Podcasts

Create A Creative Business That Celebrates Your Ideal Life

Today’s episode is sponsored by my brand new roadmap – 57 Ways To Monetize Your Gifts and Create True Security For Yourself! Includes access to four bonus templates called the Creative Entrepreneurs Path to Cash and map your journey to an ideal business that celebrates the life you want to live.

Download your free roadmap today at getpaidforyourcreativity.com/57waysgift

Episode 010 Show Notes

Here’s some of what I covered on this week’s episode:

If you happened to catch episode 9 of the podcast I talked about the importance of having a well thought out and personality-driven about me page.

Assuming you’re not familiar with an about me page, well… it’s pretty self-explanatory, essentially it’s a dedicated page on your website where you introduce yourself to new and returning visitors to your site.

After I recorded that episode I had this thought “what if you don’t have a website or don’t like your existing site” then this episode is for you How to Create a Website That Converts (and Actually Have Fun Making It)

Before I get into what I have for you today I want to tell that this episode is sponsored by Leadpages.

I’ve used Leadpages for going on five years now to create all of my landing pages to continually build and grow my mailing list and if you’d like to see one of my Leadpages in action go to https://getpaidforyourcreativity.com/57waysgift to grab my free gift 57 Ways To Monetize Your Gifts and Create True Security For Yourself!

Now make sure to listen to the end because I have another special gift waiting for from Leadpages which is a perfect accompaniment to the focus of today’s episode.

So without further ado here we go, How to Create a Website That Converts (and Actually Have Fun Making It)

How I got started building websites over 20 years, back then our only options were to learn HTML and hand code a website or purchase a WYSIWYG software program.

I opted to buy a website builder program to get my feet wet and then learn the basics of HTML to tweak my pages.

Years later blogging became to set up a presence online and back one of the easiest options was blogger owned by Google and soon after WordPress entered the scene which gave us many more customization options and within a very short amount of time WordPress is the #1 tool most entrepreneurs online users to create an easier presence on the web.

I’m not going to lie, WordPress is a fantastic platform but and it’s a BIG BUT as anyone with any experience will tell you the software is not without its issues.

I won’t go into all of the pluses and minus about WordPress, that would be two-plus hour episode by itself. But what I will tell you the most common issue about the software is it’s an open source meaning it’s not managed by a single company like Godaddy for example where you can dial up tech support and get help when you have an issue.

WordPress is not so much a software as it is a framework, I liken the software to hiring a contractor to build a house. You need a foundation before you construct your frame, you need this before you put up your walls, insulation, electrical, water and windows and once your house is built you need furnishings, etc, etc.

In the world of WordPress, that means you’ll you a web host (your foundation) themes (your walls) and plugin’s (your furnishings and accessories) and in a perfect world, this is an ideal setup if you desire total control over the design and functionality but as anyone listening to this episode today who’s built a house knows there are a million things that can and eventually will go sideways.

As a person with 12 plus years with WordPress, you haven’t experienced frustration until you do a theme, framework or plugin update only to have it crash months if not years of work. Not mention the expenses

First, the WordPress framework is free to but like I mentioned a moment ago you need a web host and that will run you on average anywhere from $10 to about $20 bucks a month minimum.

Also, if you plan to accept credit card payments on your site you’ll need a security certificate known as an SSL certificate and that will run on average $80 plus annually.

Most plugins are typically free but occasionally you’ll come across one you may want to purchase. It’s totally optional.

So before we go into the alternate let’s do a cost breakdown:
– Domain Name Registration – $10 to $20 annually depends on where you register. I recommend NameCheap!
– Hosting – $120 and up annually
– Security Certificate $100 annually
– Theme – Free to about $150 (one time)
– Plugins – free to under $20
Total: $225 to $350 annually minimum (your average annual outlay could be much more)

Now there are ways around this, fortunately, we’re living in a time where anyone can easily set up a fully functional, mobile responsive (very important) website in a few hours provided you’ve worked out all of your content prior to getting started.

I call these online site builders, for example, services like WIX, Squarespace and even platforms like Godaddy have online site builders where the service provides templates with limited customization options, for example, you can typically customize the background colors, sometimes the font styles, and of course photographs and artwork.

So if you’re using one of these tools that are great and what I’m about to introduce today may not of use to you, but as I’ll be talking more on this subject in future episodes of the podcast, it’s critically important to the growth and success of your online business that you invest your time in starting and growing your email list.

List building is the cornerstone of any online business and that’s why for myself and hundreds of thousands if not millions of users rely upon including industry heavyweights like Amy Porterfield and others rely on Leadpages to create simple, elegant and highly functional lead magnet pages to capture leads.

As a matter of fact, I’ve used Leadpages for almost 5 years to capture leads and grow my list. I have such a crush on the platform because it takes all the guesswork out of what goes where when I’m setting up lead capture pages, all I do is enter my copy, artwork and publish so it’s totally possible if you’re properly prepped that you set up a new page in a matter of minutes.

Imagine, no coding, or having to rely on a web designer that might go MIA on you at any moment. Or having to wait for them to fulfill simple updates and changes to your site.

Have an idea for a new lead magnet? No, problem, with Leadpages you can just sign in to your account, choose from hundreds of templates, customize it to match your branding, add your messaging and hit publish. How cool is that?

Well, just when I thought the tool could get any better, they just added a site builder feature to their ever-expanding list of stellar resources.

Here are 4 reasons why I love that they’ve added this feature,

1.  I can have an idea for a new site and set it up quickly without my having to rely on an outside person to set it up or rely on them to do quick updates of changes
2. I never have to worry about the site going down OR deal with having to figure out how to fix anything that I accidentally break, like when a plugin update becomes incompatible with another plugin or a theme.
3. I don’t have to worry about backing up my site, or figuring out how to get it back online if there’s a problem
4. And lastly, here’s the biggy, I never, ever have to worry about my site being hacked!! If you’ve ever experienced a hack then you know how traumatic that experience can be.

So here’s what I have for you today!

As I mentioned at the top of this episode I’m a Leadpages partner, meaning (I’m an affiliate for their program so should you decide to become a Leadpages customer I’ll receive a small commission) as I mentioned at the top of the podcast I’m a long time Leadpages customer so I absolutely believe in them and what they have to offer.

They have excellent customer service, I’ve never experienced a problem that couldn’t be quickly resolved so I can’t recommend the service highly enough.

As a matter of fact, I offer a mini-course on How to Create an Irresistible List Building Freebie and in that training, I have a module on how to set up a Leadpage to capture leads.

If you’d like to know more about that, I’ve provided a link in the show notes to a free checklist and when you opt-in for the checklist you’ll be directed to a page to get the mini course. https://getpaidforyourcreativity.com/irresistiblefreebie-checklist/

But I have something even bigger for you today!

Leadpages just launched a free course called Create a Website That Converts (and Actually Have Fun Making It) that walks you through everything soup to nuts you need to know to set up a fully functional, beautifully designed website quickly!

This comprehensive free course covers everything from:
* Website Basics
* Website Goals
* Building Your Site
* Content Marketing: Signature Content
* Content Marketing: Lead Magnets
* Tools
* Optimizing Your Site
** Campaigns with Landing Pages

And you get your hands on it at https://getpaidforyourcreativity.com/lpworkshop when you opt-in you have an option to take advantage of 14 days free trial to Leadpages if you want to take advantage of their free training and start put together your own Landing pages and website.

To sweeten the pot, if you decide to become a Leadpages customer after the 14 day free trial, if you sign up for a full year, forward your receipt to [email protected] or take a screenshot and DM on Instagram and I’ll gift you a 30 minute Getting Started with Leadpages Onboarding session as my gift.

So if you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories and tag me! @createaproneurpodcast

I’d also love if you subscribed to the podcast and left a review at https://getpaidforyourcreativity.com/itunespodcast

Lastly, I want to invite you to help contribute to this podcast by submitting a question for the Listener Question of the Week edition of Create A Proneur Podcast. All you have to do is go to https://getpaidforyourcreativity.com/QA and record a question (under 3 minutes or less) that could be featured on an upcoming episode!

Create A Creative Business That Celebrates Your Ideal Life

Today’s episode is sponsored by my brand new roadmap – 57 Ways To Monetize Your Gifts and Create True Security For Yourself! Includes access to four bonus templates called the Creative Entrepreneurs Path to Cash and map your journey to an ideal business that celebrates the life you want to live.

Download your free roadmap today at getpaidforyourcreativity.com/57waysgift

Episode 008 Show Notes

Here’s some of what I covered on this week’s episode:

Your “about me” page is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the world online. Use it to share your accomplishments, your passions, your interests, your work history, special certifications and how you serve your ideal audience.

It’s important that your “about me” is more than just a resume of professional qualifications do that and you’re missing a golden opportunity to let people know about you and what makes you tick

In my experience, the biggest mistake we all make is using this vital piece of real estate solely as a resume

Of course, you want to shout out your credentials but just listing your professional accomplishments is boring, it doesn’t set you apart from everybody else that offers the same thing as you.

But when you share the things about you that bring you joy, the things you’re good at, your hobbies, interests, and talents humanizes you and makes you relatable

For example, I’m a good cook, like a really good cook and one of my many specialties oven baked, slow-cooked, fork-tender ribs.

Notice I didn’t just say “I make ribs” I was intentionally very descriptive about that little detail that would set me apart and if read that on my About me page or hear me on this podcast the next time you see a commercial about ribs or have ribs for dinner you might think about me.

Now I’m not a professional chef, I don’t sell a cookbook or even a rib recipe but because I shared my talent (I called it my superpower) for making ribs I’ve planted a standout seed in my bio that connects something special about me to my reader

That’s what a good “about me” page does. It creates a connection with your ideal audience

What’s your stand out talent? Or another way to phrase it is, what’s your superpower?

What’s your favorite tv show, author, book, celebrity or podcast?

For example, I shared that I’m obsessed with Million Dollar Listing New York and Empire, I also shared that Thai Curry and apple pie with vanilla ice cream is my favorite birthday meal and walking around with my camera is my favorite way spend a day in a new city.

* How about you?
* What’s your favorite birthday dinner?
* What was the best Christmas gift you ever got?
* Hobby or way to spend your free time?
* What’s your favorite travel destination?
* Share a highlight moment you experienced example:
* Travel around the world?
* Publish a book?
* Won a pie eating contest?
* Are you a mom or dad to an honor roll student
* Were you ever an extra on a popular movie or TV show?
* Ballroom dancer? Have you won any competitions and do you have photos?
* Run a marathon?
* Vegan bodybuilder?
* Love making sushi?
* Bred Thoroughbred Horses
* Refurbishing vintage cars
* Spent a summer studying Italian in Florence
* Speak multiple languages?

Make sure to flesh out your page with little details about your interests, talents, maybe you were born in a city or time period of historical significance like I shared that I was only six days old when JFK was assassinated in the next city where I was born.

And if you have any photos showing you engaging in that activity add a couple. It just adds visual texture to your story.

Also if you have photos or video of your past clients in the form of a testimonial add them as well.

Tell your reader why you’re the person for them (make your writing very personal, write like you’re writing a letter to a friend) it’s important to avoid, “robotic speak” at all cost

Clearly, illustrate the problem or issue they’re experiencing that your offering solves

Resources mentioned this episode:
The Copy Cure (not enrolling again until 2020) but sign up for the free mini-course and when you do you’ll be added to the early notification list for when the program opens next year

TalkingShrimp – Laura Belgrays website, when you arrive make sure to sign up for her freebie, 5 Secrets to Non Sucky Copy!

My About Me Page

My Instagram Page (I’d love it if you’d DM your About Me Page)

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories and tag me! @createaproneurpodcast

I would also love if you subscribed to the podcast and left a review at https://getpaidforyourcreativity.com/itunespodcast

I want to invite you to help contribute to this podcast by submitting a question for the Listener Question of the Week edition of Create A Proneur Podcast. All you have to do is go to https://getpaidforyourcreativity.com/QA and record a question (under 3 minutes or less) that could be featured on an upcoming episode!

Create A Creative Business That Celebrates Your Ideal Life

Today’s episode is sponsored by my brand new roadmap – 57 Ways To Monetize Your Gifts and Create True Security For Yourself! Includes access to four bonus templates called the Creative Entrepreneurs Path to Cash and map your journey to an ideal business that celebrates the life you want to live.

Download your free roadmap today at getpaidforyourcreativity.com/57waysgift

Episode 008 Show Notes

Here’s some of what I covered on this week’s episode:

– If it’s your dream – don’t quit!

– How a debilitating back issue forced me to reevaluate how I was living, including how I was running my business

– How successful entrepreneur takes care of themselves mentality, physically, emotionally and financially [Read more…] about Episode 008: Don’t Quit, Taking Care of The CEO Inside!

Create A Creative Business That Celebrates Your Ideal Life

Today’s episode is sponsored by my brand new roadmap – 57 Ways To Monetize Your Gifts and Create True Security For Yourself! Includes access to four bonus templates called the Creative Entrepreneurs Path to Cash and map your journey to an ideal business that celebrates the life you want to live.

Download your free roadmap today at getpaidforyourcreativity.com/57waysgift

Episode 007 Show Notes

Welcome back to Episode 7 of the Create A Proneur podcast! I’m super excited to share this episode with you today because it’s my first interview since launching the new podcast! And I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring you my first guest, Creative Entrepreneur, Consultant, and Educator Jane Button.

Jane took a passion for knitting, made a simple hat and turned it into an empire that’s earned 5 million dollars!

Yep, you read it right, and today she’s sharing exactly how she did it, Jane talked about the importance of creating systems (and her brilliant process), outsourcing, money and time management and how creatives can reframe resistance to marketing and business in general so they can thrive both creatively and financially.

If you create and sell a physical product this is a “must listen” show, so grab your favorite beverage, slip on some earbuds, sit back and listen to every word she has to share!

In the episode, you’ll hear:

• How Jane turned her passion for knitted hats into a thriving business by walking into Nordstroms and walking out with a 40K purchase order!
• The importance of starting small and how to use “small” as the basis for doing proper research to ensure you pick the right product before investing a lot of time or money
• Why simplifying and being slightly different helps you stand out in a crowded marketplace
• Why consistently updating your product line with fresh new product is the key to keeping your customers coming back
• The importance of sharing “your story” and why it’s the best way to market yourself and your creative products
• Jane highly recommends starting a journal as an absolute “must” for creative entrepreneurs and how having one can serve as a bible for your creative business
• A fun visual exercise she does with her clients to help them declutter their brain and heighten their creativity
• Jane shares a saying, “Money can be managed. People can be managed. Schedules can be managed. Time can only be accounted for. ” How to manage your time so you’re business and not the other way around.
• The simply brilliant productivity hack Jane used to create simple systems that led to the training materials she hands off to her outsource team.
• Why creative product creators mustn’t rely solely on Etsy and what you should do instead if you want to sell more of your products
• The importance of getting in front of your ideal customers in person especially if you sell your products primarily online

If you enjoy this episode and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories and tag me and Jane, @createaproneurpodcast and @janeabutton.

I would also love if you subscribed to the podcast and left a review at https://getpaidforyourcreativity.com/itunespodcast

I want to invite you to help contribute to this podcast by submitting a question for the Listener Question of the Week edition of Create A Proneur Podcast. All you have to do is go to https://getpaidforyourcreativity.com/QA and record a question (under 3 minutes or less) that could be featured on an upcoming episode!

Where to connect with Jane Button
Download Janes Free Gift! Find Your Creative Edge
Check out Janes free Facebook Group: http://creativeproductblueprint.com

Resources Mentioned in the Episode
Tyler J McCall Instagram Expert (Tyler’s Facebook group is how Jane and I initially connected)

The Journey In Cashmere (nicely done video, use it to inspire you to share the story of your creative physical products via video) Check them out on Instagram

The Journey In Cashmere from Cashmere By Ayesha on Vimeo.

Other Create A Proneur Podcast Episodes To Check Out
Episode 002 : Believing In Yourself To Create The Life and Business You Want
Episode 004 : The Passion Based Business Plan Part 1
Episode 005 : The Passion Based Business Plan Part 2
Episode 006 : Take An Inspiration Day and Reconnect With Your Creative Flow

Create A Creative Business That Celebrates Your Ideal Life

Today’s episode is sponsored by my brand new roadmap – 57 Ways To Monetize Your Gifts and Create True Security For Yourself! Includes access to four bonus templates called the Creative Entrepreneurs Path to Cash and map your journey to an ideal business that celebrates the life you want to live.

Download your free roadmap today at getpaidforyourcreativity.com/57waysgift

Episode 006 Show Notes

I was reading the blog recently of a good friend and colleague who posted a suggestion that I really took to heart, and I wanted to share it with you in today’s lesson; Take an inspiration day.

You would think as photographers, private chefs, writers, bloggers, visual artists or whatever your creative passion that we have much to be inspired by, and to a larger extent this is true, but as with any creative pursuit you are going to hit roadblocks. [Read more…] about Episode 006 : Take An Inspiration Day and Reconnect With Your Creative Flow

Create A Creative Business That Celebrates Your Ideal Life

Today’s episode is sponsored by my brand new roadmap – 57 Ways To Monetize Your Gifts and Create True Security For Yourself! Includes access to four bonus templates called the Creative Entrepreneurs Path to Cash and map your journey to an ideal business that celebrates the life you want to live.

Download your free roadmap today at getpaidforyourcreativity.com/57waysgift

Episode 005 Show Notes

So in episode 4, I introduced the Idea Work/Lifestyle Template, and if you haven’t already you can get your copy inside the free gift 57 Ways To Monetize Your Gifts, the link to that template and the one I have you for you today is inside that PDF.

Again you can grab your copy at https://getpaidforyourcreativity.com/57waysgift or in the show notes if you’re on that page.

Just a quick recap from Episode 004: The Passion Based Business Plan Part 1.

On that episode, I asked four questions to consider as you’re laying the foundation for your ideal work lifestyle. The first…

When you think of a typical day in your ideal life what’s happening? For example: What’s your morning like? What are you doing in the afternoon? What time do you stop working?

Where do live? By the beach, in the mountains, do you split your time between
two or more places living and working as a digital nomad?

• Describe your day-to-day work/life experiences?
• How much time do you spend serving clients?
• How much time do give yourself to create new content?
• How much personal time do you have?
• How are you spending that personal time?
• What are the top 3 personal goals you want to accomplish in the next 12 months?
• How deep are you going with your clients? Again, the more you emphasize service and the quality of that service, the more you can charge?
• What transformation do your customers expect?
• What can you deliver that’s unique to you?
• Do you see yourself meeting clients live or on the internet?
• How many clients or customers are you currently serving?
• How many do you want to serve?

I encourage you not to gloss over these questions but to take them seriously because getting clear on how you want to live effects the choices you make, everything from deciding what to sell, who you want to work with, to how you’ll find prospective clients and customers.

But more importantly how you’re structuring your business to support your ideal life.

For example, you might think that running a membership site could be your ticket to financial freedom, but in reality, you might discover that being responsible for a large group of people constantly asking for your direct support too daunting.

Mind you I’m not telling you to shelf the idea of a paid membership community. But as you’re trying to figure out what works best you, you want to know the areas and potential pitfalls of a particular business model before you decide to jump in both feet.

So again, do take some time and work on the Idea Work/Lifestyle Template before moving on the Income Idea Generator sheet, also found in today’s sponsored freebie.

You’ll find it under Monetizing Your Gifts Key #32

For the sake of time I’m not going to read all 20, you can see the complete list when you download it. Instead what I want to focus on today is the Income Generator Exercise template located under Key #36 and that’s what we’re going to work through on today’s episode then you can refer back to the Income Idea Generator sheet for additional ideas and inspiration. So let’s get started:

Income Generator Exercise!
The single fastest way to generate more cash is to create a synergetic match between what you love, your talents, skills, and gifts and match them to the desires of the people you currently serve and you hope to serve in the future.

In this worksheet, we’ll explore:
your current resources (i.e. equipment, current clientele, education/knowledge, etc) and the deliverables your clients have told you their willing to pay for.

What do I have? List your resources, people, equipment, knowledge, connections.

This can be people you know also don’t underestimate the power of your network, everyone from the people you follow and who follow you on social media to your email list (both personal and professional) Your next joint venture partner could be a direct message away.

Obviously, you’ll to list all of your education and I’m not necessarily talking degrees here, I’m talking certifications, workshops, books you’ve read, coaches, mentors or other teachers you’ve studied with.

• Have you been interviewed on any podcasts? List them.
• Spoken at any networking groups? List them.
• Of course, if you’ve delivered any kind presentations both large or small, even if you think it’s insignificant, list it.
• Are you a published author? Contributed any writing to blogs, or anthologies or reports? List it
• Do you have a Facebook group? Podcast? Or an active blog?
• What equipment do you have that’s necessary to perform your business?

In my experience, we can forget or gloss over our accomplishments and resources which is a huge disservice to us and that’s why I felt it important to include in this exercise because I want you to have a constant reminder of what you have available at your fingertips, moving on…

• Who am I?

Expand your response from external skills or talents, think internal characteristics like are you empathetic, or highly intuitive? Are you a natural connector, do you love breaking down complex ideas making it easier for people to understand?

• What are your accomplishments?
• What have you accomplished that people would love to learn?
• What are your top 3 insider secrets or tips? Don’t underestimate this, this could be your secret sauce!

Next…

• What does my ideal customer want and how do they want it delivered?
• Do they want to work with me one-on-one?
• Do they want classes, workshops or boot camps, private or group retreats?
• Do they want items shipped directly to their home?
• Do they want an online forum? Email access? Home study program?

Now I realize these questions may be a little trickier to answer unless you’re already working with your ideal people. In that case, you can reach out to them preferably by telephone and ask them.

If not, again you have your network list you just created and start by reaching out to people that you feel would be a fit to work with you.

Finally, what can I do to wow my customers and turn them into repeat clients? This is really important so don’t skip this. The deeper you can go, the higher you can elevate the level service to meet and exceed their expectations the easier it will be to charge premium prices.

Now as an extra special bonus I have another template for you called Your Personal Income Portfolio In Less Than 30 Minutes!

You can use to take one core idea, talent or service, and explore an additional four ways to generate income, for a total of 5 income ideas you could employ in your business.

Let’s recap today’s episode:

• Listen to Episode 4 if you haven’t already, download and complete the Ideal Work/Lifestyle Template.
• Next download the Income Generator Exercise to get clarity on your resources, network, talents, and skills.
• Finally, review the Income Idea Generator (featuring 20+ ideas) to inspire you and the Personal Income Portfolio In Less Than 30 Minutes referring back the Income Generator Exercise and Income Idea Generator

Lastly, you can get your hands on all of the templates discussed on this podcast episode as well as episode four by going to https://getpaidforyourcreativity.com/57waysgift or in the show notes for today’s episode.

Links mentioned in this episode:
>> James Wedmore Mind Your Business Podcast
>> Episode 002 : Believing In Yourself To Create The Life and Business You Want
>> Episode 003 : 57 Ways To Monetize Your Gifts My Top 5
>> Connect with me on Instagram and DM me I’d love to hear from you!
>> Run your own online workshops and video conferences on Zoom!
>> What inspired you to become a Creative Entrepreneur? Tell me and possibly featured on a future episode of the Create A Proneur podcast!

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