Your Best Foundation for a Sustainable Business
Would your business survive burning down? What would you do if your business burned to the ground? If you had to literally start over, would you be able to cope? What would your approach be? I have been falling behind with my workload lately. You just have to look at my posting frequency to see that I have been dropping as many plates as I manage to keep spinning. I’m busy. That’s a great problem to have, …
How to Avoid Cold-Feet Killing Your Progress
Cold Feet Can Kill Your Productivity Today, I want to talk about what happens when you give in to your fears. I want you to learn from my mistakes so you can have the courage to do what you need to. I have a lot of fears. That’s just part of who I am. I’m risk-averse, and I tend to focus on mitigating the risks I perceive as a priority, rather than focus on potential gains. (I’ve written about fear before, check out this post in particular where I tell the story of nearly drowning. It’s a fan-favourite). My dumb cold-feet mistakes Sadly, …
The Secret Element of Successful Marketing Campaigns
Remove friction from your marketing Why can Brian send one email from the Copyblogger email list and make 6 figures? Is it list size? Yes, scale obviously comes into it, but if someone else had Copyblogger’s list they wouldn’t necessarily get the same result. So what is the crucial factor that makes the difference? Is it Authority? Yes, of course that’s a factor, but there is more to it. More than seven years went …
Is it Just Business? How to be Professionally Human
Have you ever worked with someone who uses the phrase “It’s just business“? Or played a game with someone who, after cheating, back-stabbing, lying or just being a jerk, said “It’s only a game“? How did that make you feel? Did you respect the person more, or less? Did you trust them more afterwards? When someone is an aggressive, shouting, mean bully, do you say “Well, that’s just how they are. A straight-talker!“. Last night I…
5 Essential Skills for Today’s Online Marketer
Skillz. I haz em. What are the most important skills for an online marketer, blogger or professional? I am going to list my response to that, but I would be interested in hearing your thoughts in the comments. I’m intentionally keeping this one short so you can dive in and tell me where I am wrong! This post came about because I was just asked this question in email, and after responding briefly, I couldn’t get the question out of my head. After pondering on it, I realised it’s not quite as simple as it first seems. I realised that some of these are traits you are born with, but can develop, and others you can simply learn…
29 Blogging Business Survival Tips
What does it take to be successful in blogging as or for a business? My friend Al from Coolest Gadgets contacted me for some quotes to use in a presentation he has coming up, and as usual, I gave him way more material than he could use. Rather than let it go to waste, I have written it up here as an article. These aren’t the only lessons, but they are a start. If you like them, check out my article from 2008 that has 41 tips about the blogging side of things. Revenue generation Don’t put off the revenue side of your business…
Want to Know What Makes Content Truly Successful?
What is the secret to getting your content read, shared and acted on? Is your content really useful versus just well-written? Why do some writers get real results from their articles, while other writers work just as hard, or harder, and don’t seem to get noticed? Of course there are many reasons, but a key reason that I see over and over again is what I call the “Hot Potato” effect. Before we get into what that is, let’s talk a little bit about what good content is, and what kind of content you might want to…
Why Even a Big List Won’t Save You from Bad Strategy
A big question I get asked all the time here and on Copyblogger webinars (right after how to generate traffic or build a list), is “How can I get more people to respond/buy/subscribe?” In my previous post, I talked about what makes content truly successful, and I gave a big answer, but for this particular issue, great content is only part of the solution. What more do you need? I will tell you now, it’s not just a big list. In fact, a lot of seemingly successful people are not doing that great and only look like they do because of the size of their list. Smaller businesses are …
Join Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett in Portland Oregon: Thursday 10 July 2014
This post is left for archive purposes, the event was July 2014 Want to join Darren Rowse and me for a day of blogging talk? Or maybe going to World Domination Summit and getting in a day early? I’m thrilled to be able to share that Darren Rowse and Chris Guillebeau have arranged a ProBlogger training day in Portland Oregon on Thursday 10 July. They invited me along because I guess Darren would be lonely or something? The …
How to Go from Author to Successful Online Business
Since I let slip that I was a wannabe fiction writer, a few people have asked me questions about the modern author/publishing business: “Can you make a full time living as a writer, without being freelance?” “What should a modern indie author do to maximise their business?” “For successful self-publishers, what would we do differently?” I’ve answered these questions and more in various comment areas, forums, and social media. In fact, I am going to be …
The “Simple” Secret Behind Copyblogger’s 8 Figure Business
What is the secret behind Copyblogger’s 9 straight years of growth? How has it been achieved without any outside investment, without sales people, and with close to zero advertising? Join Chris Garrett and Tony Clark as they talk about: The simple secret to success (and why it is not easy) What you need before you create your product The truth about real Minimum Viable Products, and the fatal trap too many people fall into How you can use this…
Why New Products Fail
What is the difference between new products that take off in popularity and those that essentially get ignored? How do you know when your new product is ready to sell? Today I would like to share with you the key strategy that will allow you to not only sell more of your products and services to more people, but will also reduce refunds and improve your audience’s relationship with you. In The Mainframe podcast, Tony and I have been covering the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) process for creating products and moving into how to simply and successfully launch those …
How to Grow Your Long-Term Authority
Why do some people manage to stick around forever, while other people and brands seem to be here one day and gone the next? What is it about some people that makes you warm to them, while others give off a dodgy vibe that repels even the most tactile extroverts? As mentioned earlier, Tony and I have been creating this new podcast called The Mainframe, and so far we have focused on launches. If you listen carefully, though, there are some themes …
Grow Your Authority With Your Geekiness
How do people really connect and build friendly relationships? What is it that causes people to want to hear from you more than anything else? In marketing we talk about “value” a lot. Value is important, but I feel value often speaks to need more often than it does want. Serving needs is a minimum requirement. We want to stand out and be seen as more than that. We have to attract people who want to read our content, who are happy to work with us. While you can certainly attract a lot of people…
Apple is investing in Solar Energy!
This Post was Originally published at Apple is investing in Solar Energy! on Start Investing Money Tim Cook: New solar farm will be Apple’s ‘biggest and boldest project ever’ – ZDNet ReutersTim Cook: New solar farm will be Apple’s ‘biggest and boldest project ever’ZDNetCook touted this solar farm would be able to produce enough power for almost 60,000 California homes, or translated another way, enough energy to fuel Apple’s new … Read more … California Flats Solar Project agreements with Apple Computers buying…
TopCashBack Review
TopCashBack is described as the UK’s highest paying Cashback site, so it definitely seems worth taking a look at it to see what it is all about. The site states that it already has a whopping 4 million members and is growing all the time. So how does it work and in what way could it benefit you? Find out in this TopCashBack Review. The Basics The way that TopCashBack works is that they pass on their advertising commission direct to the customers who visit and use the site. Basically, you just need to browse the current offers and retailers listed on…
Top Tips for Saving Money During a Divorce
Divorce is one of the most stressful things that people can go through during their life. Apart from the emotional and mental toll that a divorce can take, splitting up a marriage can also have a big impact on a person’s finances. From hiring a lawyer, to paying for court costs, relocation expenses, a house sale, and more, there are many different yet unavoidable ways in which a relationship split takes money from the pocket. However, there are also a variety of ways to save money during the process of a divorce, as long as you’re aware of them. If you want to spend as little cash as possible when splitting lives and assets, it’s important to do some research and …
4 Tips to Save Your Family Money This Summer
For our family, summer promises fun, a break, a vacation, and relaxation. We can plant flowers, grow gardens, spend time at our local farmer’s market, and travel. But summer can be expensive for families who try to “do it all.” Along with some planned activities, unexpected summer fun can pop up out of nowhere – and so can the expenses! Here’s how you can manage the finances of your family’s summer fun without breaking the bank. 1Prepare for the Unexpected Already having cash stashed away for both planned …
15 baby toys that you can make for free
Who said babies have to be expensive? I am due in a few weeks with baby #3 and let me tell you that I have learned that you don’t need most of the baby stuff that stores try to sell. Especially when it comes to toys. Babies tend to want to play with everything and anything and it doesn’t matter if it is a $50 toy or one that you make for free. I love these simple DIY baby toys from around the web. Most can be made for free or nearly free with items that you already have at home. …
Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized Student Loans
As educational costs continue to rise, many students find themselves borrowing money using student loans in order to come up with the cash they need to pay for expenses. These loans can be used to pay for college tuition, room and board, fees, books, and other necessary items. When borrowing money for college, students have two different types of federal student loans that they can access: subsidized and unsubsidized. What are the differences between these two types of loans? Which type of loan is more attractive for students? Subsidized …
Which Winnie-the-Pooh Character Are You?
One reason the Winnie-the-Pooh characters created by A. A. Milne have lasted for decades is the uniqueness of their personalities. Most of us know real life Tiggers, Eeyores and Poohs. In fact, most of us can see some of these three in our own lives. I don’t claim to know exactly how these three would manage their money, but this article is a fun exercise in speculation. Because I believe that our personalities and…
10 Frugal Landscaping Ideas to make Your Yard Amazing
So, I’m starting to research frugal landscaping ideas to make my yard amazing this Spring. Bloggers have so many fab ideas! There are so many back yard projects, curb appeal DIYs that it’s hard to narrow down what will not only look best for my home, but also won’t hurt my wallet too much! I would like to share with you some of these creative and inexpensive landscaping ideas with you. Below, I’m sharing my top ten finds! Enjoy! Plant Perennials by Sunset Before You Mulch by Rosemary on the TV DIY Wheelbarrow Planter by …
Financial – and Life – Lessons from 40 Years of Marriage
As I bask in the celebration of our recent 40th wedding anniversary, complete with surprise readings from each child, child-in-law and grandchild, I can see some great personal finance applications of the principles Jan and I used raising our four children. My quandary is that in order to share the financial lessons, I am obligated to share what our kids had to say in their readings. I therefore ask myself, “Is this more about boasting on what great kids we have or helping my readers with their finances?” I will let you be the judge…
The Ultimate Bundle: Over 75 books worth $1,000+ for just $29
I am excited to be partnering on the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle for the next few days. It really is an amazing collection of eBooks, courses, printables, and a lot more that you can pick up for $29. There are so many great books from Best-Selling authors, bloggers with millions of followers, and true experts in a variety of topics. Click here to see all the books/courses/printables included! The bundle was designed to help you nurture the beauty and productivity in your home and family relationships with proven, simple, and effective tools that really give you a boost as a homemaker – help, inspiration, tips, encouragement…