| DECEMBER 2, 2008 |
| In This Issue |
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I have to admit to being stuck lately. As much as I'd hoped to get this issue of my ezine out two weeks ago, I have resisted, avoided and ignored it. Not terribly impressive for a coach who helps others "get unstuck," I know, but it is the truth.
What has me stuck? Perhaps it's because the writing feels (for some reason) like something I have to do, rather than something I want to do. Or maybe it's because I'm doubting whether what I have to say is valuable. Or maybe it's because of the holidays, which have thrown my priorities a bit askew.
Getting stuck happens. For lots of reasons. If you notice yourself getting stuck, unable to do something you know you're committed to doing, what can you do to get past it? Well, one valuable tool I've used today is accountability. I posted a note on twitter about 30 minutes ago asking for a couple of my followers to send me a message at 2:30pm today to ask if I had completed and published this newsletter. I don't want to tell them NO, so I'm motivated to get it done.
This issue of the newsletter is all about Social Media and how mom entrepreneurs can make good use of it. Incidentally, I don't really "know" the people who responded to my twitter post for accountability today. But the very fact that I asked for help and they agreed to provide it demonstrates how relationships are built over Social Media platforms like twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Learn more about how I'm networking, collaborating, learning and finding new clients in the featured article below. And if you're ready to hop on the bandwagon, read about my upcoming Social Media workshop to help you out (at right). Please be sure to help me celebrate this issue's Featured Mom Biz owner Emily Hill, who I met via the Mom Entrepreneur Support Group. She's a very accomplished Mom Biz owner and a down-to-earth Mama, too.
To your success!
Lara |
| DECEMBER 2, 2008 |
Featured Article:
How You Can Make Social Media Work for You--Part 2 of 3 |
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Note: Read Part 1 of this series by clicking here.
I'll bet that your to-do list is looking more like an entry in the Encyclopedia Britannica these days than a few bullet points on a Post-It note. The holidays and a tough economic environment mean we're all probably working harder and longer. Here are the top five ways I think using Social Media can save you time and take tasks off your plate.
- Networking. You already know that business networking is a marketing method by which business opportunities are created through networks of like-minded business people. When you participate in a business network, you're able to build new business relationships and generate business opportunities at the same time. Save time and expand your reach by networking online with twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, by writing and commenting on blogs, and by joining affiliate groups (like the Mom Entrepreneur Support Group). Spend as little as 15 minutes a day updating your profiles with relevant posts or comments, and you are marketing yourself to a self-selecting group of like-minded people who will be more inclined to buy what you offer.
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Collaborating. Tired of trying to do it all yourself? Then use your network of friends/followers/connections to brainstorm, get some new ideas or get much-needed feedback on your own ideas. Who in your network is doing something (workshop, sale, community service event, etc.) that you could be a part of? Wouldn't you both benefit by supporting each other? In the Social Media world, it is both acceptable and expected that you "butt in" to a discussion you find interesting and offer your advice or ask for support. How much faster could you accomplish one of your goals if you got some help from your huge Social Network?
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Learning. I used to Google something when I needed to know more. Now, I twitter. While Google gives me gazillions (my four-year-old's word) of websites that match my search criteria, I still have to sift through a bunch of them in hopes of finding an answer to my problem or question. With twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn, I can ask a question like: "What criteria should I consider when hiring a VA (Virtual Assistant)?" In a few minutes (or even seconds), I get several replies from my networks that directly answer my question. The answers come to me, rather than my having to sniff them out. This saves me a ton of time!
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Finding new clients. We're all in business to make money, so we've got to find new clients/customers who are willing to give us their money in return for our valuable products and services. If you have a new product, class, service or huge sale going on, why not invite a gazillion of your network buddies to come buy something from you? With a quick tweet like: "Check out our holiday sale: 25% off and free shipping @ www.yourwebsite.com," you've just given a bunch of new people the chance to become your adoring new customers. How fast can you type?
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Getting support. Like I mentioned above, I was stuck for a couple of weeks and couldn't make myself get this newsletter done. Well, I'm almost finished with 45 minutes to spare before my self-imposed deadline of 2:30pm. I reached out to my network and asked for help, and I got it. Sometimes I need to vent, or I want to find out if anyone else has ever experienced a situation that I have, etc. I use my network to get the inspiration, encouragement, "atta-girl's" and "me too's" when I need them. Sometimes this is the exact thing I need to get back on track and do what must be done.
Thanks for reading! If you know someone who could benefit from this ezine, feel free to forward it to them.
Now you can read back issues of the Mom Biz Coach ezine by clicking here. | |
| ABOUT LARA GALLOWAY |
Lara Galloway, the Mom Biz Coach, is passionate about helping moms in business make more money doing work they love while taking care of priority #1: family. Find out more: www.mombizcoach.com. |
NEW WORKSHOP:
HOW TO GET STARTED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA |
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So you see the value of Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and participating on various discussion boards and groups. But how do you get started?
Join me for a free teleseminar to support mom entrepreneurs who want to effectively use Social Media to build their business identity and attract the right clients. To provide maximum value to all participants, class size is limited to 20 participants.
Registration deadline is December 19th!
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Featured Mom Biz:
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Biz Info:
Mom Info: Emily Hill, co-owner of georgie tees
What you love most about your biz:
Having a creative outlet for my non-mom-related interests, working with a wonderful friend and partner, and all the learning experiences along the way. Plus the flexibility of working from home (in my pj's if I want to) is awesome!
Why you decided to become a mom entrepreneur:
My girlfriend and I always wanted to start a business together so being mompreneurs naturally followed. With all our "experience" of being pregnant and raising kids we had a wealth of inspiration from which to draw!
Your biggest challenge as a mom entrepreneur:
Definitely balancing family and business. Plus I constantly remind myself it may take longer to build our business when I can only work on it a couple hours a day.
A tip you'd like to offer other moms in business:
Just do what you can when you can do it. Put your family first and everything else will fall into place. My favorite mantra when I'm doing all I can: "It will be what it will be."
Emily Hill (left) and LeShan Bradshaw
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The next issue of the Mom Biz Coach ezine will be all about Getting Started with Social Media (the third and final part of this series). Expect to receive it in your inbox by Friday, December 19th! |
