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Success Advice

4 Tips to Help You Create Epic Content

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It’s inevitable. At some point every one of us sits down to write content, from a social media post to a full-length book, and it happens…We sit and stare at the blank page… sometimes for minutes, other times for hours, and occasionally for days.

So then, how do we overcome ‘blank page syndrome’ to fulfill timelines, obligations, or merely to finish a piece of content.

Rather than pull out our hair (maybe this is why my editor has none…lol) let’s take another angle and break down four ways to (hopefully) never allow this to happen again.

By no means is this an exhaustive list, however having created content, writing books, publishing articles, and simply even my own blog, there are many tips and tricks to avoid writer’s block, blank page syndrome, the abyss of the white screen… or whatever else you want to call it, there are four tips that stick out the most.

Here they are.

1. Location Location Location

It is nice to find that comfy place to sit and write. We spend time creating our own office space, so why not use it. Truth. Yes, we should have a comfortable office space to gather thoughts, forge our ideas into tangible products or services, yet even the best of offices can feel cramped from time to time.

When you experience this, a simple solution is to change where you write. Perhaps you will only need to do this once. Maybe more.

I will change my location at least once a week. This is enough to reset my brain. Then, when I sit back down in my big comfy chair, I feel invigorated.  

2. Reframe Your Audience

This can be a tricky one. At least at first. When we sit down and write content, sure, we may be writing them to our specific client base, however when we are writing books, articles, and oftentimes blogs, we tend to write to a more general audience.

Nothing wrong with this. Such is the case for one of my books, Media Secrets Revealed. It was written with my ideal client in mind, yet general enough that it can be universally used across business.

Rather than write to a general audience, or even when writing to our ideal clients, sometimes we still feel like we cannot get anything down on the page.

So…

Pick one person you know who would benefit from your writing and write to them. This will make your writing feel more personal and authentic to whoever is reading it. This tip is one of the best ways I know to cultivate the know-like-trust factor quickly.

“Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.” – Leo Burnett

3. Dictate

Have you ever thought about the two-way radio? Most of us have used them at some point. They used to be almost exclusively called walkie-talkies. I never thought of the name until a few years ago when it clicked… they are called walkie-talkies because as we walk, we talk.

Simple thought.

Put into the writing realm, there are a myriad of programs and apps that we can dictate into a device that we are not strapped down to a chair and a desk.

Download one. Get out. Go for a walk and talk your content out. Then when you get it to paper there will be a few results from this.

  1.       You will not have to write but edit.
  2.       You can see how you speak.
  3.       You will learn to hone your skills.

The biggest benefit is having the ability to read how we speak. Are there a lot of “ums” in the text? If so, it’s time to look at how we speak publicly.

For actual writing, the biggest benefit would be to see how you think when you write.

4. Go Old-School

By old school, I mean pencil and paper. Now, you don’t necessarily have to write the entire article out on paper, although you could (then add in tip number three).

At the very least create an outline. Make some bullet points. The simple act of engaging our brains to the physical activity of writing is enough to get creative juices flowing.

I end up writing notes on the side, making arrows across the page. When I do this, it ignites a different part of my mind and I am open to more possibilities for writing than I do when I simply start with typing.

Change It Up

There are over 20 tips for not writing from a blank page, however these four will level up your content production and reduce your staring mindlessly into the write screen time more than the others.

The key here is to change it up. Simply because something is not working does not necessarily mean it won’t. Sometimes we need a break, an adjustment, a little tweak here or there to shift our perspective.

The more curious we are to our writing process, the better writers we become. If something doesn’t work. Change it up. Leave it. Then come back and try it again. Perspective is why we write. Time to implement more perspective into our practice. When you do… watch what happens. 

International Educator, Speaker, Author, and Business Coach, Lori helps entrepreneurs and organizations focus on the foundational tools needed for sustained success. As a Curriculum Designer and Business Professor, Lori has helped grow hundreds of organizations organically (including her own company that includes Legacy Builders, Media Secrets, and Driven Mastery -- brands that help Entrepreneurs build a true, long-lasting purpose). Lori has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, & various regional markets. She has authored / co-authored several books and works globally to support literacy, cancer research, young entrepreneurship, and military programs. Helping raise over three million dollars for literacy, Lori was awarded the Lifetime Presidential Service Award for her work. More recently Lori co-hosts a weekly webinar entitled Marketing Essentials Unlocked, with Co-host Brain Gangel and travels extensively speaking being featured over 500 times yearly in the media. For more info visit www.lorimcneil.com.

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Success Advice

How to Alter Your Business Approach With Technological Advancements

Keeping up with technological trends has become a challenge for almost every business owner.

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altering business approach
Image Credit: Midjourney

Technology’s evolution has impacted everything, and business is no exception. Keeping up with technological trends has become a challenge for almost every business owner. Entrepreneurs unable to do so are being wiped out of the market.

There is no doubt that AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) have taken over the business world. These technological advancements are impacting decision-making, success percentages, and other entrepreneurial aspects.

Adapting to these developments is integral to business success. Let’s explore how you can accomplish these milestones.

Embed the strength of AI and ML.

AI has modified business operations in major ways. For instance, companies have employed bots for customer support. These bots go through an effective learning process via Machine Learning before being able to answer like humans.  

Bots can also perform detailed data analytics and make business moves with high success percentages.

ML is used more for the analysis of data chunks and generating successful predictions. This simply means that business owners do not have to worry about large-scale financial losses. 

In terms of deployment and usage, a reputed company like Netflix employs machine learning for decision-making.

Blockchain is increasing the count of business opportunities

Tampering of financial transactions is quite common and causes severe monetary damage to customers. With the rise of digital payments, this risk has increased. 

Blockchain is used to elevate your experience for monetary transfers. It combats penetrating events to extract confidential customer information. 

Most business sectors are using block chain but finance and supply chain management sections have a higher count. These two corporate sections have several monetary deposits and withdrawals taking place. 

In terms of percentage, approximately 72% and 5% of finance and supply chain firms have implemented block chain successfully.

Dedicate Yourself to Continuous Learning and Individual Development

You invest in learning some of the very important skills, including digital marketing, financial management, and how to gain customers as an entrepreneur.

You need to set up your knowledge base about doing business on Coursera and Udemy with the basics that are necessary for the business, building further by networking with experts through webinars.

Besides, Agile methodology will introduce elasticity to your company: this review and feedback system with further correction regularly will allow for enhancing efficiency and promptly reacting to the market.

Developing key skills to achieve goals

Running a business successfully is not only about having niche/domain knowledge. Business owners need to have communication / soft skills as well in addition to niche information.

Here are some key technical/domain-related areas that business owners should have a strong grip on.

Data Storage on Cloud: These days, companies do not store their data on physical servers. Therefore business owners should know how data is stored/edited/removed/updated via AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and other platforms.

Data Analysis/Interpretation Qualities: These days, data is as precious as gold. Business owners with data analysis abilities make correct predictions. As a result, their ventures grow in volume.

Development/Coding Knowledge

Programming knowledge gives business owners an edge whether the application is developed in-house or outsourced. It assists in getting updates deployed and handling application underperformance without getting professional support every time.

Hacking proof framework

There is no benefit of having an advanced automated system if can be penetrated. Successful business owners have above-average knowledge of cyber security and hacking attempts. They are able to choose top-notch anti-hacking software without much of an ambiguity.

Communication Abilities/Soft Skills

Here are some key communication qualities that business owners should have:

Communication/Conversation: Business owners should use to-the-point sentences in both written and oral communication.

Issue Resolution Abilities: Business owners should be able to drill down to problems and solve them. This is done successfully only if an entrepreneur has in-depth business domain knowledge.

Agile Implementations

It is mandatory for business owners to have knowledge of iterative/agile models. With such a competitive environment, it is impossible for business owners to succeed without adopting an agile framework.

Create a productive well-crafted Business Strategy

A productive business venture starts with a clear vision. The first factor making a business successful is the idea behind it. It helps with endless growth and combating competition successfully. Katherine Philips once mentioned that business goals are inevitable if goals are set concretely.

  • Goals should be based on smart achievements instead of complexity. Focus on the value that each one of them adds. 
  • Business objectives should not be vague. Key indicators should be constructed to measure the success/failure of each milestone.
  • Be realistic when setting goals. Do not aim at impossible milestones since they can be demotivating.
  • Milestones/goals need to be time-bound. Set a completion deadline for each one of them. 
  • Business goals should not be alien. Owners can think out of the box but not be obsolete / unrelated.

Create a productive well-crafted Business Strategy

Business owners cannot succeed without having a network. Some tips help in this case. Attend conferences and professional gatherings to connect with other entrepreneurs.
Here are some other related points business owners should pay attention to.

  • Attend meetings and conferences to stay updated with trends and meet business owners who already have well-set ventures. This helps in enhancing the learning curve of new / growing entrepreneurs.
  • Being a part of business communities/groups is very productive. When one shares opinions and discusses decision-making tactics, it helps in preventing errors and enhancing success rate.
  • Even the most experienced business owners have mentors as learning never stops. Take part in mentorship programs so there is an assurance that you are following the correct roadmap.

Conclusion

There is absolutely no doubt that business dimensions have evolved with technological advancements. Successful entrepreneurs have grabbed these changes in due course of time and continue to evolve. On the other hand, people following old paths and conventional steps fade out of competition. In a nutshell, keep an eye on the processes and practices you follow as these factors decide success rate.

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Success Advice

Understanding the Power of Yes and No: How to Create Boundaries For Success

These words have a significant impact on how our success unfolds

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Creating legal boundaries
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The two smallest yet most powerful words in life, “Yes” and “No,” have a big impact on our growth on both personal and professional levels. In addition to affecting the choices we make every day, these words have a significant impact on how our success unfolds. (more…)

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Motivation

From Couch Potato to Go-Getter: A Step-by-Step Motivation Plan for Everyone

By understanding what motivates you, you can turn your dreams into reality

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How to be motivated
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Are you tired of feeling like a couch potato? Do you want to transform your life and become a go-getter? You’re not alone! Many people struggle with motivation, but the good news is that change is possible. (more…)

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Success Advice

10 Micro Financial Habits for More Wealth and Peace of Mind

The World Economic Forum still reports that half of U.S. adults lack financial literacy

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micro financial habits
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You’ve heard about developing financial habits, but what about micro-financial habits? Micro habits are the tiny things you can do every day with minimal effort that, together, transform your future. (more…)

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