Weekly-ish notes on navigating big change

Podcast

How to pick your goal

Set your goals for the rest of 2014 with the Explore Your Enthusiasm podcast, on TaraSwiger.com

Happy Middle of the Year!

How's your 2014 going? Have you come closer to your goals for the year? Or have you forgotten all about them?
Either way, this is a great time to reset your intentions for the rest of the year and make a new map.

But where are you going?

In this episode you'll hear my favorite ways to set a good, clear goal that will bring you to a business you really want. I also share an embarrassing story about getting lost, and the importance of not just setting your destination, but paying attention the entire way there (with regular review!)

Links mentioned:

 

How to listen

  • You can subscribe to it on iTunes (If you do, leave a review!)
  • You can listen to it using the player above or download it.
  • Subscribe or listen via Stitcher (or subscribe in whatever you use for podcasts – just search “Explore Your Enthusiasm” and it should pop up!).

Find all the podcast episodes here.

 

 

 

 

The Power of Community

Find community aboard the Starship, on TaraSwiger.com

Having a community of supportive, encouraging and whip-smart fellow business explorers completely transformed my business. In today's episode, I share a bit about how my business has been shaped by the communities I was a part of and what led me to create a community of other makers + writers, aboard the Starship. If you're feeling lonely or down, listen in as I share my secret mission and how it involves you.

 

Note: The Starship closes THIS Friday, 6/27/14, at 4 pm. To learn more, check it out it here.

 

How to listen

  • You can subscribe to it on iTunes (If you do, leave a review!)
  • You can listen to it using the player above or download it.
  • Subscribe or listen via Stitcher (or subscribe in whatever you use for podcasts – just search “Explore Your Enthusiasm” and it should pop up!).

Find all the podcast episodes here.

 

 

 

 

Just Say No: How to say it {PODCAST}

Just say no

Tired of saying “yes” when you want to say no?

In today's episode you'll learn:

  • How to get comfortable saying no.
  • 4 ways to say say no
  • My exact scripts for getting more time, avoiding aggressive askers, and saying no.

This is the second part of a three-part (free!) mini-class on Saying No (for fun + profit). Part 1 is here, Part 2 is today's podcast, and Part 3 is a worksheet (to apply this to your own business), only available if you sign up below.

Links I mention:

      The FREE worksheet is available if you sign up below!

 

How to listen

 

 

 

 

Press + Productivity with Mei Pak of Tiny Hands {PODCAST}

Mei Pak of Tiny Hands on TaraSwiger.com

 

Today I'm happy to be talking to Mei, of Tiny Hands jewelry about how to get great press and be productive. Her work has been featured on Park's + Recreation, in the Huffington Post, Daily Candy, Everyday with Rachel Ray…and lots more!

 

 

 

 

We talk about:

  • How exactly she got her work worn by the lead character of Parks + Rec
  • Good press builds
  • Mei's Golden Rule of approaching the press: Know The Editor
  • Connect and pitch the press (exactly how she got on Cool Mom Picks)
  • Her explorations into rocking Facebook
  • What she's enthusiastic about = Craftivity

BONUS: You'll get free shipping when you use this link to her shop!

 Links to what we talk about:

If you're wondering what great press will really DO for you, I've written about that here. 

How to listen

  • You can subscribe to it on iTunes (If you do, leave a review!)
  • You can listen to it using the player above or download it.
  • Subscribe or listen via Stitcher (or subscribe in whatever you use for podcasts – just search “Explore Your Enthusiasm” and it should pop up!).

Find all the podcast episodes here.

 

 

What you “should” have done. {PODCAST}

How to get perspective when you're frustrated by slow growth...or just not being where you "should" be. Podcast on TaraSwiger.com | Explore Your Enthusiasm

Inspired by your response to last week's email, let's talk about how to deal with the frustration of what you “should” have done already – the business you should have, the progress you should have made, where you should be. The best way to deal with this frustration: Perspective. In today's episode, I'll share a few ways to get perspective:

  • The truth about how long it takes for other people.
  • A birthday-inspired list of what you've done.
  • Review your own goals.
  • Dedicate yourself to taking action. (Make a map, if you don't know what to do.)

 

Links mentioned

How to listen

Your Turn!

What have you accomplished this year? How has this shifted your perspective? 

 

Navigating an art career, with Claudine Hellmuth {PODCAST}

Claudine Hellmuth Interview on Tara Swiger's podcast

 

Yay! Today I'm thrilled to have my very first podcast guest: Claudine Hellmuth!

Claudine's an author, illustrator and designer, who's been featured in The New York Times, The Martha Stewart Show, HSN, HGTV and more! I first picked up her first book waaay back, 10 years ago! I was delighted to talk to (and learn from!) someone who's navigated many opportunities and options(licensing, publishing, etsy shop)  in her art career and how she gets it all done.

 

We talk about: 

  • The path to her first book deal
  • The truth of licensing deals
  • The importance of celebration in your art career
  • The difference between making for committee and making what you love
  • “People buy your joy”
  • How Claudine spends her days (and the productivity “rule” she breaks)
  • Being the World's Best Boss
  • What we're enthusiastic about! (It may surprise you!)

Links we discussed: 

 

You can find more about Claudine, her work, and her blog at CollageArtist.com.

(Don't forget – if you love the show, leave a review on iTunes and Instagram or tweet what you do while you listen and tag it with #exploreyourenthusiasm)

Listening to an interview with Claudine Hellmuth at TaraSwiger.com

How to listen

  • You can subscribe to it on iTunes (If you do, leave a review! This helps it spread!)
  • You can listen to it using the player above or download it.
  • Subscribe or listen via Stitcher (or subscribe in whatever you use for podcasts – just search “Explore Your Enthusiasm” and it should pop up!).

Find all the podcast episodes here.

 

Fear + Marketing {PODCAST}

Fear + Marketing - A podcast episode on TaraSwiger.com

What's keeping you from sharing your work with the people who will love it?

Fear that:

  • It takes too much time?
  • It might not work?
  • You'll look bad?
  • Everyone will hate it (you?!)?

In this week's episode of Explore Your Enthusiasm, I share my own fear around marketing (it ain't pretty) and share three tools for getting past the fear and communicating with the people who will love your work.

Links I mention:

 

How to listen

Find all the podcast episodes here.

What have you been avoiding? What wonderful things could it bring into your life?

 

 

 

The secret to turning readers into buyers

This week's podcast is live! Talking about my favorite question to your marketing floundering: Where does it fit on your Customer Path?

How customers find you, fall in love, and choose to buy = your Customer Path.

In today's podcast episode, we talk about what it is, what you already have and how to start improving it.

A “Customer Path” is a framework to think about your marketing. Once you think through your message and your goals from your own point of view (like we do in the book), you need to shift and think about how this all fits together for your ideal customer. What do they come in contact with first? Where do they go next?

This is how you turn a casual reader (or random googler) into a customer, and then a raving fan.

This framework will help you know:

The good news: you already have a Customer Path! Your job, your responsibility is to make it as easy and effective as possible, both to boost your own sales AND to provide service to your customers (they want to know how to find out more!)

In the podcast I share some questions to get you started in your own Customer Path building and a list of 5 things to remember as you map out your own Customer Path.

If you'd like to build your Customer Path, increase it's effectiveness, and get clear on how you make sales, join the brand new class: From Hi to Buy: Craft a Customer Path.

Links I mention: 

How to listen

Your Turn!

What does your Customer Path look like right now? Are there gaps? Cliffs? Too many options? 

What are you going to do this week to make it clearer (and thus, more efficient)?

If you don't know the answer to that question, sign up for my FREE marketing e-course:

 

 

Podcast: Enthusiasm – your business needs it

Why your business needs your enthusiasm, on TaraSwiger.com

Welcome to the second episode of Explore Your Enthusiasm! 

This week we're talking about ENTHUSIASM. It's right there in the name of the podcast + it's a vital tool in a sustainable business. We'll cover why it matters, what to do when you don't have any, how you can learn from your craft, and how to make even the most boring tasks more fun. I also share a bit about my own crafting funks, some burn-out horror stories and what I've learned when I follow the enthusiasm in my own business.

Links mentioned in the podcasts

How to listen

Your turn!

How do you follow your enthusiasm in your business? What have you learned?
If you're feeling burned out or bored, how are you going to start experimenting with your enthusiasm?

 

 

How to launch a podcast in one week

How to launch a podcast in one week, on TaraSwiger.com


 

I mentioned yesterday that I love podcasts and that I've long wanted to start my own. The truth is, I started working on one THREE years ago. In 2011, I took a great class with Diane, that taught me everything I needed to know about starting a podcast. I bought a travel mic. I sent a million emails to friends about what I wanted the podcast to be. When I went to Chicago on a trip for a client, I interviewed two of my long-time fave crafters (their interviews will eventually be on the podcast).

But then..the idea withered. I know myself: I failed to follow my enthusiasm and just make it, so I got bogged down in the details and never moved forward.

When the idea hit me again I sat right down and wrote out all the reasons I shouldn't do it (that's a short list). And then I wrote all the reasons I should do it. I wrote what the podcast would be about. I wrote a rough outline of my first podcast. And I sent an email to Heather asking if I had the different steps of it right.

The next Monday, I decided: Yes, I'm going to do this project. I recorded the audio, recorded an intro, edited it together and by Thursday had it all uploaded and ready to launch. The day after I got everything set up, Elise wrote this great post about how to launch a podcast on a Mac. I use a slightly different workflow and set of tools, so I wanted to share that with you.

This is rather long, so instead of reading it all and getting overwhelmed, I strongly recommend that you save it (maybe pin it?) and open it back up when you're ready to start your podcast. 

Here's an overview of how each episode moves from your brain into your listener's devices:

  • You record it, edit it + send it to where it will live on the web (where iTunes will “read” it from).
  • You write the summary + title, then publish the episode on that platform (or you schedule it for the future).
  • When it goes live, iTunes (+ all other podcast readers) will “catch” the feed and post it on their site with the information.
  • Subscribers will magically have the episode!

How to launch a podcast in a week.

  1. Decide what you want to talk about.
    Make a big list of possible topics. Figure out who you're making this for and what you want to say. (You could use Craft an Effective Blog to generate topic ideas!) Now, summarize all that for your first episode. Listen to a few of your favorite podcasts to get a feel for the organization of it all. What do they say at the beginning? The end? Write down a general outline of what you want to say (be as scripted or as free-flowing as you like).
  2.  Pick a name.
    This took me forever, but don't stress about it. If your blog has a name, go with that. If your Etsy shop has a name, go with that. (I'm just “Tara Swiger” everywhere, so I had to find something new.)
  3. Make a cover image.
    It needs to be 1400×1400 and still look good at 150×150. If you're totally new to image design, hire someone. (This should be pretty inexpensive. You can find lots of designers here.) Or just put the name of your podcast on a colored background. Really.
  4. Set up your recording + editing + feed.
    -Set up an account on Libsyn (I went with the cheapest: $5/mo). Put the name of your podcast and the summary in there.
    -Set up an account on Auphonic (free!) then download the Auphonic phone app.
    -Go to the “services” page on Auphonic and add your Libsyn account. This will send all of your episode to Libsyn. (This makes everything so super easy.)
    -Also set it up to send recordings to your Dropbox/fttp/computer (wherever you wanna save your files).
  5. Record your first episode.
    -Open the Auphonic app and click the big Record button and start talking.  I recorded the first episode ON MY PHONE.
    -Save the recording + name it.
    -If you want an intro and outro to be the same on every episode, record each of those and save them.
    – After you're done recording, click “Start Production” on your episode file. (You can do this on your phone, or on the web app.) If you recorded an intro and outro, put those in the intro and outro section. On this production page, you'll name the episode, write a summary, etc. Be sure you've selected Libsyn in the outgoing file, so it's sent automatically.
    -Click “Start Production” at the bottom of this page. Your file will be edited + sent to Libsyn. Yay! You're all done creating the audio file!
  6. Your episode will soon be in your Libsyn account.
    If you need to, edit the title, summary, etc and publish it (or schedule it).
  7. Submit your feed to iTunes!
    Libsyn creates the feed with all the details you've already put in,  so you just need to copy + paste the feed onto iTunes. (Your feed will look something like taraswiger.libsyn.com/feed).
  8. Wait anxiously for their approval.
  9. Share it with your friends + customers!

This list may seem long, but none of the technical things will take any more than 10-15 minutes each.

Once you've done this the first time, you only need to do Step #5 + #6 for all future episodes. Two steps!

What takes the longest: YOU – deciding on what you want to say, what you want to call it and how you want to describe it!

Here's how it worked for me, in a normal work week where I did a zillion other things, including proposing and landing a new contract for a teaching opportunity.

Monday: Decided on a whim what it would be all about (after three years of thinking about it on and off).

Tuesday: Set up all accounts, made image (with a name I decided to change), recorded intro (with the wrong name), recorded first episode.

Wednesday: Did lots of other work. On my breaks, turned my YouTube videos into podcast episodes.*

Thursday: Asked Twitter what to name it. Decided on something else entirely. Redid the image with the new name. Rerecorded intro. Re-edited first episode (I just sent the original file back through Auphonic, attaching the new intro + outro files) – all from my phone. Edited the feed page with a longer description. Submitted the feed to iTunes.

Friday: Waited! When I got the “you've been approved” email, I sent the link to two friends to test. Tested it on Jay's phone with the Podcasts app. Tested in on my phone with Downcast. Wrote the introductory blog post. Danced around!

*This took me some research, so let me tell you how I did it.

How to turn your own YouTube video into an audio podcast:

  1. From your Video Manager page on YouTube, download your video as an MP4.
  2. In Auphonic, add the MP4 as your audio file. Fill out the details (summary, description, intro, outro). Make sure it's set to send it to Libsyn.
  3. Click “Start Production.”
  4. Bam! That's it! Now it'll be on Libsyn just like any other podcast and you can schedule it for whenever you want!

Your turn?

Ready to start your own podcast? If you do, I'd love to hear it! And if this tutorial helps you create yours, PLEASE leave a comment with a link to your show!

 

 

 

 

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