XX Site Build It! Journey

Day 8: Share Yourself through Article Writing using passion, knowledge and your best keywords

When it comes to a web presence, it would be nice to believe that "if you build it, they will come," yet we know better. "They" will come if you do one thing well -- Market yourself.

The key is to remember that Marketing Yourself is really just Sharing Yourself. It's building relationships with people who will eventually love you and adore what you have to offer.

Market yourself to tell the world about what you offer - your site, your business, your products, and what you believe. You can market through advertising, articles, blogs, workshops, teleclasses, ezines, spread-the-world campaigns, affiliate and referral networks, etc. It's a constant endeavor that everyone should master. This skill will serve you well in any business or project.

• People will buy from you when they know and trust you.
• They will recommend you when you keep and honor that trust.

And it all starts with Article Writing - Share Yourself by sharing the information your ideal clients are looking for by writing articles. You want your future clients to easily and automatically find you when they search for that information online using one of the search engines. You also want them to find that content when someone recommends you as the go-to person for that type of information, service, or product. The last thing you want is to never show up in the top search listings or worse, have someone recommend you and have your site NOT reflect your expertise, talents or knowledge. (I have been guilty of this a few times.)

Learn to do a keyword search and find out which keywords people are using when they look online for services like yours. This is where a product like Site Build It! is helpful. It has the built-in tools you need to brainstorm keyword ideas and then quickly validate if they are truly the ones people use when they search for you (or businesses like you). And even better, Site Build It (with their own proprietary programs) helps you discover which keywords are searched for frequently, yet have few sites offering that information. In other words, lots of people looking for information that very few people are supplying. 

OF COURSE, what you write can and should be a reflection of you - not what anyone tells you people want to read. You KNOW your ideal clients and customers best and know just what they are looking for and need. (And if you don't - then ask them using a survey or an assessment:-)) Write to incorporate your best knowledge and your best keywords.

You will need to be consistent. Write articles often. Post them in article directories, on your blog, in an ezine, etc.  Sharing Yourself by writing articles (with your best keywords and best knowledge) should be simple. After all, you are sharing what you love, what you know, and what you believe.

Yet, if you find that you are having a problem, ask yourself these questions:

1. Is this truly my passionate purpose?
2. Is this truly my area of expertise? Or am I writing about too general a topic?
3. Do I dare to show up - even when it's scary to share who I am and what I believe?
4. Do I just need some article writing guidance?
5. Do I simply need to "go for it" to build my confidence?

Chances are #5 is the culprit, so dive in. Choose a topic for your next blog post or article writing endeavor. Trust yourself. Start writing!

And if you find that you need help with 1,2,3, or 4, write me or call me. I'm ready and willing to help.

Blessings as you Dare to Share Yourself with the World by Writing Articles,

Maiya Rose

Day 7: Dreams of Making Money while Making a Difference

     I'm taking a few moments to ponder why I am here - choosing to learn The Art of Site Build It! (That might be a better blog name, eh?) I'm probably just reassuring myself that I am on the right track.

In reality, most of us set out to create a website with a dream in mind. We build a web presence to share a story, teach a new idea, support the dreams of others, share products that can change lives or at least make life easier, and more.

We dare to dream that we can and will make a difference in the world - that what we do matters. We are told that our work is great - we helped, we inspired, we made a difference. And that inspires us to be more...to do more...and to spread the word about our work.

Perfect. Except for one thing.

Our dreams included making money while making a difference. And most folks in business for themselves (especially in healing, helping, wellness and spirit businesses) aren't making the amount of money they expected and in some cases, the amount of money they need. You've heard this before - I hope - yet here's what occurred to me today.

Site Build It may be able to help me launch a web site that is in alignment with what I call the "new age business" model. And I believe that model is unique. It blends the best of practical business solutions (off-line and on-line) with the authenticity and daring of the spiritual explorer.

My Meaningful Streams of Income program is based on the new age business model. I want to expand my business globally (more international clients), financially (new goals for 2008), and passionately (still have fun while it grows...I do not need to create another job for myself...I want a business that serves the world and serves me, too.)

It seems that the Site Build It solution blends business practicality (optimized use of keywords, web site content optimization, research tools and strategies, growing relationships with your readers...) with a "dare to share yourself" philosophy.

SBI encourages you to write with your own voice, your own passions, and your own unique viewpoint. In fact, I'd say that they believe that writing and sharing in your own voice and style is a must if you truly want to stand out in the crowd.

People have created websites based on strong keyword research.  People have created content-rich web sites using their own unique voice. Very few have combined both strategies. And even fewer have done it in your niche.

I like that insight. And while there is a bit of work between where I am now and having a fully launched SBI site, I believe the effort will be worth it - financially, globally, and passionately.

Unlike some SBIers, I am planning to create more than a Google Adsense and affiliate site. I am creating an authentic, content-based web presence that:

• teaches, inspires and spreads the word about what I do AND
• offers my own line of products and services that are tested and proven to work AND
• refers people to products, programs, resources, assessments and other coaches who I know have helped my clients, peers, and friends in the past.

Well, work to do - I need to get back to my lessons for the day. I've enjoyed the view. I'll just take my lemonade with me.

Blessing and Possibilities and Daring, too,

Maiya Rose

Ken Envoy weighs in...Blogs vs. Theme-Based Content Sites

Ken Envoy (the founder/creator of Site Build It!) weighs in on Blogs vs. Theme-Based Content Sites. I think he makes great points that I agree with like 1) blogs need to constantly be fed and many folks simply are not up for that challenge and 2) that the type and organiziation of your blogs data (categories, themes, long-term usefulness of content) are key factors in your blogging success. (More on that later)

It's so funny that I was just pondering this very subject myself the last few days. Hmmm, dare I say...great minds think alike?

Be well...Maiya Rose

Day 4: Using what Site Build It Taught Me to Better Grow My Blogs

I'm still working on the Site Build It keyword selection process. I am churning out lots of ideas onto my notepads and then jumping online to gather some backup keyword data. I haven't saved anything online yet.

In the midst of one research endevour,it occured to me that this process would help me just as well to market my new free Meaningful Streams of Income Membership Club, and my article marketing blog, and anything else I am creating online. So I detoured a bit to restructure my Meaningful Streams Glossary (part of the club) to be more keyword friendly and took notes on how to write future posts for the Meaningful Streams Club itself.

I am inspired by how this is all coming together. SBI is helping me see that I can

• write what I want -
• educate and share information that helps my clients -
• AND with forethought, make my content much more search-engine friendly.

Back to my video lessons...

Blessings and Possibilities,

Maiya Rose

Day 2: Site Build It Materials Rock...forwards and backwards

It is Day 2 of my journey and I've printed out the entire Site Build It Action Guide. I speed-read it backwards - from Day 10 to Day 1*.  I couldn't help myself. I was intrigued by the glimpses of information I read as it was printing.

To be honest, I think knowing the whole process backwards is helpful. I understand why the lessons I am concentrating on today are so critical to my success with my Site Build It project.

I am on step 2, which seems to be the foundation upon which you build your future content. It is the research and choice of keywords. The SBI keyword selection process is unique and the "formula" for choosing your keywords seems ingenious to me. I've taken other SEO (search engine optimization) classes and I've never gone about it this way - yet it makes good sense. There is definitely work involved and some brain power required.

If you are expanding an existing business like I am, you need to feel really comfortable with who you serve and how you serve them. Since I know my chosen market and the clients I work with in this market (after 5 years of serving them) I am confident that this system will help me make better keyword choices.

This keyword selection process isn't about fooling the search engines or short-cutting the traffic building process. IT IS about selecting the best keywords I can to attract the clients I love and to make it really easy for them to find me online.

There are SEO super-experts out there who would gladly teach me this information for a fee. However, I appreciate that the SBI team included this lesson as a straight-forward, 30 minute video plus information guide and just-in-time detailed reports that I could read or save for later. Also, SBI has built-in the keyword search tools I need along with a keyword selection and tracking tool. Nicely done.

Yep, I'm still happy with my decision.

Blessings and Possibilities,

Maiya Rose

*Note: To be clear, I should mention that the Site Build It Action Guide is organized into days - day 1, day 2, etc through day 10.  Each Day of the Action Guide has a lesson and steps to complete. Each of those steps could take hours, days or weeks. The Site Build It crew encourages you to take your time and to work at your own pace. (Their mascot is the Tortoise...) That said, my post titles on this blog are NOT SBI Days. My posts reflect how many days I've had the SBI product.

Day 1: Great Site Build It Action Guide Videos and Lots of Reading

A Pleasant Surprise

Wow - Site Build It! does a nice job with the Action Guide Videos and materials. I heard that the SBI process was well documented and now I'm a believer. The teaching materials are available in both written and video format. We all learn differently and I'm impressed that they have evolved their learning guides to create a multi-style learning environment. Go SBI Team!

A Confession

I confess that in high school, I discovered that I needed to both read and listen to material for me to truly retain what I was trying to learn. I used to read from my text books with a highlighter, and then read the highlighter materials into a tape recorder. To "study" for an exam, I would play the recording under my pillow at night.

The Site Build It! video and printed materials are a perfect combination for me. (I'll let you know if I create my own night-time recordings, too:-)

A Plan

My plan is to move my way through all the materials over the next couple of days and then go back step-by-step as I implement the process. There is a lot to take in. I consider myself fairly online-savvy, yet perhaps not techy like some of the Site Build It! users.  A few of the terms and ideas are new to me and I'm taking the advice of the guide, to not worry about what I don't understand and have faith that I will understand it when I need to. I imagine it will all --well, at least most of it-- will make sense by the time the year is up.

To my continued journey tomorrow -

Blessings and Possibilities,

Maiya Rose

Yes, Site Build It! is my Choice

Full Circle

It seems as if I have traveled full circle with this decision to use Site Build It! to create my latest web site. Years ago, I evaluated and almost purchased Site Build It! And certainly over the years, I've had clients who used it and tried to sell me on it. I especially remember the specific clients (during my web design days) who hired me to build graphics for their Site Build It! web sites.

What did they know that I didn't? I'm still not sure. But I am about to find out. I have accepted the challenge from Ken Envoy to lovingly, whole-heartedly and persistently pursue creating my very own Site Build It! web presence.

I won't disclose the name of my site today, since according to the SBI process, I have a few steps to go through before I either 1) validate that my original name is hot stuff just as I suspect or 2) come to my senses and choose a better name.

My Goals

Over the years, I've helped my clients start, grow, and expand their businesses with my Meaningful Streams of Income™ ideas, coaching, product design and consulting. I just celebrated my 10th year anniversary as a coach for both meaningful streams clients and passionate purpose clients. I've created my own signature product for change the world businesses called, Grow It! The $1000 a Day Business Model. I have run workshops, teleclasses, coaching clubs, and more. Before that, I spent 14 years in Fortune 100 companies, as a project manager launch. Throughout it all, I explored my purpose, my spirituality, my place in this world - and even co-founded a group called "Priestess Walk, Warrior Dance" dedicated to living our spirituality...everyday. I have a lot of different experiences that have brought me to this place in time. (Learn more...)

Now, I want to build a site from the ground up that not only is its own stream of income, but also fuels my other ventures. My goal is to continue to transform my business into one that I can "do" from anywhere at anytime. A true work less, make more, passion-driven, change (and heal) the world endeavor.

"I want to continue to grow a business that fuels my soul as well as my bank account."

Blogging My Success

I'm a bit excited about this journey and decided to share the "newbie" energy with my friends and mastermind partners as I document my Site Build It! adventure. This will keep me honest and steadily moving forward. To keep it simple, I am committing to blog for the first year of my SBI journey--hopefully with exciting updates full of my multitude of personal successes and proud moments:-)

Realistically, I know it won’t all be smooth sailing. (Did I mentioned I’ve been in business 10 years?) However, I have faith in my ideas and certainly in my vision. I’m ready to see how SBI can help.

Wish me luck. If you are a successful SBI'er, write me. I'd love the encouragement. Hearing from you will keep me motivated, so please chime in with your comments, ideas, and leads. I’ll also be on the Site Build It! forums so I hope to meet you there too. And if you are a newbie like me – why not start your own sister blog? I'd love to have some friends in this year-long blogging adventure.

Blessings and Possibilities,

Maiya Rose