what you do, but why you do it that matters. By creating a vision and setting goals upfront, you will be able to maintain a focus throughout the planning process and more easily define the event itself. A clear vision will set you up for success—and concrete goals will allow you to measure that success.Who? PARTNERS AND ATTENDEES Of course, you’ll want to think about attendees—who you’ll be inviting. But you’ll also want to consider who you want to work with. To start, think about whether it makes sense to bring on a partner—someone to act as a co-host, a planner, or a coordinator. The other piece of the “who” puzzle is the attendees. Who do you want to invite to the events? What types of people do you see attending? You may wonder if any- one is going to show up (I certainly had that fear!), but just keep in mind that people want to connect. In this age of working from home and electronic communication, many of us are craving real-life, in-person connections. It’s okay to start small and grow from there.What? EVENT FORMAT, BRANDING, AND DESIGN Now it’s time to get started on designing the event itself. This part of the process involves two aspects: deciding what type of event you want to host and developing the branding. Let’s be honest, the typical “networking event” involves awkward small talk and stacks of business cards. Giving people something to do or talk about is a great way to encourage conversation. Get your attendees engaged with something active, hands-on, or interactive. Think about what you and your audience enjoy and weave that into the event.When? FREQUENCY AND TIMELINES The type of event may dictate when or how often it happens. Or, if it doesn’t, your next step is to select when the event will take place and how often it will occur. Will you host a weekday happy hour—or maybe a weekend brunch? Will it take place once a month, every other month, or quarterly?How? BUDGETING AND SPONSORS Here’s the good news—you don’t need a huge budget to plan and execute an event. When starting an event series, you may want to consider funding the first event out of your own pocket (or have a low ticket price) to show you’re capable and committed, which is key for establishing credibility once you’re ready to find sponsors. Managing money and getting sponsors on board may seem intimidating, but with a little organization and a professional demeanor, you’ll be able to make things happen!Where? VENUE, VENDORS, AND DETAILS Now, you’ll want to nail down the very important question of “where” (the venue!) and make sure you plan for all the elements of the event itself—the décor, entertainment, food, photography, or anything else you want to include. The venue is something you’ll need to establish as early as possible in the process of plan- ning the individual events. Often, venues will schedule events weeks and months in advance, so you may have to be flexible with your event’s timing if your heart is set on a specific location.I hope this has helped guide you through the process of planning an event series—and given you the con-fidence to put your plan into action! You’ll learn your own lessons along the way, but the great part abouthosting an event series is that you have a chance to improve the event each time. 63

How to Create &Launch ServicesThat SellAsking the right questions Including 15& preparing the right way. questions that will guide you along the way Melyssa Griffin is the founder of The Nectar Collective, a go-to hub for bloggers and online entrepreneurs who want to learn how to stand out and make an authentic income on the web. Through workshops, eBooks, and eCourses, TNC offers community and expertise for budding online rockstars. As a former web designer and blog coach, Melyssa also has ex- perience working one-on-one with over 150 creatives. And if we’re being honest, she’s also obsessed with almond milk lattes and her crazy corgi, Monja. find me at: TheNectarCollective.com Meet Melyssa Griffin Instagram: @thenectarcollective Facebook: @TheNectarCollective64 Pinterest: @nectarcollect

When I launched my first service-based business 2. WHO DO YOU SERVE? WHO DO YOU NOT(a web design studio), I honestly had no idea SERVE?what I was doing. Ha! What a way to introduce Once you’ve got your services listed out, memo-yourself, Melyssa. I felt like a roly-poly who had rized, and/or tattooed to your neck, think aboutstumbled onto its back, legs flailing in the air, how you can focus those services even more bywondering what the heck was going on. But de- choosing exactly who you’ll market and offerspite my naiveté about what it meant to run a them to.business, my services started to sell fast. Withina few months, I was already making more than I Why is this important? Because it’s tough tohad at my previous, full-time day job. launch services to everyone, friend. Rather, youThat was more than two years ago. Since then, want the scope of your business to be so focusedI have worked with more than 150 clients, have that when your ideal client visits your website,almost always been booked in advance, and they feel like you’re speaking directly to them.have developed a solid strategy for building a This also means that you’re not speaking to ev-profitable biz. I’ve learned a thing (or 20) since eryone, so you’ll want to decide who your ser-starting my business, and now I think I’ve uncov- vices aren’t for as well.ered a (super scientific) formula for what it takesto launch services that sell. Here’s an example of a business that hasn’tYou ready to learn, new hustle-lovin’ defined who they serve: I’m a copywriterfriend? Let’s dance. whose main service is “writing sales pages.”1. DECIDE WHAT TYPES OF SERVICES YOUWILL AND WON’T SELL Now, here’s an example of the same business,You’re probably all like, “Cool, Melyssa. I knew but with a stronger focus on their audience:that.” Yeah, I get it. But really, deciding what youwill and will not sell upfront is absolutely neces- I’m a copywriter whose main service issary if you’re going to launch a truly stand-out “writing sales pages for solopreneursbusiness. Here’s why: if you don’t, you’ll likely of- who run online businesses.”fer too many services—and offering tons of ser-vices is a surefire way to dilute your brand and Do you see the difference? In the first exam-business. ple, this could mean you’re writing sales pagesFor example, if you want to launch a graphic de- for everything from The Magic Bullet to a hulasign business, it may be tempting to list every- hoop warehouse (do those exist?). But the sec-thing from “wedding invitations” to “corporate ond example? You’re speaking directly to a cer-brochures” on your services page. After all, you tain group of people who are much more likelycan technically design both, right? But the more to trust and hire you...and probably feel like youdisparate your services are, the harder it will be “get” them. Boom. Done deal.for potential clients to trust your expertise anddescribe that expertise to others. 3. CREATE AN EMAIL LIST AS SOON ASImagine the alternative: If you only sell a few, re- POSSIBLElated services, then it shows your customers that Your email list is one of the most intimate settingsyou know a lot about something specific, rather for connecting with your peeps—I mean, beingthan assuming you know a little about many dif- invited into a person’s inbox is basically like beingferent things. At the same time, it makes it much invited into their house, right? For that reason, Ieasier for your business to stand out, since peo- recommend creating and building your email list,ple will come to know you as the go-to person stat. Check out Lisa Butler’s article on page 98 offor _______. this issue for tips on doing just that!Before moving on, I encourage you to nail downexactly what your services will and won’t entail. Incorporate opt-in forms into your website’s de- sign and add a “lead magnet” to your subscrip- tion forms. A lead magnet is something that you offer for free in exchange for someone’s email. Since you want to build an email list full of poten- tial clients, it’s important that your lead magnet 65

attracts and serves the right people. Think of some- Writing a business blog will also help your site’s thing that would be helpful for your tribe—from a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) a ton! Google list of resources to a mini eBook—and give it to favors sites that publish content often. For most anyone who signs up for your email list. business sites, you’ll have a few static pages, but Once you create your email list, you’ll also want nothing that gets updated frequently. That’s where to stay in touch with your people on the regular. If a blog will become your secret weapon. Not only you don’t, they might forget about your business will it show Google that you update constantly, but or become less engaged. Aim to send a weekly search engines will also have much more content to or biweekly newsletter with more tips, advice, or crawl. In non-techie language? It means you have announcements about your business and services. more opportunities for people to discover your Your newsletter is a great place to be helpful and site...and hire you! engaging, but it’s also where you can share your 6. BE ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND WITH new packages and products with people who gen- YOUR COMMUNITY uinely want them. Once you’ve started blogging, it’s time to take 4. GET A PROFESSIONAL WEBSITE DESIGN things to social media. You’ve already shown your If you want people to look at you as a pro (and pay readers that you’re an expert from your many blog you pro-level prices!), then real talk? You need to posts, but you also want to show social media what have a website design that doesn’t look like it was an authority you are, too. Here are a few ways to made on GeoCities (remember those days?). do it: Luckily, it’s actually not too difficult or expensive to get a gorgeous website. Themeforest.com has (1) Answer people’s questions plenty of pretty templates for self-hosted Word- press sites. If you’d like something even easier to The best place to do this? Facebook groups. work with, then Squarespace is an excellent web- Join Facebook groups where your ideal site platform that makes it easy to create beauti- peeps are hanging out and be overly helpful ful sites in a snap—even without any web design whenever someone asks a question, especial- knowledge. ly if it relates to your services or skills. Soon, 5. CREATE A BLOG WHERE YOU CAN SPEAK people will see you as a bonafide expert and TO POTENTIAL CLIENTS will keep you and your biz in mind if they’re Before I launched my own services back in the day, ever looking to hire someone in your field. I started a blog that had a small-but-mighty audi- ence. I’m certain that this blog and audience were (2) Share other people’s relevant the reasons why my business took off so quickly. work on Twitter (and tag them) Blogging will likely become your best marketing and networking device—and probably a whole lot This strategy will help you build fast friend- of fun, too! ships and will show your followers that you As a business owner, there are a few things to con- know where to find all of the best info in your sider when creating blog posts for your audience. niche. Curating excellent content shows your First of all, your blog’s focus should relate to your tribe that you’re a leader and someone who business. You’re welcome to have another unre- knows what they’re doing. lated blog for personal use, but for the most part, your business blog should be highly focused on (3) Build friendships with providing useful content for your ideal clients. Not potential clients and blog readers only will this attract them to your site as they stum- ble upon your articles, but when they peek through Lastly, seek to build community before build- your archives, they’ll immediately see what a #boss ing a business. This means commenting on you are, too. other people’s blogs and social media pag- es, starting conversations, meeting people in Here’s the key: write posts on topics that your real life (IRL), and genuinely trying to get to know and be engaged with the community ideal clients are searching for. That way, when they you serve. discover your site, they’ll feel right at home. If you do these three things, then your potential clients will not only see you as an expert to look up66 to, but they’ll also begin to see you as an authen- tic human being that they can relate to. Showing people that you are both an authority and a pal is a surefire way to build trust (and a raving list of clients).

7. PUT TOGETHER A SPECIAL LAUNCH you have to say as well. Once you’ve gotPACKAGE their attention and trust, it’s a whole lot eas-Much of the work that goes into launching ier to build your clientele.booked-out services is in the foundation of your 9. HOST A WEBINAR OR ONLINEbusiness—in all of the steps I’ve outlined so far. WORKSHOPNow that your foundation is kickin’ butt, it’s time Webinars—or online workshops, as I like to callto actually think about the launch of those stellar them—are an excellent way to teach useful in-services you outlined in the beginning. formation to your tribe, as well as share your ser-Since we want to create some hype and excite- vices. To successfully sell your services during ament around your launch, I recommend putting webinar, I recommend creating a workshop thattogether a special VIP launch package. This is 45-60 minutes long, where you’ll teach yourmight mean that, on top of your normal pack- audience about something in particular (andages, you’ll also throw in something extra for the something that is somehow connected to yourfirst week of your launch. This “something extra” services or business). This free workshop shouldcould range from a free eBook to a free one-on- be extremely memorable and helpful—some-one strategy session with you, but make sure it’s thing that people would realistically pay for! Afterrelevant to your services and something that your you’ve finished teaching, you’ll have an engagedpotential clients can get excited about. You want audience to share your stellar services (and limit-your VIP package to be so enticing that the peo- ed-time VIP launch package!) with. Holla!ple who view your site just can’t say no. Believe it or not, this method of marketing hasCreating a limited-time launch package will also one of the highest conversion rates out there.authentically add scarcity to your new services. Bottom line? It’s extremely effective at makingYou’ll be able to remind your audience that sales and at building an engaged audience that“there’s only five days left to get this super sweet feels a personal connection to you. Brush yourdeal,” so they better act fast! shoulders off, yo. You’re kind of a big deal.8. COLLABORATE FOR MAXIMUMEXPOSURE Launching a service-based busi-Not only is collaboration an incredible way to ness takes some work and know-make friends online, but it’s great for launching a how, but it may also be the bestprofitable business. Here’s why: decision you’ll ever make. The fol- lowing worksheets are designed (1) Collaborating with others will get your to help you put this step-by-step work in front of new audiences. Now, you’ve formula into practice so that you likely built a bit of an audience from your can create the service-based biz of blog, email list, and social media accounts. your online dreams. Heck yes! But collaborating with other people will grow your audience like whoa. It can be as 67 simple as writing a guest post on a friend’s site or as complex as co-teaching an online workshop together. (2) Collaborating with people who are well-respected will up-level your biz author- ity. You may be downright wonderful (and I certainly wouldn’t doubt it!), but it means more to outsiders when they hear other people talk about your awesomeness rather than only hearing it from you. This is why testimonials are so powerful—they show potential clients that others loved working with you, too! So, in the same way, collab- orating with respected business owners will show potential followers and clients that they should be paying attention to what

The “Launching Services That Sell” WorksheetYour Audience Your ServicesIn a few words, who is your audience or ideal client? Also, What type of services (in general) do youwho isn’t part of your audience? plan to sell?What kind of careers do your audience members have? Think of two-three packages or specific services that your ideal client would need. How can you make a difference for them?How would you describe their personality types in three Outline each of your packages. What do they include?words? How much are they? How long will each package take you to complete?How will you specifically be able to help them? What makesyou the perfect person to work with them?68

Getting StartedWhat can you use as your email list’s lead magnet? Remem- Why is this package something that your audience needs orber to create something that relates to your services and would love? (Hint: You can use the answers to this questioncan be useful to your ideal client (e.g., a checklist or how-to as copy on your sales page!)guide).What are the questions your ideal clients are asking and Make a list of three-four bloggers or business owners whosearching for answers to? List five blog post topic ideas that you can reach out to for collaboration when launching youranswer those questions. services.Launching Brainstorm some collaboration ideas that you will pitch to these people.Use the space below to brainstorm your special launch pack-age. Your launch package should include additional, limit-ed-time items that you offer during your initial launch peri-od as a way to “upgrade” your services and create urgency(since they’re only offered for a limited time!). What is a webinar topic that you could teach your audience, which also relates to your services?How much will your launch package be? 69

How to Get Through aLaunch Without TotallyStressing Out 7 practical tips and reminders to keep you sane during your awesome launch. If you’re getting ready to launch a product or service, you’ve probably been watching others who have done this launch thing already. And you’ve probably been thinking that all those launches seem pretty on-point with their perfectly-timed email sequences, ever-so-convincing tweets, and brilliant blog posts. But let’s be real for a moment: Launching a product or program can be one of the most stressful times in your business. I guarantee, no matter how streamlined and well thought out someone else’s launch appears, they are stressed and proba- bly flying by the seat of their Meet Sarah Morgan pants for at least part of it, “I guarantee, no matterSarah Morgan is an award-winning web de- too. There’s no way not to how streamlined and wellsigner and blog consultant. She challeng- be. You’re simultaneouslyes people to embrace their inner badass putting the finishing touches thought out someone else’sby helping them leave their unfulfilling on your next offering, writing launch appears, they arejobs and grow passion-­fueled businesses.After quitting her corporate job in 2012, blog posts and emails, set- stressed . . . “she ran away with the circus (literally) toreconnect with her true passions and now ting up the sales page andhelps others do the same. When she’s not “buy now” buttons, creating social media graphics, schedulingbusy training as an aerialist, you can find content, answering questions from potential customers, webi-her on XOSarah.com, inspiring her readers nar-ing, Periscop-ing, and Twitter chatting—all while trying toto turn their passions into a job they love maintain some semblance of a work-life balance.and build strong, successful brands online And those weeks during a launch are the most likely time for thatfind me at: xosarah.com work-life balance to go flying off its rails. So, in order to prepare you BEFORE your launch for the beyond busy couple of weeks Instagram: @xosarahmorgan you’ll experience, here are seven ways to help keep yourself on Twitter: @xosarahmorgan task and stressing less! Pinterest: @xosarahmorgan Facebook: @xosarahmorgan 1. PUT EVERYTHING INTO YOUR CALENDAR This is my number one rule for launches (and life). If something doesn’t get added to my calendar, it’s unlikely it will get done. Contest start dates, blog posts, Skype calls, email sequences, webinars, and all my non-work, regular life stuff gets added to my calendar in advance. This way I can focus on what’s at the top of my to-do list and know everything else has a place and time in my week. 2. TRY TO CLEAR OUT THE REST OF YOUR LIFE/WORK You know this launch is coming up, so don’t schedule too many nights out, lunch meetings, client calls, and crazy workout ses- sions. Allow time to take breaks and turn off work at the end of the day. And be realistic about how much stuff you can take on

at one time. I schedule less client design work during launches and go a littleeasier on the aerial training I do because I know I’ll need to focus my energyelsewhere.3. CREATE BONUSES AND CONTENT UPGRADES IN ADVANCEYour launch and your workdays will go much more smoothly if you have a planfor what you’ll send and when you’ll send it BEFORE you actually get intolaunch mode. If your blog posts need content upgrades and your webinar in-cludes an awesome bonus, make those weeks before, not the day before.4. SCHEDULE SOCIAL MEDIA ALL AT ONCEA week or two before my launch, I spend a day creating all the social mediagraphics for launch promotion (including graphics that specify when somethingis happening today or tomorrow) and then add them all into Buffer, so I don’thave to worry about whether I’m promoting enough or not.5. MAINTAIN A DECENT SLEEP SCHEDULESeriously, launching a product can be INTENSE. You’re going to have a seem-ingly never-ending list of tasks to accomplish, so make sure you’re getting tobed at a decent time. Do not work from 9am to 2am all week long, because Iguarantee you will start to feel burned out after just a few days.6. MAKE MEALS EASIERI tend to make good friends with Postmates during a launch. There is just notime in my week for grocery shopping or cooking, so having a meal or two (orfive, if I’m being honest) delivered is super helpful in keeping my health andsanity intact. You could also make meals in advance and have snacks and com-fort food all ready for when you come out of a six-hour work session and realizeyou totally forgot lunch.7. AND LASTLY...Do not feel guilty about letting the laundry pile up or not being able to go outwith friends because you have work to finish. You are creating and launchingsomething fantastic FROM SCRATCH, which takes a massive amount of timeand energy. Let’s be real, not everyone will understand because not everyonehas the balls to do something like that. It’s especially confusing when you workonline—some people will even whip out the air quotes when talking about your“little business.” Don’t let that slow you down!Maybe you won’t have a completely stress-free launch, but by planning andprepping in advance for a couple of crazy work weeks, you’ll hopefully makeit to the end without feeling burned out and you will still be excited to startplanning your next endeavor! 71

7 Key Rules for YourFreelance Career Launch What you have to remember, consider, and implement when starting your new career. Meet Wes Evans Some days I honestly don’t know how I got here. Working for myself. Loving it. Dreading it. Growing up in a small Texas townWes Evans is a filmmaker at Icarus Burn- where I’d work in my father’s ridiculously large gardens, re-shin-ing Productions which is a full service film, gle the roof, hang insulation in new homes, or any number ofanimation, and video production compa- things you’d sooner not do in the heat of a Texas summer, Iny based in Austin, Texas. Wes also acts, remember hearing my neighbor Richie say he worked hard inwrites and directs. school so that he wouldn’t have to do manual labor for a living. I wholeheartedly agreed. I am an indoor cat. find me at: I do still find myself doing the Texas too-sweat (get it? instead of two-step?) from time to time, but only to follow my passions icarusburning.com as a filmmaker. Whether filming a dog park or capturing a vine- yard at sunrise, I love what I do and call it an honor to do it for a Instagram: @thewesevans living. For the last three years, I’ve made my own way as a small Twitter: @theWesEvans business video production company, and along the way I’ve de- veloped some rules for sustaining and growing my business as72 a freelancer. Rule 1. BUILD A PORTFOLIO Whatever you’re doing, or wanting to do, you need a track re- cord. If you don’t have a portfolio, then why should anyone hire you? How can they know you can do the job? Writers write. Film- makers make films. Entrepreneurs build businesses. Whatever you do there should be a trail for you to point at and say, “This is what I can do.” That trail should go somewhere easy to see, like a website. In the early days, you may need to self-create your portfolio, which may mean working for little to no pay, and for me that even meant spending my own money. Of course, at the time I did it for pleasure, not thinking about whether I’d be a filmmak- er. Passion is a great motivator. I made political ads and music videos, and I’d edit videos for fun. My expertise was shallow, but my sense of taste and drive were great. The goal of every project is to make it portfolio-worthy. Before I knew it, I was being hired by friends and old colleagues to create things. Rule 2. NETWORK Starting out, your network is really just your friends, family, and former coworkers. Let them see your portfolio and what you can do, but don’t wear them out. Sometimes just putting your port- forlio in an email signature does the trick. I put my website and demo reel links in every email, and occasionally posted on Face- book or Instagram about my latest work.

I never burn a bridge, and try to rarely say “no” to a project if I think it could Learned a newlead to more work. Part of networking is staying at the top of the client’s mind. trick? If not,Sometimes I’ll take a small hit on my rate if the client has previously shown me maybe youthat they make it up in other gigs. This usually goes for bigger clients. One daythey’re shelling out $20,000 for a three-week job, then they’re giving me a fewhundred for busy work.Recognizing the client type is crucial for me. I’ll gladly take a humdrum gig sothat they never forget my work ethic, quality, and that they like working withme. It also helps prevent empty gaps in my schedule.Rule 3. UPDATE EVERYTHINGDon’t forget to keep your portfolio updated with your best work. If you havesomething you’re particularly proud of, then use it as an excuse to reach out toany clients you haven’t talked to recently. Remind them that you’re not only stillaround, but that your work is still boss.Rule 4. SET EXPECTATIONS should. Keep learning, keepThis is the work before the work. In the initial meetings it is absolutely crucial pushing yourto understand what the client is wanting, plus their goals and expectations. If boundaries.there are any red flags then that is the time to bring them up, not at the endof the project. I like to ask for examples: “Send me a link of what you like.” Inmy case, being sent a script is even better. There should be no mystery or con-fusion about rates, payment dates, or work quality. Know the endgame beforethe first day, and make sure the client knows it also.Rule 5. DESIGN YOUR PATHI don’t do weddings or live events, because I don’t want those referrals orreputation. I want to be known as a filmmaker, not an “event capturer,” so ev-erything I do propels me towards the projects I enjoy. The work you want to bedoing? Do that kind of work from the start.Rule 6. KNOW YOUR FINANCESI can tell you how many months I can live if not a single new client ever walksthrough the door. I can also look back historically and figure out how often I getnew clients. I know how many projects I have in the wings, and which buttonsI can press if things get dicey. I know when things start to feel dicey, even if Ihave a full year of cushion. This rule will tell you when to give a discount, orwhen to increase your rates.Rule 7. PROTECT YOUR REPUTATIONThis is the most important rule. All we have is our rep. I’ll take a loss before Ilet my reputation take even the slightest hint of a hit. I protect my relationshipsand try to make sure that every client would be thrilled to invite me out for adrink. You never know who’s watching, or what’s coming next. Be good to ev-eryone, and leave them better than you found them. That’s how you’ll make itas a freelancer. 73

The Low-Stress,Long-TermLaunch PlanHow to do it right and not go crazy in Goalthe process planning, action steps, + pricing strategy Jamie Starcevich is the founder of the boutique branding design studio, Spruce Rd., with a mission to help brands make an impact online through quality design. She created Spruce Rd. in an effort to help brands define their unique story, and start attracting their ideal audience. Simply put— she strives to create brand systems that tell your unique story, and craft the design that reflects it. She pushes beyond aesthetics, and develops creative solutions. On a personal note, she loves all things chocolate, Wes Anderson, and The Container Store! Meet Jamie Starcevich find me at: SpruceRd.com Instagram: @spruceroad Facebook: @sprucerd Twitter: @SpruceRd74 Pinterest: @sprucerd

Launch. That word conjures up so many dif- grew to love these workshops, and look forward to them as a refreshing and inspiring break fromferent emotions—the primary one for me being the daily grind.stress. Just a few quick months after launching SpruceWhether I am launching my site for the first time, Rd. full time, I launched a similar, fun idea as aor launching a new series, a workshop, or an free monthly workshop for creatives. From myeCourse, stress typically becomes my favorite personal experience, I created this virtual “lunchcompanion throughout the process. Don’t get and learn” monthly workshop that aimed to ex-me wrong, I definitely experience a healthy dose cite creatives, while also providing tangible valu-of excitement as well, however, stress tends to able resources. Every month, we gather to learnoverwhelm the entire launch process. something new. What started as me sharing myThe five-part email sequence, a “sales pitch” at screen to show Adobe Illustrator tutorials, hasthe end of a webinar, thoughtfully planning my now morphed into a collaborative stage for fel-Instagram feed, and many other to-do’s fill up my low creative entrepreneurs to share their tips incalendar quickly in the weeks prepping for a new an actionable way.launch. Throughout the endless preparation, it The best part about this small launch was thatcan become easy to lose sight of your brand strat- there was no sales pitch, no email series, andegy, and instead, focus on just getting through no intense social media plan. It was one simpleone successful launch. A successful launch isn’t announcement, a Google hangout, and a lunchanything to complain about, however, it can be break. Starting small with launches is a low-stresscrippling if you don’t have a trajectory mapped way to introduce your brand to a new audience. Itout for your business. gets your name out there, generates excitement, and best of all, it is completely do-able. And it doesn’t have to be. Through a free smaller launch, you will also gain the opportunity to test various platforms to seeThis is what I refer to as the “long-term launch.” what your audience responds to. It allows youEssentially, rather than focusing on one launch at a to gain exposure, while also gaining experiencetime, it is much more powerful (and less stressful) launching. If you dream of launching eCourses,to build a series of launches that build upon one test your skills first to see if you even like teach-another over a long period of time. This strategy ing! Try your hand at Periscope, blogging, orensures that you align your new products, cours- webinars. This low-stress strategy is beneficiales, or launches with your overall brand vision. for your audience (hello—free resources!), andWhat results is several curated products that sup- for you to test the waters first. If you don’t enjoyport one another, and are tailored for your ideal it, you can easily move on without investing toocustomer—and it keeps you from stressing over much time or energy.each new launch in your business arsenal.START SMALL (AND POSSIBLY FREE!) DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCELaunching can definitely become overwhelming, Once you have your name out there with a smallespecially when trying to craft the perfect launch (possibly free) product, resource, or course, it isstrategy that’s built for success. Rather than div- time to start thinking long-term. If you are likeing into launching a full-out eCourse, I recom- me, you might have a general idea of who yourmend starting small and providing a solid foun- ideal audience is, however, you know that youdational product or service first. Not only does could niche it down a bit more. Through your firststarting small relieve the heavy launch stress, it launch, you will naturally begin to further definealso appeals to your audience and allows you to your target market.get your name out there. For instance, initially I defined my audience asGet creative with your first launch, and try some- “creative entrepreneurs,” which still holds true.thing unique! Your readers/followers will love to However, I’ve gone even further, defining mysee you step out there and start something new, ideal customer as the modern online infopre-especially if it is a one-of-a-kind resource. At a neur—someone who is interested in DIY-ing as-previous corporate job of mine, we had “lunch pects of their business. I’ve tailored my brandand learns”, where paper vendors would stop by design services to include collateral elementsfor lunch and share trainings, workshops, or fun such as Mailchimp templates, content upgradenew products. That may sound boring to you, templates, and blog post graphic templates. I’mbut paper for a print designer is like chocolate. I 75

aligning my services, products, and resources all Everything builds upon everything else, and nar- toward this specific audience. This is a natural fit rows your focus. If your business lives launch to for me because I love helping people with the skills launch, without a long-term strategy in mind, you I have, and firmly believe in enabling other small risk diluting your brand and weakening your mes- businesses to maintain their brand on their own. sage. Instead, if you create launches that build upon each other, you will attract a unique, narrow My ideal audience actually includes myself audience and you will have a clearly articulated tra- jectory for your brand. as an online infopreneur, so it is fairly easy to tailor Take a bit of time to thoughtfully consider your my brand to this niche! long-term goals. Write them down below to refer- LAUNCH RESOURCES TAILOR-MADE FOR ence in the future. YOUR AUDIENCE TRACK SHORT-TERM MILESTONES One of the hardest parts about planning a launch is Woohoo! Doesn’t that feel energizing, actually figuring out what, exactly, to launch. This question writing down your long-term goals? There is just can become paralyzing and prevent progress. My advice is to simply start with something small and Long-Term Goals allow it to grow from there. You won’t know what will resonate with your audience until you actual- 6 MONTHS ly launch it. You might even make it free—be it a blog, email course, or product—and get feedback 1 YEAR from your audience. Once you understand what your audience re- 5 YEARS sponds to, build your future launches and goals around this audience. It really becomes fairly easy 10 YEARS once you have a grasp on who your audience is. Launch ideas will be knocking at your door, and you will just have to pursue the ideas that align with your long-term goals. (For even more ideas on idea generation for launch- es, check out Colleen Pastoor’s article on page 28!) THINK LONG-TERM With your newly-defined target market, you can strategically build a long-term approach to launch- es—starting small with a free workshop, podcast, or resource, and building up to larger scale launch- es. If you limit yourself to only thinking one launch at a time, your mindset focuses on your current cir- cumstances, rather than future goals. I want to challenge you to think BIG, and write down future goals for your business. Consider where you want your business to be in six months, one year, five years, or ten years down the road. Once you set these long-term goals, you can establish short- term launches to climb your way up. For Spruce Rd., I started with a free blog full of qual- ity content, then a free monthly workshop. Now I have a paid workshop tailored to that same audi- ence, and will soon launch a more robust eCourse on a different topic for that same audience again. I even have super-secret long-term goals for this au- dience, that I’m not ready to share quite yet! I only mention that to show that I practice what I preach, and have a BIG long-term goal in mind. I am work-76 ing toward that.

something so exciting about seeing your goals brand. Your brand will transform into a businesswritten down; they immediately seem more tan- that is easily recognizable for a certain audience,gible and feasible. product, or service.Now that you have your long-term launch goals TAKE ACTIONidentified, set short-term milestones to help keep Launching doesn’t have to be a looming, anxi-you on track. Short-term milestones also help al- ety-driven, and stressful aspect of your business.leviate the stress of launching big projects. Rath- Instead, it can be strategic, profitable, and excit-er than setting your sights on a huge launch, you ing!can shelf that anxiety and build up to it. Take a low-stress approach to launching, and cre-Short-term launches also give you the opportu- ate an action plan to accomplish your goals. Any-nity to practice selling naturally. You gain confi- one can launch products, services, or resources—dence in your product, and launching won’t seem you just have to develop a strategic plan (andas daunting. Processes will begin to form, and stick to it!) first.those scary “launch sequences” won’t cause youto sweat. Short-Term MilestonesShort-term launches allow your audience to getto know you better, and they further define your Long-Term Launch 77

Start brainstorming your next launch with the following worksheet. I can’t wait to see what exciting and creative ideas you come up with! TARGET AUDIENCE THEIR STRUGGLESSOLUTIONS TO THEIR STRUGGLESWHICH MEDIUM WOULD BEST CONNECT WITH YOUR AUDIENCE? Podcast Conference Email Course Products eBook Video eCourse Social Media Workbook Which platform best suits your market? One-Day Workshop Book Digital Files Other:78

Tiered Launch PricesCreate various resources for your target market, at different price ranges. This way, everyone can learn from you, regardlessof the stage of their business. This also allows them to grow with you as they scale your products.Free:Affordable (a price point they wouldn’t have to think twice about investing in):Middle Ground:High Value:Greatest Investment (this is where your “think BIG” goal comes in): Ideas for Launch 79

Who is Killing it onInstagram? “Changing the landscape one “Draw outside the lines.” “Welcoming the day at a time.” weekend like...”80

“...said no one ever.” “Swing past the fences.” “Dripping with passion” “The Duel” “It’s all in the details...” “Falling up.” A full-service #StiltMediadigital creativeagency based in StiltMedia.com | Twitter: @StiltMedia | Instagram: @Stilt_Media Miami, FL.“Revealing what lies beneath.” “Good morning! Time to chase “The fire inside must burn your dreams.” brighter than the fire around 81 you.”

Launching aPodcastMadeEasy 10 simple steps including an equipment checklist & editorial calendar 82

Podcasts are having a serious moment right now and there’s a good MeetJen Carringtonreason why: They’re a powerful tool for building your online pres-ence, connecting with your community, and getting your voice and Jen is a creative coach and mentor who helpsyour ideas out there in a way that makes people stop and pay atten- freelancers and creative entrepreneurs un-tion. lock their potential. Their online presenceImplementing an audio content strategy can be a huge game-chang- has to be a game-changer for their businesser for your online presence. It’s a way to show up, connect with your and brand. She believes the magic happensaudience, and bring more value to the table with the ideas, insights, when people create outside of their comfortand advice that you want to share with the world. zones, and that the work creative entrepre- neurs produce should feed the soul as muchAnd they’re really not as scary and as intimidating to as it does their bank balances. Jen also hostsbring to life as you first may think. the Make It Happen podcast and in her spare time, she can usually be found lost in a goodThis guide to launching a podcast breaks the process down into 10 book, people watching in a coffee shop, orsimple and easy steps, so even if you have absolutely no idea where spending far too much time with her cats.to start, you can get moving and launch a crazy awesome podcast tothe world as soon as possible. find me at: JennyPurr.co.ukBUT BEFORE WE JUMP IN... Instagram: @Jencarrington_ THREE REASONS AN AUDIO CONTENT STRATEGY CAN BE Twitter: @ jennypurrblog GAME-CHANGING FOR CREATIVE BUSINESS OWNERS: 83 1It’s the perfect marketing tool for your brand. Podcasts give you aplatform to share your ideas, your expertise, and speak directly toyour audience about the things that matter to you (and them) andremind them of the awesome work you do in the process, too. 2Being able to hear your voice can build trust in a way that writtencontent alone cannot. 3It’s the perfect networking tool. If you include interviews within yourpodcast content plan, it’s a great way to tap into different audienc-es, build your community, and cultivate connections and friendshipsalong the way.Now that you know why you should launch a podcast, let meshow you how.1. GIVE IT A NAME & A FOCUSIt all starts with a name and a focused plan to help you create a pod-cast that stands out in the ever-growing crowd of online audio con-tent. If you want to create a podcast that plays a purposeful part inyour brand—and is engaging, valuable, and addictive for your audi-ence too—getting super focused and specific from the beginning isthe best place to start.Some things to consider: (1) Do you want to brand your podcast under your current brand? Or give it an identity all of its own?

(2) Check out similar podcasts in your com- There are tons of great (and free) music libraries out munity and niche; how can you differentiate there for stock sounds, but my best advice would yourself from what already exists? be to invest in your own audio branding at some (3) Time to name your podcast: Make it rel- point if you really want to make your show stand evant to your brand and your focus, make it out from the crowd. A freelance sound designer or memorable, and make it timeless. Remember audio branding studio will be perfect for the job, that your podcast may evolve over time. but if you’re on a budget, places like Fiverr are also (4) What’s the main focus of your podcast? worth checking out. What topics are you going to cover? You can either keep it broad (for example: design, 3. GET YOUR EQUIPMENT SET UP freelancing, blogging) or get super specific (for example: money mindsets, being a side Just like you’d need a camera to take photographs, hustler, being a digital nomad). Either way, creating audio content means you’ll need to pick make sure it’s something you’re excited about up some equipment and tools along the way. When and that your ideal audience will be excited you’re first getting started, you’ll probably want to about, too. keep the investment costs as low as possible, so (5) Who is your target audience? Why will my best advice would be to shop around, see if you your podcast appeal to them? can DIY, and make some strategic decisions with (6) How will your podcast be of service to regard to which parts of the audio quality you’re your audience? What is the takeaway for happy to compromise on, and which parts you them? (for example: information, inspiration, aren’t. entertainment, encouragement, etc.) (7) How often will you share new episodes? Podcast Equipment Checklist How long will a season run for? Microphone 2. CREATE YOUR AUDIO & VISUAL BRANDING OPTIONS: Dynamic Microphone // USB Microphone // Although podcasts are audio content, they will still Condensor Microphone have a visual branding component. This is where your logo, your cover art for each show, your social Microphone Cable media promotional images, your email branding, YOU NEED: XLR Cable and your website all come into play. The visuals will be one of the first things to catch people’s at- Microphone Stand tention before they make the time to sit down and NOTE: This one’s essential, but don’t worry about listen to your show, so you want to make sure that breaking the bank; if it holds the mic, it’s good to go every visual is putting out the right impression and vibe for your podcast and brand. Interface/Recorder* Spend some time putting together a visual strat- NOTE: Make sure it has an XLR input. Handheld is great if egy for your podcast; create a logo (or hire out if you’re recording on the go, interface is good for plugging you have the budget) and build a style guide for directly into your computer. your cover art and promotional images. This will make it so much easier in the long run to have an *If you choose a USB Mic, you don’t need an interface. eye-catching and memorable visual experience for your show. Memory Card Your audio branding is also super important; if NOTE: Pretty simple and affordable, just remember to get you’re including a jingle at the beginning and end one with lots of memory space. of each episode (and I recommend you do—they go a long way in developing your podcast’s brand), Headphones you probably want it to be something that you and NOTE: These are essential for when you’re recording your audience are happy to listen to over and over interviews, but don’t worry about investing in anything again. Think about your favorite podcast—I bet fancy. you can hum the intro music on the spot. You want your podcast to have the same effect. Editing Software84 FREE: GarageBand (on Apple) or Audacity ‘ (Windows/Apple) PAID: Logic (Apple) or Adobe Audition Call Recording Software SUGGESTION: Ecamm Call Recorder For Skype

4. CREATE YOUR PODCAST EDITORIAL Your Podcast EditorialCALENDARStaying organized with your podcast is key for Calendarstaying on top of everything that it takes to prep,plan, and produce each episode. Alongside all MONTH:of your many other tasks each week, crafting outsome space specifically for podcast planning will MONTHLY THEMEbe the trick to making sure you have episodesready to go each and every week.Whether you’re a paper and pen or digital calen- EPISODE EXTRASdar type of content creator, build an editorial cal- EXTRASendar system before you even share your first re- MONTH:cording. That will help you plan out episodes and MONTHLY THEMEany additional podcast-related content (monthly EPISODEthemes, worksheets, emails, social media) for themonth.5. SCRIPT YOUR SOLO EPISODESIf you’re planning on creating solo episodes,you’re probably trying to decide whether or notto script out each show. My best advice would beto work with at least a general outline of what itis you want to say, with regular jumping off pointsto keep you on track. The best part about theediting process is that you don’t have to recordin one sitting; you can record each section in bitsand then edit together to sound like one full takeif that would work better for you.Sitting in front of a microphone and recording all MONTH: EXTRASby yourself can be a little unnerving at first; you MONTHLY THEMEmay feel a little stiff and self-conscious. The good EPISODEnews is this usually passes after a few attempts.Practice always makes perfect, so give yourself MONTH:enough time to test the waters before you record MONTHLY THEMEyour first full show.And build a scripting process that works for you.I personally like to have an entire episode script-ed out and then ad-lib as I go—mostly becauseI have a tendency to go a little off-topic withoutany structure. But you might feel way more com-fortable just using some basic jumping off pointsand letting your main points flow throughout. Ifyou’re doing regular solo episodes, you’ll want tocreate a process that is easily repeatable to saveyou time and energy as you go.6. PREPARE FOR PODCAST INTERVIEWS EPISODE EXTRASIf you’re thinking about including interviews inyour podcast content plan, you’re going to wantto make sure you plan ahead. Interviews can takelonger to edit, there’s quite a bit more prep, andof course, you need to book guests onto yourshow, too. But don’t worry—if you’re feeling a lit-tle overwhelmed, we’ve got you covered. 85

To get started, all you need is: a guest Your Interview Guest Listlist, an email script, and a scheduling tool (Calendly Brainstorm 5-10 people you’d like to invite onto your showis an awesome option!). for an interview, then consider the topics you would discuss together.7. CREATE AN EPISODE CHECKLIST Guest Name TopicsOnce you’re in the thick of things, you’re going towant an episode checklist to make sure you don’tmiss anything for each episode.Things you may want to include: Scripting solo episodes Emailing possible interview guests Recording interviews Recording intro and outros Editing or sending your episode to an editor Creating cover art for the episode Writing up show notes Uploading to your podcast host Uploading to other streaming services Sending out an email to your list Promoting in blog content Promoting on social mediaNow it’s your turn. 8. EDITING YOUR EPISODES I have personally had a sound editor from the be- The editing part of producing a podcast is proba- ginning and it’s made my life a whole lot easier, but bly the most intimidating stage. Your options are: if you want to learn to DIY, there are tons of great tools out there (YouTube and SkillShare classes can DIY and learn how to edit yourself (using the probably teach you everything you need to know). software mentioned in the Equipment Checklist) Hiring out a sound editor Recording in one full sitting and doing no additional editing86

Your Email Script You can create a re-usable email script to customize and send to prospective podcast interview guests—this will make your job so much easier in the long run. Just remem- ber to add a bit of personalization to every email you send!Greeting Introduction: Who are you, what is the podcast, who’s it for, what’s it about Propose your idea for the interview: Consider using bullet points to make it easy to read Conclusion: Invite them to get back in touch and schedule a Skype session to record your interview Sign-off 87

I recommend considering some form of editing Your Launch Plan process if you want to make your final product as polished and professional as possible. When is your launch date? 9. FIND A PODCAST HOST When do you plan to announce? Hosting can cause a few headaches—unlike blog- Five ways you are going to ging and videos, podcasting doesn’t have a very build buzz: clear path of how and where to host and share your show. This one’s completely up to you—though if 1. you’re planning on monetizing your podcast in the 2. long run (via sponsorships), my best advice would 3. be to choose a hosting process that allows you to 4. have deeper access to your stats, as not all options 5. do. How do you plan to make a fuss Here are just a few options: on launch day? Where to Host Your Podcast: SOUNDCLOUD (soundcloud.com) SQUARESPACE (squarespace.com) LIBSYN (libsyn.com) SIMPLECAST (simplecast.com) Where to Submit and Stream Your Podcast: ITUNES (itunes.com) STITCHER (stitcher.com) SOUNDCLOUD (soundcloud.com) 10. LAUNCH YOUR PODCAST WITH A BANG Now the fun part: launching your podcast. The bigger the better in my opinion! You can start to build buzz around your awesome new venture, and get your audience ready for what’s to come. The best way to have an effective launch is to plan ahead and build buzz as early on as possible. Some ways you can build buzz are by: Sharing previews of cover art and the podcast branding on social media Sharing snippets of episodes on social media Sharing details about upcoming guests Introducing your podcast before it launches and starting a mailing list for people to have first access before anyone else88

BONUS ROUND How to Wow With Your Podcast Once your podcast is up and running, you’re probably going to want to explore some ways you can really start todelight and impress with your show. You can start to think outside of the box here and incorporate elements from your other digital content, as well. Secret episodes for email newsletter list subscribers Worksheets, resources, and workbooks for listeners A Slack or Facebook community for your listeners to connect in-between episodes Video content to go alongside the audio Pre-podcast homework/prep for listeners TO CONCLUDE... Launching a podcast can be a scary process, but once you have it up and running—and you start to build your own routine and process—it may end up becoming your new favorite way to produce and share awesome content with your audience. My last piece of advice? Don’t worry about being perfect straight away. Just launch and learn, and be okay with things needing tweaking for the first few episodes. It’s just like blogging: None of us started out really knowing what we were doing, but figuring it out along the way was the best part. 89

How to Find YourTarget MarketOn Social MediaSpecifically Instagram, Twitter Plus& Pinterest some nice adult homework and an infographic Nailah Blades Wylie is the CEO of Wylie & Co., a social media agency specializing in consumer lifestyle brands. Passionate about communica- tion and community, Nailah helps brands craft unique experiences for their prospects and customers by helping them connect with their current target market and find new and alternative markets online. She holds a master’s in Communication and Leadership Studies from Gonzaga Uni- versity and a bachelor’s in Communication from the University of South- ern California (Fight on!). find me at: WylieandCompany.com Meet Nailah Blades Wylie Instagram: @wylieandco Facebook: @wylieandcompany90 Twitter: @wylieandcompany

There are two schools of thought when it comes lows a brand? You guessed it: Content. And Ins-to marketing your business online. The first is the tagram is purely visual. Users want to see beauti- ful, inspiring images. Get your camera ready and “If you build it, they will come” follow these tips to build your amazing communi-Field of Dreams crowd. They launch their snazzy ty on Instagram:new website, then kick back and wait for the cus- (1) Tighten Up Your Branding.tomers to pour in. Instagram calls for you to take an editorialThe second is the much savvier <cue mermaid approach to your brand. It should representsinging> your brand’s visual style. If your business had a magazine, what would it look like on“I want to be where the people are...” those glossy pages? Take a step back and make sure that each image you post flowsnotion, espoused by the folks who understand with your overall branding. When a pros-that building a business takes much more than pect finds your Instagram feed, they shouldjust throwing up a shingle and waiting for cus- immediately know what you’re all about.tomers to walk through the door. And when your followers see each picture you post individually, there shouldn’t be aSmart business owners understand that they have disconnect with what you’ve posted before.to gain a thorough understanding of who their What feelings do you want your Instagramtarget audience is, where they hang out, and account to conjure up when someone landswhat messages best speak to them. Smart busi- on your page?ness owners aim to grow a community aroundtheir brand. (2) #Hashtag,#Hashtag, #HashtagSocial media has the amazing power to connect I’ll admit it. I used to find hashtags annoying.you with fans and prospects from all over the That was until I learned how powerful andglobe, so that you can build a thriving commu- effective they are in growing your brand’snity. But it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all of presence on Instagram. Did you know thatthe social media marketing options out there. interaction is highest on Instagram postsWe have Twitter and Facebook and Instagram with 11+ hashtags? ELEVEN! A hashtag im-(oh my!), and it can be easy to get frustrated and mediately expands the reach of your photospread yourself too thin on all platforms. beyond just those who follow you, reaching anyone interested in that hashtag phraseMy number one tip for finding your target audi- or keyword. Research key hashtags in yourence online and building a community no mat- industry and put them to work. You canter the platform? Excellent content. Content is also jump on relevant trends, holidays, andqueen. You need quality, engaging, value-packed causes with strategic use of hashtags. Don’tcontent to attract your target audience and en- forget to geotag any pictures that occur incourage them to keep coming back to hear your interesting locations. Pro-tip: Add hashtagsmessage. Further, you need content that is spe- to the comment below your caption, so thatcific to the platform you’re on—what works for you can add some space between your cap-Facebook might not translate to Instagram, so it’s tion and your hashtags.important to have a content strategy specific toeach platform. (3) Build Community.Let’s take a look at three important social media Find others in your niche on Instagram, andplatforms for business owners, and dig deeper socialize with them. Like and comment oninto what it takes to grow an engaged commu- their posts with genuine comments that gonity of customers, prospects, and brand loyalists. beyond “Cute pic!” Create a visual space that your customers and prospects will en-INSTAGRAM joy coming to each day. Respond to com-With a community of over 300 million users shar- ments on your own posts. Find ways toing a whopping 60 million photos every day, In- interact with the larger community by col-stagram has quickly become a darling of individ- laborating with others in your niche.uals and brands alike. Instagram now boasts thelargest population of young users (ages 18-29), TWITTERwhich makes it pretty likely that your target audi- Twitter has been around for awhile, but it’s stillence is hanging out somewhere on the platform. an important platform for growing your commu- nity online. If you’re looking for two-way commu-The number one reason a user on Instagram fol- 91

nication with customers and prospects, it doesn’t (1) Use Beautiful Images. get much better than Twitter. The platform is fast- paced and high-volume, making it a great choice Pinterest is another visual channel. Even if you if your brand lends itself to topic-based news or post the most engaging content, you won’t timely insights. Ready to start chatting? Follow grow your followers without clean, crisp im- these few tips to make your mark on Twitter: ages accompanying it. Each pin should have a visually appealing, professional image that (1) Share. ties back to its message. Light images get repinned 20 times more than dark ones, so Sharing relevant third-party content not only keep your pins fresh and bright. Pro-tip: Have helps to establish your brand as an authority, an information-heavy topic? Create an info- but it is also a surefire way to grow your com- graphic to visually showcase your content. munity and connect with influencers in your space. If you’re looking for somewhere to (2) Optimize For Engagement. constantly toot your own horn, Twitter is not the place for you. Make sure you’re talking up Make sure your target audience can find and others as much as—or more than!—you do share your pins. Research when your audi- yourself. ence is most active on the platform to deter- mine the best times to pin. Research shows (2) Participate. that afternoons and Saturday mornings are generally the best time to pin, but it’s always Twitter is all about communication. Find oth- important to find specific trends for your ide- ers in your niche to strike up conversations al customer. Also, use appropriate keywords with. Watch trending hashtags and engage in your pin’s title, description, and image file with others who are interested in topics sim- names to make sure the pin is easy to find by ilar to those you’re interested in. Jumping those who are searching. into Twitter Chats is a great tactic to quickly expand your network and gain new, target- (3) Set Up Rich Pins. ed followers. Research relevant Twitter Chats within your industry and respond to the ques- They don’t call them “Rich” Pins for nothing! tions with actionable, insightful responses. They’re simple to set up and can help drive Strike up convos with other participants and oodles of traffic to your website, as well as remember to consistently provide value. Pro- boost your engagement on Pinterest. There tip: Curate your own interactive community are six types of Rich Pins: app, movie, recipe, by starting and promoting your own Twitter article, product, and place. Learn more about Chat. how to set up Rich Pins on Pinterest’s Busi- ness site: https://business.pinterest.com/en/ (3) Get Strategic About Search. rich-pins Use tools like FollowerWonk, TweetBe, or Whether you decide to stick to one platform or try Twitter’s search feature to find prospects and your hand at all of them, it’s crucial to analyze what influencers to follow. Pro-tip: Once you’ve is working for you and your audience and scrap the found all of these awesome new people to things that aren’t. At the end of the day, it’s much follow, organize them into Twitter Lists to eas- more important to have a small legion of raving ily keep track of and engage with them. fans, customers, and prospects than millions of fol- PINTEREST lowers who could care less about what you do. Pinterest is not just a platform for pinning compli- cated DIY projects that you’ll never get around to. Who is your ideal Pinterest is a marketing powerhouse, if used cor- audience? rectly, and can be a business owner’s new market- ing tool bestie—especially if you have a retail or Having a solid understanding of your ideal customer will eCommerce business. 70% of users on Pinterest arm you with the information you need to find and market are looking for shopping inspiration, which means to them online. they are ready to buy your product or service if it’s presented to them correctly. Sign up for a Business Account and follow these tips to tap into this grow- ing platform:92

Which Platform is Right?You should use Facebook if... You should use Instagram if...You're a B2C brand with visually driven products You have visually driven products or a visualand would like to build a community presence. lifestyle that customers are interested in.More than 70% of online adults are 70% + 35 Over 90% of the 150 million people onactively participating in Facebook, making it Instagram are under the age of 35, which 70O%nl+ine OYELARDS makes it an attractive platform for manythe most popular social site. onAlidnuelts apparel,Not only does it have the most users, it is the entertainment +most-frequently used, which demonstrates a media brands.high level of engagement. You should use Twitter if... You should use Pinterest if... You want a two-way platform in which you You're a retail or ecommerce business that respond to and engage with followers. targets women or moms.You want to reach both men and women, especiallyyounger ones. It is also particularly appealing to 70% of users are there for shopping inspiration, resulting\"information junkies\" so if your business lends itself to in an average of $140 – $180 per orderthe provision of topic-based news or timely insights, (vs. FB at $80/order and twitter at $60/order).Twitter is a great choice. 81% of US online consumers trust info from Pinterest. Pinterest accounts for 25% of retail referral tra c. www.donnaandnailah.com [email protected] 213.268.3949Ideal Client Avatar What are Their Psychographics? (i.e., demeanor, personality, communication style, etc):What are Their Demographics? (i.e., age, gender,location, etc):

What are Their Hobbies/Interests? (e.g., running, Who are They Influenced By? (i.e., people, products or con-yoga, adventure, etc): ferences that influence them):What Do They Want? What Are Their Felt Needs? (e.g., “My elbow hurts!”)What are Their Actual Needs? What are Their Aspirations?(e.g., elbow surgery)What’s inTheir Way?Where are They Hanging OutThink conferences, blogs, magazines, stores, products they would use. Consider both physical and digital places.

In order to besuccessful, you need to know who your audience is, what they want,and where they want to talk with you. Kayla Hollatz (pg. 18) 95

How to Launch a Biz (orProduct or Service)with a Friend Keeping the friendship intact while implementing a killer launch strategy People advise against best friends living together. They further- more advise against those best friends sharing a one-bedroom apartment, especially when one of them is living on an air mat- tress in a sectioned off area of the living room. Perhaps most in- sistently, these same people definitely advise against the room- mates and best friends going into business together. IT CAN BE DONE My friend and I defied all manner of odds when it came to liv- ing together, staying best friends, and also successfully running Meet Jamie Varon a business. The first thing we promised each other when we decided to smush our lives together in the riskiest of ways wasJamie Varon is a writer and graphic design- that we’d be honest—brutally, if needed.er living in Los Angeles. She is represented Did I mention The second thing we promised is that weby Annie Hwang and Michelle Brower of would stay friends, no matter what hap-Folio Literary Management. Her writing we launched a pened.has been featured on Huffington Post,Complex/NTRSCTN, Medium, Thought bestselling Launching a product, business, or serviceCatalog, Teen Vogue, The Liberty Project, with a friend—especially a best friend—and SF Weekly. She started blogging back iPhone app, on can be the worst or best thing, dependingwhen Xanga was still a thing and has been top of all that? on how you approach it. It can tear apartsharing her life online in various capacitiesfor almost a decade. In 2009, she started the best of intentions and leave your friendship gasping forShatterboxx, a boutique creative agency, breath. Or, it can be the supportive relationship you never knewand has worked with clients such as Bed you needed. It depends on what kinds of intentions you set andBath & Beyond, The Bloggess, Erica Jong, how communicative you are. There are landmines everywhereMarie Forleo, Penguin Books, and various along the landscape of this kind of partnership, but you can out-others. Currently, she does graphic design, maneuver them by speaking up quickly and often.freelance writing, and creative consulting. COMMUNICATIONfind me at: JamieVaron.com You need to communicate about everything and especially the gritty details nobody wants to talk about. You need to talk about Instagram: @jamievaron money—how much you want to make, how you will split profits, Twitter: @jamievaron and how you will deal with the times when money is tight and Facebook: @jamievaron eluding the both of you. You will have to talk about desired work hours, how your skills fit into the grander scheme of the business, and who will do what in a very real day-to-day way. Partnerships, like most relationships, go south quickly when it feels one-sided or unfair. Resentment can build almost instantly. EQUAL INVESTMENT If you’re going to put in the same amount of effort and want to both be equally invested in the business, then you must do a

“It starts with the earlyconversations . . . “50/50 split. A lot of people do not like to do this equal of a split, especially if “Launchingone of them created the idea. But, I have found that the only way to make it anythingfeel equal, to have both people invested entirely, is to make that split very obvi- is aous. When my friend and I started to work together, I had owned the companywe ran together alone for a year. When she joined, we split everything 50/50. heightenedIt was the only way the partnership was going to work. experience.“HONEST TRANSPARENCYYou also need to get real with each other about your strengths and weak- 97nesses. Business requires more self-awareness and emotional intelligence thananyone will ever tell you. Business is not just business. Business is an emotionalgame and if you can’t understand yourself, you will have a hard time not lettingyour emotions run wild on the partnership. Self-awareness is critical, perhapsmore critical than the money split. Having the ability to say, “This isn’t workingright and here’s why” without lashing out at your partner is singularly one of themost important success metrics. You have to be able to talk to each other. But,you also have to be able to know what you need to talk about. This is a crucialthing that gets overlooked too often.CELEBRATE TOGETHERThe ability to launch something is the culmination of months or years of work,and it’s worth giving it your absolute all. I remember launching the iPhoneapp with my friend and we were both screaming when it charted on the AppStore—and continued to scream when the App Store emailed us to have itfeatured, and then screamed even harder when it hit 100k downloads. It wasintoxicating—to watch this app full of almost two years of work go out into theworld.SUPPORT EACH OTHERYet, it didn’t continue to perform. We had many long conversations about whatwe’d do with the app, how to keep it going, or whether or not it was worth theupkeep. It would have been far too easy to place blame on each other, to teareach other apart looking for someone to shoulder what felt like an outrightfailure. Yet, we both had enough insight into ourselves to know that this wentbeyond us, this was no one’s fault. It was simply not meant to be where we bothwould put our energies.When we decided to pull the app, it was a decision we made together. A strongone. And, a couple years later, when we decided to uncouple as partners, wedid so on a long drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. We talked it out calmlyand with respect for each other and the four years we had spent working to-gether. There were no ill feelings. No bad blood.So many people have asked me, “Are you still friends with your ex businesspartner?” I say with pride, “Yes, we are still the best of friends.” It gives meabsolute joy to see their surprised faces. Because, we worked at it. We workedat not letting our partnership ruin our friendship. It started with those early con-versations, those firm intentions. It was, and is, the only way.

How to Launch(& Grow) YourEmail List Step-by-step support + planning questions Lisa Butler believes big dreams start with your website. As a web devel- oper, she’s built more than 100 websites on WordPress. She’s also the author of Make WP Work and Get Your Email List Together. When she’s not coding or writing like crazy, you can find her at the dog park with her little house elf, Dobby, or catching up on the latest Game of Thrones or Scandal. Her new eCourse, Get Your Website Together, is launching soon to help people design and code their own website. Keep up with the latest from Lisa and learn how to build a better website at Elembee.com. find me at: Elembee.com Meet Lisa Butler Instagram: @elembee_98 Twitter: @elembee_

I launched my blog in September 2010 and I for one-on-one work. All of these are valid reasonsdidn’t launch my email list until nearly two years to have an email list, but each requires a differentlater. Even then, I didn’t start actively building the approach.list until January 2013, and I didn’t commit to cre-ating regular, exclusive content for it until January Let’s be honest: There is a lot of noise out2014. So, all in all, it took me a little over threeyears to really get on board with list-building. there. Get on Twitter for 10 minutes and I’m sureNow, I’m not saying that my journey to list-build- you’ll find at least five must-follow tips for youring was wrong. I didn’t have a clue what I wanted email list. But you’ll be wasting your time if thoseto do when I first hit that blue Wordpress “Pub- tips don’t actually support your goals.lish” button in 2010. I could barely manage to You don’t need a massive list to book one-on-onekeep up with my blog for the first year, let alone work. You don’t need exclusive content to providemaintain an email list! It took me a while to find value if your readers just want your blog posts inmy voice, and it’s OK if you’re in that boat, too. their inbox. You don’t need to spend time tweak-It’s never too late to start building your email list. ing and optimizing your list if what you’re doing isBut I have to admit, if I could go back in time and already working for you.do one thing differently in my business, it would So, before you do anything else, get clear on whybe to launch with an email list. Before the blog, you want an email list in the first place. What dobefore even putting up a website—if I had to do you hope to accomplish? How do you want yourit all over again, the email list is where I would email list to support your business goals?start. STEP 2: DECIDE THE “WHAT” Once you know your purpose for building yourWhy? Well, you’ve probably heard a lot about email list, you can work backwards from that goal. For my business, my email list is the wel-the power of email lists, and I’m here to tell you coming party. If someone does nothing but readthat it’s all true. Email provides a deeper connec- my emails, they should still understand how I cantion with your readers (i.e., your potential cus- help them through my eBooks, eCourse, and one-tomers!). I’m positive that the kind of feedback on-one services. So my emails need to serve asI receive on a regular basis from my email news- previews of my paid content and offer a peekletters and autoresponder sequences would not into how I approach my work. Each email needsbe shared with me any other way. I can tell you to provide value so that I can build trust with myexactly what kind of problems I can solve for my reader; then they come to view me as the go-tocustomers—because I solve them daily through expert for their website needs over time. Becausemy inbox. That kind of knowledge and connec- my primary focus is building that relationship, Ition is invaluable for any business. need to stay in contact pretty regularly, so I emailI’ve talked to a lot of people who want to launch my list once a week.and grow their list, but have no idea where to If you’ve been struggling to figure out what tostart. I totally get it—I felt the same way. How send, you’re not alone! That’s the biggest frustra-can you create valuable content for your email list tion I hear from people trying to grow their list.when you struggle to get your blog posts written I overcame this by sending out a specific blogfrom week to week? And don’t even get me start- column each week to my list. This helped me geted on the technical pieces: opt-ins, conversion used to the routine of creating and sending cam-rates, freebies—it’s enough to make your head paigns without the added stress of writing morespin. But it doesn’t have to be confusing or over- content. Once I got comfortable with the routine,whelming. In this article, I’m going to take you I looked at the content I was already sending andthrough launching your email list step-by-step, so approached it from a different perspective. Per-you can start growing your list with confidence. sonally, I like short, actionable content, so I usedReady? Let’s get started. my email list as a challenge to create valuableSTEP 1: DEFINE YOUR PURPOSE content that could be read faster than an averageThere are a lot of reasons to have an email list. blog post, with a specific takeaway.Maybe, like me, you want to build a relationship Remember that you don’t have to reinvent thewith your readers—and later, turn them into cus- wheel. It’s OK to offer a different perspective ontomers. Maybe you want to give people an alter- something you already blogged about, expand onnate way to read your latest blog posts. Maybe a specific point, or even just sum it up in a short,you just want to let people know your availability 99

quick read. There is always value in presenting the your email list, choose an email service provider same content in a different way because everyone that you love as you’ll be spending a lot of time has their own personal preferences for consuming using it! content and different ways of learning. My personal favorites are MailChimp and Cam- Still having trouble deciding your “what”? Keep paign Monitor. MailChimp is free for up to 2,000 reading—the next step will give you a different per- subscribers, so it’s a great option if you’re just start- spective to consider. ing your business and watching your budget. Cam- paign Monitor has a very user-friendly interface and STEP 3: DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE beautiful templates, and I recommend it to busi- OK, so you know what you want out of your email ness owners who are ready to step up their email list, but do you know what other people are getting marketing. out of it? If you want to grow your email list, you To launch your email list, you’ll need to create a have to make people actually want to sign up for list with the email service provider you choose and it. People don’t really care about what you’re going copy their signup form code for your website. Most to send them. They care about how your emails are email service providers also have built-in landing going to help them solve a problem. What are you pages that you can create and share with people if going to help them accomplish? you don’t have a website yet. As you’re setting up This is also a great exercise if you haven’t quite fig- your site, consider creating a “Coming Soon” page ured out what to send: Start with a problem your to gather email addresses while you build your site people need help with, then solve it for them. Then in the background. you’re giving them a reason to sign up for your STEP 5: START PROMOTING! emails, and it also gives you something to write You may be tempted to wait until you have your content ready to go before you start capturing about. Win-win! email addresses. Don’t do that. The best thing you can do is start promoting your email list as soon Keep your value in mind every time you write an as you are ready to communicate its value to the email, and you won’t have to resort to sleazy tac- world, and you have a signup form to share. Af- tics to grow your list. Your readers will appreciate ter all, you want some people already on your list the value you provide, and not only will they be- when you send that first email! come bigger fans of your brand, they’ll also share This is where knowing the value you provide comes your email list for you and encourage like-minded in handy. That’s exactly what you want to share on friends to join the list. social media and as you add your opt-in forms to Furthermore, once you know the value of your your website. If the idea of promoting your email email list, it’s that much easier to give people a list makes you uncomfortable, think of it as sharing reason to join through your opt-in copy. You don’t a valuable resource with your friends instead. have to sell people on joining your list; you can As you’re sharing, consider setting a launch date simply demonstrate the value they can expect from for your emails—the date you plan to start sending you. This means the people who do join are the out content. Not only will this give you a deadline ones who appreciate your message the most, and to hold you accountable, but you can also get peo- so they will be more receptive to becoming cus- ple excited for what’s to come and turn it into a tomers in the future, as they already love the work celebration. you do. For bonus points, set up an autoresponder to STEP 4: SET UP YOUR EMAIL LIST Now that you have an idea for your content and email people as soon as they subscribe, then ask can communicate the value you will be providing them about their goals or their biggest frustrations to your email list, you’re ready to start getting peo- in your area of expertise. As people respond, you’ll ple on your list. To do that, you need a place to have real questions you can answer when you’re capture those email addresses. ready to start sending emails. Most email service providers have free trials, and STEP 6: LAUNCH AND EXPERIMENT I recommend giving them a try to find the right I know I’ve given you a lot to think about so far, but system for you. Some have better user interfaces, I don’t want you to spend so much time planning some have better email templates, and some are more budget-friendly. If you really want to grow100