Elizabeth Pampalone Elizabeth Pampalone

Why You Need A Mission Statement

Writing a mission statement sounds like a complicated task, but it really couldn’t be simpler! Before you write your mission statement, though, you may find yourself wondering, what is a mission statement? And why do I need one?

What is a Mission Statement?

A mission statement is a sentence or phrase that lets your website visitors, customers, or potential clients know who you are, what you stand for, and how you can help them. It’s a less complicated version of an "About Me" or "Start Here" page, because it is stripped down to the bare bones of what you provide, not a detailed list of your services.

How to Write a Mission Statement

Sit down, grab a piece of paper, and get ready to write. Coming up with your mission statement is as simple as answering these 4 questions and stringing them together into one killer mission statement that will have clients lining up around the block to work with you.

1. What are you?

In the simplest terms, what is your title?

For example, here at The Simplified Academy, we are business coaches.

2. What do you do?

Dig a little deeper.

We are business coaches who focus on simplifying processes and reducing overwhelm.

3. Who do you do it for?

Who is your primary audience? When you think of your ideal client or customer, what is their position or job title?

We are business coaches who focus on simplifying processes and reducing overwhelm for entrepreneurs.

4. WHY do you do it?

What problem are you solving for your audience?

We are business coaches who focus on simplifying processes and reducing overwhelm for entrepreneurs who are tired of letting their businesses run THEM.

String it all together and you’ve got your mission statement.

Here at the Simplified Academy we are business coaches who focus on simplifying processes and reducing overwhelm for entrepreneurs who are tired of letting their businesses run them.

Why is this important?

Your mission statement tells your potential clients and customers why you are the best solution to their problem and why you are a good fit to work with them. A pretty website with nice photos is no good if visitors don't know what you do, and a mission statement tells them just that, wrapped up in a pretty little package.

Armed with your new mission statement you can walk into any meeting, conference, or networking event with a clear vision for what your business does, and everyone you meet will see that too.

 

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Elizabeth Pampalone Elizabeth Pampalone

Top 3 Ways to Use Audio On Your Blog

In the rising digital age, audio is becoming a more and more popular way to engage an online audience. Instead of sitting down to read a blog post or watch a video, audio allows site visitors to enjoy your content while multitasking - which people are finding themselves in need of doing even more often. See below for my three favorite ways that you can use audio on your blog.

In the rising digital age, audio is becoming a more and more popular way to engage an online audience. Instead of sitting down to read a blog post or watch a video, audio allows site visitors to enjoy your content while multitasking - which people are finding themselves in need of doing even more often. See below for my three favorite ways that you can use audio on your blog.

1. Podcasts

Whether interview based, segments in a series, or just you and a mic, podcasts are a great way to host informative, audio based content right on your blog. And because they can be hosted on so many platforms in addition to your blog, they are also a great way to passively market your business through platforms like the Podcast app or Spotify.

2. Interviews

If you’re not ready to commit to hosting an entire podcast, interviews are a great way to weave an audio component into your blog or website. Interviews can also be transcribed into blog post form so that visitors have the option to read the interview or listen to the audio version.

3. Audiobooks

Incorporating audiobooks on your blog isn't quite like embedding a podcast or posting an interview. Unless you have your own audiobook that you would like to share, you can’t just post an entire audiobook on your site for people to listen to for free. You can however, incorporate audiobooks as a resource for your readers. We’re all busy people, and while it’s great that there are amazing books out there to help us grow and strengthen our businesses, they are useless if we don’t have the time to sit down and read them. Incorporating audiobook recommendations into your blog routine is a great way to maintain relevance in the fast paced digital age that we live in today.

Having an audio component to your blog is key to maintaining relevance in the fast paced world we live in today, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. How will you start incorporating audio into your blog?

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Elizabeth Pampalone Elizabeth Pampalone

How To Create Consistent Content (without going crazy)

As an entrepreneur, you are responsible for a LOT of content creation. From social media and blogging to video content and email marketing, coming up with lengthy, fresh, and informative content on an almost daily basis can get exhausting. Instead of losing your mind to try to keep up, take some time to build up a bank of “no brainer” content so that you can be ready to help your audience even on the days that you’re just not feeling it. “No brainer” content can be anything simple that you enjoy creating, but you can read below for my favorite easy ways to keep the content coming.

As an entrepreneur, you are responsible for a LOT of content creation. From social media and blogging to video content and email marketing, coming up with lengthy, fresh, and informative content on an almost daily basis can get exhausting. Instead of losing your mind to try to keep up, take some time to build up a bank of “no brainer” content so that you can be ready to help your audience even on the days that you’re just not feeling it. “No brainer” content can be anything simple that you enjoy creating, but you can read below for my favorite easy ways to keep the content coming.

Q&A/Ask Me How

Q&A style posts make great staple content because they give your audience high quality, highly sought after information without all of the guesswork on your end. Your audience tells you what they want to know so you don’t have to worry about if it will perform well! Q&A’s can be presented in blogs, videos, or even quick posts on social media. The possibilities are endless!

 

Testimonials

Do you have a client that’s super happy with their latest project? A customer absolutely LOVE the product they bought from you? Don’t just keep that to yourself, tell your audience! Posts like #thankfulthursday and #testimonialtuesday are a great way to create content that you don’t really have to think about, as well as show your audience how great your products or services are!

 

Company News

Did someone in your company have a baby? Is it your dog’s birthday? Have you reached a business milestone recently? Share it with your audience! While it’s important to keep content mostly related to your business, the occasional personal share or milestone is a great way to remind your audience that you’re a person too and help them feel more connected to you.

 

FAQ

Do you answer the same emails over and over? Turn your responses into a blog post, email newsletter, or series of  #FAQFriday posts on social media. This particular “no-brainer” content serves the dual purpose of creating content and clearing out your inbox!

 

Recycling Old Content

Did an awesome blog post you wrote not get enough love? Is there something seasonal from last year that still applies? Share it again!

 

Awards

Has your business ever won an award? Signed up for a contest? Apply for them and tell your audience! Spread the word. Not only do you get great no-brainer content for your site, you may even win something!


Not all content has to be difficult to create. By keeping a queue of simple but engaging content ready to publish at a moments notice, you can ensure that you are consistently providing quality content to your readers - without working around the clock.

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Elizabeth Pampalone Elizabeth Pampalone

5 DIY Tips: Don't let your website hold you back in the New Year

Is your website keeping revenue out of your pocket?

Do you utilize email marketing on your website and in your daily/weekly routine?

Have you ever done Usability testing to see if your customers are really able to use the site the way you intend them to use it?

Do you long to keep in touch with your clients but find little time to blog?

Is your website keeping revenue out of your pocket?

Do you utilize email marketing on your website and in your daily/weekly routine?

Have you ever done Usability testing to see if your customers are really able to use the site the way you intend them to use it?

Do you long to keep in touch with your clients but find little time to blog?

Here are 5 things you can do on your own:

  • Make sure you are using a professional email.
    YES: Liz@jaxcomputerchic.com
    NO: elizabethpampalone@gmail.com
  • If you don’t have an email signup, GET ONE
  • Create a branded email template, AND USE IT!
  • Have a friend, who is not very familiar with your business or site, test your website. You must be with them in person. Tell them to do the most important task your customers need to do (example sign up for the newsletter, fill in a form, book an appointment, buy something). You are not allowed to coach or tell them anything, only observe. See how long it takes them, watch where they place the mouse instinctively, and listen to them talk out loud during the entire process. This is an eye opening experience and can show you a lot of issues with your website that you didn’t even realized existed.
  • Blog More. Content Calendars are Great! Here is the one I use: http://coschedule.com/blog/content-marketing-editorial-calendar/ (Signup for their email list in this post and you will get the PDF)

Here are 5 reasons you might need a professional:

  • Setting up a professional email address and digital signature
  • Add Email Marketing to your website and setup a welcome email with an opt-in to entice clients to engage.
  • Talk with a web designer and marketer about getting some templates setup and
  • Share the results of your testing with a web designer and marketer to see how they can help you improve the customer experience.
  • Blogging can be time consuming, speak with a marketer about streamlining your blogs and social media to maximize your your time and your reach.

Don't forget to inject a little of your personality into your marketing. After all, your clients like you for you! (I Know Right?)

Let me know if I can help you with anything! Connect with me below!

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Elizabeth Pampalone Elizabeth Pampalone

Seven Tips to Help You be More Productive in the New Year

It’s a new year, so it’s time to re-evaluate your habits and productivity level. We often get complacent during the year and old habits sneak back in, stealing our productivity.

It’s a new year, so it’s time to re-evaluate your habits and productivity level. We often get complacent during the year and old habits sneak back in, stealing our productivity. A few of the top productivity killers, according to this article, are focusing too much on the future, delaying decisions, technology distractions (social media, anyone?), multi-tasking, perfectionism, and worrying. Seems that everything on that list can be controlled by self-discipline. So here are seven tips to help you stay productive.

  1. Don’t multi-task. Focus on one task at a time, when we try and multi-task we feel overwhelmed and end up not getting much of anything done, while feeling like we are doing everything.
  2. Have a schedule. If you wake up early, don’t let it go to waste, let that be a time to be really productive, and if you are a night owl, let that be when you get everything done. Make your schedule work for you, don’t let time own you.
  3. Do the things you DON’T want to do, first. That way you have motivation to get it done and work on the things you really enjoy.
  4. Throw perfectionism out the window. You could spend hours trying to get the perfect blog post written, and it would still not be perfect. Don’t worry about perfect, it doesn’t exist.
  5. Stay in the moment. Don’t get caught up in worrying or thinking about your future, set a time in the morning to envision your future for a couple of minutes, then spend the rest of the day working on the process to reach your vision.
  6. To-do lists! Yes, with a pen and paper, cross off what you get done. Noting that sense of accomplishment will keep you going throughout the day.
  7. Stay off Facebook and other social medias. Unless it is part of your job to network, stay off of it until all of your task are finished.

Note the productivity killers and turn them around. Be conscious of your decisions and where your mind is throughout the day. That is part of being present, don’t run on auto-pilot throughout your day and expect to have a very productive day. I know with these tips, you can start your new year on the right foot

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Elizabeth Pampalone Elizabeth Pampalone

Book Review: Networking for People Who Hate Networking

One of my passions is networking and as I read this book, I realized that EVERYONE should read it. Introvert, Extrovert, and everyone in between.

 I used to be an avid reader as a kid. Nowadays, I am more selective with my reading time as I find it shrinking all the time! I ran across this book about a year ago when a colleague taught a class on Introverts Networking. One of my passions is networking and as I read this book, I realized that EVERYONE should read it. Introvert, Extrovert, and everyone in between.

With topics like "The Destruction of Stereotypes" and "Why we hate to network" the author, Devora Zack, hits the nail on the head chapter by chapter. She also describes her Networking Survival Kit which I use when I speak on networking. Her book further details how to use Networking as a means of getting a job, how to Network when traveling, and even HOW to run a group! (I have read that chapter MANY many times.)

I encourage you to read this book and see for yourself some of the reasons networking is so important to not only your business, but also your overall well-being.

(This article contains affiliate links.)

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Elizabeth Pampalone Elizabeth Pampalone

Blogging for Fitness Pros

t is very common nowadays to come across fitness professionals through social media, it seems everywhere you turn there is another fitness expert with a huge following. One thing you don’t see enough of are fitness blogs. In the fitness industry people oftentimes overlook having a blog to supplement their social media following.

It is very common nowadays to come across fitness professionals through social media, it seems everywhere you turn there is another fitness expert with a huge following. One thing you don’t see enough of are fitness blogs. In the fitness industry people oftentimes overlook having a blog to supplement their social media following. They probably think it will take up too much time or don’t see a point in it, but there is always a reason for owning a blog.

  • Having a fitness blog will expand your exposure to people not on Instagram or Twitter. The internet is huge and if you use it right you can reach millions of people. Future clients or media personnel may not be searching through Instagram to find their next expert, having a blog makes you look more professional.  
  • I can’t tell you how many times I read the same questions over and over on posts of fitness influencers. Having a blog allows you to answer frequently asked questions, so you aren’t constantly answering them on social media.
  • If you are at the point where you are ready to monetize your services and provide online training rather than just in-person, having a website is a must. The easier it is for someone to access your online training, the more clients you will receive.
  • A blog helps you create deeper relationships by letting people into your personal life. Blog about your struggles and how people can relate to you. It will make you more approachable. People will see how you have overcome your obstacles and seek your help in overcoming theirs.

There are many reasons why a fitness expert should have a blog, I just pinpointed a few. The biggest factor in having a blog would be that it makes you stand out. There are millions of beauty and lifestyle bloggers, but how often do you come across a fitness blogger? So if you are ready to grow your online presence start by reading this article.

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Elizabeth Pampalone Elizabeth Pampalone

Dealing with Digital Clutter

As we head into a new year, a good declutter in life will help us keep our focus on our goals. Decluttering your home and office are a good place to start but I want to talk about digital decluttering. When your digital world is cluttered it can cause you to get distracted and veer off task, without you even realizing it. It can also cause your computer to run slower causing your work to take longer.

As we head into a new year, a good declutter in life will help us keep our focus on our goals. Decluttering your home and office are a good place to start but I want to talk about digital decluttering. When your digital world is cluttered it can cause you to get distracted and veer off task, without you even realizing it. It can also cause your computer to run slower causing your work to take longer. Here are a few tips for a digital declutter:

  • Delete old files. Over the year we accumulate many files that we often only need one time. Take an hour to go through your files and get rid of the ones you will no longer need. Don’t think you may need it one day, either you do or don’t, don’t keep the maybe’s.
  • Organize your desktop. We have a great post and layout available here.
  • Clear out your emails. Unsubscribe to anything you are no longer interested in. Go through your inbox and delete everything you no longer need.
  • Clear your downloads. Downloads can get overloaded if we don’t keep them in check, so take time to clear everything out of that folder.
  • Clear out unwanted bookmarks. There is no reason you should have something bookmarked for more than a year, you obviously aren’t going to use it, so clear it out!
  • Delete any unused accounts. If you have old email or social media accounts, go in and delete them, they are just taking up valuable space.
  • Go through and organize your pictures. When we upload pictures from our phone, we often upload unwanted screenshots, and they are always unorganized. So take time to delete unwanted pictures and organize them appropriately.
  • Take the declutter to your social media accounts. Go through and unfriend or unfollow anyone who you aren’t interested in or brings no value to you. If they have a negative energy don’t be afraid to cut them loose, it’ll help you in the long run.

A new year always brings a sense of freshness, as it should. You are starting new in 2017, make it a good one by decluttering your digital world and getting rid of the frustration that comes with a cluttered hard drive. Take action steps towards this today, start by doing one of these tips per day or week, and you will slowly but surely have a successful digital declutter.  

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Elizabeth Pampalone Elizabeth Pampalone

How can I free up space on my iPhone?

When I look to see what is taking up the most room on the phone, the answer is almost always the photos.  I get it, you have a thousand pictures of your spouse or the kids and grandkids, but ask yourself, do I need to have sixteen thousand photos on my phone?

I get this question all the time from clients.  When I look to see what is taking up the most room on the phone, the answer is almost always the photos.  I get it, you have a thousand pictures of your spouse or the kids and grandkids, but ask yourself, do I need to have sixteen thousand photos on my phone?

The answer is no you do not.  Thankfully the solution is easy.  When you plug your phone into your computer a window will pop up asking if you would like to import your pictures and videos from your device.  Click yes or ok (depending on your system) and you can get started.

Here is where things get even easier; there is a check box in the upper right hand side of the import window that says "delete photos from device after import".  If you check this box and then select import it will take those sixteen thousand photos off your phone and keep them on the computer.  Check to see how much room you have now.

I am then asked, well, what if I wanted to keep some photos on the phone so I can show off my kids or grandkids.  Simple, don't check the box, do the import and when you are done you can manually delete the photos from your phone.  It might take a little longer, but you can keep your favorite photos for all to see.

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Elizabeth Pampalone Elizabeth Pampalone

Three Tips to Grow Your Instagram

nstagram is an awesome platform, and when used right can boost your page views and grow your email list. Many people don’t know how valuable Instagram can be, and often overlook it.

Instagram is an awesome platform, and when used right can boost your page views and grow your email list. Many people don’t know how valuable Instagram can be, and often overlook it. A common misconception about Instagram, is that it’s just for make-up artist and fitness models. While those two do make up a large part of Instagram, anyone can grow a following by simply finding their tribe. Here are 3 tips to grow your following and find your tribe.

  1. Post consistently. The ideal number to post would be 3-5 times per day. That seems like a lot of content, and it is but if you plan appropriately, it shouldn’t be a problem.
  2. Engage, engage, engage. Engagement is huge on Instagram, you have to really interact and be genuine with other people. Like and comment on their pictures, be interested in their content and you’ll be sure to find your tribe.
  3. Utilize hashtags. Hashtags are huge on Instagram and if you’re using them wrong it can be really crucial to your growth. So if you are using them to be funny or witty, STOP. Find 30 that are targeted to your niche and use them on every post. I suggest listing them in your notes section and just copy and pasting them each time. Once you start using hashtags, you will get noticed and gain new followers.

Instagram is going through a lot of fun changes right now. Aside from the tips listed above, make sure if you really want to grow, you are utilizing all the new features. Stories are great for showing people everyday, behind-the-scenes action. The newest live feature is so fun and can be used for Q&A’s, a great way to really interact with your audience. As long as you are posting quality content and follow the tips above, your Instagram will grow and essentially lead to more traffic to your website. Happy growing, now go find your tribe.

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