Blogging The Festive Season: The Blogger-Consultant-Speaker [Case Study]

The post Holiday Blog: Blogger Consultant Speaker appeared first on ProBlogger.

Tara Gentile (now McMullin) is a blogger and business strategist whose online presence supports her thriving consulting business at explorewhatworks.com.

As part of our holiday blogging series, we asked how the holiday season has affected her business and her blog

What does preparing for the holiday season mean for your business?

For me, getting my blog and business ready for the holidays means getting ready for the holidays. I'm trying to create additional content to fill the blog posts and email updates for the one-off releases, but I'm taking it easy. If I can't create content, I'm still relaxed.

My goal this season is to pave the way for momentum and inspiration in the new year. This year I'll be gathering some new initiatives and laying the groundwork for some new projects, including beta testing a brain device program and starting serious work on my book.

I started a complete redesign (and refocus) of the website. Since the holidays are a slow time for me, it gives me a chance to spot mistakes or missed opportunities.

What typically happens to your blog readership and traffic during the holiday season, and what happens to your speaking hours and consulting hours?

Readers and traffic are less on holidays. However, year-end sales are often brisk, with people making last-minute business purchases before the end of the fiscal year in the United States. However, the actual work doesn't have to be finished until January or February, so I decided to take about four weeks off between December and January. Why work for the love of work?

I will write, think and read. But during this period I didn't answer many letters, I didn't run programs and I didn't make phone calls. This is an opportunity to recharge my personal and business batteries.

I realized that there was no point in trying to change sales trends. On the contrary, I try to strengthen the selling trend. If it usually dies, I take a break, regroup and enjoy my free time. When it's a busy time of year, I increase my activity and do things that allow me to make the most of the shopping season. For this year, it means spending a lot of time but delivering something important at the end of the year.

Many sole traders will worry about being away from their business for an extended period of time. Worried about missing opportunities at that time?

My clients do the same, or at least I hope they do. I'm not going to give them a lot of content that they can't use now, so what I do is focus on my future and their future.

Future-oriented work involves research or reading that inspires me to create the kind of work that will serve my clients well in the years to come. I have noticed that when I take a break at the same time my clients take a break, no one notices my absence!

Of course, consultation and conversation are not seasonal purchases. You made a big year-end deal. Is this how you keep your income this holiday season?

I'm not interested in retaining income except for one or two good offers at the end of the year for those looking for additional business expenses.

Just as a family plans major purchases or budgets for daily expenses, it is important for entrepreneurs to plan their income. When you plan for natural highs and lows, you can feel comfortable letting your income flow naturally instead of being forced to sell when the going gets tough.

So I have a good idea of ​​what my income plan is going to be for 2013. I know when things start and how long I can wait. Of course, these plans will change and improve throughout the year. But this way I know that in December I feel better for summer vacation or spending time with my family.

Your site taragentile.com has been active for some time. How has your approach to preparing for the holiday season changed over the years?

I would say that I communicate every month of the year like any other month. Now I try to understand how each month is different, which brings its own challenges and opportunities.

As the years go by and I start to see trends, I can guess what's important each month: more content vs. Less content, more offers vs. less offers, more opportunities vs. fewer events, etc. Now I can easily use this information to plan the months of the season.

Have you specially prepared for the moment of flight?

December 16 and January 10 are marked on my calendar for family and fun. During this time, work will pop up as inspiration, and of course I'll think about journaling about the past and next year, but I don't think too much about keeping up my blog.

Don't waste energy just on durability, the reward is small, especially if no one is paying attention.

My readers have to work and take care of families. I don't have to worry about them forgetting my site or the traffic drop lasting forever. We'll all be back on track by mid-January.

My only goal is great content, new ideas and great deals waiting for them when they come back.

What will you focus on when you turn in the new year?

My attention will be divided into three areas.

First, I'll build on the value of Kickstart Labs, a community micro-business accelerator that makes a difference through commerce for entrepreneurs. We're about to release a new set of practical business learning resources.

Second, I am about to begin the next serious phase of my book. This means a lot of research, interviews and writing. My favorite thing! Finding the time and energy for this project has been very challenging, but it is work that I truly enjoy and I am excited about who this book will reach and how it will encourage them to take action in your economy.

Third, I'm going to beta test an app for thought. I have spent the last few years perfecting my process and how I work with clients. Time to check it out. The program aims to free entrepreneurs from their daily routines and create space to view their business from 10,000 feet.

I will first distribute it to people I work closely with, and then at the end of the year I will release it to the public.

Feel good! So what advice do you have for other bloggers who sell consulting services to get the most out of their blogs as well as the holiday season?

Relax! Reload! Unless you offer coaching or wellness consulting (a classic New Year's Eve product), it's an off-season. Make proper use of it. Don't make promises to other people, only to yourself. Fill your calendar with meetings to tackle work challenges, plans for the new year or backlogs that need to be completed. Take time to write, think and research.

But use your time for family fun, quiet evenings and personal introspection.

Beep! Many thanks to Tara for sharing her thoughts with us. If you run a consulting or contracting business powered by your blog, let us know what your plans are for the holiday season in our comments!

Later in this series, we'll hear about digital publishers' plans for the holiday season.

This article was updated on 17 November 2022.

The post Holiday Blog: Blogger Consultant Speaker [Case Study] appeared first on ProBlogger.