Posts by Michelle

Keeping the New Year Inspiration Flowing

As we approach the end of January, some of the New Year resolutions that were so inspiring at the beginning of the month may be getting brushed aside in the hustle and bustle of a typical work day. So, how do we return to those resolutions and keep the inspiration flowing through the year?

Here are some techniques I use to keep motivated and stay on track:

• Divide your business goals between short and long term
  Nothing is more overwhelming than having a huge to-do list, so when the list gets too large, it’s time to divide and conquer. Place the smaller goals first in order to build the steps to attain the bigger goals.

• Stay realistic
  After putting your list together, make sure it is something you have the ability to accomplish. Realistic goals may not seem so exciting, but the amount of success will be far greater in the end.

• Picture the end result in your mind
  Gurus from all walks of life cite this as a secret to success. Being able to focus on your end result not only puts your energy in that place, but also reminds you of the what, why, and how of your business.

For further reading, Gleb Reys offers 5 great ideas in his article entitled How to Stay Motivated over at Lifehack.org.

With these ideas in mind, as well as tuning into your own personal motivators, you should see results start to take root and grow!

Keeping Track of Content Ideas

The new year is a great time to set goals and get organized. If one of the goals for your business is to keep track of website content or newsletter ideas, an Excel spreadsheet may be the best option for ease of use, access, and storage.

As stated in my newsletter series, your ideas should be relevant to your client base, connect with them, and motivate them to move to the next level of service. So it’s a good idea for you to include these as checklist items on your spreadsheet.

Below I have included a spreadsheet that I find useful to keep track of my ideas. Feel free to download this and adapt it to suit your business needs.

>> Download our sample idea tracker (Excel, 9KB)

Conclusion of the Series, Staying in Touch with Customers Using Emails and E-newsletters

Part 6 in Michelle Finerty’s series:

Staying in Touch with Customers Using Emails and E-newsletters

Part 6 — Conclusion

As we draw to the end of the year, we also come to the end of our e-newsletter series. Here are some key points to keep in mind when writing your e-newsletter.

• Be you. Make a strong first impression, make a connection, and let your brand identity shine through.
• Be relevant. Think about what emails you read most. They are probably relevant, real, and fun to read.
• Be concise. Get your point across in 75-150 words and have a memorable subject line or e-newsletter name.
• Build a relationship. Remember email relationships are like all relationships in life. They take time to build and involve creativity, flexibility, and room for growth.

Email can be a powerful business tool when you give it your personal touch.  Utilize the practices you have learned in this series to create a successful e-newsletter to convey your message and build your customer base.

>> Read part 1, Writing a Successful E-newsletter

>> Read part 2, Selecting E-newsletter Topics

>> Read part 3, The Difference Between Emails and E-newsletters

>> Read part 4, Obtaining Customer Email Address for E-newsletters

>> Read part 5, How to Gauge Customer Response to E-newsletters