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2018 Calendar: Step-by-step, How I Protect My Time

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I just sat down to look at 2018 and thought… ok, what do I want to do differently?

The answer was easy: I want more ease and freedom and spaciousness in my life.

So I had a little conversation with myself that went something like this:

Q. As CEO of my company, what do I need time for?
A. Time to think. Time to exercise. Time off. Time for clients.

Q. How do I make time for those things?
A. Block time in my calendar. Or better yet, PROTECT my time.

Q. How do I protect time and make everything feel less scattered?
A. Protect in advance by creating time chunks.

Great! Next, I went to my google calendar and started protecting and chunking. Here’s the exact process I went through:

  1. I created three four-hour chunks each week for client appointments. I’ll spend focused time with clients, rather than spreading them throughout the week. This allows me to focus on one type of thinking (in this case, client sessions), rather than forcing me to switch tracks and feel scattered.
  2. I protected a chunk of time on the 4th Friday of the month as a business development day. No appointments or activities that aren’t business development related. This is my time to review goals, meet with different teams like social media, financial, sales and admin, and imagine next steps for the company.
  3. I protected a half day chunk of time on a Tuesday each month for “thinking time”. This is to address the need for spaciousness. My months get really busy and I can make mistakes when I don’t stop, breathe, review, dream. I’m pretty sure this time is going to be spent at the beach!
  4. I protected three and a half hours each week for writing time. In 2017, I didn’t make time for much blog writing. I pretty much ignored my creativity, and it’s feeling really cranky. I need to give that muscle some space to work out. And speaking of working out…
  5. I protected four chunks of time to get to the gym each week. I feel like one of the biggest luxuries I get is being able to go to the gym in the middle of the day when it’s not crowded and all the machines and weights are available. It’s now in my calendar for the year, so I can really relax and enjoy it and keep my energy up.
  6. I protected one long weekend each month for family visits and short get-aways.

Looking at this list, you might be wondering, “Gosh Mary, when are you actually going to find time to actually work?”

Maybe I should have started with the answer to this question, because it’s the most important one.

This IS my work.

My most important work is staying vibrant and healthy, serving my clients, and staying connected to what is most important. Space must be made for this work.

Otherwise, I should just pack it in and get a job. Because what’s the point of enduring the stresses of entrepreneurship if you can’t call the shots and run the whole damn show?

Protect your time. Call the shots. Run the whole damn show.

Growing Pains and Lady Gaga

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One night recently, while my husband was playing tennis, I secretly watched a documentary on Lady Gaga.

I can’t help myself. I love her music, the dancing, the unapologetic outrageousness.

At one point, as she reflected on some setbacks and not being able to change the past, she said, “You have to leave yourself behind.”

I heard this and instantly experienced a sense of relief. A sense of peace. A sense of deep knowing.

A deep, resounding, “YES.”

Because 2017 has been a year of big growth… and even bigger growing pains.

And suddenly it became clear where these growing pains came from. They came from the times when I let my old worries, my old beliefs, my old ME run the show.

When I let a 2010 version of myself run amok in my business, it’s a freak show of sleepless nights, second-guessing decisions, and poor self-care. A downward spiral where I feel aggravated and exhausted, and the people around me are puzzled by the bedraggled creature in their midst who used to look like Mary.

It’s all the more frustrating because even in these dark places there is a part of me that knows that the ME I am now is accomplished, confident, clear about what she wants.

When I operate from this place, it’s easy to be decisive. It’s easy to say no. It’s easy to invest in self-care. It’s easy to stand up for my value. It’s easy to bet on myself.

And that’s what I want in 2018. More of that ease.

Who’s with me?

 

Digital Marketing: Get Ready for 2018!

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Contributed by guest writer, Margaret Brown, SocializeLA

It’s my honor to give you some simple and strategic tips to get your digital marketing in gear for 2018. You’ll also find three ways to connect with me for more info (hint: 2 FREE options, and 1 Premium).

Let’s get started! Here’s what you should consider for your 2018 digital marketing:

What is successful digital marketing- and what ISN’T successful digital marketing?!

Successful Digital Marketing IS about building relationships. It ISN’T incessant selling. It IS a great place to funnel people into your Customer Journey. It ISN’T something that happens overnight. It IS a strategy of content, calls-to-action, and multiple layers.

What does successful digital marketing look like for your business?  

Successful digital marketing looks like your social media, email marketing, blogs, webinars, and/or ads are converting to new clients. Or, your social media, email marketing, blogs, etc. are growing in engagement (LIKES, Number of followers, Shares, sign-ups, etc.). It can also look like website traffic is increasing, consistent content (planned and published strategically), and multiple layers working together: website, landing pages, webinar registration, video, email marketing, blogs, and social media.

What is a Customer Journey, and how do you use it in your business?

A Customer Journey is how you lead your audience to learn more about you and ultimately become a client!  The journey is also known as a funnel. It can look something like this:

  • A social media post with a call-to-action
  • The call-to-action leads to a landing page
  • The landing page is a series of text, images, video, calling people to either sign up for a webinar, purchase a product, or some other option in addition to an instant sign-up or buy.  A call-to-action could be a value carrot of sorts to prompt the viewer to download the freebie and in turn signs up for your email marketing campaign.

The Customer Journey can be simple or intricate. You can start small and grow from there.

When is it time to review your digital marketing strategy, and how do you conduct a self-audit?

To determine when to review and how to self-audit, re-read the section on what success looks like.  Are you seeing this? Do you have a Customer Journey in place? You can also utilize this Free Self-Audit Download inside The Plan the Year Course (FREE) for more information!

What other questions should you consider for your digital marketing?  

Some other questions to consider are:

  • How much time should I spend on my social media?
  • Why isn’t my current plan working?
  • How can I make my current plan work more effectively?
  • Is this relevant to my business/industry?
  • Where should I turn for help?
  • How much should I spend in ads?

Now that you have an overview of how to kick off your 2018 digital marketing, please take advantage of these offers from myself and The SocializeLA.com Team! Join our Facebook Group for fun virtual co-working sessions, training, and more! You can also Sign up for a FREE call with Margaret, or Book a Discovery Session $97, with code MARYCRAVETS (Valued at $500). The Discovery Session includes:

  • 1.5 Training/Brainstorm Session with Margaret
  • Professional review of your current digital marketing efforts
  • SEO review and more!

I hope these tips sparked an idea and action for you to improve your digital marketing.  It’s essential to your business in 2018.  Be ready!

Take Time to Smell the Otters

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Last week I took Friday morning off.

Despite the fact that I had three presentations to revamp, 20 prospects to follow up with, and a seriously neglected email inbox.

I took it off anyway.

You see, Otto was being released back into the wild, and nothing was going to keep me from being there to see it.

Otto is a rehabilitated otter being released back into the wild right here where I live. To watch him galumph into the water, swim off into the bay and silkily dive back into his home was one of those priceless moments that NO amount of work should make me miss.

It got me thinking more clearly about why I work for myself and do what I do. If I had a “job” I’d most likely have missed this opportunity to see my favorite animal this close up and on land.

What do you love that you’re missing because of work and worry? Put these important things into your schedule, and you’ll find your life so much richer and your entrepreneurial experience all the more worth it.

Enjoy Otto’s YouTube debut!

For the Days You Consider Working at Starbucks

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“Timing, perseverance, and ten years of trying will eventually make you look like an overnight success.” – Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter

Wow. The co-founder of Twitter?

From him, those “ten years of trying,” sound almost romantic and heroic, don’t they?

He fought the good fight and came out a champion, even when everyone thought he was crazy.

But what about those ten crazy years? Can you imagine quotes from that time?

  • “I have just enough money in my checking account to cover the month, with no idea what to do next.”
  • “In one day, I got a new client and a deal fell through. It feels like I’m just spinning my wheels.”
  • “My spouse asked me for the third time this month why I’m crying over my business when I could just go get a job.”
  • “I work and work to make a positive impact in the lives of others and I just got called sleazy. On Facebook.”

I made these up. Because who would be crazy enough to write about the grueling days of entrepreneurship?

This girl.

All through my toughest years of entrepreneurship, I wrote: I laid bare every struggle, every strategy, every mindset shift I had to make in order to persevere long enough to become an “overnight success.” I put everything down on paper that helped me build a business, to stretch my comfort zone, and to laugh at the absurdity of entrepreneurship.

You’ve heard the quote, “Entrepreneurs are the only people who will work 80 hours a week for themselves to avoid working 40 hours a week for someone else.”

Absurd, right?

But also incomplete.

Entrepreneurs work those crazy hours and endure the struggle because we are committed to making a difference. We improve the lives of others. We educate. We inspire. We transform.

Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart, and to succeed, being smart and strategic isn’t enough. To help you laugh, be inspired, and focus your efforts, I’m sharing a free chapter from my book, Smile When They Call You Sleazy! I hope it lets you know that you are not alone on the crazy journey.

And who knows? Maybe it could even help you shave a few years off of your journey to “overnight success.”

Sign up to receive your free chapter now: http://marycravets.com/bookchapter/

I believe in you!

Don’t Miss the Easy Close

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Recently I attended a presentation and decided I’d like to speak with the presenter about possibly hiring her.

I said, “I’ve been thinking about hiring someone like you, can I get your information?”

She said, “Why don’t we just get together to brainstorm over coffee?”

I accepted her offer, but it’s important to note that if she had told me that the next step was to have a conversation about options for working together, I would have said yes. Or if she’d said that the initial consultation is $500, I would have given her my credit card.

She missed an easy close.

Running a business is hard enough some days, so make sure you’re prepared to take the easy wins when they come your way!

Here are a few do’s and don’ts to help you when these excellent opportunities come your way:

DO be prepared for a prospect who is ready to hire you now. Have an abbreviated sales process ready to go for this opportunity!

DON’T skip the process altogether. Ready buyers become the best clients when you take a little time to clarify their goals and expectations.

DO move quickly. If someone says, “I want to hire you,” let them! Find out their timeline and then get terms sorted out – yes, that includes payment – ASAP.

DON’T bog down the process by worrying that before they hire you, a prospect needs to know more about how you do what you do. Or they need to know all the program options and pricing. Or they need the history of your company and how it’s different from other companies. They have a need, so simply recommend the best option, and get hired.

DO have an easy way for them to pay you immediately. Once someone has made the financial investment, their commitment is solid. Delaying this is one of the top reasons a hot prospect fizzles out.

DON’T be afraid that you’re rushing a prospect who wants to hire you quickly. You’re only rushing if you’re trying to push your agenda over theirs. Trust yourself. Moving fast to serve a prospect’s immediate need is not rushing them; it is serving them at the highest level.

And you want to know the best part? Now that you’re aware this can happen, and you are clear about how to successfully navigate them, you’re going to start noticing these opportunities popping up more often.

You’re welcome!