Yellow Dog Consulting

Sales & Marketing Consulting for solo-preneurs.

5 Tasks to Add to Your Blog Post Checklist

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5 Tasks to Add to Your Blog Post ChecklistThe other day while chatting with a client she asked if I have a checklist for blogging. I sure didn’t (well, I do in pieces in my head) so I decided we should create one.

A few years ago I wrote about how 40% of my traffic comes from social media – but let’s update that for 2019…

  1. Linktree – If you’re using Instagram as part of your social media then you know that you only get ONE URL in your bio. Which is DUMB. With Linktree you create a page that has all your relevant links to your recent blog posts and any other links you reference in your Instagram. Check mine out…
  2. Buffer – you need a social media sharing tool to help keep you sane. I pay for Buffer and it’s awesome. I still mostly stick to this social media sharing schedule from this post a few years ago. Lately I have been monitoring how many tweets are scheduled/work/promo and how many are LIVE me. Evaluate your social media regularly to make sure you aren’t talking AT your audience but are talking to and with your audience.
  3. Add to your Newsletter – each month in my newsletter I feature a few of my latest blog posts. It’s a great way to get some additional exposure to folks who many not follow my blog.
  4. Reference Your Posts – a lot of my blog posts (this one included) are written so I can easily share my recommendations down the road without having to write this all out again. Make sure if you took the time to write a helpful blog post that you’re sharing it with your clients or a specific audience when the time comes. I was on a group call last week where we ended up talking about a topic I have written a few posts about so I was able to share those posts and get new eyes on my website.
  5. Add to Google My Business – Now that G+ is going away don’t forget that you can add a post to your Google My Business page! It expires in time but once you start posting you get a heads up – which might even prompt you to write another post!

What other behind the scenes tasks do you do on your blog?

Guest Post: The Same Goals Get the Same Results

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goal without plan is just wishToday’s guest post is from one of my favorite people, and my business coach, Debbie Page. Trust her wisdom, heed her advice, she’s the real deal folks. 

It’s the time of the year where e v e r y o n e is talking about goals. Asking if you’ve set ‘em, and what’s different than last year?

Do you ever find yourself with goal shame?

You’re not alone. Many of the people who I work with come to me with goal shame and fatigue. They’ve been setting the same goals again and again because they never hit their marks. Stuck in this cycle of set – not reach – repeat they are horrified at the thought of downsizing their goals. Because you just don’t do that, right? Wrong. You can. It’s your business. Downsizing a goal to the right size is a strategic business move.

As a business coach to women one of the first things I do with a new client is ask them how they set their goals for their business. Often times the answers start with, “I picked numbers that seemed reasonable.”

Ok, and then what? (Insert cricket sound here…)

Often underestimated by entrepreneurs is the fact that goal setting is a process that requires several hours of evaluation and projection. It is a process.

These are 3 ways to get your goals right this year:

  1. Gather your data – Gather it all. All your inquiries, where they came from, your conversions your sales cycle time, your average sale, your average revenue per sale. Each of these provide invaluable information for you to understand where you’ve been in order to determine where you are going.
  2. Look for inconsistencies in execution – What are your real marketing numbers? If networking was to be one of your initiatives to grow your business, how many events did you attend and how often. If you only attend when business is slow you will not get sustained results. Consistency in marketing is a critical factor in your success.
  3. Constantly measure, review and adjust when needed – time on your calendar must be scheduled to regularly adjust and modify as needed.

Goal setting for results is possible. It’s not necessary to repeat the same goals year after year hoping you’ll get a different result. To get something different you have to do something different.

If you are ready to do something different I have two resources for you to consider:

Request access to my 6 Days to Ultimate Business Success Challenge. A challenge where you will ultimately determine what you really want in business, how to navigate your business fears and take confident action, develop a higher money consciousness and how to pay yourself first.

Join my Free Facebook Group, The Women’s Business Profit Lab where you can find a library of nearly 50 video trainings as well as access to nearly 800 women business owners from around the world who share ideas and best practices on running and scaling their businesses.

About Debbie: I’ve been a business owner and entrepreneur for more than 22 years now…and yup – it freaks me out to say that – because in my mind I’m still 26…anyhoo. I might be like you. I’m an accidental entrepreneur.  I said yes to one opportunity, and then another. I’m the leading authority on cash flow and profitability for women in business and a systems and process nut and love teaching people how to leverage and scale their business.

Guest Post: Six Organized Strategies to Help You Get Back into a Routine

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This week’s guest blog post is from my friend and fabulous professional organizer, Debbie Rosemont of Simply Placed.  Debbie has some great strategies as we head into the final quarter of 2018 to get your routine back in place.

Six Organized Strategies to Help You Get Back into a RoutineAs much as we might not like it, fall has set in and the lazy, hazy days of summer are behind us. Many people have a “looser” schedule over the summer months, both personally and professionally. It is refreshing to take a break from our routine now and then and live a less scheduled life. It is also comforting and productive for many of us to return to a routine after such a break.

Here are six simple strategies to help you re-establish some routine in your life so that you can get more done, focus on your priorities AND have time for what matters most to you.

  1. Establish the habit of getting enough sleep each night.  Everyone needs a different amount of sleep to feel rested, rejuvenated and ready to be productive, but studies show that for most adults, between seven to nine hours is ideal. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day – yes, even on the weekend. Follow a familiar bedtime routine, limiting “before bed” activities, especially screen time, to things that relax you and help you wind down. You’ll enjoy the benefits of more energy and when you are well-rested, you’ll be more productive the following day.
  2. Plan out your week.  Both at work and at home, end your week by reviewing what you accomplished and look ahead to the next week to see what the priorities will be. Make sure you have time allotted on your calendar for these priorities. Take time over the weekend to prepare. This will help you eliminate surprises and stress.
  3. Do what you can the night before.  Set the coffee pot on a timer so it is brewed when you come down for breakfast. Pack a healthy lunch. Pack up your gym bag the night before if you plan to work out.  Place any other items you need for activities or errands the next day right by the door. Lay out your clothing for the next morning. These evening efforts will make your morning less hectic and provide a smoother launch into the day.
  4. Prioritize your day.  Once you arrive at your office (or if you work from home, once your workday begins), immediately plan and prioritize your day. Alternatively, this can also be done at the end of the day so that you can and hit the ground running the next day. Focus on high-priority activities first.  Eliminate distractions (email, phone, etc.) for periods of time so that you can really dig in, uninterrupted and make great progress on those priority tasks and projects. You’ll feel very accomplished!
  5. De-clutter.  Take a few minutes at the end of each day to tidy your workspace or your home. Put items back where they belong so you can find them the next time they’re needed.
  6. Schedule appointments with yourself.  Block off time on your calendar to regularly de-clutter and organize. If you don’t schedule time to do this, it won’t happen. Make this a weekly habit. Likewise, block off and protect chunks of time on your calendar for high priority activities. If you know there’s something you want to get done in a given day, make an appointment with yourself and then honor that time. Seeing the appointment visibly can also make it easier to say “no” to something or someone else that might serve as a barrier to your productivity on the priority.

Could you use some help establishing a routine that will help you to be more organized and productive either at work or at home? Do you want more time for the things that are really important in life? Our “It’s About Time” Virtual Productivity Program can teach you strategies to work smarter, not harder, and give you back time for the things that matter most.

Here’s to your organized and productive life!

Debbie Rosemont, Certified Professional Organizer and Productivity Consultant, started Simply Placed in 2003 to help clients increase productivity, maximize efficiency and bring balance and control into their work, homes and lives. Simply Placed associates work with individuals and businesses to create effective organizational systems, clear clutter, successfully manage time, focus on priorities and achieve goals.