Web Goddess Academy Archives

Recommended Reading

by Web Goddess | 27 Apr 2020 | Business Tips, Web Goddess Academy

Whether you are just starting out in business or have been running your empire for a while, it’s always good to get some inspiration from those you admire.

And for me, it is important to understand some of the mindset and ‘soft skills’ required as well as learning within your industry.

With that in mind, here is my list of my MUST READ books that have helped me along the way and that I share with my Web Goddess Academy members…

The Desire Map
Danielle LaPorte

First things first. If you’re not clear on how you want your life to FEEL then building a business you adore will be really tricky.

So, this book and program is my go-to first step for any entrepreneur.

Everything is Figureoutable
Marie Forleo

As a B-School Alumni, I love the way Marie Forleo helps you get clear on what you really want.

From facing your fear and dealing with imposter syndrome, to bouncing back from failure, this book is another must-read from my collection.

Start with Why
Simon Sinek

If you’ve not heard of Simon Sinek and his now-famous TED Talk, get on over and watch it and then get this book to discover why you need to Start with Why in your own business.

I love this book, but need to buy another copy as I’m pretty sure I lent my copy to someone…

The Fire Starter Sessions
Danielle LaPorte

Once you’re clear on how you want to feel, check out Danielle’s Fire Starter Sessions to help you create soulful success on your own terms.

Full of juicy prompts and permission to do things YOUR WAY – I re-read this book often.

Blue Ocean Strategy
W. Chan Kim, Renée Mauborgne

How to win by not competing, this book is full of actionable steps to help you succeed in your business without worrying about what everyone else is doing.

It’s a very dry read so I only digest it in small chunks, but still worthy of being on my shelf of inspirational books.

The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a Fk**
Sarah Knight

With a nod to Marie Kondo’s book of a similar title, this sweary little number is an irreverant guide to “stop spending time you don’t have doing things you don’t want to do with people you don’t like”.

It is the permission you need to do things your way and stop people pleasing. Definitely one of my favourite books for life as well as business.

So, which book are you going to start with first?

Note: this post contains affiliate links and I may receive a commission if you purchase a book after clicking through using the links on this page. This doesn’t cost you any extra, but does help me a little!

7 Free Tools to Grow Your Business Online

by Web Goddess | 11 Feb 2020 | Blogging Tips, Business Tips, Email Marketing Tips, Graphics Tips, Other Resources, Social Media Tips, Website Tips

Running a small business (or any business for that matter) can require costly investment in everything from premises to products – not to mention the costs of being online and running a website.

But, there are TONNES of awesome free resources out there to help you get the message out to potential customers and keep existing customers happy.

Here is my list of 7 Awesome Free Tools that you can use NOW:

#1 Google My Business

Even if you don’t have a physical location that customers can visit, registering for Google My Business is a must.

As you keep your listing updated your online ranking will improve and your clients can add Google Reviews straight to your profile. This helps you appear in map searches too.

#2 Facebook

Facebook is still alive and kicking and is a great place to build a community for your business – as long as you post and interact consistently.

Try giving 80% information and only promote products or services 20% of the time so your customers aren’t constantly bombarded with icky sales messages!

#3 Instagram

I recommend upgrading from a personal account to a business one (it’s still free) if you are using Instagram for business.

You can use your Insta feed to update your Facebook page as well as your website so your images are always online in multiple places.

#4 Email Marketing

Social media is amazing, but you have no control over your online reach or when the platform algorithms change.

So, having an email newsletter is still one of the best ways of getting news out to your clients. I use MailerLite now and can track insights for all of my email campaigns.

It’s important to set a schedule and figure out your reason & vision before sending emails but it can be a wonderful way of connecting for free.

#5 Blogging

Don’t have your own website yet? No problem (although I would recommend that you have one). You can’t use that as an excuse not to start writing & sharing it online NOW.

Sign up for a free account with a Blogging site such as Medium or Blogger and start writing. You can always move and update your posts later when you have a website!

#6 Google Search Console

This option is only available if you already have your own domain and website, but being able to track your visits and search queries is a great way of understanding your online reach.

You can sign up to Google Search Console for free and improve your online ranking.

#7 Canva

This online graphic design platform is my favourite tool of all! You can sign up for free to create any type of graphic you can think of – from social media to posters to ebooks – Canva lets you do it all.

And, if you need a little more (like extra stock images, premium fonts or a brand kit) then you can upgrade to Canva Pro at any time.

I create all of my graphics (including the infographic for this post) using Canva and use them for my website, social media, business cards and even presentations.

With all of these tools, all that remains to be done is to learn how to use them!

Set aside some time and choose ONE to work on first. Give it some time and energy (and have a PLAN) and see how you can improve your online reach without spending a penny.

And, if you need help, pop along to one of my Digital Workshops to help you get started!

Note: this post contains an affiliate link to Canva Pro and I may receive a commission if you sign up through the link. However, as with everything I recommend, I do so because I use it and bloody love it!