Rochelle Moulton is a woman who knows how to reinvent herself – and can show you how to invent yourself. A bold business coach and branding expert, Rochelle reveals how to be unforgettable.
Her site is built on WordPress and is a great example of the formula for the perfect homepage layout – bold header image that screams, “This is my brand!” following by an eye-catching email opt-in and rounded out with more information about her products. Gorgeous!!
So read on to learn more about Rochelle, her WordPress site – and find out how to be unforgettable!
When did you start your business, and why did you create it?
I started this business in 2007 (I started my first company in 1994). Initially I created it as a way to sell my services to consulting firms, but I quickly moved into the personal branding space for those building businesses on and off-line—consultants, financial advisors, coaches, speakers, authors.
What do you feel makes your audience/readers special?
My readers are pretty savvy people. They tend to run their own business or have an entrepreneurial streak and are looking for ways to go out on their own. One thing they all have in common? They have a bigger dream for themselves and are motivated to go after it.
Has anything surprised you about starting a website?
Not so much when I started it, but the amount of headspace required to maintain a relevant website and growing email list continually amazes me.
Did you do your site yourself website? Do you use WordPress?
Good heavens no! My mantra is to hire out anything I can’t do well myself or don’t want to. My site is in WordPress—it’s a fabulous content management system which is perfect for my business model.
What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about starting their own business?
Get clear on what you have to offer and your ideal client or customer base. Think carving out a niche for yourself vs being a generalist. Do your homework and make sure you have six months where you don’t HAVE to have revenue coming in and can still cover your business and personal expenses. I’ve seen people make really bad strategic decisions just to make rent.
If you could go back in time and do something differently, what would you do and why?
I would have moved my business to its current reliance on digital waaaay faster. I wasted a lot of time running around to in-person meetings and referrals when my best client base was national and global.
How fast did your audience grow? How many visitors/subscribers do you have?
My audience grew very organically. I started with a few hundred people who were already in my network and when none of them unsubscribed, I figured maybe I could build an audience. The first years were slow going, but I eventually broke through. My core web audience is over 15,000 people currently and growing at double digits.
Is this your only job? Did you launch your business while working another job?
This has always had my 100% business focus. I’ve started each of my companies—this is my third—when that’s all I was doing professionally. I prefer to put everything I have into it.
Do you have an email list? If so, did you start it when you launched?
I do have a list—a very robust one now—but I didn’t start it right away. I waited till I started blogging, which was over two years in. I wouldn’t make the mistake of waiting again!
How do you promote your site?
My promotion largely consists of content marketing—creating and distributing thoughtful content that I believe will resonate with my ideal clients and buyers. The key is distribution—and I’m on a handful of social media sites where I pinpoint my audience with precision. In fact, I get 100% of my non-referral business via social media. I do an interview or two a month with various complementary bloggers and that’s been a great source of referrals and readers. I also contribute content to several sites with terrific audiences for my message—iris.xyz for example has a core audience of financial advisors who are a perfect fit for me.
Do you earn money from your site, and if so, how? Affiliate marketing, ads, products, etc.? Did you intend to earn from it when you launched?
I just introduced my first product last September and am currently working on a new class I’ll be launching in March. So yes, I’m earning money just from the site alone. I do NOT do ads—I just don’t believe in them for my brand and I have not done any outbound affiliate marketing for the same reason.
Who are your favorite bloggers right now?
I am a die-hard Seth Godin fan and I gobble up most everything Dan Pink has to offer. Marie Forleo is on fire and I just love Rohit Bhargava on marketing, Alexandra Greenawalt on personal style and Laura Belgray on pretty much anything she wants to write about. Anyone who writes (even part-time) for a living MUST read Steven Pressfield’s “War of Art” (I keep a digital and hard copy handy) and subscribe to his blog.
Wow – so much great information!! I can't wait for you to get to the point in your business where it makes more sense for you to hire out your WordPress site! Until then, learn how to do it with my free challenge, and then you'll know exactly what you're paying someone to do later on!
You can follow Rochelle on Twitter @consultingchick and check out her website at www.rochellemoulton.com where you can get her Big Bold Bodacious Ideas Worksheet when you subscribe to her newsletter!
