Jared Dees's Blog: The Latest from Jared Dees, page 45

Content Marketing 2018: Hub + Spoke or Hub + Hub

When I created a blog in 2008, the advice I heard from successful online entrepreneurs was to create a home base where you would post your most valuable content. Then, use social media as the spokes or outposts promoting that content and connecting with others in your niche.

Today things have changed.

Mitch Joel recently named it for me.

Content Marketing has changed. @mitchjoel makes an astute analogy:

2008: Hub (website) + Spokes (social media)
2018: Hub (website) + Hub (social media)

Call...

Batch Your Weekly Work Ahead of Time

The typical writer, blogger, thought leader, entrepreneur, etc. commits to a weekly or daily post. This sets up a nice rhythm in someone’s schedule.

For example, every Monday for the last three years I have posted a new worksheet to my membership website. Usually, I would these worksheets a month or a few weeks ahead of time. A few months ago, however, I spent a few consecutive days creating worksheets three months in advance.

The experience has been really incredible. Instead of breaking eac...

5 Lessons from 3 Interviews with Ray Dalio

Ray Dalio runs the most successful hedge fund company in the world. He has a new book out titled Principles and he has been interviewed on numerous shows and podcasts in the last few months.

I finally caught up with some of these interviews this week and here is what I learned:

1. Document your principles.

Ray ended each interview suggesting that the listeners and the host document their principles. With a written list of principles, making decisions can become much easier and more effective....

The War of Art Exercise: Territorial vs. Hierarchical Orientation

Toward the end of The War of Art, Steven Pressfield describes two opposing orientations of the artist and entrepreneur: Territorial vs. Hierarchical Orientation.

Hierarchical Orientation: You define yourself by your place within a pecking order. You look to others to validate your efforts or calling.

Territorial Orientation: You do the work for its own sake.

Here are some examples of “territory”:

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s territory is the gym Stevie Wonder’s territory is the piano a writer’s t...

Gospel Meditation: Third Sunday of Advent

The Testimony of John the Baptist (John 1:6-8, 19-28)

Let the following questions to guide you through a process of Lectio Divina:

LECTIO (Reading): What does this passage say that everyone should understand? In what ways is Jesus like light? What is it about John the Baptist that might have caused someone to think he was the Christ (Messiah), Elijah, or the Prophet? Read Isaiah 40. What does this passage say about the mission of John the Baptist? What does it say about the mission of Jesus?...

Growth = Input + Output

Every day for the last forty days, I have posted something I have learned to this blog. At the risk of sounding “meta,” I want to share something I’ve learned about learning. It is a lesson that is obvious from the outside, but only revealed to the practitioner through experience.

Almost all of my posts in the last month have been about writing. Why? Because that is what I am trying to learn. I have sought out advice and lessons from other authors and entrepreneurs through their books, podcas...

Nonfiction Author = Teacher

“I think of myself as a teacher, not an author.”

Tim Ferriss
Source: The Ask Gary Vee Show

Tim Ferriss is one of the most successful nonfiction authors of the last decade. He became the vanguard of a generation freelancers and solopreneurs. His books have sold millions of copies.

Yet, he identifies himself as a teacher more than an author. He teaches through his writing.

In truth, all nonfiction authors are teachers. Their books instruct and empower their readers.

In order to get better at wr...

Content Marketing Categories: Your Content Needs a Purpose

When most people think of content marketing, they think of Facebook posts, blog posts, videos, etc. without any real idea of why they are doing it. This starts an obsession with the number of impressions and likes and traffic from these efforts. I know because I have been guilty of this.

Let’s set aside for a moment all interest in the stats (impressions, reach, likes, shares, comments, clicks, etc.). Instead, let’s focus on the audience.

What, exactly, do we want this piece of content to do...

November 2017 Project Report

Welcome to my November 2017 Project Report. My goal with this report is to help other authors, entrepreneurs, leaders, or anyone else who wants to make an impact on others. Each month I will share how I spent my time as an author and creative entrepreneur and the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

How I Spent My Time in November 2017

I track every minute of time I spend working in an app called Toggl (here is why). Here is a list of the projects I spent the most time on last month:

23:00 –...

Nonfiction Book Title Checklist

Titling a book is challenging. It is hard enough to describe a book in just a few sentences. How can you be sure you have a title for your nonfiction book that works? Here is a handy checklist to help choose the best title for your book. If the title does not meet one of these criteria, then make sure the subtitle does the job for you.

It is aspirational.

By “aspirational” I mean something more than “benefits.” You want your potential reader to see the title and immediately visualize themselv...