Wit + Wisdom: Serious Business. Seriously Funny.

This week's episode is extra special because we have guest Shannon Davis from Brylett.com on the show! Shannon is a dear friend of the Blog Fuel podcast community, and she's also a digital business lawyer. DISCLOSURE: Shannon is an attorney, but she's not YOUR attorney, or the attorney for Erin or Kirsten or Blog Fuel. She offers advice, but please speak to your own attorney for specific information related to your business. FTC Guidelines HERE **The UCC has been adopted by most states. Most tangible goods contracts will have to follow this. 

In an appropriate follow-up to last week's episode about trends in blogging & business, we talk about how cool it is to take risks, step outside of the herd mentality, and be uniquely YOU in your business. Kirsten's risk-taking isn't always intentional, simply because she's an "idea" person, which has surprisingly grown her business in really interesting ways. Erin & Kirsten both take a risk simply by being authentic and transparent with our audiences. Going against the flow can not only teach you a lot about yourself and your business, but it helps you stand out. What works for one person's business doesn't always work for your business, so it's important to take your own path. Ultimately remember that what you're doing is for you and your business, so don't be afraid of failure. Success is in the trying.

You know those things on social media and online that everybody and their mom jumps on? Yea, those trendy little trends. Some are good, some are crap. We talked about a lot of them in Episode 021...ya know, back in the day. So we're dissecting a few more in this week's episode, like: Instagram pods - yay or nay? Long sob stories in Facebook groups in an effort to market your biz - just..no. The closing of HUGE Facebook groups The overuse of quote graphics And Kirsten says "shit" twice, so consider yourself warned. 

Welcome back to Blog Fuel! We're kicking off Season 3 on a light note - sharing what's been going on personally and professionally during our summer break. We both went through a few business transitions this summer, and we're excited to share those with you. We also are super stoked to introduce our brand new show song, "Beautiful Subway Rider", our ode to Keanu Reeves. If you're new to Blog Fuel, Episode 039 will give you a nice recap of last season, including why we love Keanu so much.

To close out a truly epic second season of the podcast, we recorded this episode LIVE with our community, while also sharing growth & marketing strategies from some of today's top online entrepreneurs. Hilarity ensues, we have a bittersweet ending to Season 2, and you'll learn stuff! GROWTH & MARKETING STRATEGIES Erin's news: Instagram is the most damaging social network to mental well-being Kirsten's news: Facebook adds new (awesome) features to Facebook live Kayla Hollatz: I highly recommend batching your content! Creating your content in one sitting rather than spacing it out can help you be more productive and work on other areas of your business that need attention. Kristyn Merkley from Lil Luna: Instant Share groups on Facebook have been a game changer in creating viral Facebook videos. I've gathered with similar size pages to create a group and at our scheduled time each week, we all share each other's video soon after it has gone live. This has created an instant boost in the shar

This is it. We're only one episode from the end (of Season 2, anyway). And this episode, we're wrapping it all up. We're talking all about this season, our thoughts on it and how much we love each other and you. Oh yeah. And we're totally going to share how you can start your own podcast! REFLECTIONS ON PODCASTING Kirsten's News : Facebook TV is coming this summer, report says Erin's News : Instagram deters deletion with reversible "archive" option Episode 11 was Erin's first time on the Blog Fuel Podcast. That interview is the whole reason she's here today. Kidding! But whoa, memory lane! Marketing VS Engagement was the most popular episode of the season. This episode is all about using engaging to market so that you can grow your business in a non icky way. Click here to tune into the marketing vs engagement episode! Blog Trends was next on the line in popularity. We bust some popular blogging myths and trends and FYI, Erin still doesn't like income reports. She prefers income vs profit. Our runner ups ar

As bloggers, we're trained to write blog posts, right? But there are so many types of content other than traditional blog posts! By knowing your target audience, you can create content that better serves them, and repurpose that content in a variety of ways! We talk all about it in this week's episode. WHAT TYPE OF CONTENT IS BEST FOR YOU? Erin's news: AI names paint colors & it goes hilariously wrong Kirsten's news: Facebook will be streaming 20 MLB games this season, and hopes to partner with the NFL this fall There are many different types of content: blog posts, video, audio (podcast, anyone?), email newsletters, live broadcasts, etc. Video content is a great way to showcase your expertise and give potential clients a taste, giving them more information about you before they hire you. DIY content can be cumbersome when you have to stop each step of the process and take photos. Video content would be easier in that case. If you are embedding video or audio content into a blog post with show notes, k

I think we can all agree… the direct sales movement is in full force. Everyone, everywhere, is selling something. Your neighbor is selling kitchen utensils, the PTA mom you know is selling bags, your best friend is currently doing her make up on a live stream. It's crazy! But there's a whole lot you can learn from direct marketing. Show Notes Kirsten's News : MailChimp is now offering free automation! Erin's New : Snapchat clone app surpasses daily user counts. Kirsten is a big Lula-NO! Unless those leggings have pizza slices on them. Just kidding, don't send her pizza leggings. Bundle pricing sells! If you're selling products, make it easy for people to say yes! You can do this by adding as much value as possible to your products or bundle them together. Invite people into your world. DO NOT just add them to mailing lists or groups or events. Doing this violates their trust and let's them know that you don't see them as much more than a dollar sign. You never want that. A lot of the direct sales training ca

Everyone has a different perception of "success", and there isn't a one-size-fits-all perception. We see Facebook ads and articles online with a rags to riches story, and online entrepreneurs trying to teach you how to be successful "just like them". The fact of the matter is, we determine our own success, and our perception of success will constantly change as your business changes and grows. PERCEPTIONS OF SUCCESS Kirsten's News : Kraft Mac & Cheese Humanizes Moms Who Swear Erin's News : Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride We are not meant to be the hero of the story. We are the guide, and our students, readers, or clients are the heroes. Meaning, we shouldn't try to teach people to duplicate our perception of success, but guide them to create their own. People are chasing success, but they don't know what success looks like because it's different for everyone. Envision your success as far into the future as you can, but allow it to shift with your business.  When you see courses that promise "succ

I want you to do me a favor. I want you to go into this episode preparing to nod your head. Maybe do some light neck stretches because while Kirsten and I drop a lot of truth bombs in our episode, this one is full of reality. This week we're talking all about the shifting seasons we endure as online business owners. We're getting raw, sharing our own experiences and giving you tips to make the most of your season. SHIFTING SEASONS IN BUSINESS Kirsten's News : Instagram powers Taco Bell's innovation machine Erin's News : How YouTube's Shifting Algorithms Hurt Independent Media When you're a business owner, of any kind, there will be seasons that shift. Sometimes things will be really in flow and working in your favor. Other times, things will slow down. You may feel tired, overwhelmed. Even discouraged. It happens. Here's the thing. As much as you can plan, life happens. You can't plan for everything. Which is why it is so so important to learn to roll with the punches. When life happens, don't let it derai

A brand is more than a logo and colors. Erin & I have both build recognizable brands, so we're sharing insights into how to build a brand you love and your readers will love. You have to think about your voice, color psychology, font pairings, and most importantly, the message you are trying to share. BUILDING A BRAND Erin's news: Facebook adding new feature that allows you to link to an owned group from a page. Kirsten's news: How to get over the decline in organic Facebook reach You are your personal brand, which means your personal brand is something built organically and encompasses your story. However, brand recognition comes from the colors and fonts and overall feel of what you share online. Your logo, while important, is just a signature. Don't stress about your logo. Focus more on the message. Your voice is a huge part of your personal brand, which is something you have to craft and develop over time. Write every single day - not necessarily a blog post each day, but write something everyd

How many times have you seen an ad on Facebook or Pinterest talking about the proven success methods that you can buy for a simple payment of $99? And how many posts have you read that tell you what you need to do and when in order to make your dreams happen? If you've been online for more than 37 seconds, you've seen this many times. But what if those things feel wrong? In this episode of the podcast, we're talking about following your heart vs following proven success methods. Show Notes: Erin's News : Facebook Live Get Audio Only Feature Kirsten's News : What Top Influencers are Paid Want to see a fun update? Check out Kirsten's new fun/snarky about page! Formulas are designed to make things easier. This includes for your business. But when it comes to branding and marketing, there really isn't a one size fits all formula to success. Hard truth? Even "proven" formulas will provide a variety of results. Just because it works for one group of people doesn't mean it'll work for you. And that's not a reflect

Just because you are friends with someone in your industry doesn't mean you'll work well together. So how do you work with friends? We have managed to build the Blog Fuel podcast, while first becoming great friends. In this week's episode, we're dishing on how we make it work, working together as friends. And this episode is not one to be missed - it's hysterical. WORKING WITH FRIENDS Erin's news: AdSemble launches a self-serve platform for buying digital billboard ads Kirsten's news: Pinterest trains advertisers to use Pinterest for advertising Before you collaborate with a friend, you need to have a conversation first to be sure you're on the same page.Keep in mind that the collaboration with your friend may not work, and that's OK. If the friendship suffers, the project is going to suffer, too. It's really cool if you are in similar industries or have similar target audiences, but your businesses don't directly compete. You can support one another and work together without fear of competition. When you st

There are two things you constantly hear about when you run any type of business online. Marketing and engagement. If you're a blogger, a handmade business owner, a coach or something else entirely, you've heard this before. You have to market your business to grow and you have to engage to grow. But truly, marketing and engagement are two different things that will achieve the same result. The difference? One is going to leave a more lasting and positive impact. Marketing vs Engagement Kirsten's News : Facebook (finally) Introduces GIFs in Comments Erin's News : Facebook Debuts ChatBots in Group Chats While many people dislike marketing, it's a necessary tool for business growth. And the truth is that people don't dislike marketing, per say, but rather they dislike icky marketing tactics. Marketing doesn't have to be sleazy or slimy feeling. On the flip side, while marketing what you do is important, it's equally important not to turn your online presence into a complete "buy it now" game. You want to be s

This week's episode is a little different than past episodes, and to be honest, it was a tough one to record because Erin & I are such upbeat people. But we felt the need to share the ugly side of online business, because it's real, and a we feel people need to understand what they're getting into. Don't worry, we'll get through this together. SHOW NOTES Kirsten's News: Google Hangouts get fancy new features Erin's News: Adidas hires social media stars to market to women Personally, I don't think it's appropriate to talk about your income publicly. If you choose to do so, just understand that you are setting yourself up for negativity from those who are jealous of your accomplishments. There is so much negativity online. Too many people hide behind their computer screens and troll other people. At some point, you'll run into a negative, hateful person online, but try not to feed into it, and try to be the bigger person. Be wary of people who try to sell their success to you for your business. Copycats ex

When you think of investing, you probably think first of monetary investments. While we do talk about those in this episode, we also talk about the importance of investing in yourself through self-care. We also share some behind-the-scenes of what it would look like if we had a parenting podcast...so there's that. Enjoy! SHOW NOTES: We're celebrating 12,000 downloads to our little podcast! Thank you so much for your support! Erin's news story: Facebook Messenger introduces your Facebook Day, Facebook's version of Instagram Stories. Kirsten's news story: Facebook adds a "continue watching" notification for videos you didn't finish. When we talk about investing in ourselves, we don't just mean spending money. We mean investing time and energy into the right things to fuel our businesses. At some point you realize that you have to invest if you want to take your blog seriously, even if you aren't making any money at that time. You need to have some financial accountability. If you are taking your blog seriously

If video is not yet part of your content strategy, stop whatever you're doing and listen to this episode! You need to be using video in your content strategy, friend! Erin & I break down creative ways to incorporate video, and offer tips to get over your fear of LIVE video! SHOW NOTES This week's news stories: Pinterest introduces the Lens feature. Facebook emojis can boost your posts in the news feed. BOTTOM LINE: YOU NEED TO BE DOING VIDEO, particularly on social media!!! Get over your fear of going live. It's unscripted and raw, which makes it appealing. It makes you more authentic and trustworthy, and if & when things go wrong, how you handle those things live shows your character. You've got Periscope, Snapchat, Facebook Live, Instagram Stories, and Instagram Live, to name a few. Find your platform where your audience hangs out and spend your time there. Keep in mind that Instagram Live disappears as soon as the broadcast ends. Is it worth it? That's a personal decision. Recording a video

Creatives who set up a shop online have some work ahead of them, and it's not just creating the inventory! Erin dishes on how to set up shop, and talks about pricing, taxes (YIKES!), marketing, and so much more in this week's episode! SHOW NOTES This week's news stories: Nasty Gal takes a nasty fall from the top. Snap, Inc. went public while revealing more adults are using the platform. With the advent of the internet, it is now possible for pretty much anyone to be in business with an online store. However, there are certain things you can do to ensure success. Before setting up a shop online, you should start by defining your product niche. Don't try to sell ALL THE THINGS. Know what you're good at so you don't look like an online flea market. If you rely on Etsy to do your marketing for you, you'll get lost in the noise. Etsy follows SEO but also a relevance algorithm, so it's important to keep your shop updated. Don't take a photo with your cell phone and put a product photo in a shop that's not set u

Email is my jam, and it's one of the few things in blogging that you can control. Erin & I talk about how you can improve your email game so you don't suck at email, and all of our tips are based on personal experience. Don't suck at email! SHOW NOTES You need an email list from Day 1. You have no control over social media or Pinterest, but you have ownership & control over your email list. DO NOT manually add people to your email list without asking permission. Not only are you violating terms of use for whatever email platform you use, you are also violating CAN-SPAM and can face fines and the loss of your email list. Use sign-up forms to allow people to opt into your list on their own. Treat your list like your VIPs. Give them things first, share discounts and exclusive offers, and first glances at big projects. When writing your emails, they should be written as if you're writing to one person so it's more personal and real. Emails should show the before, the mess, the ugly & transparent.

Everybody wants to make money, right? But blogging is not a get rich quick scheme. Erin and I talk about how to monetize your blog appropriately and intentionally, and we share what NOT to do. We talk about affiliates, ads and ad networks, and how to get started and rock sponsored posts. SHOW NOTES Blogging is NOT a get-rich-quick scheme, it's a "Get average results in due time" thing. To get started, sign up as an Amazon affiliate or an affiliate for other brands. You won't earn huge money, especially until you grow your blog, but you will earn a tiny bit here and there. Your affiliate disclosure has to be IN CLOSE PROXIMITY of your affiliate link. Basically, if you can see the disclosure and the link without scrolling, you're good to go. NOTE: You cannot use Amazon affiliate links in an email. This includes RSS feed emails. When using ads, just like everything else, use them in moderation. As a reader, ads have a tendency to disrupt the reader experience. Also, keep mobile in mind. More than 50% of readers