Long time, no see–I’ve missed you! I hurt my back right around the time of the last post and since then, typing or any sitting at the computer, has been cut to the bare minimum so that I could recover. Which meant giving up some of my very favorite things–like writing to you–so that I could make sure I kept my clients taken care of and projects on track while letting my body heal.

I’m finally starting to feel better, and though it’ll still be a bit longer before I’m back to my old self, I could not wait any longer to say hello. So, hello!

Today, I’m wondering why the heck you do a newsletter (or a blog, if you do that instead). Is it a way to “pay” for your readers’ attention and goodwill so they’ll feel indebted and buy from you? Is it a place to sell more stuff?

Or, is it a place to try out new ideas, ask questions and explore your field? A place where you can gather feedback and have a conversation with some of your favorite people?

Is it a mashup of all of this?

Or do you just plain do it because the gurus said you had to and you wish you could stop?… Keep reading

Today I have a great piece for you about using your Spotlight Style to design a multimedia strategy that will get you clients... But it needs to be delivered as an audio and I have absolutely no voice. I've tried everything (teas, honey, etc, etc) and no-go. I promise it's well worth waiting for and to give you a tiny taste, if you're the Edith Head type, you'll be learning once and for all why blogging traditionally will never work for you...

Full size image, and a bit of back story on why the heck I picked this quote when you continue reading this story.

Two years ago, the 8 x 10 storage shed in my backyard was a problem. It blocked a window, wasn’t very convenient to use, and was taking up space that would have made a great patio.

But, I couldn’t move it myself and wasn’t quite sure how to go about *getting* it moved. And so it sat in its inconvenient spot for over a year.

Sometimes, big projects, whether a storage shed relocation or newsletter issue get put on the back burner because we’re not sure how to move forward. And sometimes, we put them on hold because we can’t give them the attention they need.

In my case, a quick call to my dad, a couple weeks of planning, and the shed was relocated completely in two days. In your case, let’s take a look at 5 great ways to get your newsletter back on track in a lot less time.

Brainstorm Possibilities

If your newsletter feels like too much work, it probably is. Brainstorm alternatives. Ask other people how they do their newsletters and what they’ve done to make them easier.

When a new client tells me they’ve been procrastinating about publishing their newsletter, it’s consistently because they’ve assumed they had to do things the hard way.… Keep reading

This weekend was the local Oktoberfest celebration and though it rained all night the night before and stayed gray and windy the whole day *of* it was still great fun to wander around the Main Street shops and booths. There’s lots to love about small town celebrations like these, but what I especially adore is meeting all the craftspeople who pour so much of themselves into their work. Oh, sure, there are business mishaps galore (business cards, people, bring lots and lots of business cards!) but getting to chat with the woman who makes clay badge holders or the man who made amazing copper sculptures–it’s a really delightful way to spend a Saturday morning, learning what people are most passionate about building.

October tends to make me feel a little gray around the edges, a little uncreative and dull. I think it has a lot to do with the way everything is winding down and part of me wants to say, “But there’s so much I want to get done by the end of the year!” But, even more than that, a few years back, my friend Christi Collins wrote about how the fall can be a season of grief and I’ve decided this year to let the season support me in winding down, letting go, and wrapping up a bunch of projects.… Keep reading

There are a few things that have been going out in the newsletter that I haven't been posting to the blog. (Which, btw is a great reason to sign up for the newsletter!)

How to Get Clients

First, if you haven't yet checked out my call on Emergency Client Attraction, do. We did the live call about a month ago, and the recording's been edited and is ready for download. Already people who were on the live call are racking up thousands of dollars worth of new business and they're just getting started. I'll be adding testimonials to that page soon, and when I do, I'll also be making other changes, including raising the price... So, why not pick it up now so you can get started attracting clients right away *and* save yourself some coin!

Where Else You Can Find Me

Also, I've been doing more guest posting lately. Usually, I turn down requests to write guest posts because I don't have much time for it, but as part of another project I've been squeezing in more writing time, so, enjoy these three new posts:

Apparently, double opt in versus single opt in* is making the rounds again because I’ve been getting a lot of emails about it. If you, too, have been wondering whether single opt in or double opt in is better, there’s only one question you need to answer:

Are you looking for readers who take the time to read and follow directions or for people who can’t be bothered?

If you’re building a list in which you plan to have strong relationships with your readers, your answer is easy. If you’re All About The Numbers and just want a big list in a hurry, then, sure, single opt in will do you just fine.

If you do it right, you can easily get 90% of potential subscribers to take the extra step. The 10% you’ll lose, in my opinion, probably wouldn’t have been the best subscribers anyway.

But, don’t just take my word for it. I recently reconfirmed a client’s list. They had 10,000+ subscribers and I warned them to expect to come through the process with a list of no more than 5000. Turned out, I was wrong–they came through with a list of 2000. Yipes!

We spent about a month on intensive list growth, this time with a double opt in policy firmly in place.… Keep reading

Last Saturday, I offered a call on how to get web design clients (and copywriting clients). (By the way, you're welcome to pick it up and you'll get the recording and all the materials.) I don't do a lot of teleclasses, so I carefully tested my tech for this one. I recruited a friend to listen in and make sure things worked properly. And then came Saturday. I called in early, chatted with an early arrival (not seeing that new people had joined us--I didn't realize the system I was using didn't have an entry chime--sorry guys!) and then started the recording. Or so I thought...