super helpful t-shirt for sale here

It’s been so long since I’ve had colleagues, I forgot to miss them! But they can help you workshop ideas, convince you to send (or not send) that email, and jumpstart your creativity. I really liked this post : 6 tips for staying creative without colleagues.

I’m late to jump on the Instagram bandwagon (let’s be friends!) so I gobbled up Justina’s 6 easy ways to grow your Instagram following fast.

A bunch of advice I need to follow: How to optimize a landing page.

This post is full of that totally-obvious-advice-you-haven’t-thought-of: 3 ways to make more money on your next sale.
Offer discounts on your passive products to your 1-on-1 clients.
You’ve already got clients who love working with you, so why not give them some extra perks? They’ll be getting an awesome deal and you’ll be making an extra sale. Set up a special VIP Client Club that has special discounts for each of your passive products. Make it even more customized by offering them discounts on the specific products you feel they could benefit from. You could include the suggested product and special discount codes in your wrap-up report you provide each of your clients.

Yes! In a perfect world (re: about 50% of the time) I do all my writing before noon and spend the afternoon on email/formatting/being outside doing things not related to work. Scheduling time to work is so important!
Include time spent working on your business, and not just in your business. Schedule time for blog innovation and experimentation—things like investigating new platforms and emerging technology.

Two of my favorite things: travel and self-employment! Traveling like an entrepreneur.

Always needed: How to fire through your to-do list (and have fun doing it).

You already know about If This, Then That, right? I’m still figuring out how to use it, but once I’ve got it sussed? Watch out, internet.

What awesome things did you write/read/discover this month? Leave your favorite links in the comments!

Like most other Type-A humans, I am frequently haunted by the fear that I Could Be Doing More.  I could be styling my Instagram photos better. I could be delegating better. I could be re-writing my own copy and pitching new clients and ohgodtheresneverenoughtimeishouldprobablyeatthatwholebagofshreddedcheesenow.

Not surprisingly, this mindset is
a) exhausting
b) not sustainable
c) not particularly conducive to producing positive, proud-making things

So lately, I’ve been trying to toe the line between proactive self-improvement and cutting myself some effing slack. Giving myself the time and space to breathe. And play bingo with my dude. And discover $5 treasures at the thrift store.  But also move forward on big exciting projects and become the writer and do-er I know I can be.

Here are two little tweaks I’ve made that I think are making a big difference, without taking up more time or consuming my life.

1. I listen to business podcasts while I make lunch
As I’m assembling a salad or grilling a quinoa burger (or eat a giant bowl of popcorn), I’m listening to Social Triggers, The Lede or The Eventual Millionaire. I don’t take notes, I don’t pause the podcast if I have to pop out to put in a load of laundry, I just 80% listen. I have faith that if an idea is good enough, it’ll stick. If doesn’t stick, I’ll probably encounter someone else talking/writing/tweeting about it in the near future.

2. I read authors who write the way I write (but, you know, way better)
If you write for a living and spend a lot of your free time reading, you might do the same ridiculous thing I do: inadvertently start writing like the book you’re reading.  I DO THIS ALL THE TIME. In fact, if you look carefully you can probably tell which blog posts I wrote while reading Annie Proulx.

But I’ve decided to stop fighting it and start leveraging it. I have enough awareness of my own writing voice that I know a (much more talented) kindred spirit when I read them. So if I’m going to be writing like the people I’m reading, I might as well be reading people whose writing gently nudges me closer to a better version of myself.

Because I’ll never, ever be able to write like Paul Harding
“And as the ax bites into the wood, be comforted in the fact that the ache in your heart and the confusion in your soul means that you are still alive, still human, and still open to the beauty of the world, even though you have done nothing to deserve it.” 

But there is some hope that someday I could write like Bill Bryson
“As my father always used to tell me, ‘You see, son, there’s always someone in the world worse off than you.’ And I always used to think, ‘So?”

Of course, I’m not going to strictly limit myself to humorous, first-person writing but in those moments when I’m aimlessly casting around for something to read, I’m making an effort to choose people whose style is like a much, much better version of mine.

Do you have any tips for improving your craft without breaking a sweat?

* yes, I’m aware that reading and listening doesn’t really count as osmosis. But I tried sleeping under business books and that didn’t really accomplish much.

photo by Matt MacGillivray // cc

This guest post comes to us via Maria Ross, creator of Red Slice, brand strategist, speaker and author who believes cash flow and creativity are not mutually exclusive. Maria’s latest book, the 2nd edition of her Amazon best-selling book, Branding Basics for Small Business: How to Create an Irresistible Brand on Any Budget launched on April 1. For your reading pleasure, below is an adapted excerpt, which includes insights and tips from the author of I’m at a Networking Event-Now What???, Sandy Jones-Kaminski. 

Networking. Ugh. For those of you rolling your eyes at the thought of making idle luncheon chitchat or tooting your own horn a bit, consider this: Since brand is all about every touch point and experience people have with you, making connections and networking is a vital component of your brand-building strategy.

Few business owners realize that networking—in-person or online—should actually be a marketing budget line item and something you schedule into your weekly plans.

When engaging in social networking online, come at it from a place of generosity and mutual benefit, not a sales angle. Try to present yourself online as you would at an in-person event. You’d never just meet someone for the first time, shove your business card in their face, and ask them to buy what you’re selling, would you? While there are some people that do this, it’s not the best way to boost your brand perception! Be human and be consistent online with your brand, just as you would offline.

You can use social networking platforms to follow up on connections you make in person to reinforce your brand. When you meet someone at an event, exchange cards and invite them to connect with you through social media. If you do this, they are more inclined to click through to your profile and learn more about your business and brand than if you’d sent an email with a website link. Make sure you take the time to create a polished profile that reflects your brand.

Here are eight tips for achieving online networking bliss:

1.  Follow up online with offline contacts
When you meet offline, immediately connect with key contacts through online social channels, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, or Google+ to keep that connection fresh and avoid spamming.

2.  Personalize the note
Do not send invitations to connect on a social channel without personalizing the message. Say something meaningful! Remind them how you met or compliment them on their website.

3.  Give before you get
Think about a connection you can make for this person that benefits them. Surely there is someone you know who might make a good client, partner, or mentor.  Be generous and share.

4.  Acknowledge people who acknowledge you
Try to acknowledge @mentions or Comments when you can, especially those on a blog post or group discussion you’ve started in social media.

5.  Participate in online groups
Many social media platforms such as LinkedIn or Facebook offer online groups. Try different groups on for size and see which ones fit. Keep your active groups to a manageable number, maybe just 2-3 per platform. Test them out and if they are not working for you, leave the group. Remember to spend some time listening and reading posts or searching for key terms first to get a feel for the vibe before you jump into conversations.

6.  Follow experts and other thought-leaders
With many social media channels, you can follow people to whom you are not linked, whether they are famous or not. Share their valuable content with your connections rather than always using your own cntent.

7.  Don’t join too many peer groups
This is true for both online and offline networking. While it’s important to network with peers, collaborate and gain support and referrals, remember not to join too many groups filled with your competitors!

8.  Stay clear and true to your brand, and the right people will find you
Staying active in group conversations is a great way to get your name out there so that reporters, bloggers, and other media influentials in your space can find you. And if they are in your groups, be sure to comment on their posts as well. If you do, this makes it less of a “cold call” if you ever want to pitch them later on.

As with any other part of your brand-building plan, you must recognize the need to put in networking time.  This will be valuable time you bill to yourself. While it’s a different form of marketing, networking reinforces your personal and professional brand. Remember, when you work for yourself or a small organization, you don’t have a million-dollar budget behind you to promote the brand. You are the brand.

How do you feel about networking? How do you do it in a way that feels good to you?

photo by craig garner // cc // via unsplash

This guest post comes to us via Jessica Hammond, a photographer, writer, and lifelong equestrian. She loves demystifying photography, reading CanLit, and steeped tea with lavender honey. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook!

I’m an avid tea drinker. Prairie Berry loose leaf oolong, caramel roobios, blueberry pomegranate white, run-of-the-mill orange pekoe … You name it, I steep it with lavender honey. Being a photographer and a self-proclaimed tea geek, I’m easily enchanted by mugs, teacups, and ceramics to host my delicious nectar into a personalized drinking device. Sure, I own several plain white mugs, but I enjoy my tea the most when it’s steeping in something handcrafted and special. 

I’m not the only one who loves handmade cups and mugs. While I haven’t got a clue how to make them, I can spot a good one a mile away. As most Etsy shop owners know, that first impression is a key indicator on your sales, engagement, and overall shop’s success. For folks who are looking to amp up their game and reel in the real tea geeks, I’ve got 3 easy steps to achieve great product photography in your Etsy store!  

 1. Know your product, know your message
For now, we’ll stick with the tea drinker’s wet dream: the perfect ceramic. These are handmade items (a huge genre of shops on Etsy distinguish themselves as handcrafted or homemade) that have their own message. Photography is, whether we like to admit it or not, an artistic expression. Photography is also one of the biggest ways in which Etsy shop owners have to show off their impressive work. Poor photographs reflect poorly on the product, as well as the effort that has gone into them.

As the maker of mugs, you know your product like the back of your hand. Tea and coffee and the people who drink them are looking for warmth, looking for taste, and they’re looking for an addition to their interior style. They want to display their mugs proudly, along with their stash of looseleaf and herbal teas. They want to be photographed sipping away on their winter chai as its steam curls in the air. The message your photos need to convey, then, are something like warmth, and taste, and style. Things like comfort and intimacy could also play into your message.

2. Build your space
Not many of us have home studios, large umbrellas, and a range of external flashes. That’s okay. You’re a handcrafted tea cup creator, not a photo studio! Whether you’ve got a dSLR, a point-and-shoot, or an iPhone, couple that with your kitchen counter, floor, and a big window? You’re ready to take some photos, my friend.

One of the most important points to remember about product photography is to make it intentional. Whether you want your product to be isolated and on display, or surrounded by complimentary items, images, and symbols, is entirely up to you. But either way, you have to make that decision.

Start with a few test shots, focusing in on your product. Review the photos and see what’s distracting your eye — are there odd shapes or out-of-place colours in the background? Does the isolated tea cup look lonely and dejected all by itself, or regal and stylish? There’s no requirement stating you need to take The Perfect Shot the first time you do. Mug maker, remember?

 3. Set your scene
Don’t be afraid to get stylish. You don’t sell cookies and sugar cubes? That doesn’t mean you can’t include them in your photo! What goes better with tea than sugar, or honey from a label-free jar on a comb, or a splash of milk, or cookies?

Carefully placed piles of loose leaf tea would also compliment your tea cup nicely! When you figure out your message, and you decide what sort of space you need to build, pull together your elements. Maybe you want a collection of wildflowers in a clear jar on the table. Whatever you deem fit, make sure it adds to the scene. Great inspiration for setting the scene would be magazines like Kinfolk, stylist and blogger Beth Kirby, blogger Kelsey Brown, and blogger Sarah Kieffer.

If you’re an Etsy shop owner, you know that first impressions are a key indicator on your sales, engagement, and overall shop’s success. Because of this, you want to make sure you:

 1. Know your product and know your message. Picking keywords to describe your product will help you understand your message!

2. Build your space. Whatever you do, make your space intentional!

3. Set your scene. Once you know your message and you’ve built your space, set up your scene using the appropriate style!

Do any of you guys sell physical products?  How do you photograph them?  Share any tips in the comments!