This is the second part of 12 Reasons Why I Love Solomasterminds. You can find the first part of this series here.
Recap:
The first 6 reasons I love Solomasterminds Forum are email marketing and newsletters, traffic and search engines, networking and social bookmarking, publicity, affiliate marketing and finally time management and automation.
Business Ideas – the forum is a great place to brainstorm business ideas. We get and give honest feedback on ideas we have. If you’re wasting your time, the ladies will let you know. Another cool thing about having women business owners who have been at this a bit longer is they know what the scams are either by personal experience or by word of mouth. They won’t lead you down the wrong path.
Blogging – I love this part of the forum because I can find new blogs to follow. I get a lot of tips about blogging and guest blogging. Many of the ladies have been making money blogging for a number of years so they know what works and what doesn’t. I think I have a special place in heart for this section because it is with the blog internship I did in 2010 that I was introduced to Solomasterminds.
Audio, Podcasting & Radio Shows – Kelly, one of the co-owners of Solomasterminds has a podcast called SoloSmarts where she interviews successful solopreneurs. It was formerly WahmTalkRadio. She’s been at the beginning, made the mistakes, knows what works and what doesn’t so I’m confident in the advice she gives with regards to podcasting. I’m just getting into audio and although this is scary for me I am doing it because I know it adds value to my site and opens up my readership to others.
Offline, Local and Mobile Marketing – One of the co-owners of Solomasterminds is very tech savvy and shares a number of great resources in the solomastermind library. Whether I like or not Mobile websites are now where the market is going and I’m sure glad I have her to chat with how to make my blog more Mobile friendly. If you have an online business why would you need offline marketing? To bring in readers of course. This year I’m moving offline and teaching some crochet classes which hopefully will broaden my readership.
Websites that Sell – this is a really cool section of the forum as it is where I learn how to write sales copy. This is where I learned about the important of a call to action.
Providing Services – This is where I bounce ideas about what I should sell. Market research and whether it’s a good fit for my business.
Under the “Special Resources” section of the forum, there is a topic entitled “Seeking Joint Ventures”. Here you can list your affiliate program, your viral ebook or freebie giveaway so that others who reach a similar market can partner with you.
Then there is the Solo Mastermind Special Offer section. A SMSO is a significant member to member discount
or a unique offer not available elsewhere. SMSO offers include anything from discounts off transcription services, ebook formatting, advertising, copywriting and video marketing, wordpress services, and much, much more! SMSO offers are a great place to find services you need for your business at great rates, as well as a great place to offer your services to other Solo Mastermind members.
If you’ve never heard of Solo Mastermind’s before, or if you have but didn’t realize the advantages being a Solo Mastermind member brings, then why not check it out now.
Solomasterminds Forum is the place I go to find accountability, advice and new business connections. I’ve been on the internet since the late nineties and have tried a number of different things to earn money online. I did ‘junk’ affiliate marketing, direct sales, drop shipping, selling my own handmade products and patterns, surveys, and more recently I’m writing.
If you’ve been in business for yourself for any amount of time, you know how important it is to have a network of other business owners to bounce ideas off, get feedback from, and ask questions.
What is Solomasterminds
Solo Mastermind’s is a support network of female solopreneurs from all over the world. It’s like having multiple career coaches at your fingertips. I never have to worry about feeling out of place because there are all levels of solopreneurs from people starting out just like me to women who have been at this home business adventure for 10 or more years.
Why Do I Love Solomasterminds?
Email Marketing and Newsletters- I’m just getting into email marketing but am loving the feedback I get from the members. I can write an email and have them critique it or proofread it before I send it out. I didn’t have a newsletter before joining Solomasterminds because I thought my blog was enough. Today I have a number of newsletters and find I can connect more with my readers through my weekly or bi-weekly updates.
Traffic and Search Engines – This is an area that I’m constantly learning about. Many of the more successful women in the forum share about how they bring traffic to their websites – most are unpaid which fits my budget perfectly. I’m also learning a lot about search engines and how keywords play an important part in my site being found. I certainly have a lot to learn but am glad I have these gals to bounce my questions off of.
Networking and Social Bookmarking – We have a new thread in our forum called Comment and Buzz Club. It’s a simple way for us to let members know of new blog posts or new product launches that we want to spread the word about. More recently a member shared about a huge giveaway she’s having on her blog so I shared it with my readers plus now I have a new blog to follow.
Publicity – I haven’t really visited this part of the forum as I’m pretty shy about publicity right now. I know eventually I’ll have to tackle this part but for now I’m slowly building my blogs and right now I’m happy with that.
Affiliate Marketing – Recently there was a post from a newer member who needed ways to share her affiliate partners products via her podcast. The other members gave her some excellent tips like “pick one thing you love and promote it”. Affiliate marketing is given a bad name by all the get rich quick gurus out there who push things on you like a bad cars salesman – all you want to do is run. All affiliate marketing is, is recommending services and products you stand behind to your readers. In exchange for doing this the company you partner with gives you a commission – you are a sales person but more importantly a trusted friend giving a referral to a friend.
Time Management & Automation – What better way to learn how to manage your time than to ask ladies who have been in business for more than 10 years? I just shared with a member a 2 hour blogging schedule that I received from Jackie Lee of InternetMarketingforMommies.com because she was looking for a way to rein in her schedule.As for automating your business, who wouldn’t want that? I love autoresponders for ecourses and I also love my hootsuite for scheduling tweets.
This is turning into a long post – this is how much I love Solomasterminds – so I’m going to cut it off now and continue with this tomorrow.
P.S. Forgot to mention that the reason I’m posting about Solomasterminds is because they are giving away some awesome reports, eBooks and other cool resources that will help you hone in on what your home business goals are. Take a Look and while there why not sign up for Kelly’s Free seminar on January 31, 2012 @ 1pm EST where she’ll be talking about breaking through the barriers of success in home business.
It’s Angela’s of Marketers Mojo’s Birthday and she’s celebrating with a really cool BOGO sale. How cool is that? Now would be the perfect time to get her Gimp Graphics Mojo course with tons of videos to guide you through making your own graphics – Plus the Gimp software is free.
One more thing – in this BOGO sale once you buy your first product [$27 or more] you’ll get your second product up to $47 free. Yes you read that right. You can get a higher priced item free – this is her way of thanking you for supporting her and her online business.
Maybe you already own the Gimp Graphics Mojo course, I know I do, that’s okay because she has a number of products that qualify for this sale.
Email List Mojo ($47): The one thing almost all marketers WISH they’d done sooner is start an email list. Get set up and marketing to your list faster with these tutorial videos.
Gimp Graphics Mojo ($27): This course helps DIY business owners and Virtual Assistants create their own graphics.
WP Safety Mojo ($47): Learn how to backup your databases, update your site and install spam plugins.
24 Hour VA Profits ($27): My Virtual Assistant success story, updated to how I parlayed my VA skills into an internet marketing business.
Teleseminar Mojo ($27): Skills and resources to host a teleseminar or a webinar.
Web 2.0 eCovers ($27): Gimp eCover Templates to design ebook, membership cards, reports, CDs and more.
Happy Birthday Angela and Thank You for all you do.
Article marketing is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to advertise your business or blog. I’ve been writing online since 2005. I started on Ezine Articles and have moved onto Squidoo and a number of other writing venues.
As you start working at home you might not have a lot of confidence in your ability to write. This is normal and your writing skills will improve with time.
Article marketing brings traffic to your blog or shop all without a monetary investment on your part.
One of the venues I choose to publish my articles is Squidoo. This is because it is a very easy platform to use. I can also use affiliate links, add products from etsy, cafepress, zazzle, ebay and amazon ~ all adding up to some ad royalties. You can learn to make your own Squidoo page in just seven days with my simple eCourse which includes screen shots and step by step instructions.
Sign up for my newsletter and receive a Free WordPress checklist that will guide you as you set up your first blog.
Review of How to Start a Crafts Blog for Fun and Profit
I’m really excited about where my craft blog is going this year. I started the blog back in 2007 as a way to share my crochet projects. Now it’s turned into a great little community for crocheters and bloggers alike. I just completed a cross blog conversation with Kathryn of Crochet Concupiscence which helped me get to know her and her blogging goals better.
Not too long ago I purchased an eGuide over at JustAddSweat.com. Of course I had to check them out because I was considering partnering up with them as an affiliate. I started by checking out the ‘How to Start a Crafts Blog for Fun and Profit’.
This guide is great for those who have never blogged before. It explains what a blog is and how you can use it to start creating a profit. You don’t have to crochet either. Any craft will work with this eGuide. If you already have a blog this probably isn’t for you as it is geared to those who have never had a blog or don’t know what a blog is.
The creators of the guides, JoAnne and Nicole, are successful business owners who were sick of the hype and poor-quality business advice out there so they decided to create these guides.
What’s included:
· Ideas for types of craft blogs to start.
· Definition of a blog.
· How to set up and use your blog.
· How you can make money blogging.
· How to choose your market.
· What to blog about.
· How to get traffic to your blog and make money.
This guide gives you step by step instructions on how to set up a basic blog including audio and video. You’ll also get a worksheet that will help you find your target market. It also comes with a couple of bonuses like the time management article and the blog calendar.
One thing I feel it’s missing is a bit more instruction on how to write great blog posts. I think some people who are new to Internet businesses may not understand what people who visit blogs are looking to read so I think this would be helpful. I think it can be taught via Smart blogging skills or similar programs online. Google “how to write a blog post” and you’ll find tons of information.
In the appendix section there is a list that explains everything you need for setting up your business and blog, which is great for people just starting out.
When you download the eGuide you get an audio interview with Nicole in which she gives some tips on blogging. Some include how you should plan your posts, take notes when visiting other blogs and what to write.
I’m sure you know that craft information is high demand, and people just love to get as much information they can about crafts. By starting this type of blog you’ll be starting a topic that is near and dear to many people.
Find out all about it by visiting JustAddSweat.com now:
I’m an affiliate of JustAddSweat however I only represent products and companies that I trust and products that I use or believe in. This is one way that I am able financially help my husband and my boys. This review is NOT a paid or sponsored post.
As a Crochet Blogger, you may be wondering how in the heck article marketing can help you and your blog. Isn’t article marketing just for experts and authors? The short answer is that article marketing is for anyone who wants to establish themselves as a leader in their field and drive more traffic to their website. So, as the owner of your own Crochet Blog, article marketing can help YOU.
Before I get into the details of how article marketing can help your blog, let’s take a quick look at what exactly article marketing is. In a nutshell, it’s the process of using short articles for publication and distribution by other websites and off-line publishers, typically free of charge.
The first question that occurs to you is most likely, “Why would anyone give away their expertise and content for free?”
There are three main reasons:
Exposure. The more places your market can find you, the more routes to your website, the higher your traffic will be. Each article you write creates a separate trail someone can follow back to you – and become your customer.
Expert Status. When you put quality information out into the marketplace, you will establish yourself as a go-to expert that people can come to for advice and information. Don’t stop yourself just because you feel like you might not know every nook and cranny of your topic. You need to know enough to provide value to your potential market and give them what they’re looking for. That will put the level of an expert in their eyes.
Stamp of Approval. When another website or blogger publishes your article that serves as a recommendation or “stamp of approval.” This validation serves as an introduction to that person’s audience, making them more receptive to your message. If you don’t put your content out there, this can’t happen.
Article marketing isn’t just for authors or information product marketers. Article marketing is for any business owner or blogger who wants to drive more traffic to their site, establish themselves as head and shoulders above their competition, and gain access to new audiences. Your potential readers or customers are out there looking for help; make sure you show up in the right place at the right time by creating great articles and sprinkling them throughout the web.
Want to publish your first article? Sign up for my 7-day eCourse which takes you step by step on how to publish your first Squidoo article.
What? You don’t have a mailing list yet? Well, let’s remedy that right now.
Sign up formailchimp.com. It’s free and a great learning venue. I’ve seen aWeber in use and do like it but just can’t afford it right now. I know it will be a pain to transfer my list once I do make enough money but it’s something I’ve come to accept. Other email list management software you could use – get-a-response, constant contact. {haven’t tried any but mailchimp}
Set up your list. Mail chimp has videos and eBooks that guide you through this process.
Write your introduction email. Be sure to let your subscribers know how they found you by including your web address. Also include a way for them to unsubscribe. Mail chimp guides you through all of this as I’m sure the other software programs do.
Set up a free ethical bribe aka eBook, eCourse, etc. This could be a crochet pattern, a short report, an audio interview, access to a webinar – get creative. Make sure it’s something your readers will benefit from.
Grab the link and add it to your blog. Be sure to add the sign up form and the ethical bribe to your site and spread the word about your new list.
Let your readers and followers know that you have a mailing list. Tweet it. Share on facebook. Let your readers know in a blog post so they can share with their followers.
You’re not done yet. Set up a newsletter schedule and send it out regularly. I send out my crochet newsletter bi-monthly and I have a weekly newsletter for this site. If you miss a day don’t give up just keep trying until this is a habit.
This year I’m challenging myself to write 1 squidoo lens per week following Tiffany Dow’s eBook “Squidoo Lens Building Project for Amazon Associates“.
I’ve completed 2 pages 3 pages so far. [caught up] Did get behind last week so had to finish up the page and the article over the weekend. Wow, you really need to stay on top of your game.
Pay day happened last Friday for Squidoo and I was pleased to be able to send the sponsorship money to our 2 Compassion Kids.
Since these pages are product reviews I have a hard time coming up with things to write about. This is why I’ve chosen items like crochet hooks and yarn to feature. I know they aren’t big money earners but they do match the market I write to – crochet.
I’m actually enjoying the products I review because most I’ve used before and have personal stories to share about them. Only one product so far was new to me but I didn’t mind buying a ball of yarn to check it out – for ‘business’ purposes of course.
My challenge this week is to actually spread the word about these new lenses. It’s one thing to make them but if no one visits them – what’s the point?
Blogger #2 answers the question with a post and a question for Blogger #1
The back and forth conversation goes on with your readers being eavesdroppers. In most cases there is a conclusion to the conversation and a wrap up post.
In each post you’ll want to recap what a cross blog conversation is so your readers will know what’s going on and link to the answer in your friends blog.
How does this benefit your readers? It’s different and brings interesting content to your readers. Hopefully you’ll get your readers to engage in the conversation too.
Read my first post on Momwithahook’s Crochet Journal in which I ask Kathryn about her 365 project as well as her booklet “When Grandma Isn’t Crocheting She’s Hunting Big Game”.
You’ll find her response on her blog Crochet Concupiscence as well as the questions she has for me. I’ll be answering her on tomorrows post so be sure to stop back.
Time management is something I struggle with. I tend to procrastinate if I don’t have a list of things to do. It is also easy for me to get distracted online if I don’t have a clear goal in mind especially on social media sites.
I’ve taken some advice from a couple of successful women online to help me manage my time better. As I strive to maintain a clear focus online, I utilize a number of time management tips from these wise women. I don’t always succeed each day but I know that every time I practice, I get closer to making these tips into habits.
Buy and Use a Daily Planner – I used to have little notes everywhere. My desk was so scattered with notes no wonder I had a hard time staying focused. Now I keep a spiral notebook next me for taking notes along with my daily planner.
Make and Use Your “To Do” List – Prioritize the things you need to get done now and add the items that can wait to a long term “to do” list. Once you make your list use it – it does no good sitting in your planner or on your desk.
Don’t Start the Day Off With eMail, Twitter, Facebook or other Social Media – Do your work first no exceptions. Yes, part of the work is to be social with your readers but set a time for that and stick to it – don’t get social until all the “to do” tasks are complete.
At the End of the Day Update Your “To Do” List – The day is drawing to a close, did you get everything done? No worries, just transfer those tasks onto tomorrows list in the appropriate order. You may even find that something you thought belonged on your “to do” list really didn’t and you can cross it off.
Utilize Google Calendar for Reminders – Use google tools to your advantage. Send reminders to yourself. Schedule webinars, conferences, and interviews ahead of time. Plan a couple of months in advance to see the big picture.
Outsource to a Virtual Assistant – Sometimes it’s just easier to delegate your back-end tasks to an assistant. A Virtual Assistant can handle your “to do” list, schedule your meetings and even upload your articles to your blog.
Attend Only the Webinars and Conferences That are of Value to Your Business – You receive a lot of information throughout your day. It isn’t possible to attend every conference or webinar that interests you. Select only the ones that move your business forward.
When You are Working – Work. – Shut the door if you have a home office, let your family know you are not to be disturbed and don’t let anything distract you from your “to do” list.
Turn Cell Phone on Vibrate and House Phone to Voice Mail – When working on time sensitive projects make sure there are no distractions – even a phone call can derail you. When you are done, take the time to return calls.
Don’t Feel Guilty About Saying No – Say “no” and mean it. Don’t take on more than what is on your current “to do” list. It is perfectly fine for you to use the N.O. word and you don’t have to feel guilty about using. Take a lesson from a two-year old, they use it often, they mean it and they certainly have no anxiety or guilt from using it.
These time management tips may seem simple and they are but don’t let that fool you. Use them each and everyday until they are habits and you will find your accomplishments piling up. I’m very grateful for these tips and hope to one day report that I am no longer a procrastinator.
This is the second part of 12 Reasons Why I Love Solomasterminds. You can find the first part of this series here.
