Weekly-ish notes on navigating big change

Searching for "say no"

My own support solution

Breakfast. (For now.) #augustbreak2013
In the last 2 weeks we've been exploring support. This was inspired by the lessons I've been learning about what kind of bra my business needs, and questions from Starship Captains. As usual, it wasn't just enough to read what other people say about support, I had to explore what it meant for, and to, me. I explored what I need, the different options, getting support at home, and thinking about my entire support network – the the books I read, the classes I take, the Starship (both accountability + encouragement), and my daily schedule.

After all this exploration, I decided to make two big decisions in my business. I want to share them with you today, not because I've got it figured out, but so that you can see what explorations lead to in my own business.

1. I hired my first ever person.

Well, she's actually not the first person I've ever hired (I used to hire + fire + manage a staff of 12-20 at the pottery studio)…but she's the first person I've ever hired to work in my OWN business.

Please welcome Jess, my new Number One!
So how did I come to hire Jess? Part of my exploration involved listing absolutely everything I do in my business – the daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, even yearly tasks, along with everything that goes into a class, a collaboration, a book. And from that big list I could spot a bunch of things that:

a. I put off because I hate, which slows down the momentum of a project I love.
b. I don't actually have to do.

And now Jess is going to do them! Happily, because she actually doesn't hate them! (Also, as she pointed out in the first week, her relationship to the tasks is totally different when it's in someone else's business. Everything is a lot less loaded with fear and apprehension and ohmygoshwhatifnoonebuysit?)

In case you're wondering…

  • I love my inbox. I love the emails you send me. If you hit reply to one of my emails, to share your joys or sorrows, I will be delighted to get to know you. I reply to every email, so don't be shy!
  • I do not love figuring out tech glitches. So if you sign up for a class and have problems logging in, downloading or dealing with the technology involved, your email will go to vulcan@taraswiger.com and Jess will help you find the answer!
  • When it comes to money, I'm still dealing with all of it, for your privacy's sake. So if you request a special payment plan for the Starship or you buy 100 signed books, I'm the only one that knows. I want to make sure you never feel embarrassed to ask for what you need.
  • I write everything. Writing is my #1 favorite activity (and the heart of my entire business), so the blog, emails, and tweets are all written by me, forever and always.
  • I desperately need editing help. I did a quick tally and this week alone (with only 1 blog post, 2 newsletters, and 2 transcripts for the new class), she caught over TWENTY typos and just-plain-weird sentences. I am deciding not to be embarrassed about this and instead be delighted that I'm only embarrassing myself in front of one person, instead of a thousand.

2. I need in-person connection.

The second lesson I learned about support is that I'm getting ALL of it in just two places: online + my family.

It's so easy for me to get emotional support from you, my dear online friends. And while that has served me well, and you have kept me inspired and challenged, I find myself craving some in-person connections. With people I'm not related to. (In my defense, we are related to over 40 people in a 20 mile radius. So that's quite a lot of people.)

This week Jay got a new job (yay!) which means I need to finally shelve my fantasies of moving to Asheville and meeting Patti + Matt and becoming best friends. It means I need to really settle in here (after, um, 6 years?) and make friends. (Phew! This is so hard for me to write! I'm afraid you'll think I'm a friendless freak!)

My solution is two-fold: I'm going to go to every vegan and knitting and book meet-up and roller derby and…{I could use some ideas for where else to meet my kind of people?} AND I'm going to move this Exlorer party into the offline world.

After hearing that so many of you also have trouble meeting local people, I realized I'm not alone in needing a little help with this. And although most of you aren't close to me…you are close to each other. If we're all on the same page of being more introverted while also being explorers of our own handmade businesses, then it's likely (and I've certainly found this to be true when I've met you in person), you'll like each other (or at least have more in common than the people at your chamber of commerce's networking event!)

This (meeting local people) can be an adventure we go on together! I can (maybe) make it easier for you!

How?
I created a map where you – wherever you are – can join!
You can use the map to meet explorers in your area. You don't have to wait for me to come to your town to organize a meet-up and find fellow adventurers. Just join here.
And of course, when I come to town, I can let you know and we can have a coffee date with everyone in your area!

All you have to do to start the process of forming a meetup is to say that you’re interested in having one near you. You can join a city that is already created or add your own. If enough folks are interested, you can choose a location and meet. It’s that simple.

I've already started on for my upcoming trip to Boston, which you can find here.

(I'm totally new to this map thing, so I'm not sure how it's going to end up working! If you're the first person in your town, just click “start a new community in {your town}”)

 

So! Those are my two big changes in business (life)!

Do you have any questions about either?

 

How about you?

Where are you finding support?

cross_stitches

 

 

 

Explore You

Explore what really works for you, to create a business (life) you love.

 

 

Note: Explore You is closed to new students, but may open for a new round in 2014. To find out more, sign up here. 

 

 

 

I want to live in a galaxy free from the tyranny of shoulds.

Free from confusion. Where you know what to do. Where you know what will work.  And you actually do it, without procrastination, self doubt, or judgment. Where you find the answers to your questions, within your own experience, without looking to outside experts. Where every day is an adventure into the stuff we love to do and the people we love to do it with. 

We craft this business (life) confidence by exploring what we already know. You spot what's already working and build on it.  You  find the good and shiny parts (effective marketing, productive schedules, compelling writing), and make them better and shinier. You befriend your business. This takes time, this takes experiments and this takes courage.

Courage to trust yourself.

I want you to have this courage to trust yourself. I want you to feel the freedom + permission + a deep confidence  to build what will work for you. So that you can stop waffling, and start doing the work that matters. I want you to find and follow the path to your best products, people and mission. 

So let's explore your path. Let's Explore You. 

start here 2Explore You is a three week adventure into your business, in order to craft a business (life) you'll love.

Together we'll explore what works (and what doesn't) for you. You'll learn what you need to know in order to make decisions easily and effectively.

You'll explore all this through a focus on the thing that needs improvement (whether that's your shipping, your writing, your schedule, your marketing) and build on what's already working beautifully.

You'll be working with your business to craft a life you love. You'll build confidence through recognizing what you're already doing right. You'll learn how to make decisions for yourself. And you'll have the strength to ignore the “shoulds”, the Rules, and the not-right advice.

Through a mix of videos, worksheets, and class discussion, I'll be sharing my favorite exploration tools and leading you through your own exploration. You'll pick an area that needs some love, attention, or improvement and then you'll apply each tool to this area.

Your Area of Exploration might be your social media presence, your daily schedule, your mission, your people, your blog…or something else that's been vexing you.  Throughout the adventure, you'll give this area the attention it needs, so that you can make easy decisions. At the end of the exploration, you'll feel confident and ready to act; you'll  learned from your business, and you'll be armed with the tools you need to explore any area.

Ready to explore? Join the adventure!

 

 Explore You is closed to new students, but may open for a new round in 2014. To find out more, sign up here. 

 

The $129 class has:

  • 3 weeks of lessons, conversations and exploring together
  • 15 individual lessons, including videos, worksheets, discussions
  • 4 Apply-it-to-YOU worksheets (these are student favorites!)
  • Weekly emails to notify you of the new lessons
  • A friendly online space for you to connect and get feedback from the other biz smarties in the class (and me).
  • A happy PDF of the entire course for you to refer to again and again.

Your weekly lessons will begin on August 19th and will include:

  • A written lesson introducing you to that week's exploration.
  • A  video about a new Exploration Tool (and how I use it), along with a full written transcript.
  • A hands-on Project, where you'll practice Creative Joy Capturing.
  • Discussion questions + worksheets, so that you apply the lessons to your specific business.
  • A space to ask questions and share your exploration.

What we cover:

Bonus week: Welcome
(available as soon as you join!)

  • How to use this space
  • Introduce Yourself!
  • Exploration Tool #1 {video}
  • Exploration Tool #2 {video}
  • Worksheet: Start exploring

Week 1: Start Where You Are
(begins August 19th)

  • Lesson: Where to Start
  • Exploration Tool #3 {video}
  • Worksheet: Setting an Intention
  • Project: Creative Joy Capturing
  • Discussion

Week 2: Work With What's Working

  • Lesson: How to spot what's working (and work with it)
  • Exploration Tool #4 {video}
  • Worksheet: What's working?
  • Project: Creative Joy Capturing
  • Discussion

Week 3: Integration 

  • Lesson: How to integrate what you've learned
  • Exploration Tool #5 {video}
  • Worksheet: Next Steps
  • Project: Creative Joy Capturing
  • Discussion

 

Bonuses!

  • If you've taken part in the Exploration Party, you'll save $30! Just be sure to share your link with me, and I'll refund your $30 as soon as you join!
  • Pondering the Starship? Students of Explore You will get $100 off their Boarding Pass! During the last week of class I send a special Boarding invitation, so you don't have to wait around. (The Student Discount is good for one full year.)

Your Exploration Guide

My mission in life is to make you an explorer – to find your own answers, to trust yourself, to create a business (and life) you really love.
Because I know this is the only way that works, in the long-term.
When I quit my day job to make yarn full-time four years ago, I had worked for months towards an income goal. But then, life fell apart. In one month, my car caught fire, my husband lost his job, and my house was broken into.

Since that inauspicious start, my creativity has been paying for bills, hotel rooms, great food, and generally living life.

In the beginning, it was a scramble. But since then (and every day) I learn a little more to make it a little easier. I test what I learn on my clients (and here's what they say about it). I grill every other profitable biz lady (or gent) I meet – from my dad the contractor to the local coffee shop owner.

What works for me (and most of them) is trying things. Paying attention to what works, and then doing MORE of that. It's not the newest social media tool or a specific marketing plan — it's everyday improvements and tiny tweaks. It's cutting out everything that doesn't work. It's finding the best bits of your business and exploring them fully. 

 

How to join

Click the big pink Register button. You’ll be taken to the registration page, where you'll create your profile and pay the class fee – you can pay with any credit card, bank check or your Paypal account, completely securely.

Whoosh! As soon as you complete payment, you'll be in the class! You’ll  have immediate access to the Welcome materials, which will walk you through using the site and give you a mini-assignment to be working on. Once class begins on August 19th, you’ll get the lessons, via email, every week. At the end of class, you’ll get a beautiful PDF that contains all of the lessons of the entire course. This class will be available online, for you to revisit as often as you like, until December 31, 2013.

How much time will it take?

Well, this depends on you! The weekly video won’t be longer than 10 minutes (if you don’t want to watch the videos you can read the transcripts), and you can fill in most of the worksheets in less than 30 minutes. But it might take a bit longer to think and explore. You can join in the discussion and ask your questions any time, day or night, in the digital classroom and get an answer in 24 hours. That part of the class will take as long as you want it to, depending on how much you want to chat with others. (But probably no more than 30 minutes.)

There’s no timeline or time of day you need to be online. You can start the lesson as soon as you get it or save it for the afternoon or late night. You can even save it all up for the weekend (but that might be a bit overwhelming, I think.) On September 6th the online conversation will end, but you’ll have access to the materials online until December 31st.

This class is for you if

  • You're afraid you're wasting time wondering: What should I do?
  • The classes, books, and blogs don't have The Answer to your burning question..and you're starting to believe that your questions and your business are just too unique for pat answers.
  • You want to feel like you and your business are good friends, with the same goal of Making Life Awesome.
  • You like to learn tools and frameworks you can apply to a bunch of scenarios, instead of single one-topic-only lessons.
  • You're an adventurer!

 

Got questions? 
Email me! vulcan@taraswiger.com

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Get your family (+ spouse) to support your business

Beach pup. #adventure

Yesterday we talked about getting more support for your adventure. The first challenge many new explorers experience is…their family. Getting support, encouragement, or even just surviving a hailstorm of questions and doubt. It can make you feel like your family is the last place to get support, but, honey, having at least one person who knows you sooo well, and believes in you can do wonders for your confidence (and thus, business).
Today, let's talk about you can bring your family on board with your adventure, and specifically, how you can ask your partner for more support. *

Your family is a double-edged phaser. They can be an area of support…and a reason you need outside support. Getting your partner behind your business idea is the thing that just about every new business mentions to me – How do I get them to respect this? How do I get them to see this as a real thing? And a bigger one: How do I get them to respect the money side of thing? (Hey, I wrote about that here!)
The answers to these questions are as unique as the situation. In most cases, you've got to have a series of conversations. In some instances, for some partners, you need hard proof and Spock-like answers. (I have a list of answers here, regarding the Starship, but I really need to create a book full of Spock-like answers for every aspect of your business, don't you think?)

But no matter who your partner is or what you need, you can find a way to talk to them.
Your job is to figure out:

1. What kind of support you need. Do you need them to take the kids for…how many hours? Do you need them to make dinner? Do you need them to get behind you by investing money in it?

2. What their brain will understand (this is probably easier to know the longer you're with someone – if you haven't figured this out yet, I promise it'll help every aspect of your relationship!). Some people need charts and graphs. Some people (like my Jay) don't want too many details, but want to know you have a plan. Others have extensive experience with “big” business and won't understand that the rules are different for a one-gal-show. Yet others will have no experience with anyone they know being self-employed and the whole thing will seem like a ginormous risk. Others (like me!) have self-employed people everywhere, thus they see it as a normal career path.

Knowing what they need to know (and their own risk-tolerance) and presenting your request to them in a way they understand will make everything go smoother.

 

3. How you can ask for what you need + deliver what they need in a way that respects you both.

Here's the truth – your relationship has an agreement in place. You might never have spoken it, but you've come to embody it through the years. The agreement might be about who does the dishes or who provides child care or who “deserves” a break when they get home from work. Every relationship has an agreement, no matter how progressive and feminist you both are (your agreement might be that there's no gender-based roles! That's an agreement too!).

When you start to ask for what you need, what you might be asking for is a change in the underlying agreement of your partnership. This can be scary for both partners.  You can sidestep some of the fear and conflict if you first notice what your current agreement is and acknowledge it together. And then, start talking about changing it.
You see, if you just rush in with all these changes, without acknowledging that you are fundamentally changing the foundation of your relationship,well, you're really shaking up the world of your partner, which can lead to a response that's defensive or aggressive.
It's not that they don't want to support you, it's that you're asking for more than you think. You're asking for a total shift.

 

So! Your job here is to acknowledge the current agreement (together!) and start talking about a new agreement that would suit your new goals.

Of course, it's possible that your current agreement suits your business growth just fine and no roles are changing. But just recognizing the underlying agreement will go a long way to understanding every kind of support you need.

The final step – start talking! Ask them how you can explain this in a way they'll understand. Let them know how important this is to you. Ask for the kind of support you need. And ask, over and over. In every moment, when you need support, ask for it. Be specific.

Say: I really just need you to listen and reaffirm that this does suck, I don't want any advice for fixing it.
Say: I really need help finding solutions to this.
Say: I need a hug.
Say: I need to spend another hour finishing this project. Could you please do X, even though I usually do?

Don't wait for them to notice what you need! Ask for it! 

 

And above all,  assume the best.

If you have a healthy, loving relationship, assume that your partner is trying their best.  Assume that any mistakes are not malicious. Assume that a miscommunication is just that, not a sign of DOOM. Assume that if you ask, clearly and without blame, they will step up.*

Assuming the best of people tends to bring out the best in them.

Although this is a little outside of what we usually talk about it here, I think it's important to address. Because you are not alone. If your partner seems unnaturally (for them!) dismissive, or unwilling to give you the support you need, you're not alone. I hear this from women all the time. And it's ok. It's not a sign that you've partnered with a total jerk*. There's hope for working this out and shifting even the longest-held roles. And it's ok to ask for what you need.

 

All of the above applies to asking the rest of your family, with the added step of figuring out who you can truly ask for support, and what relationship will not support a direct request. (It's ok that you have some relationships with your parents, siblings, in-laws that are not built for this kind of mutual support.) Once you have recognized that this a relationship that can provide the support you need, remember to ask for it in a way that the other person will understand and appreciate. And keep asking for it. And, of course, assume the best.

 

 

How do you get support from your family and partner?

What have you learned to be the best way to approach them?

 

*I am not a relationship expert! I have a happy 9 year marriage (after a childhood surrounded by unhealthy, abusive partnerships), and have spent my life surreptitiously studying what makes happy, supportive relationships last…and performing experiments in my own marriage and that of my clients.
This is all assuming you're in a healthy, non-abusive relationship. If you are with someone who doesn't respect YOU and your smarts, creativity and general awesomeness, that's something else entirely.

 

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Things can change.

I love waking up to the colors of my bedroom. #coloringmehappy #nofilter

Today I want to send you a short reminder:

Things can change.

If you're not where you want to be, in your business, your relationship, your health – things can change.
If you wish you were better at making, painting, writing, marketing – things can change.
If you don't want to eat meat, smoke, feel frustrated – things can change.

 

Belief is the first step towards any change. Believe that you can become comfortable sharing your work. Believe that you can run a 5k. Believe that you can learn to paint. Believe that you can grow your business in the next year.
You have to believe that it's in the realm of possiblity before it can ever happen.

When I talk to people who have been on the Early Boarding Party for over a year, but haven't yet joined, this is usually the sticking point. They have a hard time believing anything in their business can change. They don't believe will ever have the business they want.

So I tell non-believers: Don't join.

Because the Starship can't make you believe.
There's nothing I can say to convince you that you can do it.

You first have to believe in yourself.
You have to believe that you are capable of setting a goal. That you are able to take a small daily action.
You have to believe that tiny actions add up to bigger results.
And above all, you have to believe that you are worth the effort, that what you want is worthy of your time and attention.

What are you believing is possible today?

 

 

 

 

Your brain on words

A sign today is going to be awesome? A free soy caramel macchiato & total Flow in workshop prep.

I know it's hard to talk about your work.
But I also know (and I bet you do too) that the thing that makes it hardest is…you.
You worry about how you sound. You worry that you're talking too much.
You worry that you're awkward or aggressive or too quiet.

Part of the reason it's so hard is because it's all so verbal. And the minute you start picking words or stringing them together, The Monitor shows up. This isn't just your emotions or self-esteem, there's an actual part of your brain that judges what you say and do. This is super helpful when you need to make a decision, but troublesome when you have to speak extemporaneously or write freely.

But there is good news. You can turn the Monitor off. The best jazz players and comedians have learned to do just that. You can circumvent words + judgement all together and work with another part of your brain.

That's what Diane and I  had in mind when we started talking about a visual process that could make it easier for makers to talk about their work. Instead of judging and thinking and arguing with yourself, we want you to skip right into the images that stir you. We jump past the thinking and go right to the seeing. (You can join us in Monitor-silencing this Monday right here.)

For a visual-thinking person, using images to spark words make perfect sense. But it's not the only one. When I started thinking about it, I have all kinds of tricks for turning off the Monitor…

Working in the same place with the same little rituals.
Zooming way out of the screen I'm writing on, so that I can't read as I write.
Writing to just one person.

How do you do it? What are your tricks for turning off The Monitor?

PS. The last chance to join the class is this Monday. If you'd like a reminder, sign up here.

How to Talk About Your Work – a 3 day adventure in right-word finding

Talking about your work is hard.

First of all, it’s uncomfortable to talk about ourselves and our passions. Your work is personal, and sharing it is a moment of vulnerability.

 

…And then there’s the problem of finding the right words, off the top of your head, to express your enthusiasm, especially when you’re a creative person, used to working with color, shape and line, or fabric, yarn and stitches.

 

But speaking well about your work is necessary.

Whether you’re writing an artist statement for your website, or sending a pitch email to the press, or explaining what you do at a craft show booth, you know it’s important to be able to explain what you do in a way that’s colorful, sparkly, and memorable.

 

You’ve noticed that the rockstars in your field have a compelling, interesting description of their work. Without a great description, your work is less memorable. People don’t know how to talk about it, they don’t know why to buy it, and they can’t rave to their friends about it. The Right Words give your work handles. They make it easy for anyone to grasp what you do and then carry your message around.

 

Saying, “I’m a knitter,” for example, doesn’t do anything to set you apart from all the other knitters in the world. Saying “I design vibrant lace shawls that add a touch of whimsy to modern fashion” is something else entirely.

 

How to talk about your work

The path to success, press and sales is paved with compelling descriptions, clear benefits and the Right Words.

So, let’s find your Right Words

In this 3 day class, we’ll help you locate the words that express the magic of what you do. We use a creativity-sparking visual process to dig into what you love, what you value, and the magic that you share in the world, so that you can talk about it confidently and easily.

 

 

Class begins June 10, 2013 and costs $49.

 

Sorry! This class is closed!  

Sign up here to learn about future classes with Tara, or sign up here to learn about future classes with Diane! 

 

What you’ll learn

 

Day One: You’ll immerse yourself in images (of your choosing). You’ll respond to these images to create a visual statement of your own spark.

Day Two: You’ll use the images you found in Day One (along with some thought-provoking inquiry and discussion with your classmates) to find your Right Words – the ones that communicate your values + your passion.

Day Three: You’ll combine all these words and images into a well-crafted statement of what you do and why it’s wonderful.

 

By the end of class, if you do your homework, you’ll have the words and confidence to clearly talk about your work.

This class includes…

  • A new interactive lesson, with questions and assignments, every day for three days, delivered to your inbox.

  • One week access to an online community to share your homework, ask questions, and be inspired.

  • A final PDF including all the lessons and worksheets, for you to revisit as often as you like.

 

How this works

When you click Register! you'll be taken to PayPal to pay (with a PayPal account, credit card or check). Within 24 hours you'll recieve an email from Tara (to your PayPal email address) with an invitation to join the classroom space. There you'll be able to meet other students and ask questions until class starts on June 10th. Each day of class you'll receive an email in the morning with your lessons and link to the discussion in the classroom. The conversation will continue throughout the week and you'll have access to the classroom for one month.

About the teachers

Diane Gilleland is a professional blogger, author, and teacher since 2005, and a crafty person since birth. Her blog, CraftyPod.com, reaches a worldwide audience, and her online courses and ebooks help bloggers use internet tools better to pursue their creative dreams.

Tara Swiger is a maker, author and Starship Captain. She creates explorations + provides support to brave business explorers, allowing them to follow their own path to success and sustainability.  (And she wrote that sentence after doing the homework in this class!) Her book, Market Yourself, is a system for sharing your handmade goodness with the world.

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Explorer’s Club of Book Lovers – May

Hello book lovers! It's time for the book club, but let's change it up!

Last month I picked two books, but we didn't have nearly as much participation as the month before, and I think I know why. Two books is just way too limiting, isn't it?  I read a few at once, and I'm a fan of quitting whenever I want. So instead of just  picking 2 books for us to read and discuss together, let's just make this a space to talk about everything we're reading.

I'll share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can share your list of books in the comments, or we can talk about any of the books that you want to read along with me.

April's Reads

Icarus Deception. 

Amazon | IndieBound | GoodReads

This book was a big YES to everything I feel about my own creative business, and the way I encourage creatives in their own. It directly inspired this post about the Only Work You Have to Do, whose discussion led to this one on connection…which led to these two posts about creating a path of connection for your customer.

 

Market Yourself.

Amazon | Goodreads

Yes, I spent a good chunk of last week re-reading my own book, to prepare for teaching a workshop on Artist's Portfolios + Social Media. The timing was perfect since Saturday was my Book-iversary! The book launched one year ago! (You can get a signed one here.)

Sunday Morning Quilts

Amazon | IndieBound | GoodReads

I read a lot of quilt books last month, but this was by far the best – both in the I-would-make-that quality of the patterns and in the friendly, chatty beginning.

 

May's To Read List 

This month's reading list. Details are on the site.

I had intended to read Contagious last month…but I had to return it to the library (someone else had a hold on it) before I got to it. But it's all mine now, and I'm one chapter in. What makes this book different from all the other ones about business and social media is that it is well-researched by the author.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up is all about creative nonfiction. What it is, how to write it, and exercises to get you started. Since creative nonfiction is the best definition I can find for what I write, and I'm working on a new project, I'm super excited to read this.

After hearing Father Boyle on On Being with Krista Tippet, I wanted to read his book.  I strongly recommend the recording of their conversation. It's funny, heart-breaking, and is the very best I can hope for my faith.

Lean In. Eh, I'm requested this book from the library because I'm curious about what it says to women in the workforce. I've seen a lot of entrepreneurial types saying “You don't need to “lean in” because you should start your own business!“…but while I'd love for everyone to do exactly what they love, I know that's not a choice everyone has, in every situation. Until I read this, I'm not recommending it, because it has the potential to be completely annoying.

Last week my 14 year old brother called me up to say, “I just finished Divergent. It is BETTER than the Hunger Games. You have  to read it.”  We're going on a family vacation at the end of June, and since 14 year old boys are notoriously hard to have conversations with (without stabbing out my own eyes), I hope to be caught up with where he is in the series so we can talk about it. (Yes, I take recommendations from everyone. And I know we have similar taste (in movies and books, if not in video games.))

 

I’m an affiliate for Amazon + IndieBound, which means I get soy latte money if you buy through the links I’ve used here. GoodReads is a free tool for tracking what you read.  I  read all these books via my library, which I strongly recommend!

 

What are you reading? 

 

 

 

 

 

Bravery outside the safe space

Ok, time for another un-awesome truth.

Yay! New pink shoes thanks to my shoe-fairy @lindsaydrake.

You know how I'm teaching 4 workshops in the next few days? Yeah, I'm nervous.

Although I teach all the time, I don't often hold in-person workshops. On top of that, the Western North Carolina Art Councils are not my typical audience. Usually, when you come to one of my classes (in person or online) you already know me. You come because you've been reading this blog, or my book, or you get my emails. You have an idea of what you're getting – a fast-talking, pink-haired, enthusiastic book nerd with a few too many pop culture references.

That's because, like I'm always encouraging you to do, I fill my business with my Right People, and I focus all my energy on serving them. That means I am pretty much always surrounded by people who both get me and like me. But at these workshops, students aren't coming because they know me, they're coming because they're HIA members and they want to learn the subject matter.

This tiny shift is monumental.
It means that, for the first time in a long time, I'm not already totally comfortable. I'm hesitant being my weird self. And the truth is, I debated with myself: is it better to focus solely on the self-selected Right People…or go outside my already-defined comfort zone and serve not-yet-my-Right People.

But even though I still have no idea how it will go, or if I'll fail miserably, I am confident that this is the right thing to do. I know I need to wade out into unknown waters and try something new. Even if I bomb, I need to show myself that I can take the flawed, enthusiastic self and be fully ME in front of perfect strangers. I need to trust that what holds true with us, here, in the safe spaces I've built (on the blog, email, Twitter, and the Starship), will hold true in the Outside World. That openness, bravery, and exploration work for me all the time, and that business help that centers on defining your ideal business speaks to everyone.

Oh, I still stand by my assertion that you should focus your marketing energy on your Right People, 100% of the time. You don't need to try to make yourself uncomfortable and scared. Life provides enough moments to be brave. But if an opportunity comes up for you to meet a whole new audience? One that you just don't know about yet? Take it. Try it.

What Brave New Thing have you done lately? Let's celebrate our bravery in the comments!

PS. Also, thanks to a tip from Alex, I'm using science to calm myself. I'm not nervous, I'm vibrating with anticipation! I'm not sweaty, I'm enthusiastic!

Creating a path of connection

connectionpath

If you're listening in to your people, and you're fully showing up to connect with them, the next step is to make it easy for them to connect with you. While it's true that having a host of option (blog, email, social media) gives your reader a lot of choices…it also triggers the paradox of choice. With too many equal options, people are more likely to choose nothing than to choose something. Not to mention, having too many equal options makes it hard for you to keep up with it all, which is oten “solved” by putting the same information everywhere, punishing those you follow you in more than one place, killing real connection.

It's your job to create the path.

If you want to connect with readers and buyers, and help them find your work and make the decision to invest it, then you need to make it as easy as possible for them. You do this by suggesting what to do next, at every step. You do this by creating a path for the reader/buyer to follow.

This pathway of connection includes absolutely every way you interact with people who may or may not be your right people – your blog, email newsletter, social media, guest posts, sales pages, and (once they cross over into Right People territory and pay for something), your connection pathway continues through your products, classes, clubs, retreats.

Today we'll talk a bit about creating a pathway of connection for your reader (before they buy, before they decide if they are one of your Right People), and tomorrow we'll talk a bit about creating a path for your buyer.

Every path is different.

I can't tell you what your path should look like. It's going to be based on what works for you and on what your People use and read (I talk about choosing your tools in detail in Chapter 5 of the book.) But as you plot your path for your customers, here's a few things to keep in mind:

  • The first steps on your path are the easiest to do – reading one blog post, replying to one tweet. This is where the person very first becomes aware that you and your work exist. Next steps on the path require more commitment and more information.

 

  • Honor this commitment your readers are making and the trust their putting in you. Honor it by giving them what they've signed up for. Respect the deeper commitment by matching it – create deeper content, invite them to specials, give them first sneak peek.

 

  • Keep in mind who you're writing for. A guest post is going to be seen by people who don't know anything about you. A tweet may be read by new followers and old friends. An email to your newsletter list is read by people who have committed to hearing from you regularly, and who probably have already decided they like you and your work. Write for the specific audience.

 

  • The farther people walk down the path, the closer they are coming to you. Since such a small percentage of people who read your blog or follow you on Twitter actually take the time to reply to you, treasure each response and give it your time and attention. In replying (or starting a conversation) this person is saying: Hey, I want to connect with you more, I want this to be a two-sided relationship. This is the best! These relationships are the bedrock of your business, so do whatever you have to do to make time for them.

 

  • Make it easy for the reader to move down the path. Once you know the steps on your path, lay them out in order for your readers. Suggest the reader of your guest post visit your blog, tell your twitter followers about your newest post, ask your blog readers to subscribe, create an autoresponder to introduce new subscribers to your work , invite your subscribers to your newest product or service. It's up to you to explain the path to interested readers, so don't wait around for them to find it.(You do know I send special weekly lessons to explorers, right?)
  • At the end of this path is a relationship, an equal exchange. This might be a sale (in which you exchange money for a product) or it might be a collaboration or even a real friendship. As you build your path and invite readers to the next step, remember this! Begin with the end in mind, and ask yourself if you want to say or do what you're doing, if there was a true friend on the other end.

 

Let's take a breather for a minute and acknowledge something. This is kind of scary. If you feel anxious or shy about talking about your Art, then it might be exceedingly uncomfortable to imagine this path, to imagine that you're going to have more and deeper conversations. I think this is why so many people just  default to  “I listed this” tweets or boring blog posts. It's much easier to be boring and impersonal.

But there's a huge upside – it's much easier to invite real fans into your work. It's much easier to talk to people who want to buy what you sell. And the only way to know they truly want it, is to give your fans a way to connect with it and you. I tell clients to look at their newsletter sign-up as a chance for the fans to speak up and say: I'm here! I want to know more!  It's a service.
And here's more good news – when your future customer is connecting to you in new ways, when you're respecting their commitment and fulfilling it with your best work, you'll see that you are both getting something out of the relationship. They're not just giving you money for your art – they are enjoying the relationship. They are delighting in knowing you.

If you're feeling scrambly about launching your book or writing your newsletter, it's likely that your pathway isn't clear (to you or your people).  Finding time to make your art and connect is often as simple as clarifying your connection path and making it obvious to readers.

May 2014 update: You can now learn how to build your Customer Path!

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