Productivity Challenge 2015 Begins!
Download this entire Productivity Challenge as a PDF for further reference and study here.
I thought I would begin my fifth annual Productivity Challenge (2015 promises to be the best ever!) by sharing a post from the Invoca Blog. Invoca is a software company in Santa Barbara. They develop inbound call technology that generates phone numbers for telemarketing, then routes and tracks the calls and sales that result. In a recent blog post they outlined 11 Easy Tips Guaranteed to Prevent Productivity Burnout and I have to say this list is an excellent article.
Tip #2 discusses the concept of ‘talking out loud’ and they state: “Getting your story right takes practice, and it’s not going to come out right the first time. The best way to hone your message and your story is to verbalize it and talk it through with people.” This continues to work well for me in all situations.
Tip #11 is to be proud of what you have accomplished and they write: “Don’t forget to be proud of your work. If you aren’t excited about your work, no one else will be, and it will suck the motivation right out of you for future projects. Take pride in what you did well, and know that you always have another chance to improve. Perfectionism is your enemy! It’s amazing how much your productivity will change with the right mindset.”
With this we begin year number five of my annual Productivity Challenge. 2015 can be your best year ever if you set and achieve the goals you have designed for yourself. If you would like to participate in this 30 day challenge please leave a comment below, along with a goal you will be working on. The community is where you are encouraged, ask questions, and take action on what you want to do while sharing it with others who are reading this blog.
Day 2 – Take an honest look at your online business to determine what you have in place and what you still need to set up. These are some things you will need in order to get started:
- Hosted WordPress site – If you need hosting, I recommend Blue Host; if you need domains, I recommend GoDaddy.
- Separate optin page(s) – You want to attract people from a variety of demographics.
- Free Giveaway – Put together a short report or audio that will be irresistible to people searching for information on your niche topic.
- Something to sell – In the beginning this will most likely be an affiliate product, then after you learn more you will want to begin creating your own line of products and even a coaching/consulting/mentoring program as a part of your inventory. Take it at your own speed and know that everything is possible when you continue to take action on a daily basis.
Day 3 – Content Marketing is the fastest way to making a name for yourself online and for getting your message out to the world. With your blog being your ‘Home of the Internet’, blogging regularly becomes the method that will allow you to find your voice and get people interested in you and what you are doing. This has led to authorship for me, which has helped me to grow my business exponentially over the years. You may also create content with videos, audios, and by speaking and presenting in person. I continue to engage in all of these strategies to grow my business. What are you doing to create content regularly? (On Day 18 I go into greater detail as to how you may create fresh, relevant content on your blog to grow your business quickly and effectively, while also increasing your credibility over time.)
Leave a new comment here to tell us more about your blog and your niche topic.
Day 4 – Mindset is the most important part of entrepreneurship, yet few people are taking the time to get their heads around this. I like to have quiet time each morning and evening to reflect upon my goals. Some people call this prayer or meditation, but I find it is all quite similar as we ask for guidance in our daily lives. Understanding your purpose in life and expanding that to include your business goals and aspirations is crucial to your success, in my honest and humble opinion.
Remember Tip #11 from the post I curated on Day 1 from Invoca – ‘Perfectionism is your enemy!’
I also read inspirational, motivational business books and listen to books on tape. The book I am reading right now is called The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries.
What are you doing to improve your mindset? What are you reading?
Day 5 – Let’s Get Social! The world has changed since I came online back in 2006. Now we have access to the world every moment of the day through social media, and it’s an excellent idea for you to be connected everywhere for maximum results. Here are the sites that I find most helpful in growing my business:
Twitter – I’m ConnieGreen on Twitter
Facebook – I’m ConnieRagenGreen on Facebook
LinkedIn – I’m ConnieRagenGreen on LinkedIn
YouTube – I’m ConnieRagenGreen on my YouTube Channel
Instagram – I’m ConnieRagenGreen on Instagram
Pinterest – I’m Connie R Green on Pinterest
It is now easier than ever to stay connected with your prospects, customers, and clients on a daily basis through social media, without having to actually be there in person every day. At his very moment someone is watching my videos on YouTube, reading my latest post or tweet or photo, or perusing my profile over on LinkedIn. When people tell me I am everywhere, this is typically what they are referring to. You can increase and enhance your visibility exponentially through the appropriate use of social media channels.
Where can we find YOU on social media? Let us know so we can friend/follow/connect with you.
Day 6 – How and why have you come to be in the niche you have chosen? If you’re still deciding on a niche, how may I help you with this? I started out by helping others to write, edit, and market eBooks online, because my experience as a classroom teacher made that an obvious choice. Within a couple of years I was confident enough to move into the online marketing niche.
Visualize a three circle Venn Diagram, where the upper left hand circle is for your passions, the right hand circle represents your life experiences and education, and the bottom circle stands for the marketplace. Where these three circles come together is your ‘sweet spot’, which means that what you love and what you have knowledge about meets the market to sell your products, ideas, information, and training. This will serve as a guide to help you get started off in the niche that will serve your needs as an online entrepreneur.
Let’s have a discussion on this topic in the comments area.
Day 7 – What’s for sale? This may seem like a rhetorical question, but your answer is telling when it comes to online entrepreneurship. If you are in business you must have inventory to sell. I have almost forty of my own products, courses, books, and trainings, as well as my ongoing Mentoring. What do you have for sale. Without including any links, give me an idea of what potential clients are able to purchase from you directly or through your affiliate links right now.
Day 8 – Affiliate Marketing is the business model of recommending what you use, benefit from, and love to others. Which affiliate platforms do you prefer, and are you an affiliate for my Really Simple Podcasting course?
Affiliate marketing continues to account for almost half of my income each month. What do you need to know about this excellent business model?
Day 9 – Your Mission Statement defines the reason you are in business. Mine is that I help new online entrepreneurs to choose a niche and a business model based on their interests and experiences where they will be able to serve others who are looking for solutions to their problems in this area. Think about the people you wish to serve and how you will help them to achieve their goals, based on your own interests and experiences. Share your Mission Statement with us in the comments below.
Day 10 – Becoming a local celebrity is something that I’ve taught for years now. I did this inadvertently when I first came online, and now I do it intentionally to build my credibility and increase visibility. This is what I recommend:
- Reach out to the local newspaper and magazines in your city and offer to write a regular column on your topic.
- Contact the local radio station(s) to see if you could be a guest on one of their shows.
- Connect with local business owners by attending meetings of the Chamber of Commerce, service organizations, and non-profits.
- Volunteer with at least one non-profit whose Mission Statement resonates with you.
This is how I got started in Santa Clarita, California nine years ago, and now I’m doing the same thing in Santa Barbara. This has led to massive exposure in both cities, and opportunities to be a part of groups and projects that continue to help me build my business. You can do the same thing if you’re willing to take the time and make the effort on a consistent basis.
Day 11 – Leverage your voice when it comes to building your list and increasing your credibility and visibility. When we simply write email messages and social media posts to our prospects we remain flat and one dimensional. By allowing others to hear our voice, with all of its inflections and mood, this fleshes us out and we are preceived in a much different way. I use Instant Teleseminar for this purpose and have done more than ten thousand hours of recordings over the past nine years. You may hear my most recent recording at Ask Connie Anything. I also host two podcasts that are available on iTunes.
Let us know where we may hear your voice, whether it is on your podcast, a teleseminar, a webinar, or somewhere else.
Day 12 – Attending live events is the fastest way to make a name for yourself and your business. I host two of my own live events each year, as well as three or four smaller ones in Santa Barbara that I refer to as ‘retreats’. I also speak at and/or attend anywhere from five to ten other events each year to connect with people and keep current with my industry.
In the very beginning I was reluctant to spend the time and money to go to live events and workshops because I thought it was cost prohibitive; soon I found out that it was well worth the cost of the event, the airfare, the hotel, and the other expenses because my return was so great.
Are you attending live events to grow your business? Give us some details about the events you attend and what you look for before you decide to commit to attending someone’s event.
Day 13 – Working with a Mentor changes everything and shows you are serious about growing your business. I continue to work with Mentors and know that I will always have much to learn and improve upon as an entrepreneur. I also run a successful Mentor program of my own.
Are you working with a Mentor currently? What does that look like in your business?
Be sure to leave a comment and let us know where we may find your blog or website. And I promise to answer all of your questions personally. Please introduce yourself!
Day 14 – Writing a book on your topic has become a necessity as the Internet and online entrepreneurship gets more and more competitive. I continue to teach people how to do this as a part of my Write. Publish. Prosper. course and bestselling book, and you can do this successfully when you know how. Creating a focused and organized outline is the key to success with this, and I now have eleven books to my credit.
What questions do you have for me in the area of authorship for entrepreneurs?
Day 15 – Creating information products does not have to be a difficult process. Simply interview people on a topic of interest to your niche and sell the recordings; write a short eBook or report that teaches one aspect of your topic; or host a webinar where you teach people who to do something of benefit to them. These are three ways to create your own information product quickly and easily. Later on, as you progress as an online entrepreneur and become more sophisticated, use these first products as bonuses for your newer ones.
You have now made it to the halfway mark of the 2015 Productivity Challenge – congratulations!
Day 16 – What are you reading? I first mentioned this on Day 1, but now I’d like to discuss that further. When I was first online I made the conscious decision to give up reading fiction to focus on business books. The idea was that I could give myself a business education by reading books written by some of the thought leaders working online as entrepreneurs. The results continue to pay off as I learn from some of the best minds working on the Internet. My first recommendation is The 10X Rule: The Only Real Difference Between Success and Failure from Grant Cardone. I have now read this book three times and learn something new each time I do so.
What are you reading?
Day 17 – Reaching out to Mentors and thought leaders in your niche is an excellent way to rise to the top in your business. It used to be that people like I am describing here were very hard to reach, but with the advent of social media you are now able to reach out to almost anyone you can imagine.
Make a list of people with whom you would like to have a conversation about what they are doing in their business and how they were able to achieve their goals. Offer to interview them orally or through written communication for your podcast or blog. This can be the first step to connecting with someone who could help you to grow your business and change your life.
Day 18 – Back on Day 3 I referred to your blog as being your ‘Home on the Internet’, something I have believed in strongly since coming online in 2006. I had said that posting to your blog was one way to use ‘content marketing’ as a viable strategy to build your business. Let’s take a closer look at the ways you can make sure that you always have enough content for your blog, and at the benefits of pushing out relevant content on a regular basis.
The most desirable way to create content for your blog is to come up with your own original ideas and to then write a post about them. This will become easier with practice, as does anything we do with regularity and purpose. Your goal is to compose a post of approximately three hundred to five hundred words at least once a week, and preferably twice each week. Periodically, write a longer post (something I refer to as a ‘flagship’ post, comprised of seven hundred fifty to a thousand words) where you refer to and link back to one of more of your previous posts. These posts could be about your thoughts and opinions on your topic, a review of something you are using and benefiting from, your life experiences (as related to the topic of your post), or a written interview with someone who is known in your field. I highly recommend that you create a blogging calendar and schedule for yourself so that you will always know what you are writing next.
Another strategy for content creation on your blog is to ask others to write guest posts for your site. The idea here is to have others create content for you while also giving them a platform and exposure to your audience. You decide what the topic should be, the length of the post, and other details pertaining to what you would like for them to write on your behalf. At the end of their post your guest blogger will write the equivalent of a resource box where they will include a link back to their own blog or main site, information on how to connect with them via social media, and anything else you have agreed upon mutually before you asked the person to write for you. Nicole Dean created a very helpful training that you might want to pick up at Guest Blogging Secrets.
Curation is yet another way to add valuable and relevant content to your blog. I modeled this strategy here in this post on Day 1 by linking to and curating a post from the Invoca blog on productivity. If you are reading blogs in your niche and op topics you are interested in, as I believe we should all be doing, then you will have an almost endless supply of content to refer to and use on your own site through the process of blog curation.
The fourth way to create content for your blog is to use PLR (private label rights) content. There are several sources for this that I consider to be the highest quality available, and this includes content created by Coach Glue, Alice Seba, and Ronnie Nijmeh. You can use this content ‘as is’, or slightly rewrite it so that it is in your voice. I find this content to be so complete that I seldom do more than just a slight rewrite before posting it to one or both of my blogs.
Now that you see how easily you can have fresh content on your sites regularly, make it a point to schedule out what and when you will do so. Google and the other search engines will love your blog, and you will soon find that your list is growing and your business is taking off in a way that you may not have previously experienced.
Day 19 – What’s Your Plan? Every successful business starts out with a plan, and as an online entrepreneur you must know where you would like to go before you start running enthusiastically in the wrong direction. We’ve touched upon this briefly in this Productivity Challenge, but now I’d like to go more in depth to give you a better sense of what I mean by this.
Your business plan will include the following things:
- the target audience you will be speaking to
- your niche market
- your revenue model
- your day to day operating procedures
We tend to go after a target audience that is very similar to ourselves. For example, when I began online I was reaching out to people who had left a job that no longer served them in favor of having a business they could run from home.
Your niche market will be one in which you have a strong interest, some experience, and that has a viable market, meaning that people are already selling something that others are purchasing.
Your revenue model may be that of selling information products, affiliate marketing, coaching/mentoring, consulting, helping small businesses, sourcing and marketing physical products, authorship, or any combination of these. I recommending starting with no more than two revenue models and becoming skilled at them before adding additional streams of revenue.
What I am referring to with your day to day operations is how your business will accomplish its goals. I worked all alone during my first few months online before adding a webmaster to help me a few hours each week. I now have about a dozen people from around the world who help me with various aspects of my business. This includes booking my travel, creating and rewriting content, technical assistance, help with graphics, customer service, and overseeing my longer range projects. This frees me up to do the things I am best at doing, such as writing, teaching, presenting, and mentoring others.
Leave a comment to let us know what your plan is for your business as an online entrepreneur.
Day 20 – Positive Thinking for Entrepreneurs – On Day 4 I discussed mindset, and the importance of staying inspired and motivated as you build your online business. Today I wrote a blog post on the topic of positive thinking for entrepreneurs that I would like for you to read and comment on. If this concept is crucial to your success, then why isn’t it a part of your daily routine?
Day 21 – Web Sales Copy is copywriting for the Internet. I’ve made a study of this over my nine years of selling products and courses online and love sharing some of the principles with those who are new to the life of an online entrepreneur. Let’s start with a discussion of headlines. One of my favorites uses this formula:
“They Laughed When I _______, But When I _______ They All Took Notice.”
The most famous version of this one is:
“They laughed when I sat down at the piano, but when I started to play…”
Fill in the blanks for this one to suit your own niche, and share a favorite headline of your own in the comments section here.
Day 22 – Focus and Clarity – The idea of multitasking is just that; it’s an idea that does not exist in reality. You can prove this to yourself by simply trying to hold a conversation with someone while watching a television program. It is just not possible to do both with any level of proficiency. Maintaining focus and clarity as you build your business will be crucial to your success.
Make room in your life for the new tasks and activities will be required of you as an online entrepreneur. What must you give up in order to achieve your goals? I gave up all television and going to most films during my first year online. I also gave up reading all fiction books in favor of reading business books to educate myself in areas where I was lacking knowledge.
Choose just ONE thing to become an expert in for your business. By becoming single-minded in your focus and efforts you will be able to achieve great things. My ONE thing was writing during my first three years online. Since then I have added additional goals, but I never work on more than one goal at a time and only three during any given one year period. This strategy works!
Share your thoughts and experiences with us here.
Day 23 – Your Reason Why – Typically I would start my Productivity Challenge with this topic, but this year I wanted to make sure everyone was focused and taking action before coming back to this. Having a powerful reason why you are risking so much to have the life of an online entrepreneur is important, and you will be much more successful if you know why you are doing it each day. My ‘Reason Why’ includes my desire to have time freedom and financial freedom to live the life I love and deserve, wanting to give back to my community, family, and friends in a variety of ways, and to help new entrepreneurs get started with a lucrative business they can run from home, or from wherever they have an Internet connection.
What is your ‘reason why’? What are you risking in order to start and grow your online business, and what rewards are you expecting as a result of this process?
Day 24 – Take action now for best results. I was speaking with one of my mentees today and we were discussing how the same things that worked when I came online in 2006 still work today. It seems that people are searching for a way to make easy money online, but you must remember this is a business like any other and requires hard work and dedication. If you are willing to do that then you will be successful.
When I was just starting out I committed to working seven days a week on my business, even if that meant only spending fifteen minutes on a Sunday, holiday, or special family occasion. This kept my business top of mind so that I could expand my thinking, learn more, and take action and implement quickly. It worked out very well, and now I am enjoying the fruits of my hard work back in the beginning of my career as an online entrepreneur.
What are your thoughts on this?
Day 25 – Create an E-Course for your existing list, or to start an additional list on your niche topic. An e-course is a series of very short (two or three paragraphs is fine) lessons to educate people on a specific aspect of the topic you are an expert in online. Choose an area where you could break it down into about seven daily lessons. Have a call to action at the end of each lesson. On day three or four offer prospects a link to the PDF of the entire e-course, in case they miss a day or two during the time they are going through it. An e-course actually becomes a new product for you that you may sell or offer as a bonus in the future.
Day 26 – Copywriting is the single most useful skillful you can cultivate as part of your journey as an online entrepreneur. On Day 21 we touched upon this, but now let’s go into greater depth. Here are some of the most important elements of sales copy for the web:
- Headlines (including your pre-headline and sub-headlines)
- Teaser
- Reason Why
- Scarcity/Urgency
- Features and Benefits
- Storytelling/Case Studies
- Guarantee
- Testimonials
- Bonuses
- Cost Comparison
- Recap
- ‘Columbo’ Technique
- P.S. and P.P.S.
- Call to Action
Writing sales copy for the web was taught to me long before I had anything of my own to sell. I spent many an hour hand writing my copy and going through it with a fine toothed comb to make sure I had included all of the elements I have listed above. I recommend that you do the same thing, and this will pay for itself many times over as your business grows.
I have outlined all of these and gone into greater detail in my now well known ‘Copywriting Checklist’. Leave a comment here if you would like to receive a copy of this as my complimentary gift to you.
Day 27 – Your business model will be the most important part of how you choose to build your business as an online entrepreneur. There are a variety of ways to monetize what you are involved in online, including:
- Information Products and Online Courses
- Books (eBooks, Kindle, paperback)
- Affiliate Marketing
- Local Business Marketing
- Physical Products (private label, retail arbitrage, wholesaling)
- Mentoring/Coaching/Consulting
Please share your own strategies with us here, and ask any questions you would like for me to answer on this topic.
Day 28 – Your work ethic will determine the level of success you are able to achieve, and how quickly you can change your circumstances via your online business. Remember that this is a business like any other, and that you must stay focused and dedicated to creating an online business as an entrepreneur. Once I became more disciplined in my approach to working from home and making things happen in a way that served me, everything changed and my income grew exponentially.
What are some things that you do regularly to stay on task and avoid ‘Bright Shiny Object Syndrome?
(Download a Complimentary Course on this topic by clicking here)
Day 29 – Become a Problem Solver – Choosing just one activity to implement each day will enable you to become a problem solver and successful online entrepreneur.
Dennis Becker offers an inexpensive course on achieving ten challenges over a 10 day period that you will benefit from greatly. Once we understand that solving problems for our target market is what makes our businesses worthwhile, we are able to move forward quickly and profitably.
Day 30 – This is the last day for the 2015 Productivity Challenge, so I’d like to challenge you to continue building your business based on what was shared here over the past thirty days. I have always planned my business at least one quarter in advance, so here are just a few of the things I have planned for the remainder of 2015:
- An Online Marketing Incubator where entrepreneurs can gather to learn and share their best practices and strategies. I’ll be opening this up at the beginning of September.
- Additional courses in my ‘Really Simple…’ series, intended to focus on one strategy at a time to help new online entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
- New book entitled Book. Blog. Broadcast. – The Trifecta of Entrepreneurial Success.
- A series of chapter books geared to children ages eight to twelve. I’ve wanted to do this for some time and now intend to publish these books under a pen name.
- A live event for online entrepreneurs based upon my new Incubator. This three day event will be held during October is Los Angeles, California.
What are your business goals and plans for the remainder of 2015? Do you have a Mentor and Mastermind group to help you stay on track and achieve what you what you intend to do with grace and ease?
I’m in!
Perfect timing. The real estate spring has hit with a vengeance, making it more challenging to keep consistent with my online business commitments and goals.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Cheryl
Cheryl Major recently posted…The Role of Supplements When Eating an Alkaline Diet
So glad to have you aboard for this years Productivity Challenge, Cheryl. Yes, it takes true commitment and dedication to see your goals through to fruition. You can do it!
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Tips for Entrepreneurs
Glad to be here! Thanks for the invitation Connie
Welcome aboard, Andrew. You have now taken our 2015 Productivity Challenge international, so thank you for that.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Challenge 2015
Time to revamp my website and blog. Excited to be adding a whole new dimension to my practice. Thanks for the invite Connie!
Máire, so glad to see you here again! Can’t wait to hear more about your new venture.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Challenge 2015
Thank you are doing this again this year. I am going to be 1) posting at least 8 blog posts to rontester.com and 2) developing and deploying an information product to help people who want to hire a Virtual Assistant know what to do and how to do it. There will be more, I’m sure, but that is where I am starting.
Ron Tester recently posted…Profitable Market Research â The Top 7 Reasons You Must Do Market Research (Even if You Think Youâre Too Busy)
Ron, thanks for joining the Productivity Challenge this year. It sounds like you have a clear idea and plan for launching your new business.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Challenge 2015
Hi Connie!Feeling a bit fractured but I am filled with gratitude. Doing a core dump. Pulled in different directions for the last 18 months. Family health care comes first but have neglected me-time. Dealt with personal health crisis, and the doctors are convinced that my Mind Shift Exercises saved my life. At 89, Mama Peggy is doing wonderful after 3 surgeries. Disabled husband now has some time with home health care aides during the week. No new blogs on my primary site, but I took off the date so it doesn\’t look abandoned. I periodically share a post on social media, and yes people love my podcasts. Focused on making them evergreen. 14 are done. One has been in the queue for over a year. My light shines as a Poker MindSet Coach. Whenever I question if I\’m supposed to continue on this path, people still find me and engage my services. My mission is to help people learn how to shift their mindset in a moment\’s notice. Since my clients use my Mind Shift Exercises in all areas of their lives, they insisted I write a book. My forthcoming book is half done: Mind Shift On Demand: Getting Your HEAD Back in the Game And yes, my challenge has been perfection… embracing the \”good enough\” process. Book site in beta with a mobile theme specifically for books.
MindShiftOnDemand.com
Form looks good in header and is the landing page on mobile. *About me page…done. *More info about book…done. *Book cover…done. *One blog post up. Take off date. *Free giveaway 4-minute audio…done. *One autoresponder…done. *Planning follow up emails, every 3rd day. *Repurposing my 40-day Mindset Magic course to Really Simple Mind Shifting. Grabbed the URL. (you triggered that name with your Really Simple Podcasting. Thanks Connie 🙂 This coming week, I\’m doing a free webinar on Mind Shifting as a follow up to a keynote I did a month ago. My mother\’s day gift to me is getting the link to the webinar up and out today. Flying to Las Vegas last week in May to compete in The Colossus, expected to be the largest tournament during the World Series of Poker (WSOP). They lowered the buyin to $565 and expect 12,000+ entrants. Will be at WSOP for 8 days. Ok Connie. What is my to-do list for the next 30 days? A Big Girl hug, Donna Blevins. Poker MindSet Coach. ♤♡◇♧By the way, remember my motto: Play the cards life deals as if you\\ve already won.
Donna Blevins recently posted…Mind Shift Tip: To Change Your Mindset, Think Like a Puppy Dog
I’m in. I took that last month + to take care of some personal health challenges and this seems like the perfect way to find my way back. Thanks Connie!
Barb, taking care of ourselves must be foremost in any business plan. Kudos to you for doing that and getting back on track for success.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Challenge 2015
Hi Connie,
Thanks for the invitation, Connie, and for doing the Productivity Challenge again.
For the next 30 days my two main projects are:
1) Adding Modules to my Customer Service training as I’m taking it from working with small service-based professionals, like Home Health, Dentists, etc. to training for Corporate clients. In a conversation with one of the top Customer Service/Retention Pros she told me putting together a complete 4 hour training takes her team several months. I don’t have that time. I need to have this ready for July 10. In the meantime I have a trip back to Florida and a 2-day workshop and 3-day convention to attend while I’m there.
2) Updating my LinkedIn training by adding updated content and slides as I’ll be doing a live workshop while I’m in Florida.
Focus and productivity are therefore essential right now, especially as I’m still in the adjustment period of moving back to Jamaica.
I look forward to the next 30 days.
Yvonne A Jones recently posted…Customer Service – Going the Extra Mile
Welcome back, Yvonne. It sounds like you are focused and clear on the goals you want to achieve during our 30 day challenge.
Connie Ragen Green
My blog is going to be a guide to those who understand how to build an offline business but are new to building an online business—from the perspective of someone who is learning, too. I’m going to be as transparent as I can be and try to keep the puffery and posing to a minimum.
My experience establishing an online presence (so far) has been one of fascination, distraction and overwhelm as I look for answers and direction while separating wheat from chaff. It’s radically different from starting an offline business, but I believe there are best practices offline and online that will make things better in both directions.
As I learn and do, I will share information helpful to the new online entrepreneur. When I blow it, I’m going to share that, too. My goal is to save my readers time and effort as they get their online businesses up and running in the right direction.
Ron Tester recently posted…Starting an Online BusinessâA Map
Ron, your ideas are sound ones. I look forward to your progress during our thirty day challenge. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences so far with establishing your online business. There is much crossover between the online and offline worlds of business, and you will be successful in both when you learn exactly which steps will take you in the direction you wish to move.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Leonard Nimoy: Live Long And Prosper
My niche is health and healthy eating. I have become quite the foody of late, which is surprising to those who have known me for many years. In the past, I was mostly famous for burning the beans… I once put green beans on to cook, then went to the store for something; got quite a few things; completely forgot the beans; house filled with smoke; no beans for dinner… you get the picture. It is amazing how the things that happen to us (in my case a battle with depression) require us to make changes in our behavior. My blog is http://www.ThinStrongHealthy.com I blog about health and healthy eating. I am working on a podcast site in the same niche as well as how-to videos. Healthy cooking does not have to be difficult or expensive!
Cheryl Major recently posted…The Role of Supplements When Eating an Alkaline Diet
Cheryl,
I like the idea of choosing a niche that has personal meaning in our lives. It’s all about serving others and you are an excellent example of this.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Content Creation: Formats for Your Content
That made me smile… thanks Connie!
Cheryl Major recently posted…The Role of Supplements When Eating an Alkaline Diet
Connie the last few weeks I’ve been listening to your podcast Tiny Lists Huge Profits. Listening to others stories is extremely inspirational thank you.
My niche site is a two fold. Since having experience providing subcontracting services I provide for both those contractors needing extra help and those wanting to provide it. Savvy Subcontracting provides product reviews, business tool suggestions, inspiration, how to’s and coaching suggestions. My goal for this challenge is to expand my tiny list into something profitable. I will invest that money into becoming an even better affiliate marketer.
Collette Schultz recently posted…Where & How To Find Subcontractors
Collette, your niche sounds very helpful to many. I commend you for choosing this path. So glad you are a part of the 2015 Productivity Challenge this time around.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Networking Tips: Building Relationships to Grow Your Business
I’ve become a morning person, usually getting up between 5:30-5:45. I find I am more creative and enjoy having that personal quiet time. Practicing gratitude has become a big thing in my life; I do it for a few minutes before breakfast and before dinner. One of the most empowering things I’ve been reminding myself is a quote that I found (no known author): “Don’t get upset with people and situations. They are powerless without your reaction.”
Cheryl Major recently posted…Keeping Your Teeth Healthy
I love that quote, Charyl. Thanks so much for sharing it with us here. I am a morning person as well, and honoring that time each day has enabled me to change my life over the years. Gratitude is the cornerstone of success, I believe.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Challenge 2015
I love Eric Reis’s “The Lean Startup!”
I am always listening to podcasts and audiobooks when I’m driving or exercising, reading inspirational literature in the mornings and nonfiction/business before I go to bed.
I recently finished listening to Grant Cardone’s “The 10X Rule” and I’ve just started Michael Materson’s “Ready, Fire, Aim.”
I am reading Ryan Levesque’s “Ask.” It’s a great book about finding out what your audience really wants from you. Sounds obvious but the guidance he offers isn’t.
Ron Tester recently posted…Starting an Online BusinessâA Map
Ron, audiobooks are a favorite of mine as well. I love turning my car into a rolling classroom. Did you receive Ryan’s book in the mail? I’m not sure how he got my address, but I was thrilled to receive it.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Challenge 2015
I like the term ‘rolling classroom,’ Connie. I call my car my Mobile University. My book “Ask” should be waiting for me in Florida and look forward to reading it.
Ron, I’ll add ‘Ready, Aim, Fire’ to my Wish List.
Yvonne A Jones recently posted…Customer Service – Going the Extra Mile
Hi Connie,
Thank you, Connie. I could not comment on Day 3 yesterday. The largest phone company on the island was down yesterday (and I had a call goal in connection with my project) and the Internet was down from yesterday afternoon until today, so it’s challenging but I’m keeping my focus. Being part of your Productivity Challenge will be a great help.
My blog’s target is entrepreneurs and small business professionals. I write about using Online Marketing and Social Media Marketing to attract customers and clients and using Relationship Marketing to retain clients and customers.
I write at least one blog post for my blog each week, and often write a post on LinkedIn publishing platform with a lead back to my website. I submit one article every two weeks to an online newspaper and sometimes do guest posts, and recently started doing Article Marketing again.
Also working on getting over not liking to see myself on video and just doing it. 🙂
I’m getting names and phone numbers to contact groups in my part of Jamaica, like the Rotary and the Soroptimist for speaking opportunities and free workshops to build visibility and credibility.
Yvonne A Jones recently posted…Customer Service – Going the Extra Mile
So glad you’re with us this time around, Yvonne. I’m sorry you have had technology challenges, but happy to see you making the best of it.
Connie Ragen Green
Day 4: In the mornings I read my Daily Text, just started reading the Bible book of Job (one chapter/day) again and one Psalm/day. My goal with both Job and Psalms is to take away just two points from each that I can apply to myself or in my life. Four of us share our takeaways via FB Messenger and Whats App.
I was sent an “advanced uncorrected proof” of the book, “The Effortless Experience: Conquering the New Battleground for Customer Loyalty” late 2013 and just skimmed through it before. I’m now reading it thoroughly and loving it! It’s not what you’d normally think of as a Mindset book but their thorough research into human behavior and the sometimes surprising discoveries are designed to make businesses or those in charge of customer service rethink how and what they do, the kind of culture they create in their companies, and how these impact those who are expected to deliver customer service and build customer loyalty.
Yvonne A Jones recently posted…Why Define Your Social Media Goals
Thanks Connie. This is wonderful! My main blog is at
http://www.lawofattractionforyourbusiness.com. My blog and business are focused on helping others with having a Law of Attraction mindset around there business so that they can deliberately attract their desired results. Using Law of Attraction I attracted a wonderful career that I could do as a single mom keeping my daughter first, an amazing relationship and 3 awesome businesses. I blog twice a week regularly and have products in development. I also do coaching. I love what is being said about gratitude! That is the force that guides me each and every day. Something I am extremely grateful for is attracting my amazing husband and 4 super special grandchildren. I have another blog, http://www.midlifeattraction.com, on which I talk about that journey and offer support to others looking to attract love in midlife.
In order to generate content I use PLR regularly and some ezine articles. I follow your suggestions regularly with great results.
Mindset is huge for me! I keep motivational podcasts and other recordings in the car and house and listed when ever possible, at least a couple of hours a day. I also attend a couple of conferences each year where I get away from technology and use paper and pen to get down thoughts, feelings and ideas. This works wonders for me! I also have a few tools that I use and teach when resistance comes up and it feels hard to move through issues ranging from procrastination to public speaking, both issues I have personally had and still have from time to time.
Sue Ascioti-Plange recently posted…The Why Of Goal Setting For Your Business
Thanks so much for sharing, Sue. Yes, we must live in gratitude for what we have in our lives.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Challenge 2015
Thanks for doing this again Connie!
My goal on this challenge is to be a completer!
So not starting something new…completing what I already have….That is goal #1,2 and 3!
I look forward to seeing what everyone is doing these days…
Cynthia Charleen recently posted…Declutter and Organize – Manage Your Time
Cynthia – that’s a smart goal! We are all guilty of starting too many projects that never seem to get finished.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Challenge 2015
Hi Connie, I am Pamela Montgomery, the co-author of The Book on Investing, http://www.thebookoninvesting.com. Thank you for challenging us to be more productive and to have the proper mindset. I look forward to the 30 day Productivity Challenge!
I begin each day expressing my gratitude for all that I have and then focusing on what I am trying to achieve. Like you, I also read books and listen to tapes to keep my mind focused and sharp. Right now I am reading The Millionaire Messenger by Brendon Burchard.
Welcome aboard, Pamela. So glad you are joining us this year. Thanks for sharing more about yourself.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Challenge 2015
I came to be in my chosen niche because I accidentally cured my decades of struggling with depression by changing how I eat. Along the way, I dropped 20 pounds without trying and without counting calories. My husband normalized his cholesterol and his sugar issues. Talk about win-win!
Cheryl Major recently posted…Getting a thicker skin to help you win the battle for a healthy diet!
Cheryl, this leads into your Mission Statement for your business, something we’ll be discussing in more detail during the Challenge.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Challenge 2015
Twitter – CherylAMajor
Facebook – Cheryl.Major.965
Pinterest – CherylAMajor
LinkedIn – CherylMajor (for real estate)
LinkedIn – CherylAMajor (for my health niche)
Instagram – CherylAMajor – (just getting started there…)
Cheryl Major recently posted…Getting a thicker skin to help you win the battle for a healthy diet!
Thanks, Cheryl!
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Challenge 2015
Hi Connie,
I’m joining your 30 day challenge a little late. I’m in the health and wellness field. I am a hands-on therapist but working to expand online products. My aim is to have my website live by the end of the challenge, starting my blog will be a bonus. Thank you for inspiring me to take action.
Welcome, Christine! You are never late; you’re always at the exact place you need to be at this time. Be sure to let us know if you have questions or want us to give you feedback on what you are creating this month.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Productivity Challenge 2015
Hi Connie, Thanks for the opportunity to join up with the Productivity Challenge! I have some major plans in the works:
1) Will be joining the podcast virtual tour. Will have 2 podcasts, one about gentle birthing, and the other about end-of-life issues and everything else in between. I read books and do commentary. The Gentle Birth podcasts will be mostly interviews.
2) I’m taking a Scrivener course, to finally master that amazing platform for writers. I am writing my mother’s memoir, getting another book up on Create Space, and I want to start writing fiction stories and books.
3) Will continue to do google hangouts, radio show interviews and daily blogging and podcasting.
I cheer everyone else on!!
Kate Loving Shenk recently posted…The Ethics Guy- Podcast 168
Kate – It’s wonderful to hear about your plans for your business! Best of success with all of your endeavors.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Dennis Becker – Earn 1K a Day Event in Las Vegas
What’s for sale? That has been a bit of a challenge for me, but I’m getting there. Until now, my affiliate links have mostly been for books that have helped me make significant changes in my life and my health. I’ve created a couple of products and have sold a few of my GPS for Weight Loss, but am currently making some changes to that. I really enjoy writing and creating, so I’m looking forward to producing my own products!
Cheryl Major recently posted…Your Brain on Sugar… Hint: It’s not good…
For affiliate sales, I have depended largely on Amazon for links to books. Next on my list is to explore food/health related products on JVZoo to see what I can like and promote that I find there.
Cheryl Major recently posted…Your Brain on Sugar… Hint: It’s not good…
My mission is to help people be healthier, both mentally and physically, and to lose weight by making smart, simple food choices. To help people understand healthy eating does not have to be difficult or expensive!
Cheryl Major recently posted…Your Brain on Sugar… Hint: It’s not good…
I like this idea very much! I’ve done it in the animal rights area having done some regional TV and having given talks at schools and club gatherings. I am currently reaching out to a local company who publishes all our local area town papers offering to write a short info piece on health and healthy eating.
Cheryl Major recently posted…Your Brain on Sugar… Hint: It’s not good…
At the present, I have been attending one event a year; yours in the fall! I have met some wonderful people there and have learned so much! Next year I plan to add Dennis Becker’s event to my schedule.
Cheryl Major recently posted…Your Brain on Sugar… Hint: It’s not good…
At this point, you can’t hear my voice, but that is about to change. My podcast will be called, “Your Major Health Minute” and will be short informational tips about healthy eating and healthy living!
Cheryl Major recently posted…Depression and Parkinson’s Disease… Swedish study shows a link
Hi Connie,
I’m setting up a blog and also a newsletter/email. Can I link the two? Do I need both? Do I send a link to my blog from my email? I hope you understand what I’m asking. My website enables me to post blogs very easily but I also feel I need a newsletter to catch email addresses and build my list.
Christine Shelley recently posted…You should ….
Christine,
Thanks so much for your comment. It is entirely up to your personal choice with this, but I would recommend allowing people to subscribe to your blog posts separately from subscribing to your list. This can be accomplished easily with Aweber (my link is http://ConnieLoves.me/Aweber) and you will find that over the coming years this strategy will serve you well as an online entrepreneur. Also, you must decide whether you want to publish an HTML or plain text newsletter. The former is more visually appealing, while the latter is much more simple to set up and maintain.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Disruptive Innovation for Your Business: Online Marketing Tips Podcast
I love the idea of the flagship post and linking back to a previous post. Not the first time I’ve heard you say this, but you know how we hear things differently at different points in our online growth.
Also love the idea of a blogging calendar which I am also organizing to help me keep track of what to promote and when. Again, something I’ve heard before, but it resonates differently with me now!
Thanks Connie!
Cheryl Major recently posted…Depression and Parkinson’s Disease… Swedish study shows a link
I had a great experience relative to my blog the other day. I connected with someone on Twitter and told her I really liked her tagline; she is health and nutrition based as am I. We messaged back and forth, and eventually I asked her if she would be interested in doing a guest post for my blog. We are going to connect mid June to arrange that. She is doing an interview series on people who have changed their lives by changing how they eat and asked if she could feature me. I am psyched!
Cheryl Major recently posted…Depression and Parkinson’s Disease… Swedish study shows a link
Cheryl – thanks so much for sharing this with us. It’s an excellent example of just how valuable it is to connect with others as we build our businesses online. Best of success with this interview!
Connie Ragen Green
Doing catchup with the productivity challenge. Lots of great info and comments. Focusing on my Amazon biz and blog.
Finally have a blog calendar going to keep me on track for posts and have set up my Twitter account and bought the book “Twitter Power” to get up to speed. Still need to make my first tweet!
Kit recently posted…Memorial Day Reflections
Kit – great to hear that you are focusing on just two things to grow your business. Please tell us more about your blog calendar.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Disruptive Innovation for Your Business: Online Marketing Tips Podcast
OK, I am IN! I have a large retirement site, and will spend my time working it. I need to put some time into it again, though I do post regularly (mostly visitors write their stories), I need to do something new and different.
See ya in Vegas, Connie! I can’t wait… only a week away now! Woo Hoo!
Welcome aboard, Wendy! So glad you have decided to join us in the 2015 Productivity Challenge. Tell us a little more about yourself and what you are working on in your online business.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Disruptive Innovation for Your Business: Online Marketing Tips Podcast
Here is a little more about my blog calendar. I bought a 11″ x 17″ calendar that is strictly for scheduling blog posts, my own and guest posts. I write on the date the title, time I posted, and # of comments if any. I like the bigger size so I have plenty of room to write. I picked it up for a $1.00 at the Dollar Store. 🙂 My plan is blog posts 2x a week and guest posts 2x a month.
There is a 5″ x 4″ section on the side for additional notes. I am kinda old school and for now like the physical calendar vs an online one. I keep it handy in my sun room where I start my mornings with writing. I like a rough paper draft or outline before I actually type the post on my computer.
As I use more PLR this process will change a little as all my PLR is online.
All of this is subject to change as I move forward but it is working for me now.
My goal, starting 6/1/15, is to add five people, per month, to my contact management list.
Welcome aboard, Jill. My recommendation is to think much BIGGER! How about one hundred and five each month?
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Disruptive Innovation for Your Business: Online Marketing Tips Podcast
Playing catch-up here:
I wanted to touch on Day 19…
◾the target audience you will be speaking to – Pretty broad and includes people with and without weight challenges as well as people struggling with depression and diseases and conditions affected by inflammation (which includes most everything that can go wrong with our bodies) Is this too broad? Or is this an opportunity to reach more people?
◾your niche market – health and wellness
◾your revenue model – affiliate and product creation
◾your day to day operating procedures – must to something every day. At the very least tweet, post and pin.
Cheryl Major recently posted…How to Find Motivation to Lose Weight
Day 21:
“They Laughed When I said how strictly I eat, But When I told them I had cured decades of sadness and depression, They All Took Notice.”
Cheryl Major recently posted…How to Find Motivation to Lose Weight
Excellent example, Cheryl! Thanks so much for sharing.
Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…Disruptive Innovation for Your Business: Online Marketing Tips Podcast
On the subject of Bright Shiny Objects:
It’s over half way through the year and I found my email inbox cluttered again. I have now moved just a handful of people I follow into my primary tab – you being one of them 🙂 and deleted many marketers from my promotion tab.
I have also set up a new email just for promotions of new people that come my way that I might want to look at once a week in my free time. All this is helping me avoid BSO’s and just buy what I need to use in my business now.
I have learned the hard way what a waste of money it is to buy something that I might use later. I either never get a round to it or it becomes obsolete.
Kit recently posted…Fitbit For Business
Great article, thanks for sharing : )
Joey recently posted…Where Can You Get The OnlyFans Clone App?
You are most welcome. Thank you for stopping by for the Productivity Challenge this year.
~ Connie Ragen Green
Connie Ragen Green recently posted…New Members for Your Membership Site