How has the coronavirus pandemic impacted the way your goals are panning out? Have you met your goals? Have you had to change course to meet the goals? How to achieve your goals is a moving target, even more so this year.
Goal setting needs to be an ever-evolving practice because you need to adjust to meet a target, change a target once you’ve met it and make new targets if the original just doesn’t make sense. So many business owners set business resolutions in January then never look at them again until the following January.
We recommend setting quarterly, or even monthly goals, then set small steps to reach them. Review them at the end of the week, the month, the quarter and see if they were realistic and if you met or exceeded them then plan for the next week, month or quarter.
How To Achieve Your Goals
How can you help ensure you meet a goal? Try this
Make it concrete. If it’s a goal like, “lose weight” what does that mean? One pound, ten pounds, one hundred? A concrete goal is more achieveable than a goal that is vague.
Write the goal down. Don’t just “think” the goal and believe it will happen. Chances are it won’t. Write goals in a notebook, on your computer, in your calendar on a sticky note. When it’s visible it takes on a life of its own.
Announce your goal to your colleagues or an accountability partner. Make it known that you want to accomplish XYZ by
Celebrate when you meet a goal! Announce it to the “world” that you set a goal and met it! Treat yourself!
What do you want to accomplish and by when? Find yourself a business coach and/or an accountability partner and you may meet those goals you’ve set!
Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Have you always wondered what it would be like to be your own boss? Well, it isn’t always easy BUT it is always fun and rewarding! How to tell if you’re an entrepreneur is something we want to explore — some are tongue in cheek!
Here are some ways you can tell if you’re an entrepreneur.
You have a passion for something. If you’re passionate, that will filter into everything you do when you become an entrepreneur.
You have a unique outlook on the way things can be done. If something doesn’t work the first time you will look for a different way to look at it.
You want to work from home or from a co-working office and give up the daily commute.
You’re just not a great employee. You’re always trying something new and looking at new ways to do things and that tweaks your employer!
You’re competitive.
You’re resilient
You are able to pick up the phone and sell yourself and your services
You know all of the local coffee shops that have the best lattes, where the strongest wifi is and where all the outlets are!
You not only see the big picture, but also the small steps necessary to get there.
You are a people person. Yes, you may be an introvert, but you can be an extrovert for your business then you can just go to your home office and recharge.
You don’t break out in a cold sweat at the idea of cold calling
You were the kid with the lemonade stand
You know your strengths and hire for the deficits you have in those business strengths – accounting anyone?!
Your family supports your dream
You know who your competitors are and how you are different
If you dream of being an entrepreneur but aren’t sure where to start or how to build your team, contact us — we can help!
Are there secrets to writing great blog posts? Yes, and no. They aren’t actual secrets, but they are tried and true strategies that just might get eyes on your post and customers through your doors! How to write a great blog post isn’t a secret, but there is a formula.
The coronavirus pandemic and shut down of the country has meant many entrepreneurs have had to pivot and refocus the way they do business. No longer can you meet at a networking event or over a cup of coffee. Zoom has become the norm and the blog on your website has become your calling card.
How To Write A Great Blog Post
We have these tips to make your blog posts better and bring in new connections.
Be niche. When you choose a general topic like “swimming pools” you will be lost in a sea (pun intended) of other “swimming pool” posts. If you niche down to “infinity edge swimming pool contractors” you’re getting closer. How about “infinity edge swimming pool contractors in New York.” Now you’re niched. Know your niche and write to that. Don’t try to be everything to every one. You just won’t win.
Write a “compare and contrast” post. People love side-by-side comparisons. This doesn’t mean you need to trash the competition, you can just show how your product or service rises above the rest.
Solve a problem. Why do your customers come to you? Whether it’s for a haircut, a pizza, to buy widgets or get their pool cleaned or find a business coach – find what sets you apart and what problem you solve for them. Write about that.
Teach them something. Give the reader a reason to invest their time and attention to your blog post and teach them something they can use when they are done. You won’t be giving away all your insider secrets, but you will be a trusted resource who offers tips your reader can use – they will remember that.
Share success stories. You can highlight your customers and share their success stories. Interview a customer and show their before and after once they’ve worked with you or bought your product. Once you share their story they will share it with their friends!
Let your creativity shine. Let your reader know who you are and why you do what you do. Give them a peek behind the curtain into your business. Everyone loves that insider peek!
If you’re struggling with your content, reach out to us, we can help!
Entrepreneurs need to know how to write. If you cannot write, or don’t want to write, you need to know how to hire a content writer for your business. If your career path is to be a writer we have tips on how to begin a writing career.
Knowing how to write and how to sell your services as a writer is a booming business. One of the main reasons we are seeing this boom is because new entrepreneurs are entering the market and need content — blogging, newsletters, social media posts — you name it. If you have a passion for words, can interview your clients, meet deadlines and want to jump into the content creation market, now might be the best time!
You will need to build a portfolio and find that first client who will give you a testimonial and sing your praises to your next client.
How To Begin A Writing Career
While some writers do just wake up and say, “I want to be a writer!” most writers for hire have been involved with words for many years. They are avid readers and writers. They have a journalism background or some other successes in penning fiction or nonfiction.
Here’s what you need to begin a writing career.
You need to know how to write. You need to understand grammar. You need to be able to work to editorial guidelines if your client has them. Don’t rely upon Word or programs like Grammarly to “proofread” your content. You need to have those skills.
Start your own blog. Your own sharing of blog content and your expertise with the written word will help you find clients.
You need to be somewhat techy. You should know how to upload blog posts, add in images, understand newsletter delivery platforms, social media posting platforms and others. Take an online class and enhance your skills.
Work on your portfolio. Your blog posts on your own site can be part of your portfolio. You can toot your own horn by the quality content you create. Find a client and offer a cut-rate price in return for a glowing recommendation. Don’t do this too many times — you’re trying to build a business after all.
Study the experts. Network with other writers and find your niche.
Set your pricing.
Write a business plan.
Has being a writer been a dream of yours? What do you feel are your potential stumbling blocks? If you’re an entrepreneur, are you struggling to find a writer for your content? Reach out to us, we can help.
We are now five months into the Coronavirus pandemic and shut down of the economy. Many people are still working from home. Many parents are trying to find ways to homeschool while running a business. How to work from home isn’t as easy as people think. It takes time, talent and dedication to make working from homework for you and for your family.
Distractions and isolation are two of the issues many entrepreneurs face. Being your own boss and not having to commute are wonderful, but being a work-from-home entrepreneur brings challenges.
How To Work From Home
Working from home requires at least these five items.
A designated space. Even if your designated space is a corner of the bedroom, claim it and make it your own. You may think that working from the bed is the way to go but do you want to do Zoom calls and have your staff or co-workers see your bed? Have a space that is professional enough to allow for video calls. Some homes, we understand, were not set up for a work from home scenario, but we urge you to find a space to make your “office.”
Don’t jump out of bed and fall into the office chair. Have a routine and work in your “commute” time. You aren’t driving to work, but that doesn’t mean you have to get up and immediately go to the “office.” How long was your commute? Factor that into your workday and use it for me time.
Set office hours. Don’t let your boss think you are available 24 hours a day. Set office hours and stick to them — unless a major project comes up, of course. Don’t check your email or phone on your off hours — set boundaries.
Avoid distractions. It’s hard to work from home and see that the carpet needs to be vacuumed, or the laundry needs to be done or grocery shopping has to be finished. You need to honor your work hours. If you need to vacuum or shop, do it on your lunch break or before or after work.
Get up and move around at least every hour. You have to take breaks even if there is no water cooler to hang out around.
Remote working seems like a dream — until you’re doing it and find that it’s not the ideal you always imagined it would be.
What are the secrets to great SEO? There really aren’t any! We know you were hoping we were going to open the big vault of search engine optimization secrets, but in reality — getting your blogs and website found is a concerted and diligent effort.
SEO can do a LOT for your business, but you need to know how to care, feed and grow it.
To improve your website copy and its searchability you need to know:
What terms are people using to find you
What terms do you want to be found for
Do you want to use local search or are you an online business so location doesn’t matter as much
The Secrets To Great SEO
Let’s start with your blog:
Optimize the title. Make the blog title be something people would search for. This blog post title for example is searchable. If I’d written: SEO is a secret that can get your blog found…What? First of all it’s too long. Second it’s not a search phrase that someone would use intuitively.
Use tags in your post. Use an H2 tag with your blog post in the body of the content. The H2 helps your blog rank in a search and it also breaks up the text and makes it easier for your audience to read.
The optimal length of a blog post title is a topic that is debated. Some say it should be 60-100 characters (including spaces) or six words (six words is easy to read on mobile).
Long-tail keywords should be in the blog (in this one it’s great SEO)
Use a tool like SEO by Yoast as a way to help optimize your content for search.
When you add an image, use alt text tags. Use the blog title and a meta description of the image. For this post, for example: Alt text could be: Great SEO; the image title could be: SEO secrets; the meta description could be: Word game tiles spell SEO – Secrets To Great SEO. These steps can boost searchability.
Focus on long-tail keywords. For example. This title could be optimized by “secrets to great SEO” a long tail keyword could be “secrets to great SEO for swimming pool contractors.” You’re making the title specific and if the swimming pool contractor wants to know how to amp up his or her SEO, he would likely add “swimming pool contractor” to his or her search.
Make the post long enough. Post length again is a hotly debated concept. They should be AT LEAST 350 words. Some people believe consumers want LONG blog posts — in the 2-3,000 range. Others feel that shorter is better because readers are busy and are consuming your blog on their phone or tablet. You need to test it for yourself until you hit on the right combination.
SEO is an ever-moving target. If you’re focusing on your business and your core competency you may want to outsource your blogging and social media and SEO tasks to an experienced professional. Give Rex Richard a call or contact him through his site, or leave a comment on his blog — he can help!
