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  • How To Help Your Blog and Business Survive Challenging Times

    It May Be Hard, But Don’t Give Up 

    Running a small business isn’t easy, even during the best of times. According to the United States Small Business Association:

    • 30% of small businesses fail within two years
    • 50% fail within five years
    • Only 25% of businesses last 15 years or longer

    Any small business owner will tell you that running a small business is challenging. You have to manage a thousand moving pieces, ensuring that you stay on top of cash flow, employee performance, sales, marketing, and many other factors. Many owners struggle to manage all the different elements, and their business struggles as a result. 

    When circumstances get tough, running a business becomes an even greater challenge. Throughout the years, many events have occurred that placed a squeeze on businesses:

    • The Great Depression
    • World War I and World War II
    • The Cold War
    • The 2008 housing market collapse
    • The 2020 coronavirus pandemic

    During these difficult times, many small businesses folded under the pressure. They simply weren’t able to keep going. 

    But many businesses have survived these incredibly challenging circumstances. Some of them have even thrived. In the early 1920s, Prohibition prevented the sale of alcohol in the United States. As you can imagine, this made things really difficult for producers of alcohol. 

    But many companies adapted and came up with creative ways to save their businesses:

    • Yuengling made ice cream
    • Pabst made cheese
    • Coors produced dinnerware
    • Schlitz churned out chocolate
    • Stevens Point Brewery went into the soft drink business

    The point is that your business can make it through hard times. You’ll need to get creative. You’ll have to take decisive action. And you’ll need to make tough decisions. But you can do it! 

    The signature of the truly great versus the merely successful is not the absence of difficulty, but the ability to come back from setbacks, even cataclysmic catastrophes, stronger than before. Great nations can decline and recover. Great companies can fall and recover. Great social institutions can fall and recover. And great individuals can fall and recover. As long as you never get entirely knocked out of the game, there remains always hope.

    Jim Collins

    Don’t give up. There is always hope!

    In this small business survival guide, you’ll discover effective steps to take that will help your business thrive in the midst of difficult times. Doing these things won’t make things “easier,” but they could be the difference between your business surviving or dying. 

    Ready? Let’s dive in. 

    Manage Your Mindset

    If your business is struggling, it’s absolutely essential to manage your mindset. When things get tough, it’s really easy to enter a downward mental spiral. 

    You start thinking about all the circumstances that brought you to where you are. You second guess yourself, wondering whether you would be in a better place if you acted differently. You begin to doubt your abilities and whether you can ever succeed. The more you engage in these thoughts, the worse you’ll feel. 

    As you work to stabilize and turn around your business, it’s important to maintain a positive mindset. Now, to be clear, this doesn’t mean that you pretend everything is okay or bury your head in the sand. It means that you maintain faith in your ability to bring about positive outcomes. 

    A positive mindset also means that you are resolved to not give up. Keep striving to improve things and bring your business to a place of health. 

    If you’re struggling to maintain a positive mindset, remember that almost every great business leader has endured struggles similar to yours:

    • Thomas Edison failed thousands of times before he was able to develop a fully functioning lightbulb.
    • Apple almost collapsed under bankruptcy when Steve Jobs was president.
    • Bill Gates’ first business was a complete and total failure.
    • Henry Ford’s first automobile business went bankrupt within a year.

    In spite of all these difficulties, these individuals experienced great success. Why? Because they persevered and were incredibly resilient. 

    I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance. It is so hard and you pour so much of your life into this thing, there are such rough moments in time that most people give up. And I don’t blame them, it’s really tough.

    Steve Jobs

    If you want your business to succeed, you need mental toughness. You must be able to persevere in the face of difficulty and keep going even when things look bleak.

    Follow these steps to overcome a negative mindset: 

    Pay attention

    It’s easy to let negative thoughts swirl in your mind without putting up a fight. If you’re going to overcome these thoughts, you must be aware of what you’re thinking. You need to be able to identify unhelpful mental patterns as they occur. 

    Question

    As negative thoughts arise, question them. Is what you’re thinking really true? Most likely, it isn’t. Mentally push back. 

    Silence

    After you’ve questioned and answered your negative thoughts, begin to silence them. Avoid letting the same thoughts steal your mental energy. You know they’re not true, so shut them down at the start. 

     Imagine that you have a remote and that you can mute your inner critic with the touch of a button. 

    Replace

    As you shut down your inner critic, fill the silence with positive, helpful dialogue. Regularly remind yourself that you are strong, are able to overcome challenges, and are growing in the midst of difficulty. 

    As you push through problems and challenges, remember why you got into business in the first place. 

    What big problem were you passionate about solving? What motivated you to take the risk of starting a business instead of playing it safe and taking a corporate job? 

    Seek to tap into the emotions and desires that originally pushed you to create your business. They can be the driving force that helps you make tough decisions and get things back on track.Clarify the Problem

    Before you can identify a solution, it’s important to first clarify the problem. Why is your business struggling in the first place? If you don’t have clarity on the specific challenge you’re facing, you won’t know what steps to take to save your business. 

    Take some time to think about how you got to where you currently are. What happened that you didn’t anticipate? What things went wrong?

    Some common problems businesses face are:

    • Market changes. Economic factors, new technology, emerging competition, and many other things can cause the market to change. Survival requires the ability to adapt to changes as they happen. 
    • Failure to understand the target customer or market. If people aren’t interested in your product or service, there’s a good chance you don’t understand your customers or market. Dig deep to understand what people truly want and what motivates them to buy 
    • Poor pricing strategy. If your prices don’t match the customer demand, you simply won’t sell much. It’s crucial to understand what customers are willing to pay, as well as where your product sits in relation to your competitors. 
    • Insufficient funds. Not having enough money on hand will quickly tank your business. You must pay close attention to cash flow, financing, sales, and more. 
    • Too much growth. Growth is a good thing except when there’s too much of it. If your business grows too fast, you might not be able to keep up with demand. 

    Identifying key problems within your business can be a painful exercise. No one likes to be reminded of ways they’ve failed. But if you want your business to thrive during challenging times, you must be able to put your finger on the primary problems. 

    If you’re feeling sick and go to the doctor, what’s the first thing they try to do? Determine what is causing the illness. Only then can the doctor prescribe the proper treatment. If the doctor has you start taking random medications in the hope that one will work, you likely won’t get any better. 

    The same principle is true in business. You must identify the cause of the problems before you can determine the proper solution. The sooner you identify the problems, the better.

    I’ve come to see institutional decline like a staged disease: harder to detect but easier to cure in the early stages, easier to detect but harder to cure in the later stages. An institution can look strong on the outside but already be sick on the inside…Focus on Your Customers

    Jim Collins

    Before I get into details about specific actions to take, let’s look at the big picture. 

    What is at the heart of every business, including yours? Customers. 

    If you don’t have customers, you don’t have a business. When deciding what actions to take to strengthen your business, always keep your customers front and center. If you make changes that end up hurting your customers, you’re ultimately hurting yourself. You’ll lose the people who are at the very center of your business. 

    Airlines are an example of what happens when you forget about your customers. Over the last decade, airlines have gone to great lengths to cut costs and increase profits. Service declined and customers were hit with various fees they never had to pay in the past. 

    The result? Customers are getting increasingly frustrated and fed up. It seems that everyone has an airline horror story. Flying, which was once seen as a luxury, is now often considered a necessary evil. 

    The moral of the story is to always keep your customers at the top of the priority list. 

    Before making changes, consider how they will affect the customer experience. If customer experience is one of your key competitive advantages, be especially careful about changes. If you destroy one of your competitive advantages, you may end up dealing a death blow to your business. 

    If you do make changes that will directly affect the customer, communicate those clearly. Explain to the customer why you have to make the changes and the outcomes you expect. The more transparent you are with your customers, the more understanding they’ll be. 

    Neil Patel is a good example of this kind of transparency. For a number of years, he made a particular software available for free. Eventually, however, the costs became too high and he was forced to start charging for portions of the software. 

    He sent a letter to his customers, clearly explaining what was happening. He detailed his costs, making it clear that he simply didn’t have the resources to continue making everything available for free. Then he laid out exactly what would happen moving forward. 

    You would be wise to follow Neil’s example. Explain why changes are happening, when they will take effect, and how the changes will affect customers. 

    During times of global crisis, it is especially important to keep the focus on customers. 

    People will remember the actions you take. If you seek to serve your customers, even at the expense of profit, you will build up a huge amount of goodwill. 

    For example, during the coronavirus crisis, many companies sacrificed financial gain for the sake of their customers:

    • Many educational companies made their resources free to parents who were suddenly forced to homeschool their children. 
    • Audible gave away free audiobooks for kids.
    • Moz provided free courses on search engine optimization to help businesses strengthen their online presence.
    • Loom offered significant discounts on their video recording platform so people could stay in touch with family and friends.
    • Bill.com made its platform available for free for 90 days to anyone affected by the coronavirus.

    All of these companies are losing out on potential profit by giving these things away for free. But customers will remember the actions taken by these businesses and will be much more likely to support them in the future. 

    It’s about building your brand by doing good for others, instead of focusing on the bottom line.

    Bottom line: If you keep the focus on customers, there’s a much greater chance that your business will weather the tough times.

    Conduct A SWOT Analysis

    If you want to succeed as a small business owner, you must be willing to honestly evaluate how things are going. You can’t ignore problems. You can’t just hope that things get better. You must take a long and hard look at your business and then make changes based on what you see. 

    A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis provides you with a framework for analyzing your business. It helps you identify what is and isn’t working, spot potential growth opportunities, and prepare for external threats. 

    Let’s look at each aspect. 

    Strengths

    These are the things you have control over and are working well in your business. Focus on and try to develop these areas further. For example:

    • Effective sales team
    • Proprietary technology
    • Proven marketing strategy
    • Powerful systems/processes
    • Strong customer base

    Weaknesses

    These are the things that aren’t working well in your business. Your goal is to change or eliminate these things so that they don’t continue to damage your business.

    For example:

    • Ineffective marketing strategy
    • High production costs
    • Low profit margin
    • Poor customer retention
    • Ineffective internal processes

    Opportunities

    These are external factors that have the potential to benefit your business. The more you can capitalize on these opportunities, the more success you’ll have.

    For example:

    • New technology
    • Less competition
    • Fewer taxes
    • New markets
    • Improved economic environment

    Threats

    These are external factors that could possibly hurt your business. Either avoid these things or adapt to them.

    For example:

    • Increased competition
    • Changing customer preferences
    • Worsening economic conditions (recession)
    • New regulations
    • Significant technological changes

    Performing a SWOT analysis is hard work. It’s essential to be honest about the current state of things and acknowledge areas where you’re struggling. This clear-headed analysis will help you overcome your weaknesses, capitalize on your strengths, and take advantage of unique opportunities. Create Objectives and A Plan

    Once you’ve done a SWOT analysis, take what you’ve learned and put it into action. Determine the objectives you’ll pursue and create a plan for achieving those objectives. This will give you the clarity you need to move forward. 

    Start with your strengths

    How will you double down on the things you’re already doing well? Does your sales team have a high close rate? Focus on getting more prospects to the team. Do you have a large email list? Work on converting them from readers to buyers. 

    Then look at your weaknesses

    How can you change, minimize, or even eliminate these areas? Is your profit margin low? Create a plan for reducing production costs. Do you have trouble keeping customers? Develop a customer retention strategy. 

    Move on to opportunities

    Is there a new market you can move into? Can you implement a new technology that will help you be more efficient? Determine the greatest opportunities for your business and the steps you’ll take to capitalize on those opportunities. 

    Finish with threats

    How will you avoid or adapt to those things that could hurt your business? Do you need to take steps to adjust to new customer preferences? Do you need to change your pricing strategy to keep up with the competition? 

    Remember to create both objectives and a plan for how you’ll meet those objectives. It’s not enough to say, “I want to increase my profit margin.” You also need to determine the specific steps you’ll take to make that happen. 

    Your objectives need to be:

    • Measurable. You must be able to determine whether you’ve hit your objective. 
    • Achievable. Be realistic in your goal setting. Aim for things that you can actually achieve. 
    • Timely. Set a specific date by which you’ll meet your objectives. This will give you a sense of urgency. Reduce Costs

    If you want your business to survive and thrive during difficult times, you’ll likely need to reduce your costs. However, be careful and precise as you do this. Cut costs too much and your business may have a hard time recovering. Cut costs too little and you won’t free up enough cash to keep your business going.

    Follow this process to reduce your costs: 

    Start by cutting discretionary costs

    These are costs that aren’t necessary to run your business. Business lunches is a good example of a discretionary cost. 

     Yes, it may be helpful to meet clients over lunch, but it’s not necessary. You can meet them over coffee or in your office and save quite a bit. 

     Other discretionary costs include:

    • Coffee/tea for the whole office
    • The highest speed internet (switch to a lower speed)
    • Magazine subscriptions
    • Off-site events
    • Advertising

    Next, look at ways you can reduce costs but still achieve the same outcomes. For example:

    • Can you reduce travel costs by using videoconferencing technology?
    • Can you cut IT costs by using less expensive cloud software?
    • Can you reduce utility costs by finding ways to use less water or electricity?
    • Get creative when looking at these costs.

    Next, consider your office space costs

    Your landlord may be willing to lower your rent or even create a new lease for you. Explain the challenges you’re facing and the possible outcomes if you don’t make significant changes. If your landlord won’t reduce your rent, consider moving to a less expensive building.

    • If your business is small enough, you may want to think about running it out of your home, at least temporarily. This can significantly reduce insurance costs, taxes, utilities, and more.

    Also take a close look at your supply chain

    Some of your suppliers may be willing to give you discounts, especially if you’ve been a good customer and always paid on time.

    • If your current suppliers don’t offer discounts, explore alternatives. If a new supplier offers you a discount, you may be able to leverage that with your current suppliers.

    At some point, you’ll need to think about reducing staffing costs

    This is hard for every business owner. No one wants to put someone out of a job or reduce someone’s income.

    • However, if you want your business to survive, you have to be willing to make these hard decisions. Cutting staffing costs today ensures that you’ll still have a business in the future.
    • Before you lay people off, look for ways you can reduce employee hours or compensation. Obviously, you’ll need to communicate clearly with your employees. Explain why you’re cutting these things and how long you expect these measures to last. If a reduction in hours or compensation isn’t enough, you’ll have to reduce your workforce.

    Cutting costs isn’t a fun thing. You and your employees will have to make sacrifices. You’ll have to give up perks and luxuries. But it’s important to look at the big picture. 

     The actions you take today will produce results long into the future. 

    Sacrificing in the present increases the chances of your business surviving for years to come.

    Manage Your Cash Flow

    Your cash flow is what will ultimately determine whether your business survives. Every month you have cash come into your business in the form of payments from customers or clients. You also have cash going out of your business for expenses like rent, supplies, and salaries. 

    Now, to be clear, when we say “cash”, we don’t necessarily mean actual cash. We simply mean money going into and out of your bank account. 

    Not having enough incoming cash is one of the biggest reasons small businesses go under. 

    When you run out of cash, you can’t pay your bills, purchase supplies, or any of the other necessary tasks to keep things running. 

    This means you need to pay very close attention to your cash flow.

    Here’s a quick way to evaluate your cash flow:

    1. At the end of the month, add up your total sales.
    2. Total all purchases that you still must pay for.
    3. Calculate the difference.

    For example, let’s say you have $10,000 in sales. You still owe $6,000 for purchases. Your cash flow is approximately $4,000. If you have negative cash flow, you’ll need to make up the difference in the next month. The more you fall behind, the harder it is to make up the difference. 

    If you have accounting software, you should be able to create a detailed cash flow report relatively easily. 

    If you find yourself struggling with cash flow, you do have some options, such as: 

    • You can sell assets to bring in additional cash. For example, you could sell a company vehicle or a piece of machinery. 
    • You can get a working capital line of credit. You are given a set amount of credit from which you can draw when cash is tight and pay back when you have surplus cash. You only pay interest on what you borrow. For example, if you have a $10,000 line of credit and borrow $5,000, you only pay interest on the $5,000. 

    As much as possible, stay abreast of your cash flow. Send out invoices in a timely fashion and follow up with customers who fall behind on payments. Pay your own bills on time and try to plan accordingly for purchases. 

    Cash really is king.

    Meet With An Accountant

    As you work to stabilize and strengthen your business, you would be wise to meet with a certified accountant. There are a number of reasons for this. 

    First, they can help you implement money-saving tax strategies. Taxes are complicated, especially when you’re running a business. There are a number of specific actions you can take to reduce your tax burden.

    For example, you can:

    • Change the depreciation method used on your assets
    • Defer income to the following year
    • Restructure your business 
    • Maximize expense deductions

    Because tax laws are so convoluted, many of these strategies are not intuitive. An accountant can help you know what actions to take. 

    Second, an accountant may be able to help you secure financial assistance from the local, state, or federal government. 

    Because small businesses are good for the economy, many government agencies are willing to provide financial aid for struggling businesses. 

    For example, the Small Business Association offers low interest loans and grants to qualifying businesses. Some state and city government organizations also have relief programs designed to strengthen small businesses. An accountant can help you find and secure government funding for your business. 

    Finally, an accountant can help you think through critical financial decisions. 

    Many business owners struggle to absorb all the financial details about their company. This is common and nothing to be ashamed of. However, if you struggle in this way, it can make it challenging to stay abreast of important numbers like cash flow. 

    An accountant can crunch all the numbers for you and then provide you with relatively easy-to-digest reports. They can also give you guidance as you make important decisions like what costs to cut. 

    Use Low-Cost Marketing

    Marketing is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it costs money to get your company name out there. Obviously, money you spend on marketing can’t be spent on essential things like payroll and bills. On the other hand, if you stop doing marketing, you connect with fewer customers, which also decreases available funds. 

    So, what should you do when your business is struggling? Should you cut your marketing budget? Should you double down on marketing? 

    Answer: yes. 

    Use low-cost marketing to simultaneously cut your budget and increase your efforts. Traditional advertising methods such as television, radio, and billboards tend to be pretty expensive. You don’t need to use these strategies to get in front of customers. Other techniques can be just as effective at a fraction of the cost. 

    For example:

    • Regularly ask your existing clients for referrals. If you’ve provided your clients with great service, they’ll be glad to send people your way. 
    • Local business networking groups are a great way to connect with potential clients in your community. 
    • Trade fairs or business meetups allow you to connect with key individuals in your industry. 
    • Write guest blog posts for websites in your industry.  
    • Appear on podcasts that your audience listens to. 
    • Develop strategic business partnerships that foster cross-promotion (you promote them, and they promote you). 
    • Build an email list and then consistently send out valuable information to your subscribers. 
    • Sponsor local events (charitable, sporting, and more). 
    • Maintain a consistent presence on various social media platforms. 
    • Create highly targeted online advertisements. This can be done for just a few dollars per day. 
    • Develop a cold calling strategy and make calls each day. 
    • Develop relationships with influencers who may be willing to promote your products. 
    • Create an affiliate program that rewards those who promote your products. 
    • Host events or classes (locally or online). 
    • Offer to speak at local business groups, community colleges, libraries, and conferences. 
    • Create a YouTube channel where you consistently deliver valuable information. 
    • Run online contests using a platform like Gleam.io or King Sumo.
    • Offer a free trial of your product and create a process to turn those free trials into paying customers. 
    • Livestream from your workplace to show others what happens behind the scenes. 

    When it comes to marketing, you’re only limited by your imagination. 

    Get creative and step outside your comfort zone. Reach out to people you normally wouldn’t. 

    Thanks to the internet and smartphones, marketing is easier and cheaper than ever. Take advantage of the connected world in which we live. Be Persistent, Be Creative, and Pivot

    What separates businesses that fail from those that thrive? Persistence and creativity. Successful businesses persist through challenging times and come up with creative solutions to difficult challenges. They don’t give up in the face of adversity. Sometimes they even pivot to a completely different business model. 

    Polaroid is an example of a company that didn’t approach problems with persistence or creativity. They failed to pivot when it really mattered.

    As digital photography began to take over in the late 90’s, Polaroid executives continued to insist that people wanted hard copy photos. They ignored the massive issue that was staring them in the face and wouldn’t consider any other business model. 

    As a result, they were forced to file for bankruptcy in 2001. The once-great company was largely destroyed. 

    Yelp, on the other hand, used creativity and persistence to overcome difficulties. The service started as a platform for getting recommendations from friends. Even though they managed to get $1 million in funding, they couldn’t seem to get much traction. 

    They noticed, however, that people enjoyed writing reviews of local businesses. They pivoted to focus on making it easy to write reviews and the rest is history. 

    Even in the worst circumstances, there are still options.

    During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, many companies pivoted in big ways:

    • Anheuser-Busch began manufacturing hand sanitizer.
    • Hanes started producing medical masks.
    • Lyft used their huge fleet of cars to deliver medical supplies.
    • Ford used its infrastructure to make ventilators and medical face shields.
    • Farmers Restaurant Group shifted to delivering food supplies to customers.

    How can you pivot in your business, so you stay afloat and meet the demand of your clients?

    There are numerous ways you can pivot your business:

    • Utilize new sales channels. If you run a brick-and-mortar business, consider also selling online.
    • Segment your customers. 80% of your revenue comes from 20% of your customers. Instead of trying to please everyone, focus on the 20%. 
    • Focus on a feature. If you sell a product that has one particularly popular feature, focus much more heavily on that feature (like Yelp did with reviews). 
    • Change your revenue model. Historically, journalism relied heavily on subscriptions for funding. As we’ve moved into the internet era, many have pivoted to relying on advertising. 
    • Change your pricing and positioning. If you can’t compete with someone on price, compete on quality, or vice versa. 
    • Adopt new technology. New tech can help you reach more customers. For example, if you’re a tutoring company, using a platform like Zoom allows you to communicate with people virtually. 

    The reality is that every business faces challenges. Technology is constantly changing. The market is always in flux to some degree. New competitors regularly emerge. 

    These difficulties don’t need to sink your business. Don’t give up. Persistence produces success.

    The path out of darkness begins with those exasperatingly persistent individuals who are constitutionally incapable of capitulation. It’s one thing to suffer a staggering defeat – as will likely happen to every enduring business and social enterprise at some point in its history – and entirely another to give up on the values and aspirations that make the protracted struggle worthwhile. Failure is not so much a physical state as a state of mind; success is falling down, and getting up one more time, without end. 

    Jim Collins

    If you fall, get back up. Again, and again. Take Action Today

    If you want your business to survive the storms, you must take effective action immediately. Avoid just trying to wait it out, hoping things will get better. As is commonly said, hope is not a strategy.

    It is the doers who are successful: those who confront the challenge head on, map out a strategy for change, and begin acting on that strategy. 

    We’ve talked about numerous steps that will strengthen your business:

    • Manage your mindset.
    • Clarify the problem.
    • Focus on customers.
    • Conduct a SWOT analysis.
    • Create objectives and a plan.
    • Reduce costs.
    • Use low-cost marketing.
    • Be persistent and creative.

    Each of these steps requires work. You must be willing to dig into your business to figure out what isn’t working. Create a clear plan of attack that you will diligently follow. You have to make hard decisions about what costs to cut and get creative with low-cost marketing. 

    If you take action on these things, you will dramatically increase the odds of your survival. You will tip the scales in your favor. 

    ..never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.

    Winston Churchill

    It was that never-say-die attitude that helped Britain stay afloat in the face of incredible difficulties. 

    The same attitude will keep your business afloat as well. 

  • Side Hustles You Can Earn From Home

    10 Sideline Sources of Income That You Can Earn From Home

    Do you have some extra time to kill and need another source of income? There are several ways to generate a secondary source of income without leaving the comfort of your own home. It’s surprising how many home employment opportunities exist. Anyone with a few hours to spare can earn extra money.

    Check out these ways to stay at home and earn money in your free time:

    Freelancing

    With the capabilities of the internet and associated technologies, working from home is a snap. Whether your talent is writing, graphics, building websites, or voiceover work, there’s no end to the amount of work available for a freelancer.

    No matter what your skills might be, there’s someone out there looking for you. Check out one of the many freelance websites to get started.

    Telemarketing

    Any place with a telephone is suitable for your telemarketing headquarters. It’s a job that few enjoy, so there are usually employers looking for callers. If you have a pleasant voice and can deal with rejection, telemarketing can be an easy and flexible way to earn some money.

    Grow and sell vegetables

    Okay, you might have to leave home to do this. On the other hand, you might be able to convince someone else to sell them for you at the local farmer’s market. Seeds are very inexpensive. Mother Nature will take care of the rest, minus weeding.

    Make scrapbooks

    Not everyone has the skill to make a custom scrapbook. Create scrapbooks for those who are unable or unwilling to do it themselves. A few supplies are all you need to get started.

    Begin with offering your scrapbooking service to family, friends, and neighbors. You might be able to generate enough referrals to stay busy without additional advertising.

    Data Entry

    Most jobs pay for each entry rather than by the hour. It’s a great job if you have a few spare minutes here and there. It’s super flexible and can work around any schedule. With focus and fast fingers, you can generate a reasonable income.

    Tutoring

    Part-time tutors can make $30 or more per hour. You might have to brush up on your geometry or Latin, but tutoring can be a lucrative way to spend your free time.

    Translate

    Are you skilled in a second language? There are many opportunities to translate conversations and documents. While certifications are required to translate for large companies and government agencies, they’re totally unnecessary for translating a love letter or a conversation on Skype.

    Rent out a room

    If you have the space to spare, rent out a room. A good roommate can be a blessing and help you cover the bills. It might help your social life, too.

    Host a party

    There are parties for Tupperware, candles, and numerous other types of products. While these parties are typically held in the homes of others, host the parties yourself.

    You could also allow your friends to use your home as a party location, and then keep a percentage of the profits.

    Sell ad space on a personal blog

    Create a blog and then sell ads on your website. You can sell the ad space directly or sign up with Google Adsense. With Google, they’ll post relevant ads for you, and you’ll receive money whenever someone clicks on the ad.

    Whether you’re in financial pain or just need an activity to fill your spare time, a secondary or part-time source of income could be the solution. Someone almost certainly has a need that fits your skill set perfectly. Find them and provide your services. It might be the most enjoyable money you’ll ever earn.

    Sometimes you just need to make a little extra cash. You’ve got extra bills to pay. Maybe a kid is going to college and you need tuition money. Maybe you want to take your family on a special vacation. 

    Whatever the reason, you want to make a few extra dollars. 

    But it’s not quite that simple, right? 

    Do you pick up a part-time job? That’s pretty tough to do if you’re already working full-time. 

    Do you sell some of your possessions? I suppose that’s an option, but probably not the best one. 

    Do you enter the lottery and hope for a great stroke of luck? Probably not. 

    So what are you to do? 

    Thankfully, the internet has fundamentally changed how we make money. 

    Now, there are dozens of ways to make extra cash through a variety of online techniques. We’re no longer forced to take traditional jobs in order to make money. 

    If you can imagine a way to make money, you can probably do it online. 

    But frankly, it can be intimidating to think about trying to make money online, especially if you’ve never done it before. The internet is huge and trying to sort through all the options can feel terrifying.

    If this describes you, then this article is just what you need

    12 effective ways to make money online

    Some of these methods will be more lucrative than others. Some will require more work than others. 

    Some of these money-making methods can even turn into full-time jobs. 

    But they all are proven, sound ways to make money online. 

    One thing that’s important to note before we get started: None of the methods that follow are get-rich-quick schemes. These are real, sustainable ways to make money. All of them require actual effort and investment of time. 

    There are no shortcuts. 

    No hacks to make you ridiculous sums of money every day. 

    These are all real jobs that pay real money. 

    There’s no such thing as an online get-rich-quick scheme.

    Ryan Robinson

    Most of the quick ways people talk about when it comes to making money online are not true businesses.

    Sure, some of them may be good for creating a few hundred or even thousand dollars in one-time revenue. But they’re not going to help you unlock financial freedom and achieve complete control of your lifestyle.

    That’s really good advice. Don’t fall for get-rich-quick online schemes. They almost never pan out. 

    Instead, go for the proven, sustainable ways of making an online income. That’s what this book is all about.

    Ready? 

    Let’s dive in. 

    Method #1:

    Affiliate Marketing

    Affiliate marketing is an outstanding way to get started making money online. The bar to entry is relatively low and you can get started with it right away. 

    Essentially, affiliate marketing works like this:

    • You promote an online product or service created by someone else.
    • If some purchases a product or service through your promotion, you get a commission, or portion of the sale.

    Typically, you promote the online product through a special link that is connected to you. That way the company knows that the sale came through your promotion. 

    Amazon Affiliates is a simple example of affiliate marketing. Once you sign up for their affiliate program, you can promote ANY product on Amazon. If someone clicks on your affiliate link and then purchases the product, you get a small portion of that sale. 

    There are numerous other affiliate networks, such as:

    These affiliate programs have thousands of products to choose from, including ones from top retailers GoPro, Barnes & Noble, Lowes, and many more. 

    You might be thinking, This sounds great, but how exactly do I promote these products? 

    There are numerous ways to promote the products. Really, you’re only limited by your imagination. 

    You can…

    • Write reviews of products on your blog and include affiliate links
    • Have banner ads on your website promoting the products
    • Post affiliate links on social media
    • Promote products to your email list

    For example, you could write a blog post about the top 10 hiking shoes. Or you could have a banner ad featuring hiking shoes on your website. Or you could post links to deals on hiking shoes on Facebook or Twitter. Or you could let your email list know about a great deal on hiking shoes. 

    If you have an audience, whether that be on social media or through a website, you have the opportunity to make money through affiliate marketing. 

    One of the reasons affiliate marketing is such a great way to make money online is that you don’t have to actually create any products. You’re simply selling what someone else already created. 

    You’re a promoter, and if someone purchases through your promotion, you make money. Creating your own products can be tremendously difficult, and affiliate marketing removes that difficulty from the equation. 

    The best affiliate marketers can make thousands of dollars each month through their efforts.

    Method #2:

    Sell Products Online

    There are numerous ways to sell products online (even if you don’t manufacture one yourself). 

    Before you can sell products online, you’ll need a website on which to sell them. If you don’t want to set up your own ecommerce store, you can easily sell products on:

    If you want to sell products on your own website, you’ll need to go one step further and create an ecommerce website on which you can list your products and accept payments. 

    Thankfully, companies like Shopify make it incredibly easy to set up an ecommerce store. In a relatively short time, you can have an online store up and running, ready to sell products and get paid for them. 

    What sorts of products should you sell online? 

    1. First, you can sell home-made products you make yourself on sites like Etsy. If you’re the crafty type and are able to make a product that others would purchase, Etsy can be a great option. The top Etsy sellers make thousands of dollars every month.
    2. You can also sell products you’ve already purchased on sites like eBay, Amazon, and Poshmark. For example, let’s say you like to go to thrift stores. You can find great products to sell on eBay at thrift stores if you’re willing to do a little hunting. Like Etsy, the top eBay sellers (and other sites) can make thousands each month. 
    3. You also have the option of dropshipping products. Dropshipping works a little different than the standard way of selling products online. With dropshipping, you find a product that is available online for a relatively inexpensive amount.

    You list that product on your own ecommerce store for a higher amount. When you make a sale, you keep the markup amount. The maker of the product then sends the product directly to the buyer without you ever touching it.

    To be clear, you act as a middleman, connecting the buyer and the seller and then taking a portion of the sale. You don’t ship any products. You just sell them at a markup and then let the maker of the product ship them.

    If you’re trying to find good products for dropshipping, AliExpress is a great place to start. With Shopify, you can create a store that connects directly to AliExpress to make it easy to sell products.

    If you’re really committed to selling products online, you can have a product manufactured. 

    This involves a significant investment of time and money and requires following a number of somewhat complicated steps. The complex nature of creating your own product is beyond the scope of this book. 

    Out of all these options, selling products on sites like eBay and Etsy is probably the simplest way to get started making money online. If you can find products to sell, such as at thrift stores or garage sales, you can start making money relatively quickly. 

    Method #3: 

     Sell Your Services on a Freelance Basis

    There’s a good chance that you have certain skills that you can sell online on a freelance basis. 

    For example, are you a…

    • Designer
    • Writer
    • Translator
    • Assistant
    • Bookkeeper
    • SEO Expert
    • Voiceover Artist
    • Audio Engineer
    • And more 

    If so, then you can sell your services online. There are literally hundreds of thousands of businesses that need these services and you can make good money working for them. 

    Depending on your skill set and your ability to pitch new clients, you can make a full-time living as a freelancer. Some freelancers even make six-figures every year. 

    In order to get started freelancing, you’ll need to do a few things: 

    1. Create a portfolio that shows off your work. The reality is that most businesses will want to see an example of your work if they’re going to hire you. They want to be confident that they’re hiring the right person. A portfolio shows that you’ve already done solid work.
    2. Set your prices. There are numerous ways to set prices, including by the hour, by the project, or as a retainer fee. Set your prices at what you consider to be a fair amount and be confident in that amount as you talk to potential clients.
    3. Reach out to potential clients. There are numerous ways to connect with potential clients. You can:
    • Call them
    • Email them
    • Reach out to them on social platforms like LinkedIn
    • Apply for jobs on sites like Upwork and Thumbtack
    • List your services on platforms like Fiverr

    Getting a freelance career started isn’t necessarily the easiest way to make money, but if you’re diligent about finding and applying for jobs, you can turn it into a profitable gig relatively quickly. 

    The key to succeeding in the freelance world is persistence. You may have to overcome a number of “No’s” in order to get to a “Yes.” But if you’re persistent and able to overcome objections, you should be able to start making consistent money as a freelancer. 

    Method #4:

     Become an Online Coach

    This is somewhat similar to freelancing but with a bit of a different flavor. 

    If you have significant knowledge in a particular industry or area of expertise, you can package your knowledge and sell it. In other words, you’re selling your expertise as opposed to a product or service. 

    What sort of coach could you become? The options are endless. You could be a: 

    • Health coach
    • Life coach
    • Music/vocal coach
    • Finances coach
    • Executive coach
    • Sales coach
    • And so much more

    In order to be a coach, you only need to be able to add a high amount of value to your clients. You need to be able to help them become consistently better at what they do. You need to be able to help them improve their craft in ways that they couldn’t if you weren’t there to help them. 

    There are also a number of ways to package coaching services. You can offer:

    • 1-on-1 coaching
    • Group coaching
    • A course with accompanying coaching support
    • Or other formats that would work for your field 

    You might be thinking, But I’m not an expert in anything. How could I be a coach? 

    You don’t have to be an expert to be a coach. You simply have to be able to add significant value to your clients. 

    For example, let’s say that you want to be a health coach. You don’t need to be a registered dietician in order to help people get healthy. Does that help? Sure. But it’s not a requirement. 

    Maybe you simply have a lot of experience in the health field and have developed your own particular system for getting healthy. Or maybe you’re a longtime fitness lover and have accumulated a large amount of fitness knowledge. 

    You may not be an expert in the sense that you don’t have a degree, but you’ve still acquired expertise through your many years of experience. 

    There are a number of platforms that make it easy to do coaching: 

    All these platforms make it easy to connect with clients and to receive payment for your coaching services. 

    Method #5: 

     Create Online Courses

    Online courses are a fantastic way to monetize knowledge that you already have. And unlike coaching, which requires regular meetings with a small number of clients, you can sell your course to hundreds, if not thousands of people. 

    The good news is that you can create a course around almost any subject and find people to purchase it.

    For example, you can find courses in many topics, such as: 

    • Losing weight
    • Learning to play the piano
    • Painting
    • Singing
    • Creating a budget
    • Investing in stocks
    • Running
    • Tennis

    The list goes on and on. In order to create a course, you need a platform to distribute it.

    There are many ways to create and distribute a course: 

    • You can create an email course in which all the lessons are delivered via email.
    • You can build a course that’s primarily text-based and involves more reading.
    • You can create a video course where you film yourself teaching.
    • You can create a hybrid text/video course that features a variety of resources. 

    You simply need a method for getting your lessons into the hands of your eager students. 

    There are a number of platforms which make it very easy to create courses, enroll students, and accept payments, such as:

    All of these platforms allow you to upload a variety of materials, including video, audio, and text. 

    One way to get a great feel for what a course should look like is to take a few courses yourself. Udemy offers thousands of courses for relatively low prices. Consider taking a few courses in your niche for ideas about what to include in your own course. 

    Method #6: 

     Create YouTube Videos

    Believe it or not, YouTube is actually a relatively good way to make money online. It takes work and time to build up your subscriber base, but once you do, you can monetize it effectively. 

    How do you make money through YouTube videos? The simplest way is by implementing their advertising program. 

    If you have over 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of view time over the past 12 months, you can have YouTube show ads before your videos. For every 1,000 views a video gets, you’ll make on average somewhere between $2-$4. 

    Granted, this may not seem like a lot, but YouTube is a numbers game

    For example, let’s say that you have 100 videos and each video gets 5,000 views per month. That works out to somewhere between $1,000 – $2,000 per month. Imagine if your videos started going viral and getting millions of views!

    When creating YouTube videos, your content will probably fall into one of two categories:

    Educational. 

    These videos educate viewers in some way. Maybe you offer a tutorial on how to solve a commonly-encountered problem. Maybe you educate people on an important subject. Your goal is simply to provide valuable, insightful information to your viewers.

    Entertainment. 

    These videos are much more lighthearted and are intended to bring a smile to the face of your viewers. There are endless ways to entertain people, and if you can come up with a particularly good one, you may be able to rack up thousands of views on a video.

    Once you start producing YouTube videos, you need to work on consistently growing your channel (you need to break that 1,000-subscriber mark). 

    Some simple, yet effective ways to grow your channel include:

    • Sharing your videos on social media
    • Posting your videos to your website
    • Sending your videos to your email list
    • Asking others to subscribe to your channel

    In many ways, growing a YouTube channel is like growing a blog. It takes time and consistency.

    If you post one video per month, you probably won’t get much traction. However, if you post once or twice a week and consistently promote those videos, you’ll slowly but surely build your channel. The more subscribers you get, the more views you’ll rack up and the more money you’ll make. 

    Method #7:

     Write and Sell a Book

    Another highly effective way to monetize your knowledge is to write and sell a book. In addition to making money with every sale, writing a book has a number of other specific benefits:

    • It establishes you as a thought leader in your industry.
    • It provides you with a resource to give to clients.
    • It allows you to attract new clients who wouldn’t have heard of you otherwise.

    Once you’ve written your book, you’ll need to get a cover design and have the book printed. 

    You can get it printed on demand with each sale through Amazon CreateSpace, and you can easily get a cover designed through Upwork or Fiverr. 

    Alternatively, if you want to design the cover yourself, you can use software like Canva. 

    After your book is written, it’s important to promote it. 

    Some simple ways to promote your book include: 

    • Post about it on your website.
    • Send an announcement to your email list.
    • Create shareable graphics with quotes from the book (using Canva).
    • Share insights from the book on social media.
    • Create a video promoting the book and share it on YouTube and other platforms.

    Can you make good money selling books you wrote? You sure can. Let’s say you charge $7 per book and you sell 1,000 copies. That’s $7,000 (minus costs)! 

    Method #8: 

    Start a Blog

    If you have a knack for writing, blogging can be an effective way to make money online.

    To be clear, blogging in and of itself doesn’t pay (unless you’re doing it for someone else on a freelance basis). However, there are numerous ways to monetize a blog. In other words, there are a variety of ways you can turn your blog into a money-making machine. 

    How can you make money with a blog?

    Here are some of the most effective ways: 

    Affiliate marketing

    By regularly promoting affiliate products on your blog, as well as writing reviews of affiliate products, you can make a significant number of commissions. These can add up quickly, resulting in thousands of dollars per month.

    Promote your services

    A blog can be one of the most effective promotional tools for your business.

    • For example, let’s say you’re a health coach. By regularly writing posts about health, you establish yourself as a health expert. This will attract new clients, resulting in an influx of cash.

    Advertisements

    Like YouTube, you can put advertisements throughout your blog. Platforms like Google AdSense make it incredibly easy to put ads on your blog. You don’t even have to worry about finding advertisers. They do all the hard work for you.

    With many advertising platforms, you get paid based on how many people see the ads. The bigger your audience, the more people see your ads and the more money you make.

    Other platforms pay you each time someone clicks on the ad.

    Still other platforms pay you when you make a sale, so it’s really affiliate marketing in this case.

    Or, you could charge a company daily, weekly, or monthly fees to show their ad on your blog.

    Sponsored posts

    Sponsored posts are when you partner with a brand to create original content for your website. The content is typically somehow related to the brand and promotes the brand in a unique way. In return for posting on your blog, the brand pays you a set amount. 

    Before you get started with blogging, it’s important to note that monetizing a blog requires an audience.

    If no one reads your blog, you can’t make money from it. However, if you have a large number of people who read it on a regular basis, you can make a significant amount of money. 

    If you don’t have an audience right away, don’t fret. By blogging consistently and then sharing those posts online through social media, you can slowly but steadily build your audience. 

    With blogging, consistency is the key.

    If you want to build an audience, it’s critical that you create outstanding material on a consistent basis. 

    Method #9: 

     Become a Virtual Assistant

    This is similar to selling your services on a freelance basis but with a bit more specificity. 

    A virtual assistant is someone who performs a large variety of tasks for a person. 

    Unlike a normal assistant, who works in close physical proximity to the person, you don’t need to be anywhere near the person you’re assisting. All the tasks are given to you online. 

    Hence the term, virtual assistant. 

    With many business owners being overwhelmed by the number of tasks they have to do each day, the virtual assistant market is heating up. 

    If you’re organized, can effectively get tasks done, and are able to communicate efficiently online, then you might make an outstanding virtual assistant. 

    What sorts of tasks might you perform as an assistant?

    They run the gamut, including:

    • Responding to emails on behalf of your employer
    • Purchasing items online 
    • Performing small personal tasks 
    • Making phone calls
    • Inputting, sorting, and arranging data
    • Managing a social media profile
    • Responding to inquiries
    • And more

    Anything that can be digitally outsourced can be handled by a virtual assistant. 

    Where should you look for virtual assistant gigs?

    In many of the same places that you look for other freelance jobs:

    Being a virtual assistant isn’t for everyone. You must be comfortable performing a large variety of tasks and have a willing attitude. However, if you’re a capable person who has a knack for checking off tasks, being a virtual assistant could be a great fit. 

    Method #10: 

    Tutor People in English

    If you have a knack for teaching and love to regularly meet with people, tutoring people in English could be a great way for you to make money online. 

    This is different from teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), which typically requires some form of certification. Rather, this is simply acting as a tutor to those who are trying to strengthen their English-speaking skills. 

    There are numerous countries in which people are willing to pay for an English tutor, sometimes as much as $25/hour. 

    How can you know if teaching English would be a good fit for you?

    Having these skills will help:

    • Have a solid grasp of English grammar
    • Understand the nuances of speaking English
    • Have a bachelor’s degree (typically required)
    • Can communicate clearly
    • Have the ability to teach 
    • Enjoy talking with others
    • Are patient (this is critical)
    • Are comfortable using technology like Skype

    There are a number of places where you can find online English tutoring jobs:

    One benefit of tutoring people in English is that it exposes you to a variety of cultures and places you would never experience otherwise. One day you may tutor someone from Korea, while another day you may tutor someone from Saudi Arabia. 

    Method #11: 

    Sell Stock Photos

    Do you love taking photos? Are you always snapping away with your phone or camera? You might be a great candidate for selling stock photos online. 

    Stock photos are photos that are licensed to others for a fee. Once someone licenses a photo, they can use it in a variety of ways, such as on their blog or social media pages or in print. 

    Stock photo sites, such as iStock and Shutterstock allow you to submit your photos to their site. Every time someone buys one of your photos, you get a small royalty. 

    Like YouTube, making money on stock photo sites is a numbers game. If you only have a few photos available for download, you probably won’t make much money (unless they’re incredibly popular photos). 

    However, if you have thousands of photos available for download, and you achieve several thousand downloads per month, you can begin making a substantial amount of income. 

    If you want to make money through a site like Shutterstock or iStock, get busy taking photos. 

    As Shutterstock says:

    When it comes to stock photography, quality is definitely important, but you also need to focus on quantity. We recommend setting a monthly goal for yourself (i.e. 50 to 100 images), so that you build momentum with your earnings. The more images you have in your portfolio, the more consistent your revenue stream will be. 

    For your best results, the photos you take should be of the highest quality. If you want people to download your photos, it’s important for them to be compelling, interesting, and outstanding.

    One other thing to note: Avoid showing any specific brands in your photos unless you have explicit permission to do so. Putting brands in your photos without permission is a copyright violation. 

    Method #12: 

     Do Odd Jobs on TaskRabbit

    TaskRabbit is a website that allows you to do all sorts of odd jobs. 

    Want to help someone pack up and move their house? You can do that through TaskRabbit. 

    Do you know how to assemble a table? You could earn anywhere between $50 – $150 doing so. 

    Are you passionate about cleaning? You could earn anywhere between $50 – $125 for cleaning bathrooms and kitchens.

    The beauty of TaskRabbit is the sheer number of jobs available through the site. And all jobs can be easily managed through their app. 

    You may think that you can’t effectively earn much money by performing tasks through TaskRabbit. This isn’t the case. 

    Time Magazine reported that some people earn as much as $2,000 per week through TaskRabbit. 

    TaskRabbit is a particularly good option if you’re skilled in a variety of things and want to put all those skills to work. For example, if you’re a skilled handyman but don’t want to start your own business, TaskRabbit can supply the jobs for you. 

    One person who works for TaskRabbit on a regular basis had this to say:

    I have the freedom to do everything I want to do. I live on a boat, and I started doing a major maintenance project on it. I can’t imagine getting a job and within a month or two pulling the boat out of the water and undertaking this project. Also, there’s always a last-minute friend gathering, and not every job can accommodate that.

    If you want flexibility plus the ability to make some money, you might want to look at TaskRabbit. 

    The Money Is Out There 

    We live in an incredibly unique time. You no longer have to work for a company in order to make money. You don’t have to work a 9-5 job, sit in a cubicle, or clock in and out. 

    If you want freedom and flexibility, you can have it. You can make money on your schedule, doing the jobs you want to do. 

    Want to travel the world while still making money? You can do that. 

    Want to make a little income on the side while you stay at home with your children? You can do that too. 

    Want to build a full-time career as a freelance writer or blogger? That’s also an option. 

    The ways you can make money online are almost endless. You’re only limited by your imagination. 

    I’ve talked about:

    • Affiliate marketing
    • Selling products online
    • Selling your services as a freelancer
    • Becoming an online coach
    • Creating online courses
    • Creating YouTube videos
    • Writing and selling a book
    • Starting a blog
    • Becoming a virtual assistant
    • Tutoring English
    • Selling stock photos
    • Doing odd jobs on TaskRabbit

    However, I’ve only scratched the surface of what’s available out there.

    If you can imagine it, you can make money doing it. All that’s required is some hustle. If you want to succeed in making money online, you must be self-disciplined and put in the required work. 

    So, don’t wait any longer. Get out there already and start making some money!

  • Calm Your Kids Without Using Electronics

    How Do You Calm Your Kids Without Shoving An iPad In Their Face?

    Pulling out the tablet is often the easiest thing to do when your child starts to fuss. I know how challenging it is. But, it’s better in the long run if you handle these situations differently now.

    We’ve all heard the doctor’s recommendations about limiting screen time for kids (although its way harder to implement in real life. Am I right?) But the context matters just as much.

    The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against relying exclusively on media devices to calm children. It may hinder their ability to learn how to manage their emotions on their own.

    Honestly, these things are bound to backfire on us anyway. So why keep using them? Studies have shown that playing games and watching videos for extended amounts of time contributes to behavior issues. Including but not limited to- hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and difficulties with paying attention.

    ADHD anyone? I’m convinced that kids are being misdiagnosed every day but that’s another discussion for another day.

    Related: End The Power Struggles With Your Kids

    So. What’s a parent to do when kids are bored at home or about to throw a tantrum at the supermarket? Let’s get to the nitty-gritty and share what works for me:

    What To Do WITH Your Child

    Limiting screen time can be tough when you’re surrounded by devices at home and away.

    Be prepared with a variety of technology-free options that you can use:

    Be Empathetic

    Give your child your full attention when they need to talk with you. If circumstances prevent that, let them know you want to sit down together as soon as possible. Validate their feelings even if you disapprove of their behavior.

    Let Them Cry It Out

    Teach your child that strong emotions are natural. Give them a chance to find their own solutions. They’re likely to settle down faster if YOU stay calm.

    Arrange Playdates and Movement-Based Activities

    Solo screen time sometimes crowds out the social experiences that are essential to your child’s development. Encourage your child to hang out with friends and participate in after school activities.

    Give Them a Chore Chart

    In addition to teaching responsibility, routine tasks can be soothing. Structure, schedules, and repetition support a child’s development. Prepare meals together or assign each child a day to vacuum, etc.

    Related: This is what you’re doing to your kids when you’re inconsistent

    Related: This is why a routine is important

    Read Books

    Brain scans show that reading is associated with the superior structure in white matter cells responsible for learning. Keep books around the house and use your library card. At least 15 minutes a day will make ALL the difference.

    Go Outdoors

    Nature and exercise both relieve stress. Take a family bicycle trip or play catch in your backyard.

    Make Crafts

    Expressing creativity is another way to relax. Browse online for project ideas and repurpose household materials like fabric and gift-wrapping paper. Pinterest, anyone?

    Encourage Mindfulness

    Introduce your children to meditation and yoga. Walk around your living room slowly chanting happy words. Do simple stretches and breathing exercises. If you prefer prayer, use that instead or a combination of both!

    Enforce Bedtimes

    Children engaged in excessive screen time tend to go to bed later, fall asleep slower, and get fewer hours of sleep each night, according to The National Sleep Foundation. Set a curfew for turning off electronic devices at least two hours before bedtime.

    What To Do For Yourself

    Your children pay more attention to your actions than your words. Consider how your daily habits affect your children, so you can provide a positive role model.

    Try these:

    Give Your Undivided Attention

    Your time and attention are the most valuable things you can give to your children. Plan family activities and one-on-one outings. Staying connected will help your child to feel safe and calm.

    Related: The Right (& easy) Way To Listen To Your Child

    Slow Down

    What are the mornings like at your house? Children are more likely to cooperate when you plan for enough time to avoid rushing around.

    Design a Family Plan

    Create a “family contract” for media use in your home. Agree to basic rules for using electronic devices, so you can make technology your ally.

    Educational cartoon shows, movies, and games can be fine in moderation. However, teaching your children to manage their emotions and entertain themselves offline will prepare them for a healthier and happier life in the future.

  • 9 Easy Tips To Create Pretty Pins That Convert

    If you want to create pins on Pinterest that get SEEN, follow these 9 simple steps below.

    Bold Headings

    Use bold headings in your pins that are large and stand out. Don’t know what a heading is? A heading would typically be the same as or similar to your blog post title. BUT, it certainly doesn’t have to be the same! I encourage you to make multiple pins with different headings. So, for example, if you had:

    “An amazing chicken soup recipe” to share- your heading might look like this:

    “The tastiest chicken soup you’ve ever had!” OR “A simple hearty chicken soup recipe.”

    Use Subheadings

    Pins with subheadings almost always get better engagement. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s because it gives the reader a little bit more information about the article or it gives you a chance to use those power and emotional words. It gets people to click, so either way, you want to use them whenever you can.

    An easy way to do this is to put one sentence into parentheses or use an arrow icon element to “point” to your sentence (which should be one-two sentences long). So, continuing from my last example of the “tastiest chicken noodle soup recipe ever”, your subheading might look like this:

    “(& it’s really simple to make!)” OR “(+ we use super simple ingredients!)”

    Entice & Engage

    One of the most important things to keep in mind when designing pins is to make sure that you’re engaging your ideal reader. You want the entirety of your pin to look enticing. So, for each pin this will look different. Sometimes you’ll focus on eye catching images. Other times, your copy may be the most important thing. Either way you want to make sure that you’re catching your readers attention. (Ideally, your pin will do/have all of these things)

    Eye Poppers

    One of the best design hacks to increase engagement is shadows. This is incredibly underused and understated. The easiest way to make your images or text stand out on your pin is to underline the text with an “outline text” or shadow that will make the text stand out even more. For images, this would look like a shape or a splash or any other kind of element that will go behind the photo to make your pictures stand out and POP.

    Related: Editable Pinterest Canva Template Bundle

    Copywriting Tips

    The easiest way to increase clicks on your pins is to use the right words. I can’t stress this enough but using the right words in the right way is one of the best ways to ensure that you’re speaking to your person. You want to use the same words and terminology that your reader uses. Aren’t aware of how your ideal reader speaks? Find out where they “hang out” and snoop around. Read the struggles they’re sharing and inject some of those same words into your copy, your pins.

    Word of Caution

    This doesn’t exactly relate to designing pretty pins but it’s really important to creating pins that convert, so I wanted to include it here. If you write about touchy topics or topics that typically render professional advice- be sure to avoid using those “medical” red light terms. So, for example, if you are a mental health blogger and you’re not a certified counselor, I would caution using terms like- “depression” on your pins. Instead you might use the words, “down” or “sad”. Pinterest filters out content that yields professional advice because it doesn’t want to circulate bad, incorrect, or unsafe data. A hidden or suppressed Pinterest pin won’t convert. Avoid medical/health words!

    Related: How-To Create Beautiful Pin Images In Canva The Easy Way

    Who Are You Talking To?

    When you’re designing your pin-decide how you’re going to address your reader. HOW you address them will change the feel of the words on your pins. I always recommend creating at least five pins per post and this is one of the reasons why. You should create pins with different angles on your copy. Let me explain.

    Think of it this way:

    • I/Me

    For this pin, the wording (copy) on your pin is focused on YOUR experience, thoughts, opinions, etc. You are the “focus.” Continuing from my previous example of chicken noodle soup. (I have no idea why I went this route hahaha. Ya girl loves to eat, so there’s that)

    It would look like: “My favorite chicken noodle recipe” OR “The best chicken noodle soup I’ve ever tried.”

    • You

    Here, is where the text and headlines of your pin focus on THE READER. Now, you handed that baton over and the spotlight is on them. Here is where you make them feel special. So you’ll be focusing on their experiences and them as a person. The headline of our pin would look like:

    “You will LOVE this easy chicken noodle soup recipe” OR “You won’t believe how easy this recipe is”

    • Us/We

    The tone of the “us and we” pin is a COLLECTIVE one. In this pin, you’ll talk as a group. A tribe. You and them. We. This type of pin creates unity, empathy, and understanding. Like a “we get it” vibe. That’s us!

    Here’s an example: “A quick & delicious chicken noodle soup we can make that our families will love”

    • Them

    This one is the judger. Outing others, drawing lines in the sand. It’s you and your reader against someone else or another tribe. Check out the example below:

    “The chicken noodle soup recipe we love but they’ll hate because it isn’t organic” Perdue anyone?

    User Intent

    When you’re designing your pins you always want to keep the end goal in mind. The user intent. What do you want your reader to do? What “thing” do you want them to complete? An easy way to remember this is CTA. Which is short for “call to action.” Every pin should have a call to action (CTA). Basically something or somewhere you want your reader to go and do.

    This may seem like a lot at first, but I promise it gets easier and you’ll get the hang of it in no time!

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