Podcasting Alphabet Soup: A, B & C

There has been a noticeable upswing in requests in my email box for help in getting started with a podcast. Must be the Spring air? Whatever the reason, I’m thrilled! I especially enjoy coaching new podcasters through a launch. It’s an exciting time and an important step in reaching out to your target market.

In order to have some fun and celebrate the spring launch season, how about we partake of some Podcasting Alphabet Soup?

In this multi-part blog series, I’ll share some tips and ideas for each letter of the alphabet – and you can join in too by leaving a comment :)

Today we’ll cover A, B & C.

A is for Attitude

This ‘A’ is twofold. I believe the best podcasters approach the process with a real ‘can do’ attitude. They’re willing to tackle learning new technology and learn new skills. Great podcasters also sport a bit of a ‘tude’ in that they have opinions and aren’t afraid to share them.

A is for Archive

If you are able, archive your podcast episodes long term and keep them available for download. When new listeners find you they often love devouring these past programs – and that’s more opportunity for you to develop a relationship with them. Some podcasters actually find success in charging for access to their archives.

B is for Blog

A Podcast goes with a Blog like Hot Fudge goes with Ice Cream. Not only is a blog the perfect way to deliver the podcast RSS feed, it provides an easy way for your listeners to comment on your episode. There are several useful podcasting tools out there that allow you to create a podcast feed without a blog – but I don’t personally like to use them. By blogging your show notes, you’re making yourself more findable in search engines and blogging in between your episodes helps to keep your audience engaged too.

C is for Cooperation

I don’t believe in competition, I think there is a way to cooperate with everyone that shares an interest in my target market and that is definitely true in podcasting. When I launched Work at Home Moms Talk Radio I was the only one out there, but now there are many WAH related podcasters. Work at Home Moms have more than on hour a week available to listen to great audio content so I’m glad there are others offering quality interviews and resources. Rather than view them as probable problems, I see them as potential partners. Who better to co-promote with?

C is for Champion

Use a podcast to champion a cause and build awareness and support for something you care about. This could be a limited edition podcast built around an event. (Limited edition just means that you don’t intend to keep adding new episodes long term.) For example, you would like to raise money and awareness for breast cancer so you’re participating in the big walk event in your area. Create a podcast that chronicles your preparation efforts, the event and some reflection when it is over.

Do you have any additions for A, B or C? Please do share them!

And stay tuned for D, E and F to come soon :)

E-Cover Graphic Tools – Any Suggestions?

I received this question from Yvette. Although she’s since found her answer I thought some of you might still want to know.

Q: Can you suggest an effective e-cover software that gives good graphics etc. 

A: I outsource my e-covers. Buttons and small banners I still dabble in on and off but e-covers in my opinion, requires a lot more design sense – something I certainly do not have. The good news is, I know of someone who does fabulous e-covers at a very affordable price of $37 at time of writing. If you’re interested to hire here, you can find Wendy at GetEcovers.com 

But I know outsourcing is not the intent of the question here so I will suggest one that I personally find easy to use and gives nice results. You might want to check out Web Graphics Creator.

While we’re talking about graphics, if you’re looking for a dirt cheap button or image creator where you can create beautiful looking Web 2.0 style graphics, look into Quick Web Creations. You can’t beat it for only a one time investment of $6.97. The e-cover word graphic above is an example of one I created using Quick Web Creations.

Have You Revisited or Created Your Goals Lately?

I always encourage women to make an effort to spend time setting sharp and clearly defined goals. One of the beautifully empowering things about goal setting is that you can measure and take pride in the achievement you make as you get closer to your goals. By setting goals, you will also raise your self confidence as you recognize your ability and competence in achieving the goals that you have set.

The process of setting goals allows you to choose where you want to go in life. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know what you have to concentrate on to do it.

Remember, your goals are the road maps that guide you and show you what
is possible for your life.

Here are a few action steps for you to take into consideration when working on setting and pursuing your goals:

• Make sure you set goals that you can realistically reach. Striving to be perfect is not a realistic goal. Striving to eat healthier, exercise more..etc. is a realistic goal.
• Break your big goals up into bite-sized chunks. If your ultimate goal is to launch a new website before September, break the goal down. Work 1st on asking for others to give you the opinions on possible webmasters, make a list of what you want your site to look like, contact certain webmasters, ask for price quotes etc. They key is to take small, thought-through steps to reach that ultimate goal.
• Set a specific time-frame to achieve your goals.
• Write your goals down and force yourself to be very specific about them. You can then refer back to your goals list and you can see how you are measuring up. It is an empowering feeling to set goals and achieve them.
• Celebrate! When you achieve a goal or overcome a hurdle that brings you closer to that goal, CELEBRATE you and your accomplishment!

You can accomplish just about anything you ask of yourself. Make your goals specific and clear. When you know exactly what you intend to do, you’re well on your way to getting it done.

Mapping Your Direct Selling Success

One of the strategies I teach in my Get Your Year In Gear class that will PULL your business forward, almost effortlessly is to create a powerful vision for your business and your life. Participants in my classes find this exercise to be both motivating and inspiring, and I’m certain you will, too.

Once a year, I schedule a short retreat to work on my vision for my life. This includes my business as well as all other areas of my life that matter to me. I take this retreat away from my office but with my family (though you can do it alone if that is the best way for you to get uninterrupted time). I spend about 4- 5 hours each day thinking about and choosing what I want in the next year, the next two years, and the next three years. Because I am highly visual, I actually envision the details of what my life will look like at that time. Then, I create goals that will take me to my chosen destination. My husband and I talk about my vision and goals – he gives me great feedback and helps frame everything in reality.

When I am done, I have what I call my Success Map. Creating it reminds of why I love to do what I do and gives me the “how’s” that truly inspire my passion for my work. It also acts as a system of checks and balances to guide me away from conflicting priorities and overwhelming life-loads. If I find myself stressed and exhausted, I can check my map and see where I made a wrong turn and got off course.

The first step to creating your own Success Map is summoning a powerful vision of what you want your life to look like in every area. Knowing where you are going makes your journey so much easier, faster and, simply more enjoyable.

Here are some steps to get you started:

Step 1. Book Your Personal Retreat

No one is going to give you permission to take this time away, so you must give it to yourself. Isn’t your life, your happiness, and the peace and prosperity of your family worth it? I usually take 2-3 days for my retreat because I also combine it with family vacation. This may not be possible for you. So, I suggest you book a whole day away from the office – even if you are at the library – to focus on this important task. If you have children, drop them at school, daycare, or the sitter’s and head straight for your retreat. If you “just run by the house”, you will never leave. Stop reading right now and go get your calendar. When can you commit to doing this?

Step 2. Retreat Activities:

You will need a beautiful notebook and your favorite kind of pen.
Answer these questions for yourself:
What do I want my life (your whole life) to look like in 1 year? In 3 years?
What is the most inspiring, compelling vision you can dream of for your future?
What will your business look like? What will other important areas of your life look like?

So that you don’t set yourself up for frustration, try to frame your vision in reality. For example, if you’ve never run a marathon before, your chances of winning a marathon in the next year are pretty slim. In the next three years, you can absolutely do it. So what is a reasonable goal in the next year? How about beginning marathon training and running in a couple of half-marathons? If you are willing to forsake everything else in your life, you could actually become competitive in full marathons before the year is out. Are you willing to make that kind of sacrifice? Choose now so you don’t get frustrated later.

The truth is you can design your perfect life and you can design the perfect business. Do you want to earn six figures working the hours and days you choose to work? If that is your dream, it is achievable. You won’t get there overnight, but if you plot your course and design your map, you can get there sooner than you think.

To get your writing started, try this Ideal Day exercise. Imagine that you are waking up in your perfect life. What kind of bed do you wake up in? Who is next to you? What does the room you wake up in look like? When you go to your closet, what kinds of clothes and shoes do you find there? When you look out your window, what do you see? When you breathe deeply, what do you smell? When you get ready to go out, what kind of car is in your driveway? How do your important relationships feel? Who are the important people in your life? Fill in all of the details and do the same for your business. Who are you working with? What kind of clients and consultants are you attracting? What days do you work? What kind of activities do you do on those days? When do you take vacations? Design a vision of a life you absolutely love!

Once you’ve written it, you will get excited and energetic. And, you can start setting goals and making choices that will turn your vision into reality.

If you and your business need this kind of strategic thinking to get you where you want to go, I invite you to consider joining my next Get Your Year In Gear class jut for direct selling leaders. Read more about it and discover if it is right for you here:

http://www.directsellingleaders.com/gyyig.html

Love & Success!
Sarah

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How, and Why, to Avoid Sexist Language in Your Writing

We no longer live in a male dominated world. We haven’t for quite some time really. We’ve moved beyond seeking politically correct language and we just have all encompassing words now.

For example, for some time the term “Stewardess” was considered inappropriate and the word flight attendant replaced it. It took some time and a change of thought and culture, but now the term flight attendant feels appropriate and common enough that we likely rarely think about it.

There are other words that have been replaced in our society. A waitress or waiter has become a server. Actress has become actor, chairman has become chairperson, fireman – firefighter, weatherman – meteorologist, mailman – postal delivery person, and mankind has become humanity and so on.

When writing marketing copy of any kind, it is helpful to remember to write not only for your audience but to make sure you don’t offend your audience. Imagine reading a sales page for a book you’re interested in and every single word is masculine. “He said, he did, his, him, etc… Maybe you wouldn’t notice it consciously but subconsciously it very well may turn you completely off of the product. It is very easy, too easy, to slip into the masculine form and use the word “he” often without intending to offend or direct your copy toward a male reader.

Here are a few tips to help avoid sexist language in your copy.

1. After you’ve written your copy scan it for potentially sexist terms like mankind and replace them with a non-sexist synonym.

2. Scan your copy for “he” or “she” and rewrite the sentences to avoid reference to a gender. For example, instead of “the expert hosted a teleconference for his top buyers.” You could write “The expert invited top buyers to attend a teleconference.”

3. Use plurals instead of a male or female pronoun. For example, “The top seller receives an incentive for his profits.” Replace it with “The top sellers receive incentives for their profits.”

As you can see, it often takes a bit of simple creative restructuring to eliminate any potentially offensive or sexist language in your copy. What I often find is the best approach is to write the copy first and then do a global search to find any gender specific pronouns.

To eliminate those pesky sexist terms like “mailman,” it’s probably easiest to do a quick read through. In the end, your copy will read better and you won’t run the risk of unintentionally offending a prospective customer.

Outsource Your Software

When I first started business online, my budget was ultra tight. I did not have much to spend on but realized I needed a few things before I can even start selling. For example, there was the autoresponder. Then, I needed something to take payments and deliver the downloads automatically. There were also other things but these were the most important ones.

I looked at all the services available. So many monthly fees and seemingly big expenses. I didn’t mind the software I paid a one time payment for but what really got me was the monthly ones.

I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to pay monthly for something they can:

• Pay once for
• Run on their own, using similar free software

So, I did it myself. First, I used a mailing list software that was free. But it didn’t have the right features and no sequential autoresponder. So, I put down some money to buy a script that would run on my own web host. I was cheap (remember?) and opted for a really cheap one but *seemed* popular.

The result was disastrous. Within an hour of installing it, my web host shut down my site for excessive use of resources. For your information, the script was installed properly. It just wasn’t well written. It was not a pleasant thing to wake up to. My host almost deleted my website. What a lesson.

Since then, I’ve moved onto a hosted autoresponder system and really happy, even when a monthly fee is involved.

I dish it out without complaints because I know:

• I don’t have to update it when new releases come out 
• I don’t have to fix it when it’s hacked.
• I don’t have to fix/cover security holes so it doesn’t get hacked in the first place.
• All I worry about it crafting good emails, taking care of readers’ needs and coming up with good content – in other words the stuff that really makes money.

The take away, outsource your software so you don’t have to worry about it. You may be paying a monthly fee, but that monthly fee is small compared to the stress and amount you have to pay someone to fix it when things go really bad.

What if you are new like I was and really don’t have the cash? I still say invest but invest wisely. Choose first to put money into a few key things that are the backbone of your business like autoresponder and shopping cart. Everything else can be slowly worked in as your business gets better.

Balancing Your Home and Business Life

For moms who work from home, balancing the home and business sides of their lives can feel downright impossible, especially when the reason they began working from home was so they could spend more time with family. However, many home businesses actually fail because moms don’t manage to balance business and home life. How can you juggle your family’s needs, your business needs and occasionally find some time for your needs without being a super hero?

The first thing any mom should do to achieve balance is to get the family involved. If your children and husband support you, you will find that they interrupt less often and are more likely to pitch in to get household chores done. You’re probably thinking that will happen the day the moon turns to blue cheese, right? However, if you mention that you need to get a major project done and will be able to buy a pizza and rent a video when you are paid, you may be surprised at how quickly everyone pitches in to help out.

If you have young children, they may not be able to understand the concept of waiting for a reward. To get your younger children involved, try explaining what you are doing in very simple terms and having them help you. Set up a small desk or table for your toddlers and add crayons and paper so they can help you with your work by drawing some pictures or writing a letter. Children that are a bit older can put stamps on envelopes and seal them, paperclip papers together or do other simple organizational tasks.

Of course, no matter how supportive your family and friends are, they are not going to be happy if you work 15 hours a day. Make sure that you ask for uninterrupted time to do your job or run your business, but also make sure that you schedule time for your family and friends. While you are making up that schedule, don’t forget your significant other. If you sit at your computer all evening after the children are tucked away for the night, you may end up with some serious relationship issues!

Once your family and friends are involved and you’ve scheduled time for them in your life, it is time to consider a few ways to make the most of your valuable work time. While you may be tempted to work non-stop during the time you have dedicated to your business, you should actually try to take some breaks. Taking a half-hour walk or having lunch away from your desk can really help you recharge your mind and keeps your body from growing stiff and tired. When you sit back down, you can do so with a clearer view of your goals and fresh energy and focus.

Also, don’t be afraid to make a “to do” list for your business. Write the four or five items you absolutely must do on your list and promise yourself that you will get them done before you visit your favorite forums or check your email. This can really help you get more work accomplished in less time.

So, although you may not have super powers, you can still have a home life, a business life and some time for yourself. The next time you are feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath, ask your family for some help and try out a few of these great ideas for balancing your life.

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