blogging

Build ecourse preview: Kam on building community

by Amy on June 17, 2013

So, not an exaggeration, EVERY SINGLE interview for this ecourse has brought up the importance and value of building community around your blog.

One of the EXCLUSIVE interviews included in the upcoming BUILD self-paced ecourse is with Kam of CampfireChic.com who is LITERALLY formally trained in the art of building community.

5 reasons to sell a digital product

by Amy on June 12, 2013

If you’re just starting out building an online platform, then trying to sell something and make a little money via your blog seems daunting. I know. It took me 4+ years to get brave enough to do it…. and even then it was like leaping off of a cliff into the unknown. Is anyone reading my blog? Is anyone going to buy it? Who is even going to trust me enough to give me their money?

But the more I do it, the less scary it is …. and I want to encourage you to try too.

5reasons

Practice creating

Just like you want to practice starting, creating gets easier the more you do it. There are all kinds of quotes from writers who say things like they just get to work and the muse finds them. Sitting around *waiting* for inspiration is more or less an exercise in futility.

Instead, practice creating. Set yourself a blogging schedule and post rain-or-shine, no matter what, vacations or sick in bed. I find I have far more ideas the more regularly I create than when I take breaks.

In the same vein, you can set a challenge for yourself to create an ebook to sell (or giveaway). Maybe take your #1 blog post and expand it into a 10-page download. Maybe take a story you’ve been meaning to write out and finally make it available to your readers in a pdf. You’ve got a 5-tips for something or other blog post – make that 50 tips and you’ve got an ebook to sell.

Just practice creating, whatever your art.

Leverage your time

I don’t think I will ever sell handmade goods … because my time is worth more than I can charge for that. But when you sell a digital product (like an ebook or a Project Life printable or a design template), you can create it once and sell it over and over and over.

I find this *especially* effective since I live in a high-cost-of-living city. I need to make far more money to live here than if I lived in … Oklahoma, or Alabama or similar. The only REAL way that I can make enough money selling something I created is if I sell digital products that don’t require as many man-hours as physical products.

I can’t tell you how much fun it is (still) to wake up and find that I’ve made a sale and literally made money while I slept.

P.S. I use e-junkie for my digital product shopping cart

Establish yourself as an authority

If you want to get a book published, you need to be seen as an authority. If you want to launch your speaking career, you need to be seen as an authority. If you want to be the go-do web designer for baby photographers, you need to be seen as an authority. Selling (or giving away) an ebook on your chosen subject can help you establish that authority.

Your ebook becomes the go-to resource for your topic. Your ecourse becomes the most-shared tip for beginners in your industry. You are seen as a leader and an authority which can only help you.

Reach new readers

Even if you’re not giving it away for free, producing a digital product can help you reach new readers. Every time someone reviews my ebook or posts about a project they got from it, I’m reaching readers of their site. Every time a friend tweets a link to my latest ebook release, I’m reaching new readers who may have never heard of Lemon and Raspberry.

Especially as you become an authority on your topic, your name and your brand and your digital products get shared and recommended even more. Creating GREAT content is one of the best ways to grow your readership and creating a must-download digital product can be a big part of that.

Make money

Obviously. Making money may not be a big priority for your blog, but it sure can’t hurt. I have no idea how much money Kam has made selling her three-sixty-five ebook, but at such a low price point she’s getting the volume of sales that helps her reach new readers and establish herself as an authority on the subject. AND she’s making some money while doing it.

I started selling ebooks because I knew I wanted to spend a lot of time on my blog, and I wanted to make sure it was worth my time. I figured I have stuff to say that people want to hear, and they might even spend money on it. Now I have a small collection of ebooks, email subscriptions and ecourses that my readers can purchase if they want even more from me than what they get for free on the blog.

And I’m making money from it.

The internet is MAGIC.

Have you gotten started making money via your blog?

There’s an ENTIRE module in my upcoming BUILD ecourse on monetization, including exclusive BONUS interviews with Elise of EliseJoy.com, Mollie of Wild Olive, and Kristin of rukristin papercrafts

Be sure to sign up for the BUILD blogging email list for first news of the ecourse going on sale in July!

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Build ecourse preview: Elise on selling physical products

by Amy on June 11, 2013

One of the EXCLUSIVE interviews included in the upcoming BUILD self-paced ecourse is with Elise from EliseJoy.com

She offers her top tips for using your blog to sell physical products.

Check out a preview here:

I just adore Elise. She does such great work on a consistent basis, I don’t know how you could help it and I’m thrilled about our interview!

In my interview with her we talk about how she uses her blog for research, how she got started selling minibooks and stamps and so much more.

Be sure to sign up for the BUILD blogging email list for first news of the ecourse going on sale in July!

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Top tips for a successful blog

by Amy on June 5, 2013

Every once in awhile I get emails or Facebook messages from friends about blogging. These are generally friends from YEARS ago who have suddenly noticed that you can use the internet for more than just stalking old boyfriends on Facebook or laughing at the latest Buzzfeed posts.

I would still recommend that you sign up for 9 months of weekly blogging tips, but I thought I’d also show you what I advise people about blogging just in a nutshell.

Below is a more-or-less copied-and-pasted email to one of the friends mentioned above. I made it prettier with bullets, but otherwise, these are my TOP tips for a successful blog. The tips I think of FIRST, off the top of my head.

“Here are my top tips off the top of my head:
(also related: pet peeves)

Post original content. Just reposting pics from WeHeartIt or Pinterest doesn’t make your blog stand out. It doesn’t make you special. It doesn’t give me any good reason to read your blog.
Be authentic. Even if this is a blog for your little creative business, you don’t want to sound too businessy. People like doing business with (and reading blogs of) people they (feel like they) know.
COMMIT to a # of posts a week. It can be just one every Tuesday if you want but FOLLOW THROUGH. It really doesn’t matter all that much exactly how often, as long as your readers know when they can count on you. Consistency.
That said, it drives me CRAZY when a blogger skips a couple weeks, then just gets back on to make excuses for why they didn’t blog. All we know is that your readers weren’t a priority.
re: Topics : people love posts with great takeaways. This can be a tutorial or ‘ultimate guide to’ anything.
I keep a little notebook with me all the time for blog ideas. I write down crazy things my husband says, I’m on the lookout for daytrips we can take together. I carry a camera almost always.
re: blog audience : I get a TON of traffic on the posts that I link to in my Twitter/Facebook status. at least 2x as much as normal
for regular day-to-day traffic, I’ve found commenting on other sites (thoughtful comments, not just “me too!”) will at least get those bloggers and some of their readers to check out your site.
for loyalty, make sure you ACKNOWLEDGE your readers. Email them back if they leave a thoughtful comment. Do a whole post (FAQ-style) on their question if they ask one in the comments. Giveaways.

Ok. off my soap box.

Let me know if that helps, or if you have more questions.”

So, basically – write good stuff and connect with your readers.

Not rocket science, but still obviously work. Running a successful online platform is not an overnight get-rich-quick scheme. You’ve really got to work to BUILD a site that you can leverage to get what you want.

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Build ecourse preview: Kristin on affiliate selling

by Amy on June 3, 2013

One of the EXCLUSIVE interviews included in the upcoming BUILD self-paced ecourse is with Kristin of rukristin papercrafts.

She offers her top tips for making money via your blog by selling affiliate products.

Check out a preview here:

Kristin shared she makes a few hundred dollars each month through her affiliate sales!

I LOVED this interview. She is SUPER smart and has such a great point of view.

In my interview with Kristin we talk about what she looks for when choosing a company to become an affiliate for, how she makes sales without “selling” and a lot more!

You can find Kristin’s blog here and her shop here.

Be sure to sign up for the BUILD blogging email list for first news of the ecourse going on sale in July!

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Build ecourse preview: Megan on guest posting

by Amy on May 30, 2013

One of the EXCLUSIVE interviews included in the upcoming BUILD self-paced ecourse is with Megan of The Nerd Nest

She offers her top tips for using guest posting to promote your blog.

Check out a preview here:

You’ve probably seen Megan’s posts ALL OVER THE PLACE. Including here at Lemon and Raspberry several times and the Big Picture Classes blog.

In my interview with her we talk about how she gets blog traffic from guest posting, how she pitches guest posts and how important it is to make connections with your community if you want to guest post among other things.

Be sure to sign up for the BUILD blogging email list for first news of the ecourse going on sale in July!

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Build ecourse preview: Mollie on selling digital products

by Amy on May 24, 2013

One of the EXCLUSIVE interviews included in the upcoming BUILD self-paced ecourse is with Mollie Johanson of Wild Olive.

She offers her top tips for selling digital products via your blog.

Check out a preview here:

Mollie has been selling her digital products online for several years.

In my interview with her we talk about what she does to prepare her digital products, what she keeps in mind when offering them and her best practices for selling.

You can find Mollie’s projects in her Etsy shop here or on Kitschy Digitals here.

Be sure to sign up for the BUILD blogging email list for first news of the ecourse going on sale in July!

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What is your biggest blogging struggle?

by Amy on May 23, 2013

If you’re on the newsletter you may have already seen this ….

I asked my subscribers and they answered – what is your biggest blogging struggle?

In this video I answer 3 readers’ questions:

How to handle multiple interests and what to blog about?
How frequently should you post and how to attract readers?
How can you stay original when it seems like everything has been done?

Take a look and let me know in the comments what your biggest blogging struggle is:

Apologies for the all-business-super-seriuosness. Apparently I don’t smile all that much when I’m laying down the law!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the BUILD blogging email list for more blogging tips delivered straight to your inbox

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5 easy ways to start making money from your blog

by Amy on May 22, 2013

I mentioned last week, you can build your online platform for any number of goals …. Become a big star, write a book, etc ….

But if you want to get started making money from your blog, start here :

make money

Know your reader

Are your readers crafty ladies? Are your readers video-game-obsessed teenage boys? Are your readers college girls researching gender differences in business?

Depending on who your reader is, you’re going to use different methods or products to help you make money off your blog. Your reader is going to determine what you offer, how you offer it, how you present it, how you write your blog even.

You had better know who you’re talking to.

Start small

If you haven’t tried any kind of monetization strategies, definitely start small. I would start with selling as an affiliate for products that you believe in. Two Peas in a Bucket offers an affiliate program, ModCloth offers an affiliate program, Amazon.com does too.

Start by looking at the products and companies you use all the time. If they offer an affiliate program, sign up for it and insert your affiliate link in any post you write that mentions it.

This is just an easy way to get used to selling something without having to create it yourself yet.

Know your offer

Are you selling an ebook? Are you selling advertisements? Are you teaching live webinars?

What problem are you solving for them? How will this product/service help them or change something in their life?

ESPECIALLY if your offer is a product or service you yourself created, you had better know all the details. Backward and forward. Know how it impacts your reader and be able to explain that clearly.

Believe in your product

It’s hard to sell something that you don’t really like. Don’t even try. I only try to sell products I have created or I have used myself. That’s why I’m a Blurb affiliate, but not a fashion-company affiliate (I have zero style).

As mentioned above, start by looking at products you already use. Start with the Amazon affiliate program and link to books you’re already reviewing. Or write an ebook on a topic you feel really strongly about and you know can help people.

I like to think of “sales” as “really good customer service” – you’re just figuring out what problem your readers have and finding the solutions/products that will really help them.

Enlist help

Ask your friends to contribute to your workshop. Ask your fellow bloggers to help promote your new book.

Hire a designer to put together the visual look of your class. Hire an editor to make sure your ebook makes sense.

You want to put you best work out there, and if that means asking for help or hiring help.

As I’m sure you suspect, this is *barely* the tip of the iceberg when it comes to creating an income from your online platform. Be sure you check out my self-paced blogging ecourse for more details.

5 easy ways to do other things

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BUILD blogging ecourse available July

by Amy on May 21, 2013

July 9 I will be releasing a HUGE self-paced blogging ecourse!

What do you want from life?

Maybe you want to be a thought-leader and become a regular guest on daytime talk shows.

Maybe you want to be a reality TV star.

Maybe you want to launch a business selling handmade children’s aprons.

Maybe you just want a second income to be able to quit your day job soon.

Either way, you need an online platform.

You need to learn how to build a community, build a business and build your blog.

I built a blog that has helped me get what I want – with fewer than 1000 readers and ZERO advertisers.

The team from Young House Love built a blog that can employ both of them as well as get them a book deal. Elsie and Emma of A Beautiful Mess built a blog that can employ a whole team, get them a book deal and change their whole career trajectory.

My personal goals have been somewhat smaller, but my blog (Lemon and Raspberry) still has been the driving force behind reaching those goals.

And I want to teach you to do the same.

Whatever your long-term goals are – if you want to do anything even remotely interesting or skill-based – a blog can help you reach them.

I’ve put months into crafting the BUILD self-paced blogging ecourse – complete with actionable steps, downloadable worksheets, hundreds of external resources and special exclusive BONUS video interviews with some of your favorite bloggers.

The ecourse will be available July 9 – in the meantime sign up for free weekly emails to learn blogging basics and get a taste of what is coming in the ecourse.

I will also be releasing periodic promo videos recorded by each of the interviewees – the first one is coming on Friday!

Visit the full sales page here to learn more details including how it works and what information is included

Do you have a SPECIFIC blogging challenge that you can’t seem to overcome?

Leave your questions in the comments below and I’ll try to work them into the course content

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