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2 Proven Strategies for Getting Your Blog Noticed 26 May 2023, 10:00 am

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In today’s crowded digital landscape, simply publishing a blog is not enough to capture the attention of your target audience.
Hopefully you have followed all 5 of our Crucial Tips for Writing Effective Blog Posts to give you the best chance at success. Even after following these tips, you still need to drive traffic to the posts for people to see them. 

To stand out from the competition and achieve your blogging goals, you need effective strategies to get your blog noticed, drive engagements, and ultimately convert visitors into loyal customers. In this blog post, we will explore two proven ways to increase your blog’s visibility, attract meaningful engagements, and boost conversions.

Search Engine Optimization
(SEO)

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a crucial strategy to improve your blog’s visibility and attract organic traffic. By optimizing your blog posts for search engines, you increase the chances of ranking higher in search results and reaching your target audience. Here are some key SEO tactics to implement:

✅Keyword Research:
Conduct thorough keyword research to identify the terms and phrases your target audience is using to search for information related to your blog’s topic. Incorporate these keywords naturally into your blog posts to enhance their searchability.

✅On-Page Optimization:
Optimize your blog posts by including relevant keywords in the title, headings, meta descriptions, and throughout the content. Ensure your blog has a clear structure, uses descriptive URLs, and includes internal and external links to enhance its credibility and user experience.

✅  Quality Content:
Craft high-quality, informative, and engaging content that satisfies the search intent of your target audience. Create comprehensive posts that answer their questions, provide valuable insights, and offer practical solutions.

✅ Mobile-Friendly Experience:
With the majority of internet users browsing on mobile devices, it’s crucial to ensure your blog is mobile-friendly. Responsive design, fast loading times, and easy navigation are essential for a positive user experience and improved SEO.

Engage, Promote, and Share Online

In today’s digital era, social media platforms provide a powerful avenue for promoting your blog, reaching a wider audience, and fostering engagement. Here are some effective strategies for engaging, promoting and sharing your blog post online to get it noticed.

✅Share Compelling Snippets:
Create attention-grabbing snippets and headlines from your blog posts to share on social media. Craft captivating captions that entice readers to click through to your blog. Use visuals, such as images, infographics, or videos, to make your posts more visually appealing. For additional appeal, you can use video content when sharing your blog.

✅Engage with Your Audience:
Actively engage with your followers by responding to comments, asking questions, and initiating discussions. Show genuine interest in their opinions, and encourage them to share their thoughts on your blog posts. Engage on other blogs, social media posts, and within social media groups. Being actively engaged with purpose helps build community around your business and blog will increase engagement and encourage repeat visits.

✅ Collaborate with Influencers:
Partnering with influencers or thought leaders in your industry can help amplify your blog’s reach. Seek opportunities for guest blogging, social media collaborations, press releases, or interviews to tap into their audience and gain exposure (& boost SEO!)

✅ Use Hashtags Strategically:
Research and utilize relevant hashtags to expand your blog’s visibility on social media platforms. Hashtags can help you reach a broader audience interested in the topics you cover. Many social media users utilize the platforms similar to a search engine, often inputting hashtags to find what they are looking for. In fact, one of our clients found us by searching for a popular hashtag related to digital marketing and found us!

To get your blog noticed and drive meaningful engagements and conversions, it’s essential to leverage these 2 proven strategies. Implementing strong SEO tactics will improve your blog’s visibility in search engine results, attracting organic traffic from your target audience. Additionally, leveraging digital media and social media platforms to promote your blog and actively engage with your audience will amplify your reach and foster connections.

By combining these two strategies, you can significantly increase your blog’s visibility, capture your target audience’s attention, and ultimately convert visitors into loyal readers and customers.

Remember, consistency, high-quality content, and genuine engagement are key to building a successful blog and driving the desired results. 

If you need help creating optimized content that achieves results, contact us and we can help!

Resources:

Moz. (n.d.). Beginner’s Guide to SEO. Retrieved from https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo
Neil Patel. (n.d.). The Beginner’s Guide to Social Media. Retrieved from https://neilpatel.com/what-is-social-media/

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The 3 Main Benefits of Blogging 22 May 2023, 10:00 am

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Learn more by
reading below!

In our digital age, blogging has emerged as a powerful tool for businesses to connect with their target audience, establish authority in their industry, and so much more. While many perceive blogging as a personal endeavor, it also holds immense potential for business owners to expand their reach and achieve long-term success. In this blog post, we will explore the three main benefits that blogging offers to business owners and why it should be an integral part of your marketing strategy.

Establish Brand Authority & Credibility

Blog posts provide a platform for business owners to showcase their expertise, knowledge, and unique insights within their industry. By consistently publishing high-quality, informative content, you establish yourself as a thought leader, gaining credibility and trust from your audience. As you offer valuable solutions to their problems, readers will start to perceive your business as an authoritative source, leading to increased brand recognition and a competitive edge.

Moreover, search engines favor fresh and relevant content. By regularly updating your blog with keyword-rich articles, you improve your website’s search engine optimization (SEO), making it more likely to appear in search results. This increased visibility drives organic traffic to your website, exposing your brand to a wider audience and attracting potential customers who are actively seeking information related to your industry.

Engage & Nurture Customer Relationships

Blogging opens up a direct line of communication between your business and your audience. It enables you to engage in meaningful conversations, understand their needs, and provide valuable insights. Through comments and social media shares, you can interact with your readers, address their queries, and build a loyal community around your brand.

Additionally, by creating content that aligns with your target audience’s interests, challenges, and aspirations, you foster a sense of connection and empathy. This builds trust and loyalty, as customers see your business as more than just a transactional entity. They become invested in your brand and are more likely to choose your products or services over your competitors’.

Drive Lead Generation & Conversions

One of the most significant and measurable advantages of blogging for business owners is its potential to drive lead generation and conversions. Each blog post presents an opportunity to attract new visitors, capture their contact information, and guide them through the sales funnel.

Strategically incorporating call-to-action (CTA) buttons or lead magnets within your blog posts encourages readers to take the next step, such as subscribing to your newsletter, downloading an e-book, or requesting a free consultation. These actions help you build a qualified email list, enabling you to nurture leads and convert them into paying customers over time.

Furthermore, blog posts that address common pain points or provide solutions to specific problems can serve as a pre-sales tool. By demonstrating your expertise and showcasing the value your business offers, you can influence purchasing decisions and increase conversion rates.

 

Hopefully after reading this blog, you can see why writing one yourself can offer an array of benefits for business owners, including establishing brand authority, nurturing customer relationships, and driving lead generation and conversions. By investing time and effort into creating compelling and valuable content, you position your business as a trusted industry leader, connect with your audience on a deeper level, and ultimately drive sustainable growth.

Embrace the power of blogging and unlock the doors to success in today’s digital landscape.

Remember, the key to a successful business blog lies in consistency, quality, and addressing the needs of your target audience.

If you seek guidance on how to create an effective blog post, you can view our post, 5 Crucial Tips for Writing Effective Blog Posts.

Contact us to start reaping the benefits of blogging today and watch your business soar to new heights.

Resources:

Patel, N. (2020). The Ultimate Guide to Starting a Blog for Your Business. Neil Patel. Retrieved from https://neilpatel.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-starting-a-blog-for-your-business/

HubSpot. (n.d.). Business Blogging. Retrieved from https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-resources/business-blogging

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5 Crucial Tips for Writing Effective Blog Posts 19 May 2023, 10:00 am

5 critical tips for writing effective blog posts

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Are you tired of spending hours (or dollars) posting blogs that aren’t even reaching your target audience?

We understand how valuable those resources are to you and want to help! In this next series of blog posts, we aim to assist you in creating effective blogs that bring your business results!

As you may know, blogging has become an incredibly popular way for individuals, authors, content creators, and businesses to share their thoughts, ideas, and expertise with the world. There are many benefits to writing a blog which we will cover in detail in next week’s blog post. You may have arrived here because you already understand those benefits and need help writing blogs that actually bring value to both your business and your audience. 

However, with so many blogs out there, it can be difficult to make your writing stand out from the rest. That’s why it’s important to understand what makes an effective blog post.

Here are our five crucial tips for writing a blog post that engages readers and keeps them coming back for more.

1️⃣ Understand Your Target Audience:

Before writing, you need to know who you’re writing for. This applies to all aspects of your marketing strategy. Your target audience will determine your blog post’s tone, language, and style. Think about the demographics of your readers, their interests, and what they want to gain from your blog. Understanding your audience will help you tailor your content to their needs and interests. Grammarly offers assistance with refining your tone for your audience.

2️⃣ Use Compelling Headlines:

Your headline is the first thing readers will see, so it must be attention-grabbing. Use a headline that clearly states the topic of your post and offers a benefit to the reader. Use strong action verbs, numbers, and emotional triggers to create a sense of urgency and excitement. A good headline will entice readers to click through and read your post.

3️⃣ Write Engaging Content:

Your content must be interesting, informative, and easy to read and understand. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and subheadings to break up your text and make it more scannable (AKA “skimmable”). Use examples, anecdotes, and stories to illustrate your points and make your content more engaging. Ensure your tone is conversational and friendly, and use humor and wit when appropriate. In most circumstances, it is vital to keep it concise and brief. Most audiences see long blog posts with heavy paragraphs as daunting tasks. How to, how much, and what you write is still dictated by understanding your target audience.

4️⃣ Add Visuals:

Visuals can make your blog post more appealing and help break up the text. Use images, infographics, and videos to clearly illustrate your points and make your content more memorable. Visuals can also help you convey complex ideas in a more understandable way. To grab attention among the many, many, posts online-it is also critical to have an easy-to-read, eye-catching graphic/image (or carousel of graphics/images) to correspond with your blog post when you introduce it online. Ensure your graphics are pixel-perfect on all devices and sized appropriately. 

5️⃣ Always Include a Clear Call to Action:

End your blog post with a call to action that encourages readers to engage with your content or reach out for more information. This could be asking readers to leave a comment, share your post on social media, contact you, view corresponding products or services, and/or sign up for your newsletter. A clear call to action can help you build a community around your blog and keep readers coming back for more and/or help entice them to reach out or make an immediate purchase. 

Now that you understand these 5 tips, please check out how they apply in real life in this Personal Example from our CEO ↓

“I am not only passionate about improving efficiency for businesses but also within my own home as well. Every purchasing decision I make within my home is based on things like “How much use will I get from this?”, “How easy is this to maintain?”, “Will this make my life easier?”. I also am passionate about reducing waste and plastic use in my home. Not only is it a beneficial practice for economic reasons, but I do not like adding to the trash and waste problem that is negatively affecting our planet (especially our oceans!). I mention all this because online activity as a consumer reflects this. I buy reusable food storage, reusable paper towel solutions,  stainless steel straws, etc. As a result, I am often shown ads for green products.

One day while on social media, I was shown an ad with a title that was something like “How to Dry Clothes Faster and Use Less Energy”. The corresponding video graphic was eye-catching. I was intrigued and read the blog post. It told me to put a dry towel in the dryer, which apparently helps your clothes dry faster and uses less energy. A few other laundry tips were shared, every single one of them were useful and made sense. At the end of the post, there was a clear call-to-action to check out their laundry “sheets” that dissolve in the wash and don’t use unnecessary water, plastic, etc. Wow! Seems too good to be true. I was impressed.

I clicked the call-to-action and went down the rabbit hole. I read the sales points, ingredients and then the reviews. Apparently not only does it reduce waste, it washes better; they offer a yearly subscription service to “reduce trucks on the road”, and more! This was an easy decision for me, because this blog post spoke to me. I am their target audience. They followed all the tips I am sharing above. I bought a year’s supply, which means their blog post turned me into an instant customer! Not only did they sell me 1 month’s supply, but a full year! I saw their 30-day hassle-free money-back guarantee and took the plunge. I felt I had nothing to lose and loved the product once I received it! It was a win-win!

The reason I tell this story is because this is a perfect example of how one simple blog post can not only sell a customer, but also offer the customer value, keep them coming back for more, and create a ripple effect! 

I have shared this company with everyone I know. It can change lives, and in this case, the planet! 

If everyone switches to a laundry product like this, then there would be considerably less plastic in the landfills, that is for certain (& less consumption of fuel & water!). 

You can view the company’s website here for more information if you are interested.If you are wondering, no, I do not get a kickback of any kind for sharing. This is just a perfect example of how a blog post can make a huge impact if done with intention and purpose.”

DON’T FORGET:
An effective blog post needs to be tailored to your audience, have a compelling headline, engaging content, and visuals, as well as a clear call to action. By following these five crucial tips, you can create blog posts that stand out from the crowd that actually achieves results.

…and here is the infamous call to action at the end:

If you want us to create engaging content and manage your blog posts or social media accounts, please reach out and we can help!

METICULOUS JESS MARKETING LLC TAMPA FL
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What is Color Psychology? 15 May 2023, 10:00 am

What is Color Psychology?

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Color psychology is the study of how colors affect human behavior and emotions. It explores the emotional and psychological impact of color on our perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. Understanding color psychology can be valuable in many areas, including branding, marketing, and design. In this blog post, we’ll explore the basics of color psychology and its applications in different industries.

The Basics of Color Psychology

Color psychology is based on the idea that colors can evoke emotional responses and associations in people. Different colors can have different meanings, depending on cultural and personal contexts. For example, red is often associated with passion, love, and excitement, while blue is associated with calmness, stability, and trust. Yellow is associated with happiness, optimism, and energy, while green is associated with nature, growth, and harmony.

Colors can also affect our perceptions of objects, environments, and people. For example, warm colors like red and orange can make objects appear closer, while cool colors like blue and green can make objects appear farther away. Colors can also affect our mood and behavior. For example, studies have shown that people tend to eat more when they are surrounded by warm colors like red and yellow.

Applications of Color Psychology

Color psychology has many applications in different industries, including branding, marketing, and design. Here are a few examples:

Branding:
Brands use colors to establish their visual identity and convey their personality and values. For example, red is often used by fast-food brands to evoke hunger and urgency, while blue is often used by financial institutions to evoke trust and stability. You can use colors to tell a story and stories connect with audiences. Understand how to apply color psychology when creating your brand color story by viewing our previous blog post here.

Marketing:
Marketers use colors to create emotional connections with their target audience. For example, cosmetics brands often use pastel colors like pink and purple to evoke femininity and beauty, while sports brands often use bright colors like orange and yellow to evoke energy and excitement.

Design:
Our expert designers use colors to create visual interest and hierarchy in their designs. For example, they may use bold colors for headlines and subheadings to draw attention, while using muted colors for body text to make it easier to read. We prefer to keep things high-contrast to grab attention and ensure proper visibility. 

In conclusion, color psychology is a fascinating area of study that has many practical applications in different industries. By understanding how colors affect our emotions, perceptions, and behavior, we can use color to create compelling designs, establish strong brands, and connect with our target audience on a deeper level.

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Our 5 Answers to the 5 Questions to Refine Our Brand 12 May 2023, 10:00 am

Our 5 Answers to the 5 Questions to Refine Our Brand

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Your brand is more than just a logo or a slogan – it’s the personality and values that your business embodies. Building a strong brand can help your business stand out from competitors and establish a loyal customer base. However, figuring out your brand can be a daunting task.

Here are five questions to help guide you in the process:

  1. What is your business’s mission?
    Our mission is to bring prosperity to the community by helping local businesses grow through strategic marketing and branding. We believe in the power of storytelling and creating connections with customers. We want to make a positive impact on the world by empowering businesses to reach their full potential.

  2. Who is your target audience?
    Our target audience are community-focused local businesses or entrepreneurs looking to start a business and/or increase their reach & revenue. We work with businesses in a variety of industries, but our ideal clients are those who are passionate about their business and mission and are looking for a partner who can help them achieve their goals.

  3. What sets you apart from competitors?
    We will never over-promise and under-deliver. With strong core values, we are mission & results-driven and aim to build strong relationships among our clients & the community.

  4. What are your brand’s core values?
    Our brand’s core values are honesty, creativity, and accountability. We believe in being transparent with our clients and ourselves, and we’re committed to creating innovative and effective solutions. We also take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves accountable for delivering results.

  5. What is your brand’s personality?
    We are energetic, optimistic, friendly yet professional, and results-driven. We’re passionate about what we do and bring that enthusiasm to every project. We’re also focused on achieving tangible results for our clients and are committed to helping them succeed.

We’ve refined our brand by answering these five questions and have a better understanding of what sets us apart from our competitors. We hope this exercise can help you do the same for your business. Remember, a strong brand can be a powerful asset for your business – so take the time to get it right! You can read the original blog post here for more information.

If you need help refining your brand or bringing your answers to life, then click here to get started! 

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5 Questions to Answer to Refine Your Brand 8 May 2023, 10:00 am

5 Questions to Answer to Refine Your Brand

Learn more by reading below!

Your brand is more than just a logo or a slogan – it’s the personality and values that your business embodies. Building a strong brand can help your business stand out from competitors and establish a loyal customer base. However, figuring out your brand can be a daunting task.

Here are five questions to help guide you in the process:

  1. What is your business’s mission?
    Your mission statement should clearly articulate what your business does and why it exists. It should also encompass your values and the impact you want to have on your customers and community. Your mission statement will be the foundation of your brand, so make sure it’s authentic and meaningful.

  2. Who is your target audience?
    Identifying your target audience is crucial in building a brand that resonates with your customers. You need to know who you’re trying to reach, what their needs and wants are, and what motivates them. Once you understand your target audience, you can tailor your brand messaging and visuals to speak directly to them.

  3. What sets you apart from competitors?
    To stand out in a crowded marketplace, you need to have a unique selling proposition (USP). Your USP should be a clear and compelling statement that differentiates your business from competitors. It could be your product quality, customer service, price point, or something else entirely. Whatever it is, make sure it’s prominently featured in your brand messaging.

  4. What are your brand’s core values?
    Your brand’s values are the principles that guide your business’s decisions and actions. They should reflect what you stand for as a company and align with your mission statement. Your values will inform everything from how you interact with customers to the causes you support. Make sure your brand’s values are clear and consistent across all touch points.

  5. What is your brand’s personality?
    Your brand’s personality is the emotional connection that you build with your customers. It’s the tone, style, and attitude that you use to communicate with your audience. To determine your brand’s personality, think about how you want your customers to feel when they interact with your business. Are you friendly and approachable, or sophisticated and professional? Once you’ve identified your brand’s personality, make sure it’s reflected in your messaging, visuals, and overall customer experience.

Building a strong brand takes time and effort, but it’s an investment that can pay off in the long run. By answering these five questions, you can establish a brand that is authentic, resonates with your target audience, and sets you apart from the rest.

If you need help refining your brand or bringing your answers to life, then click here to get started! 

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The 6 Steps to Take to Create a Brand Color Story 5 May 2023, 10:00 am

The 6 Steps to Take to Create a Brand Color Story

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When creating a strong brand, color plays a crucial role in establishing a brand identity that resonates with your audience. Colors evoke emotions and can convey a brand’s personality, values, and message. Developing a color brand story is essential to creating a visual identity that accurately represents your brand. Here are some steps you can take to create a compelling color brand story that captures your brand’s essence.

1. Define your brand’s personality and values.

Before selecting colors for your brand, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of your brand’s personality and values. Consider what your brand represents and how you want it to be perceived by your audience. This will help you select colors that accurately reflect your brand’s identity and messaging.

2. Research color psychology.

Color psychology is the study of how colors affect human behavior and emotions. Understanding the emotions and associations that different colors evoke can help you select colors that align with your brand’s messaging and tone. For example, blue is often associated with trust and reliability, while green is associated with growth and nature. We have a blog post coming next week to discuss color psychology in more detail.

3. Consider your target audience.

Your brand’s colors should appeal to your target audience. Consider your audience’s age, gender, cultural background, and other demographic factors when selecting colors. Different colors can have different meanings in different cultures, so it’s essential to choose colors that will be well-received by your target audience.

4. Choose a color palette.

Once you’ve defined your brand’s personality, values, and target audience, it’s time to select a color palette. Your brand color story should include a primary color, secondary color, and accent colors. A primary color is the dominant color in your brand’s visual identity, while secondary colors are used to complement the primary color. Accent colors are used sparingly to add visual interest and contrast. Keep in mind how they will look on a website as headings, sub-headings, and body text. Also consider factors like the background color you plan on using, what types of images and content you will use to coordinate, how they contrast, if they’re easy to read, etc. to ensure that your brand always stands out.

5. Test your colors.

Once you’ve selected a brand color story, it’s essential to test your colors across different platforms and mediums. Colors can look different on a computer screen, a mobile device, and in print, so it’s important to make sure your colors look consistent and accurate across all channels.

6. Create a color brand story.

Once you are happy with your brand color story, you can start using it to create a compelling color brand story that accurately represents your brand’s identity and messaging. Your color brand story should include information about the emotions and associations that your colors evoke, as well as how they relate to your brand’s personality and values.

In conclusion, creating a compelling color brand story is essential to establishing a strong visual identity that accurately represents your brand. By defining your brand’s personality and values, researching color psychology, considering your target audience, selecting a color palette, testing your colors, and creating a color brand story, you can create a visual identity that resonates with your audience and helps establish a strong brand presence.

The Story Behind Our Brand Color Story:

I have a deep understanding of color psychology and how colors impact the way people feel and sometimes, even their behavior. However, my choice in my brand color story was purely emotional. I have always loved shades of blue and green and have been drawn towards nature, particularly the water. I always admire how the water changes colors based on the sky’s “mood”, but somehow always looks beautiful. Most of my closet and the entirety of my home is covered in the colors seen on my website. I always knew that my brand color story would be inspired by the peace I feel when I am surrounded by these shades of blue and green. 

Once I opened my marketing business in 2020 and had to create my first-ever marketing materials, my logo was different but the colors have always been the same. My decision to choose aqua and teal colors was only further affirmed by my understanding of color psychology and by performing the other steps mentioned above.

 

If you need help refining or creating your own brand color story, please click the button below to get started!

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What Are Your FEARS as an Entrepreneur? 31 Oct 2022, 9:30 am

Happy Halloween! As this holiday is upon us, we may all discuss what our fears are, or we emulate them in costume form. For the remainder of the year, *most* of us are too afraid of what we now find thrilling when we celebrate this spooky occasion.

What is it about Halloween that makes us give ourselves “permission” to be afraid, to even enjoy feeling horrified?

  1. Is it the nostalgia or the child-like feeling we get when we play pretend?
  2. Is it the pure adrenaline rush we get when we are terrified and feel our fight or flight response kick in?
  3. Or is it the mere fact that this holiday forces us to get outside of our fears, and embrace them?
  • You may have other reasons for celebrating Halloween, but, I am willing to bet that the root reason we all get a true thrill out of it is most likely one of the above reasons listed

I can relate to all of the above; what about you?

Being an entrepreneur is not too much different. Entrepreneurship can definitely be an adrenaline rush, AND it definitely forces you to get outside your fears and embrace them.

 

You can’t have adrenaline without fear, and there are VERY real fears that a lot of entrepreneurs have. While the adrenaline and highs of business can be very empowering and recharging, the lows of business can be equally draining. 

That is why true success takes a S.T.A.R.T Mentality©

Learn more about the S.T.A.R.T Mentality© by clicking here. 

Hopefully, you feel you have these five qualities. However, I would venture to say that the most important one is actually “transparency” because you can improve and overcome your fears with better success if you are honest and transparent with yourself about your own shortcomings and fears. 

I will start by being transparent with you. I have the fear of getting too big, too fast. My business is similar to others that produce quality results. As quality improves and clients experience success, demand increases. Keeping up with the demand without suffering quality is always a huge challenge. I work extremely long hours to sustain quality while also spending money (and valuable time!) on all the wrong people as I try to expand my team. 

I fear I cannot keep going at this rate without making a mistake or sacrificing quality. However, I am confident that my S.T.A.R.T Mentality© helps me stay focused, so I can hit my milestones and reach my goals!

Questions...

Did you take the S.T.A.R.T Mentality© Quiz?

          If yes, do you feel it provided accurate results?
          If no, do you feel you embody the qualities of a S.T.A.R.T Mentality© ?

 What are YOUR fears regarding your entrepreneurship goals?

 What can YOU DO to START overcoming these fears?

Do you have the mentality to get STARTED and achieve success?

Click the links below to either take the quiz or book a call with Jess!

Also, you can reach out to jess@meticulousjess.com
if you have any questions or would like to book a one-on-one coaching session!

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What is the S.T.A.R.T Mentality© for Success? 22 Oct 2022, 9:31 am

The Mentality© for Success is a concept I will be referring to a lot and is pending ™ registration. As I write my book and my blog content, I keep having the thought that there are very specific qualities one must have as an entrepreneur to conquer goals, overcome obstacles, and maintain success for the LONG-TERM.

I do not believe in get-rich-quick-schemes as nothing worth having in life comes easy or “quick.”

Here is an example we can all relate to:

Microwave dinners may taste edible and give you some sustenance to keep living/breathing/functioning at minimum capacity. However, if you fuel your body with the nutrients it really needs to THRIVE, you will have to spend more money, time, and energy to buy it, prepare it, and eat it but it is so worth it! You may even have to work years to get a better job to even AFFORD better food and nutrition options. The moral of the story is that while one works, the more labor-intensive option works BETTER.

Entrepreneurship and the success therein not only takes hard work, but it takes what I coined The S.T.A.R.T Mentality©. The qualities required for this mentality are outlined below:

Click Each Quality to Learn More!

This word has many meanings and applications, but the primary definition I am focusing on is “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s careful stewardship of resources.”. Before you are able to achieve any amount of success, you need to be a careful steward of your current resources like your time, money, equipment, staff, etc. You have to be a responsible steward which also leads to a responsible leader as your team members are resources that you need to meticulously care for.

Questions:

  • What resources do you currently have for starting/operating your business?
  • Are you currently accounting for and utilizing your resources with care? 
  • Where can you improve on the utilization and management of your current resources?

I am sure you have heard the term ‘commitment” thrown around by all the coaches, gurus, and consultants, am I right? However, there is a definitive difference between tenacity and commitment that I think is important to address.
First, I will define commitment which is “the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.”.
Whereas, tenacity is defined as “the quality or fact of being very determined; determination: Persistence.”
To better understand the difference between tenacity and commitment, I would like to break down the terms used to define each.
Dedication is “a person who is devoted to a task or purpose; having single-minded loyalty or integrity.”
Determination can be defined as “having made a firm decision and being resolved not to change it: the process of establishing something exactly by calculation or research.”

Do you see the difference?

My understanding of the difference is that the definition of tenacity includes two VERY important components that commitment does not have:

1. “Having MADE a firm resolution”-this is an ACTION that the person with this quality has taken.
2. “The process of establishing something exactly by calculation or research”-this is another ACTION someone with tenacity takes to make the well-informed, previously mentioned, “firm resolution”.
Long story short, I value the quality of tenacity more than commitment as a part of my own S.T.A.R.T Mentality©. Being loyal or having purpose does not necessarily invoke ACTION whereas the resolute, decisive, and actionable nature of a tenacious person seems more efficacious to achieving long-term success.

Adaptability can be defined as “​​the ability to modify according to changing circumstances”.

Billionaires like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs can easily attribute much of their success on their ability to be adaptable as new challenges, technology, consumer needs, etc. arose. These technology titans had to keep up with the fastest-changing industry in the world. Without their adaptability, their products and business as a whole would have become obsolete like other technology/media companies like Blockbuster, Myspace, and Nextel Cellular.

I also find that I have to be extremely adaptable within my own business as it pertains to the best software, technology, algorithm changes, and social media trends. Being willing to dump old software or tech, despite the sunk costs, is sometimes necessary to keep progressing forward.

Regardless of your industry, there will be circumstances that force you to adapt and grow.

Questions:

  • Can you think of any recent circumstances that forced you to adapt or adjust in your personal life or business?
  • Were you successful in your adaptation?
  • What can you do better next time a similar circumstance arises?

Tenacity and Resiliency have a common theme: persistence. However, resilience differs in that it is “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.” You can have tenacity without resilience, but it is difficult to have resilience without tenacity. I believe that by having tenacity, you are able to better “recover quickly from difficulties”. Your determination (aka “firm decision”), to succeed helps you get up, even after you fall/fail.
Here is where you can start to see the qualities align. During adversity or failure, our tenacity and resiliency qualities force us to remain steadfast in our mission to succeed and allow us to think clearly about the future, instead of wallowing in our mistakes. Also, because you are a responsible steward of your business and you are thinking clearly, your adaptability helps you pivot and improve. And finally, your transparency with yourself and others allows you to better reflect, learn, and move on.

I jumped ahead mentioning transparency in that last paragraph, but I am assuming you probably understand what this term means. Most of us understand transparency simply as ‘being honest and upfront”. However, there are actually a lot more formal definitions according to Merriam-Webster: “free from pretense or deceit: easily detected or seen through: readily understood: characterized by visibility or accessibility of information especially concerning business practices.”
As it pertains to The S.T.A.R.T Mentality©, I have chosen transparency because I believe that it is absolutely necessary to not only OBTAIN success but MAINTAIN it for the long term. It is crucial that you are always honest and conduct your business with integrity. I also advise that you are transparent in EVERYTHING you do, write, and say online and in-person. This means providing ALL the information your audience needs upfront; having easy-to-understand policies, expectations, product descriptions, and contracts; and ALWAYS under-promise and OVER-deliver! You should also be transparent with yourself and your accountability partners about your current bandwidth, progress, schedule, etc. 

Click Each Quality to Learn More!

This word has many meanings and applications, but the primary definition I am focusing on is “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s careful stewardship of resources.”. Before you are able to achieve any amount of success, you need to be a careful steward of your current resources like your time, money, equipment, staff, etc. You have to be a responsible steward which also leads to a responsible leader as your team members are resources that you need to meticulously care for.

Questions:

  • What resources do you currently have for starting/operating your business?
  • Are you currently accounting for and utilizing your resources with care? 
  • Where can you improve on the utilization and management of your current resources?

I am sure you have heard the term ‘commitment” thrown around by all the coaches, gurus, and consultants, am I right? However, there is a definitive difference between tenacity and commitment that I think is important to address.
First, I will define commitment which is “the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.”.
Whereas, tenacity is defined as “the quality or fact of being very determined; determination: Persistence.”
To better understand the difference between tenacity and commitment, I would like to break down the terms used to define each.
Dedication is “a person who is devoted to a task or purpose; having single-minded loyalty or integrity.”
Determination can be defined as “having made a firm decision and being resolved not to change it: the process of establishing something exactly by calculation or research.”

Do you see the difference?

My understanding of the difference is that the definition of tenacity includes two VERY important components that commitment does not have:

1. “Having MADE a firm resolution”-this is an ACTION that the person with this quality has taken.
2. “The process of establishing something exactly by calculation or research”-this is another ACTION someone with tenacity takes to make the well-informed, previously mentioned, “firm resolution”.
Long story short, I value the quality of tenacity more than commitment as a part of my own S.T.A.R.T Mentality©. Being loyal or having purpose does not necessarily invoke ACTION whereas the resolute, decisive, and actionable nature of a tenacious person seems more efficacious to achieving long-term success.

Adaptability can be defined as “​​the ability to modify according to changing circumstances”.

Billionaires like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs can easily attribute much of their success on their ability to be adaptable as new challenges, technology, consumer needs, etc. arose. These technology titans had to keep up with the fastest-changing industry in the world. Without their adaptability, their products and business as a whole would have become obsolete like other technology/media companies like Blockbuster, Myspace, and Nextel Cellular.

I also find that I have to be extremely adaptable within my own business as it pertains to the best software, technology, algorithm changes, and social media trends. Being willing to dump old software or tech, despite the sunk costs, is sometimes necessary to keep progressing forward.

Regardless of your industry, there will be circumstances that force you to adapt and grow.

Questions:

  • Can you think of any recent circumstances that forced you to adapt or adjust in your personal life or business?
  • Were you successful in your adaptation?
  • What can you do better next time a similar circumstance arises?

Tenacity and Resiliency have a common theme: persistence. However, resilience differs in that it is “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.” You can have tenacity without resilience, but it is difficult to have resilience without tenacity. I believe that by having tenacity, you are able to better “recover quickly from difficulties”. Your determination (aka “firm decision”), to succeed helps you get up, even after you fall/fail.
Here is where you can start to see the qualities align. During adversity or failure, our tenacity and resiliency qualities force us to remain steadfast in our mission to succeed and allow us to think clearly about the future, instead of wallowing in our mistakes. Also, because you are a responsible steward of your business and you are thinking clearly, your adaptability helps you pivot and improve. And finally, your transparency with yourself and others allows you to better reflect, learn, and move on.

I jumped ahead mentioning transparency in that last paragraph, but I am assuming you probably understand what this term means. Most of us understand transparency simply as ‘being honest and upfront”. However, there are actually a lot more formal definitions according to Merriam-Webster: “free from pretense or deceit: easily detected or seen through: readily understood: characterized by visibility or accessibility of information especially concerning business practices.”
As it pertains to The S.T.A.R.T Mentality©, I have chosen transparency because I believe that it is absolutely necessary to not only OBTAIN success but MAINTAIN it for the long term. It is crucial that you are always honest and conduct your business with integrity. I also advise that you are transparent in EVERYTHING you do, write, and say online and in-person. This means providing ALL the information your audience needs upfront; having easy-to-understand policies, expectations, product descriptions, and contracts; and ALWAYS under-promise and OVER-deliver! You should also be transparent with yourself and your accountability partners about your current bandwidth, progress, schedule, etc. 

If, after taking the S.T.A.R.T Mentality© Quiz, you determine that there is room for growth,
I encourage you to do the following:

1) Outline your goals and create a plan of action to improve your mentality and achieve these goals within a specific timeline. Learn more about S.M.A.R.T Goals by clicking here.

2) Follow our  Plan for Success and/or seek one-on-one coaching from business consultants like myself to help you create a strategic plan that maximizes the use of your current resources. 

3) Please click here to view our other helpful blog posts, complete with even more resources to achieve success!

4) Retake this FREE quiz by clicking here,  answering honestly to assess your progress towards achieving a Mentality© for Success!

I am reusing this quote from my Dreams V. Goals blog post because it relates to this topic as well and I want to make sure you see it!

“A dream becomes a goal when action is taken towards its achievement”. -Bo Bennet

*See more about my outlook on “Dreams VS. Goals” by clicking here. Understanding the difference may help bring you one step further towards transitioning your own dreams into achievable goals!*

Questions...

What ACTIONS have you taken recently towards your goals?

Did you take the  Mentality© Quiz?
          
If yes, do you feel it provided accurate results?
          If no, do you feel you embody the qualities of a Mentality© ?

What can you do to better embody the Mentality©?

What is holding you back from STARTING?

Do you have the right mentality to get STARTED and achieve success?

Click the links below to either take the quiz or book a call with Jess!

Also, you can reach out to jess@meticulousjess.com
if you have any questions or would like to book a one-on-one coaching session!

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Dreams Vs. Goals 15 Oct 2022, 12:31 pm

The concept that goals are superior to dreams, when it comes to achieving success is something that I talk about often within my inner circle and my clients (and can even be found in my podcast interview if you click here!) In fact, this discussion may even rub you the wrong way because you may pride yourself on being a “dreamer”. This post is not intended to offend, but to cause you to reflect.

So let me break down what I consider to be the differences and similarities between dreams and goals within the diplayed Venn Diagram:

The main point of this post is to wake you up from your dreams so you can START taking action!

Dreams can be great to get lost in, but reality eventually sets in. When you start taking action and working towards achieving these dreams, that is when your dreams transform into goals, become a part of your new reality, and are now achievable. 

We want to help you achieve those goals! That is why we have released an exclusive sneak peek into our Workshop and Workbook where we introduce the very first step in our  to Success Plan, “Choosing Goals” by answering the question, What Are Goals?” Hopefully this post can help get you STARTED. This blog post is some of the content we will cover during this workshop where you will learn and receive the resources to plan and take action to achieve long-lasting success.

 

                            

View our to Success Plan Workbook and Website by Clicking Here.

Or you can view the exclusive sneak peek and learn more about Goals by clicking here to read that blog post. 

The main point of this post is to wake you up from your dreams so you can START taking action!

Dreams can be great to get lost in, but reality eventually sets in. When you start taking action and working towards achieving these dreams, that is when your dreams transform into goals, become a part of your new reality, and are now achievable. 

We want to help you achieve those goals! That is why we have released an exclusive sneak peek into our Workshop and Workbook where we introduce the very first step in our  to Success Plan, “Choosing Goals” by answering the question, What Are Goals?” Hopefully this post can help get you STARTED. This blog post is some of the content we will cover during this workshop where you will learn and receive the resources to plan and take action to achieve long-lasting success.

                         

View our to Success Workbook and Website by Clicking Here.

Or you can view the exclusive sneak peek and learn more about Goals by clicking here to read that blog post. 

Questions...

Do you agree or disagree with my comparative analysis of dreams vs. goals? Why or why not?

Can you think of any other differences between goals and dreams?

What do you want to achieve that you can create an actionable plan for?

What was the first ACTION you took to transform a dream into a goal in your own life or business?

Do you need help choosing Goals and Making an Actionable Plan for Success? We can help by creating a custom roadmap, strategically tailored to help you meet your Goals! Click the button below to take the FIRST STEP to success!

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