Debra Kasowski

Are You Having Trouble Coming Up With Fresh Content for Your Ezine?

by 4 Comments

Many woman entrepreneurs have been telling me that they are having trouble coming up with ideas or content for their newsletters. I was in the same position when I started out a couple years ago. I would have a burst of energy and power write a couple articles and fit one into my ezine then I would hit a plateau. Sound familiar?

How do you juggle family and keeping up with an ezine? Juggling a family and a business can be trying when you are trying to keep breast on the latest and greatest content for your readers. There were some late nights and some nights I would only write one paragraph at a time but the ezine got done. You make it work for you. Consistency is definitely something to work towards.

Where can I get ideas for fresh content? One of the first places I would tell you to go is your blog. Re-purpose your blog. Change the title and reword a few lines here and there. You might even dig deeper into some of the tips and techniques you share. You may also want to check out what others in the same industry as you are talking about on their blogs or websites. Pay attention to some of the comments posted by readers. The comments may generate a few solutions you could write about. Write a book review or recommendation about one of the books you just read and share the lessons you took away from it with your audience. Make sure you Tweet or Facebook the author – I am sure they would appreciate your feedback. Share some of your challenges or celebrations you have encountered while running your business. What are some of the headlines of the magazines you read? What are your audience’s needs or what questions do they need answers to? Be the solution. If you are really stuck, send out a survey and ask your readers what they want or need to know!  Content is everywhere. What you think is simple, someone is still learning.

Is there a system to creating content? Just as a story is prepared, so is your content. You should have an introduction to your topic, 3-5 tips you plan to share and expand on, and a conclusion summarizing your key points. Suggest a challenge, a call to action, or even a question that will facilitate thought so that the reader with continue to think about your message and even share it. Save quotes and articles that interest you. These topics can also stimulate ideas for fresh valuable content.

Decide how frequently you want to send out your ezine – weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Select a theme or topic you want to touch on for the month and then break it down. This exercise will help you stay motivated and keep focused on creating content for your ezine. Creating content can be fun and profitable especially when it grabs your readers’ attention.

Please share how you create content for your ezine.

How to Stay Focused with the Distractions of Summer?

by 2 Comments

Have you let things slide because you have been distracted by the summer heat or the lake calling your name? It is okay for a little while but do not let it go too long or you might have trouble getting on track. I want to give you a few tips to stay focused so you can have fun with your family and friends and keep your business thriving.

What can you do while you are a passenger in a car on the way to my destination?

  • Write out thank you cards. A word of thanks does not need a whole lot of time but the time you spend appreciating someone can have infinite returns.
  • Write out your Tweets or Facebook posts for the week or month.
  • Write a paragraph or two for that new article, blog post, or book that you are writing.
  • Read a magazine or book related to your subject matter or expertise. Hone your skills.
  • Perform vocal exercises. Get everyone in the car to join in – create your own choir!
  • Listen to audiobooks or recorded teleseminars so you are continuously learning.
  • Record your thoughts on audio for your next article, blog post, or book. Prepare a podcast.
  • Plan out your marketing strategy for the month. Set 3 new goals for the next 3 months.
  • Meditate or pray – clearing your mind.
  • Plan your days to have 30-60 minutes of time for yourself during your trip.

Vacations are great to recharge and reconnect with your family and friends. You definitely need some downtime. The suggestions up above need only take 20 minutes or as long as you want to keep the momentum going while you get refreshed!

What do you do to keep focused on what you want for your business  during the heat of summer?

Do You Want to Know What Is Really Blocking Your Success?

by Leave a Comment

Do you have a dream or a goal that you have been working on but just don’t seem to be getting anywhere? Do you feel think you are spinning your wheels or maybe you have a hit a plateau? Do you ever sit back and wonder if success is in your future? One of the most vital components to is how you think…yes your mindset. The biggest obstacle blocking your success is YOU! Ouch! I know. We often think of roadblocks as being those obstacles outside of ourselves however, we have more control than we think. So much for blaming and complaining about all those other people around us.

What Can You Do Unblock Your Success?

  • Define What Success Means to You. Success means different things to different people. For people, success is define by money, cars, homes, and vacations. Whereas others view success as the quality of their relationships, their free time, and their accomplishments.
  • Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life and Your Success. You are the only one responsible for your success. Are you giving your best effort? Are you spending your time where you excel? Are you owning what you do? No complaining, blaming, or excuses allowed!
  • Keep Positive. We have an express train ideas every minute with thoughts and ideas. Some are good and some are not so good. You need to reframe them. Most of the time, believe it or not, it tends to be negative chatter questioning our every move. You may hear things like, “What makes you think you can do that?”, “You are not as good as..”, and “Who is going to listen to you?” It is time to silence that voice but saying “YES, I can.”,  “I am good – I am great – there is no one like me.”, and “My voice needs to be heard.” Be kind to yourself. Would you speak to others the way you talk to yourself?
  • Set Defined Goals with Deadlines and Expected Outcome. Write down what it is you wish to achieve. Break it down into smaller tasks. Create a road map of your plans and strategize what you can delegate. There are no “one hit wonders” in sustainable success.
  • Take Action. My favorite!!! When you take even the smallest action step, you create a momentum that can lead to big results. Your mindset will begin to focus on getting the results you want.

Your mindset is the most powerful thing in the world. When you focus on what you want to achieve versus what you do not want, you are more likely to get it. Your success is not determined by mindset alone. You must take action to achieve what you want. Now go out there and take on the day!

 

5 Deadly Mistakes People Make When Writing their Blogs

by 1 Comment

Blogging is a great way to get your message out to the world and let your voice be heard. Blogs increase your visibility online, help develop relationships with your followers, and create a venue where you can share your expertise and impact the world. In the world of blogging, there are 5 deadly mistakes that prevent bloggers from getting followers to ready their blogs:

  1. Blog Title Does Not Capture the Reader’s Attention. You want to engage your readers with titles that pique your readers interest in the form of questions, revealed mistakes, or lessons learned. Ask yourself – What is the purpose of this blog? Why should they read it? What do I think the reader wants or needs to know?
  2. Too Much Jargon. Avoid using words that readers may not understand. If you are trying to educate them, provide a definition and example for better understanding of the concept you are trying to share. Simple plain language can make a big impact.
  3. No Visuals. Everyone does not learn or read the same way. Visuals create a connection with those who are visual learners. They remember what you wrote by what by the image they remember. Choose graphics that relate to your content.
  4. No white space. A page full of text loses your readers attention. Insert graphics and lists to break up your blog post. Let your reader’s eyes have a chance to rest and let them reflect on what they just read.
  5. Too verbose. Again, lots of words on the page does not mean it will be read or remembered. Stick to  blog posts that are 250-450 words. Use bullets, lists, and subtitles to break up your page. Readers are busy and they value reading that is quick and scannable. Bullets and lists help with quick reads and allow your reader to learn more about your topic in a limited time.

These mistakes can be easily corrected. Create your strategy or template that will help you develop blog content that people want to share. Your voice matters.

How to Gain Control Over Your Fears

by Leave a Comment

I think each one of us has a fear of something that we work toward overcoming. Some people try to hide from their fears whereas others tiptoe around them. I am not a big fan of speed but I challenged myself to try the West Coast Slide. It is a sled on a track that has a joystick allowing you to accelerate or brake. The whole slide time is under 30 seconds. I had mentioned how I thought this ride was pretty amazing! The attendant said it was because I had control! How very true. Your fears dissipate when you feel that you have control. Think about an area in your life where you would like to feel that you are in control rather than living in fear.

Here are 3 Ways to Gain Control Over Your Fears:

  • Evaluate the Odds. Learn what you need to learn in order to feel more comfortable with taking action. This is often refered to as, due diligence. Investigate the risks and what you need to do in order to mitigate them – then take action.
  • Practice, Practice, Practice. The more prepared you are for what you want to do, the more natural it will feel. You will be able to go through the motions with confidence and get the results that you want.
  • Mind Over Matter. Many of the fears you have are perceived and probably would never occur. Sometimes, you just need to ask yourself – What is the worst thing that could happen? How likely is it that this could occur? Do I know 100% that what I fear will come true? Chances are you do not know. Prepare your mind for victory. Shift your mindset by asking yourself – What will it feel like to conquer that fear and achieve what you want?

Do not let your fears hold you back from truly experiencing what life has to offer! Live fully and be rich from the inside out!

Please share how you overcome some of your fears!