050: Why I am taking three weeks off and the 8 mistakes I’m learning from

Why I am taking three weeks off and the 8 mistakes I’m learning from

I usually don’t write about the entrepreneurial journey here on the blog but I do think it is relevant because, you, as my reader, get to know a bit more about the person behind the words and videos that show up on this site. I am taking my first three week break of my working year starting this month and going into October and I feel this is a good time to share what the backstory to this break is.

The journey begins
My current journey began back in August 2016 when I got hired to set up my first email marketing platform for a client. From then on, I was completely hooked into making it happen with an online business. I made some rapid progress in those early months and I worked long hours without a break. I was making revenue that inspired me to keep upgrading my skills and my services. I enjoyed it.

Hardly did I know that such non-stop perseverance comes with a price. Often you will hear about entrepreneurs working so hard that they lose sight of their health and their family. In my case, because of some earlier established good habits, I always made time for my family and my health. But there was something else that was close to my heart that I completely ignored and dropped from my schedule.

And that was: learning about the nature of the mind and meditating.

I completely ignored something close to my heart.

Now, I love to learn so during the time when I was working on projects for clients, I continued to read books and articles and took trainings on all things online marketing and web design. But my inherent need to understand how my mind works got completely off my priorities.

I no longer sat in my living room reading about my favorite topic. I hardly invested time for meditation. And the result:

I lost my drive for my business. The immense enthusiasm that I held for my business and working with clients faded away to such an extent that I couldn’t connect with my purpose.
”What am I doing all of this for?” “What is my purpose"?” “What is the meaning of all of this?”

Overwork and ignoring my need to learn about the mind led to me losing all drive for my business.

I sank in a hole in which I wanted to shut down everything and just go be with my cats (I love my cats immensely, you see). I know that sounds crazy. But I dropped into a mini-depressive state where things that used to excite me didn’t any more.

I decided to take a break from business - but in my mind I was shutting down my business.

The shutting down begins
This all started in August 2017. The business that I had worked so hard on building - I was now in the process of ending. By October 2017, I wrote to all my clients that I will no longer be doing email marketing projects. I deleted all my client projects and emails. I made a note in my calendar to cancel my business email when the date arrives for renewal. By January, I embarked on recording 12 meditation audio tracks for my personal development site - this way I was taking my mind off my business completely.

I had ended the renewal of my domain sophiaojha.com and even cancelled my annual Squarespace plan to host this site. I wanted to shut everything down but I still had one client whom I had promised to help with his email marketing set up. He had already hired me many months ago but he was waiting upon his designer to get the site ready before I could start on my project. This client was truly a blessing in disguise and because of that open project, I had to keep my site open until end of Feb.

This is Mighty playing in the snow, experiencing his first winter! Watching him play with this leaf took away much of my entrepreneurial blues :-)

This force-break helped me to heal my lack of enthusiasm. And as a result, I gained immense clarity and focus for what I did want to do in my business.

By March, I had more than 6 months of healing from my lack of enthusiasm and energy. I had gone deep within myself, understood the symptoms and re-connected with what I wanted to do with this one life I have to live right now. Slowly I was recovering from my lack of enthusiasm. In fact, I was getting so much clarity and focus about what I did want to do in my business.

What I realized was: I realized that the problem was not the business or the topic of my business. It was how I was running it and how I was not fueling my inherent needs (see point 7 and 8 below). I saw at least 8 things I was doing “wrong” that zapped the life out of me in my business.

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8 things I did wrong that led me to shut down my service-based business last year (which you may want to consider avoiding in your business).

I am sharing this with you so you may see if you are falling into these traps yourself and avoid them before they get out of hand.

1| I was undercharging.
I had put a lot of time in getting good at what I do. But because I was at the start of my business, I undercharged for my services. (I’ve read we, women, are really good at that. Suze Orman inspires us to do better!). This undercharging meant I worked more and more but didn’t see the proportionate increase in my revenue.

2| I was over-delivering while undercharging.
So, not only was I undercharging for my services, I would do double the amount of work for the same rate, in order to take care of my clients. I recognized that they too were solopreneurs like me (felt camaraderie for the common entrepreneurial journey) and delivered twice than what I was charging. Yes, it is said that women are the hardest workers in any team and I surely fit that description. Often, clients never noticed that; although I noticed how late I was going to bed.

3| I was underreporting on my timesheet.
There were (and still are) some clients that hired me for 10 hr packages. I don’t know what it was but I tended to state 15 minutes if I worked 25 minutes. I still tend to under-report my time (working on fixing it) and I think that added to the stress of my work over the course of the ensuing months.

4| I did things extremely fast but didn’t charge for it.
As I got better at what I did, I got extremely fast. I could set up an entire system in an afternoon what otherwise would have taken days. I had cultivated laser-focus and an ability to shut out all distractions. I delivered super fast but still charged the slow-coach rates. So again, I was doing much more in the small amount of time than before. And, I also was not good at articulating this added-benefit to my clients that my speed had increased even though they were paying me the same rates as before.

5| I squeezed in people on my calendar even if it was already full.
I got really stressed because I didn’t learn the art of scheduling people. I would put in several projects next to each other giving me no breathing room. I would respond to client questions right away even when I had a 100 things already in the pipeline. This made clients happy but made me unhappy. I am getting better at this but still a weak point that I need to get ironed out.

6| I didn’t schedule in me-time (reading time).
Everyone needs time off to do things they love. I love reading books on the nature of the mind. But I never made time for it. I was excited about my business but paid a price for not scheduling in me-time. The price was: I had to come to a complete stop for 6 months in order to recover from ignoring my inherent need for learning.

7| I didn’t go where my heart was calling.
I actually began my business with the goal of building websites. But as I was busy catering to incoming email marketing projects (which I am good at and still enjoy as well), I didn’t take the time to blog and make tutorials about web design (which I am changing now). I love designing websites and I love the visual language that translates onto the screen to convey a message or sell an idea. I am now doing more of that and I am happy about that change.

8| I didn’t take a real break.
Vacations? What vacation? I didn’t take a vacation and so never truly unplugged from the internet and from computers for more than a long weekend. Just like those old MTV unplugged sessions from the 90s, I realize I too need to completely unplug; take a break from life-as-usual. And finally this year, that’s exactly what I am doing.

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Refuel. Recharge. Take A Break.

So, I am now finally taking a three-week break and traveling to my birth country, India. I will be spending time in Northern India in the beautiful Himalayan mountains and be without internet or phone access for most of the time. I will be in Dharamsala which is also the adopted home of the Tibetan leader and inspiration, His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. This is a very special time and I wish to return with much inspiration and energy back to my home in the North Carolinian mountains.

This has been a very vulnerable post for me to share all of this with you. I hope that in the sharing of it, you too will become aware of how you are doing things in your life and business. And I hope you are following your heart and taking care of your needs while you build your business, too. Please share in the comments what challenges you’ve had to face or are currently facing so we can support and inspire each other.

~ Peace Sophia

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049: Should you hire a web designer or DIY your website?

Hiring a Web Designer Vs. Doing-It-Yourself (DIY) 

This article is for you if your are caught in the moment where you need a new website but aren't quite sure if you really need to hire a professional web designer or to go build it yourself using one of the many drag-and-drop website builders.

Now, as a website designer myself who loves to design websites, I don't think hiring a designer is right for everyone. There is a certain need that website designers fulfill and if you actually have those needs then go hire a designer. Otherwise, invest the time and effort to learn all about website building and build it yourself. Use the questions to make the choice that's right.

Should you hire a web designer or do it yourself with a website builder?

I've prepared a set of 3 questions for you that you need to ask yourself when it comes to deciding whether you should hire a web designer or do-it-yourself using a website builder. They are all around the concepts of Money, Skills and Time.

1 | Funds

Hiring a website designer comes with many pros. But to tap into their services and expertise, it is important to have the funds to hire them. If you are starting up a business that doesn't have a starting capital or if your business doesn't generate enough revenue to cover your costs, then you should wait before hiring a designer. 

Now I know some of you may say, "Hey, but I want to hire a website designer because I want to create more revenue in my business". To that, I would say,"Okay. Then start with a small website that will not cost you an arm and a leg. Hire a designer who is also starting out and wants to prove what they are made of."

When starting out as a solopreneur* for example, you may have more time than money on your hands. Use this time to learn about web design and building websites that will generate revenue."

*solopreneur = a business run by one person (often online)

So the question to ask yourself is:
Question: Do you have trouble finding enough funds to hire a website designer's services? 
Answer:  Yes / No

2 | Tech Skills

Website building is fun and exciting for me. In fact, learning about building a successful business online has been very interesting for me and I have spent thousands of hours pouring into books, blogs, videos and courses. If you feel you want to learn about web building then go ahead and DIY your site. You will stimulate your brain and feel happy about yourself when you create your site. There are tons of resources out there (like my blog) that will show you the many aspects of building a site that also is a high-converting site (creates revenue/ builds lists/ enrolls members, etc). 

However, the same tech jargon and nitty-gritty can quickly get overwhelming and stressful. If you cannot stand anything around templates, design fundamentals, conversion-principles; or if the sound of Settings, Analytics, Security turns you off, or if you feel overwhelmed by the idea of watching tutorials and sitting through trainings about website backend technology, then the answer is clear, I hope? A web designer will be the right partner to help you birth your vision into a stunning online presence so you can focus on your core genius and leave the tech to the pros.

Tip: Even if you have your site designed by a website designer, I highly recommend that you inform yourself on the basics of running your site, updating content like text and photos or new pages and service packages. This will save you hundreds of dollars when it comes to updating your site with new content later. Some designers (such as myself) include video trainings as part of their design package so that the clients know how to work with their new sites.

So ask the question to ask yourself is:
Question: Does dealing with tech stress or overwhelm you or do you prefer not to learn about it?
Answer:  Yes, I love it / No, I'm already overwhelmed thinking about it

3 | Time

As much as learning about the tech behind building a website can be fun and exciting, it is time consuming. My first website that I built was back in 2010 for my personal development site which has gone through countless updates and design tweaks over the last years. And with every site that I've built, from a site for a folk-rock music band from North Carolina, to a non-profit organization for education in New Jersey, I've learnt more and more. I'm constantly learning and not because it is part of my job as a web designer. But because I love to learn everything about web design and digital marketing.  If you have the time to invest in learning, go ahead! You can learn all you want, the world is your oyster.

However, if you want to launch your site in the next couple of months, then you will need the expertise of a web designer. If you are at stage where you are working full-time and building your side-hustle during weekends and evenings, then time is of the essence. You want to leverage all that you've got. A web designer can help you take your vision and bring it into reality and your focus will be about reaching out to your ideal clients not fussing about tech details. In such a case, your next step will be more about two things: 1. which designer is a right fit and 2. which platform is a right fit for you. 

So ask the question to ask yourself is:
Question: Do you have the time to invest in learning right now?
Answer:  Yes, I do / No, I want to launch my website in the next two months. 

Review the answers to these questions.

If your review shows that you need to delegate the web design work, then you will benefit greatly from the services of a professional web designer. He or she will take the stress and headaches away from you. They will handle the tech, the design and take the time to understand your needs. They can advise you on things that will make a big difference in your business, based on their experience and expertise. All of this allows you to
to focus on your message, your vision and your goals for your site.

Building a website is an important part of building your business. And I hope these three questions give you a good guideline in your decision-making process.

Let me know in the comments what questions you are currently facing around building your next website or redesigning your current website.

~ Peace, Sophia

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048: A Complete Guide for Launching your Artist's Portfolio Site.

The Launch Checklist For An Artist's Website

A step-by-step guide for all you need to do before you launch a Squarespace Website.

You are an artist. Illustrator, calligrapher, pottery maestro, photographer, musician, maker of hand-made crafts and goods - these are just a few examples of what I mean when I think "artist". I live in an area of Western North Carolina which is rich in inspiration provided by nature's beauty. And where there's natural beauty, there are artists who are drawn to it.

(If you are interested, go to Google Maps and take a look at the southern tip of the Appalachian mountains. You will find the Pisgah and Cherokee National forests with breathtaking beauty surrounding the area of Boone, Blowing Rock and Banner Elk, NC.)

A website is important in 2019!
Artists tend to be wonderful at showcasing their work locally at art events, festivals and farmers' markets. But where they also need to be is online. It is 2018, after all, and soon to be 2019!

A good website is very important for several reasons from presenting your portfolio, showcasing your biography, sharing your creative process and increasingly, for selling your creations to a world wide market with ease and speed. I will go into all the reasons in a different post some time down the road. Just having a Facebook page is simply not enough!

Building a website can feel like a daunting task
But building a website or hiring a website can feel like a daunting task. Understandably so! There are a gazillion bits and pieces that need to be taken care of. That's why you have countless website design professionals such as myself who offer their services to take onboard your vision and give it form on a website. However, that can be costly ranging anywhere from $1600 to several thousand dollars. If you are ready for the adventure and want to do-it-yourself (DIY) then this post is exactly what you need to start off.

The Artist's Launch Checklist
So, if you are an artist or serving an artist community in your region, have a careful look at the following checklist. I walk you through all the most important steps you will need to take before a website can be launched. There will still be many details involved but this is a good overview so you know what is involved.

Although it can be applied generally to those other than artists, this checklist is specifically for artists, as well but there are some important elements that are unique to artists.

A complete checklist of all that you need to do before launching your artists' website

The first step, of course, is to decide whether you want to DIY your site or hire a designer. This list below is what you will need to do if you decide to go build your site. 

Before You Start: 

Choose a website building platform
There are many options out there and I will say the cliched phrase, "there's never been a better time than now" to build your own site! Your options are Squarespace, Wordpress, Wix, Weebly among the top platforms.

I am a Squarespace pro and I choose Squarespace for building my own site and exclusively design client sites on Squarespace, mostly because I find it has a user-friendly dashboard making it very easy for small businesses, not-for-profits and individuals to update and maintain. Plus, there are tons of resources both from the Squarespace team and a huge number of Squarespace experts on your beck and call to help. If you want to know all my reasons why I choose Squarespace everytime, read this blog post.
--
NOTE: The rest of the steps apply specifically to building a site on Squarespace. You can extrapolate it for Wordpress or others but the specifics will be different. I will only share here of what I feel confident will be helpful to you from my point of view as a Squarespace expert.
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8 Steps to Website Launch!

There are 8 steps before your site is ready for launch. I've laid this out in detail below. But here's an overview:

Overview of 8 Steps
Step 1 | Site Goals Prep
Step 2 | Design Prep
Step 3 | Content Prep
Step 4 | Site Front-end Design
Step 5 | Site Front-end Content
Step 6 | Site Backend
Step 7 | Site Backend Conversion
Step 8 | Launch!

Here we go!

Step 1 | Site Goals Prep 
These are the things you will do even before you open up your Squarespace account. This is the conceptual phase where you think of your main goals for your site. Get a pen and paper and start brainstorming!

1. Decide on your # 1 goal:
   Deciding your No. 1 goal for your website is key because it will help you make all the other decisions much more easily. Do you want your site to be a digital showcase of your work primarily? Do you want to build a following? Do you want to sell prints of your work, the actual pieces themselves or fill out events? Do you want to inspire other artists and creatives with the mind-set challenges, show them the ropes of your art, share with them your wisdom and knowledge? This will also help you know how many pages you will need to achieve your goal.
   

2. Decide on your secondary goals
   A site can achieve many goals. Your # 1 goal or the primary goal will be most important. But knowing your secondary goals will help in the nitty-gritty details. For example, if your primary goal is to sell prints of your artwork, your secondary goal could be to demonstrate your creative process that went into designing that piece of artword and that would influence whether you blog or video record about it.
   

3. List what pages you need to convey the goals of your site
   Your no. 1 goal give you your main focus for your site. From there, you will know what content to place on your site, what key actions you want your visitor to do. Remember design is important but functionality of your site is even more important. Write out all the pages that will serve your goal. Examples of pages for an artist: Portfolio, About, Contact, Blog, Shop/Events, Resources. This is important so that you can easily choose an annual plan on Squarespace where # of pages and ecommerce functionality determine your costs.
   

4. Chart which pages go in the top and footer navigation and which will remain unlinked.
   Think of the architecture blue print of a house. There is a reason why some rooms are on the lower level, while others are upstairs. A kitchen is most likely on the lower floor because you will access it three times a day (at least) for your daily meals. A bedroom is tucked away on the upper level so that it is a quiet refuge from the hustle-bustle of activity in the rest of the house. Think of your website in that way. What is the most important point you want to achieve? Those corresponding pages go in top navigation. Those that are supplementing or supporting pages but still important, can go in the footer.

Step 2 | Design Prep
This is what you will do for preparing for your layout, the visual aesthetics of your site - an important part of your process.

1. Choose a template for your site:
   Every Squarespace site comes with a template. The template gives you a starting point for your design and layout of your site visually. Squarespace templates are grouped in families. So there many be several templates grouped under one family who all behave and function in a similar way. Squarespace has demo sites for each template so you can give that a look. I am also creating a guide on how to select a template in my blog posts.
   
   Tip: If you just want to shortcut that process, start with any template in the Brine Family. This template family is the most versatile and has the most options of all template families.
   

2. Pick 2-3 fonts
   I tend to go for a minimalist approach when it comes to picking fonts. So pick no more than 3 fonts. This is also becoming an industry standard for modern websites. Here are some resources on how to pick a font.
   

3. Pick 3 colors for your fonts:
   Again like point 2, less is more. Choose one color for your body text font, one for headlines and one for links and buttons. You can have another color for design elements. On my site, I have two colors for my fonts. A dark grey for headlines and main body text, and mango yellow for links and buttons. I use burgundy red in my logo and other graphic elements such as my YouTube thumbnail and Facebook thumbnails.
   
   Tip: Don't worry too much about the colors because as you learn more about what you want, you can easily switch the colors. For starters, focus 3 colors only: for main body text; headlines; and link+button colors only.
   

4. Have your logo ready:
   Get a logo for your website designed by a graphic artist. Or create one on Canva or PicMonkey if you enjoy that. You can also create a text logo inside Squarespace - a paid feature for everyone but free for you as a Squarespace customer.
   
   Tip: You can always get a logo down the road also. So don't let this be an obstacle. You can insert a text title in place of your logo in the meantime.
   

5. Collect good quality photos for your site in a stand-by folder:
   Photos make a big difference. As an artist, you will most likely use a lot of your own photos to talk about your process and showcase your creations and items for sale. But you may choose to get nice background images to break up text. You can get stock photos (free or paid) or organize a photo shoot for brand photos. See an example of how I use stock photos to break up text content in a website I designed for a writer's club.
   
   Tip: There are tons of places you can get free, hi-quality photos. I've put together some resources to help you find them.
   See blog post 045: 51 resources for free stock photos to use on your Squarespace site.
   

6. Prepare your images before uploading to site:
   This is a very important step for artists because generally your site will be image-heavy. The more images of hi-resolution you have, the slower your pages will load. And Google notices that and marks negatively towards search engine results. So format your images before loading it into your pages. Read my guideline for image formatting.

Step 3 | Content Prep
This is where you write out content for all your main pages.

1. Build out your page content:
   You will start writing copy for all the main pages. I would suggest that you craft your content in a word processor and save it first. Then you copy and past that text into Squarespace.
   
   Tip: There is no auto-save feature in Squarespace, so if you forget to save, you may lose your content. As you get more comfortable, you can write straight into Squarespace.
   

2. (Bonus): Write a couple of blog articles
   I say this is a bonus because it can be very overwhelming to start a blog and I rather that it not become an obstacle for launching your site. You can always build out your blog bit by bit.
   
   Tip: Don't postpone it too long because the content on your blog will greatly help your site be found in Google Searches.

Step 4 | Site Frontend Design
n this phase, you begin to build out your navigation, create the page layout and implant your text and images. If you've got a shop or a blog, you can start off with one or two of them and build it out gradually to avoid overwhelm.

1. Stick with the current template or install new template:
   When you start your Squarespace account, you will be asked to pick a template. If you did your prep work and selected the right template, great. You don't have to do anything. But if you just picked a template without doing the due diligence on it, then now is the time to go a bit deeper into your research and see which template is the best fit for your website needs. Then go into your dashboard back end and switch the template.
   

2. Move all demo pages into unlinked or delete them:
   All templates come with a set of "demo" pages. You guessed it right, they are all meant to serve as a demo or a demonstration of what is possible in that template. Many will uste the demo pages as their starting point whereas others like to start off on a blank canvas. In either case, I suggest you move all demo pages into the "Not Linked" Section. This way, they are not filling up your main navigation. If you choose to use them, just click on them and create a page just like it. Otherwise you can simply click the trash icon and delete those pages. I show you how to do all of this in my online workshop.
   
   Note: You may do Step 4.3 and 4.4 together.

3. Select the fonts for all texts:
   Next, go into the Style Editor and set the right fonts for all your text content. This includes headers (H1, H3 and H3), main body text, navigation fonts and footer fonts.
   

4. Select the colors for body text, header and links/buttons:
   You can set your text and link/button colors to match your branding colors. See Step 2.3 on that.

Step 5 | Site Frontend Content
In this phase, you begin to build out your navigation, create the page layout and implant your text and images. If you've got a shop or a blog, you can start off with one or two of them and build it out gradually to avoid overwhelm.

Tip: Review SEO Checklist points before beginning this part.
Tip: Either use the demo pages that come with your template or start from scratch.

1. Create and build out your page content
   Add text and image content. Create Home page, About page, Portfolio and Contact pages. Create all pages for the footer as well. Add images on all pages make sure to use keywords behind images. Your portfolio page is important so take your time in building that out. Know that you can always add more. Start with the least viable product and then add more later.
   
   Tip: For SEO (search engine optimization), use only one H1 header on each page.
   

2. Build out top navigation pages:
   Now that all the pages are created, drag the important pages into the Main Navigation inside your Squarespace dashboard.
   

3. Build out footer navigation pages:
   Do the same for the footer. Put the supporting pages into the footer by dragging them in your side panel.
   

4. Build out any unlinked pages:
   There will be some pages you want to link from within your page but not show up in the top or footer navigation. These can be easily moved into the unlinked section.
   

5. Design the footer
   You may like to change the background colors or font colors here.
   

6. Bonus: Create your blog, create your shop
   I say this is a bonus because some of you may not have items for your shop all ready. And some of you may not be prepared to start writing about your work. By the way, the simplest way to have blog posts is to put up work-in-progress images of your art and write short descriptions for each stage.
   
   Tip: Remember a website is a living breathing organism and it will grow and evolve in time. Don't put off launching your site until you have every detail perfected (an artist's pet peeve but also affecting a lot of us!). Remember you want your site to be found and the sooner it is launched, the sooner it can start creating SEO juice for your future, making it more easily found by your audience down the road. Makes sense? I hope so :)

Step 6 | Site Backend
Step 6 and 7 are your final steps before launch. Now it is time to get the nitty-gritty details of the backend of your site squared away so you can launch your site.

1. Purchase Squarespace Plan:
   Review the pricing plans on Squarespace and get your credit card ready. Note that if you are a participant in my online workshop, you get a 20% off discount code because of me being a Squarespace Authorized Trainer. So maybe you want to look into getting some training before you DIY your site.
   
   Tip: Annual plans are cheaper than going month-to-month.
   
   
   

2. Buy/Transfer domain name
   This is your website URL which can be the same as your name if you are an artist, or it could be your studio's name or business name.
   
   Tip: You can buy your domain name with one click inside Squarespace which saves a lot of time as you won't have to do the configuration and tech stuff that comes when you buy the domain name from another place such as GoDaddy or JooHost, etc. My suggestion is to keep it simple, get out of the tech mess and get the domain from Squarespace.
   
   
   

3. Add Logo/Site title:
   If you've got a logo ready, now it is time to upload it. You can alternatively use a text title for your site which will be visible on the top of your site.
   
   
   

4. Fill out site description:
   Write out a short 2 sentence para describing what your site is about.
   
   
   

5. Add favicon:
   This is what is seen on left of your tab as you open your pages. My favicon is a burgundy red colored kitty, which you can see right now on the tab!
   
   Tip: You create one inside a free tool such as Canva or PicMonkey or inside Squarespace in the logo making tool.
   
   
   

6. Turn on HTTPs and AMP:
   This will make your site secured (HTTPS instead of HTTP). And it will make your website better viewed on mobile devices. Being AMP friendly is another point won in the eyes of Google!

Step 7 | Site Backend Conversion

1. Do all SEO items on SEO checklist
   This is important. My workshop participants get an SEO guide and checklist so they know what things they need to do for crossing off the most important SEO tasks.
   
   
   

2. Set-up list building form ex. newsletter signup
   Make sure you select an email newsletter so your visitors can get updates and messages from you periodically. There are many out there both for a monthly fee as well as free.
   
   Tip: Mailchimp and MailerLite are two free options (at least until certain number of subscribers). Mailchimp is integrated inside Squarespace which makes it a great one to start off for your first website. ConvertKit is one of the paid options.
   
   
   

3. Set-up integration with third party apps:
   If you need other elements such as a booking app, you can now go about integrating these.
   
   Tip: When you use Squarespace, for certain plans, you get free access to one of the plans on Acuity, which is an app for scheduling meetings.
   
   
   

4. Connect all your social media accounts
   You can connect your website to all your social media accounts.
   
   
   

5. Disable Squarespace badge
   There's a small badge on the bottom of your site that says that your site is built on Squarespace. You can disable that badge from your dashboard.

Step 8 | Launch!
You did it! What an achievement!! Now it is time to tell all your friends, family and peers about your new website. Get your visiting cards printed and begin sharing your link in your email footer! 

Well, I hope this detailed step-by-step guide gives you what you need to decide if you want to DIY your site. And if you do choose to go that route, then you have a nice overview of everything you need to get done before launching your new website. 

Good luck and have fun on this amazing adventure!

~ Peace, Sophia

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047: My Mini-Website Review for Agnieszka

Mini-Website Review for Agnieszka

It is always nice to get another set of eyes on your website. New ideas, new inspiration often follows for the one who has put in a lot of time, effort and sweat equity into building their new site. That's when a website review comes in handy.

If you already have a website running for and feel that it is not converting like you would like it to or truly representing your vision, then again, a website review can really help you make the changes that will make a difference in your business.

What you see below is only a mini-website review (a full website review would be much more comprehensive with initial interview on your vision and goals, list of suggestions along with a gameplan on how to make those changes). It is about 11 minutes long and in it I make some broad suggestions to Agnieszka, the owner of the site. It gave her enough fuel to get started on making some changes before she dives into a complete redesign.

Take a look at what I suggested to Agnieszka in the video below:

Watch the Video:

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046: Why I purchased something from a website that has a sub-par design? (and what you can learn from it)

Some weeks ago, I wanted to buy a birthday gift for my friend and I wanted it to be a massage session so she could relax after some exhausting photography projects.

The challenge: I am in North Carolina. She is in Toronto. 

This location difference meant that I had no idea where a good massage studio was in Toronto. I had to rely on google searches and scanning various websites that popped up in the results. It was nice to see a good selection of massage studio websites close to her home.

I found some lovely sites with nice photography showing the studio and its services. I also found some not so aesthetically pleasing sites.

You may be surprised by this. It turned out that I ended up buying a massage package from a studio that was not my first choice. It was a website that didn't hit all the marks in terms of stunning, credibility-building design.

Why would I buy from a website that I myself would rate as "sub-par" design?

Simple. Functionality.

Design is important but without functionality, your site is not making the deals it ought to make.

Watch the video to see the full story where I show you the actual websites in question: 

There are some useful nuggets that you take from this story and make your website more conversion-friendly a.k.a. sell more products, services, events, online programs, and workshops.

This is why it is super important to know what your #1 goal is for your website. This #1 goal will help determine what functionality you need for your site and how to go about designing your site as a result. The functionality of a site cannot be overlooked. It is important to create clear pathways for your audience to easily do the things that you want them to do.

This is what will set your site apart. And this is the difference between a stunning, beautiful website and a stunning, beautiful website that also converts.

All of this is given to you in the pre-workshop prep material when you attend my workshop that teaches you how to build a website.

If you'd like to know how to think "conversion" when building your website, come to my next workshop, "Create a Website that Converts". I will show you how to build your own Squarespace website with conversion in mind. Check out the details here: Create a Website that Converts

045: 51 resources for free stock photo sites to use on your Squarespace website 2018

When you think of starting a new website, many details start emerging. One of them is: "where do I get photos for my website?" On Squarespace, you can easily purchase photos from Getty Images. It's actually integrated into the backend when you use the image block. But at $10 a piece + state and local tax, that can quickly add up.

Alternatively, you can have photos professionally shot. Find a local portrait/brand photographer, see their portfolio, chat with them and hire them for a day shoot. Excellent! But those photos are great for creating some nice brand photos that you can use on your About page, Home page or Work With Me pages. What about photos for your blog content?

Well, my dear web designer/entrepreneur, thankfully, there are so many wonderful stock photo sites that you will have enough for hundreds upon hundreds of blog posts. In fact, you can swim in an ocean of stock photos and the ocean keeps expanding - that's how creative we humans are. But I digress! In other words, the lack of photos is no longer an obstacle on your website-building journey! Isn't that a relief?

Below you will find a list of photo sites that have a variety of stock photos for you in a number of categories from Business, Nature, Landscape, Technology, Food, Animals, Women, Men and so on.

Before you go scroll through them, keep in mind to check the license and copyright requirements, even though many of these sites offer photos under Creative Commons Zero; meaning no copyright restrictions. It's best to double check for each site because copyright infringement can cost you in time, money and headache. 

Without further ado, here's a collection of stock photo sites in no particular order.
(Also see my little tip to prevent overwhelm below).

51 Resources for free stock photo sites to use on your Squarespace Website

I've made little notes with anything that stands out to further help you choose. 

1. Burst

2. Magdeleine.co

3. publicdomainarchive.com (vintage public domain images)

4. realisticshots.com
   (7 new photos everyday)

5. stocksnap.io

6. images.superfamous.com
   (need to provide credit)

7. photostockeditor.com
   (new images weekly)

8. travelcoffeebook.com (wonderful photos of Asia)

9. SpaceX
   (public domain space photos)

10. thepicpac
    (pay what you want)

11. Removed as link expired.

12. moveeast.met (photographer from Portugal)

13. cupcake
14. barnimages.com (photos, fonts, mockups)
15. mmtstock.com (photos + video)
16. snapwiresnaps.tumblr.com 
17. bucketlisty.blog (travel photos)
18. removed (artsy)
19. skitterphoto.com (photographers from the Netherlands started it)
20. freenaturestock.com (nature images)
21. imcreator.com/free  (slow to load)
22. canva.com (yes, free photo downloads!)
23. kaboompics.com (one woman show)
24. Unsplash
25. Gratisography
26. Pixabay
27. Stockvault
28. Pexels
29. Picjumbo.com
30. Pikwizard
 

31. Rawpixel
32. Reshot (handpicked, non-stocky)
33. foodiesfeed.com (food)
34. freestocks.org
35. picography.co
36. lifeofpix.com
37. littelvisuals.co
38.deathtostockphoto.com  (scholarships for artists and nonprofits)
39. new old stock (vintage pics from public archives)
40. jaymantri.com
41. shotstash.com
42. styledstock.co (feminine stock photography)
43. fancycrave.com
44. splitshire.com
45. isorepublic.com
46. libreshot.com (fine art photography)
47. startupstock.com
48. freerangestock.com
49. stokpic.com
50. negativespace.co
51. picography.co 
 

And as a bonus, here’s a blog article written by Amos Struck of Cologne, Germany in which he has compiled a comprehensive list of free stock photo resources and given a verdict and a score on usability of each resource so it's easy to choose one. So check it out:
https://www.stockphotosecrets.com/best-free-stock-photo-sites

Tip to prevent overwhelm: Now, you have a huge photo resource to choose from. To prevent overwhelm, skim the list and click on sites that resonate. Check them out first. If you don't find anything you like, then come back to this list to look again.

What do you think of this list? Do you have a favorite free stock photo site that is not listed here? Share in the comments!

Want to learn how to build your own Squarespace site? Check out upcoming workshop dates here.

044: How I am using the One Metric That Matters Framework for better results in my business.

What if all you need to focus on your business is - The One Metric That Matters?

What if focussing full force on just one thing would be what changes everything in your business.

Think about it:

How would this approach change things for you? How would it impact the way you invest your time and money in your business? How would it affect you as a business person?

Well, I've just decided on my One Metric That Matters and it has changed everything. It has impacted how I plan my day, what I invest my time in and how I feel about my business. I don't have any results to report that are tangible yet since I've just begun this last week.

But what I can report on is that I feel more focused and clear about my activities during the day and at the end of the day I go to bed feeling accomplished and content with my efforts. 

This is a big change from working all hours of the day and night and still not feeling a sense of completion. The to-do list of a solopreneur are never-ending. Can you relate?

So this is what I invite you to do:

Don't let this blog post be yet another that you skim through or read over and forget about it in a few weeks.

Do let this blog article be the source of a pivotal moment in your business when you decide on your One Metric That Matters.

I did just that with an article I read last week. It was a phenomenally inspiring article by Garrett Moon, the CEO of CoSchedule, a SaaS company. He wrote about  about how he grew his company to $5MM using the 1MTM Framework and I decided that the time I invested in reading his article will result in a practical action-plan that I put into place by that weekend.

In this blog post and video, I am sharing exactly what that action-plan turned out to be and what my 1MTM is as a result. You will also learn a lot about my goals and focus in the current stage of my business. 

And if all of this does what it's meant to, then you will be inspired to clarify your 1MTM One Metric That Matters and move towards better results in your business.

Are you in?

Let's begin:

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Watch the video to see me walk you through all the steps:

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What is the 1MTM Framework?

Before I go any deeper, let's quickly review what 1MTM is. The 1MTM or The One Metric That Matters is something that is detailed in the book, Lean Analytics: Use Data to Build a Better Startup Faster by Alistair Croll and Benjamin Yoskovitz.

The essence of the 1MTM is that you focus on just one thing and measure just one thing in your business and all your efforts in your business should be focused on that one thing.
 

“The One Metric That Matters is all about finding the right thing to track at the right time, based on the type of business you’re in and the stage you’re at... In the literal sense, you should really only focus on one key metric at any given time. That metric will change over time, and you may only focus on it for a short period of time, but try and stick to one. You may have a number of metrics that bubble into the One Metric That Matters.”

— Benjamin Yoskovitz

I was completely intrigued by this article - not because the idea of focussing on one thing was new. I've read the The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and because of my leanings to a minimalist lifestyle, I resonate with the idea of 'less is more'.

But here I found an article of a real business that actually put the idea into practice and yielded tremendous success. Clearly, the idea is powerful not just in theory but most importantly, in practice, and here's a business that proves it.

So what was CoSchedule's 1MTM?

Get Traffic that leads to Email signups.

Now it's not surprising that an SaaS company would focus on traffic + email signups. As an email marketing consultant, it's über-obvious to me because email lists lead to more conversions than any other marketing method. 

As Garrett puts it, "...your emails enjoy about 350% more visibility than organic social messages. And that’s just on a bad hair day." 

I was so impressed by this article that I decided that I will not just read it and move on to the next to-do on my list. I wanted to bring that understanding and apply it to my own business.

So I wrote this comment to Garrett's article and committed to an action-plan as a result:

View fullsize

Here' a better look at my action-plan:

1. Set aside an hour this weekend to identify what is the 1MTM in my business. ✔︎ Done

2. Create a spreadsheet to track that metric starting now. ✔︎ Done

3. Consider the advice of creating one less weekly video/blog and creating a content upgrade instead. ✔︎ Done - already created one new CU

4. Identify which video is most viewed on my YouTube channel and which article is most read on my site. Create a content upgrade to serve that question for my audience. Scheduled

5. Then create more content that would support the most wanted content on my platforms (website blog + YouTube). Scheduled

6. Read Garrett's article again in a month (on July 14th) to see what else I can learn from it. Scheduled

The 1MTM for CoSchedule was to build Traffic and drive conversion to their email list. Now in the back of my mind, building an email list has always been important. But to be honest, in the whole rush of serving my clients and making a living, I confess that I've neglected the list-building part of my business.

On top of that, I implement email marketing systems for my clients - so it's a bit ironic that it was not front and center in my own focus. Instead, what I've been focussing on is getting new clients, retaining old clients and then working on the projects for implementing their systems.

As a solopreneur doing all things in the business all the time, building an email list came as an afterthought. Can you relate?

But I didn't want to just jump at 'build my email list' as my 1MTM just because that's what everyone said. I didn't want to just pick my 1MTM willy nilly without putting in some thought and making sure it actually was aligned with what I want to create and achieve in my business.

So how was I to figure out my 1MTM?

As I promised in my comments, I set aside some time that weekend and came up with some good results.

Beach chairs on the front porch, a sunny Saturday afternoon and delightful sandwiches were in order!

That's the way I went about it, at least. Colorful IKEA beach chairs are key! And yes, a business-minded partner to Hedgehog with, in this case, my husband. 'Hedgehogging' is something I learnt from the author Jim Collins of Great by Choice, which for me is a focused session to review my business at the executive level - from big picture down to nitty-gritty.

Well, I'd like to share with you my process that I went through that weekend after I read Garrett's article:

1. What are the current activities in the business? What are you already tracking?

I started off by listing the kinds of activities that I was already doing in my business and some metrics that I would assess from time to time. If you are a solopreneur wearing those 100 million hats, I think you might relate.

Some metrics that a solopreneur offering a service would consider are:

Revenue
No of Client inquires via contact form or email
Traffic
Page views
Time spent on the site
No of YouTube Followers
No of Facebook Likes

No of old clients
No of new client inquiries
Writing proposals to prospective clients
Writing blog articles
Publishing YouTube video tutorials

Hosting Live free events/webinars
Hosting Live paid workshops
No. of paid workshop participants
No of emails sent out
No of email subscribers

... and so on.

Then we discussed what One Thing I could do on a consistent basis that would make everything else easier? This question is inspired by Gary Keller's book, The One Thing.

To answer that though, I had to dig deeper into what is the goal of my business right now and what am I working towards down the road - say in a few years.

2. What is the goal of the business?
The goal that I have currently in my business is to build it to create leveraged income in a couple of years. I would like to create online programs/e-courses that will help solve specific problems of my audience. I also want to work one-to-one with solopreneurs and online businesses to create their websites that convert. And I want to teach live workshops on the same topic both online and in-person around North Carolina and New Jersey/New York area and may be even Germany and the UK and other places in a few years.

3. What is currently on offer? Or what are you working to build?

These are the services and workshops that  I currently have on offer are or am working to build:
1. content marketing strategy services
2. email marketing strategy services
3. web design service to create a Squarspace website with content marketing and email marketing in place from the start
4. teaching live workshops on how to create high-converting websites using email marketing and website that are optimized for conversions
5. working on online courses
6. working on digital downloads such as worksheets, action plans, workshops and books.

4. What is important for your current stage in business? And what do you see important for the future stage of your business?

So what is common in both my current stage and the future stage of my business is visibility. I've got to have an audience who likes, trusts and knows me in order to take the next step with me. This is something that happens long-term over time. That's why an email nurturing system is critical.

Now, we know that the number of products or services sold is connected with the number of subscribers one has. The higher the number of subscribers the more products and services will sell. It really is a numbers game.

So clearly building my list is a key metric.

My email list size is my 1MTM 

But knowing this 1MTM leads to the next question:

How will I build my email list?

Should I be tracking my page views?

Should I be spending my time learning every metric in my Google Analytics account?

The way I came up with the next bit of insight was this. All those page view related metrics or my email list number were not going to change by me just tracking it each week or each month.

I realized I've got to put into place a system that will influence incoming traffic.

Now I've got to options:

Long-haul efforts via organic traffic over time

or

Quick spike in my email list with Ads in short period of time

At this phase in my business, I know that Ads are out.

Why?

Because:
1. I have yet not played around with Ads.
2. I don't want to invest time in learning about ads just yet while I am still building other parts of my business and serving my clients.
3. I don't want to invest the money in another expert or consultant while I am still working to get my revenue up AND building other parts of my business.
4. There's a lot of trial and error involved with Ads which calls for time and money that I'd rather invest in building other areas of my business and serving my current and new clients.

So, for now, ads are out.

I am actually relieved that I will be focussing on organic growth. I've seen and heard about countless entrepreneurs building their business on organic traffic. I will eventually enter those waters where I consider investing in ads but I know that now is not the time and I am fine with it.

What remains then is: organic traffic.

So now there are still many things that I can track and measure. But I want to focus on what actions I can take in order to grow the traffic. I want to track things that I can control and influence. 

These are the three variable inputs that I can control and influence:
1. No. of blog posts I publish each week
2. No. of YouTube videos I publish
3. No. of Content Upgrades or Lead Magnets that I have on offer

Sidenote: I've already determined in a previous Hedgehog session that my core means of creating content is a combination of blog articles and video tutorials. So that rules out all the other types of content that you, for instance, may choose from. 

Why Blog Posts?
To build credibility and solve problems
I need blog posts because they are highly valuable tool to demonstrate my expertise on a topic and more importantly, to solve a particular problem of my ideal client. See my blog post 043 on that topic where I share more about the importance of blogs and content on your site. However, I need to help my site to get found. That's where YouTube videos come in.

Why YouTube Videos?
To solve problems and get found on Google searches
Next, I need to create YouTube videos because YouTube serves as a search engine more than a social media platform. Videos are beloved by Google Search and my audience is looking for answers on YouTube. It is essential that I have a presence there in order to reach out to those who are looking for solutions that I can offer. See my YouTube channel here:

Why Content Upgrades?
To help retain traffic and convert visitors into subscribers
And finally, I decided to have content upgrades and lead magnets because these are what people like to opt-into. They go deeper into the blog topic and offer more support to your reader in solving whatever question your blog attempts at solving. In essence, give them even more value.

These three variable inputs all falls into step 2 that I wrote about in blog 043 which is all about content creation and conversion.

So as you can see even though the 1MTM is my email list, I will be focussing my time and energy on creating blog articles, YouTube videos and new content upgrades + lead magnets. And this is something I will track monthly.

I will come back next month and add any insights from my second reading of Garrett's article. Until then, I invite you to craft your own One Metric That Matters. 

Share with me in the comments your 1MTM and how you came to choose it in 4-5 sentences or less.

Peace,

Sophia

Related Videos:

043: Don't create a website that is stunning. Create a website that converts.

Don't create a website that is stunning. Create a website that converts.

Yes, this is coming from someone who loves building beautiful websites for her clients. But it also comes from someone who has built a website that actually serves as a business asset that is the main source of revenue for her. So consider this advice very closely, my friend - build a website that converts not just a website that is stunning.

Watch the Video:

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I Love Stunning Websites. I Love High-Converting Websites More!

Don't get me wrong. I am all for a beautiful, stunning website.

You can spend the big bucks on designing a site that is awe-inspiring, with the coolest effects, high-quality photos and customized code but if it doesn’t connect with your potential customer, then it will just be that - a beautiful site. It will fail in working for you.

That's why I'd rather go for a website that gives me value than a website that sits there looking pretty.

Your business depends on your website to help grow your business regardless of what kind of a business you are running. If you are a brick and mortar business with most of your clients coming in through the door, a web presence is so critical. Your customers will most like seek you out online before deciding to drive down, park somewhere expensive and then walk in all kinds of weather to get to your store.

And if you are a solopreneur or an online business owner who wants to sell a product (physical or digital like an e-course) or a service, then a website that converts is essentially bread and butter for your business. It determines whether you will be able to pay your business costs as well as feed and house you and your family.

So you can see it is so critical to implement strategies that will make your website worth the time and money you put into it. You need a website that converts.

A Stunning Website ≠ A High Converting Site

Unfortunately, I see too many websites that are heavy on design but light on content. And unless, your content is design - say you are graphic designer or visual artist, then my friend, I am sorry to say, your pretty website is really not working for you. If you want your website to actually build your credibility, win you clients and sell your products (digital and physical) then you've got to make some changes. (I do have a word for the visual artist a little ways down this article. So if you are a visual artist, do consider those thoughts).

I myself have fallen for the trap of the pretty website. I cannot even recount how many hours I have spend on changing my the template on my website and going through countless number of images in order to choose the right photo for the right mood. Or spending hours on Canva or some design tool creating the perfect Pinterest thumbnail. If had spent even half of that time on creating content, creating blogs and videos that solve people's real problems, then I would be in a completely different place in my business today - without a doubt. 

A stunning website is not equal to a high converting site.

And that is what I am now focussing on in my business and I want you to do so as well: Transform your website into a value-giving, content rich home for solving people's real problems. As you begin doing this, you will be well on your way to transforming it into a real business asset - one that produces revenue for your business.

I know there are many SEO guru's who will advise on creating SEO rich landing pages. Sure you can do that. But don't squint your efforts in creating real helpful content for your specific audience.

Content is the name of the game today.

But you are asking why is it so important to create content. You've got your portfolio that speaks for itself. You've got your courses that stand for itself. You've got your bio, that explains it all. Then why do I need more content?

Content really is the name of the game today. 

People are going to the web more so for solving problems than ever before. With more and more people around the world getting access to the internet, more of them will come knocking at your door to find solutions to their real problems. And if you can solve them, you will not only make a difference but stand out as someone who adds value. People care about people who add value to them. 

And it is with value-giving content that you can truly stand out. People today watch your videos, read blogs, listen to your podcasts and say, "I like this woman and what she has to offer." I wonder if she will be available for doing this project for me.

It is content that converts not a glitzy glam website. If you want to sell a product or a service as a solopreneur or a small business, you've got to have a value-rich website.

Here's #realtalk for the artists who want a portfolio-website: I must say that even if you are an artist whether a visual or performing artist and your work is more design and visuals than words, you will find that creating content around your creative process will bring you much further in your career than just displaying your awesome creations in a bad-ass portfolio. A hand-lettering artist, for example, who walks people through her process of her craft, will establish herself as an expert in her topic faster than you can say "what?".  

So this post is for entrepreneurs in two different stages. One: Brand new. You’ve decided to go get a website and you want to make sure it’s done right from the start. Two: Experienced online entrepreneur or business owner frustrated with her results. You’ve had your site for a while, say a year or two, and are not seeing the kind of results you had hoped for.

What’s common in both these situations is that you want your website to work for you. You realize that creating a stunning, beautiful website is only part of the game plan. Squarespace makes it easy to build such an eye-catching site. But what you are becoming even more aware of is the importance of strategies that will actually influence your revenue. You want to build a high-converting website that converts.

What do I mean by a website that converts in the first place?

Now, I want to be clear in the use of terminology and want to make sure I express what I mean when I say, “a website that converts”. A website that converts is essentially a website that successfully convinces a reader to start their relationship with you.

It is a fact that 97% of new visitors of your site will not make a purchase. They view your site and then fizzle away into the vast deep space of the internet.

"As Chet Holmes points out in The Ultimate Sales Machine, only 3% of people are ready to buy right now. You want to keep in contact with the 97% who are in the “not quite yet” stage".1

What you want is to have things in place on each page of your site that will help them say, “Yes, I like this. I want to see what they have here for me”. "And oh, wait, I want to give her my email address, so that I don’s miss out on all the goodness she has to offer".

You want them to want to sign up to whatever free content you have on offer and give you their email address.

Notice that I said, "give you their email address". I didn’t say, “buy your product or services”.  Of course, there are occasions when you get a purchase right away from someone who just landed on your site, depending on what type of industry you are in and what type of product or service you are selling. But even for those types of sales to happen, your website has to check off some key boxes, so that a brand new person visiting your website today can have the confidence in what you offer and say, “Hey, I like what you have on offer. Take my money.”

So, my definition of a website that converts is: a website that convinces people that you are a reliable, trustworthy source of valuable information and makes it super easy for visitors to become your subscribers. You can measure this by what percent of your site visitors are turning into subscribers of your email list. You can see this by how many people join your list.

4 Step Marketing Process in Online Business

A natural process of marketing for online business looks like this: 

Step 1 -> Step 2 -> Step 3 -> Step 4 = Sales$$ 

Step 1 Land on your website->
Step 2 Convert those visitors into subscribers ->
Step 3 Nurture them with value-giving content ->
Step 4 Invite them to new products and services
= Generate revenue & sales

Step 1: First, people have to know about your website. To have that happen, there are tons of things you can do which has to do with content marketing, seo, social media marketing, networking with influencers, guest blogging, interviewing, etc. This falls under creating traffic to your website.

Step 2: Second, when all those efforts (from step 1) have been successful and people finally land on your website, that’s when your site has to already be in gear, ready and waiting to welcome them. Just like the sales person inside a tea shop is ready with everything - all items are on display, the pricing is clear, and she is present as well so that she can answer any questions you may have. This falls under what I call, "making your site conversion ready".

Step 3: Third, is when they are on your email list and over time, you build a like, trust and know factor by sending them consistent, high-value content. This is the nurturing and trust-building phase.

Step 4: Fourth, once the relationship is nice and strong. Then, you can then invite the people on your list to a new product, service or a program or an event. 
=

All of these steps combined lead to revenue and sales.

It seems to me that there’s a lot of focus on step one. A lot of folks are focussing on social media, Facebook Ads, Google Adwords, etc. All of this is important and certainly has its place. It is important to do all those things to get people onto your website.

But it’s even more important to do steps 2 and 3. Because no matter how successful step one efforts are, they all fall flat if step 2 is not done well. Step 2 is where the reader actually sticks around a bit after landing on your site and then finds things that they want to opt-into and instantly get access to. This is so so key.

Remember Step 2 is all about having a conversion ready website. And Step 3 is about nurturing those folks who are on your email list.

How do you fair on step 2, in creating a conversion-friendly website?

Step 2 calls for putting into place a strategy, a plan of action for what your site is going to do to inspire people to subscribe to your list. But not in a sneaky, manipulative way. Instead, it’s got to do it in a way that the visitor says to herself, “wow, i really need this. ooh, I need to opt-in for this, and this and this. There’s so much here, I will bookmark this page. I will come back in my lunch break. I need to binge watch and binge read…" You get the point. It has to be in the most generous way. You’ve got to make the person feel that there’s a ton of content, useful content here that they absolutely need to get their hands on. They may even ask themselves, how come they haven’t heard about this page and start thanking their stars that they have finally found you.

This I find key because of all the effort you are putting into guest blogging or into social media and driving all that traffic to your website, you’ve got to have it ready for them. So that they will stop, spend some time there and give you their email. Instead of simply bouncing off to the next thing on their to-do list.

Only when Step 2 is done, will step 3 and 4 even come into play. You see what I mean. How can you nurture a list when people are not opting in. How can you launch a product and service when you don’t have a list of people who like trust and know you? I hope you are beginning to see why Step 2 is über-essential.

So the moral of the story is put efforts in making your Website Conversion ready.

How to make your website conversion ready?

Now, there are plenty of ways to make your Squarespace site do really well in Step 2. There are three key things you need to do in order to make your website conversion-friendly.

1. Clarity of purpose

2. Value-rich Content

3. Effective Calls to Action (CTAs)

1. Clarity: Present yourself clearly

You’ve got to be very clear on what you do and how you do it.  Big big clarity.
So for example, don’t just state that you are web designer. State that you build websites on Squarespace with a 2- week process of completion.

This has to emerge very clearly in the way you present your business. It can refer to a main result, a core service or to specific tools, strategy or the approach you use that makes you stand out. Key would be to also add who you do this for. Don’t be afraid of getting really niche and getting really narrow.

I once saw a presentation of blogger who runs a million dollar business selling all things around succulents! Not plants but a very focused type of plant: succulents. And then she said that she would make more money if she addressed the needs of a yet narrow group within that succulent category. Wow! Succulent is already narrow and she said going even narrower would be her ticket to greater success. This is key.  And don’t worry about have it all right from the start. Begin somewhere and refine as you go. Some other ways to present yourself clearly would be to use videos and photos while make it all personable and showing your process.

2. Content: Value-rich content that solves problems

Next, you’ve got to have tons of content on your site. Experiment with different types of content. You will begin to feel what your strength is. And then eventually you can focus on that one thing that is at the crux of your skill and what works.

For example, Amy Porterfield, a very successful marketer, does only audio podcasts. Just that one thing. She makes high-quality value rich content in the form of audio podcasts. She also has PDF checklists and summaries that people can download connected to that episode. Plus she has free PDFs on her home page that people can download for free. This is a great way to give out content. Another example is Melyssa Griffin. She has an immense resource library where you can get a whole portfolio of PDF resources. I think she does this really well.
But you may find that you love to create blog articles or video tutorials.

May you are a photographer or a visual artist of some kind, an actor or a performer. May be you make things by hand. Then articles that showcase your work, your process, in text and photos would be a huge way to build content. 

I personally have found live workshops a great way to teach content. I do intense, info filled paid trainings like this one and then shorter, more focused live trainings for free as well. I am also building my youtube channel full of video tutorials. For me, blogs, live workshops, youtube videos are the three types of media I use that provide content. Then I support all of those by offering a variety of PDFs for people and I have a few in queue for publishing in the coming months.

3. Call to Actions: Every page must have a CTA

And finally, CTA. Now this is kind of interlocked and overlaps with the above point but it also has a unique feature that earns it its own section. So what is a CTA? It essentially is a Call to Action that basically invites your visitor to take one small action to move the relationship forward. Think of the example of two people going on a date. A girl and a guy go out for drinks. Then the next day, the girl takes the next step and calls the boy and says, ”hey do you want to go for a movie” and then the next day the boy invites her to go for dinner. At each step, there’s the next step. So the girl and the guy are not going for drinks, dinner and a movie all in the same moment. Which may happen down the road but it begins in small tiny steps. 

CTA’s are very useful for moving the visitor from a content consumer to the next state where they are actually becoming a friend and more interested in your business and your offerings. They are taking the next step. Now, what’s important to note is that at any time they can take the relationship from visitor to consumer to customer. That option must be available for them. When you are at an advance stage where you have a nice size list that is active and engaged, then you can do launches of signature products and so on. But at the beginning stage, you’ve got to have things available at each stage of the customer journey. Meaning you've got to have clarity, value-rich content, and calls to action to take the next step. 

So that's it, my friend. I hope you will review your website in light of the ideas I've presented here. The key message here is to encourage you to move way from obsessing about the design and style elements of your website and begin obsessing over creating useful content and products and services that solve people's problems. In the end, that will solve your problems as well because your website will begin generating revenue for you.

~ Peace,

Sophia

Related Videos:

042: These 6 tweaks I made to my Squarespace website helped conversions

These 6 tweaks I made to my Squarespace website helped conversions

Over the last few years, I've studied and collected tons of information on how to make a website conversion-friendly. In other words, conversion-friendly is all about preparing your website so that visitors turn into subscribers.

It's not just about putting up a lead-magnet or sign up to my newsletter form, which of course are important. But you need to pave the way with these other strategies so the reader will want to subscribe.

Now, knowing all the info is one thing. But implementing is another. So today, I want to share with you the 6 changes I actually implemented on my Squarespace Website that helped me to improve my website conversions. 

I invite you to assess your own site and see if you need to make any of these changes to your site to improve your website conversions. 

Watch the video to see examples and
case studies from other sites for all 6 tweaks

So here are those six tweaks I made on my website:

1. I changed all my links to be of the same color:

This is something I learnt a couple years ago from Derek Halpern of Social Triggers. It made sense to me. When we have different link colors, the experience for the reader is discord and disharmony. Our eyes are trained to see patterns.

So bank on that behavioral fact and make all your links to have the same color. This unified look will give cohesion and clarity to your site and trains the eye to easily know what is "clickable". 

Pro-tip: Choose a color for your links that stands out from the rest of the font colors on your site.
Pro-tip: Apply this rule to all buttons and anything clickable. 
Pro-tip: Carry over this rule into your emails where buttons and links are of the same color as those on your site for links.

These are examples from my blog as of June 14th, 2018: 

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Here you see an excerpt of my blog summary on my home page. I've got the clickable headline in mango-yellow. And the Read More link is also in mango-yellow.

Here you see my Blog sidebar. Notice that all the category links are in a unified color.

Also my invite to my weekly newsletter is wrapped in a mango-yellow circle.

Here is a screenshot of my Live Workshops page. Notice the button is in mango-yellow.

On my work with page, I have yet another button. You can see that "Start this package" button is in a button that has a mango-yellow border.

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Same thing I repeated with the purchase buttons on my "Create a Website that Converts" Live Workshop page. You see the repetitive mango-yellow and they are all clickable.

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Here's a screenshot of my top navigation. You can see that upon hovering over each option, the link color turns mango-yellow. And of course, the text logo on the upper-left and the button on the upper-right are both clickable and have mango-yellow to create a harmonious user-experience.

2. I reduced my top navigation to four tabs

I streamlined my top navigation with only four page choices: Portfolio, Blog, Work With Me and Live Workshops. All of them have interlaced purposes. I want my Portfolio to show that I can build Squarespace Websites so that folks will want to Work with Me. My Blog also helps to build credibility and demonstrate my expertise which leads folks to either work with me or join my Live Workshops. I am working on integrating my Portfolio within my Work with Me page so it will go down to three and make room for a value-giving lead magnet instead.

Below you can see my top navigation has only four options:

Right now, my footer navigation is a bit overcrowded. But I am on my way to fixing it and want to streamline it as well.

You will also see that there are no drop-downs. I find them a bit cumbersome and sometimes even counter-productive when they end up overlapping on top of other menu items.

Having fewer options to click makes it easier to for the viewer to make choices and move forward with interacting with your site. You can always put more details nested within the umbrella pages.

If you do need to have very distinct pages all at once in a at - glance view, have them in the footer in a neat and logical list. I encourage you to find more cleaner and streamlined ways to organize your pages. In the video I show some good example of orderly footers. I am taking my own advice and working on streamlining my footer navigation is on my task list!

3. I have a logical CTA on each page (as much as possible)

I made an effort to have calls to action (CTA) embedded on each page as much as possible. Each page of your site needs to graciously move the conversation forward. For example, once people have read your About page, what should they do next? After they have read your blog article, what's the next step. Ask this question when crafting each page of your site and you will create a natural flow to keep your visitor moving forward. Call-to-actions can be anything that makes the person click and helps them move forward in exploring your content and connecting with you. Some examples of CTA: Read more, Hire me, Check out the blog, Sign up to the newsletter.

My next goal is to bring a CTA above the fold. Above the fold essentially means, to the top part of your page on the screen, before you need to scroll down. I still have this to do on most of my pages. It is a work in progress - the work is always getting more and more refined over time!

4. I have a blog that is filled with useful content

This is really key to making your website conversion-friendly. Why? Because a blog helps you stand out, shows that you can help people solve a particular problem and builds trust. Whether its written content, audio podcast, video tutorial or a combination of it all, a blog is one of the most important things on your website. It makes people come back to your site repeatedly.

Your blog content sets you apart as an expert, an authority, as someone who knows what they are talking about. It is your digital content that serves as the window to your business. Create content. Create consistent content. That's key. Sean McCabe at the 2017 Craft and Commerce Conference said that as soon as we started writing daily, the income in his business sky rocketed. Take a look at this photo below of one of his slides where he points out how his revenue increased when he began writing daily. Here are some meaningful things I learnt from Sean McCabe in my blog post No. 025.

Consistent can mean different things to different people. Pick a frequency and keep at it. Weekly, twice a month or monthly - whatever it is Pick it and stick to it. 

For over a year, I blogged weekly but burnt out and had a gap for a while. This didn't help my business.

Now I am back, with a stronger and better approach to creating content and so far I have been doing well with a new weekly publication - every Thursdays! 

Want to receive my Thursday emails? You can sign up here. 

So, yes, creating content is muy importante. Please consider putting up a blog if you don't have already and start publishing content. It would be a wise move on your part.

5. I personalized my about page:

I still come across sites where I see nothing about the creator or the human behind the website. People buy from people. We like to know who we are dealing with. People are always eager to find out who is this person behind this organization or behind this site. Add an about page.

And then don't be afraid to show your personal side. At least add one photo - and choose a photo that reflects the mood you want to project to your audience.

Ex. I chose a photo of me with a kitty - why? for two reasons. I love cats and that’s a huge part of my life - I have seven cats and my dream is to fund animal shelters in places that don’t have any. And two, my brand is about friendly expertise that I share with the main purpose of helping my readers.

That’s why the mango-yellow is a big part of my site branding. I did not choose a photo of me in a suit sitting behind a desk working on my computer. That’s not the image I want to give.

Also, you’ll see lots of trees and nature and landscape on my site - that’s part of a very intentional choice. I love nature but do spend 8 to 10 hours behind the screen. And so do my readers and my clients. I want to give them a chance to experience nature at least visually through my site. Nature also represents wisdom and quiet strength. And that is what I want to bring to my clients under all of the tech and the strategy, my goals is that with all that help people will be able to have a peaceful, thriving life where they act from compassion and wisdom. Not very common for a business that is so tech oriented but that’s a big part of me.

6.  I added a location

This may not seem important but it is important. Every website should state where it is located. This helps people have an anchor in their minds. I often like to know where my clients are based or where they are if they are traveling.

My mind makes an invisible connection with that place and I know that’s where my client is. Otherwise people are just floating in the vast internet space and that is very unnerving for us earth-bound creatures. Don’t you think so?

Adding a location also adds character and personality to the site. If you are a business based in London or one that's based in Perth or one that is based in the deep forests of the Appalachain Range in North Carolina (that's me), you will each have a different vibe. It's important to bring that flavor.

I choose to not have cityscapes and gorgeous street art graffiti in my photo choices on my site because I live inside a national forest. I have wall-to-wall green, lush trees to look at - so I feel my site should emanate that vibe.

There you go. Now it's your turn!

These are just a few of the tweaks that I made on my website that has made it more conversion-friendly. My clients have found me because of the blogs that I have written and videos on YouTube that helped them solve a problem. And people are registering for my workshops. This is evidence to me that things are on the right track.

If you've got all these tweaks down and your site is working well for you, congrats. 

But if not, and you want to transform your website into one that converts, 

And learn those tips and strategies in an afternoon, then you are invited to my live workshop.

I'm hosting a live workshop, "Create a Website that Converts". 

Get all the dates, details and registration info here.

Thanks for being here,

Sophia

Related Blog Posts:

041: How to Craft A Re-engagement Email to Keep Your List Fresh

Hello there!

From time to time, every online entrepreneur must look at their list of subscribers and make it as up-to-date as possible. Making sure you are sending emails to a group of engaged people is key to a successful email marketing strategy. There are many ways to do it and in the coming weeks I will share with you a content marketing angle for sending re-engagement campaigns. 

But today, I want to show you how I dealt with the new EU GDPR (data protection) law. One of the things I needed to do was to get a fresh consent from my existing subscribers, asking them if they wanted to continue staying on my list. I am sharing with you the exact email and then a breakdown of that email so you can use this formula for other types of re-engagement emails.

Watch the video to see me walk you through all the steps:

The Exact Email I Sent

Below is the exact email that I sent to my list a few days before the May 25th, the date GDPR came into effect. The subject line that I used was:

Email Subject Line: [Action Needed] Do you want to still hear from me?
Of course, you can change that email subject line and make it more in line with your style of writing. All of this is just an example, an idea for you. It's by no means legal advice on how to send GDPR-compliant emails. But this will give you a formula for crafting the text, at least, so that you can have a good starting point.

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The Email Breakdown

The way I crafted the email was to use each section with a specific goal in mind. Remember, I wanted to refresh the memory of my subscriber on who I am and what I do. So adding different ways to do that; using photos and links, was quite important. We need to help our readers who are often so busy and are inundated with so much information in their inbox.

So take a look at the breakdown of my email:

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1. Here you can see that I added an email banner that has my photo. It's the photo associated with my brand. It really helps the reader to have a visual reminder of who you are. So consider adding a photo in your email banner. It's a wonderful way to be remembered. Names can be forgotten, but faces are remembered.

2. Add a subject line that's to the point. Before you write the body of the email, start off with a bolded subject line which goes straight-to-the-point of the matter, telling them why you are writing. In this case, I wrote, "I want to make sure you want my emails".

3. In the body of the email, highlight the main reason you are writing. In this case, asking them to click the green button if they want to continue hearing from me. And I made that part highlighted in yellow (use your brand colors) so that they could quickly see why I was writing them.

4. Share why you need to do this. I informed them that this was part of me keeping in line with the new EU GDPR laws. Your reason may be something like, "I want to be sure that my emails are adding value to my subscribers" or something in those lines.

5. Next recap what kind of content you will be sending them. This is important because the subscriber will know, "okay, she writes about content marketing as well as email marketing and I will get some tips on optimizing my website". You want them to know also the frequency of your mails as well and what type of media they can expect, for instance whether you will send them PDF checklists, blog articles, podcasts, video tutorials, etc.

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6. Clearly ask for the subscriber to re-consent. You can see here that I state, "Please reconfirm your agreement by clicking the green button". Plus, I highlighted the text by putting the font color to stand out in yellow. 

7. Next expressly state what happens if they don't click. This is important so the reader knows what is the consequence if they don't click the green button. In my case, I would not be sending them any more emails, which is key to point out clearly. In other re-engagement campaigns, you may not state this until it is the final email that you are sending after which you will most definitely be removing the subscriber from your list.

8. In your signature, link your website. Too often I receive emails without a link to the website where I signed up for their email. I simply want to go their website, refresh my memory of who this person is so that I can decide whether I really want to be on their list. If there's no easy way to do this, subscribers may simply hit delete and not want to even Google you. So put a link to your website in the signature and make it easy for them.

9. Here, there are two buttons. A green one to stay on the list and a black one to unsubscribe. This was recommended by MailerLite and I chose to go with it. You, on the other hand, may like to have two buttons like this as it makes the choice very clear or you may have a single link stating: "Click here to remain on the list".

10. Remind the reader of who you are, again, in the footer. You may not have to do this in all your "regular" emails. But because the goal here is to remind the reader of who you are and what value you bring to them, a short description in 2-3 sentences is a good idea.

11. Add your website link at the very bottom of the footer, again. This is yet another opportunity to give you reader the chance to look you up before they make their decision.

So those are the 11-steps I took to craft my re-consent or re-engagement email that I sent to my list. Once they clicked subscribe, I sent out another email with a "Thank You" and sent them an update on what's new. 

My colleague and friend, Marta Raptis, a Squarespace Website Designer sent out a re-consent email as well. And after that she sent a wonderful email thanking everyone for staying on her list which I think is a wonderful way to express gratitude to one's subscribers, treating them like real people. Plus, she included a round-up of some of her blog posts that would come in handy for her reader. I simply love it so I asked her if I could share this email with you. Take a look at her thank you email:

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Posted here with permission from its author, Marta Raptis of www.martaraptis.com

So that's it my friends. I hope that these 11 steps for crafting your re-engagement email is helpful and that you are inspired by the thank you email from my colleague Marta Raptis.

Happy crafting your emails!

As always, share your questions in the comments. Let me know what you think and if you have other video/blog tutorial topics for me.

Before we wrap up, I'd like to invite you to a live workshop that I am holding at the end of this month. It's called, "Create a Website that Converts". If you are in the process of creating a website on Squarspace that not only looks beautifully designed, but also helps you grow your list, build your credibility, and get you clients as well as sell your products and services, then this workshop is for you. I'd love for you to join me so take a look at the details on this page here.

Thank you,
Sophia

Related Videos:

040: How to Connect Leadbox with Your ConvertKit Form that has a Checkbox

Hello there!

So you want your Leadpages/Leadbox opt-in box set-up in such a way that when someone clicks on it, a form pops up that has a checkbox AND it feeds into a tag inside ConvertKit? Then this video + blog post show you how to do that.

Something that looks like this:

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Watch the video to see me walk you through all the steps

Step 1: Open up the form in ConvertKit that you want connected to your Leadbox. Or Create a new form.

Note: When you integrate a third party app like Leadbox/Leadpages with ConvertKit you will most likely need to connect it with a ConvertKit Form/Tag/Sequence. In this case, we will be using a form. What this means is that when someone subscribes by clicking your Leadbox, the information is then fed into ConvertKit. (You will need to make sure that your Leadpages account is connected with ConvertKit using API - this step is not shown in the video).

Step 2: (Optional but recommended) Customize the form to fit the Leadbox pop-up style. You will go into ConvertKit Form -> Style -> Custom CSS

Copy the code below:

.ck_powered_by { display: none !important; }
.ck_form {box-shadow: none; }
.ck_form {
  border-top: none; 
  border-bottom: none; }
.ck_form { background: #fff; border: none !important; }
.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { padding: 1%; }
.ck_form_content h3 { text-align: center; }
.ck_form_content, .ck_form_fields { float: none; width: 100%; }

You don't have to do this styling. But it helps to add this code so that when the Leadbox is clicked it pops open a form that fits the sleek sytle of a leadbox. This (step 2) is completely optional but I highly recommend it.

Step 3: In Leadpages Account, create your leadbox or open up an existing one. Style the form the way you want it.

Step 4: While still working with the Leadbox, replace the form that's there with HTML block. Delete the Opt-in Form section that was in-built there.

Step 5: Jump into your ConvertKit Form. Click on Embed -> then Raw HTML. Copy the entire Raw HTML.  You will be pasting this code into the Leadbox but before that open up a text editor.

Step 6. In a text editor, like Pages on the Mac or Word on a PC, paste the entire Raw HTML code. This is because it is easier to work with the Raw HTML code when you can see it better in a text editor. You will copy it all in the end and bring it into Leadbox eventually.

Step 7. Look for the section that starts with <button class. Right above it, paste the code for a checkbox.

Here's that code:

<!-- Begin Checkboxes -->
      <div class="ck_control_group">
        <label style="display: block; margin-top: 10px">
          <input type="checkbox" name="tags[]" value="444444" /> Yes, send me your weekly newsletter. 
        </label>
      </div>
      <!-- End Checkboxes -->

Step 8. Make sure to update the tag value. This is very important. The way to do it is to click on the tag inside ConvertKit that you want the checkbox data to go to. Then look in the URL for the tag value. See steps 2 and 3 in Blog Video 039 that shows you how to do this visually.

Step 9. Now copy all of this Raw HTML code including the checkbox code

Step 10. Now paste it into your Leadbox. Specifically into the HTML code box. (Click the pencil icon to edit).

Step 11. Click save. Then click Publish. Click the Button Link. Stylize it. Click Get Code and then copy it.

Step 12. Jump into your Squarespace website or wherever you want the Leadbox to show up. Add a Code block. Then paste the code you grabbed from your Leadbox. Click save. Refresh the page. And test the form by adding in your info and checking your ConvertKit account to see that it is working.

That's it. You are done! Watch the video I've created as it may be easier to understand what I mean when I demonstrate the steps visually. Let me know in the comments if there's something unclear and I will help you out!

Thank you for watching. Also, I'd love to know what other questions you have so I can answer them in my next tutorials. 

Thanks, Sophia

Related Videos:

039: How to Add a Checkbox to your ConvertKit Opt-in Form?

Hello there,

ConvertKit forms collect names and emails. But you can also have checkboxes giving people a chance to choose something specific. Or you can use checkboxes to give your subscriber the option to opt-into your newsletter and/or marketing emails and offers. And then that info feeds into a tag inside your ConvertKit account

The EU regulation, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) goes into effect on Friday May 25th, 2018. I won't got into all of the regulation requirements because I am not legally qualified but I can show you technically how to do some of the things towards becoming compliant. One of the things that online entrepreneurs are putting into place is a way to get consent from new subscribers right on their opt-in forms.

If you are using ConvertKit, then this video is right for you. I will show you how to enable one or more checkboxes on your form. And then also how to tag those who select the check-box.

Note: To get GDPR compliant, make sure to get your own legal advice based on the needs of your business and the location of your business. 
 

Task:
adding checkboxes to a ConvertKit Form, feed that info into a tag

Purpose/Use Cases:
+ to give subscriber a choice for opting-in to a newsletter or marketing offers.
+ make opt-in forms GDPR compliant (EU law effective May 25, 2018).
+ to give subscriber choice of other supplementary content like additional Free PDFs.
+ to tag subscriber based on preferences (give them checkboxes to self-select tags). [Thanks Jason Troyer for your question in the comments].

Code needed:
Yes

Related Videos:
Blog 040: How to Add Checkbox to a ConvertKit form that is integrated with Lead Pages 
Blog 041: My exact email for refreshing consent from my existing subscribers for the GDPR EU law.

Scroll to the bottom of the blog to see Video Tutorial!

There's a video showing you the steps below. But here is quick summary of what you've got to do:

Note: You will need to use the Raw HTML to embed your ConvertKit form to your website or if you are using Leadpages, then into Leadpages. This is because of the customization that we need to do in order to make checkboxes happen in ConvertKit forms.

Summary of Steps

1. Decide how many checkboxes you want and what the text will be.
2. For each checkbox, create a corresponding tag. So for example, if the first checkbox says "Yes, I want your newsletter", then have a tag that says "Consent - Newsletter". 
3. Click on each tag and note down the tag id that shows up in the url. (see video)
4. Create a new form or open an existing form on which you want the check-box. Style it like you want it just like a regular form. Hit Save ALWAYS after making a change.
5. Go into Embed tab, and grab the Raw HTML.
6. Then go to your website, where you want this form to appear. In Squarespace, you will use the code block to paste this Raw HTML code.
7. Next, in the Raw HTML, look for the section that starts with <button class =
8. Right above it, paste the following code but look at step 9 and 10 for customizing:

<!-- Begin Checkboxes -->
      <div class="ck_control_group">
        <label style="display: block; margin-top: 10px">
          <input type="checkbox" name="tags[]" value="444444" /> Yes, send me your weekly newsletter. 
        </label>
      </div>
      <!-- End Checkboxes -->

9. Where it says, value= "444444", repalce the "444444" with the tag id that corresponds to the first checkbox.
10. Adjust the text, "Yes, send me your weekly email newsletter." to fit what you want the checkbox to contain.
11. Save and test.

Bonus steps if you want to add another checkbox: 

12. To add another checkbox, duplicate part of the code from above and customize it using step 9 and 10. 
<label style="display: block; margin-top: 10px">
         <input type="checkbox" name="tags[]" value="444445" /> Yes, send me emails about your online program and other marketing offers.
       </label>

13. So the entire code for having two checkboxes will look like this:

<!-- Begin Checkboxes -->
      <div class="ck_control_group">
        <label style="display: block; margin-top: 10px">
          <input type="checkbox" name="tags[]" value="444444" /> Yes, send me your weekly newsletter.
        </label>
        <label style="display: block; margin-top: 10px">
          <input type="checkbox" name="tags[]" value="444444" /> Yes, send me your emails about your online program.
        </label>
      </div>
      <!-- End Checkboxes -->

14. Save and test.

Watch Steps 1 - 11 in this Video

If you want to integrate your ConvertKit forms with Leadpages and have checkboxes, then look for my other blog post that I will be publishing on this very topic. (Until then, just follow the above steps and paste all the code into the HTML block inside Leadpages. Make sure to test it). 

So that's it. I hope this is useful. Share your comments + questions below.
 

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Related Videos:

Marta Raptis - Website Designer & Photographer

It is such a delight when a colleague writes you nice words. Thank you, Marta

Sophia has a keen eye for aesthetics and is a great person to work with. She's very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of Squarespace and can be trusted to get a design job done in a professional manner. As her colleague, I'd recommend her in a heartbeat for your next project. Plus, she's very personable and a great listener. 

- Marta Raptis, Website Designer & Photographer. www.martaraptis.com

10 Steps To Building A New Meditation Habit

10 Steps To Building A New Meditation Habit

Photo by Jay Castor

We all know the benefit of meditation, especially a daily meditation practice. It has good effects for our health, our mind, our relationships and practically every aspect of our lives. So if we know it is good for us, why can't we do meditation every single day, without struggling to fit it into our daily hectic lives?

There are many answers to this question. We may intellectually know that meditation is good but don't have enough personal experience with it to seal the deal, so to speak. Or we may not have easy access to a meditation practice. Or we may not know how to go about picking a meditation that fits our life. Or we may not know how to build a daily habit. We may think that because of physical illness we cannot do meditation. Or that we need to sit cross-legged in order to do it in the first place. And there are plenty more reasons...

So how does one go about navigating this new world of meditation? Here are some tips that can help you tap into the juicy benefits of a daily meditation practice that await you.

1. Try different kinds of meditation

If you are just starting out, I highly recommend that you take a taste of the various kinds of meditations there are out there. You can try breath awareness, yoga nidra, mindful walking meditation, body scan technique, creative visualizations (I've got tons of free videos on my YouTube Channel for you here), shamanic meditation, anapana meditation, loving kindness meditation, gratitude meditation, vipassana meditation and so on. Try meditations with music or without music. Just see what you feel drawn to and start there. You don't have to try all. Just find one that you like to begin with and then you will find that the right practice will emerge for you in time.

Here's one

2. Start small

An important tip that can help you on your meditation journey is to start small, especially if just the idea of sitting for a long period of time causes you unease. Even just one minute is good enough. You can always progress into longer sessions. But what is more important in building a practice is consistency. So I'd suggest that I'd rather have you meditating 1 min every day of the week rather than an entire hour once a month. You will find it much better to ease into a longer practice by being aware of your current needs. Here's an example of a short meditation in a moment:

3. You don't have to sit cross-legged

This one is such a big myth. You don't have to be an acrobat or any where close to accomplished in twisting your body in any way. You do not have to sit cross-legged during meditation. Yes, sitting with a straight back vs hunching over is a good idea. But what's most important is to sit comfortably. Find a position that your body feels good in and start there. It That means, you are allowed to sit on a chair or a couch or a bed or anywhere that feels good. You can lean against the wall, use cushions and any support you need to keep your body relaxed. And now point 4 is the big one:

4. You can change your position

There's such a misconception out there that during meditation you've got to sit in one position without moving and force yourself to stay still. This is not a gentle approach and in my experience not beneficial in building a practice. See, if you need to move, move. You need to stretch your legs, do it. You need to change your position do it. Over time, it will become easier to sit in one position for long stretches of time. But don't force yourself into it, especially not as you are starting out. So be gentle and move when you need to.

5. You don't have to get rid of your thoughts

This one was my biggest hurdle for the longest time. I heard Deepak Chopra and Eckhart Tolle talk about the gap or the space between thoughts and it just frustrated me because all I experienced was a series of thoughts. No space between the thoughts! It felt like a far away dream to have no thoughts during meditation. Thankfully, I found out that meditation is not about getting rid of thoughts, rather it is about observing them. You observe the arising and disappearing of thoughts. Over time, the frequency of thoughts naturally declines and you get less and less thoughts. But that happens organically, naturally. You don't have to get rid of your thoughts - that is once again forcing things to be what they are not. So, don't get rid of thoughts, just observe them!

6. Do live in-person meditation sessions at a yoga studio

A really good way of starting a meditation practice is to go to an in-person studio where meditation sessions are held. A possible starting point is your local yoga studio or your local YMCA. For those of you living near Boone, North Carolina, you can try out Neighborhood Yoga Studio. They have many possibilities for meditation sessions. You can also come to my in-person workshop at the Appalachian Regional Library in Boone where I am doing free workshops (sponsored by the Library). 

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Try my Daily Live Sessions:

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7. Go on a 9 or 10 day retreat

I dabbled in meditation for five years before I went to my first 10 day meditation retreat. Of course, as much as I'd like to have done it earlier, I had to arrive at the right time for it to happen. This retreat was pivotal in my meditation journey because it was total immersion in one type of meditation; in this case, it was vipassana. A full-immersion meditation retreat that is all about learning and practicing meditation. And that's a great way to get started as a beginner because you learn the foundations of the practice from step zero and then go on to build it. You also find out quickly if this type of meditation jives with you or if you should rather move on in your search for a meditation practice.

Two recommendations:
1. Dhamma.org for 10 day meditation retreat to learn vipassana meditation inspired by S.N.Goenka, Burmese Indian follower of Burmese teacher U Ba Khin and his teacher, Burmese Monk Webu Sayadaw. They have retreats all around the world.
I've done three of these retreats in the past two years (two 10 day retreats as participant and one 5-day retreat as a server).

2. Buddhist Society of Western Australia: 9 Day meditation retreat in the tradition of Thai Forest Monks led by Ajahn Brahm and Ajahn Brahmali.
This one I'd like to do in this year.

8. Use triggers and tracking to build your new habit

Once you've honed in on the one meditation practice that you want to focus on, use the best information out there about building a new habit. Leo Babauta with his Sea Change Program and Shawn Achor in his book, The Happiness Advantage teach how to build new habits. What has worked for me is a two-pronged approach to building my habit: 1: use triggers and 2: use tracking calendar. Create a system in which you use triggers to build your habit and then track it every day. A trigger example: After waking up in the morning, brush teeth. For me, I apply this to meditation. After breakfast in the morning, meditate one hour. Use the tricks and processes that productivity and personal development masters have identified to build your new habit. Blog: How to use systems to build your meditation practice.

9. Try guided creative visualizations.

I've found, both for myself and for the individuals in my live workshops, that creative visualizations are a great place to start. A lot of us begin our meditation journey by going straight into a silent meditation practice. If it works for you, great. But for many of us that seems really daunting. We are overpowered by our thoughts and feel frustrated by the process. You can always give silent meditation a try but don't allow the challenges you face there to deter you from doing your meditation practice. Just give guided creative visualization a chance. These are great because they serve as a stepping stone to silent meditation
They are much easier because you are using the voice of the meditation guide to literally guide your mind to focus on a a limited set of thoughts. If you don't connect with creative visualizations, that's fine too. Just go with other guided meditations such as the ones by Abraham Hicks or Jon Kabat-Zinn. See Blog: Why guided meditations are a useful stepping stone to silent meditation practice.

Here's one example of a creative visualization:

10. Be in nature

Take time off to be in nature as often as you can. Stroll around in a park or in other natural settings and just watch the sky, the trees, the waves, streams or the landscape. What does this have to do with building a meditation practice? Well, nature has an amazing effect for calming the mind. The effect of being in nature continues to help you when you sit down to meditate.

11. Be kind to yourself

Finally and, I'd even say most importantly, it's crucial that you stay kind to yourself. Meditation is habit and a new enhancement of your lifestyle. There will be challenges but you've got to help yourself trust the process. Don't use meditation to hurt yourself. As you move through the habit building phase, let go of expectations and be kind to the process of calming the mind. Be especially, kind and patient when you miss a day of practice. I used to be filled with guilt when that happened and now I am much more kind to myself in that regard.

So, my friend, I hope these 10 tips are helpful to you as you build your meditation practice. Feel free to jot down your questions in the comments. Let me know what challenges have you face when building a new meditation practice.

Inner-Peace Chats: Get My Help To Carve Your Meditation Habit Plan

Building a daily meditation habit has been a life-changing phenomenon in my life as I see its healthy effects in all aspects of my life, including a big drop in mental and emotional stress, almost zero worrying and a deeper sense of ease about life and its many challenges.

I want to create resources on reflectionpond.com to help you live a more harmonious, peaceful life. And so I'd like to help you create your customized Meditation Habit Plan. This is part of my Inner-Peace Chat series where I speak with you via a video call (such as on skype or zoom) and find out a bit more about your lifestyle so we can customize your meditation habit plan. 

This is something very useful if you are starting out brand new or have been dabbling in meditation for a while but now want to get into a daily habit. I will identify how you can build a system to make meditating a no-brainer activity. And I will also share from my meditation journey of 8 years so that you can understand why it's been challenging to build this habit. At the end of our one hour session, you will know exactly what to do in order to incorporate your unique meditation practice into your life.

Based on what you need in the moment, in this Inner-Peace Chat, I will guide you through a process and a meditation to help you understand what is blocking you from building a daily habit and how you change it to truly benefit from a continued practice.

I invite you to take this opportunity, which at the moment, is the only way to get one-to-one time with me. 

So are you in? Go here to see a bit more detail and reserve your spot.

Why a 15 min daily meditation session is good enough?

Photo by Bryan Minear

Hello there my friend,

You know that meditation is good for you. But you've got a busy, very busy life. Just finding time to have lunch seems sometimes difficult for you because of all the things that need to get done. Then you here that meditation helps you and that an hour a day is the recommended time for really good results. And you think, "One hour? Are you out of your mind? Just the thought of doing meditation for an hour is making me anxious. I don't think meditation is for me!".

Please don't throw the whole meditation thing out just because you cannot do the "recommended" hour. I used to think that way and it really slowed down the process for me. I would think that because I can't do the full hour, why bother?

But, you know, it doesn't have to be a full hour. Just a few moments of mindfulness is good enough. Even just a minute several times a day can help you train your mind to become stronger, calmer and more able to deal with your life.

That's what I realized when I read the author Jon Kabat-Zinn's book, "Wherever you go, there you are." I did my first little book review back in 2010 on YouTube where I share how it was so liberating to know that I can just be fully present for a moment and that is already good enough.

So start there: Take it moment-by-moment.

Now, let's say you have been doing this "momentary" mindfulness exercises where you are fully in the present with whatever you are doing and now you want to take it to the next level, so to speak.

Then, I suggest that you think of investing 10-15 minutes towards calming your mind daily. Yes, d.a.i.l.y. A daily practice helps you ingrain the process of meditation in your mind. You will be building the mediation muscle by repeating this every single day. Just like any physical training, or learning anything new takes repetition, so does meditation.

Someone in my Live in-person workshop said that they have it harder to be calmer when the meditate by themselves. And that triggered a series of inspired thoughts for me. I thought, "How about offering a live meditation session every single day at the same time to help people like this one participant who wants to meditate every day but finds it hard to do without some support?" 

And the answer was as resounding yes. Starting on Monday, March 19th 2018, I've begun a daily LIVE meditation session called Daily Meditation with Sophia on YouTube.

Here's a link to the YouTube Channel where you can see the upcoming scheduled events. Or start of with these below:

These live sessions take place every single day at 12 noon ET. I start off with 2-3 minutes of introductory banter and then jump right into the meditation so that you can have at least 10-12 minutes before it's time to wrap up at 12:15 pm. I do stay on to chat more, share a few tips and answer any questions from the chat - until around 12:20-12:30pm. Then it's off to lunch!

I've designed these sessions to last from 12 noon til 12:15pm so that anyone on a tight lunch break schedule can take a sip of calm and then go eat something and head back to work. It's meditation for a busy lifestyle which seems everyone seems to have these days. It gives you enough of a break to build a daily practice without being overwhelming which a long 30 minute or an hour long session can feel. 

So do come and join me or catch a recording each day:

Also if you'd like to learn how to become a Patron of Reflection Pond and of these daily meditations, take a look here.

Why you cannot get rid of karma and what to do about it

Photo by Ashley Batz

More and more of us are becoming aware of how "karma" is universal; not connected to any one spiritual tradition. I can see that from the stats on my blog. 33% of visitors on my site are interested in my blog post on how to break karmic patterns. Clearly, we are realizing that karma is active in our lives and we want to do something about it. We want to get rid of karma.

One of the reasons we want to do that is because somehow the word has spread, especially in Western countries, that Karma = results of our bad actions in the past or in a past life. Karma then creates fear. Are we then subject to the unknown bad actions of our past life? Are the bad actions of our current life irreparable and we are destined to suffer from its consequences? This is not fully descriptive because it is incomplete and as a result this way of looking at karma is inaccurate. It just creates fear and anxiety and is not really productive.

So then what is Karma? And how can one get rid of it? First, I've got to say that we cannot get rid of karma. Why? Because karma is an inherent part of how life works and we cannot get 'rid' of it. It's like saying, "I keep falling when riding a bicycle. I want to get rid of gravity". Ridiculous, right? In the same way, it would be like saying, "I fell into a karmic trap. I want to get rid of karma."

Once we realize what karma is, then we will understand how silly it is to want to get rid of karma. Karma, in short, is a cycle of cause and effect. What you sow, you shall reap. If you plant a seed for a mango tree, you will get a mango tree (all other conditions for its growth sufficing), not an apple tree. This essentially is karma. It is like gravity. It is part of the structural nature of life. 

So then, instead of getting rid of karma, we can work towards understanding how karma works and how to use it for our spiritual progress. There are ways to lessen the effect of past karma and create a better future for us in this very life and also in the next life. These ways have been identified in many, varied ancient spiritual traditions and written about by many well-known authors of our current time. Deepak Chopra is one of the most read authors and if you like to go deeper on his approach you can read my in-depth blog post where I detail the many aspects of the Law of Karma and how to break karmic patterns.

How does karma work?

How does karma really work? And how can we use our understanding of it to reduce the negative impact of old bad karma?

Simply said, karma just describes the process of cause and effect in our lives. We think good thoughts and take good actions and it results in the appreciation of good actions and thoughts in our lives. (Appreciation, in this context, means expansion of or an increase in). Similarly, when we take on bad actions, we get bad results.

Good thoughts + good actions = good results

Bad thoughts + bad actions = bad results

So the equation is easy to understand, isn't it? And so, to create good conditions for us in the future, we have to sow good seeds of good thoughts and good actions. This is not just about giving a donation or helping out a friend, although those are wonderful things to do. What this also means is how we respond to a certain situation, how we dissolve negative emotion through present moment awareness, how we practice forgiveness, detachment and equanimity and kindness to ourselves and others.

This is about how we think, how we handle stress and how we deal with disappointments. It is about creating a way of life that is wholesome, beneficial to our well-being and of the people, animals and environment we effect. This is not something we learn in school, although some schools in India I have heard are teaching secular values. If we are lucky, this would be something we absorb from our parents, teachers and religious institutions. It's a skill, like a muscle, that can be trained and developed.

When we learn to practice sowing the good seeds, we find that things in our lives develop more harmoniously. Relationships get better, our health improves. And problems get less intense. But problems and challenges are a part of life and they do sprout from time to time. However, because of the good seeds we are sowing, we find it easier to deal with those new problems. So for instance, if we are dealing with a crisis or a challenge, we find that we have more mental and emotional energy and inner-resilience to deal with it. We don't become distraught, overwhelmed or feel helpless like we may have felt before. We find a deep inner-strength and mental focus and resilience that helps us to handle that new situation more positively and constructively.

Reducing old bad karma

Alright, that seems like a recipe for creating good karma. But how about reducing the impact of bad karma from current life or of those from other lives? There are times in our lives when we realize that there is challenge that we are finding hard to overcome. For instance, it could be a health situation that you are facing. Or it may be that you find yourself in an unending cycle of similar situations over and over again. A good example of this is finding a 'perfect' partner but then breaking up, finding a 'perfect' partner and then breaking up. After a while you realize, "hey, this is clearly a pattern", and you begin to research ways to get out of it. This karmic pattern can also take the form of a series of similar emotional challenges. I've in the past, for instance, found myself in the cycle of worry, especially, around my cats. Clearly, my cats and my relationship with them is part of a karmic cycle and I've worked hard on breaking that old pattern I kept falling into. 

Dealing with unknown roots of karma

And what if we don't know what bad karma we did or are continuing to do unknowingly which is causing us to fall in to the same patterns. Is there a way to break this old karmic pattern or are we destined to 'suffer the consequences'? 

Thankfully, from my experience, and from my studies of Buddhist thought and great thinkers and writers, the answer is: yes. Yes, we can influence the effect of our bad karma; both in reducing it's negative effect on us and in making us more capable of handling them.

Before I give you some processes and inspiration on how you can approach this, I want you to consider some people out there in the world who you would not have imagined to be cheerful and happy. I've seen inspirational talks by people who have no arms and legs doing wonderful things to encourage and inspire young people with their stories. And they seem so content with their situation. I can hardly imagine the physical let alone emotional challenges one might face dealing with such a life circumstance. But instead of feeling hopeless and helpless, these inspiring leaders have walked through the tunnel and come out on to the other side. They have made peace with their reality and taken massive steps to make the best of their situation to help and inspire others. They are the shining examples of how we can overcome negative karma and thrive in our lives.

Here's an approach towards healing the effects of bad karma and breaking old karmic patterns. How do you know you are in a karmic pattern? There are two ways to find that out. One: You keep falling into the same problem over and over again. And two: You've been facing the same problem for a very long time.

To break this bad karma, you need to:

1. Recognize the pattern:
Identify what exactly is going on and notice if you keep running into a similar problem.  Do you always find yourself broke? Do you keep falling for the same type of guy and it ends up not working out? Do you constantly get overlooked for a promotion at work? Does your business always seem to be running out of clients?

2. Take responsibility for it:
Once you identify the problem, take responsibility for it. Remember this is not about blaming or criticizing yourself. But it is about recognizing that there were certain knowable or unknowable thoughts/actions you took in your past that is resulting into this situation. Be very kind to yourself in this stage, especially, when it comes to ill-health or other things that we experience, we often fall into guilt, thinking we are the cause of it. No, this is not about making you guilty for it. But it is about helping you see that you can take positive actions to create a more harmonious life for you in the future.

3. Reflect on possible counter-actions:
Now you can take some time to reflect on what counter-actions you can take to turn around the pattern you keep falling in to. So for instance, if you constantly feel broke, brainstorm what actions you can take to break that feeling. One hint in coming up with some counter-actions is the golden rule. Begin by thinking, what could I do for somebody else in a similar situation? So in this example, you might come up with: help my friend who is also dealing with feeling broke to come up with some income-generating ideas, or learn about budgeting and share it on a blog. I'll get really person here and share that I kept falling into a deep negative thought pattern of sad thoughts and depression. So I started this blog you are reading, to help others dealing with a similar situation get out of negative thoughts and cultivate more healthy, mental habits. Thinking about what you can do for someone in your shoes, is a great inspiration for new action. 

One example of this are very inspiring: Denise Duffield Thomas who created the Money Mindset Bootcamp, wanted to create financial abundance for herself and her family. So she started teaching other women how to do so and she broke out of her old pattern of being broke.

4. Take positive action:
Now that you have reflected on what good actions you can sow, you can begin to schedule specific days and times in your calendar to actively take those actions. This is really key because we all have very busy lives and if things are not carefully planned, often they don't get done, especially, things like taking new positive action. Get a friend or partner to be your accountability partner if you need it. But get going on this as soon as you can.

5. Cultivate present moment awareness:
This may be the most powerful of them all along with step no. 3-4. Cultivating present moment awareness is all about learning to be in the present moment. When you are doing something, bring your complete attention to what you are doing. Fully listen to the other person instead of planning the next sentence you want to say. Practicing meditation is great way to learn how to do this because you learn to calm your mind, learn to be aware of your breath and to be an observer of what is.

So this is a good starting point on how to begin breaking your negative karma and build good karma. Remember that karma is not your enemy and you don't need to be afraid of it, just like you don't need to be afraid of gravity, or the sun. Once you understand how it can be used positively in your life, you realize that karma is actually your friend.

In the comments, share with us what repeating pattern are you noticing in your life? And if you've figured out ways to break it?

Create Your Masterplan of Action

To help you find out how you can identify your karmic patterns and then create your custom plan of action to break out of those patterns and build better patterns, I'm starting a new one-to-one offering called the Inner-Peace Chats.

In this session, I offer you my presence and guide you on how identifying what you are stuck at, what the karmic pattern you've found yourself in and how to break out of it. This is one of the key foundations for cultivating deeper inner-peace and sense of resilience.

The Inner-Peace Chat is a comforting conversation during moments where you feel weak, distraught or simply in need of an uplifting boost. And according to what you need in the moment, I will guide you through a process and a meditation to help you deal with the impact of the Karmic pattern and help you move through it.

It will be an hour-long process and you will receive in your inbox a customized plan of action that will help you ground your new realization and create new karmic seeds for greater harmony and resilience in your life.

This new offering, the Inner Peace Chat is in a beta-phase which will be an investment of $149 down the road, after I've done a few chats and refined my process.

One-to-One Guidance for Breaking Karmic Patterns

Right now, you can be part of the founding group with an investment of $45. I invite you to take this opportunity, which at the moment, is the only way to get one-to-one time with me. 

So are you in? Go here to see a bit more detail and reserve your spot. Much peace to you my friend,

Sophia

Reflection Quote 005 : Emerson on being yourself

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Emerson's work is for me truly inspirational because here you have an American author born more than 200 hundred years ago in Boston who through his writings is sending us a message that revolves around trusting our intuition, being grateful, following our heart and making efforts to live a happy, compassionate life. It couldn't be more timely! 

There are many quotes from Emerson that make us ponder. In another blog post, I've already written a bit about this quote, ”Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” 

The quote at hand today, may resonate with you as much as it does with me. Emerson is asking us to be ourselves even though all the forces of the external world are continuously trying to change us into something inauthentic. We all know first-hand the world we live in which seems to value people fitting in, not rocking the boat, going with the flow of what already exists. Some families and schools discourage their kids from standing out, expressing themselves, even from asking questions. We are to follow the norm.

Photo by Ahmed Saffu

Herd Mentality

We do so much of this⏤following the norm⏤growing up that we even don't realize that we are doing it. In our minds, we may be the trendsetter or the trailblazer but in our actions, we stay the course of what we think will be agreeable. Just notice this in our world and it will be easy to see. For instance, next time you go to a movie theatre, be alert to the traffic patterns of people. I've noticed at least three instances of "herd mentality" in the movies. The first is when the movie ends. Everyone is rushing out of the theatre and you can see that some people want to stay and watch the end credits but feel a silent pressure to stand up and leave. And the second is when they follow the others when coming out of the aisle, even if those before them take a longer route out.

And the third is when people are actually leaving the theatre building. There are crowds of people who want to exit the building but they will all follow the guy ahead of them and even wait a long while until all those ahead of him are out; while three other sets of doors are completely empty, waiting to be opened. I've noticed this at airports, at grocery stores and bookstores. No one wants to be the first one to lead and go out the other, completely open sets of doors. 

What could be the reason for this? People just don't care so much about leaving the building? Or they are not reflective or alert of their surroundings to notice that there are other options? Or they don't want to stand out by being the lone wolf walking through the other doors while everyone else watches them? Or perhaps, other completely different reasons are at play?

Something To Show For It

Regardless of the reason, this is a kind of inability to think for ourselves. I know myself how awkward it feels at an airport to take a new path, especially, when traveling in a new country and not knowing how things are meant to be set up. It is about taking a chance. And it's about being okay to be vulnerable and gawked at by strangers. But it is also about having invested the time to reflect on ourselves and being true to ourselves.

Some years ago, I spoke on the phone with a childhood friend of mine with whom I had lost contact for 10-15 years. We were catching up and sharing details of our lives with each other. At one point, he said to me, "Yea, I'm married, have two kids...well, I am 35 and should have something to show for it, right?". He said it as if those events in his life were his report card or progress report for his age and that he needed to have that in order to earn the right to be 35. I was so taken back by this statement that I just smiled and moved on with the conversation.

Needless to say, I was delighted that he had all those things but I would be just as happy for him if he were a lone wanderer of the globe with no partner and no steady job ⏤ as long as he was happy. I don't know how much of the herd mentality or social norms he was following and how much was part of his own life trajectory. One never knows the whole story so I am certainly not going to make conclusions. But his statements did make me think.

How Not Being Ourselves Shows Up

How about you? Are you aware of how herd mentality shows up in your life? I've certainly found myself trying to unearth what I truly want vs. what I think is expected of me. Here are some example of herd mentality from my own life and from observing others:

Not being truly ourselves can show up in many ways. Here is a selection:
1. Saying yes to invitations and requests when I actually want to say no.

2. Taking on a new project for a client when I actually would prefer taking on another instead.

3. Doing the 9-5 day schedule even as a freelancer or solopreneur working from home and can comfortably set your own hours. (I've felt so bad when I've started my day at 10am instead of 9 or 8 even if I may, on that same day work many more hours than an 8 hour corporate job).

4. Sending out greeting cards because that's what's done instead of that being something you truly want to do. Hey, I'm actually going to be selling postcards in my Shop soon and I love writing cards so I'm all for writing cards. But only when I truly want to; not because that's what is done. Although, I have felt bad at times for skipping on the annual Holiday cards in December. I hope that people who buy my postcards are not burdened by cultural obligations).

5. Not expressing your preferences about your own life out of concerns of being rejected. This one is tough and I've been here many a times. We want to be loved and accepted and we fear that expressing our own choices (which we know may not be liked by the people we want the love and acceptance from) will make us disliked and even ostracized from a community.

6. Having an emotional crisis when faced with the opportunity of adopting 7 cats, even though you have the space and resources to care for them all. This one is very personal! The stress and worry of being thought weird by my family or friends or being pejoratively looked down upon as the "crazy cat-lady" by neighbors was very real. (This is something I dealt with last spring (2017) and I am so happy I share that I did overcome the social bias and we now have 7 beautiful kittens :-) living with us happily. Today, March 9th is infact their one year birthday! Yayy!

7. Wearing heels, putting on makeup, wearing tight clothes and dying our hair all out of concerns of being perceived beautiful and well-groomed not so much out of our own desire towards what we want. Wearing flats to a wedding in 2011 was a big event for me. (It took me a while to finally say goodbye to all these. Not dying my black hair when silver and grey strands are appearing has been the hardest one for me. I've rarely seen a woman in her 30's with grey hair and the ladies in their 40's, 50's, and 60's seem to still have perfectly pitch black or blonde hair.)

(If you dye your hair, know that I am not judging you and accept your choice to do so. What I am writing here is about people feeling authentic in who we are ⏤ for ourselves and not what others think we should do or how others think we should be. The societal norms about hair color does make it challenging to follow what feels right but I like not to have to fuss over my hair color. The last time I dyed my hair with an all natural dye, the color faded away with the next shower! Too much effort for something that just doesn't feel right for me.)

8. Shaving one's head bald. This is challenging for both men and women. Even cutting one's hair short is deemed problematic in some cultures, let alone shaving off all of one's hair. A friend of mine recently did this (for personal healing of an old wound) and she looks amazing!

9. What kind of job we should have, when we should have kids, that we should have kids, that we should be married, when we should be married, who we should love, where we should live...and so on. All these unspoken and at times open rules from others about how we should live our lives according to some other force, instead of our own choices ⏤ is a real source of pressure and mental anguish for so many.

I'm confident that if you take a look around and even reflect on your own life, you will see the pernicious effects of societal norms and how they influence your actions.

These unspoken worldly rules affect the things we do, the way we think, the way we buy and the way we relate to one another. At times, we may even find it hard to distinguish between our own needs and wants and what we think our parents, friends and the general societal expectations are of us. But it doesn't have to be. And being ourselves doesn't have to be scary. In fact, the more we follow our own heart, the more peaceful our lives become.

This could be the final clue that unlocks the riddle

I think, the key to being ourself is to remind ourself that we can be who we are (unless you are living in a nation where the laws prohibit it, which then is extremely challenging and dangerous). To take ownership of our life and our decisions is one of the gifts of being an adult. You can choose your own path. I remember being a kid and saying to myself that when I am an adult I will adopt many cats (now that I have 7 of them, I really am in 7th heaven!). Being an adult comes with a true freedom which we must take advantage of.

I don't care if you follow the herd in the movies or dye or hair because you feel peer-pressure. But for the things that are truly close to your heart, please dare to take a different path ⏤ your path. Know that you are allowed to make choices that feel aligned with what you want. If you want to travel and have been putting it off for years, now is the time to go after your dreams. If you've wanted to start a blog and write to share your insights, now is the time. Whatever it is that you want for your life, let no social norm or family pressures stop you. It may be the best gift you gave yourself⏤one that could be the key to your fully embracing yourself and finally, sipping from the delight that this life is. This could be the final clue that unlocks the riddle of your true happiness.

Please share your thoughts on this rather lengthy article! Thank you for reading it all the way and I wish you much peace and inspiration for being true to yourself. 

Peace,

Sophia

About the author of the quote:

"Ralph Waldo Emerson, American poet, essayist, and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson was born on May 25, 1803, in Boston, Massachusetts. After studying at Harvard and teaching for a brief time, Emerson entered the ministry. He was appointed to the Old Second Church in his native city, but soon became an unwilling preacher. Unable in conscience to administer the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper after the death of his nineteen-year-old wife of tuberculosis, Emerson resigned his pastorate in 1831." ― Poets.org

See a list of books written by Emerson here: Goodreads.com
You can read his essay, 'Self-Reliance' which is freely available at this archival site: Archive.vuc.edu

Other quotes by Emerson:

"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles." 

”Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.” 

”To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” 

”What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” 

”Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – 

”The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and you have lived well.” 

”The only person you are destined to become is the person ou decide to be.”  

”Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” 

”Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” See my blog about this quote here.

J.J. Salem - Commercial Fiction Author & Blogger

It was such a delight to get this author all set up on ConvertKit and lay the groundwork so that his website was integrated with all his opt-ins/leadmagnets. At the end of our project, this is what he had to say:

---

I made the decision to go with ConvertKit for my new website, and Sophia made the transition seamless. The ConvertKit platform is a powerful tool and ultimately very user-friendly, but it made all the difference to have a certified expert walk me through the on-boarding process and handle the initial migration and tech set-up. Sophia is thoughtful, patient, and has a knack for providing the kind of detailed instruction that turns you loose with confidence and independence. A wise investment for my project!
- J.J. Salem, Commercial Fiction Author & Blogger

How to use inner-peace techniques to solve business problems

How to use inner-peace techniques to solve business problems

Photo by Sean McAuliffe

I've written extensively about creating inner-peace in our lives using meditation. Today, I want to share with you some inner-peace techniques that you can use in your business in order to nurture and grow it. You can extrapolate these ideas for applying it to an environment where you are employed as well. And I will have more specific articles for you as well.

The mirror

We all know that a business is a reflection of the people it is made of. How a business is run, how it's customers are treated and what kind of products and services it generates stems directly from the company's people, especially the leadership. This is ever more so true when you are small business owner or what is more and more common today, the solopreneur. (Solopreneur is a business owned by a single individual and perhaps a small team of freelancers). 

Just like life is a mirror of your inner mentalscape, so is your business. Your mindset and attitude towards life will directly affect your income; your impact and reach; and your sense of fulfillment you gain in your business. As they say, to create abundance physically in our lives, we must start with an abundant mindset. Similarly, to create a healthy and happy business, we need to have the right attitude towards our business. 

It all sounds really wonderful - change your attitude and change your life. But when the rubber hits the road, that's when we realize how difficult it is to implement this wisdom. When clients are being over-demanding, when your proposals your send out are coming back rejected, when your virtual assistant (VA) or teammate or business partner does a blunder, when your list is not growing as fast as you want or when your launch falls flat on its face, that's when emotions start flying. That's when stress and overwhelm begin. That's when feelings of, "I am not good enough" start arising. And this is when the seeds of self-doubt finds fertile ground to begin germinating.

Of course, with a daily meditation practice, you can help yourself handle business issues that arise with more calm, and more wisdom. But while you are building that habit and while the benefits of your practice accrue, it may take some time. So in the meanwhile, I've got some a simple tips for you, practical techniques that you can take up in different challenging business situations.

Inner-Peace Mental Technique:
Make peace with the business situation

I'd like to share with you an example from the real world that can help you see how to use this technique of making peace when a challenging situation comes up.
 

The Challenge
 Let's say that your are a web designer and you've started on a project for a client. You've sent her all the instructions on what she has to deliver back to you. Logos, about page text, example of sites she likes, features she absolutely want and all the other little details are to be filled out by her. You've blocked out two weeks to do this when you are not taking up any other client.

But you notice that things are trickling in very slowly and the client is dragging her feet in delivering all the content. You begin to feel a bit nervous about completing the project on time and about this delay pouring into your next project. You send reminder emails but it is not happening. Now it's two days before the start of the project and you still have nothing. You begin to feel strong negative feelings for this client. You start getting thoughts of, "Ah, I wish I didn't have this project. Why is it so complicated to get going on the project! Ah, I never prepared for this situation and so I am bad and being an entrepreneur" and so on...

So this certainly a difficult situation any one could be facing in a business. You've set up processes to improve efficiency because you are a solopreneur and have hundred different hats on. But then here comes a client who derails all that by delaying on just one aspect of the whole process - the starting content you need to begin your work.

Bringing compassion to yourself and the others
All you can do at first is make peace with the situation. The first thing to do is take some deep breaths and make peace with the situation. What this means is that you don't fight what's happening but instead you accept it. Yes, this client is not sending me the info. You loosen up your thoughts towards the client. You also accept the feelings that this is causing in you. Yes, I'm feeling stressed about this. I feel my forehead tightening and my shoulders feel restricted. Bring awareness in this way to what you feeling emotionally and how your body is feeling that emotion. 

When a situation like this happens, there are a couple of players involved. There's you, clearly and then there's the object that is causing the stress or the problem. In this case it's the client and her delay. But it could be a tech failure, or low capital, or miscommunication with an assistant or a collaborator. Whatever the "other" part of the equation is, is the object.
So now what you need to do is to loosen up your mental energy towards that "other" object. In this case, you notice your thoughts towards your client - anger, impatience, frustration, even hurt and disappointment. By observing those thoughts, you begin to loosen their grip. And then you can actively send loving energy to the object, in this case the client.

The way to do this is by closing your eyes and imagining the client's situation. It may be that this client was always told by her family that she will never amount to anything and she's worked so hard to find a niche, and work nights and weekends on this side business while keeping a full-time job. Now she is finally ready to get visible and be found and hence, she's hired you to make her a new website. But her sabotaging thoughts are coming to overwhelm her and become her own obstacle to success. You recognize this as a possible cause for the delay and you remember times when you too have had to overcome your sabotaging thoughts. You realize how challenging that is and there, a light of compassion emerges within you. You send that light to your client. I understand you. I know it's hard. I believe in you. It's alright. You are good enough.

This way, you notice that you are not so upset about the situation. You have compassion for this client. Poor client, how challenging it is to get out of our own way. I understand this. I send you my good, positive thoughts. I send you peace.

How can I help?
Now you've truly loosened your energy towards her. You may find that as soon as you do this, you get an flurry of emails with all the information you need. Or may be that doesn't happen. But then, you've freed yourself of the negative energy this situation caused in you. And now are beginning to get proactive. You start thinking, "What can I do to help this client?" So you decide to give her a quick call to find out what's stopping her. You realize that she herself is waiting on your freelancer to deliver her the logo and she felt too embarrassed to tell you that because she wanted to deliver a perfect report back to you with all complete content. 

Now that you know this, you break things down for her and you tell her the least necessary items you need in order to get going on your tasks. In this case, since you know the color palette and fonts of the logo, you can begin work even if the logo is not complete. This moves the process forward at least and breaks up the stagnant status the project was long sitting in.

You can see how you've now made peace with the situation and saved yourself from further delays. 

But let's say, the client never returns any info to you and you really cannot begin on the project. In this case, you can comfortably tell the client that you will have to push back on her project at the next available slot as you cannot loose time waiting. And these two weeks that you had blocked off, you can now use for taking care of other parts of your business like organizational issues, financial updates, blog content creation, updates on your website, etc. You actually are grateful for this "extra" time to catch up on some things you had to put off because of client projects. And you can then regroup with the client when she is ready.

Making peace with what is, is a piece of wisdom that comes in really handy when you are running a business. There are other tools of inner-peace and equanimity, that you can use in your business to move forward, increase your revenue and have greater impact with your business. As they say, mindset is key for success. If you'd like to learn more practical techniques like the one I shared today, see examples of how you can use it and get live help on your own business mindset challenges, come to my free Live Masterclass. More information on how you can sign up is here: 3 Mental Peace Techniques You Can Use To Grow Your Business.

Look forward to seeing you there. 'Til then, rock on, my friend!

Much peace,
Sophia

PS: Feel free to share in the comments one challenge you've been facing in your business which you know can be changed with some mental technique of dealing with it! 

038: How to link an image to a ConvertKit modal pop-up form in Squarespace?

Here's a video showing you just how to do that. Linking an image to a ConvertKit pop-up modal form. I've yet to experiment with how it is to have multiple images on the same page linked to different pop-ups. Until I play around with that, here's the video that shows you how to link one image to a form.

Also, if you want multiple forms to pop-up from buttons, here's the blog post with video tutorial on that: 
024: How to Create Multiple ConvertKit Forms on My Squarespace Page?

Okay, now the video tutorial: (Copy code on the bottom of the video)

Here's the bit of code you'll need:

<a href="#ck_modal" rel="ck_modal"><img src="grab the image url from the browser by right clicking on the image"/></a>
 

Do share with me a link of where and how you incorporated this. I'd love to know.

Peace,

Sophia