Lessons Learned Archives - Page 12 of 78

What South Park Can Teach You About Your Newsletter

10.12.2016 by Elizabeth // 1 Comment

south-park-yelp Oh sure, you think this post is going to be a crazy stretch just so I can weave in pop culture don’t you?

A few years ago there was a documentary about how each week’s episode of South Park is made, and it’s great! The documentary is called “6 Days to Air” and that’s exactly right. From nothing to TV in 6 days. That’s why each episode’s content is so topical. While most TV shows are in production months ahead of time, and might be putting a few final touches on the episode a few weeks out (or days as I’ve heard) the South Park creators decided that they would take FOREVER with each episode given the opportunity. So, they decided to not allow it.

What does this have to do with your newsletter? Well, this morning I had 5 newsletter clients with newsletters that were waiting for approval or “just one more” edit. This post isn’t to pick on my clients, I love my clients, and they pay me to not be annoyed by this. AND I tell my clients that they have to like what they’re sending out, so if it doesn’t feel right to them, we can wait.

HOWEVER, let’s get this baby out the door folks! Way too often it’s an anxiety or wanting it to be PERFECT. Stop that. Done is better than perfect. Have another set of eyes look over your newsletter to help you if you’re stuck. If you’re doing it yourself ask a friend or spouse to take a look. If you’re working with someone like me, we’re both going to take a look. YES typos and broken links still happen on occasion. NO, no one has ever died because a newsletter wasn’t perfect.

When I write my newsletter I typically add it to my to do list on a Monday morning and don’t come up with content till Tuesday or Wednesday. I need to have conversations with clients and friends about what their current challenges are to spark my 3 ideas for the month. But it’s on my to do list and usually ready to send by the end of the week, and sometimes even sooner.

Stop dragging your feet to publish that blog post or send out your newsletter. I promise you you’ll feel relieved when it’s sent.

I Took a Week Off and so Should You

09.07.2016 by Elizabeth // Leave a Comment

take a vacation Last week I took the week off. It was awesome. I didn’t do much, an overnight away, pilates, hanging out with Norm, reading, but the #1 goal: Not Working.

Earlier this summer my friend Mary Lou wrote in her newsletter about taking a vacation. It was the kick in the butt I needed to make it happen. I figured out my tasks for August and realized that if everything went as planned, I could take the week off. A whole week. It sounded like a dream, but not a reality. I’ve taken a long weekend here or there, but most of my “vacations” have been over holiday’s where there’s a lot of traveling and family and “busy-ness” and I needed to CHILL. Sure a week on a beach would have been awesome, but it didn’t happen this time. And that’s OK. It will next year (already scheduled!)

Walking away from my inbox and my task list for a week was just what I needed. I’m back to work this week and refreshed, energized and ready to go. And guess what happened while I was gone? Nothing! Clients were fine, newsletters were scheduled and sent out, no one panicked.

It’s time to stop making excuses about why you can’t afford a vacation or you have too much work to do. For your mental health and the health of your business, it’s time to take a break.

Good Busy v Busy Busy

08.10.2016 by Elizabeth // Leave a Comment

When I’m out networking I ask people how they’re doing and often the response is “busy.” Which is a lame answer. So, I ask “good busy, or busy busy.” And I’ll get mixed responses. And it’s fun to watch people stop to think about it. Here’s what I’m asking:

Busy Busy

Busy-Busy is running all over town for appointments you know could be a 20 minute phone call. It’s wasting time networking at events where your target market will never show up. Busy Busy is not having systems in place. Busy Busy is finding the need to stay busy so you can say you’re busy, but none of it is producing new clients or helping you to grow your business.

Good Busy

Good Busy is what we want! You have a full workload, you might be volunteering, spending time with family, work/personal commitments, etc. When you’re “good busy” you have your priorities in check, you’re really focused on what’s moving your business (and life) forward because you’re BUSY.

Good busy is what we all strive for when we’re “busy,” and it’s hard to achieve. It can also mean there’s down time when you aren’t good busy. There are afternoons where I can be done working at 1 because I’m done with my to do list and I don’t need to keep myself busy. When I have that down time it shows me that I have room to grow my business. And that’s AWESOME. So I start to figure out what my schedule will allow (2 new newsletter clients? a large scale marketing project client?) Because I continue to attend networking events that are with my target market, and I have systems in place (my newsletter for example) to touch my network regularly I usually have a pretty healthy pipeline that I can review and work with.

The next time someone asks how you are doing, actually answer their question. And if the answer is “busy,” ask yourself – is it’s good busy or just busy busy?