From The Desk Of Grace Lever
Aldgate, South Australia
Hi Lovely,
You’ve broken out of your day job and quit the 9-5…
You’ve swapped your corporate get up for ‘weekend glam’ and traded your heels for runners…
You feel like finally you’ve done it… you’re a fully-fledged entrepreneur…
Except… not quite.
Because unless you develop an entrepreneurial mindset… to eventually break out of the hustle and stop swapping time for money…
You could forever wind up a solopreneur… which is basically a freelancer.
Even though you might have more flexibility and time… reduced daily travel… don’t have to stick to office protocol… and swapped a tiny cubicle for a homely corner…
Without the right mindset, you will always be swapping time for money.
Your business can turn into a 9-5…
Except with more hats and more stressful things: like insurance, tax, investing in the right client-getting systems, standing out in a cluttered market and filling up your super. YIKES!
Unless you start to think about putting the right systems in place to go from solopreneur to entrepreneur…
You could forever be a slave to your business, and fear and panic could always creep in..
(Just like it does for so many women in business).
Gosh, that was a depressing picture…
Let me quickly paint what a successful entrepreneur could look like:
- She runs an automated business that keeps attracting and converting dream clients… even while she sleeps or takes a laptop-free break…
- She’s compressed her knowledge into digital assets, like online courses where anyone can tap into her expertise without costing her time…
- And she does only what she can do… like coaching and developing new courses and systems to support her hurting market.
To temper your expectations: this is not where you start.
Typically you would start wearing all the hats and serving clients 1:1.
I was running a 6-figure business in this stage for years…
But it’s kinda like a layover… you don’t want to get stuck there forever.
Eventually you want to break out of serving clients 1:1… and into serving 1:Many… just like the successful entrepreneur I described.
Shifting from solopreneur to entrepreneur can feel unattainable and out of reach for many business women…
But it all begins in the mind…
And once you learn how to think like an entrepreneur… I promise the rest will start to follow.
Loving our content? The Doers Inner Circle is where we keep the REALLY GOOD stuff… and for a limited time, you can try it out for a buck. Click through here and join My Doers Inner Circle on a $1 Trial .
4 Mindset Hacks To Go From Solopreneur To Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurial Mindset Hack #1: Shift from Manual Hustle to Automated Flow
In a cluttered market where customers see 5,000 ads a day…
It takes a lot of connection, heart and thinking outside the box to capture attention, showcase value and make your business magnetic.
This is where hustle steps in.
It’s that energy force that won’t give up, breaks through objections and cuts straight to emotion.
Eventually though, once you’ve sharpened your craft, built a solid client base and gathered up testimonials…
You want to start moving away from hustle.
That’s because there’s a much more sustainable and predictable way to start attracting your market… automation.
This is where putting the right systems in place is crucial…
So you can start to automatically capture and nurture dream clients… and turn them into red hot customers.
For me automation always starts at Facebook ads… to access a deep, rich pool of dream clients…
And it can look like an irresistible opt-in to establish upfront value, credibility and trust.
This creates an email list of hot contacts who I can keep nurturing and showing up for… and through automation using funnels and email nurtures… eventually pitch my higher-ticket programs to.
(In a completely value-packed, non-salesy way of course..)
Lesson: Hustle is not the end goal. Automation and flow is.
Entrepreneurial Mindset Hack #2: Shift from control to delegation
The fact is, if you don’t take the right steps to set your business up correctly…
Not only will it break you… it will break too…
Just like the 97% of businesses that fail 🙁
It’s a devastating fact, but it’s avoidable…
And the solution, apart from automation, is getting support.
I finally started looking for support about 2 years ago.
But by then I was so burnt out I’d wound up in a hospital bed.
After spending too many years in constant fight or flight… my body had decided to quit.
I’d been trying to create the type of business where I could focus on doing the thing I loved the most… like compressing my Genius Zone into systems and courses…
But in reality… I had a to-do list that never got smaller and was working 10-14 hour days just to tick every box.
Maybe you’ve experienced this too?
Where you’re stretched so thin, you feel like a rubber band that’s about to snap?
That hospital stint turned out to be a blessing…
Because it forced me to make a decision I haven’t looked back on…
And it wasn’t taking a break from my business or reducing my clients…
It was getting help.
I realised that working 10 – 14 hour days without any support was a recipe for failure and frustration…
And that if I wanted to get the scale and the lifestyle I so badly craved – one where I could take weekends off at the least…
Then I couldn’t keep running myself ragged.
That moment of clarity is what finally pushed me to get the support I really needed…
And today I work less than 24 hours a week and have impacted 50,000 students in 72 countries.
For more mindset hacks and the secrets behind their success, join me inside The Doers Inner Circle today for $1 USD. Skip the guesswork, and follow my proven roadmaps instead, so you can build a profitable, lifestyle business faster.
I’ve gone from doing every task to keep my clients happy and my business afloat…
To thinking strategically and doing only the money-moving things I love..
(Like creating a new course or system to fix a pain point in my market)…
And I’ve reclaimed nights and weekends.
If you’re feeling like I was, at capacity and working overtime night after night, I GET IT.
The great news is, we can take care of it for you.
You can start outsourcing up to 150 business-essential tasks to a skilled virtual assistant – or ‘Doer’- who we’ve personally trained up.
(After researching every avenue, this is the most effective solution I’ve found for getting help, so I could put my time where it counts the most.)
Interested in more time-hacking tips like these? Click here.
Entrepreneurial Mindset Hack #3: Start thinking 3 steps ahead
The beauty of outsourcing is: it frees up time to start thinking strategically…
So you can run a business out of clarity, not chaos.
As an entrepreneur, you always need to be 3 steps ahead…
So as a starting point, make a list of everything that could go wrong…
Then map out the solutions and write down the worst case scenario.
This is a great exercise to crush fear… because even the worst case doesn’t look so bad when you put it down on paper.
Then, you can start thinking ahead and planning more strategically, instead of constantly thinking ‘what if’ and making decisions from a place of fear.
Entrepreneurial Mindset Hack #4: Be okay with failure
In a social media driven world, it’s easy to compare yourself to what you see on Instagram…
And constantly feel imposter syndrome, or like a fake 🙁
However, it’s important to remember social media is a highlight reel, and life is fraught with lessons and failures.
As humans we all make mistakes, and if we didn’t fail, we wouldn’t learn.
Case in point: If you’re not quite where you pictured yourself… let me paint what my life looked like pre-2013.
I was living in a crumbling Sydney rental where I couldn’t afford heating… in winter I’d sleep under a stack of quilts and wear a ski jacket to keep warm…
Outside the carpet smelled like cat pee and inside was dark and musty…
There was a two-inch gap under the door that I’d block with towels and blankets…
And since I was living on a shoestring, I’d buy the cheapest frozen meals… then used a special cooking technique to make them edible.
But –
What sucked the most was that I’d racked up over $100K in credit card debt from trying to grow my business – ad spend and failed strategies burnt to ashes.
(Cue: panic, tears and rocking myself in a corner.)
Thankfully, struggle is what shapes us, and I eventually found a way out of that mess…
But these are just a few of the failures I’ve felt.
I didn’t paint this grim picture to shock…
I did it hoping my words speak into your life… and to let you know that failure is normal and that everything is workoutable.
If you are just like I was once upon a time: running a business that’s stealing all of your time and joy and leaving you burnt out and wanting to quit…
If you are struggling to break out of the 9-5 and turning your side hustle into a fully-fledged business…
Or if feeling stuck slinging different strategies against the wall…
Then I want you to start taking these mindset hacks on board, and I promise the rest will start to follow.
The training and support of The Doers Inner Circle makes building a business SIMPLE. We’ll show you what to do… and what order to do them… to get more clients, more income, and more lifestyle freedom. Click here now to join my Doers Inner Circle for $1 USD.
xx
Grace
P.S. Interested in digging into more tips like these? Click here.
Or, could you use a quick burst of inspo? Check out these 47 powerful quotes from leading girl bosses!
From The Desk Of Grace Lever
Aldgate, South Australia
Hey Lovely,
In this post, I’m going to share how we planned and hosted our first virtual event during this pandemic.
Face-to-face events have always been a pillar of my business… until Corona swept the world.
Before this seismic pandemic affected every corner of the globe, I ran a raft of in-person events for the incredible women inside my community…
Like my Weekend Aways in Australia and LA, where my team of Experts and I taught the latest client-getting strategies….
My Diamond Doer Masterminds, which are a core staple of my signature top-tier mentoring program…
And intimate retreats at my home in the Adelaide Hills, where women from all corners of the world joined me and my Experts for two; three days of hardcore strategy and implementation.
Events are a core part of my team culture too… each year I shout my beautiful team a trip to show my appreciation…
The last place we went was New York, the epicentre of this shakeup.
My point is…
We were always either planning, running or wrapping up an event.
Then very quickly, everything stopped.
Ironically, the first moment I realised Coronavirus was going to be out of control was on Day 1 of a 3-day retreat I was running in my home.
I had 25 incredible women from all over the world in my home…
Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, Americans and Brits.
I remember my husband calling me at 4am in the morning from Melbourne as the Formula 1 was cancelled (his childhood dream!)…
And him telling me that everyone was going crazy.
My team started to arrive at my home at 7am and as the news started covering more and more cases with every hour – we realised it was serious.
I remember we went into one of my spare bedrooms once the whole team had arrived and I told them something big was happening and we need to be aware that people going through airports are some of the highest risk carriers.
We went straight into action mode:
My Event Manager rushed to every chemist within a 10 minute drive to buy out their thermometers and hand sanitiser…
My Social Media Manager was on the computer stocking up on all available homemade hand sanitiser ingredients as we realised they were already selling out of pre-made ones…
My head of Client Success was calling medical friends and family to find out more about the symptoms…
My Head of Product printed out hand washing posters and plastered them throughout the house…
And I interrupted our attendee’s morning coffees for an announcement to explain that no one was allowed to hug or touch or share pens during the next 3 days…
While everyone stared on like we were hypochondriacs.
It was so early then and lockdown wasn’t even a thing on Day 1 of our retreat.
It escalated quickly.
By the end of the weekend people were freaking out about how they were going to get home…
Some were worried about being trapped in lay-over countries and couldn’t get through their borders for days…
It was awful.
As the last person walked out the door after three powerful (but kinda stressful) days together, I remember thinking:
“Thank you Lord that we managed to fit this in…”
But what the heck am I going to do?!
I have done 10+ retreats in my home and I had four BIG face-to-face events planned for May and June 2020…
And I had no idea where to turn.
That was definitely the first challenge…
The first roadblock I hit as a female entrepreneur dealing with Coronavirus.
I realised that there was a completely new area of virtual events I hadn’t tapped into yet…
But because of this obstacle, a whole new world was opened up to us.
We were forced to investigate tools and solutions we’d never considered before to revamp our events virtually.
And the result was Virtual Retreats.
These have served our community so well…
In fact we’ve had countless emails and messages from women globally, thanking us for creating an online experience…
Women who otherwise would’ve missed out due to the added expense and commitment of attending events face-to-face.
We’ve had women asking us to come and do retreats in the US and Canada for years because they couldn’t afford or couldn’t swing their schedules to come to my house in Australia…
And now they could experience a virtual retreat with all of the same benefits, from the comfort of home in their pj’s or trackies 🙂
I’m not saying we’ll stop doing face-to-face events…
There’s such a need for the community and connection that can only happen when you’re in a room together…
But a whole new world has opened up to us, giving us the opportunity to make our programs more accessible and inclusive to everyone 🙂
Not just the women who can block three, five, seven days out of their schedule and hop on a domestic or international flight.
How to Plan a Virtual Event
I want to take you through what running virtual events has looked like behind the scenes…
To show that you too can open your market right up outside your local demographic…
And create more impact with your Genius Zone in this new virtual era.
Let me explain how we picked the topic for our first virtual retreat.
Early into the crisis, my team and I sat down and identified that the most pressing need in our market was to start a business and attract clients online…
And we believe that creating a course is the #1 strategy to do that.
Not only is e-learning set to explode to $356 million by 2025…
In that lonely time of isolation when people were living online and had downtime to think (and still are), they were craving quick and convenient knowledge they could easily unpack.
We put all our eggs into that basket so to speak and put a laser sharp focus on course creation…
And our first virtual event was The Virtual Course Creation Retreat that we’ve since turned into a recurring event.
On Day 1 my Experts and I focus on creating a course…
Aka… taking your Genius Zone out of your head and picking a course topic…
Mapping out the modules, lessons, worksheets and teaching points using my signature Course Creation Formula…
Naming your course… and designing and setting up a stunning at-home studio without a cash blowout…
And creating a production schedule so you can film and edit your course and make it live within 30-days 🙂
Then on Day 2 we focus on filling it…
Aka… crafting a 30-day launch plan so you can start filling your course… before creating one piece of content.
(This saves so much time and heartache of spending weeks or months creating a course only to find it doesn’t sell – the beauty of this build-it-backwards approach is that it validates the course really fast.)
My ladies love this Virtual Course Creation Retreat, because they can soak up all this expert knowledge from the comfort of their living room (pj’s and trackies optional :-)…
And without the cost of travel or a hotel.
That’s a straight up saving of at least $1,000!
We host these retreats in Hopin…
And when it comes to running a virtual event, we’ve found this digital platform is everything…
Not only is it simple, streamlined and user-friendly…
Attendees can leave the main stage and jump in and out of breakout rooms if you want to run ‘expert sessions’ simultaneously.
They can also post questions in a chatbox – we recommend having someone on Q&A support to answer them…
And there are even ‘Expo Booths’ which they can jump into after each session to ask offer-specific questions.
All of these areas are listed in a vertical bar on the left…
And Hopin lets you network too – in fact we ran a ‘Virtual Cocktail Hour’ where ladies can reach out to compare notes or simply catch up in a dedicated breakout area.
That’s what the Virtual Course Creation Retreat looks like in a nutshell… now let’s look at how to put it all together.
To make it as simple as I can for you, I’ve curated a list of the most important steps 🙂
Before you start planning…
Decide on the goal of your retreat and what you want to accomplish…
Is it strategic planning or teaching a skill or process like course creation?
The crux of your retreat will be showing your hurting market out of a painful frustration…
For our market that was not being able to make money or attract clients during this pandemic; where the quickest solution was course creation.
Determine the basics…
What’s the event duration? Is it a half-day or a 2-day event?
(If you don’t have a lot of experience in running events, you might want to start with a half-day retreat.)
What’s your budget?
How many people do you estimate to attend?
This is based on the size of your list… then extra if you’re investing in ad spend.
Will you have special guests or experts teaching specific areas or topics… or will you be doing it all yourself?
What platform will you be hosting it in?
We highly recommend Hopin… or you might want to use Zoom, Google Hangout or GoToMeeting.
Hopin lets attendees register through a link… then they simply use that link to access the event from day 1.
(It also lets you record the entire event so you can send your attendees a replay after… this is an extra layer of care they will deeply appreciate.)
The beauty of a virtual retreat is that you don’t have to expend venue costs or catering… but you will need to allocate spend to the digital platform as well as any bonuses and resources you’ve promised in your offer.
Tip: Check your internet upload speed to make sure it’s above 50MB/sec…
I run my virtual events out of a hotel with really solid internet (with an amazing upload speed of 200MB/second!).
This ended up costing me in venue hire, meals and accommodation for my team (worth every dollar for a glitch-free event 🙂
And if you’re thinking ‘This is great Grace, but I would love more support’ I’d love to help you! You can join my own exclusive Doers Inner Circle for $1 USD and get access to myself, my team and all of our Doing strategies right now… And, access the support you need to apply them to your own business.
Next, you will want to dedicate time to the planning process.
Lock in a date and time and send out invitations as early as possible.
Tip: Running a live Q+A or poll is a great way to gauge interest and run a couple of date options past your audience.
Then map out an agenda…
(We like to break the event up into short 50 minute sessions and add in plenty of breaks and keep it short and sweet… you want to add value without cramming every topic in.)
Make sure to set up all the digital assets for your event… like a landing page and email nurture so you can clearly communicate all the inclusions.
Before the retreat make sure to test the technology to reduce any technical glitches.
To do this we duplicate the event in Hopin and set it to run before the retreat so that we know all the sessions are all set up correctly and my Experts can get familiar with the platform.
Make sure attendees have the resources needed for each time slot.
We send them a link to a digital workbook to print out before the event… which saves printing and postage costs 🙂
Communicate a working agenda for all time slots and topics during the retreat so attendees can come prepared.
Once the agenda’s locked in, let attendees know if they need to bring anything or prepare for specific activities.
Establish the ground rules for how the participants will engage with each other during the event.
The primary facilitator should share this with the participants at the beginning of the event.
Next comes post-event planning.
Decide how you will thank attendees for participating – whether that’s sending a physical or virtual gift bag or simply following up with a post-event email nurture…
Identify where you may need to follow-up on activity outcomes and sale opportunities…
Determine how you will measure success, like sending out a participant survey post-event and hashing out the results…
Remember to thank everyone who helped you run your retreat and make it successful 🙂
And lastly, learn and reflect for next time!
That’s running a virtual retreat in a nutshell…
And I hope you can learn from these tips and tricks to put on a successful virtual event.
Running these events virtually has opened our market right up to brand new clients who ordinarily couldn’t swing the time or travel costs to join us…
And these events have not only been more profitable and less expensive to run than the face-to-face versions…
The beautiful ladies inside have deeply appreciated the ability to learn and connect in this recent lonely shakeup.
I’d love to know how your first or next virtual retreat turns out… keep me posted inside The Doers Way Facebook Group which you can join here.
(Inside, you’ll be the first to know about my upcoming virtual events too, and get first access to my latest tips, tricks and client-getting 🙂
xx
Grace
Pssst there’s a LOT more I have to share with you about my personal tips for maximising productivity in your business. And, because you’ve proven you’re a Doer by reading this blog… I’m going to let you in on it all for a single buck. Click through here and join My Doers Inner Circle on a $1 Trial and get access to my 7-figure strategies as well as the support of over 2000 like-minded female entrepreneurs.
From The Desk Of Grace Lever
Aldgate, South Australia
Hey Lovely,
Are you looking for ways to increase your Facebook group engagement?!
Then read on because in this post, I share 5 solid ways you can skyrocket engagement numbers without spending a fortune.
With 2.4 BILLION active users every month…
Facebook is the perfect place to find, connect with, and inspire your community.
Not only does it let you capture dream clients through paid traffic…
There is also HEAPS of opportunity to connect to them without an advertising budget… to build a loyal, engaged following.
Between posting on my business page or inside Facebook groups, the latter wins every time – here’s why:
In 2020 I’ve promised to show up more for the incredible women inside my community…
And Facebook Groups is a fast, instant and direct line to them, where I can get super specific (more on that in a second)…
It’s where I love up my gorgeous Doers and showcase value… whether or not they’ve invested into my programs…
And it’s a supportive, private community of women who feel safe to post questions, share their wins and roadblocks and get constructive feedback and encouragement…
Making it that extra layer deeper than a public Facebook business page.
The catch is this:
Although 2.4 billion active users is a huge opportunity…
The organic reach of a Facebook post is roughly 2%… which is miniscule 🙁
But –
The more likes, comments and shares a post gets… the more people Facebook will show it to, because it sees that content as relevant and engaging…
And for obvious reasons like keeping advertisers happy and spending, Facebook WANTS engaged users.
That’s why it’s so important to increase engagement in your Facebook group so you can show up to more followers and stand OUT amongst the crowd.
Make sense?
The real question is ‘How do you increase your Facebook group engagement?’…
How do you increase engagement in a cluttered market where every brand lives…
And where roughly 2% of followers see a post?
It’s kind of a catch 22.
(For the record, posting in a Facebook group doesn’t automatically boost reach… But group posts do tend to get more interaction… which in turn gets them showing up to more members to keep your brand front and centre. That’s why you want to keep striving to increase engagement and grow a supportive community of members who love you.)
Before I get into the how, let me quickly describe the different types of Facebook groups my team and I have set up… to support my Doers at every level, and make our conversations super-specific.
Firstly, we run our Doers Way Facebook Group for female entrepreneurs…
Where they can ask burning business questions, access free resources and get general tips and feedback.
The Doers inside have one common mission: to start or grow a profitable lifestyle business.
Next, we run Facebook groups exclusively for the women inside my Doers Inner Circle membership base…
And my flagship mastermind program: Diamond Doers (that’s designed to get them to the $100,000K p/mth mark).
The members inside these groups tend to ask higher-level, specific questions off the back of custom-built strategies they’ve invested into… and they also have direct access to my team of Experts.
Lastly, we have Facebook groups running for our free virtual 5-Day Challenges and various paid programs, which act as an extra layer of value and support.
(Inside these Challenge groups we post daily lives teaching our core topics to showcase value and basically love our members up to show we deeply care for them.)
This might sound like a lot, but YOU, my Lovely only have to start with one…
Where you can support and encourage your niche…
Where they have a direct point of access to your expertise…
And where you can showcase value and nurture them to eventually take the next step of becoming a paying customer.
Pssst there’s a LOT more I have to share with you about my personal tips for building your engagement on social media… and because you’ve proven you’re ready to get doing by reading this blog, I want to let you into my exclusive community of Doers. Click through here and join My Doers Way Facebook Group and get access to me and my team as well as the support of like-minded female entrepreneurs.
Then, check out these tips and tricks for lifting engagement that we apply daily 🙂
Applying them too can showcase value, create credibility and trust, and inspire members to post and interact… to build a community of loyal, engaged dream clients.
5 Tactics to Increase Facebook Group Engagement
1. Strong branding
Strong branding is a must at every stage of business, and particularly inside your Facebook group.
Your branding includes your logo, fonts, colours, voice, messaging, call-to-actions and hashtags…
And should be consistent and visible at every touchpoint.
(This is so important for establishing upfront credibility and trust… and a familiar brand that followers can recall.)
We make sure to keep each of our Facebook groups onbrand… so that followers feel in familiar surroundings as soon as they step in.
Tip: We all have to start from somewhere and beginning at zero members inside your Facebook group is inevitable (and totally acceptable). Be sure to post plenty of value-packed content in the early days of building up your base, and keep it public at first, so that people can get a sneak peak of what it’s all about… But only until you’ve reached the first 100 members – then switch it to private.
2. Add a description and set basic rules
I always add a description in the ‘About this Group’ section so that members can clearly see why they are there and what experience to expect…
And I also add Group Rules in this section to lay down the do’s and don’ts – how people should act to upkeep respect… and what will happen if they don’t.
While we encourage people to question, support, uplift and even post constructive feedback…
Kindness is key and we don’t tolerate personal attacks or pitching or selling of any kind.
We specify that controversial comments will be deleted, and use these rules as a go-to for managing each group.
These rules are basic and common sense but key to creating a sense of community, inclusion, respect and trust from day 1, so that people stick around.
Tip: As part of this setup, you can also create a welcome video and pin it to the top of the group!
I love this because it sets the tone and scene, and adds that extra layer of care.
You can use your group description as a base and starting point for scripting this video.
3. Content blocks
Another thing I love is content blocks – aka content that makes regular appearances – which is something my members look forward to each week.
This doesn’t just create predictability for the people inside (which humans love)…
It makes creating content quicker, streamlined and easier, by removing some of the decision-making out of your week.
(You know how Steve Jobs wore the same outfit to work every day or how some people eat the same thing for breakfast each morning? This is kinda like that – aka avoiding decision-fatigue.)
Whether it’s a Q+A live covering a new topic each week (where members can ask you anything)…
Or a daily 60 second wrap of how you sent your day for a behind the scenes look into your life and business…
You can get as creative as you want – so long as you keep it on-brand and relevant to your niche.
Remember at the end of the day you are speaking to human beings who are experiencing frustrations and pain and who want to connect…
And the #1 aim of your Facebook group is to support and help them out.
And if you’re thinking ‘This is great Grace, but I’m not sure how to make this work for my business’ I’d love to help you! You can join my own exclusive Doers Way Facebook Group for tips, tricks, doing strategies, and support from fellow doers.
4. Post relevant content from other places
As a boss babe yourself, you’re most likely communicating your message in multiple places – i.e. email, your website, Instagram, YouTube or Pinterest…
And your Facebook group is an excellent place to post relevant content from all those touchpoints… so that members can get their daily dose of inspiration in one convenient place, and use your group as their daily go-to.
Emailing free training to your list? Post it inside your Facebook group for quick and convenient access!
Just posted a brand new video on YouTube? This could be excellent, value-packed content for your group.
You can even break larger content down into bite-sized chunks to make it fresh and new again…
The key is consistently posting value.
On the flipside, it’s great to post a link to your Facebook Group at every touch point…
Aka in tweets, YouTube descriptions, email signatures, social media bios and similar Facebook Groups you’ve joined (if it’s allowed)…
To create visibility and exposure at different traffic sources to reach brand new followers.
5. Go live
Facebook lives aren’t just an intimate way to reach out to followers…
They’re an excellent way to show up, teach new content and showcase value in a cluttered market…
So that when it comes time to sell, it’s a totally warranted ask.
I love to post exclusive live training, Q&As and aftershows (wrapping up programs my members have just done) – *bonus, these can be promoted through ads!
When it comes to interaction – aka getting likes, comments and shares, Facebook lives get us the most engagement.
Tip: For that extra engagement bump, we infuse questions into lives and captions to get people interacting…
Which brings me to my “Secret Weapon”.
The ONE key thing I consistently do to increase interaction inside my groups might seem insanely simple, but it’s really powerful…
And it’s to ask engaging questions.
These can be in the form of polls, or simple questions on coloured backgrounds…
And they’re questions that people feel like they have to respond to with answers that pop straight into their mind; i.e.:
“What’s your biggest problem with….”
“What are your goals moving forward?”
“What are you doing differently?”
“What are your weaknesses…”
“What would you recommend for…”
They can be personal questions too – people love to place each other and share which is why these kinds of posts work really well.
Since they boost engagement and organic reach, these questions are a constant go-to for content inspiration.
(Sidebar: When posting questions, you won’t have to spend all day replying to comments… rather it will start to organically build an engaged community where members reply to and help each other out 🙂
So Lovely, these are my top go-to tips when it comes to boosting engagement on Facebook… to create a community of tuned-in, committed followers who value your brand.
If you’re feeling the value of this already blowing your business wide open, you can take it one step further and join The Doers Way Facebook Group for SO much more.
Get all the insider tips and tricks, and connect with like-minded boss babes for advice and support.
Until next time…
xx
Grace
From The Desk Of Grace Lever
Aldgate, South Australia
Hi Lovely,
Ever heard the phrase, ‘Nothing worth having comes easy’?
Me too.
It’s the quote hanging in gyms, sprawled across stationary and in the back of minds around the world.
It’s easy enough to say the words…
But to actually take them on board and apply them to your situation is another challenge entirely.
Personally, this saying really hits home for me – in business and life.
Through working with thousands of female entrepreneurs, I know this is something a lot of women in business struggle with.
We all know what we should and need to be doing in our businesses…
But actually getting it done – that’s a whole different kettle of fish.
The way I run my business is firmly grounded in approaching everything I do with an attitude of doing.
No wishing. No complaining. No blaming or dreaming.
Just me, rolling up my sleeves and getting stuff done.
Of course, I’m human and I have my moments of self-doubt…
And adult mini-tantrums when I’m tired, have had a huge week or something in my funnel hasn’t turned out the way I thought it would.
But when those moments come (and trust me, they will), I remind myself why I’m doing this.
Why I’m building my profitable lifestyle business the right way.
The way that’s harder and requires a lot of work up front…
And also doing what my competitors aren’t willing to do.
It’s no secret that building a fully automated marketing funnel can be overwhelming.
There’s so much to think about, from designing your products and creating upsells…
To building landing pages, writing Facebook ads and thoughtful email nurtures.
Not to mention getting everything out of your head, off sticky notes and out of your inbox, and into an automation system.
In the beginning, navigating new software and putting everything in place can feel like driving blindfolded…
And that’s why so many people give in.
If you’re someone who’s treading water and trying to stay afloat…
Someone who’s thinking ‘it might just be easier to quit’…
OR (and no judgement if this resonates with you) that you’d rather just pay someone to do it for you…
I urge you to keep going.
Trust me, I’ve been there and I know how difficult it can be trying to figure it all out, banging your head against the wall…
And feeling like you’re just not techy enough, not intelligent enough, or just not enough.
So before throwing your computer out the window…
Or throwing away a heap of money to get someone to build things for you…
And if you’re thinking ‘This is great Grace, but I would love more support’ I’d love to help you! You can join my own exclusive Doers Inner Circle for $1 USD and get access to myself, my team and all of our Doing strategies right now… And, access the support you need to apply them to your own business.
Please think back to the many reasons you’re going down this path.
If all your funnel did was allow you to have relaxing, computer-free holidays (unlike unicorns, these do exist), would it be worth it?
If all your funnel did was give you financial stability and the peace of mind knowing you no longer need to worry about money, would it be worth it?
If all your funnel did was free up precious time to spend with your family, friends and loved ones, would it be worth it?
If all your funnel did was allow you to have the impact on the world you were created to have, would it be worth it?
When you’re fed up with technology, or your brain seizes up trying to put pen to paper…
Remember why you started.
Why you’re learning and empowering yourself to build your business… rather than paying thousands to have it done for you.
Time for some tough love…
Unless you’ve built your business, you’ll never be able to successfully run and scale it.
It’s also probably worth reminding yourself that, if building a profitable lifestyle business was easy, everyone would be doing it and rolling in 6-figures.
But they aren’t because it’s hard work.
Again, nothing worth having comes easy.
So, can we all just agree that we’re do-ers?
That we’re ready to cut the complaining, silence the self-doubt and commit to getting stuff done?
Next time you’re feeling frustrated and like this whole entrepreneurial thing is all too much, bring yourself back to that inspiration.
Whether it’s up on your wall in the office, on sticky notes on the fridge or in your diary…
Keep reminding yourself of why you can do this.
Heck, bookmark this blog if it’d help.
Just know that you can roll up your sleeves and get stuff done…
But only if you stop the dreaming, wishing, complaining and blaming.
On that note, let’s take on today with an attitude of doing!
xx
Grace
Pssst there’s a LOT more I have to share with you about my personal tips for maximising productivity in your business. And, because you’ve proven you’re a Doer by reading this blog… I’m going to let you in on it all for a single buck. Click through here and join My Doers Inner Circle on a $1 Trial and get access to my 7-figure strategies as well as the support of over 2000 like-minded female entrepreneurs.
From The Desk Of Grace Lever
Aldgate, South Australia
Hey Lovely,
Today, I’m talking about money…
We all need it.
Most of us want it, or at least enough to live the lifestyle we’d like.
Some of us have more money than others.
But it’s often only once you’re making money that you realise it’s not enough to make you happy.
If I had a dollar for the number of times I’ve heard the phrase ‘money doesn’t buy happiness’, I could probably walk out of the office and straight onto a beach in Hawaii right now.
In all honesty, I really wish I’d believed those words before getting into business.
Not many know this, but before I started thedoersway.com, I ran a highly successful, nation-wide flooring company.
A far cry from digital marketing training for female entrepreneurs, right?
Instead of helping women build profitable lifestyle businesses… my day consisted of finding out if floorboards needed to be matte or semi-gloss, or how many square metres your lounge room was.
And my goodness did I hate it 🙁
Each morning I’d wake up at 7am stressed out of my mind because (and this might come as a shock) navigating the flooring industry is not in any way, shape or form in my Genius Zone.
I’d never bought flooring for my own home, had never trained as a carpenter or worked in a flooring retail store.
So why the heck was I running a 6-figure flooring company?
It’s the question I asked myself every single day when the alarm went off at 7am.
The answer?
Because I was making good money.
In fact, I was making great money.
With an amazing marketing and sales funnel in place, business was booming, so much so that I was on the phone taking orders from the moment I got into the office, right up until 5pm.
But it was always the same.
Day in and day out, I asked my customers the same questions.
What thickness are you after? Do you want a gloss finish? And how many square metres?
It was exhausting— not because of the actual work itself, but because it was so mind-numbingly boring!
My work didn’t excite me, and I had zero passion for what I was spending my life working towards…
And because that passion wasn’t there, I wasn’t motivated to strategise and plan for growth.
I really just couldn’t be bothered… which is not the kind of attitude you should have towards growing your business.
Aside from being bored out of my brain, I was always waiting for something to go wrong.
From the moment I woke up to the very last phone call of the day, I anxiously waited for the thing that would undo me.
I wasn’t a flooring expert. I was a marketer.
Whenever a problem arose (which they did on a daily basis), it always went into the ‘too hard’ basket.
The only thing that drove me in that business was my obligation to bring in cash.
No passion. No love. No creativity.
After a few years in the flooring game, I realised the kind of life I was living wasn’t the life I wanted for myself.
So, I rented out the flooring company and decided to build a business around something I’m awesome at…
But about a year into running my marketing automation company, I found myself in the same monotonous, boring place I’d endured running the flooring company.
Although I was operating a business based around my Genius Zone – marketing automation – I still wasn’t in love with what I was doing.
Honestly, I wasn’t even in like.
Automate My Biz was profitable, but it was missing that lifestyle element we all crave.
You know… being able to take a bath, drop the kids off to school, have a conversation with your partner over dinner instead of Skype, enjoy something that resembles a weekend…
Or if you’re really greedy, take a holiday once in a while.
That’s when it clicked for me…
In order to build a business you’ll love both now and in 20 years time, it needs to be:
- Profitable…
- In an industry within your Genius Zone (i.e you need to be good at it!)…
- And something you’re passionate about.
Once I created The Doers Way… everything changed for me.
Not to be vomit-inducingly cliché, but I really do wake up everyday excited about what I can achieve.
Sure, I still work long hours sometimes, but it doesn’t feel like work because I’m invested in growing my business, and passionate about taking it to new and greater heights.
When I walk into a Doing Day, my heart beats faster because I’m excited… not nervous or filled with dread.
I get what I like to call ‘marketing goose bumps’ every time I talk about automation or lead generation….
That’s when you know you’re in the right place.
On the flipside, I know that working in an industry that ticks all these boxes isn’t always easy to find.
But in terms of being an entrepreneur and going out on your own to start a business, let me just remind you that it’s because of your need for those 3 things— profit, working in your Genius Zone and passion— that any of us start a business to begin with.
So, if you’re thinking about building a new business, please make sure your idea covers all of the bases.
Work towards earning good money alongside feeling inspired, challenged and driven by what you do everyday.
And if you’re someone like me, who was simply working towards ‘getting rich’, ask yourself…
Are you truly happy?
If you don’t immediately answer YES, it might be time to re-think what you’ll be spending the rest of your life doing.
xx
Grace
From The Desk Of Grace Lever
Aldgate, South Australia
Hey lovely,
What if you could set your business up so that it keeps ticking, serving your market and inspiring dream clients to push that buy button 24/7?
Guess what? With the right automation tools, you can.
This basically sums up why I love automation and why it’s my favourite topic to teach on…
And fun fact: the business I had before The Doers Way was a done-for-you marketing and automation service.
My clients loved it for the same reason: with the right automation in place, their business could run 24/7 and make them sales while they slept.
Compare that to a traditional business 20 years ago where every appointment, sale and service was manually done…
And where the only way to make money was to swap it for time 🙁
Down the track as I grew out of serving clients 1:1 and started scaling to serve 1: Many, I began leaning on automation more than ever.
With it, I could pull the knowledge out of my head and put it into online courses I could repeatedly fill to uncap my time and revenue.
Automation is what broke my business out of the time-for-money vortex I was trapped in for so long when I was serving clients 1:1…
And if it hasn’t already, I know it can set you up to grow a sustainable, scalable, hands-free business too.
While it takes upfront time and a little figuring out, you will be so thankful when your business is working for you… rather than the other way around.
The good news is, right now is the best time to automate your business, even if you hate tech.
When I first started automating in 2010, it was still great… but it used to be really complicated and techy to set it all up and manage it…
And it was really expensive too. It wasn’t really made for small businesses or solo entrepreneurs back then… it was more for large companies with generous marketing budgets.
The automation tools that you can access today have never been simpler, sharper or more affordable… and anyone can implement them including YOU.
The kicker is there’s still very few entrepreneurs embracing them…
Meaning that you will get the extra edge when you do.
If it isn’t already, automation will be like your beehive of quiet little worker bees; ticking along 24/7 for your business and loving up your prospects and customers, just like you would.
(Automation can also minimises extra staff: click here to see how I automated the work of twenty-one employees.)
Pssst there’s a LOT more I have to share with you… and because you’ve proven you’re ready to get doing by reading this blog, I want to let you into my exclusive community of Doers. Click through here and join My Doers Way Facebook Group and get access to me and my team as well as the support of like-minded female entrepreneurs.
But at the same time, I understand that sinking feeling when it comes to picking the right automation tools… because it’s a cluttered market and there are so many options out there…
And they all do similar things… but they’re all so different at the same time.
If you’ve ever picked the wrong tool in the past, you will know how frustrating it is to fix when you put band-aids on it and try to patch it up to make it work for your business…
And how detrimental that can be to your bottom line.
If you’ve experienced this crushing feeling, my heart goes out to you.
You may be asking, well what are the automation tools?
That’s why I want to walk you through this list of my favourite automation tools for business and marketing.
Early into running a business, when I discovered that doing everything manually was pushing me to burnout fast…
I set out to review and compare the systems that would set me up for years to come.
Over the years I’ve trialled and tested hundreds of them – from Infusionsoft to Active Campaign, Salesforce, Zapier, Kajabi, Calendly and Stripe…
And whenever I’m investigating any new system, I always run it past a pretty intense list of criteria.
Firstly, it’s got to have great customer support that’s quick, prompt and easy to use – like 24/7 chat and in my timezone… so I can pick up the phone and talk to an expert.
It has to be affordable and contract-free, so I can keep my costs down and change if I need to…
And it has to be growing, not stagnant or fixed…. so it can be there for the long run.
I always pick world-class systems with a team that’s constantly developing it… as opposed to a one-off build by a single developer (that’s a major red flag by the way).
It was with these automation tools that I was able to get more done in 90 days than I had in years!
I’m so glad I could take all the trial and error and compress it into this list of my favourite automation tools… so you can jump straight to seeing what worked for someone who’s done it.
Best Automation Tools for Business and Marketing
1. Planoly for social media scheduling
Like most things in business, the fastest way to tick off social media is batch-scheduling… that way, you can do it once and it’s done rather than jumping in daily and continually breaking focus.
While I love getting on the tools, I also outsource a chunk of my social media to my gorgeous social expert who creates a lot of my content…
And because my team is always working at least 1 – 2 weeks ahead…
Using a scheduling tool lets her get organised, schedule posts over the weekend and focus on the next campaign.
When it comes to scheduling tools we love Planoly… because it’s so user friendly and lets you get a clear picture of the data and analytics to continually refine and improve your content… even if you’re not techy…
And the thing I love about Planoly the most is that it lets you drop your content into a grid… so you can see exactly what it will look like on Instagram to keep a consistent and cohesive feed 🙂
2. Facebook ads for lead capture
2.4 billion monthly active users… that makes Facebook a deep, rich pond of dream clients that no other social platform currently compares to.
All it takes to capture them is an irresistible offer and a well-crafted ad.
I was able to use Facebook to grow my business to 6-figures from startup in just 6-weeks on a $5 per day ad spend…. then went to 7-figures in just 12 months…
And that was only using Facebook ads.
These days I recommend starting a little higher on a $10 daily budget…
And of course as my business has grown, so has my Facebook ad spend.
Facebook can let you create a robust system for capturing clients even if you’re not super techy…
Every niche you can think of lives on Facebook, bar a few exceptions…
And it’s not just a deep pool… Facebook knows everything about its users meaning that as a marketer, you can really get micro and only market to the people who need you the most… rather than wasting dollars on a mass-market approach.
3. Infusionsoft to nurture and onboard
Growing your email list is one of the most important things you can do in your business…
And that’s because the average reach of a Facebook post is just 2%, compared to email that reaches 90% of intended recipients’.
Unlike your Facebook followers, you actually own your email list too – so if Facebook were to crash, you would still have a line to the people who follow you.
That’s why you should place opt-ins at every touch point, and once they’ve subscribed, the key is to nurture them with emails to keep growing credibility and trust.
We call this initial sequence the “Likeable Lady Nurture” which basically makes you relatable to your niche…
Then down the track, you will want to keep showcasing value and eventually offer them your products (in a completely value-packed, non-salesy way of course 🙂
I personally love scheduling these nurtures and campaigns in Infusionsoft… as well as using it to onboard new clients into my programs.
(The magic lies in its capacity to drip-feed content, so I can unlock course modules weekly, add inclusions and tease out the value.)
And if you’re thinking ‘This is great Grace, but I’m not sure how to make this work for my business’ I’d love to help you! You can join my own exclusive Doers Way Facebook Group for tips, tricks, doing strategies, and support from fellow doers.
4. ClickFunnels for sales
A funnel is basically a flow or a series of steps that people move through from first hearing about your business… to becoming clients.
So rather than advertising, answering all the enquiries and letting clients fall through the cracks…
A funnel lets you be more predictable and more automated when growing your business as it automatically fires off all the steps.
At The Doers Way, we love using ClickFunnels to create these flows…
(And you can get a free 14 day trial using this link.)
The starting point of a funnel is usually clicking a Facebook ad or visiting a website…
And entering an email into a landing page or a pop-up to download a free, value-packed resource (your lead magnet).
For example, if you specialise in marketing for real estate agents, your lead magnet might be a checklist of 5 top marketing tips to become the #1 real estate agency online.
If you’re selling a lower-ticket item like a course for $250, you could have a lead magnet-to-order form funnel… where, while they’re waiting for their lead magnet to download, you could take them to a sales page where they can purchase your course… then to an order form.
If they don’t decide to purchase on the spot, you’ve captured their email so you can keep showcasing value and building trust away from the clutter of Facebook.
This is just one of the many types of funnels we use at The Doers Way which we set up in ClickFunnels.
5. Stripe for payments
We love using Stripe to receive payments over the internet from anywhere in the world…
And using it means that if a customer wants to purchase anything, you’re set up to automatically take their credit card details and process their payment.
We connect Stripe to our favourite CRM – Infusionsoft – to process payments for our programs and courses straight off the back of campaigns…
And it also lets you change purchases for a customer if they’ve accidently bought the wrong thing, and manage the whole payment process from start to finish… meaning that your customer service is getting love and attention too 🙂
6. LearnDash for online courses
Taking years of experience and compressing it into an online course that your clients can access 24/7 is one of the fastest ways to start scaling your business…
But you can’t do it unless you create an online course website to house your course, where your clients can login and access all the content.
When it comes to setting up a course website, we’ve found that LearnDash (housed in WordPress) is the most user-friendly platform on the market.
Not only is it quick and simple to set up the sub-domain, all the modules and lessons and upload modules tiles and PDFs… it lets you progressively unlock the content to stagger out the value and avoid information overload.
7. Calendly for scheduling meetings and appointments
Having automated appointments set up makes it super convenient for leads or clients to lock in a time 24/7 on the spot.
If they can’t, they’ll have to wait to call during business hours, at which point they could put it in the too hard basket, move to the next company, or it could simply fall off their radar.
This is why automated appointment setting is super important.
Many coaches, consultants and professional service providers have automated appointments setup on their website and in their funnels, particularly if they’re selling a higher-ticket offer like 1:1 coaching.
Whereas for lower ticket items like a course for $250, you can send them straight to an order form.
At The Doers Way, we love setting up appointments in Calendly, Acuity and ScheduleOne to make booking quick, simple and convenient. The right fit for you comes down to personal preference.
That’s a snapshot of my favourite automation tools that have let me grow a sustainable, scalable, hands-free business…
And although I love them, I encourage you to do your own research and find the right fit for you.
For example, MailChimp is a cheaper CRM option when first growing your business and lets you broadcast to the first 2,000 subscribers for free… while Infusionsoft lets you start getting super targeted once you’ve grown and are marketing multiple campaigns and offers…
And while I personally love using ScheduleOnce… Acuity or Calendly might be a better fit for you.
If you’re feeling the value of this already blowing your business wide open, you can take it one step further and join The Doers Way Facebook Group for SO much more.
I hope these automation tools can support you as much as they’ve supported me… and helped me to rebuild my lifestyle business after burnout.
xx
Grace
From The Desk Of Grace Lever
Aldgate, South Australia
Hey lovely,
If you are struggling in this season of solitude…
If you are feeling the impact like so many women are…
And if isolation’s left you lonely, panicked or just plain lost in running a business… my heart goes out to you darl.
I’m all too aware of the shake up that businesses are feeling the world over… and sometimes just surviving through a period like this is enough.
But if you are feeling strong enough, and up to it, then I wanted to quickly run you through what we’ve been doing here at The Doers Way in lockdown.
In the last few months, my team and I have bunkered down to weather this storm and prepare for the worst…
Here’s the response I’ve seen in the thick of this shakeup:
- People are craving connection and support online…
- They’re still prepared to spend on improving their lives…
- And they’re finding new things to spend on… since they have a lot more downtime, introspect and reflection to figure out what they want.
Despite this silver lining…
2020 does demand a whole new way of existing, prioritising and running a business online.
Pssst there’s a LOT more I have to share with you about my personal tips for maximising productivity in your business. And, because you’ve proven you’re a Doer by reading this blog… I’m going to let you in on it all for a single buck. Click through here and join My Doers Inner Circle on a $1 Trial and get access to my 7-figure strategies as well as the support of over 2000 like-minded female entrepreneurs.
That’s why at The Doers Way, we’ve had to pivot in response to these virtual times.
5 Changes We’ve Made In Lockdown
So #1… We’ve doubled down on helping our community with course creation
Online courses are how I grew my business from zero to 6-figures in just a few short years…
And although they continue to be a core, signature topic that we teach at The Doers Way…
Over time we’ve expanded to cover a wide range of areas and done-for-you services.
But –
Early into this crisis, my team and I sat down and identified that the biggest need in our market right now is to help women start a business and attract clients online…
And the best way to do that is through creating an online course.
So we’ve put all our eggs into that basket so to speak, and went back to basics with a laser-sharp focus on course creation.
We’re pouring more energy and time into creating incredible resources for the women in our community to build their first or next course online.
That looks like helping more women 1:1, running a Virtual Course Creation Retreat…
And offering more done-for-you services and bonuses like customised course membership sites, so that women can launch and fill their course faster.
Another thing to note is, online courses aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
E-learning is set to explode to $356 billion in 2025.
To put that into perspective… that’s 356 forever homes in the Hamptons.
And that figure’s most likely peaked even higher since the world started isolating.
So although times look grim, there’s currently a massive opportunity as the world is living online, has downtime to think and is craving connection.
I encourage you to ask, what’s the #1 money-moving, evergreen thing that can get your clients the fastest and most powerful results in 2020?
Take that and make it your core focus.
#2 We’ve digitised events
Another thing we’ve done is digitised our physical events by revamping them into online versions… we’ve even added virtual cocktail lounges to hang out and connect! 🙂
(‘Cause there’s never an excuse not to crack bubbles!)
Traditionally each year, we ran a raft of physical events for our ladies ranging from our Weekend Aways in Melbourne and LA… to more intimate retreats at my home.
However, since travel restrictions came into effect and physical events are a no-go, we’ve launched a 2-day Doing Retreat centered around course creation.
It’s still an incredibly powerful and intimate event for serious Doers only… where ladies can access all the knowledge from my Experts from anywhere in the world…
And they can do it from the comfort of their living room without shelling out the travel or hotel expenses.
(P.S. if you’d like more information on when our next retreat launches, hit us up at [email protected] and we can hook you up!
So… if you normally run physical events or consults… consider digitising them if you haven’t already.
#3 We’ve transitioned our team to work from home
This one made me a wee bit anxious.
My team is made up of super dedicated, hard-working, loyal, committed humans…
But what if that changed when they were working from home?
What if our communication sucked?
What if our collaboration died?
What if our accountability was lost?
And as a result, what if my business fell apart?
When it came to this obstacle, I kinda didn’t have a choice but to kick straight into action.
So, the first thing we did was set everyone up with Zoom accounts and take all of our morning meetings online.
I remember being in our first virtual weekly “All-Team Huddle” in that first week of lockdown, seeing all of the gorgeous faces on the screen and realising…
Hold on a second, this could actually work!
My fears around collaboration and communication were quickly settled…
Because we just ensured that each person knew the weekly goals of the business and their contribution to them…
And were accountable to making sure we hit them.
It meant more communication on my end…
But I fell even more in love with Loom.com over the last few months and use it multiple times a day to brief team members, give feedback or explain what I’m trying to achieve…
And it’s made life so much simpler!
During lockdown we’ve actually been able to grow our team while working from home…
And we’ve also created a bunch of work from home initiatives, like a daily step challenge, virtual lunch parties and checking in person-to-person daily.
Working remote does work, you just need a plan of attack.
#4 We’ve combatted the fear of high-ticket offers
A lot of people are scared that no one is spending money at the moment, and as a result they’re afraid to offer anything that’s high-ticket.
As I’ve mentioned, and from experience, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Having said that, you do need to have a lot of sensitivity with the people who have never heard of you before, by providing them with solutions at a really affordable cost…
Then, really investing into your regular clients who know and trust you.
So for the front end of our market – aka the women who haven’t heard of us yet – that’s meant offering our best-selling course for getting clients, for just $1.
This has been an amazing way to show incredible goodwill and get a bunch of new, excited women inside our community, who we’ve supported to build and grow an online business.
And for existing clients, we’ve continued to offer our high-ticket programs, but packed with more value and support, and in a way they can access from anywhere in the world (cue the virtual retreat I mentioned earlier).
And if you’re thinking ‘This is great Grace, but I would love more support’ I’d love to help you! You can join my own exclusive Doers Inner Circle for $1 USD and get access to myself, my team and all of our Doing strategies right now… And, access the support you need to apply them to your own business 🙂
Moving forward (and even out of lock-down…) we’ve committed to keep giving more value and showing up for our incredible community in fresh and accessible ways.
We’ve carried this philosophy of showing up more, asking for less and providing more value than ever to create a committed market who love and trust us.
Lesson: You can still offer high-ticket offers to your list, just not to the front-end.
And #5 we’ve supported our community in growing a sustainable and resilient business
If there’s anything I’ve learned in the last 10-years, is that you can’t grow a sustainable business alone.
Nope… can’t do it!
I tried, and here’s what happened: burnout… and a hospital stint where I realised that ticking off every task on my to-do list wasn’t just damaging my health… it was hurting my clients.
You see, everyone needs support… especially when it comes to tasks outside your scope like tech and design (if that’s not your Genius Zone).
Curbing my to-do list is the kindest and most financially rewarding thing I’ve done for myself, and it’s what ironically blew my business up to 6-figures in under 12 months… by carving out the edge and the time I needed to start thinking strategically and long-term, and only doing the money-moving tasks I could do like creating courses and systems I could sell to many.
The way I did it? Outsourcing.
In 2020, just before the peak of this crisis, I launched Outsourced Doers… a done-for-you outsourcing service where we train our VAs – or “Doers” – up in 150+ business-essential tasks that we’ve found critical in getting more clients and more growth…
And where we match them up with time-strapped “Founders”.
This means that our clients don’t have to spend time finding a VA, training them up in all the right tasks, then figuring out what they want them to do.
Although this would seem like the worst time to launch anything… it’s worked.
The market is focused on planning and patching up any cracks this pandemic has exposed.
As I’ve already touched on too, another way we’re supporting our community in growing a sustainable and resilient business is putting on free virtual events.
Normally we run ‘Weekend Aways’ in Australia and LA – a 2-day event we pack with tips, tricks, expertise and simple-to-apply strategies from my team of Experts.
In light of this pandemic, we’ve made this event free and completely online… so similar to our Virtual Course Creation Retreat, ladies can join us from home.
Inside this event, we have one goal, and one goal only:
To create a clear action plan to grow their business, brand and legacy in this new virtual world.
Most importantly, we’ve let our community know that they are not alone…
And that my team and I are here to support in weathering this storm.
That’s the key message in everything we’ve communicated since day 1 of this shakeup.
So… that’s a nutshell version of the changes I’ve made during this unprecedented time.
If I had to wrap it up into 4 key takeaways, it’s doubling down to help our community… revamping events online… transitioning my team to work from home… and supporting our community to grow a sustainable and resilient business.
Beat the overwhelm and safeguard your business for years to come. Take things one step further and join my Doers Inner Circle for SO much more support and advice… and because you’ve already shown you’re a Doer I want to let you inside on a $1 USD Trial! Click through here and you’ll get straight inside my exclusive community for a single buck 🙂
If you’re reading this and need extra support from under this shadow… I’ve got you too darl.
Whether that’s getting your next course created, launched and filled, taking tasks you hate off your to-do list… or simply to getting your dose of connection and community in a way that will set you up to weather any storm.
To stay in the loop, keep following me and connecting to my community at The Doers Way.
Speak soon,
xx
Grace
From The Desk Of Grace Lever
Aldgate, South Australia
Hey lovely,
Over the past few months I’ve shared with you the three BIGGEST mistakes coaches and consultants make it when it comes to Facebook ads…
And the cheap tool I use to attract dream clients using Facebook Ads.
I hope by now you can see just how powerful advertising on this social media platform could be for your business…
(And how Facebook ad writing success really doesn’t have as much to do with the ad itself as your competitors probably think…
Controversial, I know ?
But at the same time, I also understand that sinking feeling when it comes to creating your ad – particularly writing it.
That step before all the nitty-gritty of selecting your Facebook ad types, looking at target audience, custom audience and targeting options, launching your Facebook ad campaign and all the other steps you take inside Facebook Ads Manager when you run paid advertising – all while while checking your Facebook page and brand awareness is on point.
You know, that moment when you’re sitting at your computer…
With a blinking cursor on the screen of your ad…
No idea what to actually write.
With your game-changing offer in your hands, and your value-packed lead magnet ready to go…
What next?
Well, I’m glad you asked.
Today I’m going to break down my million dollar Facebook ad writing formula for you…
So you can attract more Facebook users in your niche and turn them into customers.
This is the same one I’ve discovered after spending over $5 million on Facebook ads over the past 4 years.
So that way there’s literally nothing holding you back in pressing GO on your own high ticket, client getting Facebook Funnel.
Sounds amazing right!?
Imagine being able to follow a formula every time you write a Facebook ad…
And be fully confident that it’ll be a massive success?!
Seriously –
Imagine NEVER having to experience blinking-cursor-on-the-screen-syndrome again.
All because you know exactly how to structure your ad to be a winning success.
Sign me up!
I hope you’re getting a picture of just how totally possible it can be to master the art of Facebook advertising…
Even if you aren’t an expert…
Or haven’t ever written an ad before.
Because it’s all about following simple strategies and formulas to start conversations with your ideal clients…
Who are – without a doubt – hanging out on Facebook as we speak.
Honestly, it’s so much more simple than other people make it.
Build relationships…
And Give First.
Pssst there’s a LOT more I have to share with you… and because you’ve proven you’re ready to get doing by reading this blog, I want to let you into my exclusive community of Doers. Click through here and join My Doers Way Facebook Group and get access to me and my team as well as the support of like-minded female entrepreneurs.
Can you see the power of that?
Now, I also hope you’ve been properly exposed to the types of Doing that will only derail your ad success too…
No matter how well thought-out it is…
Or what “guru’s” latest advice you followed.
Aggressive approaches just don’t work.
Neither do the convoluted, complicated funnel methods out there.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…
Anyone can make something complicated.
It takes a skilled businesswoman in the loop (like you are now), to make something that’s powerful AND simple.
And look, I’ll be honest…
It wasn’t all rainbows when I started writing ads either.
Sometimes they’d work, and I’d get an influx of new leads or sales in a campaign, and I was on top of the world!
But other times they just wouldn’t…
And I’d watch as my advertising budget was drained into the garbage.
A lot of the time I was advertising live workshops, which I knew were amazing value…
I had the testimonials to prove it!
But when I’d launch my ads, it was like Facebook was a ghost town.
No one would click through…
No one would buy…
No one would even know that what I had for them would be life-changing.
That was the most frustrating part, you know?
I wanted to make this work for the sake of not only my own profits and freedom…
But for my clients too – so they could experience those breakthroughs.
And even though sometimes my ads would work, and I’d get an awesome return on my investment…
I couldn’t pinpoint what it was about them that made them work.
I was making money… but why?!
In a desperate attempt to figure that out, I turned to those supposed ‘experts’ around me.
That’s where I was told I should have been focussing on my page likes…
Or on my website traffic instead of sales.
But as I looked at the numbers, I couldn’t justify it.
I was making likes, not money…
And likes don’t pay the bills!
The hardest part was that no one told me the truth.
No one made me see that I was making those three very easy to make mistakes I mentioned yesterday.
Here I was, sending the people who clicked on my ad to my website…
Selling them a super cheap offer at the end…
And complicating EVERYTHING in the process.
So if you’ve fallen into making those same mistakes, I know how you feel!
It felt like I wasn’t cut out to do this whole Facebook Advertising thing.
I started to doubt whether or not my market were even ON Facebook…
I was a business coach, so maybe there’s some other platform my ideal clients are hanging out on…
And I just don’t know about it?
I thought that there was simply just too many pros on there who knew what they were doing…
And I was just playing dress-up.
Does any of this sound familiar to you at all?
Have you ever just wanted to throw in the towel, because it all seems too hard?
The guess-work is exhausting…
And it’s uncomfortable to pour money into something you don’t actually KNOW will work.
I remember pulling out my laptop and sitting on my bed…
Trying to craft an ad for an upcoming live workshop I was holding.
I’d poured a lot into this event…
Time, energy, and emotions – yes…
But also MONEY.
There weren’t really dollars left to throw away on running a bad ad.
So I scrolled back through my previous ads, and found a couple I’d written for past events.
And if you’re thinking ‘This is great Grace, but I’m not sure how to make this work for my business’ I’d love to help you! You can join my own exclusive Doers Way Facebook Group for tips, tricks, doing strategies, and support from fellow doers.
One, a massive success…
For every $1 I’d spent, I’d made $3!
The other, a total flop.
I’d even lost money in the process.
So I put those two ads side by side, and played a good old fashioned game of spot the difference.
What was it about the first ad that had worked so well?
And what was it about the second that hadn’t?
As I looked and looked, I found some key differences…
The crux of it was this:
The successful ad had let my audience know all about the inclusions of the event.
It was full of features and benefits, and even I got excited reading through it!
The other?
Well, it was the opposite.
It was basically just, “Come to my event.”
Bleugh!
It was aggressive, upfront, and certainly not a “Give First” inspired ad.
So, I decided to craft my new ad around that first structure.
I outlined the inclusions and benefits of my event…
The exciting new information I’d be sharing with them in the room…
And what kind of an effect that was going to have on them when they left.
I stuffed it with pain points…
Asked them questions that resonated…
And THEN I asked them to come to my event.
Then, I put $10 a day on the ad, and made it live… and waited.
Ohh!
Someone registered.
Oooo, and someone else!
Oh wow, and again.
Long story short, the ad was a real success… thank goodness.
And I realised the importance of actually giving value to my Facebook audience first…
Not just telling them to buy my stuff.
Even better, the event went really well too.
The room was full of excited attendees, ready to come on board for coaching!
But then the weirdest thing happened.
As I was saying goodbye to everyone that had come, a group of women came over to me.
We started talking about their businesses…
And how they get their message out there to their markets.
Eventually, they brought up Facebook ads.
“Grace!” they said. “You HAVE to tell us what you do to run such great ads!
We see them all the time and they always make us want to buy…
What do you do that works?!”
I was so shocked – I had a reputation for writing ads that worked!?
Where did that come from?
Speechless, I laughed off the ladies, brushed past the comment…
But it stuck with me.
So I went home that night and decided to rinse and repeat what I’d done before the event.
These women had made me see that my winning ads weren’t a fluke…
They must have worked for a reason.
And I wanted to know what that was.
So I pulled out my swipe file of old Facebook ads again…
(By the way, you should always keep a swipe file of previous ads that have worked for you, so you can just copy them next time ?
I scrolled through and played another hardcore game of Spot The Difference.
I compared all my best ads side by side…
And that’s when it hit me.
All my best ads were using the same structure.
The lead magnets that got the most downloads, used the same formula as…
The events that got the most attendees, which used the same formula as…
The programs that made the most sales….
The same formula, every single time!
These days I call it my Brand New Day formula, and honestly!?
It’s been a total game-changer for my biz.
Now, whenever I write an ad, I sit down with these six steps in mind…
I walk through each one, writing a little bit for each…
And then launch it with full confidence that I’ll get a return!
Here’s one of my really successful ads, for example:
So, the formula looks like this:
Step 1: Engage with your market
How?
By asking a question to stop them scrolling past your ad.
The question can be positive, like hitting on a dream they have…
Or negative, by hitting on a pain point they’re carrying…
But the most important thing is that it comes with an implied ‘YES’ in their minds.
A question like this…
Interested in using Facebook Ads to grow your coaching, speaking, or consulting business, but not sure how to get started the right way?
YES!
Not sure how to buy your first investment property and worried you might be paying too much?
YES!
Want to know the secret activities that I use as a mum and early years specialist to remove the stress, and live a happy life during toddlers witching hour?
Heck YES!
Once you’ve stopped them scrolling through…
Step 2: Share an ‘I Get You’ statement
The people reading our ads need to know that we understand how they feel…
Fact.
Don’t fall into the trap of trying to make your market understand YOU…
Make sure they know you get THEM – that’s why you’re different.
So connect with empathy…
Here’s mine:
At some point you had the realisation that there was a way out of the dark place you experienced…
The same place they’re stuck in now.
Let them know you’ve gone ahead and paved the way for them.
You know, a statement that starts with something like…
“That’s when I realised…”
Or, “It was then I discovered…”
Or, “Shortly after, I learned…”
And then move onto:
Step 3: The Prescription
Outline exactly how to access your Brand New Day…
You know, share the prescription for their problem.
Mine looked like this:
The truth is, being able to master Facebook ads has transformed my business and life, and I want the same for you…
Because of my own trial and error, you now have a simple formula you can easily follow to fast track your results.
This week, I’m giving away my TOP Facebook Ad Hacks, where I reveal the actual
steps I take on Facebook to get results fast.
And then…
Step 4: Tell them HOW…
So many people forget to actually spell out HOW their audience can get their hands on that prescription!
They’ll say, “I’ll show you how to do this…” or, “You’ll learn how to do this…”
But they aren’t actually sure how you’re delivering it.
A checklist? A training? A webinar?
So just make it clear…
Simple, hey!?
And last but not least…
Step 5: Add scarcity and urgency [Screenshot of ad with this bit highlighted]
Aka, the two most successful, yet overlooked elements of successful marketing.
If your market can ALWAYS get their hands on your offer…
Why would they do it now?
You’ve got to give them a reason to click through to the landing page in the call to action so you can drive traffic to your offer…
So add some scarcity and urgency at the end ?
As I looked at all my ads, I was jazzed at how simple this formula was…
And annoyed that it had been under my nose the entire time!
I knew I had to put this to the test, to prove to myself that this formula was the secret sauce…
And not just a fluke that had worked over and over again.
So, I ran some ads using my 7-Figure Facebook Funnel…
Sending them to a lead magnet I’d previously tried to share before…
But it’d just fallen flat in the past.
So I put it to the test again.
I wrote an ad using this Brand New Day formula…
And funny enough, someone downloaded it.
And another…
And another!
They were sharing their email address with me, and I was sharing my lead magnet with them!
The numbers still weren’t incredible…
So I made some tweaks, and took out anything that wasn’t part of the formula…
And the opt-in rates started to get even better!
Sales started coming in from those who hit the thank you page, and I couldn’t believe it!
I knew that I couldn’t keep this to myself…
So I started sharing it with the female entrepreneurs I was working with.
They crafted their ads using the same formula…
And they started seeing results too!?
Results like these:
Crazy, right?!
Ever since I realised the power of this Brand New Day formula…
I’ve said goodbye to blinking-cursor-on-the-screen-syndrome for good ?
As have girlies like those ones I just shared!
What kind of difference would having a formula like this to follow…
Make on your Facebook Ad writing success?
Referring back to it every time you sit at your computer…
So you don’t just have to guess anymore.
So you don’t have to pour thousands into something you aren’t fully confident will work.
Honestly, skip the trial and error…
I sure wish I could have!
Writing ads with this Brand New Day formula instead…
To give value FIRST to your market on Facebook…
By sending them through your 7-Figure Facebook Funnel…
Well, that could change everything for your biz, right?!
Whether or not you’ve even touched Facebook advertising before…
This strategy could launch you off the platform into winning ad success.
Does that make you as excited as it makes me, or what?
It’s so much more simple than those “gurus” out there are making it…
And I hope you’ve been able to see that over the journey of this training series.
At this point, you’ve learnt…
Why most advertisers should boycott Facebook Advertising this year…
But how you can harness it in a different way, to save yourself tens of thousands of dollars.
I’ve shared with you the three big mistakes coaches and consultants make when it comes to their ads…
And how you can avoid them entirely.
Geeze, I wish I’d known that when I started!
Then, you’ve seen my game changing approach to Facebook ads that stops your dream clients scrolling right past…
And today, you’ve gotten all over my perfect ad writing formula that takes the guesswork out of your Facebook ad copy entirely.
And if you haven’t read those other posts, I urge you to check them out now as they won’t be available for long.
There’s a LOT of great insights, tactics, and strategies in each…
And I’ve literally given you my best-of-the-best when it comes to Facebook Ad 101.
Finally…
This may be the end of these posts, but it’s certainly not the end of the journey.
Tomorrow, I’m releasing something REALLY exciting.
It’s my totally re-done program, all about Facebook ads for coaches, consultants and professional servicewomen.
It goes into much greater detail on the system I’ve revealed above, so you can get your 7-Figure Facebook Funnel set up in a matter of HOURS!
All because of how simple this approach is, right?!
That way, you can grow the profitable lifestyle business you love sooner, rather than later.
Look out for that in your inbox, as it’ll be coming at a massive 85% off discount ?
‘Till then lovely…
xx
Grace
If you’re feeling the value of this already blowing your business wide open, you can take it one step further and join The Doers Way Facebook Group for SO much more.
From The Desk Of Grace Lever
Aldgate, South Australia
Well hello, gorgeous woman! Grace here, your resident outsourcing expert!
I call myself that with a grain of salt… because I never set out to become a ‘specialist’ at outsourcing work.
My niche had always been marketing and automation… and teaching stressed out, maxed out women to create a fully-automated, hands-free, and scalable lifestyle business.
You know, that life where they could spend their days doing things they love and are gifted at… or simply take an afternoon off to schedule that pilates class.
I was fully committed to my craft… and by pulling up my sleeves and putting in 100%, I’d built my business up to 6-figures, from 6 credit-cards (~$100K) deep in debt.
Impressive huh?
BUT…
While it all looked glossy from the outside… underneath there were cracks.
Those cracks slowly started to show until one day…
Everything crumbled and I found myself laying in a hospital bed.
I remember waking up and thinking I’d finally done it… I’d finally worked too hard, taken on too much and hit complete burnout.
While my business had been thriving – or so it appeared – I’d been emotionally drained and running on an empty tank for too long.
You see, I’d been trying to create a lifestyle business too, where I could focus on the things I loved and was good at.
For me that meant teaching women marketing strategy and automation, creating courses I could repeatedly fill and presenting at live events.
But in reality… I was running myself ragged working 10-14 hour days just to keep a small number of clients happy, and spending most of my time doing tasks I really loathed… like setting up tech, coding, admin and design.
Pssst there’s a LOT more I have to share with you about why you should choose to outsource those low-value tasks… and because you’ve taken the first step by reading this blog you’re ready to take the plunge, right? So, click here and let us help you get started!
I was stuck ticking off a never-ending to-do list.
Setting out to create the business I dreamt of without any support came at a cost to my health… and I realised that running myself ragged was neither serving me nor my clients.
I was wearing all the hats – sales, marketing, admin, fulfillment, customer service, accounts… and I simply couldn’t keep going it alone.
If you’re in a similar place, then I want to explain the transformation I took from laying in that hospital bed… to where I am today (in case you can’t see the exit sign, or the forest for the trees).
So let me paint you this before and after:
- I went from working 10 – 14 hour days serving a small number of clients… to serving 50,000 clients in 72 countries through online courses and claiming back my nights and weekends. Today I work approximately 24 hours a week.
- I went from ticking off a never-ending to-do list of tasks I really loathed… like tech, coding and design… to only doing the things I love and am good at (like building new online courses I can repeatedly sell, and creating new systems my clients can apply over and over).
The way I did it (after several failed attempts of using agencies – too expensive – and freelancing sites – too flimsy and time consuming)… was outsourcing work.
I won’t mislead you: it wasn’t a quick fix and the results weren’t instant…
But it’s the most powerful way I’ve discovered to create a sustainable, scalable lifestyle business.
What I’ve described can feel like worlds apart… so if you’re feeling like I was – at breaking point, completely exhausted and zero clue what to do next – I get it, and I want to bridge that gap.
I see so many women caught in this same crushing rut… and frankly it breaks my heart.
Because this situation is fixable.
Since I love to systemise everything around me, I set out to create a system to make outsourcing work simple and streamlined… initially for me, to remove all the roadblocks that I came up against…
Then I realised that so many other female entrepreneurs needed this support too and I wanted to make it easier, faster and cheaper for them to get it.
And that’s why I created Outsourced Doers.
I believe it’s the most time and cost-effective way to outsource, and anyone can do it, even you.
So if you’re feeling exhausted, time-strapped and at the point of burnout, then I want to tell you that everything is going to be ok.
These are the words that I wanted to hear laying in that hospital bed.
And I wanted to share these outsourcing secrets – because they might break apart a few common misconceptions, and show you what’s achievable when you have the right support.
While they might not instantly cure burnout or curb your to-do list… they could rescue you and your business in the long-run.
3 Secrets To Know About Outsourcing Work
Secret #1… Anyone can outsource, even you.
When I first started outsourcing work, it wasn’t exactly a picnic; and that’s why I’ve created a shorter, sharper, and faster way of doing it.
But to paint a picture of the pain that most women experience:
First, they have to figure out what they actually needed to get done in their business… like unpack their Genius Zone and organize it into different courses…
Then they have to figure out how to start attracting leads in a cluttered market….
Next they have to find the right platforms, and figure out how to nurture their leads into clients…
Then they have to figure out where to outsource, find a VA, train them up in everything they’ve learned and start outsourcing tasks to them.
Next they have to find the right task management platform, to track everything and brief them.
And then they pray their VA is competent and capable.
That’s a lot of work for someone who’s already stressed out, maxed out and exhausted…
So it’s not surprising that most women put outsourcing in the too hard basket.
But I don’t want that to be you…
And that’s why I’ve designed Outsourced Doers in a way that anyone can outsource.
We train our VAs – or Doers – up in 150 business-essential tasks needed to get more clients and more growth… tasks like creating and tweaking websites and landing pages, building funnels and course portals, and setting up email sequences to nurture leads into clients.
This means that you don’t have to figure out what to do – we’ve done it all for you.
We hand you this list of 150 tasks so you can pick and choose what you want to outsource…
And we even assess your business and plan out the most essential, money moving tasks to start outsourcing first.
We’re the only outsourcing company that trains our “Doers” up in these 150+ tasks, and provide you with all the steps and training to start outsourcing work and getting results sooner.
If you’re thinking ‘This is great Grace, but I’m not sure how to do this myself’ I’d love to help you! I have so many tips and tricks to share from my own outsourcing experiences. Click here to learn how we can help get your business on track for success!
Secret #2: Outsourcing is simple
There’s a common sentiment that outsourcing is risky and hard.
You’re dealing with a person you’ve never met in a different country, with a different language, culture and set of colloquialisms.
And being so far away from them makes it even harder to keep your finger on the pulse.
So if you’re already feeling frustrated and stuck… how on Earth can they make it better?
That’s why at Outsourced Doers, we do the work of finding, vetting, recruiting and training your Doer for you.
We manage them and take care of the admin and payroll, and upskill them in new technology.
We take care of everything for you, so you can start getting support from day one, and we even show you how to outsource.
And most importantly, we’re here to support you every step from our Adelaide-Hills-based HQ!
When I first set out to outsource, I combed every offshoring destination and weighed up all the options so you don’t have to – and I found the Philippines was the most attractive choice.
Not only do they speak excellent English… they have a high standard of education and a deep pool of trained talent, and they’re the most culturally aligned Asian country to the west.
So rest assured, we’ve kept as much responsibility as we could, so that you can focus on ticking off your to-do list.
Secret #3: Outsourcing will let you focus on the tasks that make you money
Earlier in this piece, I shared my journey of growing a 6-figure business where I eventually burnt out, fell off the wagon and landed myself in hospital.
The resonating lesson I’ll carry forever from that situation, is that you cannot build a sustainable business alone… doing so only leads to burnout and most of the time, eventual quitting.
The reason is there are so many tasks and responsibilities to take care of when growing and running a business, that culminate in a never-ending to-do list.
But that’s not the most frustrating part.
What’s most frustrating, is that most of the tasks on this list don’t actually don’t make you money.
They’re essential – like setting up tech to launch your course, designing your lead magnet to capture leads – but they don’t actually pay your bills…
(Not like creating a course does, or creating a system your market is craving and can apply over and over.)
What’s more is that a lot of these tasks aren’t in your Genius Zone… that special combination of experience and expertise only you have…
Meaning they’ll take you 10 x as long to do if you’re not trained to do them.
This is what makes so many women run themselves ragged without ever progressing.
I couldn’t have achieved what I did if I kept doing every task on my long to-do list like setting up systems and tech, coding, scheduling, admin… all those essential things I hated doing and that didn’t actually make me revenue.
But through cheap outsourcing, I managed to get my to-do list down to zero… so that today I only focus on the tasks I love, that make me money.
Let me paint a picture of what that looks like:
- I write the lead magnets to attract subscribers… while my VA turns them into high-converting designs…
- I create courses… while my VA creates the portals in LearnDash to house them, and takes care of all the tech to get them live…
- I map out the high-converting funnels to fill my courses… while my VA gets them built in ClickFunnels, and connects them up to my payment system…
- And I write the emails to onboard new clients… while my VA creates the email sequence in Infusionsoft that automatically unlocks their course.
By doing this, and by outsourcing a bunch of other time-sucking tasks like admin, social media scheduling and website maintenance…
I freed up the time to create 21 online courses that have broken 20 million in sales.
And I went from exhaustion and overwhelm… to a streamlined business where I have time, space and freedom.
I can tell you from experience that it isn’t easier to do everything yourself… and that outsourcing work is worth the upfront time and investment.
And the great news is we’ve done all the setup, training and groundwork for you!
If you want to start outsourcing up to 150 business-essential tasks needed to get more clients and more growth, and let you focus on the money-moving things you love and are good at… then we’d love to show you how, and it’s easier than you think.
I’ve left you all the details right here.
And if you’re feeling the value of outsourcing could be the key to blowing your business wide open, we could help you take the next step! So, if you are looking for that ‘edge’ that will take your business to the next level, click here and find out more about Outsourced Doers 😉
xx
Grace
From The Desk Of Grace Lever
Aldgate, South Australia
Hey Lovely Lady,
Working from home… you either love it or hate it, right?
It’s become the new norm, as many people are being forced to work from their living rooms or kitchen table…
And if you’re a coach, consultant, or female entrepreneur, chances are you’re used to adapting to unfamiliar work environments.
But, how do you stay productive when you’re in the environment you’re most familiar with?
If you have time to prepare, you could set-up a totally decked out home office with all the bells and whistles.
But not everyone has this luxury…
So, how do you make working from home work for you? And, make sure you keep your productivity up so your business makes it through these tough times?
Well, Darl, if you’ve been struggling with these questions, you’ve come to the right place.
In this blog I’m going to take you through my top work from home tips to make you more productive.
This is a topic I dealt with in my own business, and you would be surprised what kind of difference just a few simple changes can make 🙂
I’ll be honest, so many people glamorize the productivity of working from home…
Pssst there’s a LOT more I have to share with you… and because you’ve proven you’re ready to get doing by reading this blog, I want to let you into my exclusive community of Doers. Click through here and join My Doers Way Facebook Group and get access to me and my team as well as the support of like-minded female entrepreneurs.
And, then there is the flip side… others who think it’s all about drinking wine and sitting on the couch in your pajamas.
The truth is somewhere in between the two 😉
The challenge is keeping yourself on track.
So, to help you navigate the home environment, here are my top tips for maintaining or increasing productivity while working from home.
Home is the place you associate with comfort and relaxation.
When working from home you don’t need to change this mindset completely, just make sure you can clearly define your work space.
Keep your work space and your home space as separate as possible.
Your work environment is equally important to your schedule.
The two should work together, you’re more likely to stick to a schedule and maintain productivity if you’re in the right environment.
How To Be Productive Working From Home
TIP #1: Get The Basics Right
Working a full day at home without getting distracted by the couch and Netflix is possible if you get the basics right.
Find a flat surface that can fit all your work material comfortably (computer, notepad, keyboard, cuppa etc. ;-)).
Make sure you have a comfortable chair that will provide support for long periods of time…
And choose an area with plenty of natural light, working in darkness can strain your eyes.
You don’t have to have a home office with a fancy desk.
Your dining room table will work just as well, as long as it’s the right height and your chairs are comfortable.
Entering your workspace will help you turn “on” at the beginning of the day and get down to work.
On the flipside, leaving your workspace will also help you turn “off” at the end of the day and fully disengage.
That’s why it’s also important not to spread yourself out in multiple spaces in your home.
While it might seem great to be able to move from desk to couch to bed, if you let your laptop creep into your downtime space, it makes it harder to keep your work separate from your home life.
And it’s super important this mix of worlds is avoided!
Once you have your work station perfected, it’s time to set your schedule.
I can’t stress this enough Lovely, it’s SUPER important to keep the same structure as a normal working day.
Start and end at the same time while also taking lunch at the same time (this way it won’t feel like a day off spent at home)…
Make sure to end your day with a ‘hard stop’…
And set a time to finish the day and stick to it!
This will help separate work hours from home time and you’re less likely to feel like you have to keep working just because you can.
If you’re working from a space you use regularly in your home life, pack-up your work materials at the end of the day. This will help with making the end of the day decisive.
And if you’re thinking ‘This is great Grace, but I’m not sure how to make this work for my business’ I’d love to help you! You can join my own exclusive Doers Way Facebook Group for tips, tricks, doing strategies, and support from fellow doers.
If you never fully disconnect from work, your work productivity will suffer and your home life can take a hit as well 🙁
Tip #2: Avoid Distractions and Bad Habits
This seems like a no-brainer… but you would be surprised how many people need to hear this one.
When working from home many people can fall into the trap of not taking adequate breaks, or taking too many long breaks.
If you need to take a break, take a short break. Walk to the kitchen or get yourself a tea just like you would if you were in an office.
Short frequent breaks are better than long infrequent ones…
Poor sleep patterns is another common mistake, don’t go to bed later just because your commute is 2 minutes 😉
Just like in an office or normal work environment, turn off all distractions.
Disable notifications on your phone and computer (the ones that aren’t work-related like Instagram and Facebook).
Avoid watching TV or reading for “just 10 minutes”…
Those 10 minutes can easily turn into three hours when you’re meant to be working…
It also will break your focus and you’ll need to sink back into the work you’ve been doing…
This is a one way ticket to time-wasting-ville!
Checking emails first thing in the morning can seem like a harmless thing to do.
But, you can get bogged down with replying, and this sets a negative tone for the day.
Set a time limit for reading and replying to emails, and make sure to complete this task during your low-productivity times of day (e.g. 2pm – 3pm).
Tip #3: Set Clear Goals and Don’t Let Tasks Blur Together
At the start of each week, sit-down and work out your goals for the week. These can be small or large, although small goals work best when you’re in an unfamiliar environment.
Keep track of goals with daily to-do lists.
Your goals can be things like hitting a certain target, finishing a project, forming new partnerships, learning a new skill that will help your business.
Dedicate time and energy to one task at a time, don’t try to multitask.
Actually, stop multitasking all together 😉
Studies show that multitasking is much less productive than completing one task at a time.
If there are tasks you can outsource, DO IT!
Outsourcing the tasks you don’t need to do will free up your schedule for the high-value activities that will help your business.
And, you will be less tempted to juggle and as a result… be less productive!.
Outsource things like admin, minor marketing tasks, automation, and anything that’s taking too much time away from your important business activities.
Use your time on the things that no one but you can do.
Prioritize your tasks, this is super important for reducing overwhelm and making sure you fit everything that needs to be done into your day.
Have a look at your task list, and determine what are the high-value tasks and what are the low-value tasks.
Set time aside for each activity, prioritising the high-value tasks.
And again, don’t switch between them, multitasking is your new enemy Darl.
You can lose up to 80% productivity just by switching between activities!
Wowzers, right?!
There you have it Lovely!
Three of my top tips for making working from home more productive for you 🙂
Apply these tips to maximize your time and make the most of your day so you can smash your goals, and still have time to look after yourself.
If you’re feeling the value of this already blowing your business wide open, you can take it one step further and join The Doers Way Facebook Group for SO much more.
Just because you’re in a different environment, doesn’t mean you can’t remain productive!
If you want more helpful tips for staying productive when working from home, check out this YouTube video.
Happy doing Lovely!
Xx
Grace