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What Story Are You Telling?

by Katie Mehas

in Content Essentials

What story are you telling?

I grew up in the dawn of the internet era.

I remember being around 12 years old and sitting at my grandparents’ monster-sized IBM, logging in to CompuServe for the first time. They were the first people I knew who had The Internet (which was very much a “capital I” sort of thing back then), and it felt like the future. They told me I was allowed to try out a text-based online game (a MUD, if you speak nerd) called “British Legends,” for which they were charged a whopping $12.95 an hour. I played for nearly an hour and a half.

Basically, you were given text prompts with short descriptions of the area you were in, and you typed back an interaction or direction. “North” or “Pick up book” or “Examine door.” It was a lot like Zork or Colossal Cave or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy game (all of which I was a big fan of at the time), except for one crucial difference:

There were other people there, too.

Real people. People who were sitting at their keyboards at their own computers literally anywhere in the world and who were playing the same game as me at that exact moment.

Naturally, the second another player walked into the room with me, I froze.

During my illustrious hour-and-a-half career in British Legends, I didn’t speak to another player, and I don’t believe any spoke to me. I do vaguely recall following someone around for two or three minutes, enamored with the idea that this was a real person exploring ahead of me. They were just a line of text — “Jimbo475 is here” — but that was the turning point for me. The Internet was full of people, and I wanted to meet them.

Of course, the knowledge that I, a 12-year-old child, was encountering other human beings online resulted in a few Very Serious Talks with my parents about Internet Safety. Because, as they explained to me, people online could be anyone. Stranger danger, gone global.

I never played British Legends again — way too expensive, and I couldn’t hog the phone line forever — but that was just the beginning of my history of meeting strangers online.

I spent some time in chat rooms in the ‘90s, mostly just watching other people have conversations (hi there, introvert). I’ve played more games than I’ll admit, including another MUD — free this time — where I logged a not-low-triple-digit number of hours in college. Social media has removed the game aspect from most of my interactions these days, but I’ll admit I do sometimes wish I had to explore the dark forest to see what those not-really-friends from high school are up to.

Some of the people I’ve met online have been creeps, of varying degrees. Some may have even been dangerous, but I never suffered more than a few vaguely intrusive (and quickly deleted) emails and private messages. Some of the people I’ve met online have turned out to be some of my dearest friends — online and in the “real world.” Being able to communicate with people all over the world has been absolutely life-changing for me.

But here’s the thing: My parents were absolutely right.

People online could be anyone. And the truth is, no one I’ve ever met online was exactly the person they are in the real world. Including my friends. Including me.

I won’t rehash what we all know about social media. Of course not every brunch I eat looks this good. Of course I took 20 selfies before I posted this one. Of course my kids were fighting 10 seconds after I took this video. If I posted my questionable oatmeal and shiny forehead and screaming children, people would be concerned, when really, it’s all pretty normal.

Every piece of content we put out for the world to read or view or watch or listen to adds to our story. It doesn’t need to be a tell-all —  no one expects your About Page to spill all your darkest secrets or your Instagram to be all #nofilter all the time — but it does need to be authentic. You can share just a portion of who you are with the world and keep other parts for yourself without telling a story that’s false. Honestly, we all do it. It’s not a bad thing.

There are parts of my life that I don’t share in my business, not because I’m ashamed of them or want to keep them secret, but because they’re not relevant to the way I choose to interact with my readers and clients and friends. I’m probably a bit softer and more gentle in my online presence when my personality is more analytical and direct, because most of our clients appreciate a softer touch before I really dive in there and get things done for them. The way I speak when I’m writing content for my own blog or website isn’t exactly how I speak, though it’s still very much me — just a bit more polished, a bit sharper, a little clearer, maybe a bit cleverer. My brand voice is not my voice, but it comes from the same place…just a little better.

Of course, there is a world of difference between polishing what we have and presenting a face that isn’t ours at all. Maybe we feel shame or fear about some aspect of ourselves and don’t want to let anyone else see that. Maybe we see something different working for other people and want a taste of their success.

But when we’re telling someone else’s story, we aren’t telling our own. The momentary success we might experience becomes a weight holding us back when we realize that it means we have to keep up the facade forever, that the people who would love to share in what we truly have to offer will never connect with us, because the story we’re telling isn’t the story they need to hear.

The masks we wear are almost guaranteed to slip from time to time. When they show a slightly less polished version of the self we’ve presented, our Right Person is likely to understand — they’ve shared a regrettable selfie or two themselves. But when our masks slip to reveal a completely different face, when the story we’re telling doesn’t match up at all with who we are underneath, there is a dissonance that is going to alienate the people we’ve worked so hard to attract.

So yes, be aware that the people you encounter online may not be exactly who they seem…but realize that behind that warning is a sense of possibility. What story do you want to tell? How can you show up online as your most authentic self, but the very best version of your authentic self? People online can be anyone. Who will you be?

High-quality, consistent, authentic content allows us to tell a story that is rich, engaging, and attractive to our Right Person. It gives us the ability to connect with the people who need what we have to offer and positions us as experts in our field. If you’re struggling with how you show up online — or if you’re doing okay but could use some help polishing your digital presence — check out our Summer School special. Now through June 24th, you can take 15% off any two courses in our classroom, including the upcoming live cohort of Run Your Business Like a Magazine, our popular content strategy course, which begins on June 25th. This time around, we’ll be hosting four live phone calls for you to get answers to all your content strategy questions, so we can connect even more directly. I can’t wait to hear what conversations we’ll have!

In the comments, I’d love to hear:

How do you determine what story you want to tell? Do you feel like your online persona matches who you are offline?

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When Excellence Is a Death Sentence for Your Business

by Katie Mehas

in Voice Values How-To

When Excellence Is a Death Sentence for Your Business

I suffer from a condition known as “analysis paralysis.”

You’ve probably been there, too.

If money didn’t matter, what career would you have? (Where do I even start? Artist? Writer? Dog petting specialist?)

If you could vacation anywhere, where would you go? (The entire world? No restrictions?)

What do you want for dinner? (Well, what am I having for lunch tomorrow?)

With a wealth of options available, it can feel next to impossible to narrow it down, especially with the entire internet at our fingertips. There are customer reviews, consumer testing, comparison charts, and “best of” lists. And let’s not even get into price hunting! When every option has its merits, choosing the best course of action can be overwhelming.

The same goes for facing down the tsunami of “what ifs” in your business, especially for those with a high Excellence value.

People with a high Excellence value are focused on offering perfection, or as close to it as possible.

You sit down and write a blog post, only to think of a completely different way of approaching the subject that might be a little better. So you write an entire second post. And then you edit it again. And again. Do you need to run an A/B test? Get an outside opinion (or five)? In the quest for one great blog post, you’ve now spent a week of working time…and your content strategy calls for doing this twice a month.

Of course, this is just for a blog post. Let’s say you want to run an online course. You need a website. A Facebook page. Twitter. Instagram? Pinterest? LinkedIn? An email list. A sales page. Graphics. Payment processing. Customer service. Maybe CRM software? A sales funnel. Maybe an e-book or a download? A webinar? An ad campaign? And have you even written your course? Is there audio? What’s your microphone situation? Audio editing software? Music cues? Beta testers? Proofreaders? Testimonials? A VA?

It can be overwhelming for any business owner, but when one of your key values — your Voice Values — is Excellence, your preparation process goes to a whole new level. You don’t just want a microphone, you want the best microphone. One round of beta testing? Why not three? If you’re on one social media service, why not all of them?

The problem is, when you want to deliver the absolute best product possible, making the best choice for every single aspect of your process often means you never actually launch the product. It’s time-consuming. It’s expensive. It’s a lot harder than shelving it and falling back on something that’s already out there — or going back to a day job. You can literally spend your entire life planning and researching and choosing the “best” options, without ever making that final decision. But if you can’t bring yourself to launch with anything but the best, you can quickly find yourself with one more step before it’s done…and one more…and one more after that. Suddenly, your Excellent business is out of business, and not only are your would-be clients missing out on what may have been the best product in your market, they’re not getting anything from you.

So how can you appease your drive for Excellence without getting stuck in the Bog of Eternal To-Do Lists?

First of all, keep it simple.

Okay, you know you want everything you do to be top-notch, but that doesn’t mean you have to do everything. It’s okay — and necessary! — to limit yourself. Focus on what matters, make those elements perfect, and let go of the rest.

You want your product to be the best it can be, so it makes sense for you to dedicate the bulk of your efforts there — whether that means an extra round of beta testing, hiring a proofreader or a copywriter (yes, we do write courses for our clients, too), or putting in a bit more background research.

Once you have a product you can stand behind, decide how you want to market it. A sales page is usually a safe bet — you want people to be able to read about your course and make the decision to sign up on their own. Any other marketing is going to drive them to this page, so this really needs to shine. Then focus on a few select channels for advertising — you probably don’t need campaigns on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and a webinar and a free download. Choose one or two (or, okay, three), but realize that if you spread yourself too thin, you’re not going to be able to offer the level of polish you expect from yourself. A marketing funnel is all about working smarter, not harder, and trying to do too many things means you’re not presenting your best self to anyone — which is exactly the opposite of what you, the high Excellence business owner, want.

Speaking of spreading yourself too thin, often one of the hardest things for someone with a high Excellence value is delegating.

Releasing that bit of control, letting someone else have a try, maybe even — *gasp* — not being thrilled with the results, it’s enough to make you want to just handle it yourself. All of it. All the time. The problem is, again, when you’re doing too much yourself, you’re not giving any one thing your best effort, which makes your high Excellence value even harder to meet.

Try reframing “delegating” as “hiring a professional.”

It’s possible you’ll still find some faults in the work that’s done on your behalf, but keep in mind that you’ve hired someone who is experienced and trained, and try to let them explain why they’ve done things the way they have. Always try to work with professionals who offer revisions as part of their process, because there’s a good chance you’ll want to fine-tune, and it doesn’t really help anyone if you end up fine-tuning by yourself after the project is delivered. But in case you do need to take matters into your own hands, be sure to leave enough space in your schedule to step in and polish until it’s up to your standards.

Finally, try viewing your expectations through the eyes of your Right Person.

As someone who holds myself to a high standard of Excellence, I know I am my harshest critic. I’ve always been a high-achiever, and if I know I can do something exceptionally, I feel like it’s my responsibility to do that. That said, there have been many times when the need for perfection has meant sleepless nights, missed opportunities, and unlaunched products. This doesn’t mean I’m about to accept unpolished as “good enough” — far from it! But I do recognize that no one expects me to single-handedly do and be all the things, all the time. Even business owners I know and respect have to rework their schedules and reframe their expectations. Just because you’d planned a weekly blog and ended up with a monthly one doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong — it just means you can focus on one great post, which may play to your strengths even better.

It’s not a matter of lowering your standards because “good enough” is fine for some people. The clients who truly appreciate your high quality are going to understand that you need to focus on a manageable number of projects so that you can give them your absolute best with the ones you choose to make your focus.

Think about a restaurant. When you visit a generic chain, you’re handed a War and Peace style menu book, with just about every option and permutation under the sun. Nachos. Salads. Burgers. Salmon. Steak. Pasta. Pizza. Fried chicken. There, it’s all about quantity. Now think about a high-end restaurant — I’m talking James Beard award, tasting menu, call for reservations and don’t expect salt on the table. Often, they’ll hand you a single slip of paper, with maybe half a dozen options for each course. Each one perfectly designed, layers of flavors and textures, paired just so. Because they know that’s the way to ensure every diner has an exceptional experience: create what you can control, make it just right, and leave the buffet to the other guys.

So go easy on yourself, high Excellence business owners. Accept that help, focus those energies. And, most importantly…don’t hold back from hitting that “publish” button.

In the comments, I’d love to hear:

Do you struggle with launching something knowing that you could make it even better with a few more hours…days…weeks…months? How do you decide when it’s time to call it “done”?

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What Is a Brand Conversation? (And Do I Need to Have One?)

by Katie Mehas

in Honors Copywriting

What Is a Brand Conversation? (And Do I Need to Have One?)

Online business gurus — especially marketers — love to talk about the “brand conversation.”

It’s one of those terms that bring people into webinars, that’s bandied around with all the hype of a proper buzzword. Synergy. Disruptors. Brand conversation. Freemium.

The thing is, a brand conversation actually means something — and something important. Whether or not you realize it, you’re having a brand conversation all the time, and what you’re saying is much more than just what you’re saying.

So what is a brand conversation?

Simply put, your brand conversation is the sum total of the ways in which your business is communicating with your readers, clients, and would-be clients. It includes the content of your blog and website, your social media, the tone of voice and language you use, and even the visual elements you’ve chosen to represent your business. Every time you communicate to the world under the guise of your business, you’re contributing to your brand conversation.

The content of your brand conversation is obviously key — it’s all about what you’re communicating, what matters most to you as a business. It’s in the subjects you write about in your blog posts, the areas you focus on when you’re creating new products and services, and the website copy you use to support them. A cohesive content strategy is key to holistic, natural SEO. It allows you to simply talk about what’s most important to you, and the keywords that flow from that conversation become the search terms most associated with your website. No need for “keyword stuffing” or any of those other shady strategies that Google (and the others) are increasingly shutting down. Think about what you would focus on if you only had five things you could discuss in your business — five areas you could focus on in your products, your blog posts, your social media. That is the core of your content strategy, and building from there gives your brand conversation focus.

Another key element in your brand conversation is the tone and language you choose you use — what we like to refer to as your brand voice. (If you haven’t already taken our complimentary Voice Values assessment — or if it’s been a while and you’re due for a check-in — now would be a good time to give it a try.) Your brand voice should sound like you, but you at your best — the you who is well-spoken and intentional about what you’re communicating and how, who has a good understanding of what is most important to you, and conveys that to your readers with confidence and consistency. It’s not the you who tends to ramble when there’s a lull in the conversation or who occasionally gets flustered when ordering pizza delivery. (Abby already did a great job explaining brand voice, here, if you’d like to learn more.) The key to a consistent brand voice is, again, setting an intention. Knowing — and embracing — your Voice Values is an easy way to do this, because it helps you focus on what truly matters to you, and it connects you with your Right Person: the ideal clients who either share your Voice Values or who need what comes most naturally to you.

We tend to focus on the brand voice aspects of your tone (as, ahem, The Voice Bureau), but the visual cues you send can be a powerful tool for establishing the texture of your brand conversation, too. We’ve created Pinterest boards for each of the Voice Values to help you begin to craft your own intentional style, but this is something that you’re likely to evolve over time (and having a great designer on speed dial doesn’t hurt).

Of course, the word “conversation” implies a two-way connection, and a brand conversation is no different. Constantly talking at your readers is more of a “brand monologue,” and while you might get some good information out that way, the value to your business is pretty limited, in the long run. If you want to humanize your brand — and as small business owners, this is often one of our biggest strengths — you need to be willing to listen, too.

But what if no one is talking back? One of the most frustrating feelings, especially early in the life of your business, is the sense that you’re simply talking to yourself. And if you’re trying to build a conversation, it can be doubly frustrating. This isn’t simply about getting the word out on your latest offering, this is about building rapport with your Right Person, about establishing a community who is engaged and invested in what you’re doing. And, yes, if no one is tuning in, it makes it a lot more difficult to use even the most stellar social media feed, the best blog posts, and your absolutely premium products and services to bring in actual sales…which spells out a pretty short shelf-life for your business.

There are a few ways you can turn your monologue into a conversation. Consistency matters, of course — blogging, e-lettering, and posting on social media on a regular basis on topics directly relevant to your brand conversation make it easier for people interested in those topics to find you through organic search or sharing. Reply to comments, and try framing your shared content with an engagement prompt such as a question or a survey, where readers will want to speak up and take part in your conversation. Sometimes, a comment will pass by you or an email may slip through the cracks, but the more your readers see you engaging with them, the more likely they are to continue building the relationship.

Then there are paid promotions. Yes, Facebook’s most recent algorithm updates mean you probably do want to set aside a marketing budget, even if it’s only a few dollars a month. There are tricks you can use to boost impressions — try engaging in back-and-forth conversations with readers in your comments, for starters — but a well-targeted $5-50 here and there will make a big difference. There’s no need to go crazy with Google AdWords and social media promotions when you’re starting out, but you may be surprised how effective a few dollars here and there can be, if you use it to promote the right things. (Think high-value offerings for your readers, like free webinars and opt-in gifts, signature products and services, special promotions, and valuable content that can be accessed without a paywall or initial investment.)

These are useful strategies, but the most effective way to build the conversation aspect of your brand conversation is through networking.

I know, I cringe just to say the word — I am the most introverted of introverts, and the idea of schmoozing at some business event is, flat-out, enough to make me pack up my laptop and head back to a day job. I have a friend (and former coworker) who loves to schmooze. He can work a room like nobody’s business and is totally in his element striking up conversations with strangers. Anytime I needed to attend an event during my time as a magazine editor, I made sure to bring him along (fortunately, he was also a photographer), so that I could hide behind him and let him make all the introductions. When I was on my own, I basically counted the seconds until I could dash out the door having claimed that I “made an appearance.”

But as a business owner, I’ve found that I can build my own network in a way that suits my not-so-schmoozy style. Around the time I started my business, I connected with a kindred spirit through some shared interests on Twitter, who introduced me to another…and another…and another… And before I knew it, I had a community, including Abby and a number of writers from our own copywriting coterie. You may or may not be so lucky, but the best way to start is to find someone — or someones — whose style resonates with your own. Try joining Facebook groups or chatting with interesting people on Twitter. Comment on blog posts that resonate with you. Start the discussion, and try to engage with whatever response you get. You’re likely to hit a few dead ends, but over time, you’ll find that you’ve begun having conversations, and those can open the doors for you to share your own content. It takes time and a bit of effort, but it’s worth it. No one wants to feel like they’re just talking to themself, even when your livelihood isn’t on the line.

So yes, you do need to have a brand conversation — but chances are, you’ve already started. Now, it’s just a matter of being intentional, engaging with your readers, and keeping it consistent. Over time, you may find that connecting with your brand conversation is one of your favorite parts of being in business — I’ve definitely found that it’s one of mine.

In the comments, I’d love to hear:

What do you find most difficult about establishing your brand conversation? Is it something you work at intentionally, or do you find that you can keep it up without setting ground rules?

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A Freelancer’s Guide to Setting Boundaries

by Katie Mehas

in Your Brand, In Business

A Freelancer's Guide to Setting Boundaries

When I was a magazine editor, the company occasionally sent us away for a day of off-site training.

One of these training sessions was based on the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. At the time, it felt pretty self-explanatory. Plan, prioritize, be proactive. Collaborate, listen, work on mutually beneficial solutions. In an office environment with limited independence and not a huge amount of input on long-term, company-wide strategy, the methods they set forth over the course of the day weren’t exactly earth-shattering.

Now that I’m at the helm of my own business, however, I find myself thinking back on that day (and not just because of the free lunch). It turns out, when you have control over literally everything your company does, effectiveness extends far beyond just hitting your deadlines. Suddenly, you’re in charge of researching the strategy to build the processes that create the products that result in the timelines that necessitate the deadlines.

No pressure.

The one habit that seemed the most superfluous at the time is now the habit I have the hardest time with, and the one that has become absolutely crucial in the sustainability of my business:

Habit #7: Sharpen the saw.

Back when I was clocking in at my cubicle every day, this seemed like the easiest thing in the world. Sure, I had days when my work spilled over into the evenings, when I would stay late or come in early or take work home for the weekend, but taking time away from my work was basically my raison d’être. I took holidays, I went out for dinner, I slept at night. I read books on the elliptical at the gym. I did yoga every Saturday morning.

Essentially all the things that went out the window when I became my own boss. (And, er, the things that went way out the window when I had kids, but that’s a whole ’nother blog post.)

When your office is 15 feet away from your bed, it’s easy to find yourself working more than you’d intended. One more email. One more blog post. One more Facebook post. One more hour…night…week…

If you find yourself caught in the cycle of overworking, it may be time to start setting some boundaries. I know this is easier said than done — it’s something I’m working on every single day. And it may feel like you’re doing your clients a disservice by not being available to them every waking moment. However, you’ll find that the version of you that’s cared-for, well-rested, and happy is ever so much more beneficial to the people you’re trying to serve than the version who’s burned-out, overworked, and ready to throw in the towel. Caring for yourself is a love letter to your clients, and setting reasonable boundaries is the first step in penning that letter.

Here are a few ways you might begin to create the space you need to thrive.

Set office hours.

I once had a conference call at 2am when I was launching a partnership experience between Disney and HSN. It was a really long night (and made for an even longer next day), but while nights like those happened from time to time when I was working a “regular” desk job, they were a break from the usual schedule, not the norm. When you create your own workday, you can easily find yourself sitting at the computer at 10:00 on a Friday night, every Friday night. Your to-do list probably has enough to keep you busy for three days straight at any given time, but if you’ve set office hours, it makes it a lot easier to say, “Okay, it’s closing time. Is there a deadline coming up that I need to finish right now, or can the rest of this list wait until tomorrow?” That way, a big project might push you into overtime, but you’re less likely to let the end of your workday creep later and later each night.

Schedule your emails.

I spend a lot of time with my phone in my hand. So when I see an email come in at 8pm, there’s a very good chance I’m reading it at 8pm. The problem is, if I sit down and send a response right away, I may get another back at 8:15…or 10:15…or 2am. This is an even bigger issue when you find yourself serving clients all over the world. When you factor in time zones, you could easily be on call 24-7, and shooting off a “quick” email reply can easily turn into another couple hours on the computer during what should be your downtime (or your bedtime). But if you schedule your email response to send out during your set office hours (see above), it doesn’t matter if you’re replying at 2am, 10am, Friday at midnight, or over Sunday brunch — you get to control when the conversation continues. I like Boomerang for this, but you may find something that works better for you.

Plan time off.

Whether this is a lunch break every day, recognizing a federal holiday or two, taking weekends off, or scheduling a week’s vacation sans internet, intentionally taking time away from your work forces you to focus on yourself for at least a little bit. And you have to be intentional about this. Remember that bit about sharpening your saw? You can’t do it if you’re constantly sawing — and the more you plug away, the duller you get. If I go too long without taking a day off, I suddenly find myself spending an hour replying to an email, and I can’t get anything done at that rate. But after a day or two away, I’m like a new person. Decide in advance when you want your time off, and let your clients know you won’t be available. This might be something you do by publicizing your office hours on your website, or maybe you just need to let clients know you’ll be away from your computer for a week in March and schedule your deadlines accordingly. If you plan to take more than a day or two away, make sure your VA is comfortable handling your email, or at least set up an autoresponder to let people know when to expect a response from you. Chances are, you’ll be able to structure your work schedule so that (almost) no one will even notice you’re gone.

Micromanage your deadlines.

You’re probably already tracking your major deadlines — blog post by Tuesday, client project next Thursday, analytics report the first of every month. But sometimes when you only list out the final dates, it can be hard to manage your time. You may find yourself feeling like you need to keep working and finish everything in one sitting, or you may end up procrastinating until you have to finish it all in one day. But what if you broke it down into even smaller deadlines? You might try spreading a blog post over a week, to get a fresh perspective on it each day (Monday: choose a topic, Tuesday: write half the post, Wednesday: second half, Thursday: edits and HTML, Friday: social media and newsletter). You might give yourself a month to outline a sales page, with micro-deadlines all along the way. The more specific you can be about what you need to accomplish in a single day, the easier it will be to log off at the end of your “work hours,” and the less likely it is you’ll be cramming (into overtime) for the deadline at the last minute.

Close the door.

This is one of the first things you read in articles about working from home: close the office door after hours so you’re not tempted to wander in for “just one more…” Well, my office became a kids’ room almost five years ago, and I now do all of my work in a room without a door. I look forward to the day when I can have a dedicated work room again, but in the meantime, I set other boundaries for myself. I may read emails on my phone, but I only reply from my computer. Unless there’s something that needs my attention right away, my laptop stays closed outside of my regular business hours. I’ll admit that I’ve pecked out more than one blog post from my phone as I sat up with unsettled children way past their bedtime, but I won’t sneak in work when we’re having actual quality time. If you have an office door, great — make use of it! But if you don’t have that space in your home, find some other way to create a barrier between your work and the rest of your life.

Find a hobby.

This ties into planning time off, but if you have something you’d really like to be doing, it makes it more fun to frame it into your schedule and makes you more likely to do it. Maybe it’s 20 minutes of a video game when you hit a certain deadline or a two-mile run every morning before you get started. Maybe it’s stand-up paddling every Saturday or a standing lunch date every Tuesday. Whatever it is you want to be doing, make it a formal part of your schedule and be firm about it. You may need to make the occasional exception when there’s a big deadline on your schedule, but making this part of your routine ensures you’re usually finding the time for it. I don’t care how much you love your work — make time for play, or you’re going to burn out eventually.

Take care of yourself.

No, this is not the same as spending time doing something you enjoy, though that’s a different part of taking care of yourself, and you need both. I’m talking about the basics: sleep, eat, shower, exercise. In the most functional terms, if you’re not caring for yourself, you’re not going to be productive. It may feel counterintuitive, but if you’re feeling worn-down, stepping away for a nap or a shower or some lunch could save you time if you’re able to come back and get work done twice as fast. (This sounds like an exaggeration. It is not. If anything, I’m understating how much this helps me.) And don’t forget to nurture a creative practice of some sort. I spend a lot of time writing copy and coming up with strategies for other people’s businesses. But if I never allow my own creative mind to roam free, I find I run out of things to say. Whatever your creative practice — reading, writing, painting, gardening — make time to let your mind wander and do something that allows you to replenish that well.

Practice saying no.

I have a bad habit of volunteering for things. The friend who needs a little resume help? Sure, I’ve got that. Looking for someone to speak at your conference? Count me in. In need of a cake for your upcoming event? I’ll bake it. What I’m learning is that I have to choose how I really want to spend my time, because when your schedule reaches a certain level of “full,” you’re going to have to give something up for every new thing you take on. I’ll gladly lose sleep to bake my brother’s wedding cake. I’m not going to put off writing a new course so that I can revamp the resume of someone I haven’t seen in 10 years. I’ll accept the invitations to sign up as an alumni interviewer for my college once I have a little more free time. It’s okay not to take everything on yourself right now. And this goes equally for those little, “One more thing…” additions to your client projects. If a request is out of scope for your project, let your client know. There’s a good chance they’d rather have you approach it fresh as a new project than try to shoehorn it into your current project as an afterthought, especially if it’s going to be to the detriment of the work you’re already doing.

Let go of your guilt.

I may be projecting here (not sure if I should blame Catholic school or motherhood for this one), but I suspect you feel a little bit guilty every time you do something just for yourself. You need to let some of this go. Not every minute needs to be dedicated to your work, and not every spare penny needs to be dedicated to training and hiring and reinvesting in your business. Sometimes, it’s not just okay, it’s necessary to, say, take an extra long lunch and get a really good massage. Remember, caring for yourself is necessary to make your work sustainable and to make you productive and efficient. Setting boundaries makes your work better. And while I certainly can’t say that I don’t feel guilt when I choose self-care over eight to ten solid hours of productivity, I know I’m a better person (mother, writer, etc.) when I do. Your clients don’t expect you to work through every weekend, every holiday, every late night — and if they do, there’s a pretty good chance you’re working for the wrong clients.

It’s so much easier to leave work at work when you have somewhere to physically leave, but that doesn’t mean that life as a freelancer has to equal endless hours and creeping schedules. When you treat yourself with care and compassion, it opens you up to increased creativity, productivity, and efficacy — and while your clients may not notice that you’ve scheduled yourself some time away from work, you can be sure they’ll notice the benefits.

In the comments, I’d love to hear:

How do you set boundaries in your business? Is there a practice you’ve tried that helps you make the space you need?

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What Happens When You Find your Right Person

by Katie Mehas

in Your Brand, In Business

We talk a lot about finding our “Right Person.”

It’s really the core of everything we do here at The Voice Bureau. The Voice Values get the most attention, but they really underline that work — they’re essentially a tool we use to signal to our Right Person that we’re a great fit for what they need.

But why the obsession with finding your Right client? Aren’t most marketing businesses focused on finding you the most clients? Isn’t that the whole point of marketing?

Well, first of all, it’s time to let go of the scarcity mindset. This idea of getting the most sales sounds great on paper. (More money! Broader reach! Success and fame and fortune!) Sounds like anything but scarcity, right? But, when you start to look closer, you realize what you’re actually saying: I’ll take anything I can get.

You wouldn’t name your grisly murder mystery novel Harry Potter and the Fluffy White Puppy in order to tap into the youth market. You wouldn’t run your therapy practice out of a taco truck in order to find clients who don’t need therapy but do want some lunch. And do you really want to pay the extra fees to have 50,000 people on your mailing list who never once open an email?

There are enough of your Right People to support you.

We’ve talked before about what happens when you say “yes” to your Wrong Person, so I won’t rehash that here. But here’s the thing to remember: you don’t need them. In fact, there are so many potential clients out there, you can speak directly to your Right Person and stay friends with your “competition” without ever running out of people to work with. I won’t tell you that it doesn’t take work, but it’s healthy and pleasant and so, so worth it.

So if it’s okay to limit your focus to your Right Person, what does that actually look like? What happens to your business when you find your Right Person?

Here are a few things you might find:

 

They buy more, and more often, with less selling.

You still need to have a great product and you need to work to get the word out, but when your Right Person is tuned in, you’ll find that that’s just what it is: getting the word out. There’s no hard sell, no bending over backwards to make exceptions and changes and customizations. Just sharing the work you do best, and connecting with the people who want what you’re offering. You actually get to focus on the work you love and not so much on the sales part (that I think we all hate). Amazing.

 

They like you. They really like you.

There have been a few times in my online business career when I really thought I’d have to give it up, and almost all of those have been when I was trying to be someone I’m not. This work just doesn’t feel sustainable if I can’t be myself, especially when I’m trying to connect authentically with my clients. But there’s something really interesting I’ve discovered: when I open up and put myself out there — introversion and opinions and flaws and all — people react. I get emails. Comments. Notes from readers who get me. Who relate to me. And I can’t tell you how amazing that feels. Not only does this business feel sustainable, it feels like it’s actually keeping me going. (Thank you.) Self-employment means we forgo the water cooler and the casual chats at a coworker’s desk, but having a quick email from a reader who’s been thinking of you more than makes up for it.

 

They thrive on your natural connection.

Do you break out in hives every time you see some marketing guru insist that you need to use vlogs to reach your audience? It’s okay, there’s a good chance your Right Person understands. Might they enjoy seeing you outside your box? Sure. But the kind of client who insists on you doing things outside of your zone of genius is also the sort of client who, mid-project, wants to change the scope…and the timeframe…and the process. In other words: if they’re asking you to change who you are before you’ve even worked together, there’s a good chance it won’t be the last time. But the ones who get you? They’ll take you the way you are. And whether you’re inherently inclined to share every detail of your life or you’re more reserved, your Right Person will not only understand, they’re right there with you.

 

They talk you up.

I can’t think of anything more genuinely flattering than a natural referral. And it’s a great way to stretch that marketing budget. (You have a marketing budget, right?) When you have the positive experience of working with your Right Person, there’s a decent chance you’ll be at the front of their mind when they have a friend looking for [insert what you do here]. On the other hand, you might be awesome at what you do, but working with your Wrong Person…well, you probably don’t want to hear what they have to say about having a bad experience, but you can be sure that someone will be hearing it. (Ugh.)

 

They trust the process.

You know how you have a particular way of doing things that really works for you? Maybe (like us), you know that you work best in writing and not on the phone. Maybe you prefer single-day intensives to long-term retainer packages. Maybe you really need your new clients to complete a series of exercises before you can get started. Your Right Person understands that you have a way of doing things, and they’re more than happy to come along for the ride, which means you get what you need to do your best work.

 

They let you live in your zone of genius.

I make no secret of the fact that I’m an introvert. My marketing style isn’t loud or pushy or in-your-face. Can I write copy for businesses who go for that sort of thing? Sure, but it’s not what I do best. It’s in my wheelhouse, but it’s not my zone of genius. The cool thing about my Right Person is that they want what I do best — which means I get to do that, instead of trying to fight against my instincts.

 

They’re excited by what you do.

A while back, I wrote about my blind spots — the things I love to do and do well that seem so natural to me, I can’t imagine anyone hiring me to do them. Organization. Project management. Content strategy. Brand voice development. They’re all things I live and breathe…and apparently, not everyone feels the same way. Turns out, there are a lot of people out there who are thrilled to have someone do those things for them. It’s a great feeling to send a project out to a client and get their enthusiastic response in return. (There have been tears. It’s true.)

 

You’ll probably find that you need to rethink your Right Person a few times throughout the course of your work, and it’s also possible that your Right Person blog reader and your Right Person paying client aren’t the same person. It’s great to imagine that you can just be yourself and the money will come rolling in, but you do need to keep working to get yourself in front of the right eyes, and it takes more than just “being yourself” to run a successful business. But when you focus on the Right Person and manage to connect with them, it’s absolutely magical, in every way. And there’s plenty to fill your schedule — trust me.

In the comments, I’d love to hear:

What sort of experiences have you had working with your Right Person?

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