We've all been there–creatives especially–the “I'm uninspired” black hole of doom. You know you need to write a new blog post, send out a newsletter, make a video, work on your email opt-in offer, but you put it off.
This list comes easily to mind simply because I'm just as guilty as any small business owner. You get caught up working in your business–working for your clients, instead of spending a little time working on your business.
You want traction, Jackson? Take some action!
Just like bodies in motion tend to stay in motion and bodies at rest do the same. You need to get the things you need to do out of your head, and into this world. It's so easy to get distracted by interruptions, email, social media, our cell phones. Everything seems to be demanding attention, pulling you away from what you know you should be doing for your business.
If you build it, they may or may not come. If you only build it half-way, you'll only be attracting internet “squatters”–those irritating spammers that want to suck the link life juice out of you website.
Here are some business boosting tips to help you get some traction!
1) Make your list, schedule tasks, and follow-through. Sit down with your nice cup of hot beverage, and make a list. It can be a virtual list like on Trello (my new favorite free tool), or good old fashioned paper.
Outline the steps you need to accomplish to get the job done, and schedule it–even if it's only 30 minutes a day, a few times a week. Got it done? Reward yourself!
Put it on your calendar, stick to it and do it. Where most of us fail is staying consistent.
2) Get an A+ for effort by prepping in advance. If you're feeling particularly inspired, stack some items on your list. There's no rule about writing one blog post at a time–go crazy and write 3 blog post at once, put the two reserves in “draft mode”. Going on vacation? Schedule posts to appear on a particular day using the calendar feature in WordPress.
This same strategy can be used for sending your newsletter. Next time you send one, hop back over into your email marketing provider and make a draft of the ideas you need for the next newsletter–put it in the newsletter so when you come back, you've got your ideas right in the draft, ready to be fleshed out.
3) Get your glasses on and read up on your peer/competitor blogs. This is a great way to see what's hot and what's not–especially when you feeling uninspired. Post a comment or read through the comments. What's everyone commenting on? How can you turn that into an article on your site? Maybe write another viewpoint or answer a comment question on your blog and link back to your article through the blog comments. Always look for opportunities to be helpful.
4) Try a new format. Do you normally write out articles? Make a video and post it on YouTube. Create an audio cast. Make a graphic that tells the story. Break out of your box. If you're a little scared of these new formats–ask a peer or friend to participate. Partnering up can not only give you great traction (you both get a great piece to share with your respective audiences), it can also help quell the nervousness. It also helps to deepen your business relationship. You will be top-of-mind when they make a recommendation to someone who needs your particular talents.
5) Share your skills–for free. Create a webinar about your specialty, market it to your list, on social media, and all your business friends. Hold it and record it for playback–send out the playback link to your list and/or those who signed up.
Speak at local networking group about your topic. Hold a free local lunch and learn or partner with other experts in your community and host a training session. Think outside the box. You don't need to be a Toastmaster to hold a webinar. Nor do you have to do it all alone. Don't be afraid to share yourself with the world. We're all glad you're here and passionate about your business.
Don't forget to drive people back to your website to grab more information (signup for your email list) on your topic. Hard selling at the end of your presentation is not required–just mention they can get a free checklist (or other information) at your website. Interested parties will make the effort to connect with you.
What strategies do you use to propel your business forward? Share your comments below.
