Mighty Marketing Mojo

Tag: tools

  • How Anyone Can Mind Map to Brainstorm for Content Creation

    How Anyone Can Mind Map to Brainstorm for Content Creation

    Let’s use Mind Mapping to Brainstorm and Organize Ideas for Content Creation

    Mind Map nodes topics bubbles connected

    Business owners frequently create content to bring visibility to products, courses, or services. We can have a lot of great ideas rattling around in our heads. How do we organize those thoughts? How can we have more strategic – i.e. connected – marketing by tying our blog posts, Tweets, Facebook posts, Instagram stories, and videos together more powerfully? And how can we more clearly see ways to reuse, and repurpose our content? One suggestion – use the tools and techniques of mind mapping for your content creation and organization.

    If you haven’t tried mind mapping, here’s a short introduction to get you started plus some basic tools to help you unleash your creative brainpower in a method that fits you. Also check out an earlier post I wrote on brainstorming content and using your mind maps.

     

    Why Mind Map For Content Creation?

    Mind maps can be used for organizing information, creating plans, goal setting, or certainly for idea generation for writing and research. A survey from the Mind Map Software blog (there’s a blog for everything!) found that mapping software can increase pace of work, boost creativity, and free up more time. Sounds like reasons to give it a try!

    Mind maps have distinctive characteristics that them better and more useful than traditional organizational tools. They are great for visual thinkers and learners (and we all tend to pick up info quicker visually vs. all text), for creative thinking and getting out of your ‘normal’ routines. Lots of people don’t think in a linear way, so the graphic, relational method of a mind map works better for them.

    Brainstorming via a mind map encourages free association and a judgment-free zone. All ideas are valid, put them on the map and decide later if they fit or are good for your project. If you come up with a lot of ideas unrelated to your original creative session or theme, start a new, separate mind map and work on it later. Or if your map starts getting complicated and unruly, cut one or more sections of the map out and save them as new maps.

     

    Content Marketing Mind Map example Getting Started

    How to Mind Map – the basics

     Start from the Center –  Start with one specific topic

    Mind maps explore a central theme, idea, topic or question – something that’s fodder to build off of – and branch or build out from the center.

    Put the central idea in the literal center of your map (on paper, whiteboard, an app, XMind, PowerPoint, etc). Put other ideas and thoughts as spokes or sub-circles off the main, and each of those can spring new links, spokes, circles – whatever is related to the idea you’re noodling on.

    Emphasis on Relationships or Connections  –

    A mind map helps you see at a glance how elements of the map (or central theme) are related. The links or relationships don’t have to be exact or strong, just what comes to you.

    Start with writing down at least 5 subtopics related to your center/core topic or question.

    For instance

    1. Define your topic
    2. Benefits of your topic
    3. Best practices of your topic
    4. Top tools for your topic
    5. How can you make your topic easier/better/faster

    Mind map example for content creation topics

    Keep It Simple

    Single words or concepts are better than complex or bundled items. As you keep branching out and creating more connected bubbles and lines, use as little text as possible

    Feel free to use colors, symbols, pictures, doodles (most of the software tools will let you add images, graphs, other files, color coding). Just don’t go overboard with your color-coding. It still needs to make sense at a glance.

    If you don’t know where to put an idea, let it ‘float’ until you see its connections. That’s an advantage to mapping with Post-Its or mind mapping software – ideas can hang out until you see the connections.

     

    Ask Questions to Guide Your Mapping

    Use the classic 5-W’s (who, what, where, when, why + how) to stimulate your brainstorming.

    Or you could map out Pros vs Cons, of a tool, app, product or service.

    Or think of the different perspectives on your topic, a different angle you could take to approach it, even the different content formats that could explain your topic. There’s always more than one way to look at something.

    The Question approach is especially good for mapping articles, blog posts, how-to instructions, or research-driven content pieces. You could mind map your next webinar or video as well!

    For example:

      • WHO is the video for
      • WHERE you will film it
      • WHAT are you teaching/explaining or promoting
      • WHAT are the benefits of the concept you’re teaching/explaining
      •  WHY is this video or webinar important for your audience.

     

    Mind Maps Are Fluid

    They can easily be changed, edited, added to. Don’t stop, don’t think, just do. Just keep adding, spiking out.

    If you do get hung up on 1 word or idea, leave it and move to something else. If one branch starts to get a little long or veers off target from the central theme – no problem, snip it and turn it into a new map.

     

    Collaborative Tool

    Mind maps can be generated as part of a team or group exercise (physically or virtually, in real time or with members contributing as they can). It’s easy for every member to add an idea or relationship and contribute to the whole. Most of the mind mapping software allows for sharing, shared editing, and collaboration.

     

    Using Mind Maps in Content Creation – Especially Blog Posts

    From Darren Rowse of ProBlogger is this good, though older, post on using mind mapping for writing and blogging.  His main points –

    • Don’t get hung up on technology or technique – just write or draw and let ideas circulate and flow. You can use paper, a whiteboard, or a cool app, but use what’s easiest to get ideas going and keep them going.
    • Use it to extend your existing ideas and writing – take your most recent posts (or videos, articles, podcasts – whatever your content format fave is) and spend just a few minutes (seriously, set a timer for 5 min) on each one, thinking of ways to take that idea further. Questions you didn’t answer, questions that came later, the opposing view, a commentary on the topic, more details on ‘how-to’, a case study or example, a link round-up, a visual way to describe X, etc.
      blog series sequence mind map content creation
    • Expand again – Take one of the good ideas you came up, circle it, set the timer for 5 more minutes and think about how to expand all over again! Start creating more little ‘child’ circles, bubbles, boxes or whatever. You’ve got the creative juices flowing, so use them!

    More tips on using mind maps for content marketing comes from the mapping software iMindQ – I particularly appreciate their recommendations to include the content formats and types in your maps. For example, looking at how a specific topic or question could be a video, an infographic, an ebook, a paid webinar, an email series, etc.

    Tools For Mind Mapping

    • Whiteboard and dry erase markers
    • Go even more ‘old-school’ with blank paper and colored pens or pencils. Elements can be added and erased easily.
    • Post-Its and a large table or blank wall – because they can easily be moved or rearranged as new ideas and relationships form. Get several colors of Post-Its.
    • PowerPoint – use the SmartDraw feature, or add the flowchart or shape elements plus lines and arrows.
    • XMind – Free to download (I use this one – and it opens nearly all other mind maps from other software)
    • Mind Meister – completely cloud-based tool with easy-to-use interface where you can easily add videos, images, files, links or more. You can share a map privately, publicly with all other Meister users, or grab the embed code to put on your own website [free plan has 3 maps, then $5/mo] I created a new free account and got started creating the sample map below in less than 5 minutes.
    • Milanote – like a cross between Pinterest, Trello, and mind-mapping software [Free for 100 notes, images or links; pro plan w/ unlimited storage $10/mo]
    • Lucid Chart – project management, data visualization, flowcharts, process maps – another one that looks like a cross between Trello and some other software
    • Freemind
    • Mind Maple
    • Bubbl.us

    Email Marketing Sample Map by Jennifer Burke

     

    There are many other free and paid mind mapping apps or software offerings to check out. The ones above are just some of the most popular. Search also for “concept mapping” software or apps, and you may even test out the infographic design tools like Venngage or Easel.ly.  Some of the options that come up in searches for ‘mind mapping’ do a lot more and seem like hybrid tools and not as much like the older bubble trees.

    Do some searching, check out the interfaces, look at other options and try a few to see which ones are intuitive for you to use.  If you can’t or won’t use it, it’s not a very useful tool!

    More Resources and Examples on Using Mind Maps for Idea Generation

    Venngage (an infographic, visual ideas design tool but not mind mapping software per se) has a set of templates on basic mind maps that could inspire you. You need to create a free Venngage account to use templates (some are free, some require a paid account)

    9 Wildly Useful Blog Mind Maps (from MindMeister)

    How to brainstorm a project plan using mind mapping

    16 powerful ways to brainstorm with mind maps

     

    Test out some mind mapping tools, starting with pen and paper, and see if it helps you the next time you’re feeling a bit stuck. Use one to map out your whole blog, or your posts for the next quarter. Create a mind map for your next course, program, seminar or webinar. Try mapping out your marketing and promotion strategy for the next quarter too.

    See where this creative, visual technique takes you and your content creation this year!

     

    [Post updated September 2020]

  • 20 Things to Know When Choosing Your Email Marketing Software

    20 Things to Know When Choosing Your Email Marketing Software

    20 Things to Know About When Choosing Email Marketing Software for Your Small or Solopreneur Business

    Email is THE TOOL to set you up for a laptop lifestyle, work-from-anywhere, business.  And yes, your business, no matter how small or large, physical retail or online only, needs its own email list. But getting started with email marketing can seem daunting for a lot of small businesses, especially solopreneurs doing everything themselves. There are many options in email marketing software. So let’s sort through 20 things you should know about email marketing: facts on email, how to go about choosing software for your business, and what some top software options are.

    Get the Facts on Email Marketing

    Yes your business needs email, yes it’s still effective, yes all businesses can benefit.

    Did you know …

    By any set of numbers, email marketing is FAR from dead and should be cornerstone of the marketing plans of any business.

    Email Marketing Facts Infographic

    Yeah, email is all that and more!

    But what if you’re in the smaller percent of businesses that haven’t dove into email marketing – yet?

    Tap Into the Enduring Power of Email to Grow Your Business

    List building activities and email marketing are some of the most valuable and most profitable strategies for any business with an online presence – that’s all businesses! But it’s hard to focus on strategies and tactics to build our email lists if we don’t HAVE an email list. Just because email has been around for many years doesn’t mean it no longer works or that newer marketing tactics automatically work better.

    But we don’t want just any list! We know it’s a no-no to ever buy a list or buy leads (that violates all kinds of rules plus it’s bad business). We don’t want to ‘churn-n-burn’ through a list either. It’s not just about building a list to get to a certain number (though, yeah numbers kinda matter!), it’s about building an engaged list that wants our emails, opens them, and takes action on them. We want a high-quality, targeted list. And to make the most of a targeted list + email marketing (personalization, segmentation, timing, automation), we need email marketing software.

    But HOW do you go about email marketing and sending emails?

    First things first – use software that lets you stay safe and legally compliant

    To properly, legally, send marketing emails out to a list who has chosen (opted in) to receiving your emails, you must use email marketing software/service (EMS).

    Just a reminder, you can’t send marketing emails through your domain email, Outlook or Gmail (sending one-to-one to a contact, friend, or prospect is ok – not mass emails). You’ve heard of email regulations such as the CAN SPAM Act in the US, CASL in Canada or the GDPR rules in Europe.  As a business owner (or ANY organization – this applies to nonprofits and educational orgs too), you need an email marketing service to stay safe, legal, and to make your marketing more efficient.

    While this sounds intimidating, if you’re a legit business using a known, reputable email marketing service, you should have few problems. Choosing and using a reputable EMS should be one of the first steps, and maybe first purchase, when creating your independent, online,  laptop lifestyle business. Ok, it should be one of the first decisions for ANY type of business! Email is for every business.

    Next to choosing a reputable software option, the best way to ensure you stay safe, legal, and ethical with your email marketing is to get clear, explicit permission to email people.

    Give folks a way to choose to receive your emails – and in some locations, this means even asking your paying customers if they want to receive marketing emails. People choosing to join your list can be current or new customers, prospective customers who signed up via a blog post, a webinar, a social media post, or who heard you speak at an event. No, merely exchanging business cards doesn’t count – send them a personal follow-up email and ask them to join your list.

    But which email marketing software do you choose? How do you go about choosing?

    Before you jump in to looking at trials or signing up for one of the email marketing services I will go over below – you should think about what you and your business need.  These steps apply not just to choosing email software, but any software, purchases, or investments for your business. Your business is going to be slightly different than mine, your audience different, your comfort with software and tech will be different. Go through my recommended questions to sort the software options into what fits you right now.

     

    Ask These Questions for the  Business or Marketing Services/Software You Are Considering

    What stage of development is your business?

    There are differences between what you might choose if you have a hobby or a side gig and this is not a full-time business. Consider whether you mostly sell crafts on Etsy, or journals through Kindle Direct Publishing, or you are a consultant to nonprofits, or you are creating online courses for other business owners, or you sell classes to busy moms of toddlers. It can make a difference if you have prior business experience, or this is your first exciting adventure.

    Also consider how tech savvy do you feel – or how well do you handle pressure or learning new software? Or do you only want to learn the basics and then hand things over to a VA (virtual assistant) or OBM (Online Business Manager) to run daily operations?

    Will this software grow with you, your business, and your list?

    Does the tool have the features you need right now and features you think your business will grow into in the next 12-18 months? 

    If the software is missing a key feature (like email automation/autoresponders), it doesn’t matter how cheap it might be. Likewise, if the features are too hard to learn, will the tool hold you back when you are just starting out?

    I’ve seen both sides to this with solopreneurs I’ve worked with – they paid big bucks they didn’t have for tools like InfusionSoft or LeadPages before they had products or services to sell, before they had a list. The tools confused them and were holding them back, not helping. On the flip side is a coach who went with the free MailChimp account because they didn’t have much of a budget, but back then the free plan didn’t have the tools (autoresponders) they needed to sell their services and new courses. They limped along for too long.

    How much do the next tiers of subscriber numbers cost and when do you likely think you will reach those levels? Are you able to budget for the next levels of service/number of subscribers that your business will need?

    You don’t want a tool that is too limiting and you will outgrow quickly, nor a tool that has so many advanced bells + whistles that you don’t have time to learn or will not use for years to come (if ever). You are not marrying your tools or software for life, you will change! It’s ok. (Psst – I’m on my 3rd email marketing software in just less than 10 years of business – it happens!)

    What plans and price points does the software offer?

    If you work steadily on list-building or participate in events, will the tool accommodate you? Will you outgrow the basic plan too quickly? Can you afford the next tier of pricing? What kind of business goals and growth will you need to set in order to comfortably afford the next tier?

    Email Marketing Setup Checklist Cover photo

    12 Steps to Setting Up Email Marketing for Success

    Sign up below to get our FREE guide and get started today

     

    How proven is this software?

    Is it a brand new startup with little track record yet? Is the tool still in beta or testing phases of any kind? Is it a more mature tool?

    There are marketplaces that specialize in showcasing newer software and getting apps/software to their first big audiences and sets of users (especially AppSumo + ProductHunt, also StackSocial). There can be some great deals there! BUT … beware that many of those deals are on new, unproven software, or software that may still be in a limited form. Do your homework, read the reviews, know exactly what features you are getting (or not) if you see deals from these types of third-party marketplaces. Friends and I have been burned with deals on software that had too many bugs or the version on deal at AppSumo didn’t include all the features.

    Does it have lots of testimonials, reviews, a substantial knowledge base with support and feedback from its users?

    Has the tool aged well and kept up with changes in marketing technology? Alternately, has the tool been around a while but is no longer a leader nor has the most current features?

     

    What is the reputation of the software you are considering?

    What do reviews say?

    What do your colleagues or friends with a business similar to yours use and what do they like about it? It’s very helpful to know other friends who have a business model similar to yours and what tools they use and why (it’s why you’re reading my blog post and my emails, right?!). Ask around in groups or among your business friends and get honest assessments. And take their recommendations with a grain of salt. 😉

     

    What is customer support like for this tool?

    How responsive do they seem to be?

    What methods do they offer for contacting them? Do their business hours match yours

    For example, a key piece of business software I use is from a European-based company, they only reply via email or chat, and it’s necessary to take time differences into account when seeking support. It’s not great when a problem pops up on a Friday afternoon!

    Do they offer timely training? Does the training look easy to understand and not time-consuming?

    For example, in addition to all their videos, tutorials, customer forum, and blog post – my email service Active Campaign runs a live, in-person training program that travels the country. I attended their Study Hall in Philadelphia not long after I made the switch. They’re doing virtual Study Halls now too.

    Sign outside the ActiveCampaign Study Hall in Philadelphia
    ActiveCampaign offered an all day training in Philadelphia – very timely!

     

    How easy is it to operate?

    How easy is it for you to navigate through the tool and its user interfaces?

    How easy is it to get started and take your first actions in the app? For example, how quickly and easily can you create your first form, create your first email, create a segment for a list, or create an automation?

    Your EMS should make it easy to manage your contacts, send automated emails, have a way to tag or segment subscribers, easily create campaigns, and track performance.

    The tool that lets you easily, consistently send engaging emails, that reach your audience, and lets you work smarter not harder is the system that’s right for you.

     

    How easy is it to send different types of emails?

    Is it clear how to set up an automated email vs. a one-time or broadcast email?

    What do the emails look like?

    Are the included templates modern and follow current best practices? Or do they look stale and years old?  [hint: overly styled, graphics heavy, multi-column ‘newsletters’ are a thing of the past]

     

    But I’m on budget, bootstrapping, no money for marketing – can I go free?

    It’s often true what they say, “you get what you pay for” – so free is not always better. And I stand by the assertion that email is so vital to growing your online business that you just can NOT skip out here.

    If it’s a ‘free’ email software – what’s NOT included?

    What are the limitations – and not just in numbers of contacts or emails sent per month?

    Do you have access to automation/autoresponders?

    Can you segment your list?

    Will it integrate with 3rd party tools?

    What level of support or service is offered to customers of the email marketing software?

    Often customer service is severely limited for those on free plans -e.g. you may only be able to send them emails and wait for a reply.

    Compared to so many other tools and tactics out there, email marketing is still very inexpensive, especially given the high return on your investment. It’s much better to invest and spend for a solid email marketing service that serves you well and has the features you need instead of cheapening out and needing to move services in a few months or a year as  your business grows.

     

    Questions to ask in evaluating business software options choices

    Ok, But What Are the Common Email Marketing Software Options for Solopreneur Online Businesses

     

    ActiveCampaign (my preferred software)

    I’ve tested and used multiple services over the years, researched to move to a new system, and am delighted that I’m now with ActiveCampaign. AC has made my marketing better, my email more efficient and effective. This is the tool I demonstrate in additional courses on email, tech, and marketing. I love how easy it is to tag, segment, and run multiple automated series, all with people on just one list. Lite plan for up to 500 subscribers is $15/mo and goes to $29/mo for 1,000 subscribers. [Note: I pay one-time, annually, which makes my per month cost just $17/mo, less than some other companies]

    Mighty Marketing Active Campaign Dashboard email marketing software
    Dashboard of my ActiveCampaign account

    AWeber (I used this one for years before moving in 2019)

    AWeber is a favorite among many online business owners I know because they offer a free/low-cost trial, have relatively low monthly rates, ($19/mo) and offer very good customer service (one of the few that has phone-support). Their tool is pretty easy to learn and use.

    They were also one of those tools that qualifies as proven, but also dated technology. They just didn’t seem to be keeping up with changes in design, interfaces or features. I’m glad to see they’ve finally added features and improved things (e.g. added built-in landing pages), I’m still also glad I left. NEWS: As of spring/summer 2020 AWeber has launched a totally free tier for up to 500 list contacts and they have added features like a landing page builder. This makes them competitive and worth checking out.

    [NOTE: Warning … many of my solopreneur pals and client who participate in list-building events such as bundles or giveaways have run into major problems with AWeber in 2020 for disallowing or unsubscribing the new opt-ins who joined during these events. The company’s responses have been unsatisfactory and turned a lot of business owners off. If you are planning to build your list through strategies like giveaways or bundles, at this time I recommend you stay away from AWeber until they stop this behavior toward legitimate opt-ins.]

    ConvertKit

    CK has gained a lot of fans among online solopreneurs, especially pro bloggers, authors and marketing geeks for its strong tagging and automation features, as well as built-in landing pages. When I was doing my research to move in 2019 it was a serious contender – and I followed my own tech advice and asked other business others for their thoughts, plus poked around inside. For me, it had too many quirks, odd naming of structures/systems, was not intuitive for me to setup or use, had poor designs, and cost more than ActiveCampaign. But it has many fans in my circle of business pals! Free 14-day trial, rates start at $29/mo

    MailChimp (like many, I started here on their free plan, but moved quickly)

    Known for its totally free plan for up to 2,000 subscribers. But it has limitations, quirks, not always intuitive or user-friendly. While they’ve added ‘advanced ‘features and say they’re built-in, they aren’t truly advanced and some require paid plans. MailChimp has significant restrictions on affiliate marketing that can scare off certain business owners (do read all the fine print). Support is very limited for free plans. Paid plans start at $10/mo for up to 500 subscribers.

    GetResponse

    Small business friendly with automation tools built-in and easy drag-n-drop email builder. Their built-in forms and landing pages are attractive and easy. But some clients I’ve worked with complain about GR not being so easy, not connecting well to other tools, or being hard to learn. Those are possible pitfalls with most of the email systems. GR has a 30-day free trial; Basic plan $15/mo up to 1,000 subscribers.

    ConstantContact

    A frequent TV advertiser, this tool is popular among many offline, retail, or e-commerce businesses and claims to be very user-friendly. $20/mo up to 500 subscribers, $90/mo for 5,000. 60 day free trial.

     

    MailerLite

    A newer player in email marketing, like its name suggests, it’s a bit stripped down. It’s missing many of the advanced features of other EMS, including some key automation features. But it’s simple and affordable, with a free plan , a $10/mo unlimited emails to 1,000 subscribers, and a $15/mo plan for up to 2,500 subscribers.  Note: a few biz owners I’ve worked with have had problems setting up automations or scheduled emails – a toss-up as to system issues or user error.

    There are many others, but these are most common among online, solopreneur businesses- ones that my colleagues, friends, and clients are using or have used.  Some of the newer, start-up options could be a good fit for you, IF you can go through the questions  I gave you earlier for evaluating software AND that new tool meets those requirements.

     

    Choose the email marketing software that lets you get started building your list and sending emails quickly

    It’s so much better to just get started then to worry about finding the perfect tool. Done is better than perfect!

    And while changing systems can be a pain, it’s often necessary as our businesses change, our needs change, and the tools change. Don’t be afraid to switch if a tool doesn’t match you, your needs, your business, or if the tool is holding you back instead of helping you move forward with ease.

    It helps to choose an email marketing service this is known among your peers and other online business owners, that VAs know, so you can get community support.

    If you are still struggling with the pains of setting up your email marketing software or getting started so that you CAN go build a list and write awesome emails, check out the course I created just for business owners like you – Hell Yeah You CAN Start Your List – Even If You Aren’t Techie.

  • Solopreneurs Know Your Productivity Sweet Spots

    Solopreneurs Know Your Productivity Sweet Spots

    Solopreneurs – Find What Works for YOU for Productivity and Run Your Business, Don’t Let it Run You!

    There are soooo many tips out there all saying they have the secrets, magic, or right way for people, especially entrepreneurs, to be oh so very productive in their business. Maybe you’ve heard of or tried: miracle mornings, journaling, “leveling up” (what is this, a Nintendo game?!), color coding your calendars to your chakra levels, freezing cold showers to wake up, getting up at 4:30 am to get it all done in the quiet before mere mortals rise. No wonder people then need cold showers, they’ve fallen back asleep by 8am! 😁 I’m a night owl, and 4:30 am is literally the middle of my night – that tip is never ever going to work for me. But it might for you. The point is you need to find the productivity tips and tools that work for YOU and your business.

    That said, while researching and preparing for a presentation to give to a meeting of awesome solopreneurs (my pals at AIIP), I came across some tips that could be almost universal, or at least up the odds that you’ll find some here that are your productivity sweet spot.

    And of course in my presentation I talk tools – the apps, software, or gear I’ve checked out (maybe reviewed in other publications and presentations) and what I am personally using. People ask me why I keep researching apps and tools…

    1) because I search for the holy grail of the perfect solopreneur tool(s)

    2) because what appeals and works best for me might not be best for YOU.

    Find your productivity sweet spot and focus on what moves your business forward profitably and with more ease.

    A few tips and my presentation will be shared here too:

    Some good articles I ready were eye-opening about how we approach productivity, procrastination, and time management wrong. Productivity – according to research and the article in the NY Times from Adam Grant – is an attention management issue, not a time-management one.  And in Forbes, former productivity expert Chris Winfield talks about quitting the field and saying “productivity is shit.”

    I love when someone calls B.S. on a thing that everyone else seems afraid to go against! We keep trying tips and hacks to do more in less time, and keep cramming ever more into each day. Stop!

    “We actually put ourselves in a very precarious situation. One problem, one unexpected roadblock in the day, and the whole day is ruined. And sadly that’s the case of many entrepreneurs. “

    Productivity Stope Worshipping at Alter of Hustle

    Focus on the money tasks first – do you know what your most valuable tasks are?

    • Can this task be done by someone else – or just you? Be honest here! If you were a NY Times best-selling author, writing is clearly a valuable task only you could do. If you’re a coach, then coaching your clients is your highest value task.
    • Does this task make you money? Will it lead to income in the short or long term? Fussing over logos and colors on your website are not money tasks. Changing out your social media headers – not a money task. A lot of social media is not an immediate, money-making task. Sending emails to your list – money task.
    • Are you energized by the task? Does it use creativity and brainpower? Is it strategic?

     

    More basic productivity ideas – suggestions since they may not be your sweet spot:

    • Two-minute rule –  if a task will take less than 2 min to do, just DO IT right now already! Whether it’s refilling Rx, shooting off quick email answer, calling to make an appointment – don’t put it off.
    • Don’t neglect self-care. You need sleep, exercise, getting outside, saying hydrated. And you need to actually plan it. Try a set break time during the day – not just lunch!  Maybe you go get a tea or latte at 2:30, or walk around the block at 3pm. Schedule it in your calendar.
    • Try a productivity ‘cheat day’ – like some diets offer. Productivity ‘cheat days’ give yourself permission for one day (maybe 1 per month, on what would ordinarily be a work day) to do ‘all the things you aren’t “supposed” to do if you’re trying to be really productive.’ Most Americans are seriously overworked  [2017 Enterprise Rent-a-Car study of 1,000 people, 7 in 10 said they worked at least 1 weekend/month, equivalent to a full work day] and we aren’t actually productive at paces like that! This is kind of like diet/eating ‘cheat days’ – you’re great and on-target 6 days, 1 day you do whatever you want. Cheat days give us fuel and motivation for rest of the time
    • Set goals – SMART goals – for your business, for marketing your business – breaking up into quarters, by month.
    • Go with your natural rhythms – if you’re a morning or night person. I’m a night owl, do doubt. This NBC News article spoke to me – about when we try routines and they fail because they go against our nature.

    “setting routines and bedtimes … I fail when I try it myself. Daytime me says “Go to bed earlier! Try exercising in the morning!” But when the time comes, inevitably nighttime me says “Oooh, there’s something to read on the internet!” And when I wake up, morning me says, forcefully: “Go back to sleep.”

    Some of the tools recommended in my presentation – tools/apps I use:

    [UPDATED– folks wanted pictures and links to the physical. essential gear I showed off during my talk]

    • SanDisk SSD – after failures of backup drives that spin, need power (and these all WILL fail at some point), I started keeping everything on an external, 480GB Solid State Drive, connected to my computer by inexpensive USB adapter. It goes wherever I go. Light, silent, nothing to break or fail. (and since prices have fallen by HALF since I bought mine – there’s no reason you can’t go grab one, including the SanDisk SDSSDA-480G-G26 model I own plus its USB 3.0 to SSD cable from Sabrent)
    • My beloved Logitech C920 external webcam (there are newer versions, I prefer my older one as it has a superior Zeiss lens) with crisp 1080 HD pics and a universal tripod screw-mount. I keep it on my old Joby Gorillapod tripod 95% of the time.
    • When I talked traveling with backup cords and plugs, someone asked me about for international travel. For an overseas trip last year I picked up this Pac2Go Universal Travel Adapter – and described it like a swiss-army knife of travel plugs. It was awesome – including ability to plug in to the USB port for direct charging, no wasting key plug spot for mobile devices(there were questions if it could handle odd, non-standard plugs/outlets from Africa and Asia – according to this quote it can “at home in cities like London, Paris, Singapore or Dubai as well as the European, African, American or Asia back roads.“)
    • I literally do not leave home without my travel cord kit – it rolls up and has elastic bands, slots, and 2 zipper pouches to keep snug my extra cords, USB connectors, memory cards, and assorted travel goodies. I was tired of rounding up cables and charger from around the home and office before every trip – leaving something at home, not being able to charge some device (like my camera, or Fitbit). So I got the roll-up kit and a back-up copy of all essential charging devices. I keep a dual port USB charger (like this one from Aukey – have an Aukey, iClever and Anker ones at home) plus a spare single charger that came with some Apple device. The roll-up cord kit lives in my backup – ALWAYS.  [I’ve given away a version of my travel kit at 3 different events + 2 to family members – if you can’t find the one I linked to, I found one under $10 at Staples that I gave away at AIIP19; Target sometimes carries one <$10, especially at the holidays. just search for ‘travel cord organizer’]

     

    Books to check out:

     

    Do check back as I may add more info on the tools.

    I put a lot of the tools – with descriptions, pricing, and links in this Google Doc that’s shareable.

    My presentation on productivity tips and top tools – for my AIIP pals

    Whole presentation done in Canva, presented live in Canva (affiliate) 😮

    https://www.canva (affiliate).com/design/DADWB6O1xe4/view

    By now you know I get geeky and excited when sharing about cool tools and apps that can make work or life easier. If you want more recommendations like this on a regular basis – get my Mighty Marketing Mojo emails and my Social Tools Guide gift.

    ​10 Tools for Social Media Success

    Sign up below to get ​your FREE guide to my favorite time-saving, budget-friendly social media tools for solopreneurs!

  • Where Do You Research For Content Creation

    Where Do You Research For Content Creation

    Where Do You Research for Content Creation Help?

    You’ve done some brainstorming and you are coming up with new ideas to write, blog, or create videos on for your audience. But now you’re really working on the actual writing, sweating out creating the work.  You’re looking for things to add, examples or data, a case study to highlight for your community, or just new ways to approach those topics. Great!

    Where do you usually head first?

    Yeah, probably Google.
    Google_knowledgegraph_dewey

    Ok. Google is a good starting point. But you can’t stop there!

    Use Google to find sources of reliable info and other sites to check rather than just accepting the first result that comes up. But you know that already, right? You’re not new to the search game! So consider this a friendly reminder.

    So where might that Google search lead? What is your content research plan beyond Google?

    How about some national associations? – professional groups, trade groups, educational orgs – all with a focus on a specific topic and often with a research mandate. Often some of THE most authoritative sites for original research on a niche topic. Do keep in mind that some of the trade associations and such are pushing their industry’s agenda, but many may partner with educational institutions and such to create more open, unbiased research so they are taken seriously.

    What about online communities? Forums? Discussion groups? Email lists? Facebook Groups, LinkedIn Groups, G+ Circles and even Reddit. Try Boardreader.com and its Trendy tool, OMGILI or Comment Sniper to search forums, message boards and more.

    Where are your people hanging out, talking to each other, asking questions? Go there! Yes, right now!

    Ok, you’re back from checking out a few? Found great fodder and inspiration I bet! They have questions, they ask the community and sometimes they get good answers.

    FB Group LibSM exampleBut what if you can provide even better answers? Wouldn’t that be really helpful? Wouldn’t your audience probably love you for that? So go write up some of those answers and give them tools and resources for the specific question you saw popping up a lot. Then go back to the community and post a link to your post, ebook, report or video with the awesome answer you crafted.

    Social Media – it’s not just for talking about Game of Thrones or your friends’ kid pictures!

    Do research on SM platforms where your audience hangs out. What are the trending topics, most used hashtags, most RT’d accounts or posts? Who are the influencers that you follow – or should be.

    Check out social media monitoring tools or sites such as:

    BuzzSumo – specifically a ‘content’ analysis tool – so it monitors websites, blogs and beyond social media Buzzsumo

    Bottlenose – mostly a paid tool for ‘social intelligence’ because you can create a dashboard and one-stop-shop for monitoring, tracking, analyzing

    Google Alerts – still exists, although there have been rumors of its demise.  [I use TalkWalker Alerts as a free supplement or alternative to Google Alerts]

    IceRocket – may win the coolest name for a tool! A ‘brand monitoring’ tool with easy-to-read results

    Topsy – [UPDATE: Topsy is no more. 🙁 ] limited free searching of real time and archival Twitter, G+ searching; search on KWs, hashtags; filter to only tweets, photos, videos, etc; paid ‘pro’ accounts

    Tweepz.com – Want to see who is Tweeting on any topic, location or skill set? Try using Tweepz. You can get inspiration if you’re lacking sufficient information about any topic. It’s also a great way to find movers and shakers to follow on Twitter.

    Social Mention– Use this tool to find out who is mentioning you on social media (or your competitors, industry trends, keywords or products). Nicely broad coverage of social platforms and good metrics on strengths, reach, sentiment. You can follow the buzz about any topic which can also help you come up with content for your niche.

    Netvibes.com – free and paid versions; mostly for monitoring brands or larger companies

    Twilert.com – ‘real time alerts via email when brand names, keywords or hashtags are mentioned’

    Issuu – free and paid plans; more a publishing or content aggregating tool than a monitoring tool

     

    There are so many tools for social monitoring or listening I can’t keep track or list them all – but thankfully sites like Social Media Today , KissMetrics (itself a monitoring and analytics tool) and Social Media Examiner have already created lists. Go read their lists and find a few tools you like and will use regularly.

    I’ve created an updated list of my favorite marketing tools that I use and recommend –
    check out fave tools here.

    Ask your own questions of your audience on social media – a quick poll or quiz or just a ‘pulse check’. But, don’t give them too many choices. It should be more like when you get your child ready for school – give them two choices: this or that? Give your audience a choice between two different videos you can create or webinars that you will host. Then, ask them to vote or decide.

    social-media-survey

    Content Aggregators –aka RSS feed readers or ezine collectors. Try tools such as Feedly to collect blog posts and RSS feeds on topics you’re interested in, or AllTop and select from their lists of blogs or topics to follow. Use apps like Pulse, Zite, Prismatic, Longreads or FlipBoard to collect articles from multiple news sources all in one place on a variety of topics. You can curate or share that content as-is, or use it to dig a little deeper on topics and find additional info sources.

    There are so many tools available that there’s no reason not to do a little more research and monitoring so you can find the current topics, trends and news that is affecting your audience. Be a hero and share that with them and show them how to make sense of it all.

     

    Want more tips and cool tools to make your marketing smarter and easier?
    Get emails from me, The InfoHound!

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  • 11 Favorite Online Image Editing Tools Great for Small Business and Solopreneurs

    Here’s a list of my 11 favorite online tools for image editing, creation and mashing up – great for small businesses and solorpreneurs in marketing

    There are lots of tools available online now for image creation, editing, and mashing up into something else. And since so much of social media and the online world revolves around visuals – you better have some good pics and attention grabbing visuals for all your marketing, blogging, promotion, posting, emailing needs. This list includes my 10 [Wait .. an 11th snuck on the list!] favorite right now. Check back, this list could change!

    [listly id=”Asb” layout=”full”]

     

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