Weekly-ish notes on navigating big change

craft business

Your questions answered: email list growth, self-publishing and what I’d do differently

Get YOUR questions answered: self-publishing a book, growing your email list, and advice on building your crafty biz!

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Today I'm answering questions from my Instagram followers (to get your questions answered, be sure you're following me!). In fact, I received so many questions, I split them into two podcasts!  You can find the first Q&A post here.   Today we'll cover:

  • Email List Growth
  • Self-Publishing
  • What I'd do differently

 

How to grow your email list and publish a book: @TaraSwiger answers!

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Resources:

Check out these awesome handmade businesses:

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 I’m Reading: February 2017

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list with me on Facebook and find all the posts here.

(The usual disclaimer applies.)

What I read

What I’m reading

I need some more recommendations! Tell me on Twitter or Facebook!

  Here’s to another great month of reading!

What I read last February.

And in February 2015, and February 2014!

When everything is awful

When everything is awful

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Let's be honest: Sometimes, everything is awful. (On the other hand, sometimes everything is awesome and you find yourself singing this song.) When things are awful, it helps if you have a list ready to go, to help you get through it (without giving up). In this episode I'll share the list of things I do when everything is awful and the tricks that work best for my clients.

How to listen to the podcast:

  • 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 simplest marketing tool: Listening

simplest marketing tool listening

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The key to making your marketing effective: Talking directly to your people, about what they care about. But how do you know what they value and what will speak to them? It's super simple: Listen in. 

In this episode you'll learn:

  • How I listened to create my best-selling product
  • How you can listen in (without being a creep)
  • What to listen for

Listening to you, my dear listeners (!), led me to create the Starship, which is now open, just until this Friday. Beam up here.

How to listen to the podcast:

 

 

The simplest business tool

the simplest business tool

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Not everything requires a complex solution. Sometimes, you need to make a decision but you feel stuck. You're not sure what you should do and your head is all swirly. It's time to pull out my favorite business tool: a conversation.

The Starship opens next Monday for only 5 days. Get on the list here to be notified first.

 

How to listen

Find all the podcast episodes here.

 

 

 

How to Choose the Right Tool

how to choose the right tool

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There are so many ways to communicate with your people – how do you choose the one that works best for you, your business, and your people? It's easy to just use what you see other people using, which means you're competing in the exact same spaces. Instead, take the time to thoughtfully choose the right communication method and set it up so you can stay consistent and effective.

In this episode you'll learn:

  • The many options for connecting with customers
  • How to choose the right tool for you (with examples!)
  • The tools that work best for my clients
  • The tools you absolutely MUST have

Want to find which tools your customers are using? We'll cover that in my class, Craft Your Marketing.  It's getting ready to re-open: sign up if you want to be notified when it does (and get some help with your marketing tools right now!):

How to listen

Find all the podcast episodes here.

 

 

Why you’re not making more sales

Why you're not making more sales

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Everyone wants to know: Why aren't I making more sales? 

The answer is that you're making a mistake that most small businesses make, and it's exhausting you, without being effective.
Whether the problem is that you're not selling anything, or that you're not selling more, or that your newest project just bombed, the underlying problem is usually the same. Today we're going to talk about what the underlying problem is, and how to fix it.

We'll discuss:

  • Why you're not making any sales
  • The easy change you can make
  • The foundations you need in place

 

Lift Off opens today! Join right 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.
  • ON ANY device, you can 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 Adventures

Every day is an adventure. I share the view, the gratitude and the news  on Fridays – you’re invited to join in. You can find all my adventures here, or follow along via email here.

The view

Homemade cinnamon roll + coffee + knitting + Gilmore Girls = perfect Saturday morning. #taralovesmornings
I woke up to uneasy snuggles. This is the closest they've ever been (touching!) and the peace holds only if they don't acknowledge the other exists. #taralovesmornings #catsofinstagram #caturday
Pho for dinner. With roast broccoli, cilantro, lime, pickled ginger, tofu and noodles. #whatveganseat

I am so grateful for…

  • A warm home on cold nights
  • A fantastically warm welcome to my newest thing
  • Saying yes to something new and big and exciting

The Finds:

I’m thinking about:

  • Since reading this post (and a zillion other studies) on the importance of standing up every 20 minutes, I downloaded Timer+ and set up a timer to go off every 20 minutes until 8 or 9 at night. I'm walking more steps and feel less achy at the end of the day.
  • You know I love CoSchedule (I go into detail about how I use it here), and this is a great post about fixing your Bounce Rate. (It convinced me to rewrite the headline on my Home page.)
  • Jay is not into sweaters, so when he asked if I could knit something like this, I was thrilled. But now I can't find any patterns that are similar. Suggestions?

I’m eating: 

In case you missed it: 

  • Be a Professional. Make the shift.
  • Overcome by self-doubt? You're not alone!
  • I announced my newest thing (an awesome new class series, built to give you your best biz in 2015) to my email list and the reaction was delightful. If you aren't on the list, and you're curious, sign up here.

I've had a few questions this week about how to listen to the podcast, so I wanted to answer them here, in case you were wondering: 

  • If you don't usually listen to podcasts (and don't use an app on your phone), you can simply listen via the player in each post (it's a little arrow button under each picture. If you click it, it will play!)
  • Or you can download each episode! In the “How to Listen” section of each podcast post, there is a link (embedded in the words “download it”) to the MP3. If you click it, the MP3 will start playing right away . If you right click, you can save it to your computer.
  • If you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod, you can use the “Podcast” app to listen – just click “add podcast”, search for “explore your enthusiasm” and select “subscribe”. This will ensure that each new episode will go write to your phone!
  • No matter what device you're on, you can listen to the podcast via Stitcher here.

What adventures have you had?

Social Media for Introverts {PODCAST}

Social Media for Introverts

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Social media might seem like the perfect way for an introvert to connect (you can do it alone! in your pjs!), but I've found it's easily a distraction from your real work. In today's episode we'll talk about:

  • The distraction of social media
  • Three steps to combat the distraction and stay focused
  • What overwhelms people and how to avoid it.

Links mentioned

How to listen

Find all the podcast episodes here.

 

How to use Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest in your creative business

How to use Facebook Instagram and Pinterest in your Creative Biz

 

 

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I get asked about this all the time, so it's time I answer your questions about how to use Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest in your creative business. You'll learn about the pros and cons of each and how each one can help you reach your specific business goal.

In this episode:

  • The three things you need to before  you start using a tool.
  • The strengths and weaknesses of the platforms I get asked about most,
  • The most effective ways to use these tools

Couldn't scribble notes fast enough? Get a transcript of this podcast episode when you sign up here. 

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!).

 

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