So, just prior to my season of traffic, I was in the season of creation.
I had spent about a month updating my 5-Day Website Challenge, which is a series of free training videos that show people how to build their own website.
When I first recorded it, I did 5, 1 to 1.5 hour long courses, but this time, I wanted to break it up into shorter modules, so now it’s nearly 60 super short videos dripped out over 5 days.
I’m super proud of it, and you can go check it out and sign up at www.wp-bff.com.
But when creating something like this, it doesn’t matter whether you have 60 5-minute-long videos, you just created 12 times the work. So instead of 5 videos and 5 graphics and 5 modules and 5 sets of instructions and 5 progress checklists, I have 60 of each.
So I needed to be in a season where I could immerse myself in that work and not have other projects and deadlines pulling at my time.
I also needed to make some structural updates to my website to shore up my foundation. And I didn’t really plan it this way, it just so happened that I had a gap in client work that allowed me to take this season of creation, but for me, it’s renewing. I love doing that stuff. For you, it might look like building your website. Or writing a book. Or creating quarter’s worth of blog posts so that you free up some of your time while side hustling.
When I was in the season of creation with no other obligations or responsibilities, I was able to have the brain space to actually be creative. And I think that’s what I was missing when I’d try to cram it all in with getting traffic and working with clients and launching my programs and trying to do everything all at once.
Giving yourself space for creation is really, really important.
So the next season I’ve identified in my business is the season of selling. So I have 2 signature programs and one membership opportunity in my business – and historically what I’ve done is launched those haphazardly when I’ve felt inspired to launch them.
I didn’t do my research as to what other big programs where being launched at the same time, or if we were in Back to School or the holiday hangover period.
And then, when I didn’t get the results I expected, I decided to not launch them in the traditional sense where you have a big marketing campaign and open and close a cart, I decided to test out having them all open all the time and doing a different webinar each week on each program.
Let me tell you, that was exhausting for me, and really confusing for my audience.
What I realized is that I’ve had no real season of selling. I’ve been treading water trying to sell all the time, and when I have promoted by products and services, I didn’t have a strong foundation from the season of traffic so I’d try to do both at the same time – which didn’t really work for me.
Now that I’m thinking about my business in seasons, I can do things in the right order and then look back at my results.
Which leads me to the season of evaluation, strategy, adjustment, and planning.
So one of the most profound things I’ve gotten from putting together my monthly income reports which I share with you on this podcast and publish on my blog over at www.wp-bff.com is that it forces me to take a deep dive into the prior month.
What did my calendar look like? What was happening in my life? What were my goals? What really ended up happening? How did I make my money? How did I spend my money? What would I do differently?
I know me, and I know if I had not committed to writing those income reports every month that I would not be looking at those things. I would be on to the next thing without looking back. Those income reports give me real time to reflect on the path that I’m taking.
I also have had to do major mindset work to go from frustration when I don’t get the results I expect from products or webinars or Facebook ads into looking at them like a test instead of a reflection of my knowledge, skills, and ability.
Test, evaluate the outcome, get feedback from people other than yourself, and make adjustments and come up with a new strategy for next time.
And then just making time for planning is essential. Planning your seasons. Planning what activities you’ll do in your seasons. Planning out your weeks and your days. You’ll hear me say this a lot – planning is what gives you freedom.
Today’s pep talk is brought to you by Bluehost. Go to www.shannonmattern.com/bluehost and get 36 months of web hosting for just $2.95 a month. That’s less than one trip to Starbucks a month – and if you’re anything like me, you’re at Starbucks more than that!
Then you can sign up for my Free 5 Day Website Challenge at www.shannonmattern.com/5day and I’ll show you step by step how to get started building your new website for your side hustle.
