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Instead of saying, “I’m sorry”
I’d like to say, “Thanks for waiting for me!”
Wow. What a year! 2017 has been a year of change. I’ve experienced transitions which have taken priority over my writing, especially this fall. Thanks for waiting for me!
In the fall of 2016 I launched this blog with a goal of writing a monthly blog post and wanted to learn how to create a money making blog. It’s a good thing I am a life-long learner and like challenges! It hasn’t been easy. What this experience has been is, rewarding. I embrace change.
While I didn’t meet my goal of twelve posts for the year on this blog, I managed to complete seven posts here, get five posts up at my other blog, karmelfp.com/blog, and five at a third blog, sunkissedmoneyboutique.com. That’s roughly 141% of my goal if I look at what I did accomplish. I like that percentage!
What I Have Realized
My blog journey actually began five years ago when I left corporate america. I just didn’t realize it at the time. When I started my own business I joined networking groups and scheduled coffee and lunch meetings with other professionals with the goal of growing my network.
Join A Mastermind Group
One of the groups I joined was suggested to me by a like-minded friend. She and I did some speaking events together and that led to her suggesting I join a mastermind group. I heard the name, Tim Ferriss, and heard about his book, “The 4-Hour Workweek” many times while at mastermind events and on mastermind calls.
***This blog contains affiliate links. Please see DISCLOSURE for more details.***
Change Your Search
After I read 4-Hour Workweek, I begain to look for other resources and sources of inspiration. Initially I was googling, “Inspiration for Female Financial Advisors.” That search led me basically nowhere. I then changed the search to “passive income” and found Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income.
Daily Inspiration
Each morning while getting ready for work, I would listen to one of Pat's podcasts. You've probably heard the saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." The student was ready. After a few of months of listening to Pat's podcasts, I decided that I should start a lifestyles blog. I'd been writing scripts, website copy, and blog posts for several years at that point. How hard could it be?
How Do I Start A Blog From Scratch?
My challenge was learning how to create my own website from scratch. How would I do that? My other blog was part of a template already built and sold to financial professionals. With that blog, I just had to write the content.
Had I not googled, "How do I start a blog" my frustration would have led to failure. Keeping the end in mind, I knew I wanted to monetize the lifestyles blog and donate the proceeds to the scholarship fund I had established at the community foundation.
Looking back on my experience of having been in a mastermind group is that my biggest take-away was being told that I needed to be writing. "Writing positions you as the expert, Melissa."
Building Blocks for the Future
Before starting this blog, I started writing the scripts for my public speaking events. I then wrote content to change how my financial planning website read; a "client focused" message rather than "Melissa focused" message was my goal. One day, I had an "a-ha" moment. I decided I would start writing a monthly blog post; and what better post to start with than, "Where Do I Start?".
Seeking Excellence
At the start of the year, I joined a writing club. I took classes that taught me how to set up a blog, how to make images for my posts, and how to build an email list.
Dovetail
The interesting thing about having embraced the experience that is blogging, is that I can apply what it is that I've learned, across my various businesses and areas of interest. Essentially, I dovetailed, joined together my newfound knowledge.
I learned how to make beautiful images for my blog posts on this site. Then I applied that knowledge to improve my Facebook and Pinterest pages. The same goes for SEO (search engine optimization) and email list building. Our local chamber of commerce had a class on using Instagram which was great because I had absolutely no idea what it was or how to get started.
Posts on Pinterest helped me create properly sized images for the various social media platforms. By applying my knowledge of Canva and Picmonkey, with my ever-expanding knowledge on using social media to grow your blog, I found that I was able to create more professional blog posts.
In Pursuit
There is still room for improvement and I look forward to learning more and more. Are you passionate about learning and self-improvement? [bctt tweet="When you stretch yourself, you give yourself an opportunity to grow." via="no"]
What Did I Write About?
One of the ways that I relax and rejuvenate in the summer is spending time poolside. Naturally, my first blog post was about pools. It's easy to write about topics you're passionate about!
Many people tell me I am a very positive person. Hence, my second post focused on attitude and served as inspiration while being an alternative to New Year's resolutions. This post had a lot of action on Pinterest. I was so excited that people were pinning my stuff!
One of the things I've learned about monetizing a blog, is that there are multiple ways to create income and that many bloggers even create their own products to sell. I thought, I can do that. That is why I created Sunkissed Money Boutique.
Instead of creating a product, I decided to help my blogging mentor, Suzi Whitford, promote her blogging courses.
Suzi has excellent content in each of her courses. The modules are easy to follow. I first listen to the entire module which can range in length from 2-20 minutes.
I then watch again and hit pause while I go the back-end of my site and apply what I just learned. It is truly a step-by-step method and is in my opinion the best way to learn.
Serve
So, I decided that, for now at least, instead of creating something to offer my followers, I would help Suzi. By helping her, I'm able to help you, your sister, cousin, friend, your mom. I can serve. That is my passion.
Dream
What is your dream? Dreams start with an idea. Is 2018 the year you implement your plan so that you move forward toward your dreams? Have you ever made a dream board? A what? Yeah, a Dream Board.
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My Sunkissed and Blessed 2017 dream board[/caption]
Why would you want to create a dream board? Check out my post about Dream Boards.
You Can Generate Income with a Blog
Amazon Affiliates LLC is a popular blog revenue source. Amazon has a lot of rules, so make sure you know what you agree to when you become an Amazon Affiliate. When you're an Amazon Affiliate and your readers click on an Amazon link from your site, if they make a purchase within 24 hours, you receive a small commission at no added cost to your reader. Pretty cool, huh?
Promote Other Bloggers
If you're wondering what's more profitable to promote, another blogger's products or Amazon, for the most part, it's other blogger's products. For example, Amazon typically pays out around 4% on purchases made within 24 hours. While a blogger may have a product that pays 20%, 30%, 40%, or more in affiliate commission. Further, they may give the reader up to a year to make a purchase, which allows you a much longer time frame to be rewarded for your recommendation.
Diversify Your Sources of Income
As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, I'm a big fan of multiple streams of income. Multiple streams of income help reduce your risk of lost income. If you only have one income source, and for whatever reason, it goes away, it can be catastrophic. However, if you have multiple streams of income, and one goes away, you still have your other streams of income.
Build A Network
I encourage you to take the time to join Facebook groups and stay active with Pinterest. By building a network and helping others as an affiliate, you have the opportunity to increase your income. Just remember to be authentic and genuine. Only promote products and services that you use, love and trust.
How do you manage to do everything you do, Melissa?
That's a good question and I have a good answer. I watch very little TV. Last year we cut the cord to cable and I watch less than 30 minutes of TV a day.
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Cut the Cord[/caption]
Instead of watching TV some of my activities are cooking, spending time with my son, learning, exercising, reading and writing. Lists are helpful to me too. I have a list for groceries, goals, people I need to connect with, and things for which I'm grateful.
My calendar has become my to-do list and I rearrange my day based on level of urgency and importance. Unexpected events take place so I've found it important to learn how to juggle my day. When I find myself moving the same calendar item to the next day, for days on end, I have to consider whether or not that particular event or action item is truly important. Sometimes I let it go!
Bottom line: I focus my time of things I value.
Thanks for waiting for me. May you be sunkissed and blessed.
Melissa
Melissa is Sunkissed and Blessed. She shares her experiences and ideas for living a blessed life full of abundance and gratitude. Share your blessings with Melissa at: sunkissedandblessed@gmail.com.
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