10 Tips on Creating a Successful Blog

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Since I have a blog, I get this question ALL of the time...How do I create a blog? DISCLAIMER: Let me first say that I am NOT an expert in this area. I do not know any techy stuff...I can't train you on SEO. ALL I KNOW IS...I have a blog, I love sharing tips & my journey. Anything I want to know or learn about regarding blogs, I will just Google. I cannot tell you how to get the fun icons on your blog- even the stuff I have done on mine...I can't remember how I did it! LOL I Googled it, followed instructions & instantly forgot it all. With that being said, this can be a really fun creative outlet for you! Have fun with it and always be willing to learn and play around with your blog. I've change the design on mine...50,000 times. Ok back on topic.... WHY BLOG?
Think of your blog or website as an unpaid salesperson working for you 24/7!
It’s a way for you to make a deeper connections with your customer and showcase...you! Your talents, struggles, personality and successes! You are really marketing and branding yourself!  

What are some unique qualities about you? Are you a good listener? and you bold, honest and upfront and don’t sugar coat anything? Are you funny? Are you a mom trying a set a good example for your children and family? Do you struggle with temptations and staying out of the cookie jar? YOU have the answers that people JUST like you are searching for. Don’t be selfish hehe Share! Don’t EVER undervalue your uniqueness! Don’t ever think that no one wants to hear your story. They do!

You want to CONNECT with your customers- let them know they came to the right place and you can help them!

How to get started:
You can create an account on blogger.com or wordpress.org whichever you are more comfortable with. Wordpress.org allows you to do a little more with your site (and I believe shows up in the search engines more?) Either way, there are TONS of free trainings on how to work them and get started. Check the websites or youtube! Google it!

10 Tips on Creating a Successful Blog

Tip #1 Be yourself!
Always be YOU! People are very intuitive. You want to make sure you relay your distinct voice and tone! What makes you you! Always add your personality to everything you do! They can tell if you are BSing them or just writing boring facts about Shakeology.  Facts TELL, stories sell! Share with your readers (aka your new friends) your story- why you got into Beachbody and business! What is your bigger vision? What makes you better, different or more awesome than other fitness coaches? Be real, genuine and authentic. Let people get to know YOU. Tell them what your believe in! They will relate to you on a deeper level.You will attract the type of coaches and customers you work best with which will benefit your sanity and business!

Tip #2 Identify your Market
Who do you want to talk to or reach? Without identifying your ideal customer, your marketing will be generic and ineffective!  By identifying your ideal target, you will start attracting people who relate to you & who are perfect for you! You’ll convert more and work will be FUN! You’ll find that your marketing is more effective because you have clarity about who you are talking to which means you can make a deeper connection!

You want to find your niche but really dial in and dig deep until you have ONE specific person in mind.  You need to understand what is going on in their head- understand their heart, emotion, and fears if you want to connect effectively.  See life through their eyes- get in their shoes and learn to think like them.
To start the process, talk to your customers and really LISTEN. Learn more about them- take the time to get to know them.
When they see that you understand their desires and have a vision for them, it will develop a deep trust and they will see that you can help them reach their goals. By showing them that you understand what they are going thru, they can really see how Beachbody products can be the solution for them as well! What building that deep trust means for you....sales, repeat customers and a successful business.

So how to identify your Market?

Think about what they all have in common. Think of every trait! demographic - age, income, gender, marital status, job, etc. What are their values, beliefs, lifestyle, hobbies, interests, etc?

Roll these traits into ONE person- think about that person’s life. What tv shows, magazines, books do they like? What is their guilty pleasure? favorite food?
What do they think about themselves? What do they fear? worry about? What are their dreams? what would thrill them?
Now think about how they view the world. How do they feel about Beachbody? or what you have to offer?
Always speak to THIS person when you are blogging!

Read more about Developing your Brand here

Tip #3 Offer VALUABLE content!
Offer people interesting information and good solid content that people WANT to read! Start with your story! But you should always be learning about your niche! Share that information and what it means to you in your life!

Tip #4 Consistency!
Be reliable! Set a realistic goal for how often you are going to blog- then stick with it! Once you get followers, they will learn your blogging pattern and look forward to your posts. If you are sporadic, they will lose interest and most likely stop checking back! People want to know how often they should check your blog!
If the inspiration strikes you and you have 5 blog posts ready to go, don’t post all at once! Post one then schedule the rest to post according to your normal posting schedule. Another tip is to make an editorial calandar- schedule the posts you are going to write about ahead of time.
Don’t be disheartened in the beginning, if you’re not getting very many hits. It takes about 6 months to build a good following. This can be challenging- don’t lt that be an excuse!!! We all started from zero at one point! You CAN figure it out! Blogging is a marathon, not a sprint

Tip #5 Running Idea List
Use Evernote, google docs or word to keep a list of blog post ideas. Ever run out of inspiration? Keep a list of ideas on hand so you can stay consistent with your posts. Any time a customer asks you a question, thats a great topic to your list!
Still need inspiration? Search sites like Delicious, redd it, StumbleUpon or blovloving!

Tip #6 Link All social media and Remind Customers to bookmark or follow your blog
Make it EASY for people to contact and connect with you! You can add social media buttons for your facebook, twitter, youtube, etc....Always remind them at the end of a post- if they like what they see...make sure they bookmark or follow you for more!

Tip #7 Get the word out! Cross Promote!
How are people going to find you? Do a little research on SEO! That’s going to help your blog come up more often when people search topics that you cover. If you are posting valuable content, this shouldnt be a problem. You always want to plug your blog into sites like Stumble Upon, blog loving, etc.....and share blog links with your Facebook and twitter fans. Add your blog link to your youtube videos. Make posts that people WANT to read and they will share your blog!

Tip #8 Google is your friend!!
Google knows all! If you want to learn how to do something, ask google!!! It’s easier for google to explain it!

Tip #9 Keep it Simple
Keep your design simple and easy to navigate. Check out popular blogs for design ideas. Don’t get widget happy!

Tip #10 Be flexible, always be learning
I don’t think I need to tell you how fast technology changes! Always keep your eyes peeled for new training, don’t be afriad to try something new or different. Experiment and have fun with it!

Just get started! The only way to get better is to practice!

Motivation

Monday, April 28, 2014

Going after goals can be SCARY!
Whether you are trying to lose weight...building a business...trying something new...working on your relationships...
It can de challenging...but remember...the biggest challenge is erasing SELF DOUBT. That nasty little thing that holds us back!
What we say to ourselves and what we believe becomes our reality. The first step to success is to truly believe in ourselves!
You can still be a "positive person" who has negative beliefs. If your inner voice is feeding you doubt...even the most optimistic person can fall short of their goals.
Big Dreams require BELIEF!! Belief in yourself: I CAN DO THIS! I WILL do this. I am smart. I am successful. I am deserving. I am kind. I am lovable. I am unstoppable. I can. I will.
Erase self doubt! You are amazing & you've got this!!
When you get frustrated, just take a deep breath, and repeat after me: " I can do this"


Beachbody Coaching

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Ok I know I have been posting A LOT about the coaching side of Beachbody...but I can't begin to explain how incredible it's been for me
Yesterday, in the spirit of gratitude...I was thinking about how much my life has changed in the last 3 years and WHY I love being a coach SO much! 
So many blessings but without a doubt the #1 reason I built this business was for FREEDOM!!



Coming from retail management, I'm a little traumatized by the alarm clock. There were nights we would work until 2am and have to be back by 8am. I missed more holidays & family gatherings than I could count {{nearly every holiday from the time I was 18-25}}
I didn't have the greatest "circle of influence" back then...which kind of made me not like people. How awful is that!?

Beachbody wasn't just about getting fit...it's completely changed my attitude & while not every day is peaches & sunshine...I have a LOT of AMAZING days...and when I do have a bad day...I handle it much better than I used to (thanks to my other half hehe) Don't sweat the small stuff!

Since we can work from anywhere...and since I dont have to ask a boss for time off...Jay and I rented this sweet house in Florida for a couple of weeks to Hang out with some of our FAVORITE people Lindsay Matway & William Hodges LONDON  , Tony Stay & Lindsay StayBrittany LeGette
My happy tank is about to be filled!! 

If something in your life isn't working...don't complain about it. Just do something about it. It took me 3 months of debating/researching before I signed up as a coach. I'm so glad that I finally trusted my gut, took the leap of faith and had the VISION to stick it out and see this thing through!

Whatever you're thinking about doing...TAKE ACTION! You won't regret it =) 

xoxo



Developing your Brand: Beachbody Coach Training

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Feel like you're struggling with WHAT to post on your Social media/Blog?youtube?
Feel like you DON'T relate to some of the people you are trying to help?

It's time to LASER FOCUS your message and your business to the person you COMPLETELY relate to ...and LOVE working with

Back in 2012, I discovered the most amazing woman on the planet!
My mentor (from afar) and BUSINESS GURU extraordinaire: Marie Forleo! (www.marieforleo.com).
I signed up for her B-School and she taught us this AMAZING exercise: Creating your "Ideal Customer Avatar"

It rocked my world!
I don't want anyone to let this training pass them by!  DO IT!


So why should you do this?
  • Without developing your brand, your marketing will be very generic (and ineffective) 
  • You'll attract people you don't relate to & coaching isn't as fun. It feels like an uphill battle.  I, for example, don't relate to MEN who are trying to put on muscle. I would much rather work with a 25 yr old woman!!
  • No matter how hard you work, you will struggle to reach your business goals and won't know why
  • Once you identify your Brand, marketing becomes SO much easier & fun! You'll attract customers who are perfect for you!
  • You'll form a deeper & more meaningful connection with your customer & team!
  • When your customers feel that YOU understand them, you establish a deep level of trust.  Deep trust = repeat customers. Happy customers = a successful LONG TERM business!



This exercise CHANGED MY BUSINESS....I went from having a wide variety of people...to narrowing my focus and attracting coaches who are just like me. It makes your job as a coach a lot easier, a lot more fun and gives you purpose because you know who you are trying to help!
STEP 1
First, you want to make a list of characteristics that represent the person you MOST enjoy helping! Who are they? What do they like? What do they do for fun?

Make a List! 
  • Age
  • Single/Married
  • Occupation
  • Interests
  • Hobbies
  • Personality Type (Shy, outgoing, bubbly, quiet, etc...)
PRO TIP: Really dig deep on this! What does she fear? What are her goals? What keeps her up at night?
Put yourself in their shoes! My customer is worried about signing up as a coach and putting their SSN # on the website. What if this is a scam!?!?
Knowing this helps me explain things and ease their mind. 

Think back to what you felt or thought about Beachbody before you were a coach or really understood it.
STEP 2  Create a VISUAL! Something you can re-visit and read when you need inspiration or focus! Check out my picture!
This represents MY Brand and my Ideal Customer/Coach.
I've named her Kaitlyn. "Kaitlyn" LOVES the beach, she's super carefree but then stresses about random things, she likes to research before she purchases but then ends up making impulse buys based on her gut, she loves ordering things online. She is an animal lover and would rescue every dog if she could. She reads People magazine but loves personal development as well. She bites her nails unless she has a manicure & hates scary movies. She's never been "Fat" but wants to tone and lose 5-10lbs.

PRO TIP: Your visual should really speak to you and inspire you! You might discover that your ideal customer is YOU! It's easier to talk to and help someone that you relate to! After reading your slide, you should be EXCITED to help this person!


STEP 3
 Revisit this daily! Save your image on your desktop if it helps.
I know so much about my Ideal customer "Kaitlyn"   I could go on & on her
. This person is someone I made up...but by creating her identity and relating to her....I get ideas for what I should post. I think about "What would Kaitlyn be inspired by? What worries does Kaitlyn have?"

This should inspire you! You should have pages of ideas for your website, blog, and Facebook on what you can do to help this person.
You should be able to create content that will not only appeal to them but makes them feel like "Wow! she really gets me!"
I'm able to create CONSISTENT marketing and a consistent message that ATTRACTS girls just like "Kaitlyn" into my business. Building a connection is KEY in getting people to contact you! 
Make sense?
How can you add value?

Think about what kind of VALUE you can add to this person's life. What can you give?
  • What advice or guidance can you provide?
  • What skills/talent/knowledge do you have? (Don't undervalue what you know! Something that seems obvious to you, might seem overwhelming and confusing to someone else. Example: Meal planning)
  • "If you want to hit the bullseye, throw more darts"  Creating content that builds your brand is a process that takes time and consistency! 

MY customer "Kaitlyn" wants to tone her legs, booty and tummy...so I write A LOT about the workout that helped me with that (Brazil Butt Lift!)
My customer is worried that Shakeology is a scam- so I write about my experience and how I googled Beachbody and looked them up on the Better Business Bureau before I would buy anything lol 

IDEAL COACH
MOST of this applies to the future COACH you are going to attract, but I like to take it one step further.
Make a list of the characteristics of your IDEAL COACH.

Then, RATE YOURSELF on each item (1-10)

If you want to attract that type of person into your business, YOU need to be the BEST example! Lead from the front! Your list is basically what your "ideal coach" is looking for in a sponsor! Look at your list...what do you need to work on? Create your personal development strategy around your areas of opportunity.

If you have meet ANY of my team, you will see that they are basically carbon copies of ME (flaws and all! hahah We have terrible follow through :P But we have BIG hearts!!)
Pittsburgh Super Saturday with my team!
 
Bombshell Winter Retreat! 

So there you have it...if you want to create a consistent message, REALLY connect with your customers and truly help them....you FIRST have to figure out who it is that you want to help!
xoxo

From an acorn a mighty oak grows

Thursday, April 10, 2014

It's Thursday! In the Beachbody world, that means PAYDAY and rank advancements (I know that means nothing to non-coaches...but both represent the number of people each coach has helped)

Today is a BIG DAY for our team- lots of exciting advances & paychecks...but I wanted to take a moment to recognize some of my newer coaches who are building their dreams brick by brick. 

Some of my newbies made $50+ this week...which might not sound like a lot...but to ME 3 yrs ago... an extra $50-200 a month was LIFE CHANGING! 
That was breathing room with my bills, extra gas money, grocery money, girls night money, pay a little more on my mortgage money. 

With this business, you start out small. Zero customers. But slowly...you build one relationship at a time. You light the way and lead by example. You practice what you preach and invite people to join you on this journey of better health/relationships. 

You might not make huge strides everyday...but you keep putting one foot in front of the other. And one day you look back...and you'll be amazed at how far you've come.

"From an acorn a mighty oak grows" 

Whether it's Beachbody or something else...take those small steps toward success everyday. Let that little seed grow!

Facebook, Fashion, Family & Fun

Hey guys!
It's been so much fun opening our lives to you guys and sharing:
  • Fitness! 
  • Family & puppy pics
  • my fashion FAVs
    & other things I find funny, inspirational or pretty hahaThanks for letting me be a part of your life! 

I'm so passionate about (all of the above) AND helping others create a life of FREEDOM and live by design!
It's my mission to inspire, encourage and mentor others while honoring my family as my #1 priority.

If you are encouraged by positivity, healthy recipes & fit tips and the occasional puppy pic...Follow me and head over to www.facebook.com/katiheifner to take part in the FUN!
xoxo

Brazil Butt Lift on Sale!

Monday, April 7, 2014

Shut up! Brazil Butt Lift (my favorite Beachbody workout & one I think every woman should own) is on sale! APRIL 2014
{{{
Brazil Butt Lift Challenge Pack SALE}}}
As embarrassing as it is, here are MY Brazil Butt Lift results (weird quick fix weight loss companies are always trying to steal my results for their crappy products so I have to watermark everything! lol ) 

What can you do in 6 weeks?!?

Who would like to reshape their BOOTY with me? I am starting a 30 day Smokin' Booty Challenge that will be focused on firming and reshaping your LEGS, TUMMY and BUM BUM following the Brazil Butt Lift program!
It's created by the same trainer the Victoria Secret angels use! This is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE Beachbody program (as you can see from the pic!) so you KNOW I'm ALL IN!!


YES, you are going to have to eat healthy and work hard. Yes, you will feel like a total moron trying to do some of Leandro's dance moves. 
BUT Yes, you will have a smokin' hot bod & booty if you follow the program haha
I'm hosting a 30 Day Smokin' Booty Challenge which begins April 21st! 

If you would like to participate...Here's the dealio:

Bikini season is FAST APPROACHING ladies... It's time to TURN UP THE HEAT & get serious!

Here is what I cover in the challenge:
- How to create and live a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE rather than just a short-lived QUICK FIX.

- How to OVERCOME the SELF-SABOTAGER inside you and live your BEST LIFE

- Daily ACCOUNTABILITY

- GROUP camaraderie (people who are headed in the same healthy direction as YOU!)

- Guidance with your nutrition! (I give you the EXACT nutrition plan I follow!)

- HEALTHY COMPETITION!

- RESULTS!!!  End the 30 days a BETTER, STRONGER, more CONFIDENT YOU!!! A foundation for success...and if you can handle it...30 more days of accountability!

You READY?

What you need: 
  1. Purchase the Brazil Butt Lift Challenge Pack from this link. It will ensure that I am your coach to help you through the program! (On SALE April 2014- Get it while it's on promo! I LOVE a deal! hehe)
  2. Be mentally prepared to begin and give it your all! Excuses won't get you results...trust me...I've tried that method haha 
  3. APPLY HERE! The more I know about you and your goals, the better I can help! 


If you have questions about the workout, you can head over to my BBL page. It's still a work in progress but it might help answer some of your questions. If not, shoot me a message =)
Brazil Butt Lift Q&A Page
- THEME BY ECLAIR DESIGNS -