Expert tips from the pros.

As humans, we seek a feeling of belonging, which is the reason why communities are at the heart of the economy and its growth these days.

Should you really seek new customers or members? The membership economy has been thriving, and fast chasing after the transactional economy.

People are craving membership because what they truly crave is belonging.

As our membership has been running for over 6 years, I have learned (the hard way, I should add), that it’s a business model that is thoroughly exciting, yet constantly evolving.

I make time to learn from the best of the best about how thriving memberships stay that way, and this is why today I am sharing some extracts from my chat with Jessica Shambora from Mighty Networks for our online conference that happened this month. …

THE BRAVE MARKETER

How to stand out from the crowd

Let me tell you a secret: this is at once the worst and the best time to try to publish a book.

On the one hand, competition is fierce and the marketplace is highly competitive. On the other hand, you can be your own boss as an author and get full control of your marketing, sales, and overall creative direction.

This is why marketing can truly help you stand out from the crowd. Not too long ago, I had the pleasure to chat with the amazing Kelly Notaras for the Creative Impact Show.

In her book, The Book You Were Born To Write, she explores how the book business works today — and how you can break into it. This was a goldmine for a book nerd like yours truly. …

Growth is brought by strategy, not tactics

As a marketer, I am very familiar with the idea of clickbait.

I am sure you are well versed in what clickbait content is, and if we were to set aside any bias, the idea of clickbait is to give your audience something you know they’ll love and get attracted to — yet, most often it has misleading connotations attached to it.

In a way, marketing teaches you about clickbait in more than one way.

It’s not just a term associated with headlines, after all. I found that, more often than not, in order to get people’s attention, marketers will talk a lot about tactics over strategy, falling again into the clickbait trap. …

WORTH IT

Including three formats you can tap into today

Video content is here to stay — and it has the driving seat, especially when it comes to Instagram content. It personal, it’s easy to create, and it truly engages people in an effortless way.

Yet, you have a whopping three seconds to catch your audience’s attention on video, and this is why it’s particularly important to get the basics right.

More and more video content is being watched now than ever before. 85% of all internet users in the United States watched online video content monthly on any of their devices (Statista, 2018). …

Productivity Guinea Pigs

The scientific reason why you should create rituals over routines

I am truly a lover of productivity — heck, I am writing a whole book about it. Yet, as a constant student of the art of “bettering myself,” I have come to find new ways to keep myself accountable and fill every day with purpose.

All being said, I am not a big fan of routines. What I have built for myself over the years are specific rituals I can follow; some of them even become habits.

Up to 40% of our daily actions are powered by habits — the unconscious actions and routines we’ve developed over time.

For example, I wake up at 6 am on weekdays, have my coffee first, then meditate, do my personal development “workout,” and go for a long (and I mean long) walk before the workday officially starts. This is something some people may call a routine, but to me, it’s a ritual. …

The good, the bad, and the ugly (but mostly the good)

Last Friday I could not move any inch of my body. My legs were shaking, my shoulders cramping, yet I had a huge smile on my face. I (pretty inelegantly) hopped all the way to the bedroom, shouting to my fiancé:

”We bloody went ahead and did it!”

Just like that, 3 days of live calls, panels, and recorded workshops were over.

The experience of running our first completely online conference was exhilarating, exciting, and damn scary. I had nightmares for 5 days straight.

For context, I have been running conferences and events in person for over 8 years, yet the prospect of taking it all online and have no physical response and control over logistics was terrifying. …

Understanding the principle of specialisation

I am a multi-passionate human, and as such, I have a bucket-full of ideas.

Yet, I am also smart enough to be able to check my ego at the door and do the work before jumping into a new venture. I want to work from a place of flow (intuitive business is a new buzzword, dear reader), but also common sense.

As I am about to start a new business in 2021, I spent some time reflecting on what can truly make you stand out from the crowd and give you that unique positioning in a competitive market.

You may be lucky, and start a new business that fills a gap in the market. …

The three key reasons why they work

One of the biggest questions I get asked, pretty much by every client I work with (and our community members alike) is

”What happens after my launch?”

Well, first and foremost, take five. No, not just five minutes. Five days to just decompress. Tackle your to-do list, lighten up your schedule, and just breathe.

You earned it.

After that, you are allowed to put your big work pants back on and make the most of what you created with your launch and set up systems that will last for months to come.

There is one big unspoken truth to be acknowledged: launching over and over as the only way to get clients will drain your energy. …