Write what you know, research the rest

Today’s is Tip Tuesday.  This is where I give you tips in writing, anything that I come across (except crafting, which will be on The P. Lynne Designs blog).  This is information only, and it makes sense in life to me, and life as a writer.

As you may know, I am a blogger and freelance writer.  It is my job to make others look and sound good, as well as make myself look and sound good on paper and in the digital world.  I also wear many hats in my business and have many facets that will eventually get consolidated into one cohesive unit.  For the moment, I am loving this exploration. So, what does it have to do with today’s tip?

As you explore your many talents, and we all have them, it does not have the top ones like musician, dancer, or writer, you could be great at delegating, tasting a food, or even complaining.  I know people who always complain, and as my dad says, they will complain If you “hung them with a new rope”. Ok, I am getting off the subject, but the point is an expert in anything.  Oops, let me make my point.   As you explore your many, talents, you may be called to talk about them.  Some people shy away from this sort of thing, but if you are a talker, you will be asked these questions in life:  “What do you do” and “What are your hobbies”?

I love dancing, playing a musical keyboard, paper crafting, and Disney for starters.  I can tell you almost all things about these subjects, such as the perfect glue to use on chipboard, the correct way to do a paradiddle (that’s a tap dance term that I obviously do not know how to spell correctly, LOL), The perfect spot to view the fireworks at Cinderella’s castle, and what G#min7 chord is and how to execute them all.

So, what do the things that I love have to do with the subject of writing what you know?

Well, I know about these subjects, in addition to organizing, being a Christian, marketing, chocolate, sushi, being a single person, writing, and being an aunt.  I can write about these subjects in my sleep.  I have studied them all my life, and when I am asked to write something on them, I know what I am talking about.  Does that mean that I cannot write about being a parent?  I am afraid that I may steer some people in the wrong direction, but I have to research on some things, such as disciplining a child.  I can tell what I do as an aunt. Most of these answers will Most likely be based on your experiences with the subject, but even with subjects you know about, you may have to “fill in the blank” on parts you are not sure of.    (Such as wait times for the Slinky Dog Roller Coaster.)

What if I do not know something?

You have a plethora of information that you can research.  For instance, I can tell you where I would stay at one of Walt Disney World’s 22 plus resorts, but I cannot tell you how much a room is for 5 nights, and the amenities that you would get when staying.  It depends on your situation:  what are you going to be doing besides the parks or are you a new Disney Vacation Club member?  I will have to research the answer for you.  That G#min7 chord I mentioned earlier?  I cannot play it on a guitar so I would have to research it for you.  Clogging (a country dance similar to tap dance)?  Yep, that too.  Plus, researching make information more credible.  Not only that but for some things, such as a scientific equation or theory, you almost need to research the information to prove that it really exists.

So, there is nothing wrong with researching a subject that you do not know.  It is fun, and you can sit at the computer or in the library and leave your bottom lip hanging on the floor when you discover something new and different. Not only that

but some of these subjects (like Quantum Physics or theory, oops, Star Trek Voyager term, LOL), makes for some good discussions when you have nothing to say at a party.

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How to Grow Your Personal Brand

Today starts an on again, off again series called Branding.  This is not only for branding yourself, but for your business as well, if you have one, or want to start one.  According to the article in Entrepreneur Magazine, “7 ways to grow your personal brand in less than a week”, I need to grow this brand called Patricia L. Logan.  The reasons for improving my brand are:

Photo by PicMonkey.com

               

  1)      I do not want anyone to get the wrong idea about me or my company, P. Lynne Designs.  I want to be a truthful and authentic as possible.  If I did it, I need to own up to it and stay true to myself.  I have nothing to hide nor to prove to anyone how that comes off but to me and me alone.

2)      I want customers. 

3)      I want to connect.   

4)      I want to sell my craft/skills.  We all have them, even if it is nothing more than to be a good leader or a good-hearted person.  I want to say to a person, “you have a problem, I have a solution, and I want to help you solve your problem with skills that God has given me.”

5)      I want to influence people to think about new things, see new things, and find what is beyond their world of scope.

I am not getting anywhere, anymore, and I think, in fact, I know that it has to do with the way I have been marketing myself through my brand lately.

I want you to think back to something you tried for the first time. A product perhaps.  What was your initial reaction to it?  How was the advertising?  What happened when you tried it a second or third time?  Was it different than the first time you tried the product?   This is what I go through every time I look at my brand.  I want people to have a positive feeling about the brand of Patricia L. Logan and P. Lynne Designs.  You may not need me all the time, but each time you come to me for help, I want it to be the best experience I can possibly give to you.

What skills you need from me?

In a nutshell, I am a stationery designer.  This is an all-over-throw-around way of saying I make cards, invitations, scrapbooks, mini-books, graphic designer, and freelance writer, rolled up in an itty-bitty package (I’m 5’ so it cutely fits).  I am also an influencer.  I can mix in a little web design, but I would much rather send you to a true web designer if that is all you want.  Same with blog design. I will do it for my clients if it is part of a package I currently offer, but only if they ask.  I will also advise on what social media platforms they should get on.  (here is a hint:  you only need 2-3 that you get on all the time.)

So here are the recommendations for building your brand:

1. Research yourself:  Sound simple enough, right? Um, no.  To only see what Google says about you only hits the surface.  You have to dig deep.  I looked on PeopleLooker (not sponsored, By the way), and for $18 or so, you can pull up the report you need for yourself, but do not agree to this amount because you can hit the back button, and they will send it to you for $1. (PDF’s are $2.99), so for $3.99, you can see your incriminating bits on yourself.  So far, they have 3 addresses that I have not lived at (such as Naples, FL), an alias name I have never said I was (Who is this Patricia Cole person?) and they spot on with the criminal records, arrest records, judgements, and liens to which I have none.  For any type of credit report, I recommend Credit Karma or Credit Sesame to see where your credit is. I use Credit Karma.  Both services provide a free report.  While you at it, set up a Google alert on your name, so you are aware of any and all reports.
2. Get a website.  I may also add to this article’s recommendation and say a blog site as well.  Both are great and do allow you to set up an “about me” page.  An about me page allows you talk about you, but I have also read recently that does not mean to make it all about you and what you do.  You want to also say what you can do for your potential customer.  In other words, answer the question they have when they first come to your website or blog.  Example: “I need a good, funny Father’s Day Card”. Answer: “I provide cards for all occasions, including humorous holiday cards for Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day.  There you go, you have solved a problem, and they do not have to email you to ask that question.  Use photos on the website and blog that are high-resolution.  Also, engage in your audience.  Have an inviting website or blog.
3. Think about your audience.  Who do you want to attract?  Moms, who skydive?  Dog lovers who live in China?  Disney Vacation Club fans?  Define them now.  What do you have to offer them?  People love to get giveaways.
4. Network, Network, Network.  The more people you meet the better.  More chances of talking about your brand.  Go to local events that cover your topic.  You might reach some influencers.
5. Be you.  This is what I mentioned earlier when I talked about improving my brand.  The more people who see the real you, the true you, and what your morals stand for, the more readers and buyers, repeat readers and buyers you will have.
6. Capture information.  Not sure what this article really means to this statement, but I think what it means is when you build your relationship with a client, customer, or reader, the better that person feels about joining your mailing list and bringing in other people.  They need to trust you that you are not going to scam them out of their money, or use it in other ways, besides what their information was intended for (such as informing them of new products or a cause you are campaigning for).
7. Make Friends with influential people online.  Did you know that in addition to making homemade products, I also am an influencer?  The only thing is I am only a small influencer.  What is an influencer?  An influencer is a person who influences or convince others to buy a product, put money towards a cause, or champion for someone who needs it and gets people to buy into what they are talking about. In order to get more likes, tweets, etc, having an influencer who has a bigger audience can help your business or personal brand.  Do not get any influencer, though.  Get one who knows your industry, and what you are trying to teach to the masses. You will get more viewers to your website. This is why networking is so important.

Takeaway moment: 

If you follow these steps in building your brand, you will have more sales and more people who can be in your corner to help your brand. 

Again, I got this article from Entrepreneur Magazine because I am also build up my brand. I found this information helpful when makes me an influencer.  I want you to succeed in whatever business you desire to be in. When placed in the right position, your personal and business brand will grow and draw in new people every day.    

Facebook Status: Living your life…the Cruise Edition

My Facebook status on a Carnival Cruise line Facebook group (Not sponsored by Carnival):

Photo by P.Lynne Designs (C) 2018

“Except when I first came on this group in October, after changing ships, dates, and Itineraries (ports), I have never written a post in this group. I have commented, but that is it. I say this with a question: Why is everyone is so hyped up on Jamaica and Mexico being bad places.
Last month, I came back from a beautiful cruise on the Carnival Dream, going to the ports of Montego Bay, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, Mexico. I had no problems there. Me and my friend got off the ship at each port. We did no excursions that were sponsored by Carnival. We really did not have the money. We had fun anyway. We were cautious about where we went, asking the person we were traveling with (she has been to these ports several times, has done 25 cruises in all). She gave us this advice: Treat your traveling abroad like you would domestically (United States). If you are unfamiliar in a U.S. city, you would not go in places where there is a potential for crime, right? There are parts of Detroit or even in my own city of Columbus that I would not venture into. Not all areas of a city or country are bad.
Do not call attention to yourself is the term I am looking at. No huge amounts of money and do not look like a tourist. Watch who you are dealing with. Do not take rides that look questionable. Stay with crowds.
Before you go, I offer you all other pieces of advice: RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!!!! Go to the library, search on the computer, ask questions from other travelers (not just cruisers). Find ways to be self-reliant, even if you are traveling with a group, your spouse, a family member/friend or solo. You are the only person you have (unless you are also traveling with kids (under 25, and yes, I do consider them kids))Most of all, if you believe in God or whoever you pray to, Prayer works. Ask for protection and for discernment The Discernment part is so you can put into practice what I and others have mentioned in this group and in other places in Social Media about being safe but still living life.We all want to have fun, that is the purpose of this vacation, this cruise. Do not get too drunk that you are so inebriated to make the best decisions for your safety and the safety of others around you. I was lucky to have traveled with a good group of people who made sure that I made all the right decisions. I have known them for years. Some were my parents' age or a little younger and some were my age or younger. They checked on me often, and I had a good friend to be in the stateroom with me.
I said this in response to seeing too many posts of first-timers scared out of their wits because they have read the comments on this group about the ports. You do not have to get off the ship if you do not want to, but I advise you to at least try one port. If you want to take the safe route, try an excursion sponsored by Carnival, which will guarantee you will get back on the ship because they have to wait on you.Sorry, this post is long, but I felt I needed to get this off my chest. one last piece of advice: You cannot live your whole life in a bubble. you got to get out there and live life to the fullest. I am going to let that quote sit right there.”

 

I am going to let this post sit there for a moment.   The reason I wrote the post in the first place is to serve a reminder to those in the group, who decided a month, 5 months, or even a year or two to travel on a cruise ship and experience a taste of what a country has to offer.  There had been some uproar on all the travel groups about Jamaica and Mexico about the increase in crime in these two places.  The short, smart, sarcastic answer that I could have given is “don’t go if you feel that way.”  The reason I did not give that answer is I was that scared first-timer cruiser too. Let me explain.

Up until last month, I have never traveled out of the country without my parents.  I have flown to San Francisco with my aunt in 1988, but that was not out of the country.  In fact, the only place I have been prior to my cruise was Canada, and both times, I had my parents.  I really do not count Canada as being out of the country because you can drive through Detroit, Michigan to get to Canada.

Funny Story:  There is a state park in Detroit called Belle Isle.  Well, last July 4^th, me, my parents, and aunt and uncle were riding around, and at one point in the drive, we drove inside the park. While we were there, we drove a little closer to the Canadian border to the point where my phone started pinging off the tower on the Canadian side, and there were international charges on the bill.  I found it quite comical.  2 seconds the phone was doing that.

Fast forward to September, and my original cruise was canceled due to Hurricane Irma, and I, and the group I was with decided not to take the alternate trip to Cozumel and Belize (only 4 days as opposed to the 7-days that we were supposed to go on the Carnival ship Conquest), opted for bigger ship called Carnival Dream (Not to be confused with the Disney Dream cruise ship), to sail in December 31, 2017-January 7, 2018, and go to 3 ports instead of 4 (Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel).  It did not matter because I was scared that I:

·         Was going to get left by the cruise ship-did not happen

·         Spend well over budget-again it did not happen

·         Go to the shady side of each port-Montego Bay was not shady, but it did open my eyes to what was happening in that part of the country-no different than, say, going to Compton, California Or Newark, New Jersey.

·         Being swindled on-again did not happen.

Once all my fears subsided, thanks to good friends and prayer, I was able to enjoy my cruise.  The only thing that I was not prepared for was the issue of my health, which up to that point I thought was pretty good.  I lost my breath a couple times in the airport at New Orleans.  My friends were concerned, so as an added precaution, I used a wheelchair to get on the ship and off when we returned.  I probably could have made it, but I was glad for the caution because it could have been worse: a trip to the ER in New Orleans prior to getting on the ship, and I would have been left behind.  I had no issues at any of the ports, and I used the wheelchair going home. Next month, I will speak to my doctor about this.  I want to make sure I do not have the same problem when I go to Disney later this year.

So, for this takeaway, I want for all first-timers of anything, I want you to put your fears aside and trust in the process of going on a vacation, on a ship or a land vacation, and having fun.  Please use common sense when vacation, and as I said in the Facebook status, RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. I read some of the comments made on my post, and this is very to this person’s statement, “Current climate of America. The fear mongering has worked on a good portion of people here. The danger hasn’t gotten any worse or better.” 

My take on fear is “if planted in the right place, it can help make good decisions about anything in life.  It does not have to be “should I go on vacation on this ship to this port” or “If I take this deal, how much money will I save?”  Fear also goes into things like, “I’m Pregnant, now what?” or “I have $x in the account and I owe $x to this company, should I buy this item?” or worse, “I am in an abusive relationship and I just shot my abuser, now what?” If we take on fear for things such as, “I see a group of Black males coming my way, I should detour and go a different direction”, or “I am not getting off the ship because of the things I heard about this country.” 

My comment to you is do not use fear as a weapon in your life.  Use common sense and research an area (ship or land), an idea you have (a new business, making videos, or a new hobby), learning a new skill (video editing, tap dancing, or yoga) a new clothing line, a new food, or even a new church or temple.  See the world with new eyes and maybe you will enjoy that new world and be open to the possibilities that await you.

This is my takeaway for you.  Make it a good one.  

Please do your homework.

Has this ever happened to you?   You are in charge of an annual event.  You have a committee who has been working hard to make the event a success year after year.  Suddenly, your friend, Jane bring on a new person who can take this event over the top.  You have said in your meetings with the group, new people were always welcome, as long as their ideas are consistent with the views of the group.  So Anna joins the group, and she is the perfect fit to the committee.  All of a sudden, Anna has this idea for a new activity.  It for adults only, and the event is supposed to be family oriented, and she insists on having this activity.  What do you do?  
This just happened to me.  it was not about a recent event but this blog.  I try to give my readers something that is inspirational and for writers. I went on a site called Guest Blogger.com and a someone wanted to guest blog on all 5 of my blogs.  "Great, love to have you."   Her topics were way off, but I tried to place them the best way I knew how.  This is the reason why for those of you have been following this blog, were reading the post on Internet Marketing.   I should have not posted this article here, but I did not know where to post it.   My first blog that I started, MDN Creates is all about the world of scrapbooking and paper crafting in general, how to organized your supplies, CHA (Craft and Hobby Association-which starts next week for the Winter quarter); and all of that good stuff.   Tricia's Baskets, which in general is about Longaberger products and how to decorate around them.  For that blog, she submitted how to save for decorating, which really should have gone in the Simply Organized Crafts blog.  This blog is about organizational tips, tricks, recipes, and other household items including finances.  The SOC blog is where the Internet marketing post should have gone, but to me it does not fit here either, because I want to talk more about personal and family finances as well.   Lastly is my Disney blog, and it is all about traveling to the Disney parks in Florida and California, with a touch on the international parks.
So why do I have the example in the beginning of the post, and list each of my blogs descriptions?  It all goes back to homework and writing.  I have not done a demographic survey of my readers, but if I were, the majority of my readers do not write, but it does not matter.  No matter what you do in life, make sure you research, research, research before you do anything.  Had Anna done her homework (research), she would have found out ahead of time that the activity she wanted to do was not appropriate for the event, and she would have found another venue for it.   If the guest blogger I was working with had looked at each one of my blogs that I have in my profile, she would have known about the types of posts I have in each blog, and gauge each post according to my blogs.  She also would not have been so demanding either.
Doing your homework avoids confusion, hurt feelings, and allows both parties to say that they had a good experience.   She left a bad taste in my mouth, but that does not stop me from having guest bloggers in the future.
So what am I looking for in a guest blogger on THIS blog?   I would prefer a writer who is inspirational (yes, no more Abby Lee Miller posts), who loves to write THEIR story.  Something more on the style of Guideposts the magazine.   It can be creative writing, like a poem.  I love poems.    If its factual, please get you facts straight (again with the research).  You do not have to quote scripture, but it would be nice.  If you do quote scripture, please tell me what version of the bible you quoted from.  I want my readers to be able to look it up if they are bible scholars. (Or not.) You can give advise on this blog, but write it so that if your children were sitting on your lap, you would not mind them seeing it.   So nothing about sex and the other "adult" issues, unless it is about how you overcame your problem with those issues, but again, make it family friendly.  Do not advertise, and most importantly, have fun with your post.  You do not have to give me the happy, happy , joy, joy type post.  It could be something that has made you feel good about yourself and inspire others.
So with that, I apologize for the last post, and I hope it will never happen again.  Be well (it's flu season), be safe (it's winter), and Be Blessed (God is always in the blessing business).  Have a great evening.