“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” ~ Yogi Berra

You’ve probably heard or read Berra’s quote more than once. It sounds funny, and it’s absolutely true.

The last few months I’ve been working with a group who want to trek to Machu Picchu in 2019. They know where they want to go. So it’s simple to create a step by step plan to get them to their desired destination: selecting dates, working with the trekking company to develop an itinerary, booking flights, hotels and all the rest of the cool experiences they’ll have along the way.

Imagine if they had only told me they wanted to hike in Peru. Without any more information, I might have created an adventure tour that included trekking to Huascarán, the highest peak in Peru and definitely more strenuous than getting to Machu Picchu. And, not what they had in mind. 

But without knowing where they want to go, I would have to make assumptions and hope I get it right. Imagine the group’s disappointment when they didn’t end up at Machu Picchu!

The same is true with your business.

If you don’t have a plan for where you want to go, you’ll end up someplace else.

And it might not be what you imagined. It’s likely you’ll fall short of your expectations because there’s no clear path to meet them.

• You want to create an online course, but you don’t have a step by step plan to create, promote and deliver it.
• You want to increase your revenue by 30%, but you have no idea what actions to take to achieve that goal.
• You want to write a book, but you don’t have a marketing plan to implement once it’s published.

To support you in this endeavor, I’m facilitating a 2019 Q1 Planning Workshop designed to help you plot a plan of action for what you want to accomplish in the first 90 days of 2019.

On January 3, the (virtual) Planning Workshop is focused on creating your marketing plan and implementation timeline through March 31, 2019.

The time is now to start preparing for your Q1 programs.

In a small group, you’ll focus on what you want to accomplish in the first quarter of 2019 and the specific action plan to make it happen.

Here are the details:

• We meet on Zoom for 4 hours on Thursday, January 3, 2019, from 8 am to 12 pm Pacific time/ 11 am to 3 pm Eastern time. There will be time for breaks.
• We will look at where you are now in your business, where you want to be on March 31, 2019, and map out the path for you to get there.
• The Q1 Planning Workshop will be a blend of mastermind, facilitated exercises, ideas, advice, and Q&A. You will get worksheets to use throughout the planning process.
• We’ll identify what you need in order to meet your first quarter goals: resources, tools, skills, partners and your timeline of actions.
• My intention is for you to leave the Q1 Planning Workshop with a customized, actionable plan for boosting the visibility of your business, marketing your programs and services, and attracting more opportunities. This is a Get It Done workshop.
• Depending on the size of the group, time may allow for individual attention during Q&A while also enjoying support and wisdom from your posse.
• The session will be recorded so you can reference it when you need to.

January 3, 2019
8 am PT – 12 pm PT / 11 am ET – 3 pm ET

You have two options:

$97 for the 4-hour Workshop: Click here to register

$197 for Workshop + 60-minute private consultation to discuss your plan and get individualized help: Click here to register

This focused time together will set you up with the support, tools, and motivation you need to start your new year on a high note.

Sound good? Pick the option that works best for you and let’s get started!I’ll work with you to map the path to make your 2019 Q1 productive and profitable and look forward to sharing this adventure with you!

Wishing you a happy and peaceful New Year!  😀 

Denise

P.S. If you’d prefer to do a one on one strategic planning day, schedule a 20-minute discovery session and we’ll chat about how we can do that together.

P.P.S. Here’s what Georgia had to say after attending a Strategic Planning workshop in August:

“Just finished Denise’s Strategic Master Plan Think Tank and it was amazing! So much accomplished. I am set until 2019. The handouts alone were worth the admission. And, Denise’s warm, intelligent insights always push my business forward by a magnitude.”

The post Where is your business headed in 2019? appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.

If your business is online — you have a website, you use social media, and you have an email list — then it’s more likely than not that you’ll need to make sure your business is GDPR compliant by May 25.

Don’t know what GDPR is? Read on…

In a nutshell (via Social Media Examiner):

“The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a European Union (EU) law taking effect on May 25, 2018. GDPR is designed to give greater protection to an individual’s personal information and how it’s collected, stored, and used. There are strict requirements placed on companies that possess the personal data of people located in the EU.

Potential Fines

After May 25, 2018, organizations that aren’t in compliance with GDPR’s requirements could face large fines (up to 4% of a company’s annual global turnover or €20 million), which vary based on the severity of the infraction.

When Does GDPR Apply?

A financial transaction isn’t necessary for the GDPR to apply. A non-EU-based business must comply with the GDPR if it collects or processes personal data of any EU resident (EU citizenship is not required).

Personal Data

Under GDPR, personal data is defined as information that can be used to identify someone, directly or indirectly. This includes IP address, cookies, location data, name, and email address.”

I’m in the process of figuring all this out for my business and if you’re in the Marketing Trailblazers community, we’re going to be helping each other work through the process.

In the meantime, here are some articles that may help you get up to speed on what you need to know and do to be ready. MaAnna Stephenson’s GDPR Guide is a great place to start with a thorough overview and six steps to get you going.

https://blogaid.net/tips-tuesday-gdpr-guide/

WordPress 4.9.6 New GDPR Tools on BlogAid (UPDATED)

GDPR For Entrepreneurs: What You Need to Know via Amy Porterfield

If you do a Google search on GDPR, you’ll find tons of articles and courses and consultants. I cannot vouch for any of them. The articles I’ve linked to, I can understand and follow along for implementation and they’re from people I trust.

The one thing to know for sure is if you get EU visitors to your website, retarget for Facebook ads, use Google analytics (stores IP addresses), collect email addresses for marketing purposes, then you’ll need to be compliant before May 25 (Do your best to meet the deadline. It’s a work in progress so get started now; you can update and edit as you go.) This is not the time to put your head in the sand!

Does this GDPR compliance stuff make you want to stick your head in the sand? Me too. Especially as a small business. So many steps. So confusing. 😟 pic.twitter.com/PCrd6UrQNV

— Denise Wakeman 🌎 (@DeniseWakeman) May 7, 2018

And, if you know of a great GDPR resource that covers what to do in plain English, post them in the comments and I’ll add them to the list, with credit of course.  🙂 

GDPR COMPLIANT INFO & RESOURCES

1. Guide to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (thank you, Kim Whitaker!)
2. SparkPost GDPR Center (thank you, Vera Mijojlic!)
3. Free mini-course on GDPR compliance  (Via Amy Porterfield)
4. What the GDPR Means to Social Media Marketers (via Buffer)
5. How GDPR Impacts Marketers: What You Need to Know (via Social Media Examiner)
6. Collection of articles about GDPR by a UK small business lawyer (thank you, Fiona Pearson!)
7. What Is GDPR and What Does It Mean for US Writers and Bloggers? (thank you, Gladys Stickland!)
8. Get Your Email List GDPR Compliant (8-Day Challenge via Robert Klinck)**
9. GDPR Requirements for Consent: What You Need to Know 
10. Why You Can’t Ignore the GDPR Privacy Law, Even if You’re Not in the EU
11. List-Building Is Dead! Long Live List-Building! In Praise Of The GDPR
12. GDPR Data Map Template

This list will be updated as I learn more and go through implementation for my business. Stay tuned.

DISCLAIMER

I’ve got to say this… I’m not a lawyer and the content posted here is for information purposes only. Your business is unique and you are responsible for the decisions you make about compliance with GDPR. This is not legal advice. I’m posting links to resources in order to help you stay informed so you can make decisions best for your own business.

**The 8-Day Challenge to get your email list compliant is excellent. The host, Bobby Klinck is incredibly helpful and quick to answer questions in his Facebook group. Recommended!

Resource list last updated on May 17, 2018.

The post Is Your Small Business GDPR Compliant? What You Need to Know to Comply appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.

January brings out the desire to reset and adjust the path we’re on. Whether it’s personal or professional, it’s a natural time to take a look at where you’ve been, where you want to go and set the intention for how you want to get there.

There are as many ways to set yourself up for success as there are coaches and mentors and experts to help you!  😀 

For years I’ve known and followed Chris Brogan. Every January since 2006 he has shared the three words he’s selected to guide his actions for the coming year (you can read about his three words for 2018 here). This process has never completely resonated with me, but when I read Chris’s recent blog post, it seemed right to stop and contemplate what my three words might be for 2018. It felt like the right time to do this exercise.

Here’s what Chris says about the My 3 Words process:

Every year, at the beginning of the year, choose 3 words that have personal meaning to you that you will use as guideposts for your chosen path forward in the coming year. Make the words such that they influence your choice of actions, encourage you to decide in favor of your goals, and guide you towards lasting results that you want to experience throughout the year.

So I picked my three words and recorded this short video on January 1. (transcript below)

[ssp-video]

My Three Words

Here’s a quick rundown of my three words for 2018 and what they mean for me…

Consolidate

The word could also be “simplify.” With more than 20 years of online business under my virtual belt, I have a lot of content, programs, and lead magnets. This is the year for me to bring most of it into a few core programs that I offer throughout the year. Rather than constantly creating something new, I’m focusing on what has been working well in my business for the last several years: one on one intensive mentoring for authors and online professionals; my exclusive Visibility Mastery Lab mastermind and mentoring group program; and free marketing challenges 4 to 6 times per year.

Personally, it’s time for me to clear the clutter in my home. I own hundreds of books and plan on culling many out of my collection to donate to libraries. And, I have boxes in closets and cupboards that I haven’t opened since I moved back to Los Angeles from Ottawa in 2002! It’s time to review the contents and consolidate!

Affiliation

This word taps into my desire for connection with clients, colleagues, and students. It’s about partnership and co-creating success and new adventures, as well as developing deeper relationships with the people I serve.  Affiliation also has a literal meaning: to create alliances with colleagues that are win-win-win by promoting content and programs that benefit everyone involved.

Action

An obvious prompt for me. Rather than mulling and thinking too much about my ideas… take action. Take the leap, experiment, “just do it.” You don’t know if it will work or be successful unless you give it a try. Sometimes I wait too long and discover someone else has done something I’ve been thinking about implementing and then it feels too late. Take action!

☑️Consolidate
☑️Affiliation
☑️Action#my3words ✍️
Inspired by @chrisbrogan

— Denise Wakeman 🌎 (@DeniseWakeman) January 1, 2018

What’s Next?

After you’ve claimed your three words, or set your intentions for the year, or identified the goals you want to achieve, what’s next?

What I’m doing, is creating a list of habits I want to develop that supports my direction for the year. I’m mapping out my calendar and identifying when and with whom I want to work. I’m itemizing the action steps required to realize the consolidated program schedule (and the promotion) I want to offer and then getting those steps on the calendar. I anticipate this will help keep me on track a bit better than usual.  😉 

How do you set yourself up for success? What are your rituals or the steps you take? Share in the comments or on my Facebook post if you wish. If you need some help developing your plan, I’d be happy to speak with you.

 ➡ Video Transcript  

Hello, and happy new year, it is 2018. Hard to believe. Anyway, I thought I’d just jump on and wish you a wonderful new year, a wonderful year ahead, lots of happiness, joy, prosperity. I was inspired by my friend Lou Bortone, who is doing a video a day. He’s committing to a video, one video per day throughout 2018. I doubt I’ll do that, but I thought, what the heck, why don’t I just jump on.

It’s a beautiful day here in Los Angeles. I have already met up with a friend. We did a four-mile walk, then we found the one place open for coffee, grabbed some breakfast and coffee, and it’s a great way to start the day, connecting with a friend, and talking about what we’re going to do in the new year.

Then I was reading a blog post from Chris Brogan, and he does something very interesting in that every year he picks three words to focus on or to guide his year, and I thought, well, I wonder what my three words would be. So, I started thinking about it as I was sitting here, and I came up with three words that represent what I want to accomplish, and how I want to be in this coming year.

So, I decided to share my three words with you, and then I invite you if this is something that you’re interested in doing to think about the words that would be your touchstone or guide for you in the coming year to guide your business, your personal life, your adventure, whatever it would be. So, if you’d like to also share the words that will guide you in 2018, please feel free to do that. I’d love to hear what they are.

But first, here’s mine that I came up with. I’ve been circling around a lot of ideas over the last couple of weeks like many people do at this time of year. You know, we’re thinking about goals and plans, and what we want to accomplish in the new year. It’s very natural way to be thinking at this time. So when I read Chris Brogan’s blog post, I thought, okay, there are these ideas that I’ve been having about what I want to accomplish in 2018, and what words would describe those for me.

So, the words I came up with, and these may make no sense to you, but they’re my words, just like I wouldn’t be able to figure out what they [your words] mean to you, but for mine consolidate is a word that kept coming to me.

My second word is affiliation, and the third is action, which you know, probably makes sense.

The word affiliation for me seems to encompass a lot of things, ’cause initially, I was thinking community and but there’s more to it than that. Affiliation is about creating a bond. It’s about community, but it’s also about partnership and connection and having an alliance with people who are like minded. So, that’s why affiliation speaks to me right now.

And for consolidate, I’ve been thinking I have a lot of different ways that I work with people. I have lots of ideas about things, and in my personal life, I’ve got a lot of stuff that I want to consolidate. I’m going to consolidate my space. I want to consolidate the offers that I’m making. I want the consolidate the type of ways that I work with people. I want to bring it all together so it’s more powerful and much more focused and … I don’t have this all thought out perfectly.

Anyway, those are my three words, consolidate, affiliation, and action. And if you’ve thought about this at all or this sparks you to think about how you look at the new year, the excitement of a fresh start, new beginnings, all that, I’d love to hear what your three words would be to guide you throughout the year, and with that, I wish you all the best for this coming year. I look forward to affiliating with you in some way around the web or in a challenge or in a group, reading blog posts, whatever it may be. And I hope it’s the best ever for you, lots of love and joy. Take care. Happy new year.

== END ==

Blog feature image: Amador Loureiro

The post 3 Words to Guide My Business and Actions in 2018 – Video appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.

You just can’t argue with the statistics. We are firmly entrenched in the age of video marketing and you ignore it at your peril.

Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined. (Wordstream)

If you want more eyeballs on your content a.k.a your business, then you need to promote your blog posts with video. There are a couple of ways you can do this: talking head style announcing your new blog post or a simple video trailer featuring images and quotes from your article. Both are relatively simple to create.

FYI… this is yet another way to repurpose your blog content.

In the first instance, a talking head video, all you need is your smartphone or a webcam to record a short synopsis of your blog post. As long as it’s under a minute, you can upload it directly to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Include a call to action and a link to the post, and you’re all set.

In the second example, creating a video trailer, it can be time-consuming (create a slide deck and convert it to video) or super simple with a tool I recently discovered called Lumen5.

85% of Facebook Video is watched with the sound off. (Animoto)

The biggest complaints, and what stops most people from making videos, are the complexity and the time it takes to create videos. Lumen5 eliminates those obstacles.

There are four steps after you create your free account:

1. Paste the URL from your blog post into a field and click Go. The software creates a storyboard with text pulled directly from your blog post.
2. Edit with suggested royalty-free images to match your content. Or upload your own images.
3. Select a clip of royalty-free music.
4. Review and publish.

I couldn’t believe it the first time I created a video from a blog post. It took me about 15 minutes because I was messing around with the images. The video below is from this post.

Here’s How to Create a Video with Lumen5

After you create your free account at Lumen5.com, click on your profile image and select the option to Create Video.

In the field next to the Create button, paste in the URL (permalink) for the blog post you want to turn into a video trailer. Click the Create button.

The Storyboard

Depending on the length of the blog post, a window may open like the one you see below. It’s recommended you keep your videos under two minutes. I recommend keeping them around 1 minute if you want the viewer to watch the entire thing.

What the software is doing is estimating how long your video will be and if your post is very long, it will recommend that you create several shorter videos from selections of your article.

If you prefer to use the entire article, then slick the link that’s highlighted at the bottom of the window to use the entire article.

Now, you’ll see the storyboard that is created from your content. To create a new section, simply highlight the text you want to use on a “slide.” Each section will create a single slide when the video is created. Short, concise sentences are best.

You can edit each section. Looking at the image below, on the left, some of the text is highlighted. That created each section. Then, I edited the content to be shorter, and still maintain the message.

IMPORTANT: Add a final section with a call to action to read the post on your site (see the examples at the end of the post). You’ll be able to do some additional editing later. Click the Continue button at the top of the page.

Add Images and Music

The next step is to tweak the images that were auto-populated with your text. Some will be appropriate and some will need to be changed.

On the left side of the dashboard you have an option to select media, music, and create some customized branding for your video. This is where you’ll spend the most time. You can use images that you’ll discover under the media tab, you can upload your own images or you can simply use a background color for the text. Be sure to save your work as you create the visuals.

Time to Publish

You can preview your video at any time by clicking Continue. If the video needs some work, click on Continue Editing. When you’re satisfied with the preview, click on Publish. You’ll receive an email when the video rendering is complete (this can take awhile, go do something else while you wait 😆  ).

Download Your Video

Once your video is finished rendering, download it to your computer or Dropbox or whereever you save your files. If you discover that there’s an error, never fear. You can edit the video again and then rerender it.

Share Your Video

Now that you have a video trailer for your blog post, it’s time to share it. If your video is under one minute, you can upload it to Instagram, as well as Facebook and Twitter. If it’s under 140 seconds (2 minutes, 20 seconds), then you can upload it to Twitter and Facebook (up to 4 hours). [Here’s the video I created while capturing screenshots for this post.]

You’ll also want to upload your videos to your YouTube channel. But, do not post the YouTube link on your social networks. Upload the video file directly (native upload) to each platform so you get the benefit of the preference from the algorithms.  What is “native video”?

…videos that are created within or uploaded directly to Facebook, and auto-play within the News Feed.

The social platforms don’t want you to sent your viewers off of their site. They give preference to any native content that keeps the audience on their platform.

Here’s what you do:

1. First, upload the video file directly within a status update.
2. Next, write a short description of your blog post to complement the video trailer.
3. Finally, include a call to action and link back to the blog post on your site.

This works for Twitter and Facebook. Hyperlinks don’t work on Instagram posts. You can refer to the link in your bio to get to the blog post.

I found that keeping video trailers close to one minute works better than those that are two minutes or more. You’ll get better reach, engagement and click-throughs to your blog post.

I asked a few people in my Visibility Group to share video trailers they made for their blog posts so you can see how others are doing it.

Jo Guerra of KickA Marketing

Sharon Williams of The 24 Hour Secretary

Liana George of By George Organizing Solutions

RECOMMENDED READING

13 Ways to Repurpose Your Content

Your Action Steps

Give it a try!
1. Set up a free Lumen5 account.

2. Follow the steps to create a video as outlined in this post.

3. Post a link to your video in the comments so I can check it out!

Title image: Chris Lawton

The post How to Promote Your Blog Post with a Simple Video Trailer appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.

So mark your calendar for November 26, the Saturday after Thanksgiving in the U.S., and get ready to Shop Small® with us. In this post, I’ve put together a selection of offers from some of my clients. One of the things I LOVE doing is championing my clients and this is a perfect way to share what some of them are up to and how their work can support you and your business.

Keep on reading and take advantage of some great consulting and training deals as well as several books I recommend…

Small Business Saturday Consulting Special

I wouldn’t be a very good role model for my clients if I neglected to make you an offer, too.  😆 

It can be a little lonely and frustrating trying to figure out how to market your business or product on your own. Most of the time, you get it done, but sometimes, you need some input to help get you through a difficult patch when you’re not quite sure what to do or which path to take.

To support you, I’m offering a super deep discount on a one-hour private consultation – just $97, a 68% discount.  Get the details and book your consult here.

Online Courses and Freebies

>

2017 Kickstart your Coaching Business
Three on-demand video based courses for coaches who are looking to grow their coaching businesses, from Jennifer Britton.

The three courses are The Solopreneur Primer™, the Coaching Business Builder: 12 Tips, and the Marketing Tips for Your Team and Group Programs on-demand course. It will be of interest to coaches who want a booster shot for their coaching business and who are also thinking of including workshops, retreats, webinars, and/or group and team coaching in their mix. Each program includes a number of worksheets and/or a workbook which will support coaches in moving these ideas into practice in their work.

The courses taken separately cost $297 US and are currently bundled for $197 US.

For Small Business Saturday you get an additional 25% savings and invest only $147.76 US. Use coupon code DENISE… click here for details.

Jennifer Britton is the author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2009) and From One to Many: Best Practices for Team and Group Coaching (Jossey-Bass, 2013). For more than a decade she has supported coaches at all stages of their business to expand their offerings to groups and teams, while also expanding their businesses.

TOP Ten FREE Image Sites Ebook

We studied and searched for the best resources to bring you this book. LOOK like a Rock Star and use great images for your content but don’t get in trouble because you used the wrong images. FREE! Click here to get your free ebook.

Jo Guerra with Kick A Marketing is a WordPress web designer, marketing consultant and writes copy that doesn’t suck-the-life out of prospects. She works with young-at-heart female prime time entrepreneurs. 

DIY SEO Course and Workshop

MaAnna Stephenson is my go-to tech geek. When I saw she was offering her SEO courses at a special deal for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I had to let you know about them too. Check out her new SEO Workshop and full DIY SEO course. [affiliate]

MaAnna Stephenson helps non-geeks with WordPress, SEO, conversion, blogging, site security, and performance.

Recommended Books

In the last year, I’ve worked with several small biz owners who also published their first book. From building their audience and creating their online presence to developing launch plans, it’s some of the most satisfying work to do. To celebrate their publishing successes, here are three books that debuted on Amazon during the past 15 months. Each book is worthy of your attention if you or someone you know is looking for expertise in dealing with autoimmune disease, parenting sons, and preparing for the aging process. And, books always make great holiday gifts!

#1 Bestseller Wellness Warrior – Fighting for Life in Fabulous Shoes is FREE on Small Business Saturday! The holidays are stressful enough, it’s time you gave yourself a little TLC too. Kick off the holiday season by downloading this award winning ebook to save for later when you have a little me time. But hurry, offer ends on 11/27/16.  

Lisa Douthit is a Master Healer and Author who is passionate about healing from all perspectives. She is an expert at turning limitations into superpowers and has made it her mission is to empower anyone that wants to have boundless energy and live a more vibrant life.

Age Your Way – Create a Unique Legacy, by Debbie Pearson, RN
Age Your Way is the first step of a unique program designed to address the problem of people losing control over their lives due to aging, injury or illness. The book is filled with true stories from forty years of experience on the front lines of health care and patient advocacy.

NOTE: The Kindle version of Age Your Way will be free on Amazon on November 28 and 29.

Debbie Pearson has spent more than 40 years caring for others, as a hospital nurse, a home health care nurse, and finally, as a case manager and court appointed guardian. She founded Nurses Care Management in 2000 to advocate for people who can no longer care for themselves due to age, injury or illness.

Saving Our Sons – A Parent’s Guide to Preparing Boys for Success, by Clayton Lessor, MA, LPC
Based on years of research, study and practical application, Saving Our Sons provides mothers — as well as fathers and other caregivers — with the expert guidance, they need to help their sons navigate the turbulent transition between boyhood and manhood.

Clayton J. Lessor is creator/facilitator of the Quest Project Adolescent Outpatient Program. Clayton is a therapist in private practice for over 20 years in St. Louis, MO and specializes in the treatment of adolescents, families, and couples. He is also a consultant and facilitator in clinical and school settings of behavior and attention problems with adolescent boys.

I’d love to know which of these Small Business Saturday offers appeals to you or as a gift for the favorite entrepreneur in your life. Let me know in the comments!

And please don’t forget to share your favorite Small Business Saturday moments on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with #ShopSmall.

Thanks for your support small business, entrepreneurs and authors!

The post Celebrate and Support Small Business! #ShopSmall appeared first on Adventures in Visibility.