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Behind the Seens with The Novel Neighbor

Behind the “Seens” with Holland Saltsman, a neighborly bookstore maven

Find out how Holland Saltsman, owner of The Novel Neighbor book and gift store, became a mini-celebrity with book enthusiasts well beyond her St. Louis neighborhood.

What has been a game-changer for growing your audience? 

We were very lucky because we had a loyal following before we even opened the doors thanks to the success of our Indiegogo fundraising campaign (we raised $20K!) and our advance Facebook outreach. I also believe it was critical that we chose the right community in which to open the store.

More recently though, my “numbers” have increased exponentially, from social media followers to new people coming in the store whenever I am featured on Modern Mrs. Darcy’s website or podcast. It’s amazing – we have actually become a destination for people who have heard about the store when mentioned or interviewed by Anne. So what started as an innocent coffee meeting when I was a “fan girl” has turned into a very strategic relationship.

What are you favorite social media networks or platforms?

Novel Neighbor on Instagram (opens in new tab/window)Initially, we were focused on using Facebook as our primary social media platform – sharing our events and mass quantities of information (articles, lists, and fun community news). We were also using Twitter to engage with authors and influencers and the community.

In the last four months, however, we’ve gotten much more consistent and strategic, and getting more response from Instagram, and are now actually able to sell products, books, and other things right from our Instagram account, so we are really trying to post there on a daily basis.

What are you doing differently this year to reach more people?

Visit the Novel Neighbor (opens in new tab/window)After reviewing the Novel Neighbor website analytics with my SEO expert, Patrick Powers Digital, we decided it was time to make the website work more efficiently, particularly with regard to visibility of and engagement with our EVENTS. We also wanted to optimize LOCAL SEARCH opportunities for being found in the area.  So we have just re-launched with a new look for our website this past month!

What’s your stellar secret in connecting with your peeps?

St. Louis is a strong literary place. We are extremely lucky to have four independent bookstores supported in the area, but we are all very different.  Our most “secret sauce” is that we know KID’S LIT! We have an incredibly strong reputation with the community, with publishers, with authors, and most importantly, with the kids – that we know our stuff in this genre.

Also, I believe we create the unique experience of helping people find the perfect things they didn’t even know they were looking for. We have truly developed a sense of community and engagement, both in person and online, that is consistent for our neighborhood customers. Heck, we are now carrying branded Novel Neighbor stuff (bags, mugs, candles) because our customers were asking for more Novel Neighbor!

Oh yeah – we’re also pretty funny – on the verge of snarky! It works well with the kids (and the adults who still act like kids).

Can you share some stellar stats?

>Indiegogo – Raised $20K
>Facebook – 5,034
>Instagram – 1,932

What do you do to disconnect?

My first and best escape is to TRAVEL whenever I can. It’s getting easier now than it was when I first opened the store. I still love to READ, when it doesn’t feel like homework. It’s also fun for me to GET OUT LOCALLY to support my other community neighbors in their businesses.  And, of course, the odd music festival with my sisters is a pretty good reset too. (Editor’s note: I agree, follow #SaltsmanSisters)

Want more?

If you want more information about Holland and The Novel Neighbor, here’s where you can find and follow her: website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Also check Holland (and me) out on this recent Facebook Live video from Book Expo:

Should you make the pilgrimage to the store in St. Louis, please let them know that Holland’s big sister Nancy sent you! Also, if you are enjoying this series of “Behind the Seens – How Do They Do It?” let me know in comments and tell me who you would like to learn more about.  I love going behind the “seens”!

Business bucket list

What’s On Your Business Bucket List?

We’ve all been asked the question—probably at a dinner party, “What’s on your bucket list?” Even the most introverted of people usually have some BIG, HUGE item on their bucket list. Risky, against the norm, and FUN!  Why not give your business the same big, lofty goal with a business bucket list?

It’s easy to slip into the day-to-day activities of running a business. It’s also easy to avoid doing anything “risky”. Remember, with risk can come reward.

Things to add to your business bucket list:

What BIG idea do you have – written down somewhere, maybe on a Post-it note?

Is it:

  • an idea for an online course?
  • writing a book?
  • speaking?
  • taking a class or going to a conference?
  • doing a video?
  • getting a new website?
  • starting a blog?
  • hiring an assistant?

It’s time to dust off that “someday” note and figure out how to achieve this goal. You’ve written it down for a reason. Map it out.

Often, our big ideas don’t come to fruition because they get stuck somewhere right after, “Wow, what if I (fill in amazing idea)?  Oh, that’s going to be hard to do…”  As soon as you realize the scope of the project, procrastination and doubt kick in.

Here’s a tip:  Work backwards!

Fast forward to the end result and write that down. Here’s an example:

“Standing on stage presenting a Ted Talk”
What has to happen just before that to make it happen?

“Write an amazing Ted Talk Presentation”
Go back one more step…

“Apply to be a TED Talk speaker”
Keep going until you get to the very first step. You have mapped out the high-level to-do’s that will get you on stage giving the biggest presentation of your career!  It’s not so scary when you have it laid out!

Put yourself out there

At the top of many people’s business bucket list is figuring out how to get out, connect, and tell their story. What’s the best way for you to personally get in front of your audience? How can you create that human-to-human connection?

People follow and buy from someone they trust. How can you step out of the automated, bot-world and build trust and make a difference in your customers’ lives?

It’s time to shine

Live streaming video has become the fastest way to connect with an audience, share wisdom, and give the world a better idea of who you are.

It can be uncomfortable to think about being live on camera for everyone to see. Do it.  Put yourself out there and try it. There is nothing to lose! You can always delete it.

It’s not easy at first, but over time, it will not feel as difficult. Chances are, your peers or competitors are doing it, so if anything, use that as motivator!

What to talk about on video (or podcast, if you are really camera shy):

  1. What questions does your ideal client ask you all the time?
  2. What’s trending in your industry that your audience would want to know about? Is there a new app that’s hot? An exciting update to a program? A delicious new recipe that they must try?
  3. People LOVE rants: Is there something in your industry that bothers you? Can you offer your own viewpoints on the topic? Example: “Everyone says eating fats is bad, but there are good fats your body needs.”
  4. Lessons learned: Did you experience something in business that taught you a valuable lesson? Share it.
  5. Latest book you’ve read.
  6. Anything that lights you up that you feel you need to share.

TIPS When Starting:

  • Put on the DND (do not disturb!) when recording.
  • Write up some bullet points to talk about and stick in a place you can see it. You’ll much more at ease if you have those reminders there.
  • Internet connection matters. If you are in a low cell area, the connection will probably cut in and out. Test if first.
  • Use a tripod if you can, to keep the camera/phone stable, and consider a good quality mic.
  • Don’t stress too much about hair and make-up.

Is it time for a break?

When was the last time you took a day off? I mean, a REAL day off. Running a business can take over your life. There is no 9-5 when it’s your own business… it’s constant: days, late nights, weekends, holidays.

It feels constant because we are managing everything alone. It’s hard to take time for ourselves when the whole business relies on us. Why not put some more “you” time on your business bucket list?

Take a look at your systems and operations. List answers to the following:

  1. Things I LOVE doing
  2. Things I HATE doing
  3. Things that ONLY I can do (this is your special magic)

Look at the list. The goal is to have “things you love doing” and “things only you can do” overlap. The things you hate doing should be hired out, to get those energy drains off of your to-do list. You will be far more successful (and happy) if you can focus on just what you love and are amazing at. Tasks you dread doing will only drag you down and suck up valuable time.

Change feels uncomfortable

Just like skydiving, change and stepping out of our comfort zones sounds great at first, but stepping to the edge of the plane is terrifying.

Pick one of the list items above or something from the top of your “business bucket list” and start there. First, become the master of delegating, then go out and get that book deal. Or hire that VA so you can take the vacation you’ve dreamed of.

Whatever it may be, reach for those goals. Dream a little bit bigger. Share some ideas/items from your business bucket list in the comments below. You got this—and your life and work will be all the better for it!

Stuck on how to move forward and take your next big step? Let’s schedule a clarity call, and maybe I can help you cross an item off your business bucket list!.

image credit Samantha Sophia

How a Business Clean-Up Can Bring Marketing Success

You know that feeling when warm weather comes and you want to open all the windows and doors and air the house out? Clean out closets and throw out the collected winter clutter?

It happens to most of us. A new season comes and we have the urge to purge (and clean).

But what about our business? Shouldn’t it get a renewed look and de-cluttering too?

When was the last time you took a day off? Yes… a whole day off *gasp* to do a little clean up on your business.

What Kind Of Cleaning?

There are two clean-up projects you should do once or twice a year.

The first one is more of a clutter buster.

Get rid of old files bogging down your computer.

Move your images and big files off your main computer and put them on an external storage drive. Look at your credit card statement and note any recurring business expenses that you don’t need. Those little $9.99 monthly programs and subscriptions add up.

Open up the virtual windows of your business

The second clean up project is a mental cleanup

A mental cleanup?

There is a tendency with entrepreneurs to forget why we are running a business.  By now you may have realized that running your own business is not easy. As a matter of fact is can be downright hard some days. Like – “I’m done with this” hard.

There’s a reason you keep going.  Why? Do you know the answer?

To (re)find it. It would be beneficial to take another day off! *gasp* TWO days off?!?

Yes! Another day off. To reconnect with your goals and vision. To remind yourself why you’re doing what you do.

Grab a fresh notebook and a brand new pen. Go somewhere that you can think and get away from the hustle and bustle for a few hours.

Ask yourself the following:

  1. What do you want to achieve, in business and in life?

Take a moment to think about what it is you want.  If you want to have a business that allows you to travel, are you structuring it to allow that? If you want to only work 30 hours a week, are the plans in place to do so? Do you have an income goal? Write down what you want your life (and business) to look like.

  1. What’s your secret sauce? What makes you stand out from your competition? What is something you do, that your customers or clients LOVE?

This is the magic of your business.  I’m guessing you have competition.  What do you do to make your business the best choice?

  1. What do they need to learn from you? What can your unique specialties do for them?

Once you get clear on your secret sauce, think about what your ideal customers want from you. When can you deliver this information to them? How do you think they want to get it?

  1. How are you reaching your existing clients? How are you reaching new clients?

What’s working? What’s not?

  1. Where does my best business come from?

If Facebook brings you the most business, focus most of your online marketing efforts there.

What Does This Have to Do With Marketing?

Everything.

It all flows together.

See you do have a vision of what you want your life to look like, but we get caught up in our day-to-day activities. We tell ourselves, “tomorrow, I’ll really hire that VA”,  “Next week, I’ll get started on social media”,  “Hopefully, by next year I’ll be able to work less hours if I can hustle now”.

Start to structure your business around the life you want now, then decide where you need to be productive. What needs to be more efficient? What type of support do you need?

Make your business work for you.

Focusing on what your secret sauce is, changes everything you do. This is how you stand out with your unique voice, perspective, and services. This is how your ideal client will find you. They’ll be drawn to you because you resonate with them.

Knowing what your magic is, allows you to write more freely, and promote your services with the right marketing copy and connect with your audience they way they need you to connect.

Once you start thinking about your marketing with your customer or client in mind, it doesn’t feel so hard. And you’ll have a clearer sense about where best to reach them.

You’ll notice that your blogs are getting read.  Your emails are getting opened. Your social media posts are getting likes and comments.  Why? Because you have cleaned out the stale marketing efforts that are no longer serving you. You have reminded yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing, and you’ll remember what makes you stand out.

Now, open up your calendar and pick your two clean-up days, to.

  1. Clear out the clutter
  2. Set your one-on-one day with your business.

You’ve got this!

Having trouble with your clean up? Let’s schedule a “clarity call” so I can help you make way for marketing success!

The 3 Things You Can Stop Doing Now With Your Online Marketing

I have a question for you.  Be honest in your answer…

Is your inbox flooded every day with the next BIG idea or Ah-mazing new product, program or widget? Are you stressing about the countdown sale for the newest service, product, or webinar that promises to create wealth beyond your wildest dreams?

I understand. Entrepreneurs and content marketers (we’re all content marketers!) have a tendency to sign up to a million email lists to get the latest incredible experts freebie ebook or training.

Why do we do this?

  1. We want to see what our competition is doing.
  2. We want some inspiration for our own ebook or training.
  3. We want the information to help us feel educated BEFORE we put our own services or content out there in the online world.

It’s very easy to want to virtually consume all of the information out there, but because we gobble up all of this amazing content, we get easily overwhelmed and confused.  

The experts out there each have a slightly different twist on the “best” way to run your business.  They have to offer their own spin in order to stand out in the crowd, but we then lose sight of how to move forward.

Expert 1 says, you should “be everywhere online.  Be on ALL social media platforms.”
Expert 2 says, “No, dial back. Focus on 1 or 2 platforms.”
Expert 3 says, “Go offline and reconnect in person.”
Expert 4 asks, “Why are you doing social media? Hire someone to do it for  you.”

So, who’s right?

They all are. What’s important is who YOU think is right and whose expertise works for how you want to run your business. Try not to follow ALL of the experts. Find a few whose message and teachings resonate with your business and lifestyle.

The 3 Things You Don’t Need To Be Doing

Unsubscribe from all the emails of experts who aren’t really your ideal mentor, and let’s get focused in business.

#1 – You don’t need to be everywhere

Social media can be time-consuming and hard to manage on your own.  It’s knowing where to post and what to post, engaging with followers who comment and share, and building a community around your pages and profiles.

Obviously, it’s not going away anytime soon, so it’s important to be online and be social.  

Pick 1 or 2 (3, if you have some support staff) social media platforms and do those really, really well.  

It’s much better to be in less places and present, than more places and non-existent.  

Go where your audience is. Use this amazing infographic from Tracx:

Social-Media-Demographics-2017
(click to zoom)

Once you choose the best social media platforms to be on, make sure to create a content plan that your audience will love. Use tools to help with automating posts and make sure to fill those threads daily. If you need help with content creation, then check out: 3 Ways to Simplify Your Online Marketing [+ FREE Content Calendar]

#2 – Don’t create content you hate doing

The trend lately in online marketing is to use video to grow your audience.  YouTube, Facebook Live, Periscope, and Snapchat are leading the charge.

“75% of online video viewers have interacted with an online video ad this month.”

“92% of mobile video consumers share videos with others” [Source]

BUT what if you hate the idea of doing video?  

For right now, don’t. I would suggest you try to put yourself out there with video content, but if the thought of it makes you freeze up, there’s no sense in forcing yourself to do it. Your audience will pick up on it.

If you are ready to try some video content, record it first, then upload it to your social media page. Get comfortable with video before you go live on video.

Is blog writing your nemesis? Grab some tips on How To Write a Blog Quickly

Create content that feels good to you and is valuable to your audience, and post in a place where your audience is online.  

Yes, writing blogs is good for increasing traffic to your site, but write them in a way that works for you. Maybe you are list person. Write a list blog that provides helpful tips to your readers.

Do you have a nice-sized email list? Write a daily email to them. Short and sweet. Give them a tip each day.  

Don’t feel pressured to create a ton of content that feels uncomfortable to you. Your audience will sense it.

The best content is quality over quantity. Create amazing, educational and valuable info, and your audience will love it.

#3: – Don’t create complicated opt-in offers or “funnels”

Geesh…this is a big trend that online marketers are over-complicating!

When someone opts-in to your freebie offer, they should be added to your email list. Then think about a funnel as a simple progression through your offerings and growing your community. Don’t think of it as a way to sell more stuff.

The benefits of a funnel are to:

  • Automate your follow-up process
  • Stay in front of your audience
  • Offer valuable and educational information to your audience
  • Build trust with your list
  • Segment your list, if you are using a program that can segment people by tags or clicks.  

You don’t need a 40-step funnel to stay connected with your list. Remember, these people want/need what you offer.  It’s your job to help them and bring some ease and transformation into their lives.  Keep it simple, sister!

What You Should Be Doing

Remember this is your brand and your business. Run it the way that feels good to you and that resonates with your audience. Write your blogs in a way that feels good. Use your voice and inject your perspective. Someone will follow you and ultimately buy from you if they know, like, and trust you.

Let’s find ways to make that happen. Stuck on what to do next?  I can help – how about a free clarity call to figure out the best way to connect and market to your audience.

3 Ways to Simplify Your Online Marketing [+ FREE Content Calendar]

Raise your hand if…

You’ve written a blog post that never saw the light of day. How about an email promoting an event that came and went without getting sent? Ever spend time creating great content and then watch someone else’s info (that wasn’t as helpful) get lots of praise and engagement?

Me too. Which is why I created the Content Calendar Template – to help ensure great content gets out!

You need it. I need it. My clients need it. Plus, it’s nice to share.

We cannot allow you to let your content stay in hiding any longer. It’s time to let your light shine, tell your story, and get your message(s) out into the world.  People want to hear from you, so let’s get moving.

Step One – Create a content calendar

(download your very own customizable one below).

Think of this like planning for a vacation. You don’t wait until the day before to book the flights. You don’t wing it when it comes to reservations. If a week-long vacation with the kids gets you several hours of research and planning time, then certainly, the content that drives your vision, mission, and business deserves an hour or two – right?

So think about:

  • What posts will you create?
  • Who on your team does that?
  • What are the deadlines?
  • What images or design help will you need?

Your plan needs to serve you and your team. Make changes as you go – but if you know everything you want to share for the entire month, then guess what? It will happen, your tribe will be served, and your fans will wonder how you manage to create and share so much awesome content.

 

Step Two – Use social media management and scheduling tools.

No one has time to be hanging out on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram all day.

“Oh look. A cat video!” – said no one who is crushing their content plan. Stay with me.

Take advantage of technology so that relevant posts, pictures, and links show up like magic. Use these tools to share not only your new content, but also your evergreen and most popular posts.

Pop in (or have your designated team member) reply to questions, thank people for sharing, and let the world know that real people are behind the cool info you’re sharing.

A few of my favorites are:

Also, use automation and cross-promotion tools (within your blog and email marketing platform) when possible. For example, set up your blog so that it automatically emails your list and posts to social media every time you post. Seriously, take advantage of technology.

 

Step Three – Get help.

If writing isn’t your thing, then have a team member help or hire someone to do it for you. If you have no problem creating and coming up with ideas, but hate technology, find the resources that will help you execute the plan.

Like many things in business (and life) when you have a system and support, things get done. Your content soars and new fans and clients find you!

It’s not magic. It just feels like it.

 

Get started with a Content Calendar Template now!

 

Need help getting started? Let’s schedule a clarity call and get your content plan in place. The world needs to hear from you!