LJ Sedgwick

Content Writer for Coaches and Course Creators

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6 Awesome (and Easy) Tools To Help You Smash Your To Do List

You’ve probably already got a to-do list the length of your arm. Keeping on top of it is the only way you’ll manage to get your blogging done (unless you hire a content writer).

With so many to-do list tools available, how do you know which one is right for you? Smash your to-do list with one of these 6 intuitive and powerful tools!

After all, every time you look at your to-do list it seems to have sprouted 3 or 4 new tasks.

For the BBC, the key principle behind productivity is “writing down everything that you need to remember, and filing it effectively”. Question is – what’s the best way to file your to-dos?

After all, there’s an array of tools at your disposal, so how do you know where to start? Which one will help you smash that to-do list?

With so many to-do list tools available, how do you know which one is right for you? Smash your to-do list with one of these 6 intuitive and powerful tools!
6 Awesome (and Easy) Tools To Help You Smash Your To-Do List

1. Google Keep

Google Keep is an online ‘pin board’. If you’ve never used to-do list apps before and you want to know if they’re more helpful than paper lists, Keep is an easy place to start.

Simply give a note a title and get typing. Not enough detail? Add check boxes and each note becomes a to-do list. You can colour code notes to make organisation easy. Unfortunately you can only set reminders on notes, not specific check boxes. But if you just need to keep track of tasks to be done, then you’re set.

You can sync across your devices and browsers, and you only need your Google log-in details to get started!

Handy if you don’t want yet another set of log-in details to remember.

2. Evernote

Evernote works like a digital filing cabinet. If you keep records in multiple physical notebooks, Evernote is a good fit!

It’s easy to set up and you can hashtag notes to make them easier to find. Digital notebooks are searchable, unlike paper.

You can clip web pages, save URLs, paste photos into notes, and keep the information you need in one place. You can share notebooks with others to boost teamwork, and set reminders on notes.

With so many to-do list tools available, how do you know which one is right for you? Smash your to-do list with one of these 6 intuitive and powerful tools!
The Evernote homepage

The free version lets you install the app on just two devices, but the browser version is easy to use.

I actually use the Premium version, and I’ve written before on how it can help authors. The same principles apply for tech startups.

3. Wunderlist

There are hundreds of to-do list apps and they all basically do the same things.Wunderlist is available across devices, including Windows Phone and smartwatches!

You can set up folders, check off individual tasks (giving a tremendous sense of satisfaction, especially when it pings), share lists with others, and see at a glance what needs to be done that day.

It has a really simple, user-friendly interface that’s incredibly intuitive and isn’t intimidating. It even lets you add a ‘do not disturb’ to your notifications so you can work in peace!

You get plenty of functionality for free, but for extra features Wunderlist is just $4.99 a month.

4. Any.do

With a clean, minimal interface, Any.do does a lot of the same things as Wunderlist. You can log in with your Facebook or Google account, saving you from remembering another password!

You can snooze tasks for later and filter your main view according to time-sensitive tasks. It’s really easy to see what needs to be done immediately.

Lifehacker claim 41% of to-do items are never completed, and Any.do lets you break larger tasks into smaller, specific actions to make projects more manageable.

You can set recurrence on particular tasks, which is brilliant for those regular things that need doing on a weekly or monthly basis.

There’s also a the voice-entry feature for you to dictate your list, great if you’re really busy, or you hate typing on a smartphone.

You get most features for free, but for extra features Any.do is just $3 a month.

5. Kanban boards

Kanban means ‘visual signal’ in Japanese and the technique is very easy to learn.

The basic set-up is to set up a board with 3 columns, named ‘To Do’, ‘Doing’ and ‘Done’. You write each task on a card, and when you complete each task, you move its card from one column to the next. It’s satisfying to visually monitor your progress!

You can tailor workflows to suit your specific needs.

It can be helpful for visually inclined digital marketers who like to see the ‘bigger picture’. Kanban boards are also great for collaborative working, so you can see where your colleagues are up to, too.

You can use sticky notes or index cards on physical boards, or you can try digital alternatives if you need to share boards with your VA. LeanKit provide unlimited boards, flexible layouts and collaboration tools for $12 a month per user. It’s essentially a drag-and-drop system.

6. Trello

Trello is halfway between a Kanban system and a digital pin board. You can drag notes from one list to the next as you complete tasks. Or you can add cards to each list for greater depth when it comes to tasks.

It combines features from to-do list apps, note-taking software and Kanban boards to create one simple browser-based system! You can colour code lists or share boards with other users.

It’s more powerful than the other to-do list options, but it’s intuitive to set up, and there are simple tutorials to help you get the most out of each feature.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for to-do list tools! What do you think? What are some of your favorite apps or tools for smashing your to-do list?

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Do you need to revamp your marketing every month?

We’re just over halfway into 2017. The internet already buzzes with ideas about the need to revamp your marketing as we slide into the rest of the year.

Some experts even recommend changing things up every month. I can’t help thinking that makes a rod for your own back. How can you ever measure what works if you’re constantly changing things?

But some companies have managed to use the same advertising principles for years at a time. So the question remains…

Do you really need to revamp your marketing every month?

With the array of available marketing options, is it necessary to revamp your marketing every month? The success of Absolut Vodka says "no". Find out why!

Back in 1980, Absolut had just a 2.5% share of the vodka market in the US. They sold just 10,000 cases that year.

Something needed to change. So they hired TBWA to make a difference to their advertising.

Enter, the “Absolut Bottle” campaign.

It ended up running for 25 years and contains over 1500 separate ads.

This is the very first one.

With the array of available marketing options, is it necessary to revamp your marketing every month? The success of Absolut Vodka says "no". Find out why!
The very first Absolut ad in this campaign.

By the late 2000s, Absolut was importing 4.5 million cases per year.

That’s half of all imported vodka in the US.

So how did they revamp their marketing?

The product itself looks pretty boring. The bottles are actually based on traditional medicine vials sold in Swedish pharmacies.

After all, vodka was once prescribed to cure medical ailments in the 16th and 17th centuries.

TBWA couldn’t change the actual shape or design of the bottle. The restricted brief meant none of the usual advertising tropes applied, like portraying particular lifestyles.

So Geoff Hays took a different route. He chose to differentiate the product by telling a different story based on the bottle itself.

He paired an image of the bottle with a simple two-word headline.

The classic, simple shape of the bottle worked well with the concise, witty slogans.

So why did it work so well for so long?

The format was described as: “A bottle, two words, and a little bit of wit”. The underlying message remains the same in all 1500 of the ads.

The bottle, and thus the brand, was a modern icon.

Later in the campaign, objects were cast in the shape of the Absolut bottle.

With the array of available marketing options, is it necessary to revamp your marketing every month? The success of Absolut Vodka says "no". Find out why!
Absolut Geneva

A professor of popular culture at Syracuse University pointed out that “these looked more like covers of The New Yorker than advertisements.”

During the campaign, Absolut commissioned more than 800 artworks by Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Annie Leibovitz, Helmut Newton, John Irving, Lady Gaga and Jay-Z.

The message was clear. “A cool brand for cool people”.

Sadly the campaign did run its course. By 2005, commentators felt the brand looked tired, and “no longer as cool as it used to be”.

But getting 25 years out of a single concept just proves you don’t need to revamp your marketing every month.

What can you learn from the campaign for your own marketing?

1) Look at the story you can tell with your tech product or service.

Make a list of its core features. Now pair those features with what they actually provide for the user. The gap between the user before they use your product and their life after they use it is your story.

Absolut managed to tell a very subtle story using the shape of their bottle. It’s classic, simple, durable.

Just like those old medicine bottles.

2) You should also play with imagery.

Don’t just stick to the obvious. Look at popular culture. The below example only worked because of the controversy created by the Young British Artists in the 1990s.

With the array of available marketing options, is it necessary to revamp your marketing every month? The success of Absolut Vodka says "no". Find out why!
Playing with contemporary art.

When you’re brainstorming ideas, write them all on a large piece of paper.  When you’ve filled the page, fold it in half.

Force yourself to work with those on the lower half of the paper. They’ll be more interesting and less obvious than the first ones you came up with.

Your copy is crucial. Without the tagline the Absolut ads make little sense. If you need help coming up with your copy, drop me a line and we can talk!

3) Look for associations between your product and your target audience.

How can you tell people this is the brand for them in a more subtle and nuanced way? Remember their aspirations and desires.

People who bought into Absolut wanted to feel cool and clever too, just like their ads. People who buy Apple products feel differently about themselves than PC users.

Thinking sideways unlocks more interesting marketing. Can you take inspiration from music, fashion, current affairs, or art?

4) Don’t follow trends.

Following trends can be great if you get stuck for ideas. Look at the major tech firms – almost all of them have switched their logos to flat design from the mad array of gradients, drop shadows, and fonts that we had a few years ago.

But the problem with following trends is that you get stuck in a cycle of having to revamp your marketing every time the trend gets stale. If you pick something intrinsically true to your product, the lifespan of that idea is much longer.

For example, Apple puts its ‘why’ before its ‘what’. Its ‘why’? They ‘think different’. Everything they do is different from what everyone else is doing. That results in the ‘what’; cool, sleek products that other companies rush to copy. Their marketing reflects that so they don’t need to keep revamping it because the why remains the same.

And if something works, stick with it! It did run out of steam but the Absolut campaign ran for 25 years.

Over to you! Do you revamp your marketing on a regular basis? Let me know!

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5 awesome predictions for better digital marketing in 2017

Digital marketing has come a long way already.

But with new technology becoming more available, it’s predicted to alter its focus in 2017.

There are already hundreds of predictions posts online, so I’ve distilled them down into the top 5 common themes.

And if you’d like me to write posts like this for your business, then drop me a line!

With new technology becoming more accessible, digital marketing is predicted to change its focus in 2017. How can you get onto the trends and improve yours?
5 Awesome Predictions for Better Digital Marketing in 2017

With new technology becoming more accessible, digital marketing is predicted to change its focus in 2017. How can you get onto the trends and improve yours?

1) Virtual and augmented reality aren’t going away

You can’t fail to have noticed Pokemon Go in 2016. Even back in August, it still had 21 million daily active users. Nearly $3millon was spent every day on in-app purchases.

Augmented reality relies on the blurring of the line between reality and the digital space. Fortune.com predicts that gallery visitors will expect to see information about the artworks displayed alongside them. Shoppers may even be able to virtually ‘try on’ clothes instead of the old-fashioned method of using a changing room.

Virtual reality differs in its use of an entirely digital space. Yet marketers have already grasped its potential. In May 2016, Amnesty International began showing a VR film about a Syrian refugee to British people in the street. Sign ups for direct debit donations increased by 16%.

Immersing potential customers or clients in a virtual world stimulates better engagement and interaction. And with the industry predicted to be worth $120 billion by 2020, companies are only going to keep investing in the technology.

So how can you apply this to your own content marketing?

It’ll be pretty difficult, considering the cost of developing virtual and augmented reality spaces.

But you can stay true to the basic theme – immersive experiences. You can’t fail to have noticed the sudden boom in posts and courses about the power of storytelling. Well now’s your chance to perfect it.

Tell stories that bring your readers or clients inside your world. Let them experience your solutions. Show them your expertise. And help them.

If anything, today’s election result proves that people need to be a little kinder to one another.

2) Mobile devices will continue to be popular

The popularity of Facebook 360 and its reliance on a smartphone gyroscope indicates the potential of mobile technology. And now Google have announced the release of their Pixel smartphone – which has crossover with their Daydream VR headset.

Make no mistake, mobile devices are still your main source of traffic. 70% of internet use now comes via a mobile device. Back in 2014, Google prioritised websites in their search results that were mobile friendly.

Now, having a website that is mobile responsive is the cost of entry. Especially since Google announced that in future, the mobile index would actually be more up-to-date than their desktop index.

So how can you apply this to your own content marketing?

Banish popups! From January, Google will be penalising websites that feature “intrusive interstitials”.

So if users have to click past a welcome mat, or some kind of popup that appears the moment they land on your page, Google will knock you down the rankings.

You simply cannot expect visitors to click through a popup before they can even access your content.

You can still use them on desktop websites, but they’re a total no-no on mobile devices.

3) Video is absolutely the way to go

The rise of video marketing parallels the wider availability of public wi-fi, and the higher amounts of data offered in mobile contracts. And video helps you to create much better connections with other people.

Think about it. Your potential clients and customers can see and hear you. They can tune in to your body language. Tone of voice goes a long way to forming a good impression.

And video isn’t restricted to pre-recorded content any more. Live streaming will bring your message to people in the here-and-now.

So how can you apply this to your own content marketing?

Take the time to get comfortable using video. Get used to being on camera. People seem to have forgotten that marketing is essentially about forming connections with people. Not leads, not clients, not sales. People.

Video offers an amazing way to connect with people.

Plan out what you’d like to share, but be open to live videos to respond to things as and when they happen. Live stream events and bring people inside your world.

The immediacy will create connections that blog posts just can’t.

4) Focus on better content, not more

Commentators have been discussing the sheer volume of information online for some time now. Back in 2014, Mark Schaefer coined the term “content shock”.

Not only that, but continual changes to social media algorithms make it more difficult for your content to be seen in the first place. In February this year, Twitter brought in the option for users to see the ‘best’ tweets first, instead of in chronological order. Instagram brought in a similar change in May.

Earlier this year, Pinterest altered its algorithm so content related to topics you’d previously pinned was displayed more prominently than pins created in real time.

And Facebook changes its algorithm as often as the weather.

Rather than pumping out more and more content in the hope it sticks, companies will focus on spending more time creating specific pieces. It’ll more important to track the effectiveness of those pieces.

So how can you apply this to your own content marketing?

Focus on creating excellent content! Is it valuable? Then post it. (Note: even if something is just entertaining, that’s still valuable) Is it just for link-building? Maybe give it a miss.

Learn how the different platforms work. There’s no point throwing lots of content onto Instagram without realising how people will (or won’t) find it.

And remember that a lot of other people are also trying to do the same thing. According to Content Marketing Institute, 88% of B2B marketers rely on content marketing. But only 48% have a documented strategy.

So make sure you know what your strategy is and you’re instantly off to a winner.

5) Don’t underestimate the Internet of Things

‘Omnichannel marketing’ means that no matter the time, place or device, the user experience is the same.

But the Internet of Things means we’ll also see everyday devices being connected to the web. Brands will be able to understand actual moments from their consumers’ day through the data transmitted by the devices.

Think smart kettles. Smart meters.

Intel even predicted there could be 200 billion of these devices by 2010. That’s an awful lot of data about user habits being sent back to the brand hub.

Scary, too.

So how can you apply this to your own content marketing?

You can’t really do a great deal at the moment. Until the data becomes accessible, it’s meaningless for those outside the brands using the technology.

But what you can take away from it is a need to have a seamless experience. Whether a user lands on your Facebook page, blog, Twitter feed or website, they should know that you’re behind it. Consistency will absolutely be king.

Over to you! What digital marketing trends are you interested in for 2017?

If you enjoyed this post, consider sharing it with a colleague! You may also enjoy;
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If you’d like me to write posts like this for your business, then drop me a line and we can have a chat!

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Are you making these 5 mistakes with your email marketing?

Email marketing is the buzz phrase of 2016. You can’t move three feet in virtual space without being accosted.

“Do you have an email list yet?” “Why don’t you have an email list?” “Ohmigod you NEED an email list?”

So you set up an email list. And you even get subscribers. Amazing!

But what do you actually do with it? Well, you try not to make these 5 mistakes – and if you do, here’s how to fix them!

Everyone tells you to start an email list, but it's easy to start making these 5 mistakes with your email marketing. Here's how to fix them!
Are you making these 5 mistakes with your email marketing?

1) You don’t send any content.

You’ve followed all the advice and sent up a list. You’ve even got an opt-in form on your blog.

Mercy of mercies, people even sign up! But then you don’t send any content.

Maybe you’re scared people will unsubscribe. Or that you might annoy them. Maybe you just don’t know what to say.

Here’s the thing. People opted in. So they are interested. And if they’re not, and they do unsubscribe, then that’s okay too. It’s sort of the point!

Fix: Plan your content in advance, and come up with a schedule.

You’ll be able to tell from your analytics (or social shares) which of your posts are the most popular. Can you expand this content to send something exclusive to your email list that they can’t get elsewhere?

Or maybe your blog is focused on evergreen content. Send your email list content that’s more time-sensitive.

2) You do send content, but it’s too sales-y.

I see this a lot from authors, in particular. They’ve been told they need an email list, and they need to sell their books…but that’s all they do. I don’t want to go months at a time without hearing from you, only to get an email every week for a month telling me about your new release.

You’re not Top Shop, so send me stuff other than promotions, yeah?

I only send content once a month to the mailing list for my fiction efforts. I send a mixture of;

  • updates on cool places I’ve been that month (which I get comments on so I know it’s appreciated)
  • folklore titbits that I don’t put on my blog or on Twitter
  • book recommendations
  • free short stories

My readers get a whole host of content that’s not about selling. They might only get a ‘sales’ email once every five months!

Fix: Find other things to talk about other than your product or service.

What can you teach your subscribers to do? Or can you entertain them? Remember, most people’s inboxes are groaning under the weight of sales pitches. Something light or amusing can be just as welcome as a fabulous discount!

Everyone tells you to start an email list, but it's easy to start making these 5 mistakes with your email marketing. Here's how to fix them.
Does your email inbox look like this?

3) You only send your blog posts, rather than exclusive content.

I know, I know, this is the easy option. You’re not sure what to send, so you just email your post instead.

(Unless you’re a geek like me and you sort of use email like a weird form of RSS)

Now, I can totally see the logical behind doing this. After all, email marketing is all well and good, but your content isn’t searchable. You might send out absolute diamonds every week but no one can stumble across it by accident. It’s not shareable.

Blogs are. So putting your content on your blog, which is shareable, and sending it to your email list seems like a good idea. You get the best of both worlds, right?

Well sort of. If I can read it on your blog, why am I going to sign up to get it in my inbox?

Fix: Give your post some content within your email.

Sending posts can be a totally valid way of finding content to send. But if you’re going to do it, make sure you add some backstory as to why you wrote the post, what the main takeaways are, etc. Humanise it! Tell me a story. Make it impossible for me to not click the link to your post!

4) You don’t reply to the emails you do get.

This one is a huge problem. Say you send an email and in it, you ask your readers a question.

And they respond. What do you do? Do you;

  1. ignore their response. After all, you’re far too busy to reply
  2. send a five word reply that shows you at least saw their response, but you didn’t care enough to craft a decent answer?

I’ve had both – and from authors with smaller lists and fewer Twitter followers than me. Hell, if I can reply to every email I get, then you certainly can!

Fix: Reply to your emails!

You might not get to them immediately, or even on the same day. You might have way more people replying than I do, but some kind of response, even a few days later, is definitely appreciated. I’ve become firm fans of a few marketers and copywriters because they take the time to reply.

Remember these readers are your customers, your clients, your readers, or even your fans. You want to forge a genuine connection with them, and you won’t do that by ignoring them.

5) You don’t get permission to send emails in the first place.

This is a HUGE no-no. I’m sure you’ve suddenly had a raft of emails appear in your inbox and you know you didn’t subscribe for any of them. What gives?

Everyone tells you to start an email list, but it's easy to start making these 5 mistakes with your email marketing. Here's how to fix them.
Do not send junk.

Some new marketers think they can add emails from people they’ve been in touch with to their lists. No. Previous content is not permission.

Same as you can’t scrape emails from blog comments, or forums. And you certainly should never buy a mailing list.

Put simply, if someone didn’t manually put their name and email address into a form, and click a confirm button, then they didn’t give you permission.

What’s even worse  is if you send emails with RE: in the subject line, as if you’ve already spoken to them before. Just no!

Fix: Make sure you get permission!

This is so simple. Just make sure you only add people to your list that come via recognised opt-in forms. All the providers I’ve encountered will even provide you with forms you can embed on your blog. Simple!

Email marketing can be quite daunting, but once you get started, it can become fun. I love emailing my fiction list, and I love getting replies! It’s totally worth doing. Just make sure you do it properly!

Have you made any of these mistakes with your email marketing? Let me know in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it with your friends or colleagues!

 

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