CYMRU MARKETING JOURNAL

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Category: LIFE COACHING

Digital Marketing Struggles & Experiences

Thu, May 04, 2023 / CMJUK

Digital Marketing Struggles & Experiences

Digital marketing has become an integral part of any business strategy. With the rise of the internet and social media, businesses can now reach potential customers worldwide. However, despite its many benefits, digital marketing can be a challenging endeavor.

  1. Finding the Right Strategy: One of the biggest challenges in digital marketing is finding the right strategy that works for your business. There are various digital marketing channels such as email marketing, social media marketing, pay-per-click advertising, and content marketing, among others. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to determine which channels will work best for your business. Moreover, the success of your digital marketing strategy will depend on various factors such as your target audience, budget, and business goals.
  2. Overcoming Challenges: To overcome this challenge, businesses must invest time in researching their target audience, understanding their needs and preferences, and analyzing their competitors‘ digital marketing strategies. They should also test different channels to determine which ones are most effective in reaching their target audience.
  3. Creating Quality Content: In digital marketing, content is king. However, creating quality content that engages your target audience can be a struggle for many businesses. To create effective content, businesses must invest time and resources in researching their target audience’s interests and preferences. Moreover, they must ensure that the content they create is relevant, informative, and engaging.
  4. Outsourcing Content: To overcome this challenge, businesses can outsource their content creation to experienced content writers or invest in training their in-house team to create quality content. They can also conduct surveys or ask for feedback from their target audience to ensure that the content they create meets their needs and preferences.
  5. Measuring ROI: Measuring the return on investment (ROI) of digital marketing campaigns can be a challenge for many businesses. Unlike traditional marketing channels such as print ads or billboards, digital marketing campaigns are highly measurable. However, determining which metrics to track and how to measure them can be challenging.
  6. Setting Goals: To overcome this challenge, businesses must set clear and measurable goals for their digital marketing campaigns. They should also determine which metrics are most relevant to their goals and track them consistently. Additionally, they can invest in digital marketing tools that provide real-time analytics and insights to help them make data-driven decisions.
  7. Staying Up to Date with Trends: Digital marketing trends and best practices are constantly evolving. Staying up-to-date with these changes can be a struggle for many businesses. However, failing to keep up with the latest trends can lead to missed opportunities and ineffective digital marketing strategies.
  8. Learning & Development: To overcome this challenge, businesses must invest in continuous learning and development. They should attend industry conferences, workshops, and webinars, and network with other professionals in their field. Additionally, they can subscribe to industry newsletters and blogs to stay informed about the latest trends and best practices.

Digital marketing can be a challenging endeavor. However, by investing time and resources in finding the right strategy, creating quality content, measuring ROI, and staying up-to-date with trends, businesses can overcome these struggles and create effective digital marketing campaigns that drive results.

Different Digital Marketing Strategies

In digital marketing, it is essential for businesses to have a strong online presence in order to stay competitive. This is where digital marketing comes in – the art of promoting products or services using digital technologies such as the Internet, social media, and mobile devices. There are several digital marketing strategies that businesses can use to reach their target audience and increase their online visibility. In this article, we will discuss some of the most effective digital marketing strategies that businesses can implement to achieve their marketing goals.

  1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing a website’s content and structure to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO involves several strategies, including keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and content marketing. By optimizing your website for search engines, you can attract more organic traffic to your site and improve your online visibility.
  2. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is a form of digital advertising where businesses pay each time someone clicks on one of their ads. PPC ads can appear on search engine results pages, social media platforms, and other websites. With PPC advertising, businesses can target specific keywords and demographics to reach their ideal audience. This form of advertising can be highly effective for driving traffic to a website and generating leads.
  3. Social Media Marketing: Social media marketing involves promoting products or services on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. This type of marketing can be highly effective for building brand awareness, engaging with customers, and driving traffic to a website. Social media marketing can involve both organic and paid strategies, such as creating shareable content, running social media ads, and influencer marketing.
  4. Content Marketing: Content marketing involves creating and sharing valuable content that is designed to attract and retain a specific target audience. This type of marketing can include blog posts, infographics, videos, and other types of content. By providing valuable content to your target audience, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry and build trust with potential customers.
  5. Email Marketing: Email marketing involves sending promotional emails to a list of subscribers. This type of marketing can be highly effective for building relationships with customers, promoting products or services, and driving sales. Email marketing can include newsletters, promotional emails, and other types of email communications.

Digital marketing is a crucial aspect of any business’s overall marketing strategy. By implementing the right digital marketing strategies, businesses can increase their online visibility, attract more traffic to their website, and generate leads and sales. Whether you are just starting out or looking to improve your existing digital marketing efforts, it is important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices in digital marketing to ensure that you are reaching your target audience effectively.

What is SEO

Search Engine Optimization, commonly referred to as SEO, is the practice of optimizing a website or online content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). In simpler terms, SEO is the art and science of increasing the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic search engine results.

Search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo use complex algorithms to determine which websites or pages should rank higher in their search results. These algorithms take into account a wide range of factors, including the relevance and quality of the content, the website’s structure and technical SEO, the quality and quantity of backlinks, and user experience.

The ultimate goal of SEO is to increase the visibility of your website in search engine results, resulting in higher organic traffic and increased brand awareness. SEO can be a highly effective marketing strategy for businesses of all sizes, as it can help drive targeted traffic to a website and generate more leads and sales.

There are two main types of SEO: on-page SEO and off-page SEO. On-page SEO involves optimizing the content and structure of your website to make it more search-engine friendly. This includes optimizing title tags, meta descriptions, headings, and content for specific keywords and phrases. On-page SEO also involves technical optimization of the website, such as improving page load times and ensuring mobile responsiveness.

Off-page SEO, on the other hand, involves building high-quality backlinks to your website from other authoritative websites. Backlinks are essentially a vote of confidence from other websites, indicating that your content is valuable and authoritative. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more likely your website will rank higher in the search engine results.

Another important aspect of SEO is keyword research. Keyword research involves identifying the keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for in the search engines. By targeting these keywords in your content, you can increase the relevance and visibility of your website in the search engine results.

SEO is a complex and ever-evolving field, with new updates and algorithm changes being introduced by search engines regularly. As such, it is important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in SEO to ensure that your website remains visible and relevant in the search engine results.

SEO is a powerful marketing strategy that can help businesses of all sizes to increase their visibility, drive targeted traffic, and generate more leads and sales. By optimizing your website for both on-page and off-page factors, and targeting relevant keywords and phrases, you can improve your chances of ranking higher in the search engine results and reaching a wider audience online.

How to stay focused and how to protect your mental health when you are struggling with bringing in business.

Starting and running a business can be a challenging and overwhelming experience. It can often feel like there’s never enough time in the day, and there’s always something that needs to be done. When you’re struggling to bring in business, it can be even more stressful, as your financial security and the success of your business may be at risk. In these times, it’s crucial to stay focused and protect your mental health to avoid burnout and maintain your motivation. In this article, we’ll explore some strategies that can help you stay focused and protect your mental health during these challenging times.

  1. Set clear goals and priorities: Setting clear goals and priorities can help you stay focused and motivated, even when things get tough. Start by identifying your top three to five priorities for your business. These may include generating new leads, improving your product or service, or streamlining your operations. Then, break down each priority into smaller, more manageable goals that you can work towards every day. This can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and give you a sense of progress, even when you’re not seeing immediate results.
  2. Create a routine and stick to it: Creating a routine can help you stay focused and productive, even when you’re feeling stressed or unmotivated. Start by setting a consistent wake-up time and bedtime, and then build your routine around that. Block off time for specific tasks, such as marketing, sales, or product development, and try to stick to that schedule as much as possible. Having a routine can help you avoid procrastination and give you a sense of control over your day.
  3. Take breaks and practice self-care: Taking breaks and practicing self-care is essential for protecting your mental health. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, taking a short break to stretch, meditate, or take a walk can help you clear your mind and refocus. It’s also important to prioritize self-care activities, such as exercise, healthy eating, and spending time with loved ones. Remember, taking care of yourself is not a luxury but a necessity.
  4. Surround yourself with a supportive community: Starting and running a business can be a lonely experience, but it doesn’t have to be. Surrounding yourself with a supportive community of like-minded entrepreneurs can help you stay motivated and inspired. Join a business networking group, attend industry events, or connect with other business owners online. Having a community of people who understand what you’re going through can provide valuable support and encouragement.
  5. Seek professional help if necessary: If you’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling with your mental health, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. A therapist or counselor can provide support and guidance and help you develop coping strategies to manage stress and anxiety. Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Conclusion

Staying focused and protecting your mental health when you’re struggling to bring in business is crucial for the success and sustainability of your business. By setting clear goals and priorities, creating a routine, practicing self-care, surrounding yourself with a supportive community, and seeking professional help if necessary, you can maintain your motivation and avoid burnout. Remember, starting and running a business is a journey, not a destination, and it’s essential to take care of yourself along the way.

From a personal perspective, I have learned, you have to accept rejection, it happens to the best of us and we have to continue no matter what life throws at us. Keep re-inventing yourself, have a positive mindset that you will succeed and remove any negativity in your life, surround yourself with positive people, and have positive thoughts.

Furthermore as in the case of the gas engineer this morning, where I tried selling him the domain name www.cardiffgasengineers.co.uk and his response was he does not need a website because he is so busy. You can accept as many clients as you want, but building trust and credibility was not on this man’s agenda. I bet he inspected the domain after he left out of curiosity.

I did follow up with a text message asking him to bring business my way, and he completely blanked me.

I could go on and on about how people behave and it is not pretty.

After talking with the local council the other day I mentioned my disability and the agent said “Oh Bless“. I found the remark condescending and started to have an inferiority complex because of the remark.

Do:

  • Network on business forums and social media platforms, groups, and pages.
  • Build an email list of subscribers.
  • Create a Newsletter.
  • Learn about Digital Marketing, SEO, and the importance of Exact Match Keyword Domain Names.
  • Do have a signature in your email (eg, name, title, tel number a link to your website, and terms of use).
  • Do create engaging content and share it on social media groups and pages as well as your connections.
  • Create a social media page or group
  • Build a personal brand.
  • Create SEO Link Wheels.
  • Do your research and read people’s profiles before sending connection requests or messaging them.
  • Perfect your pitch.
  • Check for spelling and grammatical errors, and proofread your work before publishing it.
  • Be professional and courteous.
  • Do consider people’s mental health, when rejecting proposals.
  • Look after yourself, your body is your temple.
  • Be kind to yourself.
  • Do take time out (all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy). (A Proverb made infamous in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” )
  • Meditate.
  • Start an affirmation, every day.
  • Set Goals.
  • Reward yourself when you reach milestones.
  • Create a vision board.
  • Do have positive thoughts.
  • Journal, your hopes, dreams, and desires, preferably in a journal/diary rather than online, although I do have my own thoughts about the universe and how we are connected.
  • Remove all negativity in your life.

Don’t:

  • Do not send unsolicited emails, the chances are they will end up deleted or go into the junk folder.
  • Don’t use a personal email such as Gmail, Hotmail, or MSN to communicate with businesses, use a professional email account instead. Using a personal email address does not show credibility or trustworthiness.
  • Don’t sell snow to the Eskimos (metaphorically speaking). Meaning for example if you are a web designer do not contact another web designer to fix their site. You do yourself no favors.
  • If you are in Crypto Currency or Trading and someone says they are not interested do not follow it with a quest “Why are you not interested”.
  • When you receive an autoresponder email saying that the company you contacted does not outsource their work, do not follow up with an email a week later.
  • Do not bite the hand that feeds you meaning, be honest with yourself and accept expert advice and don’t pretend to know more, if you don’t, don’t be a smart a#se.
  • Do not criticize someone, instead offer constructive critique (there is a difference).
  • Don’t sell backlinks.
  • Don’t ignore people.
  • Don’t be flippant.
  • Don’t be condescending.
  • Lastly, do not confuse LinkedIn with Tinder, LinkedIn is a professional platform and it is not meant for anything else but that. You will end up with a reputation and 9 times out of 10 you will get blocked. (You can spot fake accounts a mile off if the person has less than 10 connections).

If you want to learn more about SEO & Digital Marketing, then download my free e-Book the “Ultimate Guide To SEO & Marketing“.

Further Reading

Business

https://cymrumarketing.com/how-to-land-marketing-jobs-without-selling-yourself/

https://cymrumarketing.com/how-should-entrepreneurs-deal-with-grief-fear-rejection/

https://ukdomainbrokers.ukwebsitedesigners.co.uk/why-you-should-teach-businesses-not-to-buy-backlinks/

The Complete Guide to Domain Names. | UK DOMAIN BROKERS, WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING (ukwebsitedesigners.co.uk)

Why business owners think they know more than a marketing expert. – CYMRU DIGITAL MARKETING BUSINESS JOURNAL – CARDIFF – WALES – UK – & BEYOND (cymrumarketing.com)

Something that resonated with me and was amusing was an email I received from TheHoth.com, it actually made me feel a bit better that this happens to everyone and it had some useful information. Learning about SEO is an ongoing process and I love learning and sharing.

What is Quality Content (and How You Can Use Topical Authority to Optimize It) – The HOTH

Health

Imposter Syndrome | DISABLED ENTREPRENEUR – DISABILITY UK

Burnout Syndrome | DISABLED ENTREPRENEUR – DISABILITY UK

Can being patronizing and condescending affect mental health? | DISABLED ENTREPRENEUR – DISABILITY UK

When Your Family Does Not Support You. | DISABLED ENTREPRENEUR – DISABILITY UK

145 Motivational Famous Quotes – Zena’s Journal (zenasjournal.com)

Contact Us To Discuss How We Can Help You.

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#business #seo #digital marketing #contentwriting #emailmarketing #outboundmarketing #networking #businessstruggles #mentalhealth #stress #anxiety #burnout #depression #goals #routines #selfcare #mentalhealth #meditation #neuroplasticity

MAKE MONEY SELLING NOTHING

Wed, February 15, 2023 / CMJUK / 0 Comments
Undeveloped domain for sale!

MAKE MONEY SELLING NOTHING

A Guide to Exploiting the Power of Marketing

It may sound counterintuitive, but you can actually make money by selling nothing. This may seem like a bold statement, but the truth is, it’s all about marketing. You can create value and generate income by using marketing strategies that don’t involve tangible products or services.

Here are a few ways to make money selling nothing:

Sell the experience

People are often willing to pay for an experience, even if it doesn’t involve a physical product. For example, you can sell a guided tour of a city, a cooking class, or a weekend getaway. The key is to make the experience as unique and memorable as possible and market it in a way that appeals to your target audience.

Offer a subscription service

Subscription services are a great way to make money without actually selling anything. For example, you can offer a monthly box filled with exclusive content, such as online courses, ebooks, or exclusive access to events. This creates a recurring income stream and keeps your customers coming back for more.

Monetize your expertise

If you have a specific skill or expertise, you can monetize it by offering consulting services, coaching, or speaking engagements. By sharing your knowledge, you can build a reputation as an expert in your field, and people will be willing to pay for your insights and advice.

Sell access

Another way to make money selling nothing is by selling access to a community or network. For example, you can offer access to a closed Facebook group, a Slack channel, or a members-only website. This creates a sense of exclusivity and helps build a loyal following.

Host virtual events

Virtual events are a great way to connect with your audience and make money without selling anything. You can host webinars, online workshops, or virtual conferences, and charge for access. This is a great way to reach a wider audience and generate income without the costs associated with physical events.

Making money selling nothing is all about finding a need and filling it in a unique and valuable way. By leveraging the power of marketing and building a strong brand, you can create value and generate income without selling tangible products or services.

In conclusion, selling nothing is not about being a scam artist or conning people, but about finding creative ways to create value and meet the needs of your target audience. By using the strategies outlined above, you can build a successful business and make money without selling anything at all.

IONOS - Official Partner
Website Design, Domain Brokering, Content Writing, & Digital Marketing.

#lifecoach #lifecoaching #coaching #subscriptionservice #virtualevents #digitalassets #monetization #affiliatemarketing

Reasons Why You Will Never Be Rich.

Sun, January 03, 2021 / CMJUK / 0 Comments

This Is Why Most People Will Never Be Rich

  1. You are too complacent and too set in your ways to make changes. You like to play it safe.
  2. You have no ambition.
  3. Your attitude to money is wrong *What ever will be will be”.
  4. You believe high brand items and fancy cars will make you look rich, hence you give a false perception of yourself so that people think you are rich.
  5. You are very materialistic, you spend more than you earn because you want the best of the best and you want to look your best even though you cannot afford it.
  6. You do not respect money, you will squander money on trivial things.
  7. You value going to the pub over education (entertainment instead of learning something new).
  8. You’re afraid to take risks.
  9. You don’t have a plan of action. You do not know how to execute an idea.
  10. You have not set any goals.
  11. You spend more than you make.
  12. You do not have a budget.
  13. You do not save money, save 10% of your earnings.
  14. You do not invest.
  15. You do not consilidate your debts and eliminate them entirely.
  16. You do not perservere.
  17. You give up to easilly.
  18. You think investing is risky but fail to realise that not investing is the biggest risk of all.
  19. You put your eggs in one basket, meaning you do not have several income streams.
  20. You complain about not having enough money rather than doing something about it.
  21. You live for today & and have no plans for tomorrow.
  22. You believe money will just fall into your lap.
  23. You don’t think you have what it takes to succeed.
  24. You think you need to be lucky to have money including gambling or expecting to win the lottery.
  25. You’re scared of failure.
  26. You don’t have access investment strategies & high quality mentors.
  27. You want to get paid based on your time rather than on your value.
  28. You’re surrounding yourself with the wrong people.
  29. You want to get rich quick rather than doing any work.
  30. You don’t understand the fundamentals of a budget – spend less than you earn.
  31. You think money is the route of all evil.
  32. You take things to heart and not not do well with criticism.
  33. You do not have a passion and do not love what you do.
  34. You do not know how to solve problems, people need help with problem solving, you do not know how to get over obstacles or mistakes.
  35. You do not have patience, you expect to get rich quick.
  36. You do not have a mentor.
  37. You do not have a network of like minded people.
  38. You do not test your product or service with consumers.
  39. You do not take care of your mental or physical self.
  40. You work for a company but you do not own shares.

FINAL THOUGHTS.

How To Become Rich.

  1. You need to able to persuade, negotiate and sell.
  2. You need to be able to read people, know which people to trust.
  3. You need to share your knowledge, if people can see how you make money they are more likely to invest in you.
  4. Rich people master leverage, know how to delegate and crowd source.
  5. Grow a Network with like minded people and get a mentor.
  6. Master Energy Management. Sleep well, take care of your mind and your body.
  7. Learn to probem solve not only for yourself but for other people.
  8. Critical Time Path (CTP), know how to delagate your time management productively.
  9. Know how and when to take risks and manage money, including budgeting and investments.
  10. Be assertive, confident, focused and determned.
  11. Learn something new every day and share it with others.
  12. Retrain your brain.

Lockdown Boredom Ideas 2021

Fri, January 01, 2021 / CMJUK / 0 Comments

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021

As the New Year has come upon us, Lockdown is still in the midst, hence we have to decide what to do whilst we are in isolation before the boredom sets in.

Like with all New Years past and present, it is out with the old and in with the new. We make promises to ourselves that the in the New Year we will quit smoking and go on diets, but what if the new chapter waiting to be written does not have to be just about New Years Resolutions but about significant life changes that can set the stepping stones to something much bigger.

Obviously taking care of our bodies is very important and we also need to take care of our minds. Watching films back to back will take your mind off things but it is short lived and you do not come out it any wiser unless of course they are educational documentaries. I agree we need to switch off and unwind and that is the only time we should have for watching films. The rest of our precious time should be put to good use. Do something that occupies our minds, such as learning a new language, new skill, craft or trade.

A New You and New Year Resolutions only means one thing, do something that you will be remembered for, not only will you be helping yourself you will be writing your destiny and passing it down as a legacy.

Here is a list of things you can start doing and my own recommendations. Remember only you can make the change and there is nothing stopping you making it happen other than your imagination.

Learn a craft.

Types of crafts

  1. Ceramics and glass crafts, tile making to mosaics.
  2. Flower crafts (Wedding Bouquets to Flower Arranging.
  3. Leatherwork (Make handbags, belts and purses).
  4. Houseware, Basket weaving (also called basketry, basket making).
  5. Fashion Design, Cloth, Dyeing and Printing.
  6. Jewelry Design, Jewelry Making.
  7. Needlework, Applique, embroidery, Crochet,Cross-stitch,Ribbon
  8. Embroidery, Knitting, Needlepoint, Patchwork, Quilting

Paper crafts


9. Paper crafts include: Paper marbling, Origami (paper folding), Papermaking, Cast paper, Decoupage, Papercutting, Iris folding, Paper embossing, Bookbinding, Quilling, Papier-mâché, Paper model, Parchment craft, Calligraphy,Scrapbooking.
(I have an idea consider designing colourful organiser/journal inserts in various designs, I have noticed there are not many outlets selling a wide variety. Check out Etsy for inspiration. Design the inserts by themes, nature, fashion, children, doodle colouring in, motivational etc).

Wood and furniture crafts.

10. Marquetry, Wood burning (Make jewelry or wall art), Wood carving, Woodworking, Lacquer art, Carpentry, Cabinet making, Upholstery,.Intarsia, Woodturning, Green Woodworking, Spoon Carving (Welsh Spoons), Kumiko, Timber Framing.

Stone crafts.

11. Mosaics and inlaying, Stone carving, Stonemasonry, Flintknapping, Letter carving on stone.

Metal crafts.

12. Metalworking – metalsmith, Enamelling, Blacksmithing, Farrier, Tinware – tinsmith, Weaponsmith – sword making, armorer, gunsmith, fletching, Clockmaking, Silversmith, Coppersmith, Knife making, Locksmithing. Jewellery. Goldsmith, Lapidary, Watchmaking, Pewter, Casting.

13. Write a Book, an autobigraphy, fiction or screen play or become a content writer.

14. Write some songs or some poems.

15.. Start Baking or Cooking (Deliver meals on wheels to your local community). Sell cupcakes or birthday and wedding cakes. Do tutorials on YouTube. Volunteer to help vulnerable people.

16. Do home repairs ( help the elderly with their gardens or maintenance whilst keeping to social distancing).

17. Learn to Draw & Paint. (Become a Fine Artist, Cartoonist or Illustrator).

18. Learn photography be the next wedding or commercial photographer (master photoshop) – Learn Drone Photography and Videography, (Landlords, Estate Agents (Real Estate) want virual tours of their properties).

19. Set up a stock library of images to sell online.

20. Learn to Play the Guitar or any musical instrument.

21. Learn Gardening, grow herbs and vegetables (enter into competitions or sell online homemade chutneys jams and preserves). Teach Lessons on Gardening on YouTube.

22. Learn about Property Investing.

23. Learn Self Defence – Teach Online Self Defence.

24. Make your own furniture and home decorations (sell online).

25. Master Yoga and Tai Chi – Teach Yoga and Tai Chi Online on YouTube.

26. Learn to Dance and Teach Online Dancing Lessons.

27. Learn Survival Techniques.

28. Sew Home Decor or Toys and Curtains, Patch Photo Blankets, Cushion Cover etc. (Turn your childs favourite outgrown outfit into a toy or patch blanket). Sell Online.

29. Learn to overcome shyness and gain confidence.

30. Learn to be a motivational speaker or consultant.

31. Learn First Aid.

32. Impove Memory Skills.

33. Learn Marketing.

34. Learn Search Engine Optimisation.

35. Learn Coding and Website Design & Development. (Start a blog and monetise it).

36. Learn Money Skills and Budgeting.

37. Learn about stock markets.

38. Learn a new trade, open university, udemy and edx.

40. Learn About Aromatherapy. Make your own Homemade Soap, Spa quality bath bombs, Bath salts, Body Butter, Soothing creams, Exfoliating body scrubs, Moisturizing body lotions and sell them online.

41. Start a Sport, running, boxing, martial arts, weight lifting, caving, pot holing, etc (be competive run marathons and join sporting events when they return). You have plenty of time to train.

42. Learn Business Skills, offer networking and lead generation.

43. Restore Old Furniture.

44. Restore Vintage Cars & Motorbikes

45. Learn about Antiques. (Sell Antiques online).

46. Set Up a Car Boot Sale (Regulations Permitting).

47. Be a collector of coins, stamps and memorabilia (sell online).

48. Learn Nail Art and Teach Online

49. Learn Wine Making.

50. Make Music.

51. Learn Programming

52. Learn to be a tattooist

53. Performing Stand Up Comedy

54. Proof-Reading and Editing.

55. Chauffering.

56. Offer a Concierge Service.

57. Design a Magazine.

58. Make T-Shirts, sell online.

59. Painting & Decorating.

60. Washing Windows.

61. Flipping Houses.

62. Buying and Selling.

63. Create & Edit Videos.

64. Create & Sell Pet Clothing.

65. Learn & Offer Engraving Services

66. Become a Computer Technician.

67. Offer Translation Services.

68. Home Staging.

69. Dog Walking.

70. Dog Training.

71. Learn Meditation.

72. Make Time Capsules.

73. Candle Making.

74. Magic Tricks & Card Tricks.

75. Urban fruit picking.

76. Journaling (Write Articles For Newspapers).

77. Fostering Animals.

78. Make Miniatures.

79. Tatebanko.

80. Singing.

81. Quilling.

82. Learn Archaeology.

83. Learn to Play Chess and enter competitions.

84. Learn Feng Shui Decorating.

85. Learn to Crab.

86. Shell Fishing & Collecting.

87. Fossil Hunting.

88. Foraging.

89. Fishing, fly, spear, rod, ice.

90. Car Racing.

91. Fencing.

92. Rock Climbing, Bouldering.

93. Hunting.

94. Reviewing Products, Services & Gadgets.

95. Building Electronics.

96. Become a professional Alcohol Connoisseur.

97. Hiking.

98. Collecting Military Paraphernalia.

99. Boat Making.

100. Robot Making. (AI).

101. App Development.

102. Storm Chasing.

103. Whittling. (the art of carving shapes out of raw wood using a knife).

104. Star Gazing.

105. Lamp making.

106. Learn to become a chocolatier.

107. Learn to do Pottery.

108. Learn Acting.

109. Learn Film Directing.

110. Model Ship Building.

“Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today”.

Stop procrastinating and putting things off, becasuse the longer you leave things the longer it will take to do something about changing your life for the better.

If you feel depressed with low self esteem, read some self hep books and reach out to organisations that may be able to help you. Talk to your GP.

If there are obstacles in your way learn how to get round them. No one is going to help you if you do not help yourself.

I hope I have given you some ideas to help you blow the blues away. Do take inspiration on Amazon and see what people are selling from handmade gifts to finding the ideal book to help you learn. You can find pretty much anything on Amazon from learning a new language to learning how to code.

Whatever your forte from drones to drills, you will not have any trouble finding what you need on Amazon.

VISIT AMAZON LINKS BELOW:

For Anything else on AMAZON like BOOKS & TOOLS,

Visit the Links Below.

Good Luck !

Christmas Depression Amongst Entrepreneurs

Sat, December 05, 2020 / CMJUK / 1 Comment
XMAS Depression

Christmas Depression Amongst Entrepreneurs.

Tis the season to be jolly. Christmas Holiday Season is meant to be filled with happiness and cheer, with social gatherings and celebrations and gifting. But this year is like no other.

As well as all the things that some people are not looking forward to this time of year, we have the added bonus of the Coronavirus Covid-19 Pandemic and limited household meetups.

For many people, it is a time filled with sadness, self-reflection, loneliness, and anxiety.

The demands of making your Christmas perfect may cause us to be on the verge of a mental breakdown with rushing around shopping for gifts, food, and outfits as well as organizing parties. Even having more people than normal can cause us to be stressed as we want the turkey and trimmings to be impressive and we have to portray everything as hunkey Dorey even though we may be having a nervous meltdown. If we have to balance entrepreneurship on top, we can end up feeling overwhelmed.

Most CEO if you ask them how their business is doing will without a shadow of a doubt say “Everything is Great”. No one wants to admit failure or tell the real truth. Being honest by saying your business has problems is a sign of weakness and no one wants to look stupid or inadequate for failing. Some people are just waiting for you to fail just to say “I told you so”, hence CEOs will always show they are doing great.

Entrepreneurs are:2x more likely to suffer from depression

  • 6x more likely to have ADHD
  • 3x more likely to struggle with addiction
  • 11x more likely to receive a bipolar diagnosis

12 Quotes on Entrepreneur Burnout And Depression, From Those Who’ve Walked The Path: https://medium.com/amp/p/a0d62a3ed389

People who normally do not view themselves as depressed may develop symptoms, such as:

  1. Stress
  2. Anxiety
  3. Depression, crying a lot or wanting to stay in bed all-day
  4. Headaches (migraines)
  5. insomnia
  6. Over-eating
  7. Indulging in too much alcohol
  8. Wanting to Isolate
  9. Overthinking
  10. Intrusive thoughts

Balancing your home and your business can lead to a lot of tension. Christmas is also a financial burden with us overspending or not budgeted properly and perhaps not having enough funds. Sometimes it can be difficult to gift a large household and extended family and friends. It is this time of year that people spend by maxing out their credit cards. However whilst spending it does not hurt in the short term, however when it comes to paying at the end of the month in the long term that is when people feel they are in hot water and start to get depressed even more.. Knowing how to budget your money will either make you or break you.

People do not look forward to Christmas for a number of reasons:

  1. Financial Burden & Obligations
  2. Loneliness (perhaps they have no family or friends)
  3. Grief (the loss of a person through death or breakup can be very traumatic and painful to handle)
  4. Mental Health Issues (Depression, PTSD, Anxiety) Perhaps they do not want reminders of the past
  5. Social Disconnection (finding it hard to socialize)
  6. Not getting along with some family members and the awkwardness of reuniting once a year
  7. Dealing with alcoholism surrounded by people who are drinking
  8. Paying Christmas Bonuses (not having enough funding)
  9. Having your business restricted due to pandemic regulations causes you to have financial difficulties (businesses closing for good or laying off staff)
  10. Not being able to travel because of pandemic regulations
  11. Illness, not being mobile (disabled) or maybe being in a hospital
  12. People expecting life-changing surgeries and are worried about the aftermath and are living an uncertainty such as organ transplants or heart surgery

How to overcome Christmas Blues

  1. Set goals and have a plan of action, prioritize the most important things on your schedule of things to do
  2. Budget your finances (Do not overspend)
  3. Pace yourself do not bite off more than you can chew
  4. Be realistic with your expectations, do not raise yourself up for disappointment, and compare your day to previous days
  5. Ask for support from your network of family and friends ask them to bring a dish if you’re struggling financially, everyone loves homemade food and treats
  6. If you are lonely volunteer to help other people in the same situation as yourself. Network with organizations that specialize in getting lonely people together at Christmas or volunteer to work over the Christmas holidays
  7. If you have friends or family struggling with alcoholism make your celebrations alcohol free
  8. If you know of an elderly person home alone at Christmas spread some Christmas Cheer by gifting them and looking in on them to see if they are ok
  9. Make handmade gifts that will save you money, write handmade notes for old people and neighbors, leave notes around randomly for strangers to pick up (secret Santa special message notes) Send out emails and messages and e-cards
  10. Make your own decorations, there is a Picasso in all of us
  11. Make some time for yourself, pamper yourself or as I do each year, I always buy myself a Christmas present so that I am never disappointed.
  12. Make an effort to contact friends and family that you may not have had the opportunity to connect with because of distance or pandemic restrictions (Set up Video calls)

Final thoughts

Personally speaking, I do not look forward to Christmas other than maybe going to a fancy restaurant (which is not going to happen this year) or viewing the Christmas lights and visiting the Christmas Markets.

Christmas will never be the same again and I miss the family congregation that we spent the holidays at my parent’s house. Since they have gone I only have my daughter and the cat, so Christmas can be lonely at times. She is in a relationship so I find I am sharing her with her boyfriend.

I do not bother with Christmas decorations as to who is going to see them anyway and do not like to socialize so I concentrate on what matters the most to me and that is my business. Before you read between the lines I am not interested in getting into a relationship, have been burnt too many times.

Not everyone I am connected with is Catholic or Christian, I am fortunate to also have Muslim friends so it’s not as if I cannot reach out to anyone if I wanted to.

I cannot bring my parents or my brother back but I can move on and have set myself some goals which I am striving to achieve. I want to make changes to my life and I know nothing stands still so I know with perseverance that when one door closes another one opens.

I must admit I do not forsake Christmas Dinner regardless if it is only dinner for one, I will splash out with all the trimmings and the extras and have the best of the best and feast like a Princess.

Remember there is always someone that you can chat to over the holiday period, you do not have to do it alone. If you are struggling you can phone the Samaritans on 116 123

Further Reading!

I wrote on my other blog about Mental Health Amongst Entrepreneurs and there are some useful links should you need some support at this difficult time.

Mental Health Amongst Entrepreneurs

Repairing a Bad Reputation

Sat, November 28, 2020 / CMJUK / 0 Comments

Repairing a Bad Reputation.

Your Reputation is the key to your success. If your reputation is tarnished how do you make it squeaky clean again?

Warren Buffett’s famous quote on reputation goes like this: “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.

Our reputation can be damaged via our personal lives through melicious rumours, this can start in school onto higher education, it could be at work because of competive co-workers who are jealous of your performance or it could be unhappy customers writing bad things about your Brand. In some case it can even be political. Whatever the circumstances we have the power to create our own destinies and by confronting the issue head on we are one step closer to regaining our good image back.

Reputation may be falsely advertised with personal attacks, customer complaints and blatant falsehoods but what if what was said was true how do you recover from that? How do you restore your brands reputation?

If you find untrue content published, you can take legal action against the perpetrators. However if the content is damaging and true there is little you can do to remove the content other than to bombard the internet with lots of good news.

Slander can cause irrevocable damage against companies and individuals. Slander is when content is published to be untrue and or misleading causing defamation of character spoken oral or written communication with the intent and unjustly harm the reputation and usually constitutes a tort or crime.  In the late 19th century, the expression “yellow journalism” was used and described by New York Press editor Erwin Wardman, how newspaper moguls, specifically Joseph Pulitzer II and William Randolph Hearst, would use misleading sensationalized news article to improve circulation. Randolph Hearst was the subject material that inspired Orson Welles to make the film Citizen Kane, based on the influence and corruption he acquired in the 1920s and 1930s.

A damaged reputation may be difficult to recover from or repair. That is why protecting you brand is so important, Getting your good name back is not always easy, but it can be done with patience, determination, and perseverance.

If the truth is out there is little you can do to take it down, but you can bombard the internet with good and positive news. If you continue filling the internet with good things your bad reputation will be old news in no time at all. Time is a healer as they say.

A bad reputation is potentially temporary providing you can continue to have positive things written about up consistently.

Never forget what damage has been done but always remember people care less over time. After all the world does not stay in the same place all the time, people have other things to talk about and providing you are meticulous with positive news eventually your bad reputation will be history.

Think of this this way your bad reputation is only what happened today or yesterday, but you can make a difference by not carrying on into the future. Your bad reputation can continue manifesting if you do nothing, but with the right resources you can make it a thing of the past. Research shows that, contrary to popular belief, when compared to other means of social evaluation, reputation matters measurably less than other factors.

Remember, focus on the things you can control, not the things you can’t. What content has been published cannot be unpublished but the more content you have written that is positive will eventually outweigh anything bad.

Consider addressing the world about the bad content and make you views known. If there is no proof of the statements that have been published and is pure speculation directed at you consider a way that can help you rectify any misunderstandings. Perhaps there are other entities that may not be directly linked to you that have disgraced your honour, yet people have come to a conclusion it is your own wrong doings that have caught media attention and you need to set the records straight. Discuss with people openly about what has happened and regain peoples trust.

The secret is to change how others think about you. Sometimes you just need to control the perceptions of others. People need to be programmed to see things in a different light. Reinventing yourself and showing people a new you and by consistently showing a different perspective on what would have been once thought as bad will encourage people to talk about you in a positive manner.

Whether your reputation is true or false try to denounce accusations as lies as quickly as possible. The longer you leave it the more chances of you being labelled and associated to this atrocity. Be assertive not aggressive, and make sure you spread the word that you have tried to defend yourself. If you do nothing the finger will be pointed your way. Ask other people to help set the story straight. The longer this bad reputation exists, the harder it may become to fix. Clarify any misunderstandings. Be outspoken when challenging lies.

A good way to improve your reputation and regain trust is to do show you are a good person and go out of your way to be kind and do good deeds.

However, doing too much too quickly can backfire and you must be steady with your pace and be consistent. Its no-good holding and event you need to hold several. There is no quick fix. You cannot come across as desperate a people will see through you, which will damage your reputation even further.

1). If the bad reputation revolves around you alone do nice things for your family, friends and co-workers or your local community. A good way to do good deeds is to do some volunteering work, this is especially helpful in your local communities with elderly or disabled people.

2). If the bad reputation revolves round your business do good deeds for your employees and your customers.

3). If the reputation revolves around something bigger (An Entity) then there are steps you can take to try to resolve the problem and I have a consultation white paper of suggestions for anyone wishing to contact me.

The key to getting rid of your bad reputation is to impress others. Go above and beyond your call of duty. Do impressive things and in turn you can improve how people see you. Gaining peoples trust and respect which is earned can go a long way towards improving your reputation.

Evaluate your social circles, change your life and your beliefs. If you do bad, only bad things will come your way, do good things on the other hand and only good things will come your way.

If the problem is at work and you are caught in a toxic environment this can lead to depression and a poor work performance. You need to tackle the problem head on and if you cannot resolve the problem alone speak with your superiors or HR. A work environment which encourages an unhealthy work-life balance can make it seem that a hardworking, dedicated person make look they are lazy and not performing well, but there could be underlining problem that could cause others to perceive a person differently. Evaluate your workplace if you think you will never fit in because of the perceptions people have about you and after offering an olive branch to make things right, things have not changed consider changing career paths. You cannot make yourself ill by simply being in the wrong job with the wrong people.

When trying to get rid of a bad reputation which is a stigma attached to you try to change yourself. Try to see yourself through the eyes of others, if you do not like what you see, consider changing your mindset. We need to retrain our brains to think differently and it easier said than done as we are creatures of habit. However, making gradual changes in our mannerism and in our thought process and our behaviour eventually people will start to notice.

If you bad reputation is surrounded by who you are and what powers you have, and people are immediately fearful of you try to change your persona to be a loving and kind individual.

Seek professional help, from specialist advisors and consultants. Life coaches or a spiritual guides also can help you transition into a different person. Never be false and always be true to yourself. By starting with yourself and believing in yourself only you can make those changes without being superficial. This will carve the steppingstone to a brighter future.

Once you have mastered your own new strength you need to make people believe in you. Rebranding yourself does not necessarily mean renaming yourself it just means you can change the social stigma to be a more positive one.

By monitoring your reputation online you will help eliminate any false truths and will prevent prolonged damage to your integrity.

The quickest way to see what has been written about you or your brand is to go online and search the search engines results pages (SERP). Monitor your Google Analytics and look out for unusual performance anomalies in your site traffic.

Manage Google Alerts for all your titles using brand names, product tags, popular misspellings, competitors, senior team leaders and key industry terms and popular search phrases.

Evaluate if whilst trying to defend yourself it will cause more harm than good specifically if the damaging content published can be used to gain even more traffic. Consider if the site is a blog where subscribers can leave comments. Do not fuel the fire.

It is common knowledge that there are three laws for reputation management which are authority, authority and authority. The more popular you are, the easier it is to gain authority of your brand be in personal or commercial. A sure-fire way to gain authority is by building a social media reputation with a strong following. The followers must be authentic legitimate people that have subscribed to your social media pages or on blog posts.

You can also build your authority by networking at business intro events or public speaking. You could even be a sponsor, or you could join charitable organizations. Whatever strategy you use if the media is filled with good deeds you are doing only good things will come out of it and your bad reputation will be a thing of the past.

Remember if you are honest with people, people are forgiving and can learn to trust you again. Be the bigger person and own up to your wrong doings, apologise if you can and address the elephant in the room. However not everything is black and white and not everything that has been written about you can be swept under the carpet hence you have to show people you are not as bad as everyone is making you out to be.

Have you noticed at political rallies how politicians pick up babies to show the world they have empathy and can relate to normal folk? Politicians for example have both good and bad followers so see how they deal with the public and follow suit.

When dealing with your brand reputation try to control to conversation using social media platforms to clarify any misunderstandings, reduce complaints and build a fan base at the same time. Monitor not just the public but more closer to home your employees complaint platform such as www.glassdoor.co.uk there could be other sites in your region, do your research and find out what people are saying about you and your brand. Limit the possibilities of people buying up domain names with your brand name and writing controversial things about you. Own all the variations of your website URL, including negative versions (avoidthisbrand.com).

Be quick to apologize to customer complaints. Remember a dissatisfied customer will tell between 9-15 people and 13% of very dissatisfied customers will tell more than 20 people. Bad reviews spread like wildfire. However happy customers who have had their issue resolved will tell about 4-6 people about their experience.

Be authentic and never make up excuses or try and blame the problem on someone else. Always be transparent when handling customer complaints and if you have had bad press do not shy away and hope the problem will go away on its own it wont unless you do a press conference and address the issues.

Gain positive feedback from influencers who can help boost your personal image.

Most importantly, reward loyal customers, influencers and internet marketers. Make your clients and supporters feel appreciated by giving them exclusive content, products or experiences.

Finally, be patient, building a good reputation doesn’t happen overnight whereas rebuilding a damaged one is going to take even longer.

Be in control of what is written on the internet whereas it may take millions of dollars and years to build a a good reputation, it only takes a few minutes to create a social media account and potentially ruin a company’s brand and reputation.

Other reading:

How to React When Someone Blanks You.

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