What I Eat to Feel Less Inflamed, Less Tired, and Less Like Fighting Everybody

If you’re bloated, irritable, tired for no reason, and one inconvenient email away from setting your laptop on fire—you might be dealing with inflammation. I know I was.

As a DC-based foodie and wellness content creator, I had to learn the hard way that feeling better doesn’t always mean eating less. Sometimes it means eating smarter. So here’s what I eat (regularly!) to feel less inflamed, more energized, and way less likely to cuss somebody out over Wi-Fi.

1. Warm, Nourishing Breakfasts (Yes, Before Coffee)

• Why it helps: Stabilizes blood sugar and supports hormone health first thing in the morning

• What I eat:

  • Scrambled eggs with spinach and sweet potato

  • Oatmeal with chia seeds, flax, cinnamon, and a scoop of almond butter

  • Herbal tea or lemon water before any caffeine

Skipping breakfast is cute until your cortisol starts wildin’. Eat first.

2. Omega-3 Rich Lunches That Actually Fill Me Up

• Why it helps: Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory and help regulate mood + hormone function

• What I eat:

  • Salmon bowl with quinoa, cucumber, avocado, and tahini drizzle

  • Tuna on gluten-free toast with arugula and a soft-boiled egg

  • Leftover roasted veggies tossed in olive oil + lemon juice

I call these “don’t talk to me until I’ve eaten” lunches. Works every time.

3. Snacks That Don’t Spike My Blood Sugar

• Why it helps: Keeps energy steady and prevents the crash that turns me into a gremlin by 3pm

• What I eat:

  • Handful of walnuts or Brazillian nuts

  • Geek yogurt with berries, cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey

  • Green apple slices with almond butter

If it comes in a crinkly bag and ends in -itos, I can’t be trusted.

4. Dinner That Comforts Without Knocking Me Out

• Why it helps: Balancing blood sugar at night = better sleep, less bloat, and no late-night spirals

• What I eat:

  • Turkey lettuce wraps with garlic-ginger sauce + sautéed mushrooms

  • Lentil stew with kale, turmeric, and coconut milk

  • Baked chicken thighs with roasted root veggies

I don’t need dinner to be cute. I need it to ground me.

5. My Anti-Inflammatory All-Stars

These foods stay in heavy rotation:

• Berries (especially blueberries + raspberries)

• Turmeric + black pepper

• Leafy greens like kale + arugula

• Olive oil, flax oil

• Green tea, ginger tea

If it fights inflammation and tastes good with garlic, it’s on my plate.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to go gluten-free, vegan, or raw to feel better. You just need meals that love your body back. Start small. Pick one swap. Then notice how your body, your mood, and your energy start changing. Mine did.

And no shade... but if you're still skipping meals and calling it wellness, this post is your gentle intervention.

How to Make the Most of Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Let’s be real, so many of us are stretched thin being a small biz owner! Juggling all of the responsibilities of running your business can be overwhelming, and there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Fortunately, there are solutions available that can help you manage your workload without bringing on full-time employees. 

Hiring a virtual assistant can be one of the most cost-effective ways to lighten your load. Let’s explore how you can make the most out of hiring a virtual assistant.

Understand Your Needs

Before you hire someone, it is important to understand what tasks need to be delegated and what skills will best fit those tasks. Do you need help with marketing? Customer/client service? Document preparation? Graphic design? Social media? Lead generation? It’s useful to create a list of what needs to be done and how often it needs to be done in order to get an accurate understanding of what kind of assistance would work best for your individual business needs.

Set Clear Expectations

Now that you know what tasks need to be done and who will do them, make sure those expectations are clearly communicated from the start. For example, let the virtual assistant know exactly when they should expect feedback from you so they know when they should check in with updates or ask questions about their progress. Find ways for the best means of communication between you both and ultimately ways that you both work best together. Additionally, provide clear instructions on how they should accomplish each task so they don’t waste time trying different methods until something works.

Utilize Technology

Utilize technology like video conferencing software or task management tools so that you both have access to each other whenever needed and can stay organized when collaborating on projects from afar. One of the best ways I like to support my VA is by using Loom to create training videos. Loom is a free video screen sharing that allows you to create video trainings while sharing your screen–and it’s a great timesaver for when it comes to meetings. This ensures that everyone stays up-to-date on project progress in real time instead of relying on emails or messages back-and-forth which could take days or even weeks depending on availability .     

Working with a virtual assistant is an effective way for small business owners to lighten their load without bringing on full-time employees. By taking the time upfront to understand your needs, setting clear expectations, and utilizing technology appropriately, you can maximize your investment and make sure that no task goes undone! A successful relationship between a small business owner and their virtual assistant requires knowledge, communication, and trust—all qualities essential for any successful team effort!

When to Hire a Copywriter for Your Small Business

As a small biz owner, you know that content is how you build trust and value with your audience. Creating engaging copy can be difficult and time-consuming, but it’s essential to the success of your business. That’s why hiring a profesh copywriter can be such an invaluable asset. Copywriters are skilled at crafting compelling content for your website, blog, newsletters, and more—but when should you consider bringing one on board? Read on to find out!

When Do You Need a Professional Copywriter?

If you’re having trouble creating engaging content or keeping up with writing deadlines, it may be time to hire a copywriter. They can help create fresh, compelling content tailored to your brand voice—and they can do it quickly and efficiently. Additionally, they have the expertise to craft SEO-friendly content that will give your site the boost it needs in search engine rankings.

Even if you don’t need long-term assistance, many copywriters offer one-time services as well. This could include editing existing content for clarity or helping develop sales letters and other marketing collateral. Whatever type of service you need, a copywriter can help take some of the pressure off of you so that you can focus on running your business instead of stressing over content creation.

How Do You Find the Right Copywriter?

Finding the right fit is key when looking for any freelancer or contractor—and this is especially true when searching for a copywriter. It’s important to find someone who not only has experience in writing but also understands how to write specifically for your industry or target market. They should also have an understanding of either brand messaging, audience messaging, research, or SEO best practices so that their work will meet the standards of both humans and search engines alike.

Copywriting is an important part of running any successful business—especially if you want to draw more visitors and customers in through organic search engine traffic—so it pays to bring in an expert if you feel like you could use some extra help with creating great content. When selecting someone to work with, make sure that they have experience in both writing and SEO optimization so that their work will exceed all expectations! With the right copywriter by your side, you'll be able to create engaging content without all of the headaches associated with doing it yourself!

8 Quick and Easy Ways to Grow Your Email List Fast

Growing an email list is a great way for businesses to reach out and get in touch with their customers. A strong email list can help you increase your reach, build relationships with customers, and make more sales. But how do you go about growing your list quickly? Here are some easy and fast ways to grow your email list without sacrificing quality.

Create a Landing Page

Creating a landing page is one of the best ways to get people to sign up for your email list quickly. Landing pages should be simple and include only necessary information such as the purpose of the page, what visitors will receive from signing up, and an opt-in form. Keep in mind that you should make sure the page loads quickly so visitors don’t become frustrated waiting for it to load.

Use Social Media

Social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook are great for growing your email list fast. On each platform create a post that encourages people to join your mailing list by offering something in return such as exclusive content or discounts on products or services. Be sure to use relevant hashtags so that more people can find you!

Offer Incentives

Offering incentives is another great way to get people to sign up for your mailing list quickly. These could include discounts on products or services, free downloads or ebooks, or even special offers tailored specifically for new subscribers. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s something that will appeal directly to your target audience so they’ll be encouraged to sign up right away!

Run Contests & Giveaways

Contests & giveaways are also effective ways of getting people interested in signing up for your mailing list quickly because they can win something just by entering their contact information into the form field! Make sure you clearly state what the prize is and how long it will take for winners to be announced so people know exactly what they’re getting when they enter their name into the contest or giveaway form field.

Leverage Existing Content & Platforms

You can also leverage existing content & platforms like blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels, etc., as ways of growing your email list fast because these already have built-in audiences who may be interested in joining your mailing list if given the chance! When creating content for these platforms be sure that somehow ties back into subscribing to your mailing list - whether it be through providing exclusive content only available through subscription or offering discounts/promotions on products/services when someone signs up - this will help encourage more people to subscribe right away! 

Offer Freebies

One of the best ways to entice people to sign up for your email list is by offering freebies. These could be anything from e-books or whitepapers to free trials of products or services. The key here is that they need to be valuable enough that people feel compelled to sign up for them. You should also make sure that the freebie you’re offering aligns with the goals of your business and helps you achieve those goals.

Build Relationships With Customers

Building relationships with customers is essential when it comes to growing an email list quickly. People are more likely to join a mailing list if they feel like there's a genuine connection between them and the business owner or representative who's reaching out. Interacting regularly on social media, sending out surveys, hosting webinars—these are all great ways of building relationships with potential subscribers and making them feel like part of a community rather than just another customer or lead.

Create Engaging Content

Creating engaging content is one of the most important things you can do when it comes to growing an email list. People will be more likely to join if they know that what you have to say is interesting, informative, and relevant. Make sure that your content isn't too salesy—people don't want to feel like they're being bombarded with ads all the time. Keep things lighthearted, entertaining, and educational so that readers stay engaged and interested in what you have to say.

Growing an email list doesn't have to be a slow process—there are plenty of fast and easy ways for business owners to get started right away! Offering freebies, creating engaging content, building relationships with customers—all these strategies combined can help small business owners create a vibrant email list in no time! 

So don’t hesitate - start putting these strategies into action today!

Crafting a Strong Brand Message for Nonprofits

A strong brand message is essential for any organization, but it is especially important for nonprofits. Your brand message should reflect your mission and values, and it should be clear and concise. It is the foundation of all your communications, and what makes donors say yes to your causes, so crafting a powerful message is essential to help spread your nonprofit’s word and attract supporters. Let’s get into how to create an effective brand messaging plan that speaks to donors, volunteers, employees, and other stakeholders.

Defining Your Mission

The first step in creating a strong brand message is defining the mission of your nonprofit organization. This includes outlining what you do, why you do it, who you serve, and what sets you apart from other similar organizations. Once you have determined these things, make sure to note them down so that they can be referenced when crafting a tagline or slogan. Also, include elements of your mission statement in all communication pieces ranging from emails to newsletters and social media posts. Having this information readily available will ensure consistency in your messaging across all channels.

Identifying Your Target Audience

It is important to identify who you are communicating with when crafting a brand message for your nonprofit organization. Define who makes up the target audience of your messaging—donors, volunteers, employees—and tailor the language used accordingly. Different audiences will respond differently depending on their level of engagement with the organization and the language used in speaking with each group will vary tremendously depending on their relationship with the nonprofit organization. Knowing who these audiences are will help shape how messages are delivered most effectively.

Developing Language Strategies

The next step in creating an effective brand message is developing different language strategies that can be used with each target audience identified earlier on in the process. Keep in mind that language should be consistent across all channels while still being relevant to each target audience; think about using specific phrases or keywords over others to evoke emotion or enthusiasm from those reading it or hearing it spoken aloud. Additionally, consider adding stories or anecdotes from people within or affected by the nonprofit organization as part of its messaging—this can be helpful when conveying difficult topics such as poverty or homelessness as it allows readers to connect emotionally with a story rather than just facts and figures alone.

Creating a strong brand identity for a nonprofit organization requires time, effort, and dedication from everyone involved—from the CEO down to staff members contributing content for websites or social media accounts. By carefully considering mission statements and identifying target audiences early on in the process, nonprofits can craft effective messages that speak directly to their intended groups while also staying true to their core values as an organization overall.

With thoughtful messaging plans based on comprehensive research beforehand, nonprofits can easily reach new donors while also retaining current supporters at the same time!

Maximizing your Nonprofit's Marketing Budget

As a nonprofit, having a strict budget for marketing can be tricky. You want to get the most out of your efforts, but you also don’t want to waste valuable resources. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to make the most out of any marketing budget, no matter how small. Here are some tips on how to maximize your nonprofit’s efforts while still staying within your budget.

Utilize Social Media

Social media is an incredibly powerful tool and it doesn’t have to cost anything! Utilize sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn to reach potential donors by posting thought-provoking content that engages with your audience. Make sure to post regularly so that you stay top-of-mind with potential donors and encourage them to take action. You can even use social media for fundraising campaigns or drive people back to your website with links in each post.

Create Quality Content

Content is king/queen when it comes to marketing, so it’s important that whatever content you create resonates with your target audience and encourages them to take action. Whether you are creating blog posts, videos, or webinars, make sure they are informative and engaging. Quality content will not only help build trust with potential donors but will also position you as an authority in the field which will help attract more support for your cause.

Leverage Email Marketing

Email is one of the most effective tools for gaining new donors and retaining existing ones. With email marketing, you can easily reach thousands of people at once without breaking the bank! Create monthly newsletters packed with engaging content about what’s happening at your nonprofit and why someone should donate or volunteer their time. You can even automate emails based on specific triggers such as a donation or volunteering inquiry from a user that hasn’t taken action in a certain amount of time - this way you can ensure everyone receives timely follow-ups tailored specifically for them!

Marketing on a budget doesn't have to be hard - there are plenty of innovative ways nonprofits can maximize their efforts while staying within their allocated funds! Utilize social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, create quality content that positions you as an authority in the field, and leverage email marketing campaigns to foster relationships with donors - all without spending too much money! With these tips, any non-profit organization can make the most out of its limited marketing budget and continue making great strides in its mission!

Making the Most of Your Marketing Budget as a Small Business Owner

As a small business owner, you know that marketing is essential for growth but can be expensive. It’s important to find new and creative ways to make the most of your budget, so that you can maximize your return on investment. Let's look at some ideas for making your dollar stretch further when it comes to marketing.

Establish Your Goals

Before you begin any marketing efforts, it's important to figure out what you want to accomplish with your campaign. Are you looking to increase sales? Build brand awareness? Increase website traffic? Once you know your goals, then you can create an action plan that will help you achieve them in the most efficient way possible. This will also help you track which efforts are working and which ones aren't, so that you don't waste money on strategies that don't deliver results.

Utilize Social Media

Don’t worry, if dancing on TikTok is not your thing, the good news is there are SOOOO many other things you can do on social media! Social media is one of the best ways for small businesses to get their message —FOR FREE. Platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn allow businesses to engage directly with their customers and build relationships with them over time. Plus, social media gives small businesses access to targeted advertising options that make it easier than ever before to reach potential customers who are likely interested in their products or services.

To ensure maximum impact, make sure that all of your posts are consistent in terms of tone and messaging—and always keep an eye on analytics so that you know what’s working and what isn’t. And finally, take time to engage on other’s posts as well as your own.

Invest in Content Marketing

Content marketing is another great way for small businesses to get their message out without spending too much money. Creating quality content such as blog posts (like this one!), infographics, videos, and eBooks helps establish a brand as an authority in its industry while attracting more visitors back to its website through organic search engine optimization (SEO). Investing in content marketing also makes sense from a cost perspective because once it's created, it can be used multiple times across different channels—so it pays off in the long run!

The key takeaway here is that there are lots of ways for small business owners to make the most of their marketing budget without having to break the bank. A successful strategy should begin with setting clear goals and then investing in tactics like social media advertising, content creation, and SEO optimization—all of which offer high ROIs compared to traditional forms of advertising like television or radio spots.

With some creativity and careful planning, even the smallest budgets can go a long way!

How to Give High Value in Every Newsletter You Send

Newsletters are an incredibly valuable tool for any business. They help you stay connected with your customers, promote new products or services, and even grow your customer base. But what is the key to creating newsletters that really pack a punch? The answer is simple – give high-value content and make sure that each newsletter you send contains something meaningful. Let’s explore how to do this.

Choose Relevant Content

The first step in giving high-value content in your newsletters is to choose topics that are relevant to your readers. If you have a diverse customer base, this may mean segmenting your list so that different subscribers receive different types of content. It’s also important to make sure that the content you choose is interesting and engaging enough to keep readers coming back for more.

Some examples of newsletter content:

• Include links to your video or blog content

• Tell a story about something in your life or business

• Share a client’s testimonial - make them the star of the newsletter

• Promote your upcoming event

• Ask your audience to reply and talk about a challenge they may be experiencing (that you can help them solve)

• Share relatable content

• Remind them of your products and services (and maybe do a discounted flash sale)

• Promote a 3-day or 5-day challenge

• Simply thank them from time to time for being in your community

Include Actionable Tips & Advice

People love feeling like they can take action on the advice they receive from you – so try to include actionable tips and advice in every newsletter you send out. This could be anything from steps for setting up a successful marketing campaign, to tips for growing an online audience, to creating a curated list of items that can support their lifestyle/wellness, or simple strategies for improving customer service. Whatever it is, make sure it provides tangible value that people can actually use!

Action step: make a list of tips you can share with your email list!

Make Your Content Easily Accessible

Finally, make sure your content is easy to access and understand by keeping it concise and organized into sections. Include visuals where possible too – images, videos, infographics – as these will help keep readers engaged throughout the entire newsletter. And lastly, don’t forget to include a call-to-action at the end of each piece of content so readers know what they should do next!

Giving high-value content in newsletters doesn’t have to be hard work – as long as you follow these simple tips! Remember to always choose relevant topics that interest your audience; provide actionable tips and advice; and make sure all of your content is easy to access and understand by including visuals and a call-to-action at the end of each section.

With these steps, you’ll be able to create newsletters that not only bring value but also encourage engagement from your readers!

***

We all know every week goes by so fast, right!? Create your newsletter emails way in advance with this template!

It will save you time from coming up with a story or a topic, including hooks, subject lines, and call-to-actions!

The name of the game is consistency, let’s get your audience excited to hear from you every week.

The newsletter weekly email template comes with:

• 52 fresh and high-converting ideas for your weekly newsletter

• A video training on how to use the newsletter templates

• Different styles of newsletters

• 50+ high-converting subject lines

Grab your newsletter templates here.

How to Quickly Increase Your Social Media Engagement

Social media is an integral part of a successful marketing strategy. But it can be hard to get people to engage with your content, especially when there are countless competing posts out there. So, how do you make sure your social media posts stand out? Here’s our guide on how to build high engagement on social media.

Create Quality Content

The key to any successful social media campaign is creating quality content that resonates with your target audience. You need to know what kind of content will grab their attention, such as visual content or videos. You also need to be mindful of the types of topics that are trending and relevant for your industry. This will help ensure that your content is timely and engaging.

Examples of quality content:

• Demonstrating how to use your product

• Writing an educational, how-to post

• Creating a trending meme that’s your client’s pain points

• Letting your audience know what’s possible to accomplish if they work with you

• Giving advice (even unpopular opinions) in your specific industry

Interact With Your Followers

Engaging with your followers is an essential part of building high engagement on social media. Take the time to reply and comment on other people's posts, ask questions, like their content, share their content, DM them, and jump into conversations when appropriate. This helps foster relationships and encourages people to interact with you more often. If someone has taken the time to comment or ask a question, they deserve a response! Make sure you respond promptly so they know that you value their feedback and opinions.

Small tasks you can start doing ASAP:

• Follow hashtags that are specific to your industry and began engaging/interacting with people who use those hashtags

• Leave a compliment on someone’s page

• When you create a post, reply to as many people you can who comment on your post

• Use your audience’s questions to you to create new content

• Send relevant resources and articles to your audience whenever possible

Use Paid Ads

Another way to increase engagement is by using paid ads on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram. Paid ads offer the opportunity for greater reach and exposure than organic posts, which can help boost engagement levels significantly. Additionally, paid advertising allows you to better target specific audiences based on demographics or interests in order for further refinement of your message delivery depending on what type of campaign you are running.

Social media can be a powerful tool for businesses if done correctly—but it takes effort! Creating quality content, interacting with followers, and utilizing paid advertising can all help increase engagement levels significantly. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way towards building high engagement across all of your social channels!

Crafting Clear, Effective Brand Messaging for Your Business

Establishing your brand messaging is an important part of growing a successful business. It’s how customers get to know and understand what you do, why you do it, and who you are as a company. It’s also how they decide whether or not they want to buy from you. But coming up with the perfect brand messaging can be difficult—especially if you’re a small business owner or just starting out. Here are some tips on how to develop strong, effective brand messaging for your business.

Know Your Audience

The first step in developing a strong brand message is knowing your audience. Who are the people you’re trying to reach? What motivates them? What do they need or want from you? What are some things they need to believe in order to buy from you? Understanding these things will help you craft better messages that speak directly to them and encourage them to take action.

Be Authentic

Your customers should be able to tell at a glance that your brand is genuine and trustworthy. This means being honest about what your product or service can do for them, rather than making false promises or exaggerating its features and benefits. You should also be consistent across all platforms—social media, website content, emails, etc.—so that your customers recognize who you are no matter where they encounter your messaging. And share your goals with your audience, let them in your world so that they feel a part of your community!

Focus on Benefits

When crafting messages for potential customers, focus on the benefits rather than the features of your product or service. It’s not enough to tell people what it does; instead, focus on how it will make their lives easier or better in some way. When possible, include real stories from existing customers that demonstrate how much value they got out of using your product or service—this will go a long way toward convincing new customers that yours is the right choice.

Developing clear and effective brand messaging can be challenging—but super essential if you want to stand out among the competition and build a successful business. By understanding your audience and focusing on benefits rather than features when crafting messages, you can create content that resonates with potential customers and encourages them to take action. And remember: stay real and authentic!

Customers and clients appreciate brands that are honest and genuine about who they are and what they have to offer. They don’t aim to be around people who show perfection or give off a perfect brand, they want real people who aren’t afraid of finding the balance between transparency and taking imperfect action!

With these tips in mind, creating strong brand messaging should be a breeze!

Overcoming Common Marketing Challenges for Nonprofits

As we all know, marketing can be a challenge for any organization. For nonprofits, the task is even more daunting. With limited budgets, small teams, and a mission to serve the community, marketing efforts have to be creative and effective in order to achieve maximum results. So what are the most common marketing problems for nonprofits? And how can they be solved?

Let’s take a look at how we can solve some of these challenges.

Lack of Resources

One of the biggest challenges facing nonprofit organizations is the lack of resources. This includes money, time, staff, and skills. Because of this limitation, it can be difficult to effectively execute even basic marketing strategies such as creating content or running campaigns on social media platforms. The key here is to focus on what you do have rather than what you don’t have and make the most of it. Start small with simple activities like posting regularly on social media or sending out monthly newsletters—these are easy tasks that don’t require much time or money but can still yield big results if done consistently and properly.

Competing With Big Brands & Companies

Nonprofits often face stiff competition from larger companies when it comes to attracting customers or donors. These companies have bigger budgets and access to more resources which can make it hard for nonprofits to compete with them in terms of visibility online or in the community at large. To combat this issue, focus on creating meaningful connections with your target audience by engaging with them directly through social media conversations or email campaigns. Showing your audience that their support matters will help differentiate your organization from larger companies that may not be as invested in building relationships with their supporters. Additionally, leveraging strong storytelling techniques will help draw attention to your cause and build loyalty among potential customers/donors over time.

Reaching New Audiences

It can also be difficult for nonprofits to find new audiences beyond those already familiar with their mission and services. To reach new audiences, consider utilizing digital advertising platforms like Google Ads or Facebook Ads which allow you to target specific demographics based on their interests and behaviors online (e.g., location, age group). This helps ensure that your ads are reaching potential customers/donors who actually care about your cause rather than just being exposed to irrelevant content or ads that don’t resonate with them at all. Additionally, using analytics tools such as Google Analytics will help you track performance over time so you can adjust your strategy as needed based on what is working best for your organization specifically.

Marketing for nonprofits isn't always easy due to limited resources, but there are ways to overcome these challenges if approached strategically and creatively! By focusing on what you do have rather than what you don't have; leveraging storytelling techniques; engaging directly with supporters; taking advantage of digital advertising platforms; and tracking performance over time via analytics tools--you can create an effective marketing strategy that will help spread awareness about your cause while bringing in more donations/customers over time.

All it takes is some research into different strategies available and finding out which ones work best for your organization specifically - so get started today!

How to Market Your Small Business Effectively

As a small business owner, you know how important it is to invest in marketing. You want your company to stand out from the competition and attract new customers. But how can you do that without breaking the bank? 

Here’s a look at some of the best marketing strategies for small business owners that won’t cost ya an arm and a leg.

Make Use of Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are all excellent tools for promoting your business. Not only do they allow you to reach potential customers directly, but they also offer a wide range of advertising options that can help you target potential customers more effectively. Best of all, social media platforms are free to use! All you have to do is create an account and start posting content regularly.

Also, making the most out of your social media marketing allows you to continually improve so the things you share are even more effective.

Let’s break this down into 6 steps

1. Do customer research

2. Set a clear goal

3️. Analyze competitors

4️. Create relevant content

5. Design graphics and/or add photos 

6. Decide when to post

7. Look up the best hashtags to add to your posts (3-5 hashtags at max)

Focus on Content Marketing

Content marketing involves creating content such as blog posts, articles, videos, and podcasts with the goal of engaging potential customers and driving traffic to your website. This type of marketing is especially effective for small businesses because it allows you to connect with your target audience on a deeper level while also boosting your search engine rankings. Plus, it doesn't require any additional expenses beyond the cost of creating the content itself.

Some good content marketing strategies can be:

• Hosting a social media competition

• Produce video tutorials

• Collect and make a case study from testimonials/customer feedback

• Collaborate with other small businesses

• Jump on trending topics

• Share relevant topics from other small business owners

• Start a weekly IG/FB live

• Start a community group

Utilize Email Marketing Strategies

Email marketing can be one of the most effective ways to promote your business, if done correctly. By building an email list of subscribers who have opted in to receive updates from your business, you can stay in touch with them on a regular basis by sending out newsletters or promotional emails about upcoming events or special offers. This type of marketing is cost-effective since there are many free email service providers out there such as MailChimp or Constant Contact. 

Here are a few ways to build an email list FAST - 

• Run a 3-day or 5-day challenge

• Host a workshop

• Create a free guide

• Be a guest on someone’s podcast

• Write a blog on someone’s blog site

• Make CTAs on your social media videos and posts to join your newsletters 

• Do 15-min. connection calls with other business owners and tell them about your email list at the end of the call to stay in touch with you!          

Marketing is essential for any small business looking to make its mark in today's competitive landscape. The good news is that there are lots of affordable options available for small businesses who want to get their name out there without breaking the bank. By making use of social media platforms, focusing on content marketing strategies, and utilizing email campaigns effectively, small businesses can effectively market their products or services without spending too much money. With a bit of hard work and patience, these tactics will help any small business owner get their brand noticed by potential customers!

Want weekly marketing tips? Sign up for my newsletter by grabbing these free promo email templates: www.heytoriautumn.com/gift 

How to Pitch Your Podcast Like a Pro

Podcasts are an incredibly powerful marketing tool. As a CEO or Founder, you can use podcasts to reach new audiences and establish yourself as an authority in your industry. But how do you get started? The key is in the pitch. Crafting the perfect podcast pitch is essential if you want to land those coveted interviews and grow your audience. 

There are 464.7 million podcast listeners globally as of 2023. It is predicted that there will be around 504.9 million podcast listeners worldwide by the end of 2024. The United States has the most podcasts in the world! Needless to say, there are so many opportunities to get your brand, business, and messaging in front of your target audience —and bring in lots of revenue, too.

Here are some helpful tips for crafting a successful podcast pitch.

Do Your Research

Before you can craft a successful podcast pitch, you need to do your research. Podcast hosts can quickly realize if you’ve been a listener of their podcasts or you’re just sending out pitches left and right, so take out the time to listen to an episode before pitching. This will also get you familiar with their interview/speaking style.

Find podcasts that have a similar audience to yours and take note of what topics they cover, who hosts them, and when they air. Also, make sure to check out the show’s website so you can read up on their content guidelines and submission requirements. Knowing what topics the show covers and following their submission guidelines will go a long way in helping you craft a successful pitch that stands out from the rest.

Make It Personal

No one likes generic emails—especially podcast hosts! When crafting your podcast pitch, make sure it’s personalized for each show you apply to. Don’t just copy/paste the same generic email; instead, make sure it speaks directly to the host and why you think your topic would be a great fit for their show. Also, don’t forget to include relevant links back to your website or social media pages so they can learn more about who you are and what kind of content you create.

Be Concise & Professional

When pitching podcasts, always ensure that your emails are concise yet professional. Don’t ramble on about yourself for more than two paragraphs; instead be direct about who you are, why this particular topic would be great for their show, and why now is the best time for it. Keep it short (no more than four paragraphs), sweet, and most importantly: professional! This isn’t the time to use slang or casual language—make sure everything is written in proper English with no typos or grammatical errors! I use grammarly.com to edit all of my words before sending it out --it’s a free chrome extension and it has saved me from so many spelling mistakes.

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Pitching podcasts can seem like a daunting task at first, but with these helpful tips any CEO or Founder can become an expert at crafting successful pitches that stand out from the rest! Do your research before submitting any pitches so that you know exactly which topics will work best with each show, then tailor each email so that it speaks directly to each host while still maintaining professionalism throughout. With some practice and patience soon enough every CEO or Founder will find themselves getting invited onto some of the most popular podcasts around! 

Need help with successfully pitching podcasts so that your pitch ends up in the yes pile? Check out my podcast and cold email outreach templates. 

Inside these podcast and outreach templates, you’ll get:

• A general breakdown of a cold pitch

• Actual pitches I’ve used to help me gain clients

• Actual pitches I’ve used to help me get on podcasts

• A video training to tie the pitches all together

• My secret strategy to getting previous clients to help create a referral system for you

Check out these podcasts and cold outreach email templates today.

How To Create a Highly Engaging Webinar

As technology continues to evolve, webinars have become an increasingly popular way for businesses to engage with their customers and prospects. Not only are webinars cost-effective and convenient, but they also provide invaluable opportunities to learn from industry experts and build relationships with potential customers. But how do you ensure you’re running a highly engaging webinar?

Let’s dive into my top 3 tips on how to plan and run the PERFECT webinar!

Planning Your Webinar

The first step in running a successful webinar is planning. Set goals for what you want to achieve with your webinar and determine how you will measure success. If your goal is to educate your audience, consider what topics are most relevant and make sure that the content you present is timely and up-to-date.

Additionally, consider which format best suits the needs of your audience; will it be a panel discussion or a Q&A session? Will it be an hour of training or workshop style…or both?

Also, here are a few things to consider:

• where to host the webinar

• reading a script or just notes

• your pitch at the end of the webinar

• weaving in your audience’s pain points throughout the webinar

• finding points to give examples and stories

Once you’ve determined these details, it’s time to start promoting your webinar!

Creating Content That Resonates

When it comes to creating content for your webinar, quality trumps quantity every time. Make sure that the information you present is relevant and interesting so that viewers stay engaged throughout the entire presentation. It’s also important to diversify the content; if everything is presented in text form, people may lose interest quickly…or worse, log off!

Include visuals such as infographics or videos whenever possible to keep viewers engaged.

Finally, be sure to include plenty of breaks throughout the presentation so that viewers can take notes and digest the information before continuing on with the presentation. Think of your webinar as another way to create a human connection. How can you make them feel entertained while also learning from you?

Engaging With Your Audience

Webinars should not be one-sided conversations; rather, they should be interactive experiences that allow participants to ask questions or provide feedback in real-time. Encourage engagement from the very beginning by asking open-ended questions or polling attendees about their opinions on certain topics related to your presentation. During Q&A sessions, try not to move too quickly through questions as this could create confusion among attendees who are trying to follow along with the conversation. Finally, make sure that all participants feel comfortable engaging by providing an inclusive environment where everyone can voice their ideas without fear of judgment or ridicule.

Running a successful webinar takes careful planning and dedication—but when done correctly, it can help boost engagement with customers and prospects! Start by setting clear goals for what you want out of your webinar then create content that resonates with your target audience and encourages interaction between them and speakers/hosts throughout the event. With these tips in mind, you’re well on your way toward creating an engaging webinar experience!

Got an upcoming webinar, event, training, or masterclass coming up? Let’s prepare for this event in advance with emails to invite your audience, show-up emails to get your audience to attend, and a high-converting webinar essentials guide to help you craft a refreshing presentation.

The webinar invite and show-up email templates come with:

• 5 webinar invite template emails

• 5 webinar show-up template emails

• A high-converting webinar essentials guide (including ways to get the most visibility for your webinar!)

• A video training to tie it all together 

You can purchase the webinar templates using this link.

3 Ways to Increase Visibility for Nonprofits

In today’s digital world, it can be difficult for nonprofits to cut through the noise of both not-for-profit and nonprofit organizations and gain visibility. With limited resources, it can seem like a frustrating, uphill battle. The good news is that there are lots of ways your organization can be seen by your target audience and potential donors. Here are a few marketing strategies that can help you increase your reach and spread awareness of your nonprofit. Ready to dive in? Let’s go!

Strategizing How Your Org Uses Social Media 

Social media is a great way to get people engaging with your nonprofit quickly. You need to select the right social media platforms for your organization. For example, if your mission has a visual component such as photography or art, then Instagram would be a great platform to focus on. If you are looking to engage in more of an open dialogue with people, then Twitter would be better suited. Strong storytelling via video - TikTok is a great platform to try out. It is important to understand the nuances of each platform and create content appropriate for each one. Additionally, you should always include calls-to-action (CTAs) in order to drive action from potential supporters. 

Some CTAs can be

• Click the link in our bio to learn more

• Sign up to receive weekly newsletters

• Register for this upcoming webinar using the link in our bio

• Got a question for us? Comment below or send us a DM

• Donate using the link in our bio

• Become a sponsor by filling out this form using the link in our comments

• Read our most recent blog on [name of the website]

Build Your Content Marketing Strategy

Content marketing is also essential for nonprofits looking to gain visibility online. Through content marketing, you can share stories related to your mission and provide valuable information about any upcoming events or campaigns. These stories can be shared across various mediums such as blog posts, videos, podcasts, webinars, video series, newsletters, etc., which will help expand your reach and increase engagement with potential supporters over time. Content marketing also helps build relationships with other organizations that may want to collaborate with yours in the future—increasing cross-promotion possibilities and gaining more visibility over time. 

PROTIP: Make a list of nonprofit organizations you’d like to collaborate with on content.

Invest in Paid Advertising Strategies

Paid advertising is another great way to get exposure quickly when trying to gain visibility for a nonprofit organization. Leveraging paid advertising allows you to target specific audiences that are likely interested in what your organization does rather than just randomly broadcasting messages into a void where no one may ever see them. This strategy also helps ensure that potential supporters actually receive the message and TAKE ACTION rather than nodding and scrolling. Paid ads also allow you to quickly test different messages and target different audiences so that you know exactly what works best for reaching new people interested in supporting your cause! Paid ads’ metrics can help you decide which messaging resonates the most with your audience.

Gaining visibility as a nonprofit organization isn’t easy but it is possible with strategic planning and thoughtful execution of key tactics such as social media campaigns, content marketing initiatives, or paid advertising campaigns carefully tailored toward specific target audiences who may be interested in learning more about what your organization does! When done properly these strategies can help increase awareness of your mission while providing valuable exposure that could potentially lead to increased donations or volunteer opportunities down the road! So don’t hesitate—start leveraging these strategies today! 

Also, let us know how these strategies work for your organization. Shoot us over an email at support@heytoriautumn.com so we can chat.

3 Common Website Mistakes to Avoid as a Small Biz Owner

As a small business owner, your website is the first impression you’re making to potential customers. Having a professional, well-designed website is essential for building credibility, driving conversions, and improving customer service. Unfortunately, many small business owners make crucial mistakes when it comes to their websites. 

These mistakes can lead to prospective clients:

• not booking a call or signing up for your webinar

• being confused about how to buy your service

• feeling unsure if you’re the right person to help them

Let’s dive into 3 common mistakes and how to avoid them so that your website helps you make a higher impact and sales!

Poor Navigation Structure

The navigation structure includes your main menu and your footer menu. It is one of the most overlooked aspects of website design, yet it can have a huge impact on user experience. Your navigation structure should be clear and intuitive so that visitors can find what they need with ease. Otherwise, they will give up and move on to another site. The goal of the navigational structure is to make your clients feel like they’re on a journey for taking action.

Try using breadcrumbs or other navigational tools to help visitors find their way around your site quickly and easily. Additionally, create an easy-to-find search bar so that people can find what they are looking for without having to navigate through pages of content.

Most visitors will expect to see on navigational structure some or most of the following:

• Homepage

• About me

• Work with me or Services

• Blog/Podcast/Free Guide/Resources

• Speaking (if you’re branding yourself as a speaker/public figure)

• Testimonials/Client Love

• Page for your book/store/courses/community group

• Contact

No Mobile Optimization

Almost 80% of internet users now access the web from a mobile device. That means that if your website isn’t optimized for mobile devices, you are losing out on an enormous number of potential customers! Make sure that your website is responsive and looks great regardless of which device someone is viewing it from – desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone. Additionally, ensure that all text is easy to read on smaller screens and page loading times are quick – no one likes waiting for a page to load!

If you get stuck with optimizing your website to look nice on your tablet or phone, reach out to the support team associated with your website. Many websites, such as Squarespace or Wordpress, have hundreds of help articles and those can be helpful to refer to.

Lack of Quality Content

Content is queen/king! Quality content helps you build your brand identity while also drawing in potential customers with relevant information about your product or service. Keep in mind that content marketing isn’t just about written words; you should also consider including visuals like photos or videos as well as infographics or podcasts in order to engage viewers more effectively than just text alone can do. Of course, no matter what kind of content you choose to include on your website, make sure it accurately reflects the values of your business and appeals to the right target audience.

Quality content is informative, engaging, and encourages your audience to take the next step with you.

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Building a successful website requires attention to detail and dedication from the very beginning stages of design, all the way through post-launch maintenance. But by avoiding these 3 common mistakes – poor navigation structure, lack of mobile optimization, and insufficient quality content – you will be well on your way toward creating an effective website for your small business! With careful planning and continual evaluation of analytics data after your website launch, you will have all the tools needed for success at your fingertips.

Also… need help with writing or rewriting your website? 👀I can help you with that! ✨

The high-converting website template was created to get your website written so that you can start building an email list and showcasing your services right away. You can purchase the full high-converting website template for just $147.

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If you’d like to chat more about having a professional and high-converting website 100% written for you by me, you can book a call using this link.

Free Email Templates + Training

Imagine writing your promo emails like an expert copywriter.

(without pushing it to the bottom of your to-do list)

Picture this. You’re up late at night, wondering what your soon-to-be clients are up thinking about late at night. The irony.

Except, we can’t be in their rooms with a notepad to talk to them at 3am.

Well, we shouldn’t… that would be creepy!
There’s a better way.

If you want to sell your program, course, or services through email…

You need copy that’ll do the selling for you so that you can:
✔ Connect with your audience through storytelling
✔ Press *send* on done-for-ya emails
✔ Celebrate the new clients and $$$

And if you’re a coach or a course creator who’s not yet ready to work with a copywriter, I’ve got good news for you!

How to Offer Value in Your Cold Outreach to Potential Clients

With many businesses learning more ways to become virtual, it’s still highly important for service providers to lean into the power of cold outreach. Taking into account your capacity, this can be done by either you or a virtual assistant to reach out to clients or companies that are a perfect fit for your services. 

Here are some ways you can build trust, credibility, and make the most out of each pitch.

1. Connection first, ALWAYS. Establish a connection with your potential client. Tell them how you know them. This can be how you’ve subscribed to their newsletter, bought their program, followed them on social media, met them at a conference, heard them speak on a podcast, etc. If you can’t do this, choose someone else to pitch until you can. The goal to keep in mind is to make them feel like you’re a part of their community.

2. Establish your credibility. Share something that you’ve written for a similar client (but not a competitor). Add links. More on a confident tone and less on a desperate or needy tone. 

3. Focus on the value that you can offer. Let them know how your work will give them something they don’t have now—they’ll get more engaged email subscribers, more sales using your emails, they’ll get more leads, whatever. Another option: you could share a piece of content that is applicable to their position or industry if you don’t feel comfortable sharing your work yet.

4. Ask something that’s easy to say yes to. This can be something simple as, “Would you be interested in checking out a few of my case studies?” “Would you like to have a 10-15 minute chat on zoom?” “Would you like to learn more about how we can potentially work together?”

5. Inject humor whenever you can. Think of this less as pitching for a project and more like the first step in building a relationship. Be human. Or funny. Be conversational. Or relatable when you can.

6. Keep it on the short end if you can. However, if you know the person or know that they value long-form emails, then go all out. But keep it relevant to them (have each paragraph serve as a “what’s in it for them?” purpose).

7. Practice sending out as many outreach emails as you can. And follow up after 7-10 days.

8. People love to be flattered. Starting off with something flattering and ending it with something lighthearted is always a great tip. Use flattery to your advantage. :)

9. Sometimes, outreach doesn’t have to be email-only. Experiment with reaching out to potential clients in their social media DMs. No audio messages though if it’s your first encounter with them. Nobody wants to open an audio message from someone they don’t know yet!

10. Rejection or no-response is a part of the journey. Don’t get discouraged. I can’t promise it’ll get easier over time, but you can detach yourself from the outcome by sending pitches at a high volume.

11. Spell-check can make a difference from making $0 - to thousands of dollars. Grammarly is a great free tool that can be added on as a Google Chrome extension to check your grammar in emails and in Google Docs.

Hopefully, with these tips in hand, you're able to take away the uncomfortable feelings that come with reaching out to other business owners. You have services that you've spent lots of time crafting and improving. Now it's time to go from draft to send so that other people can experience them.

Hi! If we haven't met before, I'm Tori Autumn--website and email copywriter. Aside from helping my clients grow their audiences and sales, I teach how to grow your visibility and how to be engaged with your audience for the long run.

If you'd like to know more about being more engaging with your audience, you can grab my complimentary checklist here: https://bit.ly/3NxxgLh

22 Habits to Give Up + Cultivate More Self-Love

Wanna cultivate more self-love? Try giving up these 22 habits into your lifestyle!

1. Let go of people who you cannot share good news with! Think about how quickly our parade can get rained on when we share something with somebody who is not in a state to receive our win. Instead of wishing that they would change, remove the expectation for them to celebrate with you. 

2. A subpar living situation. Rearrange your living situation to be your dream living. For many people, traveling isn’t a realistic option right now. But until it is, what’s something that can be added to or removed from your space to make it feel renovated, luxurious, or more YOU? Or perhaps it’s time to move away altogether (that’s my solution, at the time of me writing this!)

3. A bad habit or a ritual. Find one ritual throughout the day that you can change. Everything the way we do it is a ritual. The way we get ready for the morning, the way we work, the way we set boundaries, blah blah blah. What’s one thing you could change that would make your day feel more exciting. Cooking in the AM? Starting work an hour earlier and then finishing an hour earlier?

4. Giving others your advice before you use your own advice. We tend to think we can fix others before we fix ourselves, but it’s actually the other way around.

5. Feeling guilty for putting your needs first. Yeah…no–let’s make this the year we unlearn this.

6. Excessively working/ not taking off time from work. Sometimes we do it because we need the extra coins, and sometimes we do it because we’re avoiding something, we have nothing else better to do, or we tie our self-worth to our work. Take off time and enjoy more of this year (this is something I’m currently working on myself). 

7. Giving a reason why you don’t want to do something. When we go into the reasoning, it’s sort of like apologizing or trying to prevent someone from being mad at you. Sometimes, people will get mad at you for your decision no matter what, and you have to be OK with that.

8. Constantly saving pleasure or fun stuff for the future. Why wait until your birthday to celebrate you? Smell that new candle now or wear that outfit. Try a new color for your hair or nails. You don’t ever need a reason or to wait until the future, you’re worth it now.

9. Repeating your point again and again. Some people can meet you as deeply as they've met themselves–and repeating the point until they “get it” will only drive you insane. Show better than tell. 

10. Beating yourself up for not being able to complete your long to-do list. Girl, it’s too long. Cut it in half. We live in a society that expects us to do it all in 24 hours, and then we feel so bad when we get behind. Prioritize, delegate, and decide what should go on your to-don’t list.

11. Using apps that don’t make you feel better about life. I’ve been limiting my time spent on social media because of the negativity and because it’s a time sucker. I’m not saying that social media is all that bad, I just don’t spend hours and hours a day on it. I use other apps that feed my mind and soul like “Insight Timer” for meditation and “I am” for positive affirmations throughout the day.

12. Waiting for others to join you on something before you do it. If we constantly wait for others to go to the gym with us, go out to eat, read a new book, we’ll keep having someone else to blame for why we couldn’t do what we want to do. Do it, and watch them follow suit.

13. Excessive worrying. Worrying is where you have the least amount of faith in yourself, God, the Universe, etc. Instead at that moment, try sending someone else love. Or even better, yourself.

14. Thinking that you don’t have enough. “I don’t have enough love, money, clothes that fit well, purses that make my outfit look good, an attractive and educated partner. I don’t have enough time, support, friends, creativity, strength, sexiness, etc.” The game of “it’s never enough” keeps us away from receiving more and not appreciating what we have.

15. Pushing yourself to get something done when you really don’t have the energy to do it. Sadly, we don’t get rewards for being strong all the time, love. Can it get done after you rest? After you eat something?

16. Stopping everything to *constantly* emotionally or financially rescue others. Taking on other people’s problems, panic, and permission is a learned behavior that very much can be unlearned too! 

17. Looking for instant gratification or short-term rewards in your self-love journey. Sometimes, it does work that way and then it doesn’t. Remember that you’re in the long run for this journey. 

18. Being the responsible one all of the time. Your inner child needs to be taken care of too. Honor her for all of the times you’ve dealt with feeling abandoned or disappointed.  

19. Blaming other people for your lack of not getting where you want to be. Taking full responsibility puts you in the perfect position to change the situation.

20. Being afraid of your feelings. Your feelings are the gauge of your life. Emotions remind us that we are alive, we are human. As uncomfortable as it may get, it’s a good thing to honor your feelings.

21. Resist the urge to beat up on yourself when things don’t go as planned, you feel stupid for mistakes, or regret what you’ve said or done. You can’t love yourself and hate yourself at the same time–pick the better feeling emotion, always. And if love feels too strong at the moment, what do you like about yourself?

22. When in doubt, tell the whole truth to yourself. The truth about who you love, what you can get done, what you’re not good at, what’s important to you. It’ll give you so much clarity and confidence in being honest with yourself.

“You don’t have to meet certain qualifications to be loved. You do not have to do anything special, in a certain way to get love. The only thing that is ever required of you is to be who you are and feel good about it. Love is not a reward or a prize. Love is not something you can use to trap or be trapped. Love is not even yours to give, nor can it be withheld from you.

Love is the omniscient flow of life. It is every breath you take. It is the involuntary function of the organs, systems, and parts of your body. Love is your skin, your hair, the way you hold your head, the unique way you laugh or cry and move through the world. Your Creator has never asked you for credentials you don’t possess. Anyone who expects more from you than God has a great deal to learn about love.”

A passage about love from a book called “Faith in the Valley.”