Teri and I have been working together for a little over a year on her sites. She recently published her first book and is now managing three websites! I wanted to pick her brain a little on how she got such a big audience so fast, how she decided to write a book, and why three?
Why did you start blogging? And how did you decide to turn it into a book?
OK…here’s the truth — when I started my blog, Keeping it Personal, I didn’t know what a blog was, I actually spent time on google looking up the word and doing so research to wrap my arms around it. What I did know is this, I was passionate about helping others. That’s what I knew — SO with Keeping it Personal, I thought I could write a daily nugget to encourage or inspire someone — who ever would read what I had to say! I gave the daily nugget a name “Daily KIP” {Daily Keeping it Personal} and in addition to that, I decided that if I had something else to share I would write a longer blog post — at first I did that periodically. I was never a writer prior to starting this blog so I learned as I went — about a whole bunch of things!!
The second part of this question, how did you decide to it into a book?
Well, I didn’t. Actually — I believe that God was preparing me to write through the blog, but the book was a seed that was planted in my head by other people who had heard me share my story. SO…the book and blog are separate — I do “keep it personal” in my book, that’s just who I am. But the message of my book is Overcoming the Nevers — ALL those things that you NEVER imagined you would experience in your life, but you did! Unfortunately those NEVERS leave behind linger after effects, if those things are not dealt with, they can become stumbling blocks in our lives. SO — my blog has become my platform for the the book which is a blessing. We are fortunate to have such amazing tools available to us to get our messages out! =)
Would you recommend self-publishing?
I actually wrote an article about this for a group that I’m in, Allied Women, I share the different publishing options there. I would however recommend doing what works BEST for YOU! I didn’t self-publish, I worked with an amazing hybrid publisher, Advantage Media Group. I would go that route again, it worked very well for me.
How did you build up all three sites in such a short period of time?
There are 4 keys components to building your platform:
1. Vision. You must have a vision, a purpose, passion for what you’re doing. You must have a clearly defined WHY?
2. Plan. Develop a plan. What is your content? Who’s contributing? What is your goal? If there’s one thing you need to know about social media is that it’s NOT about getting it’s about GIVING. period. If you are looking to GET, you need to reevaluate your motives and your WHY, back to the vision. Traditional forms of marketing are better suited for “Getting” — social media is about giving and about developing a relationship. THEN, people will buy or work with those people that they like, then you EARN the Get.
3. Consistency. This may sound harsh, but you are as good as your last tweet, blog post, status update. My platform has been built through consistency. This needs to be a part of your plan — frequency.
4. Perseverance. Many people give-up because they aren’t getting the “results” that they want or expected. This goes back to the vision and the plan — If you have a clearly defined vision and plan you need to persevere even if you are not getting the comments, “likes”, re-tweets, or shares that you’ve hoped for. You can press-on if your expectations are managed and you remember that on-line you are in the business of developing relationships, getting exposure, building your brand, building your platform. You may not see instant income generating things happening, but if you persevere and focus on giving instead of getting you will be amazed by the doors that open up to you.
This has been my experience and the 4 things that keep me going. I keep a “SMILE FILE” You can check that out here to encourage ME through “dry” times.
What are your next steps in 2012?
My next steps? EXPAND <– this is my One Word for 2012. I will continue to keep putting one foot in front of the other, taking action and going where God leads me! Speaking, Life-Coaching, Corporate Team Coaching, writing, and The Refine Conference for women. Expanding my reach, knowledge, personal life, relationships. I love what each new day brings, even when I’m presented with a trial or difficult situation, I’m determined to look for the good and discover what I can learn.
Your recommendations for new entrepreneurs?
Be intentional about what you’re doing. Don’t expect things to happen without a lot of hard work and dedication. I coach many people who have a hard time wrapping their arms around this, but it’s crucial: get to know yourself, discover the truth about who you are, unpack your motives and why you’re doing what you’re doing. When we have a healthy relationship with ourselves our businesses thrive. Of course this isn’t the ONLY piece, it’s just a recommendation — because starting out can be difficult, we tend to compare and want what others have — understanding WHO you ARE, discover your unique gifts and talents is what will set you apart from others.
