Today I would like to finish up the Talk Shop Saturday series I’ve been running for a few weeks. I hope that whether you’re a fellow blogger or a reader, you’ve found these posts to be of interest! In case you missed them, you can read the other posts below:

• Defining your “Enough”
• Managing your Emotions Online
• Reaching out to Brands
• Deepening Relationships with Brands

I’ve saved probably my most personal post in this series for last – giving you a glimpse of what it’s been like to be a work-at-home parent. From the outside, it may seem like a really great gig – and in many ways it is! I couldn’t imagine doing anything different at this point. However, working from home while raising children definitely has its challenges. I’d like to explore some of these today and shared what I’ve done to make it all work. Then, I’d love to hear from others of you that work from home (blogger or otherwise!) or folks that may be considering making the leap.

Challenge #1: Feeling like others don’t see my job as Legit

On one hand I know I should just get over it. But there is part of me that very much wants to be perceived as the professional I know I am. I work harder at my blogging business than any other job I’ve held previously. I’ve built this business from scratch – teaching myself the tech stuff, figuring out social media marketing, stepping out and networking with people I’ve never met in real life. In the four years I’ve worked my butt off here, I’ve managed to create a near full-time income from this site. One that pays the bills, supports a contributor, and helps off-set the expenses involved. I know what it is I’ve done, but sometimes I have a difficult time expressing it all to others.

[click to get the full scoop…]

{ 12 comments }

Pictured above: we recently attended the Phineas & Ferb show because I took the initiative to contact the entertainment group putting it on.

Through February, I’m going to run a mini series of posts that I’m calling “Talk Shop Saturdays.” The idea is to share some of my thoughts on blogging and give bloggers an opportunity to chat about a variety of topics. If you have topics you’d like to “talk shop” about, leave a comment or email me at angela @ thecouponproject dot com. In case you missed it, you can go back and read previous posts on Defining your “enough” and Managing your Emotions Online.

For the next couple weeks, I’d like to share some secrets on a topic I feel I’ve had some success with in my four years of blogging – how to build positive relationships with brands. In my case, “brands” also includes grocery stores, but for your blog, define “brand” as any company large or small you feel you could align yourself with for your chosen niche.

Today I’m going to talk about how I approach brands and next week, how to keep those relationships positive once you’ve established them.

Identifying the Brands you Want to Work with

After I’d been blogging for a few months, I noticed that I was naturally writing about some of the same companies over and over – because I personally believed in their products, shopped their stores, liked what they were about. Pay attention when this happens! And, pay attention to how your readers are responding. Are they enthusiastic as you are about that store or brand?

I recently had this happen again. I posted about a particular company for the third or fourth time and got a very strong response from my readers. At this point, I decided to reach out to the brand directly. Let’s call this company Company X, because I’m going to share more of what I did in just a moment.

[click to get the full scoop…]

{ 2 comments }

Image found at Eat Real Food Facebook page – from the wisdom of Karen Salmanshon

Through February, I’m going to run a mini series of posts that I’m calling “Talk Shop Saturdays.” The idea is to share some of my thoughts on blogging and give bloggers an opportunity to chat about a variety of topics. I’m chosen to run these on Saturdays, when deal posting is generally slower. If you have topics you’d like to “talk shop” about, leave a comment or email me at angela @ thecouponproject dot com. In case you missed it, you can go back and read last week’s post on Defining your “enough.” 

***********************

Today I’d like to take time out to discuss one of the things I struggle with the most when it comes to blogging. I suspect if you are a blogger, or even someone that just spends a fair amount of time online, you can relate in some way. My struggle? Managing my emotions when it comes to my online interactions.

I would like to say that the longer I’m at this, the easier it gets and that my skin has grown thicker. But the truth is it’s something I have to be extremely vigilant about.

What pushes your buttons?

Let me describe a scenario I’ve found myself on many occasions.

I’ve gotten up early, or stayed up late (forfeiting some “down time”) to put together an extensive coupon matchup list. Two hours later, I’m happy and relieved to hit “publish” and share the deals with my readers. Minutes later, the first comment comes in – someone has decided to point out a very minor typo. Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be a big deal, except for the fact I’m tired and frustrated that instead of a “thank you” I got a correction. Admittedly, my first thought is usually not, wow I’m so glad you pointed that out it’s more like, this is a service you’re getting for free. I got up early and put these deals together after very little sleep. You should be grateful, you grammar Nazi.

This is a pretty vanilla example too. I have had readers who have taken it upon themselves to play “editor” to my deals, pointing out every slight error they can find. I’ve had folks go out of their way to send a lengthy email correcting me on a spelling error they found on a post I published two months ago. I noticed I just had a comment come in on a recipe post last night where the person took it upon themselves to link to their much better recipe.

It can be so easy when you’re sitting there in the moment to think of something particularly cutting to retort back. I think it’s easier to do this on Facebook than just about any other platform – that “comment” field is right there, so immediate. Kind of like honking the horn in the car when the person just cut you off. And on one more occasion, sadly, I’ve honked the horn.

Taking a Step Back

While I’ve not done this perfectly, I would like to share with you some of the things that have helped me get over that “in the moment” feeling. Have you done any of these?

• Vent to another blogger. Sometimes the best thing to do is not to vent towards the reader or commentor, but to a fellow blogger that can understand. Even better if the fellow blogger is one that you trust enough to tell you the truth! Sometimes you can get so caught up in your emotion, that an outside perspective can be really helpful. Perhaps someone else would interpret the comment left in a different way.
• Say nothing. There have been times when someone will criticize my work, a deal I’ve posted, or an opinion I’ve shared. Instead of feeling the need to respond right away, I’ve found it helpful at times to just wait. It’s always better to have others come to your defense than yourself.
• Take time to unplug. I am a big advocate for having lots of time unplugged. That means – no laptop, iPad, phone, nada. Make time to go to the gym or out for a run, take your kids to the park, have an impromptu night out with friends, or take a bath. I’ve noticed that the more time I spend online, the more irritable I’m bound to grow. Give your mind a break from online buzz.
• Remember the kind comments. I actually have a folder in my inbox called “Reader Emails.” Whenever I get an exceptionally kind “thank you” type email, I file it away there. When I’m having a frustrating moment or day, I will sometimes read through a couple of those to keep my focus.
• Draft an email, but do not send. This isn’t a new concept at all, but I sometimes find it helpful to draft a response right away to get my initial feelings out, but then save it. Just be careful to not actually send it unless you mean it! Then sleep on it and re-read it. Often I find my perspective will be a bit different the next morning.
• Be kind yourself. Leave the kind of comments on other peoples’ Facebook pages and blogs that you would like to receive. Go out of your way to promote what other people are writing. Come to a fellow blogger’s defense when they are being unfairly attacked online. Do all you can to promote kindness online – goodness knows there is a shortage of it!
• Remember you want people commenting. If I really stop and think about it, I truly WANT people to comment, and I’ve worked really hard to take a very limited stance when it comes to comment moderation. I don’t want to create a place where people feel that they can’t say what they really feel.

That being said, there are times when I still feel after a break that I need to speak my mind. For instance, a few months back, I had person email me and ask what religion I was. Why? Because they told me they didn’t want to follow my site if I was of a certain religion and that they choose to boycott any businesses of that religion. Any way you slice it, that’s intolerance and something I cannot stand for. I did end up responding to that person and told them it was best they stop emailing me or read my site – not because I was a part of that religion, but because I didn’t want people participating here that had such deep seated prejudices about people of differing faiths. Several months later, I don’t regret my response.

However, I can think of several instances where I have completely regretted a response made in the heat of my frustration. Do you see that quote at the top of the post? I saw it being shared on Facebook last week and it really stood out to me. Don’t feel that you can’t speak your mind when you really need to, but do choose those moments wisely!

Do you play it safe?

I would like to end this post on a bit of a twist.

I’ve told you now that I sometimes struggle with my emotions or wanting to snap at people that disagree with me online. But I never want to use that as an excuse to play it safe!

Do you ever read blogs where it’s clear the blogger is trying not to upset anyone? And by working to appease both sides you have no sensibility for what the blogger actually believes? Far too many bloggers have created “debate-free” comment threads and then wonder why no one comments. Some of my most commented upon and shared posts are the ones where I took a risk and said what I thought. (Usually something ethics related.) I think we have a serious problem these days where everyone gets offended at the slightest thing – and so we respond by walking on eggshells and cower in fear of saying what it is we really think.

I find it completely refreshing when a blogger comes out and un-apologetically, takes a stand on an issue – even if it’s different than mine. It means they are willing to receive comments that will challenge their own – and that is a very brave risk to take indeed. I also am a firm believer that in many cases, a blogger possesses the power to shape the conversation. Has she used a contentious tone, or a thoughtful one? Did he made unnecessarily harsh statements or judgments or remain open minded to hearing from others with differing views? I wish more bloggers would take risks in this area.

While getting negative feedback or criticism is never fun, I don’t want it to stand of the way in creating the content that matters to me. I would rather cater to those that love my site than those that have nothing better to do than critique it.

I would love to know your thoughts on this issue. How do you handle upsetting comments or emails? Do you play it safe on your site – or quite the opposite? 

{ 16 comments }

(Flickr – Kristina B)

Through February, I’m going to run a mini series of posts that I’m calling “Talk Shop Saturdays.” The idea is to share some of my thoughts on blogging and give bloggers an opportunity to chat about a variety of topics. I’m chosen to run these on Saturdays, when deal posting is generally slower. I’d love to know what you think about this idea! If you have topics you’d like to “talk shop” about, leave a comment or email me at angela @ thecouponproject dot com. 

****************

When you start a blog, one thing that gets pounded into your head is how important it is to drive in traffic. So you dive in, commenting on other blogs, networking with bloggers, maybe dabbling with AdWords or Facebook ads, writing guest posts, and building strong content. This has definitely been my strategy in the four years since I launched this blog. But over time a contrary thought has occurred to me… “when do you decide you’ve got just about the right amount of traffic for you to manage?”

The Truth about Big Traffic

In the pursuit of big traffic, it seems to me that many bloggers don’t stop and consider what the cost will be of having all that traffic come to their site.

Let me share a story of my own to illustrate. At the end of my first year of blogging, I submitted a post for consideration to a number of top bloggers to share in my niche. And then, I promptly forgot about it and went to bed. You can imagine my surprise (and shock, quite frankly) when I logged on to check my stats and found I was getting upwards of 1,000 hits per hour to my site. This was more than I’d been getting in a single day. While it was exciting – I was quickly struck with another emotion – stress! My site quickly was flooded with comments, questions, and criticisms. I found that my site was being discussed in a forum and people were picking my site apart. I remember some people saying I was “just another one of those coupon mom blogs.” OUCH.

The truth is more traffic can mean proportionately more stress and responsibility. More ad revenue, yes – but more chances for your site (and you!) to receive criticism. More people depending on a high level of quality content. More pressure to deal with tech issues that may arise. More pressure to stay up on your niche and topic. If you’re not careful and deliberate about it, you can quickly find your life being consumed by your blog.

Where is your “enough?”

To be clear, I will still accept partnerships and opportunities to get my blog in front of new eyes and I’ll still work to push the limits of my creativity and professionalism in how I build my business. However, I’ve decided that running this blog at the expense of my family, my sanity, and my other interests in life is simply not worth it to me.

About a year ago, I was expressing my frustration to my dad in wanting to keep my blog growing and moving. His advice was perfect: “remember, Angela, you do not have to be the best.” And he’d be totally right. I don’t have to be the best at everything I do, but I can decide what my best is, and let it be.

Today I thought I’d give you a little inside peek to the choices I’ve made about “my enough:”

• My enough means I will reduce the amount of time spent working on evenings. I’ve shifted to working earlier in the day and when my kids are in school so I can have the evenings to engage with my family and even just relax. I’ve spent some time reading some really fantastic books and even been reading a few non-couponing blogs.
• My enough means I will reduce the amount of time spent working on the weekends so I can be with my family. This has meant I’ve no doubt sacrificed some weekend traffic, but my family is worth more than 500 or even 1,500 hits on a Saturday. I also feel energized coming into Monday because I’ve had some time to rest. Also, my house has started to get cleaner as I’ve made some clear work/home time separations.
• My enough means I will choose to make time for my friends. I’ve consciously made an effort to connect (and in some cases, reconnect) with friends. I’ve decided that participating at church events, special girls’ nights and my awesome book club is worth it. Friendships matter!
• My enough means being OK with not being the best. At the heart of it, I’ve learned to accept I won’t be the biggest coupon blogger out there, and that’s OK. My goal in running this blog is to be able to stay at home with my kids. I blog so I can stay home, and not the other way around. I’m also super blessed to be able to help support my contributor, Lori.
• My enough means setting a pace I can manage for the long haul. I post somewhere between 4-8 posts per day. By my niche’s standards, this is very light. But I refuse to commit to a breakneck pace of 20-30 posts per day. I would far prefer to focus on sharing quality posts than worrying about how to fill up my blog’s schedule for the day (particularly on those days when deals are few and far between!).
• My enough means working smarter, not harder. For example, for my Eating Healthy on a Budget series I enlisted the help of readers and brought on a guest post instead of writing all the content by myself. Bringing on Lori to help with coupon matchups helped free up considerable time for me to be with my family or develop additional content without being overwhelmed.

I hope that you won’t see what I’ve shared here as down-putting of me or my site. On the contrary! I’m extremely proud of what I’ve been able to create here and I fully believe I have a unique, important voice to contribute in the couponing space. I’m also fiercely proud of the intelligent, caring, and loyal community of folks that participate at this blog regularly. But I’ve also come to be content and appreciative of “my enough” – it’s definitely enough to keep my life busy and fulfilled, but not more than enough to where I’m overwhelmed and left spent.

If you blog – no matter the size of your blog – I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Have you taken the time to define your “enough?” If you feel overwhelmed, are there things you could do to back off or look for help? 

{ 14 comments }

Me, blogging and smiling away

I have gotten more and more emails lately from folks thinking about blogging asking for advice on how to make money blogging. It is very difficult for me to answer each of these emails personally, so I figured I’d do a post about it today. (So if you’ve been directed to this post by me, you now know why!)

What you Should Know Before Starting a Coupon Blog

Can I be completely candid? Perfectly honest? When I hear someone’s wanting to start up a coupon blog and the first question they ask me is how to earn money, I cringe. I truly do not believe that in most cases it’s a good idea anymore.

With so many coupon blogs out there, the market is growing saturated (if it’s not already). This means you’ll need to work exceptionally hard to compete with the blogs that people are already out there reading. (Goodness knows a constant struggle I have is to keep coming up with content that’s a step ahead!) A better question than “how do I make money with a coupon blog?” might be “what different voice can I contribute to gain traffic and unique following?” I hope that this comes across in the nicest way possible – I don’t care to dash anyone’s dreams of blogging about coupons, certainly. But if your goal is to make money, you need to think about how exactly you plan on offering something different. Some newer blogs that are making traction are coupon blogs with a specific bent – for instance, a gluten-free coupon blog or a kosher coupon blog. Blogs that are working to build a niche within a niche.

So my challenge to you would be this: do a good soul search and ask yourself if you want to write a blog because you love writing and helping others or if it’s just because you need the cash. If you can honestly say it’s because you have a love of writing and sharing with others first, proceed. If you just need the cash, skip ahead – I’ve some additional thoughts for you, too.

How I make Money

As you know, I’m pretty frank about how I make money around here. To review:

• I serve and sell ads
• I have affiliate relationships (Amazon, Groupon, Coupons.com and so forth)
• On rare occasion, I write sponsored posts or host sponsored promotions
• On some occasions, I’ve landed freelancing clients & jobs via my blog
• I teach coupon classes
• And other odds and ends

You might be surprised to learn that I don’t get paid for my coupon matchup posts – arguably one of the most labor intense things that happens on the blog. That being said, I do work to build mutually beneficial relationships with the brands that I care about and post regularly. For instance, Fred Meyer didn’t pay me to do a holiday post, but they did give $900 in gift cards to deserving families in the community. Another one of my store partners regularly provides me with social promotion in exchange for writing about them. As a blogger, I find stuff like this provides value beyond compensation.

However, such brand relationships are NOT built overnight. A blog isn’t as simple as “if you build it, they will come.” It takes hard work, persistence, creativity, and a bit of luck, quite frankly.

As far as making money goes, this too will involve some experimentation and hard work. If I can offer a word of advice on the topic, it’s this: don’t promote something you yourself wouldn’t buy. Not only will it be a waste of time and effort on your part, it might well undermine the credibility you desperately need to foster with your readers!

Making Money from Home

At the start of this post, I asked you frankly if this is more an issue about needing cash. I do have some thoughts for you.

If you are passionate about couponing, might I suggest becoming a couponing instructor? Quite frankly, there seems to be a bigger need for this than blogs! You can certainly charge for coupon classes. For more information on this route, please check out my Coupon Class Posts 1, 2, and 3. You can also see how I’ve structured my coupon class fees for an idea of what’s worked for me. A word here – don’t feel guilted into teaching people how to do this for free! If you feel you want to, fine. But as for me, I give so much away here for free that I can’t justify additional time away from my family without charging. (Not to mention gas, childcare, and other expenses that go into my classes.)

Another route that not many people have tapped is becoming a contributor on an existing blog. Many bloggers are looking for help – people that can run to the stores and do price checks, build content, and more. I am not currently looking for contributors, but I did last year! Watch for open calls, or consider inquiring with some of your favorite bloggers when they might be hiring.

I once ran a series highlighting folks who worked at home and made money from it. If you missed that series, please head to my Post Series page and scroll down for the Work at Home features. There truly are many options of making money legitimately at home!

I still want to learn more about blogging

I’ve written quite a bit on the topic of blogging since it’s near and dear to my heart. Some of those posts:

• 30 Lessons I’ve Learned about Blogging
• Behind the Scenes at TCP
• Five questions you should ask before starting a blog
• Seven qualities of winning blogs
• Creating a mission statement and values for your blog
• Making inroads with other blogger
• Growing your blog
• Be Nice (Blogger etiquette)
• 6 ways to improve your posts
• The emotional cost of blogging
• Managing your time while blogging

I should also mention that I’m sometimes asked things by email that I don’t feel OK sharing such as can I help someone brainstorm a blog name or if I can share some of my contacts or if I can meet up for coffee. Please note that while I’m happy to share some things, others I consider proprietary. And maybe others? I should probably be charging you for my time as a professional copywriter/marketer to consult with you.

Beyond that, I HIGHLY recommend the blog Blogging with Amy for practical, step-by-step advice on how to start and run a money making blog.

I love blogging, and I’m so grateful I’ve found a path to work from home. But it wasn’t easy and I’ve said it before – it took 8 months before I saw my first check. It was $100. That is a lot of hours for $100! I hope that if you’re still considering starting that coupon blog you’ll start with a business plan and a realistic understanding of what’s involved.

Other bloggers, I’d love for you to weigh in. What advice would you give someone thinking of starting a blog for business? And if you are a reader of blogs, what are your thoughts about seeing new coupon blogs pop up – are you inclined to read them? Where do you feel there are gaps that new blogs could seek to fill?

{ 25 comments }