Work Better, Not Harder

Survivor fans might remember WWMD - "What would Monica do?" - from Season 34 Game Changers . Brad Culpepper often reflected on what his wife Monica would do in a given situation. He considered Monica his hero as she had made it to the final tribal council on an earlier season. This introspection seemed to work as Brad also made it to the final tribal council. Recently I wrote to a trusted colleague describing the help I want from her as "What would Alison do?" After all, Alison Knott is an expert at branding and that's exactly the kind of help I was writing to her about. There are other heroes in my life - business and personal - whose advice I call upon often without their knowledge... by thinking, "What would *my hero* do?" I'm so fortunate to know and love them, to appreciate their expertise and learn from it. Do your heroes guide your daily business activities? Do they shape your decision-making without even knowing? Now might be a...

Change is a wonderful thing - it keeps life interesting. It allows our businesses to evolve and do better. When we can plan and drive change successfully, it can be very rewarding. Then there's the change that's forced on us. You know, like when your website hosting company goes belly up. Or your PC dies at an inconvenient time, precipitating an unplanned but long-thought-about change to Mac . Or when the bulk email application you've been using for 10 years keeps dumping functionality that you and your clients need. (OK that last one is me.) Forced change is rarely pleasant and it's hard to get excited about how things will be better when we're buried in the work of making the change. And, of course, it never happens at a convenient time! Managing risks can be complicated. I wish I had acted sooner. I'd like to think I'll learn from this experience and act sooner next time. Procrastination is sometimes convenient, and sometimes worthwhile, b...

Guest post by Frances Leary Every business of every size needs a platform that gives it a voice. Social media is just that. It gives every organization, large and small, a voice to share its information, inspiration, products, and services with the world. However, if businesses are only listening to their own voices, it’s like giving a sermon. People can only listen to a sermon for so long. Eventually, they don’t want to listen anymore. Imagine this scenario: You’ve been told you need to “be on social media.” So, you find some content to post and you use an automation tool to get it out there consistently. And then to yourself, you say, “Whew, that’s done. Now I don’t have to deal with social media for a while.” The result? There you are, standing behind your online lectern, giving an unending sermon to an audience of your very-soon-to-be-disengaged potential customers and clients. You just keep on talking. Eventually, they stop listening. It’s like giving a ...

"What will I write about this week?" Wouldn't it be great if content ideas popped into your head just when you need them? (Cue the light bulb!) You’ll find the best content ideas amid your daily business activities – but you have to be alert for them... and jot them down. For example, let’s say you… have a discussion with a customer or prospect. Content ideas: a success story, answer a question, describe a service/product, define why you're different, an anecdote, how to solve a problem, local news. receive an inquiry by phone or on Facebook. Content ideas: FAQ, describe a service/product, benefits and features. learn something new . Content ideas: teach your fans, describe the learning process, give a review/opinion, share the source. find a quote you love on Twitter. Content ideas: why you like it, how it's relevant to what you do. do some online research . Content ideas: share what you found, how you found it, what it means to your readers. try...

(guest post by Natasha Marchewka) Do you find you are saying NO to everything lately, to keep the status quo? I was... because I was overwhelmed and afraid. I already had enough daily commitments to keep me busy for the next 10 years. And then, I had a shift of perception. I realized that to grow (or be happier or fulfilled), I needed to say YES to things that stretched me. Further, what is entrepreneurship without risk taking? It doesn’t exist. That said, I’ve taken on MANY new commitments that I suddenly have the energy for because they all seem like where I need to be. In all cases, the yes’s come in the form of helping others in some way. When’s the last time you said yes to something that you felt enthusiastic about? Even when our plates are full, I believe there is room to say yes to commitments that ring true with us on a deep level. Taking a risk is part of living fully with the potential to fail or succeed. Either way, you succeed. I’m saying YES because I...

(guest post by Alison Knott) Nailing it down with a pin! Now that you’ve spent some time getting up close and personal with other brands in Part 1 , it’s time to find those patterns on Pinterest! You know 30 ways to look for ‘healthy snack recipes’ (who am I kidding, I’m married to Frito-Lay), so I know you’ll be set to start searching on Pinterest. But don’t stop at the obvious keywords like ‘bespoke logo’ or ‘life coach brand’. Branch out to of all kinds of brand application. Parrot Party: our new venture For this exercise, let's pretend you're starting an online store and forum called Parrot Party - a site for all the things parrot owners want and need. Most parrot-owner related websites are just breeders with old websites, and you want something that's going to appeal to parrot owners. Fresh, vibrant and speaks to owners ready to spend big bucks and share their knowledge on owning these birds. They choose to live with loud, colourful pets that live for 30+...

(guest post by Alison Knott) So you’re starting the process of making a brand or logo for your new business. Or, you’re about to hire someone to do it for you. Congratulations! It’s now time for the daunting task of articulating whatever the hell is in your head into something concrete. Eep! I’m here to help you help yourself. It can seem difficult to put into words how you do (and do not) want to represent your brand that doesn’t exist yet. So… how do the pros do it? We do research and create moodboards, which are a visual collection of images, colours and graphics to illustrate a certain mood . Now, as a brand designer I use Adobe InDesign and Illustrator to put final mood boards together for my clients. But you want to know what has saved me and my clients so much time? Having clients send along their own little Pinterest brand modeboard collection to help me get inside their head. Yes! That thing you’ve been using to save 783 pictures of living room renos you’re nev...

Do you often flip to the back page of your notebook to jot down content ideas ? If not, start! When I'm teaching small business classes about online marketing, I insist they start a page in the back of their notebooks for jotting down ideas for blog or social media posts. This page will extend beyond one, but it's the start of something great. BOB (for back of book) becomes a new friend... your idea catcher . When you are looking for something to write about or post, check your BOB for ideas. Click to Tweet this Article

As I post this article, it's snowing heavily here in Nova Scotia. I'm very optimistic that spring will arrive... sometime. My husband and I are itching to get outside in the garden so, when I think of spring, I think of outdoors. Here are some colour schemes that make me think of spring. All photos are free from pexels.com . I saw this photo and immediately thought, "Fresh start!" Looks like a great place for a walk. The lime green is so bright and optimistic. The Easter Bunny outlined in buttercup yellow. All shades of green are reminiscent of spring. It wouldn't be spring without red tulips. Great contrast here. Spring travel to the tropics makes me think of soft pastel ocean scenes. Pass the wine. What does your spring marketing campaign look like? Click to Tweet this Article

Even when we love to write for our blog or newsletter, staring at a blank screen is bound to happen sooner or later. Here are nine writing prompts to help you get past the blank screen: What do you love most about your business? What are the questions you get asked most often when out networking? What are some of the hot topics in your industry right now? What are some of the challenges you are facing in your industry? What is a great resource, book or app that you’ve been delighted with recently? What recent experience can you turn into a success story or case study? What famous person would you like to get some advice from? Why? Do you have a business bucket list? What’s on it? What recent personal experience has led to a business breakthrough? These questions may not translate directly into a topic for your particular blog but they should get you thinking... follow a thread. photo by juliejordanscott / Flickr Click to Tweet this Article

Buried in a blog post by iContact about the importance of relevant content, I found an interesting little segment about the impact of creative isolation. It's hard to imagine being isolated when we can be online and connected whenever we want. When it comes to writing content, these are the consequences iContact identified: Writing generic copy - this is canned content Going off topic - irrelevant and useless content for the target market Being too clever - impenetrable copy stuffed with industry buzzwords and jargon Staring at a blank screen - forcing creativity doesn't work These things happen to me when I... stop looking at results (what are people reading) am too busy to read articles by other experts am not talking to people in my target market The solution? Do more of these things! photo by bionicteaching / Flickr Click to Tweet this Article

An image might be worth a thousand words but it's actually worth more in colours, likely several hundred thousand. No doubt a photo will first catch your eye because of the overall composition, and the foremost colours play a role. Not only do each of us see colours differently , we feel about them differently, too. We think of autumn colours as vibrant reds, golds and oranges, or muted browns and greens. But they can also be cool shades, like frost on the morning grass or the pale blue sky. What does your fall marketing campaign look and feel like? Here are some traditional colour schemes, plus a couple of not so common themes to spice up your fall marketing. All of these images are free to use and can be found at pexels.com . These are the colours of October and Thanksgiving - bright, warm colours. For Halloween, add some purple for a sense of the mysterious. Muted shades, these colours feel outdoorsy and healthy. This scheme feels se...

Do you lose track of your great ideas? I do and I know my clients do, too. I've written before about using an 'idea catcher' . Mine is a notepad but sometimes that's not good enough. Many people have said they get their best ideas in the shower ( here's a tool for that ), while driving or walking, or standing in line. Our ideas are precious but fleeting, and it may not be easy to capture them all in one place. The important thing is to capture them somehow. Handwritten notes : If your notebook isn't handy use the back of a receipt or a napkin. When you eventually write the article, include a photo of your note for visual interest. Typed notes : There are many ways to capture your ideas if you're sitting at your computer. I tend to use Word for lengthier articles or series (kept in a folder called 'content ideas') and I start a draft on my blog for brief articles. Phone or tablet : When you're out and about, use notepad apps, or se...

Advertising agencies get paid big bucks to create witty, actionable slogans and calls to action. So what do us small businesses who can't pay big bucks do? The answer is not to call on a friend. And it's not to just ignore call to action opportunities. It's you who has to develop those clever calls to action for your business. It can be stressful and time consuming. Pacing around the office doesn't help much but I continue to do it. Keep your inhouse ad agency sharp by scheduling a weekly repeating 30-minute spot in your calendar for each of these activities below: Seek inspiration actively , not just when you stumble upon it. Check what experts in your industry are talking about. Find a free ecourse. Buy (and read!) a new business book. Find an inspiration buddy. We often find it easier to come up with ideas for other businesses. Reciprocate with another business owner by brainstorming together regularly. Stay current. It's so very easy to do a little...

A photo can be a powerful marketing message , an expression of brand with more impact than a logo. It's worth a thousand words and expressed through many thousands of colours. We have feelings about the image itself and about the colours. You know how you feel when looking at a beautiful photo of sand, sun and surf? Aquamarine, white, pink, and deep blue. Even if you don't own a bathing suit, you want to be there. Summer colour schemes can be bright and vibrant, or cool and relaxed. What does your summer marketing campaign look and feel like? Here are some photos that inspired me. I've included html colour codes and links to the original photos on pixabay.com if you want to download for yourself. Can a fallen leaf be elegant? I think this one is - elegant and earthy. And, if I have time to contemplate this leaf, I must be feeling relaxed and at ease. Gazania are attention hogs in the garden with their warm colours and pinwheel designs. ...

Summer may be a sluggish time for many businesses but it doesn't have to be. Use the slower pace to your advantage. Take the Time to Get Inspired Do more reading. Watch more videos. Have more chats over coffee. Take online or offline courses. All of these will generate ideas for content and beyond. Spend some time refreshing your marketing strategy. Stick Around Why don't you be the one who hangs around all summer while everyone else disappears? Whether it's your newsletter, blog or social media, or all three, maintain your commitment to your fans. If not, you might not be missed all summer but people will realize you deserted them when you show up again in the fall. Use Automation I'm all for vacations but even then you don't have to drop out of sight. Continue to give value by using tools to schedule social media posts. Prepare and schedule your newsletters and blog posts in advance. Use your voicemail and email automated messages to keep people a...

Here is more inspiration as a follow-up to  5 Inspired Ways to Develop Content Ideas . That list had suggestions that you can do in minutes while sitting at your desk. This list of inspiring quotes requires you to get out from behind your desk. “Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve, and contribute to improving our quality of life. Libraries change lives for the better.”  - Sidney Sheldon #1. Swing by your local library and run your hand along a row of books. Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere and poke around for ideas by scanning book titles in the stacks. “I've found that many of the greatest ideas surface in bars because that's where many people cultivate inspiration.”  - Herb Kelleher #2. Off you go to your neighbourhood bar ... or coffee shop or... . Take a notepad and pen. Listen to what people are talking about. Ask people for their opinion on something about your busi...

Inspiring quotes about getting inspired – no better place to start when stumped. You can simply read this article, but I'd like you to grab a pen now and start a running list of content ideas for your blog or newsletter. Each of these suggestions can be accomplished in just minutes! “I think I'm a born storyteller. Inspiration is all around me. I can read a newspaper article and come up with an idea for a book.”  - Jackie Collins #1. Grab a newspaper, or find one online, and start reading. Scan the headlines for inspiration – a topic, concept or how-to that you can adapt to suit your target market. "Adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up because they're looking for ideas."  - Paula Poundstone #2. Look at what you do from the perspective of today's children.  What is the future - of your industry, products/services, target market - that they can look forward to in 10 years, or 20 years? Use your imagination and h...

“Where attention goes, energy flows.” - James Redfield I've been reminded of this quote lately because my attention has been wandering. That’s not to say energy isn't flowing – it’s just flowing off in several directions. When we think about getting things done, crossing things off, and making progress, we're usually considering concrete things like action items or task lists. There’s another side though. Just by paying attention to something, we are creating inspiration, motivation, and keeping momentum. Here’s the example that brought the quote to mind. For most of last year I was in the habit of checking my blog stats before logging off for the night. In the past 3 months, I’ve not been so regular. Recently I went 3 weeks without looking. And my pageviews have dropped. I’m not trying to say that just by looking at my stats I was somehow magically drawing people to my blog – although that would be nice. But here’s what was happening... First, I was paying att...

One thing I keep telling anyone who will listen is to write when you're inspired... and take the time to get inspired . This means doing a little planning, too, then. Inspiration will have a hard time finding you, buried in emails and racing between meetings. I asked my friend and mentor, Neil Everton of Podium Media and Communication Coaching , "Do you plan your time to write? Or do you write when you're inspired?" The response I got was neither! "Planning and inspiration are not concepts I'm familiar with. I write best when there’s a deadline." I use deadlines, too, but for me they are a last resort. I find it hard to be creative when I'm stressed about a deadline. Do what works for you. Whatever it is that causes you to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard needs to be harnessed and exploited. Creating great content that people want to read doesn't happen without some effort. photo by erink_photography / Flickr Click to Twee...