Learning From Past Mistakes
I'm launching something new - taking the best bits from things I've done and learning from the flops.
I'm currently in the process of creating content for a new publication and membership programme I'm going to be launching very soon.
I haven't given too much away so far because I want to be sure I'm taking it in the right direction. I don't want to rush into something that will involve loads of work only to find nobody wants it.
I launched the Happy Ever After Hub a couple of years ago and it was pretty much a flop. I got a handful of sign-ups when I launched the early-bird offer, but then nothing. And I ended up spending hours making content for it every month with very little financial return, so after a year, I had to call it a day.
I'm pretty sure I know what went wrong.
The biggest issue was that I rushed into it. I wanted something to sit between my book at £10 and my mentoring programme at £3000. A monthly membership programme seemed like a good idea.
And it might have been if I'd taken the time to plan and execute it properly.
The content I shared in the hub was good - the production quality wasn't great - but the content itself was useful and interesting. I shared interviews with other freelancers who offered some excellent insights. And I shared my own advice and guidance in videos and articles.
But one thing I should have done (and didn't), was make it more interactive. I should have made it more of a two-way relationship or created a community rather than just sharing content.
Another huge problem was my marketing of the hub. It started well, but it all got side-lined when I decided to focus on my Write to Sell course instead. I just stopped promoting the hub (which is why it didn't get any new members).
And for all these reasons and others, it just didn't work.
Learning from the mistakes
My new membership is very different. I'm taking the best bits of things I've done in the past, I'm learning from my mistakes, and I'm making it far more interactive.
The first thing I'm bringing back is my monthly Content Clubs. But I'm not calling them Content Clubs. I'm relaunching them as Write Alongs.
These are live sessions where we discuss writing goals, then have focused writing time, then have a group discussion where members can ask questions, get advice, share challenges or ask for feedback. I ran these for just over 12 months during the 2020 and 2021 lockdowns and I loved them so I'm really excited about launching a new and improved version.
There will also be a member's chat where members can ask questions, get advice, share their writing and so on (if they want to).
And members will also get exclusive content in the form of tips, advice, writing prompts and my monthly Focus On... content. Focus On... is exactly what it sounds like: content that focuses on a specific writing topic such as building a brief, writing email newsletters, blogging, editing, generating content ideas, writing for pleasure, writing for Substack, and lots, lots more. I currently have a list of 30 topics and I keep adding to it.
There will also be quarterly 'ask me anything' sessions. These will be live group discussions where you can ask a question, share your thoughts on something writing or marketing related, or just lurk and listen.
And, as the membership grows, I'll be adding more features.
Anyway, that's what I'm currently working on and it'll be launching on April 1st. But the good news is there will be a pre-launch offer which I'll be sharing with you in the next couple of weeks.
As with everything I do, my aim is to help freelancers and small business owners attract more of the clients they want and build businesses that make them happy.
Your weekly ten-minute task
The weekly ten-minute tasks are short simple tasks that should take around ten minutes to complete (although you can spend longer if you want to). The goal is to help you improve your sales and marketing processes.
Completing these tasks won't magically transform your business, but doing one small thing each week to improve is better than doing nothing. So block out ten minutes in the next few days and complete the below task.
Research the latest updates or trends in your industry.
This week is all about keeping up to date with your industry.
I want you to seek out three people who are considered experts in your industry and read their latest content, whether it's blog posts, newsletters, articles, research papers and so on.
If you don't know who to look for, Google "latest trends/changes/updates in <your industry>" and see what comes up.
If you want to deliver the best service to your clients, you need to stay up-to-date with what's going on.
Too many freelancers get complacent after a couple of years in business and stop looking for opportunities to improve. Complacency is dangerous - there's always something new to learn.
Weekly anagrams
Sometimes you need a little break from work or something to get your brain going while you have your morning brew. That's where the weekly anagrams come in.
And this week they are all famous composers:
- oz tram
- the eve nob
- phonic
- havoc kit sky
- he land
If you are unfamiliar with how anagrams work: An anagram is a word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of a different word or phrase, using all the original letters only once.
Feel free to send me your answers once you’ve got them all – there’s no prize, but it’s always good to share your achievements. I'll give you the answers in next week's email.
And talking of answers, here are the answers to last weeks anagrams:
- any seeker wonky = New York Yankees
- toxic ice hogwash = Chicago White Sox
- angel dogsled roses = Los Angeles Dodgers
- fascinating on scars = San Francisco Giants
- nods to boxers = Boston Red Sox
Thanks for reading
That's it from me this week. As always, if you'd like my help with anything sales, marketing or business-related, you can book 90 minutes with me.
