Outreach emails be like…
I didn’t actually send that btw Ew ew ew.
Building a business that GROWS and makes money absolutely requires building relationships with influencers…but there’s an effective way to do that, and then there’s, well…the other ways.
Danielle Desir is a MASTER at this!
(I mean, she pitched me and it apparently worked, right?? Here she is crushing it on my podcast).
If you’re looking to…
Get more backlinks
Building a business that GROWS and makes money absolutely requires building relationships with influencers…but there’s an effective way to do that, and then there’s, well…the other ways.
Ah yes, blog traffic from Pinterest….
My muse….
I KNOW I should probably be focusing on Pinterest way more…
But omg it’s hard, y’all (at least for me).
That’s why I loooove talking to folks who actually know what they’re doing (and then some!) when it comes to Pinterest traffic.
Today’s guest is a STELLAR side-hustler and Pinterest trafficker Daniella Flores from I Like to Dabble!
We’re chatting…
Pinterest chan
The man. The myth. The legend (and incredible author, blogger, and podcaster): Seth Godin.
Let’s be clear, I am a total Seth Godin fanboy
Aside from his podcast (Akimbo btw–it’s at the top of my listening queue every week), Seth has one of the most-read blogs on the internet (not hyperbole) and has written books.
And by “written books,” I mean authored SEVERAL of the most influential marketing books of all time…
In this episode we chat…
The man. The myth. The legend (and incredible author, blogger, and podcaster): Seth Godin.
Let’s be clear, I am a total Seth Godin fanboy
Aside from his podcast (Akimbo btw–it’s at the top of my listening queue every week), Seth has one of the most-read blogs on the internet (not hyperbole) and has written books.
And by “written books,” I mean authored SEVERAL of the most influential marketing books of all time…
In this episode we chat…
How to develop a practice of SHIPPING WORK
Why Seth does no SEO, no listicles, no sponsored content, allows no comments on his blog
Why there’s no such thing as writer’s block.
Before you do ANYTHING else, go grab his new book, The Practice!(Transparency alert, that’s totally my affiliate link )
Tell me if this sounds familiar…
“It’s publish day. Yay! I wrote a thing and published a thing!
DANG that took a while.
Now I gotta...
create pinspost on socialwrite an email newsletteromgI KNOW email marketing is uber important, but for real…”
Todays podcast is the answer to your email marketing prayers.
Liz Wilcox is here to teach us how to pump out QUALITY email newsletters that get opened, CONNECT with readers…
…and take onl
The craziness of 2020 did bring one very cool opportunity for content creators…
It opened up your audience’s mind to NEW formats.
Webinar?Podcast series?Video content?Zoom?More than ever before–your audience is changing WHERE and HOW they consume content, and it’s never been more vital that you learn how to reach people where they want to consume content.
Today, my good friend Talaat McNeely (His and Her Money) joins me to chat about…
Which platforms
The craziness of 2020 did bring one very cool opportunity for content creators…
It opened up your audience’s mind to NEW formats.
Webinar?
Podcast series?
Video content?
Zoom?
More than ever before–your audience is changing WHERE and HOW they consume content, and it’s never been more vital that you learn how to reach people where they want to consume content.
Today, my good friend Talaat McNeely (His and Her Money) joins me to chat about…
Which platforms to focus on
How best can we repurpose blog/podcast/videos?
How to get past a mindset of “being afraid to sell what you know”
and more.
Talaat is an incredible content creator (and businessman btw), and I KNOW you’re going to dig this episode.
Listen below
Listen to my episode with Talaat McNeely from His and Her Money:
Basically, any given piece of content you produce will likely include some subtopics.
Use these for shorter form content on different platforms.
Example:
If your 1,900 word blog post has 4 H2 subheaders–you can use each of those for 4 different Instagram stories throughout the week.
Pro Tip: Always have a “home base” piece of content that you point people to. In the example above, you’d end each of those 4 IG stories with “and for even more info on XYZ, go check out my blog post at [URL].”
For way more, go grab my course and start reaching more people
If you’re anything like me–you probably want to be an “influencer.”
Getting featured on Business Insider, making the rounds on local/national news outlets, getting interviewed on every podcast in iTunes…
#LookMomI’mFamous!
But of course–it’s a long & difficult journey to getting prime media mentions. Annnnd overwhelming.
Well, my friend Jamila Souffrant (Journey to Launch podcast) has had GREAT success getting featured, and today
If you’re anything like me–you probably want to be an “influencer.”
Getting featured on Business Insider, making the rounds on local/national news outlets, getting interviewed on every podcast in iTunes…
#LookMomI’mFamous!
But of course–it’s a long & difficult journey to getting prime media mentions. Annnnd overwhelming.
Well, my friend Jamila Souffrant (Journey to Launch podcast) has had GREAT success getting featured, and today she’s here to help us kickstart our Journey!
(see what I did, there?)
We also chat about strategic job-quitting & earning more income (something I KNOW you probably care about).
Btw, want to make a plan to quit your job and blog/online business full-time? Watch this video.
4 quick tips to getting more media mentions:
1 – Media begets media
The very first “feature” is always the hardest.
podcast guest appearances
TV interviews
etc
Getting just a handful of “features” or “mentions” ALWAYS creates a snowball effect–making it that much easier to get even more.
The #actionable takeaway?
If you’re brand new to this–just focus on getting one small feature.
Start with smaller channels, sites, and podcasts, and work your way up to the big folks.
This also gives you a chance to hone your skills as an interviewee, AND build out your /about page with social proof.
2 – Use HARO
If you’re into SEO, you’re probably already doing this anyway–but responding to HARO requests, while a wee bit time-consuming, is still a great way to get a few mentions here and there.
(Especially as a great “starting point,” see #1 above)
3 – Keep an eye on Facebook groups
Every time I log into Facebook, I see a notification from the FinCon group with somebody looking for help writing an article.
If I had a finance blog–I’d probably set a calendar reminder every day to check this group and see if there are any opportunities up
(Annnnd you could find these groups for any niche I’m sure!)
4 – Build long-term relationships
Always always always approach “getting featured ANYWHERE” as a long-term game.
The more you can connect with other creators & influencers in your niche–the higher likelihood of developing “inbound” opportunities.
Join FB groups
Have people on YOUR podcast
Attend conferences
Email creators you look up to just saying ‘thanks’
Start building real friendships and real connections. These could open up “X-Factor” opportunities down the road
Tell me what these have in common…
MTVParamount PicturesRihannaIkeaRock BandTaylor SwiftMarketing strategist and author Brendan Kane has helped all of them grow their presence on the internet.
He’s also built a massive following of his own (and once did 1M+ in 30 days).
That’s crazy talk.
Today he’s here to help us GET ATTENTION, stand out in a meaningful way, and grow our following.
Listen to my episode with Brendan Kane
or listen on Apple Podcasts \
I feel like most of the creators/entrepreneurs earning OVER $100,000+ a year…
…have business coaches.
But why? Definitely sounds fancy to have a coach–but is it really necessary for YOU?
(and for me? Spoiler Alert: Yes omg)
In this chat I’m joined by a SUPERSTAR coach & money mindset guru (the good kind of guru!) Leisa Peterson.
Should you hire a coach?When? How do you know?PLUS: Leisa helps Pete work through some mindset issues regarding pricing, se
It’s what we hear all the time, right?
FocusFocusFocusYes, thing are super hard, and things might be working, but focus!Well, Rich from Meal Prepify (and PF Geeks!) kinda-sorta did the opposite.
Rich is here to chat about how he…
Blogged for 3+ yearsSWITCHED TOPICS COMPLETELY, essentially abandoning (kinda) his siteProceeded to crush SEO and grow and find success If you have desires to work on any projects, blogs, or niche sites OUTSIDE of what you’re currently doing
Niche sites? SEO? YouTube?
What channels are hot right now (and for the rest of 2021?)
In today’s little chat, Jim Harmer (Income School) joins me (again, see part 1 here) to chat about…
YouTube (spoiler alert)SEO“How to produce good content” I.e. what that means, and ACTIONABLE advice for making it happenEnjoy!
Listen to my episode with Jim Harmer on SEO, Niche Sites, and YouTube!
or listen on Apple Podcasts \ Google Podcasts \ Spotify
ALSO…
Y’all, it’s time to admit something…
I’m a fanboy of 5am Joel, and have been for quite a while (5am Joel, Budgets Are Sexy).
I was always impressed at his schtick–waking up and sending an email to his newsletter AT 5AM IN THE MORNING. (I mean, are you NOT impressed?).
But aside from that–he’s one of those people who just has a knack for producing content that CHANGES people–and I was thrilled to hear his name announced when he took over
I was always impressed at his schtick–waking up and sending an email to his newsletter AT 5AM IN THE MORNING. (I mean, are you NOT impressed?).
But aside from that–he’s one of those people who just has a knack for producing content that CHANGES people–and I was thrilled to hear his name announced when he took over Budgets (easily one of the most well-known and biggest personal finance sites in the history of blogging. Luv u J)
In this episode we chat…
Little silly tips & tricks we do to stay positive and stay motivated (not at all woo woo. Ok maybe a little).
How to write really, really good emails people want to open
Self-publishing e-books has ALWAYS been one of those “do these really work” things for me.
It just seems odd.
Do people buy these?Are they really that easy to make? Self-publishing just SOUNDS difficultHow do these generate income? In any decent amounts?Whelp, lucky for us, there’s awesome creators like Michelle Jackson (Michelle Is Money Hungry).
Aside from being a fun & awesome person–she’s also been around the blogosphere a block or two, and has bui
Aside from being a fun & awesome person–she’s also been around the blogosphere a block or two, and has built up S E V E R A L income streams with her blog/business.
Several meaning like 10+.
We’re here to chat about:
E-books: How to get started, how it works, etc.
Is blogging still relevant in 2021?
How to determine which potential products resonate with your readers.
(That last one is a profitable art & science, and something everything single one of us needs to learn).
I’m about to make a big, bold statement:
The single most important skill for successful entrepreneurship is the ability to communicate.
Writing blog posts people CARE aboutSending sales emailsSales of ANY KIND actuallyway moreThe ability to communicate ideas is something we need to train ourselves in constantly.
Poor communication skills = slower audience growth fo sho.
THAT is why I invited my good friend Melissa on today’s podcast (find her new podcast, Her EnterpRISE,
Aside from being an inspiring & kind human, she also has some cool experiences that I think can help us become better communicators, speakers, and writers
FUNNELS: “We’re awesome and can make you a lot of money.”
YOU:
“What on earth are you?”“Why on Earth do I need to care about funnels?”“Are you ever going to be NOT overwhelming and highly technical fancy-pants??”PETE AND MILES BECKLER:
In this podcast episode with Miles Beckler (go subscribe to him on YouTube! He’s great.), we’re going to talk about building SIMPLE funnels for your business that yield more income on auto
FUNNELS: “We’re awesome and can make you a lot of money.”
YOU:
“What on earth are you?”
“Why on Earth do I need to care about funnels?”
“Are you ever going to be NOT overwhelming and highly technical fancy-pants??”
PETE AND MILES BECKLER:
In this podcast episode with Miles Beckler (go subscribe to him on YouTube! He’s great.), we’re going to talk about building SIMPLE funnels for your business that yield more income on autopilot.
If you haven’t noticed—I’ve been going HARD on funnels in my own business over the past 6 months, and couldn’t be happier.
Income is up. Working hours are way down
The problem?
“You should build a funnel” kinda sorta hits people like “You should kinda sorta start a SpaceX competitor company to take on Elon Musk directly.”
Like no. Overwhelming. Not sure where to start, or if I could (or should?) even do that.
Ah yes, words!
Whether or not you think of words as “CoPyWrItInG” or not–they’re important.
Even SMALL tweaks to words you use in front of your audience could be the difference between…
“zomg I need this. I feel like you’re speaking just to ME.”
or…
“zomg back to Facebook.” *closes browser tab.
Today, I’m joined by Copywriting Jedi Master Kira Hug host of The Copywriter Club podcast, personal branding
Whether or not you think of words as “CoPyWrItInG” or not–they’re important.
Even SMALL tweaks to words you use in front of your audience could be the difference between…
“zomg I need this. I feel like you’re speaking just to ME.”
or…
“zomg back to Facebook.” *closes browser tab.
Today, I’m joined by Copywriting Jedi Master Kira Hug host of The Copywriter Club podcast, personal branding know-it-all (in a good way), and all-around awesome person.
I sincerely hope this episdode inspires you to go BACK to your “initial touch points of your brand” and change stuff.
(that sounded uber professional didn’t it?? I really just be “go update your damn home page to be more interesting and in line with your BRAND.”)
If I’ve said this once, I’ve said it a million times (and I have btw):
Being a guest on other people’s podcast is one of THE best. ways. to. grow. your. audience.
For your blogFor your podcastFor your business
It’s a very high-ROI activity from a time perspective.
Buuttttt…
Yeah it’s hard. I get it.
Sending pitch emails, following up, getting rejected again and again till you wanna literally sell that $50 USB microphone you bought just for
I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on Facebook ads over the past few years, and there’s only ONE thing I’m 100% convinced of:
They’re getting harder :/
I’ve heard through the grapevine blogvine that YouTube ads could be a hot opportunity right now.
But, seeing as how I know NOTHING about YouTube ads–I brought on the founder of AdOutreach (a YT ad agency), Aleric Heck.
Warning
After visiting his site–you’re going to see his
In late December 2019, my family moved to Northern Michigan–and I finally had. my. own. office.
It was ammmmmazing to have my own little place to work (and store camera and podcasting gear lol)–but it was cramped, ugly, and NOT a comfortable place to spend 40 hours a week.
In March 2021, we bought a house and moved–and I inherited a sweet basement room to turn into my office!
This just-for-fun post details the renovation process, gear purchasing decisions for podcasti
In late December 2019, my family moved to Northern Michigan–and I finally had. my. own. office.
It was ammmmmazing to have my own little place to work (and store camera and podcasting gear lol)–but it was cramped, ugly, and NOT a comfortable place to spend 40 hours a week.
In March 2021, we bought a house and moved–and I inherited a sweet basement room to turn into my office!
This just-for-fun post details the renovation process, gear purchasing decisions for podcasting & YouTube, and other insights have found over creating a productive, comfortable, and happy workplace.
8.4.22 update: I’m mostly DONE and IN LOVE with my current setup. Final details below.
It’s worth noting that I’ve accumulated all this gear over YEARS. I didn’t go out and blow thouuuuusands of dollars. Ain’t nobody got the budget to get all that at once lol.
Phase 1 – The “Before”
Ok, so here’s the basement room “before” status:
Left side of the roomRight side of the room
(Also, the seller left that huge wooden outdoor bar in there. It was almost really neat–almost. It ended up taking up WAY too much space, and it was filthy)
Dimensions: 9ft by 18ft
Walls: crazy concrete, recently painted with a sealer (which was a cool white color)
Floor: Concrete, painted with some crazy flaky paint (by the seller)
Ceiling: Unfinished, exposed floor joists with random wiring/pipes
There were 3 initial problems with this basement office…
There were no electrical outlets
There was only one horrid light in the middle of the room
It felt like a dungeon. Really cold. Stone. Ugly.
But hey, at least I have one tiny window (and it opens!)
Task 1 – Get power
I called an electrician, who came over and wired in 3 power outlets (with grey plastic conduit). Cost about $80 for parts and labor–I’d call that a S T E A L.
Task 2 – Fix lighting
Nevermind lighting for YouTube (I talk about that below)–but just having NORMAL, GOOD lighting can ABSOLUTELY, 1,000% change the look and feel of any room.
I initially thought I’d have to use lots of lamps, etc, and that recessed lighting would be a HUGE expense, or a HUGE pain.
I thought wrong.
As it turns out, Home Depot (and other places) make these sweet LED faux-recessed lights that can be hardwired into the electrical lines, OR simply plugged into a light socket. And they’re super cheap!
Granddad DYEB!
This is where Granddad DYEB came in to save day–he helped me mount the fixtures, and hardwired everything himself (so I could turn these on with the lightswitch).
Nailed these into the floor joists.
They’re even dimmable!
THIS MADE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE, IMMEDIATELY. It’s nuts how important lighting is.
We put 6 of em in!
Task 3 – Paint walls (and unfinished ceiling!)
Sooooo for the past several months–I was actually thinking that this office would have a light, natural, bohemian feel to it.
I mean, who doesn’t want a Pinterest-worthy office like these???
I had saved these for inspiration–then did a 180 about-face
There were 2 reasons I opted to COMPLETELY change direction after dreaming about my light-filled-bohemian-office…
It’s a damn concete basement
There is SO LITTLE natural light
GEAR. I have oodles and oodles of black metal, black plastic YouTube and podcasting gear, with cords everywhere.
Can you imagine one of those Pinteresty rooms with MASSIVE YouTube lighting, microphones and cords everywhere, etc? lol no.
But can darker rooms still be cool?
Especially with low-to-no natural light?
I threw on some initial dark brown/grey paint samples.
“Squirrel” didn’t do it for me
These did not feel good :/
At this point I did more Googling, Pinterest-ing, and YouTubing, trying desperately to find inspiration….which I eventually did!
Found this randomly and liked it.Then I discovered Becki & Chris on YouTube
Becky & Chris are fantastic YouTubers who talk a lot about home reno, interior design, etc–and they do dark colors REALLY, REALLY WELL.
I mean, I haven’t seen them do a concrete basement room–but maybe Matte Black would work for me??
90% of my wardrobe is either black or grey–and I also listen to Nine Inch Nails.
And now I want a matte black office? I’m apparently emo.
more paint samples
After much debate–I decided that black might actually fit the concrete basement feel a bit better than TRYING to replicate a light, bohemian, Pinterest look.
Plus, it’d hide the black gear soooooo much better.
Next steps:
Purchase a paint sprayer (I could’ve rented one, but that was like 45% of the purchase price just for one day, and I KNOW I’ll use this again. Also, I just really really wanted one. It was a BLAST.)
Grab 3 gallons of Benjamin Moore Regal, Black, matte finish
Buy more tarps, as I used 6-7 of them to cover everything.
Lay down tarp, tape off new ceiling lights, outlets, etc.
Buy a respirator mask on Amazon (a MUST-HAVE if you use a paint sprayer, especially indoors in a tiny room with no ventilation)
Figure out how to use the sprayer, and then paint!
GRACO MAGNUM. So much fun.I stole 40-50 plastic bags out of the recycling bin to use like this lol.I also decided to paint the unfinished ceiling the same color as the walls. Makes it feel soooo much more open.I’ll be honest, at this point–I was scared I made a terrible choice in color.
Pro Tip: Remember that wet paint is always a different color than dry paint. And a COMPLETED room will always feel different than a work-in-progress room.
It took a few hours of work, another hour of clean-up (and showering omg), but then it was done!
It felt really good! Not slam-dunk great, but way better.
I moved my old desk in so I could work again. Sweet!
I am REALLY happy with how the unfinished ceiling and exposed pipes look. They look incredible with the matte black.
The next phase = outfitting the office (to make that black look a little less awkward lol)
Phase 2 = outfit the office
Soooo I also had lofty dreams of Pinterest-worthy, hearty, real, and EXPENSIVE furniture and decor.
I ditched that dream as well, and went back to my go-tos:
Ikea
Wayfair
Amazon
The trick was searching for new furniture that would go with the black theme.
First, a new rug (on sale for $99 on Wayfair. It’s cheap, but I love the design and it feels great).
Next, Mrs. DYEB and I took a nice day-trip to Detroit (with no kids!!!), and went on a house-related shopping spree.
We FILLED my Ford Expedition to the brim lol.
Boom! New rug and Ikea faux-leather couch. It’s actually NOT orange.
The biggest purchase was a sofa. I wanted a COMFY place to sit (and so others can come and sit in the office).
I’m a huge fan of the medium-toned leather (it does look a wee bit orange in that photo, but it’s closer to brown in real life).
A note on room layout and Feng Shui
This basement room is NOT laid out well for both Feng Shui and shooting YouTube videos lol.
(Btw – the only Feng Shui I actually care about is NOT having your back to the door. It feels so weird like that, better to be looking at the door from your desk).
But for shooting video, I wanted to have the only natural light working FOR me–so I wanted the window to the side of my desk.
Soooo what to do?
I wanted an L-shaped desk, but wasn’t in love with this.
After much debate, and with help from my wife, I opted for a 2 desk approach and picked up a Husky standing workbench from Home Depot ($200, probably the most affordable and simple standing desk you can get.)
It’s a hand crank, not electric, but it’s easy and cheapcurrent layout
I’m STILL not convinced I’ll keep this layout forever (I doubt it, actually), but for now it does a few things.
Makes good use of space. I LIKE having a bit of emptiness just next to where I sit at my computer. I don’t like feeling cramped.
On the other hand, the YouTube desk is NOT against the wall (which I require to have camera, lighting, and mics set up anyways)
I get to face the door when I’m at my main desk
The window light works for shooting video (though it’s still behind me when I’m at the YouTube desk. It balances out the shot and illuminates the room just enough)
The only real downside to the current layout is that the window light is DIRECTLY behind me when at my main desk (for Zoom calls, podcast recordings, etc.) Looks really bad.
Here’s the current “left side of the room,” complete with my new pouf as well (I’ve always wanted one of these lol.)
poufs are awesomeThe right side of the room, my YouTube setup
2 more reasons this setup works well:
I want to shoot videos down the length of the room for more depth of field. (a must for any great YouTube backdrop)
I like NOT shooting videos at my main computer desk. I love having a specific spot for video!
Lighting!
While the recessed lighting is 100x better than the single bulb in the middle of a small room–I also wanted accent lighting for videos (and to feel comfy).
I ended up splurging a few bucks extra for smart lighting.
Philips WiZ app lighting from home depot.
I got 2 full RBG bulbs, as well as some string lighting to mount to the back of my main desk!
Subtle, but makes a huge differenceI LOVE the WiZ app so far. Lots of fun color combination templates, presets you can save, and more.This is the “fill light” for my 3-point lighting setup.
So for video…
Key light = the big Godox SL150 with Aperature lightdome mini II.
Fill light = small mountable lamp above (from Ikea), with smart lighting to make any color/temperature I want, bounced off a $1 white foam board from Wal-Mart
Background lighting = the string light on the back of the desk, and an Ikea floor lamp
Also, the window = lights up the room, and I can always cover it with curtains (I got a super cheap black blackout curtain from Meijer, and just hang it up with 2 clamps).
Here’s a shot from the first YouTube video I recorded:
so dark and moody and I love it.
Phase 3 – Decor & Feel
Truth be told, this is the phase I’m currently in as of April 2021!
I need wall art. I have zero.
I need a small bookcase (I’m thinking a long n’ short TV stand actually) to put on the wall under the window.
I need a bit of soundproofing done.
What I HAVE mostly done is get my main workstation the way I want it, completely with a desk pad, fake plant, and vertical laptop stand!
felt desk pad + plant + new monitors + laptop stand
Also, it’s worth noting I’ve done a bit of cord management as well.
Here’s the “before”Still a few below to work out–but ABOVE the desk is so much cleaner.
Note the mechanical keyboard…
I’m officially obsessed at this point (and I use different keyboards for work and gaming (Mac and PC)) lol.
FYI – I mounted all that stuff underneath the desk with cheap velcro strips from Home Depot. It was surprisingly fun, but I still have 2-3 more cables to figure out.
What’s next:
slowly add wall art! Looking for maybe a print of Picasso’s “The Bull”, or other black-n-white (with a white background) pictures/prints
Find a low, shallow, but long TV stand to use under the window (for storage and decor)
Find a good way to quickly hang up moving blankets and/or sound-absorbing curtains when I want to record
Keep playing with the lighting setup to get it dialed in
Over to you for the comments, what do you think?
What kind of wall art should I get? How could I make it more comfy and cool?
In 2021, bloggers often STRUGGLE to get page views–let alone REAL fans that continue to follow them for months and years.
It’s a busy internet ????
The “What Why What” formula contains the bare minimum of blog “branding” that you absolutely NEED to emphasis if you want to attract long-term fans and readers.
This is a simple copywriting lesson that’ll help you turn random website visitors into people that follow you.
Want to know the real re
In 2021, bloggers often STRUGGLE to get page views–let alone REAL fans that continue to follow them for months and years.
It’s a busy internet ????
The “What Why What” formula contains the bare minimum of blog “branding” that you absolutely NEED to emphasis if you want to attract long-term fans and readers.
This is a simple copywriting lesson that’ll help you turn random website visitors into people that follow you.
Want to know the real reason behind this post?
To help me save time on blog reviews.
I’ve reviewed over 1,000 blogs over the past 5 years–and every single blog I’ve looked at runs into the same problem.
They lack the essential explanation behind “what why what.”
So I’m finally just putting my answer into a blog post format to hand to people ????
So let’s dig into what the heck that means, and why it’s important.
The goal: to collect loyal, trusting, raving fans.
And we want to nurture them starting with random website visitors (i.e. new traffic).
Got it?
People come to your brand from a tweet, pin, click in Google, etc–and you nurture them to raving fans who buy your products and click your affiliate links. The “what why what” conquers the FIRST step in that journey before people bail on your blog
Without nailing this, that journey will never take place for most blog visitors.
1 – “What” is your blog about?
If the name of your blog is “Personal Finance for Dummies” or “Problogger,” people might get a great idea.
But what if you’re domain/brand name is your name?
Or something clever but obscure that explains nothing? (Think ChasingFoxes.com)
What if your name is Busy Budgeter, but you also talk about multiple sub-topics that aren’t budgeting?
Don’t you think you should explicitly tell people EXACTLY what you blog about?
She told us, explicitly, WHAT her blog is about
FYI that’s Rosemarie, founder of Busy Budgeter, a $1M+ blog. Here’s her story!
Your job as a brand-builder and true-fan-magnet is to inform new website visitors EXACTLY what your blog and brand is about. What you teach, share, and sell. Make it easy for people to learn this information.
Where is this most important?
Your homepage, and possibly your about page. Tell people what you do.
Moving on.
2 – “Why” should we follow you–rather than your competitors?
So your name is Bobby and you started a personal finance website called “Millennial Money Man.”
Great!
But there are 1,823 other personal finance blogs out there.
Rockstar Finance says over 1,800 personal finance blogs in their directory…
Why should people follow Bobby as opposed to everybody else?
Bobby sharing “why” people should trust his content and follow him
Apply everything I’m saying to your own niche FYI.
There are tons of other blogs like yours.
There are two main ways to convince visitors why they need to follow YOU: Authority and your unique story.
Authority = People want to know that YOU know what the heck you’re talking about.
Your unique story = something none of your competitors have.
Bobby’s story above is that he paid off $40k of student loans over 18 months on a teacher’s salary.
While there are loads of similar stories now among finance bloggers–there were far fewer when Bobby started his blog, and it allowed him to stand out and make people say “wow.”
Home page, about page, sidebars, email opt-ins. Show people why.
Most of DYEB’s “why” is my story.
I’ve started over 45+ online businesses and blogs, failed a lot, and have a ton of stories for learning to share.
I might actually be OBSESSED with blogging and online business. My passion for this helps me stand out.
I quit a cushy job to be broke for a while and make this whole online business thing work.
I made $18k in my first year, and on track to triple that in year 2.
3 – “What’s” in it for me (a new website visitor)?
The old “WIIFM” thing:
What’s In It For Me?”
Seriously though. What’s it in for me to read your blog post? Literally, what am I going to get?
Knowledge? Laughter? Commiseration?
What’s it in for me to opt-in to your email list–especially since I’m on 10+ other newsletters in your niche?
What do I get?
Tell people, in the most explicit of terms, exactly what they will get out of being a follower of [your-blog-name].
Tell them what’s in store if they stick around.
Go back and remember our goal.
Repeat after me.
My job as a blogger is to turn cold website traffic (new visitors), into loyal repeat visitors, fans, and customers.
*love me love me, say that you love me.
*fool me fool me, go on and fool me!
Ok amazing 90’s pop songs aside–my podcast guest today is a brand strategist, copywriter, and overall hilarious and awesome creator–and she’s gonna help us find true love.
From our audience.
But not in a weird way.
Hillary Weiss and I are gonna chat…
WHAT is a “statement piece” and why you need oneExercises for copywriting (to write more good words)Her de
Ok amazing 90’s pop songs aside–my podcast guest today is a brand strategist, copywriter, and overall hilarious and awesome creator–and she’s gonna help us find true love.
Login
