vulnerability

Five Marketing Lessons Learned While Dieting

September 19, 2017 by Jessica Goddard

As a solopreneur I often find my life and business intertwined – gaining insight in one area based on my actions in the other. Right now a large part of my personal life revolves around diet and exercise, and in that I’ve found some surprising connections to marketing my business.

I had my second child about 18 months ago, and it has been rough. Aside from the struggles of raising an infant (now toddler) and dealing with depression I have found it impossible to lose weight, despite what I assumed was my best efforts. Today, however, I’m happy to report that I have lost almost 10 pounds by making some simple changes in my life – and now I’m applying the same principles to my business.

Lesson 1: What Worked Before May Not Work Now

As someone who has had a constant struggle with weight, I was no stranger to dieting and making lifestyle changes to get results. So, once I exited the newborn fog I set out to drop some pounds. Unfortunately, what worked in the past did not work anymore. Blame it on hormones or age…whatever the reason it sucked. I was lost and hopeless so I gave up.

Finally, I picked up those broken pieces and educated myself. I found a diet that works for me as I am now and I am seeing results.

Marketing, as you’re probably aware, is constantly changing. What worked before (phone book ads) probably isn’t going to work today (or at least not as well). You must educate yourself on what marketing makes the most sense for your business today, and sometimes you might have to do a little trial-and-error to find success.

Lesson 2: You’ll Probably Have To Do More Than One Thing

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight you may be aware that it takes more than “dieting” to see results. Exercise, sleep, and stress reduction are all important aspects of seeing those extra pounds go away. I’m sure that you could lose weight with diet (or exercise) alone, but it would be a heck of a lot harder.

Marketing also requires a multi-faceted approach. If you put all of your time and money into Facebook ads but haven’t taken care of what happens after engagement, you probably aren’t going to see many results. It’s about the big picture and carefully crafting your efforts across the board.

Lesson 3: You’re Never Done

I’ve used the word “diet” a lot, but actually I prefer to think of my efforts as a lifestyle change (that has, fortunately, caused weight loss). See, I’ve been to this rodeo enough to know that I can’t change my habits to lose the weight then go back to living an unhealthy lifestyle. These changes I have made are changes that I’m planning to implement for the rest of my life.

I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but marketing is (or should be) a constant effort in your business. Even when you’ve reached the coveted “booked out” status, you still have to keep up with your marketing. You’ve worked hard to get there, now you just have to maintain it.

Lesson 4: It’s a Lot of Work, but It’s Worth It

Losing this weight is taking a lot of my energy, both in planning what I will (or won’t) eat and in exercising. There are plenty of days when I just don’t want to do it. It feels like too much effort. Then I remember all of the benefits. Aside from weight loss I’m experiencing more energy and happiness. It is worth it.

With marketing you have to put in a whole lot of effort and you may see very little reward – at first. Once that marketing machine is really churning, however, you will be able to sit back and appreciate what you have done and the effects it has had on your business. You will be able to spend more time enjoying your work and less time clamoring to find it.

Lesson 5: Don’t Underestimate a Support System

I saved the best, most important lesson for last. A good support system is everything. I’m beyond fortunate that my husband has decided to embark on this lifestyle change with me. We support each other when we’re feeling week and celebrate our victories. Without him I probably would have already given up on this attempt.

As solopreneurs, we do a lot of work alone and sometimes it’s really hard. There are so many decisions that need to be made and it can get very overwhelming. How can you know if you are making the best decisions for your business? Find support. You don’t have to do it alone. Find an amazing Facebook group or a mastermind program. Let others cheer you on and give you honest feedback when you’re not doing what’s best for your biz.

Are you ready to make changes in your life and business? Results go beyond pounds on a scale or money in the bank. Positive changes can lead to a happier, more confident life which will aid you in ways you can’t even foresee.

An Embarrassing Truth About My WordPress Website

September 8, 2017 by Jessica Goddard

I’m a web developer. I love creating WordPress sites totally from scratch, digging into the nitty gritty of CSS and HTML. I have often shied away from visual page builders with drag-and-drop interfaces because it takes away from my “craft.” At times I’ve probably even spoken badly about them to clients and peers.

But, I have a confession.

My website (on the day of writing this) is using Beaver Builder, one of those WordPress page builders I have so vehemently avoided. Why? Well, I was in a hurry. My goals were more pressing than my need to create a custom theme. By swallowing my pride I was able to create a beautiful, functioning site in about a day and move onto more pressing matters.

What’s the point of all of this? Sometimes the simple solution is the best solution. Sometimes your budget or timeline may not be adequate for a custom site and in that case you need to do the best you can with what you have to keep yourself (and your business) moving forward.

How I Discovered My Hidden Blocks to Success

September 1, 2017 by Jessica Goddard

I recently attended a conference in Raleigh, NC called Creative @ Heart and it totally changed the way I see myself and my business, but not in the ways you may expect.

When I signed up for C@H in February 2017 I had decided to niche down my business. My plan was to focus all of my marketing efforts on designing and developing websites for creative female entrepreneurs. In order to do this, I needed to connect with some women (my ideal clients) and this conference seemed like a great way to do that.

Time went on (as it does) and things shifted (as they do) and by the time the conference came around in August 2017 I had decided to completely shift my business, focusing all of my efforts on bringing the designs to life as a working WordPress website.

As the conference got closer I began to dread attending.

I, a self proclaimed “non-girlie-girl”, was going to be spending 3 days around 130 women in a sea of light pink and glitter. I kept telling myself that it would be good for me to practice networking and that I might learn a thing or two about business. If nothing else I’d get to enjoy some time away from my kids, living an independent life once again.

My days (and evenings) at C@H were spent meeting inspirational female business owners, listening to heartfelt speakers talk about authenticity and intentionality, watching fellow attendees crying with joy and sadness, and witnessing countless women share about their lives and their struggles.

As the event came to a close women all around me rushed around to say goodbye and give hugs to those with whom they had shared their hearts.

In those last moments I found myself standing there alone. I had no one to say goodbye to.

There was no one in that whole room that I had made a connection with that warranted seeking them out and say goodbye, so I left. I got in my car and drove the the three hours back to Charlotte – sobbing the whole way, flooded with built-up emotion from the days preceding.

Now, I’m not usually a very “emotional” person so this surprised me (and my husband).

During the drive and in the days following I listened to my heart to figure out what had made me so emotional. What I realized is that most of the struggles in my business have nothing to do with time and knowledge (my consistent excuses).

My struggles are vulnerability and confidence.

Blogging and social media have always been an uphill battle for me because it requires me to be vulnerable, to put myself out there with the confidence to say that I am valuable and “good enough.”

It takes me years to form trusted relationships because I don’t allow myself to be vulnerable enough to make a connection, and I’m not confident that anyone truly wants to connect with me.

I’m not telling you all of this so that you feel sorry for me. I’m writing it because I want to overcome my struggles with vulnerability and confidence.

I want to put myself out there with confidence and purpose. And it all starts with sharing.

Looking back I am so beyond thankful that I was able to attend C@H. If I had not been put in such an uncomfortable position around so many full-hearted women, I’m not sure when I would have realized what’s really been holding me back.