Leonie Dawson's Blog, page 31

Business Success Series #3: How To Sell More With Blogging

My loves,

If you’ve missed previous Biz Success Series posts, you can find them here:

#1: Find Your Ideal Client#2: Be An Online Networking & Mastermind ProToday’s post is another way to market your business.

Because here’s the thing: once you know who is your ideal client, you need to go and FIND them. Don’t be sitting around, waiting for them to find YOU. You’ve got to be proactive. You’ve got to find the people out there that you were born to help and serve.

But before we dig in…

Want to listen to the companion podcast for this post as you read?

Easyyyy babes! Just click play above, or subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, PocketCast (or wherever else you listen to podcasts!)

What’s a blog?

So just in case you’re feeling totes clueless about all this tech stuff, let’s get back to basics for a second: what’s a blog? It’s a website that includes regularly updated content on a range of topics. Most websites also have static pages (i.e. an About page and Contact page) as well as some form of blog or regularly updated articles or news, as well as pages dedicated to free + paid for content.

Over the years, there’s been a bunch of talk about “the death of blogging”. Which to this day, still make me gigglesnort through my nose hysterically. There will always, always be a need for websites. And those websites should be updated often (i.e. with a blog).

Social media can feel like the be-all and end-all but I don’t think you should look at having a social media presence (i.e. Facebook page) as your only online home. In fact, I think it’s pretty dang foolish to do that. Here’s the thing: social media outlets will always go in and out of fashion. You do not own the environments they are in, and it’s not easy to create an archive of the content you create there. What’s more, as business owners are discovering, the rules within those environments are constantly changing and NOT in businesses’ favour. Social media platforms aren’t there to help YOU make as much money as possible… they are there to make you pay as much as possible to THEM. Social media is definitely a more temporary, ephemeral arrangement.

Here’s some reasons why you need to consider a blog:It shows you are a freaking professional with an actual businessHave an online space you can craft as a guided journey for people to discover your work and dive deeper into it with youTeach people more about what you doUse it as a place to cross-publish content you share elsewhere onlineHave lots of great free content so they get to know you and trust you and understand what you have to offerHave a searchable, linkable archive of all the great content you post (whether it’s articles, photographs, videos, etc) – this is HUUUUUUGELY importantGet better results for SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)Have your own domain name that is yours to keep, forever. You can keep on promoting with that baby until the end of time.You can use your blog to:answer questions people haveteach them why your products/services are importantdemonstrate how it will help themeducate them about why they should investbuild trust in you and your businessshow the behind-the-scenes of the companycreate a story that is powerful and loved by your audienceYour blog can become the linchpin, the sanctuary, the place where:prospects are turned into customerscustomers are turned into raving fansyour loyal audience is bornHow To Become a Blogging Pro:It is really easy to get caught up in blogging and looking at measurements of success that aren’t helpful. If you’re blogging to build a business, you absolutely should be using it as a central funnel to get people on your mailing list. It’s that important. It’s damn important. When you have a mailing list, it becomes a major business asset, far more than having blog followers or a certain amount of Facebook likes on a post. People on your mailing list are much, much more likely to buy from you than anyone else. It’s a way for you to keep in contact with the people who are interested in you and your offerings and are waiting for the right moment to dive deeper into working with you. So: make sure your blog is doing its job of getting people onto your mailing list.Make it as easy as possible for people to share your blog posts along – have social media share buttons at the beginning or end (or both!) of blog postsAnswer people’s questions in your blog postsUse photos as much as possible in blog posts to break up text and appeal to both folks who like words and peeps who like pictures.Use images with the header title on it at the top of the post. This way when people share it on social media (i.e. Facebook or Pinterest), it’ll automatically show up with a great visual that’s easy for people to read.I get asked about this a lot, so let me answer it here: it’s up to you whether you want to have comments or not on your blog.

Unless you really, really enjoy the interaction you get there, or unless you have a business model of selling advertising on your blog, I’d suggest not having comments.

Why? Because in my experience it adds an extra level of admin to your business, and you can get writer’s block if you feel like you’re not getting enough comments or the right kinds of comments.

My suggestion is to experiment with turning comments on and off and see what works for you and your business. If you feel like you get a lot out of it and so does your community, go for it. Otherwise, nix ‘em.

(If your primary business model is selling advertising on your blog, you will want to have comments on and a commenting policy in place. Why? Because you’re in the job of increasing your page views and traffic as much as possible. And commenting increases page views. Especially if people start arguing in comments. Weird right?)

Try out a mixture of posts to see what’s a good fit for you to create (or your team to create for you) and what your peeps digs.

For example, try:

Short postsLong postsPosts where you answer questionsHow-To tutorial postsVideosPhotographsBehind-the-scenes storiesTrust your gut about how and what you would like to share.

Some people want to share only information directly related to their industry and offerings. That’s totally fine. Some like to weave their own personal story and sharings in there too. It can be a powerful way for people to relate to you and grow their trust in you (plus be a wonderful way of practicing vulnerability and authenticity in your life). Go with what you are comfortable doing right now. It can always change over time. You can always experiment and see how it feels.

Further Resource On This Topic: What You Need To Know About Privacy And Personal Safety When Blogging For Business

Want a worksheet to help you figure out what to blog about?

How I’ve Used Blogging In My Own Business:

I’ve been blogging since 2004. It was the thing that really started my business. I started sharing my writings and art online as a creative outlet for myself. I was astonished when I discovered other people (besides my best friend) read my blog. Through the process of blogging and feedback from my small but growing list of followers, I started finding my own voice and what I wanted to share with the world. My offerings organically evolved from that process.

I began using my blog to:

Promote my offeringsDirect people onto my mailing list (After switching to Active Campaign from Kajabi, I’m at about 50,000 people.)Find my peeps and build the trust so they become customersBuild lasting connections (I’m amazed at how many of my current colleagues and friends and fans have been reading my blog for over a decade now! That’s a pretty solid, loyal connection right there!)

Seventeen years (!!!) on, those four results continue.

I write at least one post a week. How much I blog has varied hugely over the years. At the moment I tend to write quite a few shorter blog posts, and one longer “pillar article” to share with my newsletter.

I make sure my one “pillar article” per week is designed to be as useful as possible, and shared as much as possible.

I do this by:

Making sure it’s got a fantastic heading that draws people inKeeping a long list of questions people ask me that can be turned into blog postsUsing images within blog postsMaking sure I used headings, bullet points and bolding in blog posts to make them as easily readable as possibleGiving quality, useful content that actually (GASP!) helps peopleBeing as authentic and honest as I canSpeaking in my own voice + flying my own freak flag. (If you find yourself copying other people’s style too much, ban yourself from reading their blogs until you get comfortable with your own voice and how YOU want to create, write and appear in the world.)My blogging type mix-up tends to look like this:Mostly longer written blog posts (I tend to prefer writing).I occasionally do video blog posts (I used to do them more when I was active on social media)I occasionally do larger list types of blog posts (i.e. top books + my goals for the year)I started “Leonie Dawson Refuses to Be Categorised” (I do a companion blog post for each podcast episode)My weekly pillar article is designed specifically to help my target market (usually on a topic like self development, productivity, money and business).I also write more personal posts sharing the soul lessons of challenges in my life (for example, my Autism story + resources).I trust my gut about what I want to share from my personal life. Over time, it’s evolved and will keep on changing. I just keep checking in with myself about what I’m happy to share.I do use blogging as a way to promote my programs and products. For example, if I have an upcoming program that I want to promote, I will write blog posts around that topic for the month leading up to the launch. On each blog post during that month, I will include an ad image for the program, or write a postscript like this:
“P.S. Want to dive deeper into this work and get your business earning you more moolah? Sales Star Masterclass is your next step. Click here to find out more and sign up!”Extra Blogging Resources:Marketing Without Social Media – my new course!Sales Star Masterclass – how to improve your sales pages & emails to make you more $$$Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business – Handley and ChapmanPillar Blog Posts – an oldie but a goodie from Smart Passive IncomeHow To Make Blog Posts Viral, Compelling + Fall In Loveable! – I wrote this one years ago, it still applies!And remember, you don’t need to niche yourself.

You don’t need to bracket yourself into one topic or one area; I write about about business, marketing, art, life, my experience with being neurodivergent, mental health, family and everything in between.

You’ve got this.

Share your voice. Make magic in the world. And whatever you do, start now.

With a sprinkle of glitter,

FREE GOODIES:
 Daily-ish writings
 Weekly love letters
 Podcast: Leonie Dawson Refuses To Be Categorised
 A library of free treasures

COURSES:
 Sales Star
 Marketing Without Social Media
 Money, Manifesting & Multiple Streams of Income
 40 Days To A Finished Book
 40 Days To Create & Sell Your E-Course

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Getting Things Done: Notes

Pookybears,

I’ve heard about Getting Things Done by David Allen for years (amusingly, he has the same name as my grandfather – albeit spelt Allan).

I’ve never read the book however, and am back-piled up with hundreds of books to read already. So I thought I’d do the 2021 Cliff’s Notes version… watch a Youtube video about it instead!

It was wildly helpful! Behold!

It did make me laff & laff when she says the original David Allen methodology is to have a… FILING CABINET… with 43 FILE FOLDERS IN IT.

At which point in the video, Spellbound is like:

“Yeah, I’m not going to do that. I’ll just use my Google Keep app instead.”

Which made me chortle. Why have a filing cabinet! When you can app it instead?

WHICH reminds me… I should check out Google Keep as a note-taking option. I currently just use a combination of Google Docs, Mac’s Notes software & Reminders app on my phone. But if I can combine them into one? Even bettah!

Anyways, I took notes on Spellbound’s notes of Getting Things Done.

And I thought I’d share them with you, because it’s a wee bit meta to take notes of notes, and yet, here we are.

BEHOLD!

Steps from here

I’m still thinking through if there’s anything I’d like to integrate from the GTD system.

I’m currently feeling quite happy with using a bullet-journalish style notebook for keeping everything, including daily, weekly and overall to do lists.

I do think it would be useful to:Designate one tray as a physical “inbox” to keep things I need to action, including forms and letters. Then I would sort through it as part of my weekly review, and file things I need to keep. This would save me from losing bits of paper everywhere. Last week, I decided to make a file folder to store all my kids’ school report cards in. Then I had to madly search to find where all 6 where from the past 3 years. Guess what? They were in SIX different places, guys. Including… wedged between my mattress and bedhead. Honestly, it’s a miracle I didn’t lose any of them. I’m currently searching for my blood test results that I got from my doctor a few weeks ago. I’ve got no clue where I put them. Having a physical inbox and weekly filing routine would probably help. Also: GUESS WHO HAS ADHD? HO HO HO.Organise a “planning area” to keep my physical inbox & disc-bound folder (to file things in). I have a buffet near our front door that I keep large outgoing and ingoing packages (for example: bags to take to charity, soft plastics bag to take to recycling, our bulk toilet paper orders, things to return). I think it might be useful to set them up there.Test doing a weekly review to see if it’s a helpful practice to do. I may even blog it, to see if that’s useful as well?I’d like to have a search for other bloggers that share their weekly review.Anyways!

I hope this is helpful in some way!

If you are a GTD aficionado I’d love to hear how you make it work for you!

Big love,

FREE GOODIES:

[image error]  Daily-ish writings
[image error]  Weekly love letters
[image error]  Podcast: Leonie Dawson Refuses To Be Categorised
[image error]  A library of free treasures

COURSES:

[image error]   Sales Star
.  Marketing Without Social Media
[image error]   Money, Manifesting & Multiple Streams of Income
[image error]   40 Days To A Finished Book
[image error]   40 Days To Create & Sell Your E-Course

 

 

 

The post Getting Things Done: Notes appeared first on Leonie Dawson | Goals, Marketing + Creativity For Glorious Humans.

Diary: Dot Points Of All The Things

Possums,

A dot point list of thingmebobs.

I am writing this on an iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard attached. I bought it last year in quarantine, decided I hated it and preferred to just use my basic bitch iPad instead for drawing. But then my kids dragged this out to do Reading Eggs on, and now I’m trying it out, and quite enjoy the sound of it. Stay tuned as to whether I could potentially wean myself off my almost decade-long reliance on the 2013 version of an iPad Air. (I even spent $2,000 to buy a 3 year old version of one that had been sitting unopened in a warehouse). Here’s all the tools I currently use and love.My biggest kid is going to the movies and a birthday party by herself! Without one of us with her! For the first time! In a feat of generational hilarity, she’s going to see Space Jam 2. I was almost her age when I saw Space Jam 1! Anyways, I’m excited for her, and also a little like: woah. It’s happening. She’s growing up.We’ve been watching Clarkson’s Farm each night. As a farm girl, I fucking LOVE it. It’s delightful and funny and also totally reminds me why I chose NOT to farm.I’m having a frustrating time at the moment trying to get a new financial & investment structure finalised. I just keep hitting road blocks from multiple organisations. Maybe next week I’ll have it sorted? Let’s hope for that.I’ve gone for two bushwalks this week and it made my body feel good. More of this please Leonie!I’m reading this new book by that adorable Rick Morton. Fuck he’s talented. It makes me want to write him long fan letters in the mail, but I don’t know how to tamp down my enthusiasm and adoration enough to not appear like a stalker.Plans for this weekend: kids tutoring sessions in morning. Taxi driver big kid to her big kid friend date. Listen to Glennon’s podcast. Make some apple tarts & bacon quiches for school lunches on Sunday. Read books, art journal, fit in as much soul-replenishing as I can.

Righto, time to head to bed.

Big love,

FREE GOODIES:

[image error]  Daily-ish writings
[image error]  Weekly love letters
[image error]  Podcast: Leonie Dawson Refuses To Be Categorised
[image error]  A library of free treasures

COURSES:

[image error]   Sales Star
.  Marketing Without Social Media
[image error]   Money, Manifesting & Multiple Streams of Income
[image error]   40 Days To A Finished Book
[image error]   40 Days To Create & Sell Your E-Course

 

 

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The Oatmeal On Moving Away From Social Media Marketing

Dearests,

Interesting development in the world of businesses & creatives recognising the risks of relying on social media marketing!

The Oatmeal, long term internet denizen & wildly popular comic artist has begun to reduce his reliance on social media marketing, and get people to sign up for his mailing list instead.

And this is a dude who has almost 4 million Facebook followers & 1 million Instagram followers:

Here’s what you get when you pop over to his website – a pop up asking people to sign up to his mailing list instead of following on social media.

And this call to action at the bottom of every blog post:

Here’s some of his recent comics sharing his frustrations with social media & phone use:Reaching people online in 2021Human checks her phoneOf course… you know my feelings about this already

I’ve long been teaching my students to prioritise growing a mailing list over social media numbers.

I permanently quit social media in February, and was asked so many times about marketing without social media that I even have an entire program about it.

Building your business on social media is risky as fuckkkkkk.

More things I’ve written about quitting social media:

Why Businesses Are Quitting Social Media (+ Changes I’m Making To My Business)

Why Me & My Business Don’t Do Social Media Anymore: The Extended Version

A friend texted me this morning:

So many people feel like this. I reckon there’s a new wave coming… more businesses moving away from social media marketing, more humans moving away from social media as a hobby. (If you’re a business & need inspiration & guidance on how to make the shift, this course is for you).

My life (and business) is a hundred times lovelier without it. I’m excited for more people to join in this revolution.

Big love,

FREE GOODIES:

[image error]  Daily-ish writings
[image error]  Weekly love letters
[image error]  Podcast: Leonie Dawson Refuses To Be Categorised
[image error]  A library of free treasures

COURSES:

[image error]   Sales Star
.  Marketing Without Social Media
[image error]   Money, Manifesting & Multiple Streams of Income
[image error]   40 Days To A Finished Book
[image error]   40 Days To Create & Sell Your E-Course

 

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George From Famous 5 Has Autism

Dearests,

When I was growing up, Enid Blyton’s Famous 5 series was my favourite.

In particular – Georgina (or George as she preferred to be called), an adventurous tomboy who dressed androgynously. For me – a lanky short-haired kid who spent her weekends on horseback or with her dog gallivanting around the farm, George was my kind of person, the one I rarely saw in books.

It’s only now as I re-read the series to my kids that I suddenly recognise George for who they are.

They, like me, have Autism.

George shows clear signs of ASD:

prefers being by themselves
happier in the company of animals than humans
blunt AF
sensory issues
difficulty with managing social interactions
gender-queer

Here’s the giveaway quotes

These are from Five On A Treasure Island (the first in the series):

“I must tell you, children, you may find George a bit difficult at first – she’s always been one on her own, you know, and at first may not like you being here. But you mustn’t take any notice of that – she’ll be all right in a short time. I am very glad for George’s sake you were able to come. She badly needs other children to play with… George hates being a girl, and we have to call her George, as if she were a boy.” – George’s mother

“Mother was awfully cross with me when I cut my hair short. I had hair all round my neck; it was awful.” – George

“She’s awfully funny, I think. She says she didn’t want us to come because we’ll interfere with her. She laughed at me, and it was rather rude.” – Anne, describing George

“I didn’t want any of you to come, anyway. Interfering with my life here! I’m quite happy on my own.” – George

“I don’t make friends with people just because they’re my cousins, or something silly like that. I only make friends with people if I like them… lots of people don’t like me, now I come to think of it.” – George

“If you’re not going to believe what I say I won’t tell you another word more. But I don’t tell untruths. I think it’s being a coward if you don’t tell the truth – and I’m not a coward.” – George

“Timothy (the dog) is my very greatest friend. I couldn’t do without him.” – George

I can’t tell you how relieved I was to re-read this book again

It was like a sweet homecoming to see myself reflected in the image of my favourite childhood character.

More of my favourite books & all of my writings about Autism here.

Big love to you all, just as you are!

FREE GOODIES:

[image error]  Daily-ish writings
[image error]  Weekly love letters
[image error]  Podcast: Leonie Dawson Refuses To Be Categorised
[image error]  A library of free treasures

COURSES:

[image error]   Sales Star
.  Marketing Without Social Media
[image error]   Money, Manifesting & Multiple Streams of Income
[image error]   40 Days To A Finished Book
[image error]   40 Days To Create & Sell Your E-Course

 

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MASSIVE RETIREMENT SALE: 50% OFF Soul Care & Anxiety Balm!

My loves!

You’ve probably gathered from the title that there’s 50% off two of my courses:

Anxiety Balm &Soul Care in Uncertain Times

Whyyyyyyy, you ask?

Well the short answer is; I’m retiring both of them!

(Ohhh you wanted the long answer? HA! Okay, here you go…)

There are 2 main reasons I’m retiring these courses in particular:I’m wanting to trim down my library of offerings to make space for sparkling new ideas and creations – I’ve always felt like a clean slate helps guide me towards my next project, obsession, creative love etc. I’ve retired hundreds of courses, and I’ll retire more in future. I think of it as a spring clean, in a sense. Out with the old to make room for the new.They’re not live courses – Anxiety Balm was always a self-guided course, and the way it’s structured doesn’t lend itself to 1 hour live calls. For Soul Care; Deb and I always planned on only running the circle live once, and that’s exactly what we did.Anxiety Balm & Soul Care in Uncertain Times are going away forever in less than 3 days!

For the next couple of days, you can score one or both these courses for a whopping 50% off before they are gone forevs. That’s US $34.50 each! TEENY TINY PRICES!

Anxiety is a part of my story, and has been for ten years.

Anxiety Balm was created half as a love story to my own anxiety (everything in this course I use myself) and a half as a way to try and support others who might be struggling with anxious thoughts and overwhelm.

These days, anxiety doesn’t control me the way it used to. Doesn’t dictate my days. Doesn’t make me feel bereft and conquered.

I know what works. I know what doesn’t. I know how to tame the wild banshee. And when a friend tells me they are suffering, I know I can help them. I can give them the love and the tools for them to have their own Anxiety Balm. 

So that’s what this invitation is for.

I would love to be your anxiety doula. Your anxiety big sibling.

Join me for 21 days of tools and tips to calm, soothe and bring solace to your anxious soul.

What works, what doesn’t.

You’ll feel (SO) much less alone. Fortified with good medicine. Knowing what you need in order to heal and manage your anxiety.

My darling, lifelong friend Deb Namara and I created Soul Care in Uncertain Times last year when the world went into its first lockdown. Overnight, Deb’s thriving business as a massage therapist, doula and women’s circle leader had to shutter due to COVID19.

And as we talked together about what she would do next, we realised what we needed to do: Work together, and share her work with you.

It was time. We put together 4 weeks of online retreats, recorded them and created Soul Care for Uncertain Times. They ended up being such a precious, profound experience.

You’ll feel stronger and more resilient in times of uncertainty, a deeper sense of calm & self love, and more deeply connected (even though a lot of us are still isolated).

So what does this all mean for you?

(AKA I answer your questions as if I can read your miiiiiind…)

You have however long is on the timer to nab Anxiety Balm and Soul Care before they disappear forever!Since both courses are self-guided (i.e. no live components such as calls or retreats), you can get started right now! Yup, as soon as you purchase you’ll be able jump right into the first modules straight away, while the rest of the course will drip release over time.If you’re already a member, you certainly do not need to repurchase! You only need to buy whatever you don’t have, if you want to!Current & new members will have access to course materials for at least 12 months. When the timer hits zero, it means the ability to purchase a membership has ended.There are no payment plans for these because they are already discounted to the high heavens and back!We don’t offer refunds for change of mind (please make sure you read the sales pages thoroughly and email us with any cheeky Qs before purchasing to avoid potential upset)Want to buy after the timer hits zero? BZZZT! NOPE SORRY! You have until the timer hits zero to enrol. After that, these courses are being SHELVED! Sent to the farm! Laid to rest! Etc etc.

Questions I haven’t answered? Easy babes, easy! Just send ’em to support@leoniedawson.com

Here’s how much time you have left before they’re gone:

Make sure you get in now before these two disappear forever!

It’s been an absolute honour sharing both of these offerings with you and although their time is coming to an end, I’m ready for whatever comes next.

With warmth, hugs & love,

 

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Reading Challenge: Embracing Incidental Reading & Creating A Book Bag

Dearests,

Mate, I feel like I am nailing this reading intensive challenge with my kids.

There’s so few parts of parenting where you can get that “I AM DOING THIS RIGHT!” sense of achievement, so it’s been bloody lovely to feel it from this challenge.

Here’s where we’re at:I read Raising Readers – my notes from it are hereWe’ve been doing 3 daily activities – a Reading Eggs lesson, I read to them for 20+ minutes, they read to me for 20+ minutes (well, the littlest does, and the eldest does her own reading)They’ve started doing Writer’s Club at schoolMy eldest started an informal book club with one of her friendsOne of my kids has had a leap of 6 months in reading age in the last 4 weeksI hired a literacy tutor who comes to our house once a week for 2 hours – one hour for each.Next up: adding incidental reading into the mix!

I got this idea from Raising Readers:

“Incidental reading is all about snatching pockets of time in a busy day to quickly escape into a book with your child. It could be while you’re waiting for the bath to fill or while you’re killing time before a doctor’s appointment. The key to incidental reading is to surround yourself with books so that they can be easily and regularly dipped into. Place collections of books in baskets or boxes throughout your home, chuck a few board books in the nappy bag, and stash a few in the car.”

First up, I downloaded the Kindle app on my phone, and bought Enid Blyton’s Cherry Tree Farm story collection. That way when we are out and about, waiting in the car or for appointments, I can just read to them from there.

It reminds me of when I had to head to emergency unexpectedly with my biggest kid last month, which turned into an overnight stay. I fossicked through the car before we walked in, and found a stray copy of Roald Dahl’s BFG. We had some absolutely delightful time waiting in emergency reading that book together. Incidental reading at its finest!

Project: Create A Book Bag!

To add even more incidental reading into our lives, I decided to make a book bag to add to our car.

I grabbed an old calico bag that was in our bag drawer.

I used some kid’s gouache paints that we had sitting around… acrylic would have worked fine as well, I just wanted to use up these babies before they shrivel up and die early deaths.

Then I handpainted “B O O K” onto it. And yes, that IS our dining room table that never gets eaten at because it’s a 24/7 ART STUDIO in our house. Mostly my kids projects, but mine too. And yep, it’s totally smeared with paint all over it, and I’m never getting rid of it or painting over it. It’s the only piece of furniture I’m sentimental about. We bought it when Starry was a baby, and it has the marks of every single craft project since then on it.

Here’s what it looked like when it was finished.

Then I piled it up with a bunch of picture books, novels and non-fiction, and slung it over the extra headrest in the car between the kids. Thus far, they are in love!

Books 4 Cats

My kids’ school doesn’t currently do Scholastic Book Clubs, so I reactivated our old home school account, and have been ordering through them again. They sent out this classroom poster in their last catalogue where you get kids to read daily for 10 weeks, colouring in each book as you go.

We decided to use it at home. We talked about what we could do as a reward when we finish it, and the kids requested a visit to the CAT CAFE. Oh my WORD, we are SO EXCITED.

Books 4 cats. This is the best idea we’ve EVER had.

Merrily, onwards.

With arms loaded with books & joy in our hearts!

In Reader Love,

FREE GOODIES:

[image error]  Daily-ish writings
[image error]  Weekly love letters
[image error]  Podcast: Leonie Dawson Refuses To Be Categorised
[image error]  A library of free treasures

COURSES:

[image error]   Sales Star
.  Marketing Without Social Media
[image error]   Money, Manifesting & Multiple Streams of Income
[image error]   40 Days To A Finished Book
[image error]   40 Days To Create & Sell Your E-Course

 

The post Reading Challenge: Embracing Incidental Reading & Creating A Book Bag appeared first on Leonie Dawson | Goals, Marketing + Creativity For Glorious Humans.

Weekending Notes

FREE GOODIES:

[image error]  Daily-ish writings
[image error]  Weekly love letters
[image error]  Podcast: Leonie Dawson Refuses To Be Categorised
[image error]  A library of free treasures

COURSES:

[image error]   Sales Star
.  Marketing Without Social Media
[image error]   Money, Manifesting & Multiple Streams of Income
[image error]   40 Days To A Finished Book
[image error]   40 Days To Create & Sell Your E-Course

 

The post Weekending Notes appeared first on Leonie Dawson | Goals, Marketing + Creativity For Glorious Humans.

Blogs: How To Find Them & All The Blogs I Subscribe To

Pookybears,

Since I’ve left social media, I’ve returned to just reading blogs. And holy moley, the benefits are SO huge.

I feel so inspired from reading blogs. I learn things. I feel connected to other people’s stories. I feel honoured by the glimpses I get to see into their lives. It makes me itch to create.

I never felt this way when I read social media.

I fell in love with blogging in 2004. And it’s stayed a deep love… and now feels like even more of a rekindling of that romance.

Many of you have asked for blogs that I read and how I keep up with them… so this post is for you!

How To Read Blogs:

The two best options for reading blogs is either by:

subscribing to their mailing list (so you get new blog posts emailed to your inbox)using a reader app like Bloglovin and Feedly.

I subscribe to some, and use the Feedly app to read the rest. There are lots of reader apps that are free. I used Bloglovin for years, which is completely free. Now I have the paid Feedly option (it does have a free version as well). I only upgraded to the paid Feedly one because I figured it’s my prime source of online entertainment now, so I like some of the extra features it has. They’re definitely not necessary though… I could have just kept going with Bloglovin for decades!

How To Find Blogs

There’s lots of ways to find blogs:

Google your favourite topic + “blog”Blog reader apps like Bloglovin and Feedly offer lots of recommendations for your next readBlogs often have either weekly link roundups or a blogroll where they recommend other blogsThere’s a shit tonne of top blog lists around like this one and this oneAsk friends what their favourites are! I regularly like to do this. And of course I like to recommend specific blogs to friends that I think will like them too. Share the blog love around!

In the spirit of this, here’s a mahooosive list of blogs I read!

The (Somewhat) Complete List of Blogs I Currently Subscribe To:

(Somewhat because I add to this list every week as I discover more blog treasures!)

DesignMom: a mom of 6 who is currently renovating an centuries-old home in France. I especially appreciate her thoughtful takes on feminism, racism, religion & social justice. A Beautiful Mess : two sisters who bake, craft & decorate.Audrey Kawasaki: stunning artist. 6512 and Growing : parenting, sustainability & non violent communication.A Cup of Jo: daily essays on parenting, design, social justice. Healthy ADHD : helpful posts on ADHD.CollectiveGen: DIY projects. A VC : a venture capitalist talks life & investing. Alexandra Franzen : blue-haired writer talks marketing (especially without social media) & more. Alisa Burke : artist being wildly artistic. Just gorgeous! Amy Tangerine : designer with planner & scrapbook products. Attic24 : an English crafter takes us on her daily idyllic walks, gardening & creative projects. Austin Kleon : author & artist talks about his creative process & inspirations. Balzer Designs : craft & art tutorials Leigh Viner : artissssst Rebecca Green : illustrator shares her creative process & life CJ Chilvers : talks tech, music & productivity Katie Chappell : my friend & adopted English niece also happens to be a brilliant illustrator Penelope Dullaghan : I’m a long term lover of Penelope. She’s a glorious illustrator as well! Camilla Engman : another illustrator & creative. Sense a pattern here? Carissa Paige : creative being… creative. HO HO HO. Look at my excellent descriptive powers! Cassie Stephens : an art teacher shares adorable creative projects & ideas Chookooloonks : on creativity, parenting & a whole-hearted life Chris Loves Julia : a thorough daily blog about a family’s home redesign projects Confessions of an Aspergers Mom : does what it says on the box Craig Mod : a writer walks through Japan, making stuff as he goes Jane Davies : collage artist David Perell : writer on writing and business Deep Space Sparkle : art teacher sharing creative projects Decor8 : interior design Derek Sivers : founder of CD Baby, author & all round thoughtful dude writes intermittent blogs on entrepreneurship, creativity & an intentional life Elizabeth Goddard : British online entrepreneur. I dig her brain AND her giraffe onesie! Elisa Blaha : creative does creative things! Elements of Style : interior design & DIY Effy Wild : artist shares her creative process & inner soul work vulnerably Frugalwoods : financial independence & simple living iHanna : swedish artist shares her journals & creative projects Kelle Hampton : parenting, interior design & Down’s Syndrome advocacy Susanna Barkataki : thoughtful essays on cultural appropriation in yoga Girl and Duck : my kid’s favourite author talks about writing kid literature & living a creative life Jamie Thingelstad : American dad shares mini-posts on his travels, thoughts & projects Jason Fried : founder of Basecamp & Hey talks life, business, entrepreneurship John Saddington : tech bro shares posts on life, family & Autism Joshua Kennon : I like reading this dude’s investment strategies & thoughts… and just how he does life, really! Lucy Bellwood : comic artist makes stuff! Has thoughts! Is an all round thoughtful & glorious human! MacSparky : detailed thoughts on Apple features & productivity. I’m not a full blown Mac head, but I like subscribing to people who teach me something new! Mattias Inks : Swedish illustrator’s creations… they are wild and adorable! Meet Me At Mike’s : Aussie crafter and writer Modern Mrs Darcy : talks books books books because that’s important Mr Money Mustache : money, investing & early retirement Oh Joy : interior design blog Our Fifth House : MORE interior design! Pony Gold Studio : me & my kid’s shared favourite illustrator Robin Rendle : typography & the future of the web Sarah Wilson : best-selling author shares life-changing ideas Sea of Shoes : old school fashion blogger Cal Newport : my current author obsession Swiss Miss : always a brilliant finder of good things The Art of Doing Stuff : chick does stuff! And shows you how! The Autistic Advocate : longer essays on Autism The Handmade Home : interior design and DIY… but COLOURFUL! WOO! The Oatmeal : comics The Vivienne Files : how to put together a capsule wardrobe based on an artwork The Bloggess : the author, the wonder, the irreverent miracle Work Made For Hire : creative advice for creative business peeps Young House Love : a family renovates and DIYs their house Zen Habits : Leo Babauta has been one of the world’s biggest bloggers… and he’s still creating. Zita Norton : my assistant!Are blogs dying?

LOLZ no! It’s actually a brilliant time to start a blog & read a blog. There is a thriving world of blogs out there… my recommendation is to spend some time reading them instead of social media. See if they make you feel better than social media does! (I can pretty much bet that they can… science actually backs it up too!)

Hope this has been useful!

And of course… please do email me with your favourite blogs so I can add them to my reading list!

Big hugs & love,

FREE GOODIES:

[image error]  Daily-ish writings
[image error]  Weekly love letters
[image error]  Podcast: Leonie Dawson Refuses To Be Categorised
[image error]  A library of free treasures

COURSES:

[image error]   Sales Star
.  Marketing Without Social Media
[image error]   Money, Manifesting & Multiple Streams of Income
[image error]   40 Days To A Finished Book
[image error]   40 Days To Create & Sell Your E-Course

 

The post Blogs: How To Find Them & All The Blogs I Subscribe To appeared first on Leonie Dawson | Goals, Marketing + Creativity For Glorious Humans.

Diary: Poop, Reading Challenge & Investing

Dearests,

It’s raining. Thank fuck, I say. Thank FUCK.

I always feel relieved when it’s raining. There’s no need to go outside. There’s all the reasons to stay inside, be cosy, go gently and read.

And yes, that’s what it looks like when it’s raining here. Things are just so vividly green.

Spot that extra verdant stretch of green at the top there?

That’s where the end of our eco sewerage system flows into.

That lush green is being pushed up by my poop!

What a miracle!

In other news, we survived the first week of school. Well, almost. My youngest came down with a head cold and was too floppy and snotty to go to school today.

Otherwise, we’ve managed to uphold some good new reading habits with the kids.

They’ve continued with a daily Reading Eggs lesson, 20 minutes of reading to me and 20+ minutes of me reading to them.

I finished up reading Famous Five’s Five On A Treasure Island book to them. Both of my kids loved it and were begging for “just one more chapter!” each night. My big kid thought the ending was slightly unsatisfying. Still, I’m so glad I got to fulfil that childhood wish of mine to one day share it with my kids! We still have four more in the set to read. In the meantime however, it’s my big kid’s turn to choose our next read. She went with the new Lauren Child illustrated version of Mary Poppins, and decided spontaneously that it will be a shared read – she’ll read one page aloud, then I’ll read the next. It’s so exciting to see!

My little kid has been reading to me with a bunch of different readers including Meet Ella, School of Monsters, the ubiquitous Bob Books, the Reading Eggs series and Reading Eggs Storylands series (I used to buy these from Blake Education, but I haven’t been able to find now – perhaps discontinued?). I’ve had the Reading Eggs collections since we homeschooled a few years ago. They do come in handy, and can be used separately, but are awesome when used with the Reading Eggs software too.

My big kid has continued her informal book group with her friend, and she’s just reading all over the place now. Five minutes before she has to go to school? She’ll read a couple of pages. For hours after going to bed? She reads a book. It’s been amazing what a difference there’s been just from having this daily applied focus.

One of my kid’s reading age has increased by 6 months in the space of 3 weeks. Her teacher has noticed a huge improvement. We’re all thrilled! Again: what a difference!

In other news, I’ve fallen down another learning rabbit hole. This time about investments!Started reading “How I Invest My Money” by Joshua Brown and Brian Portnoy. Fucking BRILLIANT. Could not love it more.Have also been eating up slowly “The Simple Path To Wealth” by JL CollinsHave been reading FIRE blogs (Financial Independence, Retire Early) like 1500 days and Million Dollar Journey.

I’m already a self made multi-millionaire… but I’m always excited to learn even more. And I’m not in any rush to retire… I love what I do far too much for that! I’m just excited to get to a point where our investments make working completely optional. We’re probably not that far off it already if we lived more frugally, but I’m not too keen on that for these reasons. Anyways, I’ve started dreaming up some fun philanthropic projects I can do once I’m over the investment line I want to hit (on top of the philanthropy we already do now).

Anyways, I’m going to do some more research on low-cost index funds that only invest in ethical companies (no mining, gambling, tobacco, warfare, environmental fuckery). Is that a thing? Or am I just wishful thinking it? I already have ethical managed funds which I love, but I’m thinking of adding more eggs to the basket. That, or I just keep it simple.

What next?

I’ve been writing a plan for the next year. I’ve been thinking of possibly producing more smaller workshops like Marketing Without Social Media instead of longer 4 week e-courses. I can create more of the workshops on a bigger range of topics for those who need deep dives on certain subjects. Thoughts?

Neurodiverse Team FTW!

I have two part-time assistants now (they only work a combined 25-ish hours a week). Since having a large team and discovering I hated managing people, I swore off having more than one staff member again. One is the sweet spot for me.

Until this year when my usual assistant needed a break, and one of my old team members who has always been bloody wonderful came back temporarily to replace her. And the three of us together got along so well, and loved working together so much that we decided to make it permanent. And we’ve become quite the merry trio, mixing friendship and life and work in one big puppy bundle of gladness.

Anyways, I was wondering why I tend to annoy them less than I have other staff in the past. Not only do I not annoy them, they actually rather seem quite amused and excited by working with me. If I come up with a new idea and totally change their day/week/month’s priorities, they are like WOO BRING IT! Instead of the grumpiness I’d cop from some staff I’ve had previously.

Is it because we’ve got matching neurodiversities? I’m sure I would shit neurotypicals four ways to the moon with my constant mind-changing, coming up with new ideas, changing business models and launching things off the top of my head. I don’t plan much, instead I CREATE! But that’s also kind of my genius right? It’s the thing that brings me the most joy! The thing that brings so many successes in my life! So I think instead of trying to fit in a neurotypical square, it’s just been useful to find other neurodiverse ovals are the right fit for me.

Anyways, it’s a fucking delight to be in this happy little trio. And guess what? We’re profitable AF!

That’s me… gotta do school run now!

Let me know your thoughts on shorter masterclasses over longer e-courses, yeah?

Love yas big heaps,

FREE GOODIES:

[image error]  Daily-ish writings
[image error]  Weekly love letters
[image error]  Podcast: Leonie Dawson Refuses To Be Categorised
[image error]  A library of free treasures

COURSES:

[image error]   Sales Star
.  Marketing Without Social Media
[image error]   Money, Manifesting & Multiple Streams of Income
[image error]   40 Days To A Finished Book
[image error]   40 Days To Create & Sell Your E-Course

 

The post Diary: Poop, Reading Challenge & Investing appeared first on Leonie Dawson | Goals, Marketing + Creativity For Glorious Humans.