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Hello 2017

January 13, 2017

For me, each new year brings with it fresh hope and bigger dreams. Being an introvert and highly contemplative person, I’ve done my fair share of reflection and decided that the theme for The Blog Spa this year is “Growth and Transformation”.

Having taken some courses from MindValley to work on my growth mindset, some of the things I’ve learnt from Marissa Peer is to “make the familiar unfamiliar and the unfamiliar familiar” and to “do what you hate most”. The latter is a lesson I know I really need as somebody who procrastinates a lot in the morning by staying in bed to read (Who really enjoys writing marketing posts and looking for sales leads, right).

But in the light of changing my actions so that my life can too change for the better, I’ve started 2017 doing tasks I’ve procrastinated for months (years) and a promise to myself to majorly up-level my business this year. So….. *drumroll please* after being self-employed for 5 years, I’ve officially registered as a sole-proprietor, yay! I think this was something I avoided doing for the longest time as I know it would involve a lot of other admin work and expenses (icky) but it’s time to bite the bullet and be more serious about my business.

I’ve also decided that this year, I’m going to be rebranding The Blog Spa as most of my current clients are actually not just bloggers but creative business-owners of various industries. I need a new brand that can reflect this direction more accurately. While I’ll always enjoy reading blogs, I’ve learnt that most bloggers I’ve had contact with are only blogging as a hobby and not willing or able to invest too much in their personal brand. In contrast, business owners tend to be more driven and motivated. I’ve found that I could relate more to them personally and well-suited to serve them with more impact.

Wireframes for my New Website. This will be my 4th business website since 2011.

Having said that, while my eclectic skills allow me to serve a variety of different-sized businesses, I’m aware that in order for me to survive and thrive well as a solo show, it’s important that I narrow down my niche and get clear on who I can serve best. While that is always an evolving process, I’m in the midst of refining my niche with the help of the Positioning Manual and an upcoming strategy session with a marketing consultant that I look forward to.

One area of my business which I’ve not enjoyed doing was bookkeeping which was getting messy as I have clients in both Singapore and USA, and need something that can track transactions in different currencies easily. After researching and trying out about 10 accounting software, my final pick was Zoho Books which in my humble opinion is a piece of highly under-rated but extremely well-designed accounting software with advanced invoicing features (Goodbye, Excel sheets and faded receipts!). Zoho is a software company that believes in investing in product development more than marketing and advertising so you don’t read much about them on the internet as compared to Quickbooks, Xero or Wave. My message to all of you out there reading this is not to always trust all the reviews you read about on the internet as many of them are written with affiliate links, and to always do your own research diligently before investing in anything. Know that what works for others may not necessarily work for you, so get clear on your unique needs and find something that can fulfill those the best.

I’ve also hired an independent accountant to help me set up my accounting software and guess what, it feels really really good to outsource a task, especially something I know I don’t have much interest or knowledge in. The past years, I’ve been a bootstrapper and independent soul guilty of the “I can do everything myself” DIY syndrome and having gone through fits of entrepreneurial burnout, I’m going to learn to let go of control a little this year and to allow others to support me. ( Heave sigh of relief ) I know budget is tight but it helps to take steps towards the right direction so I can go focus on other things more urgent and afterall, an expert will know more and do the job better than I can. Other than Zoho Books, I’m looking into using more software and apps to help me run my business easier and more professionally, such as a project management software called Asana and a scheduling software called Calendly which are both thankfully free to use.

I also plan to invest in a business-training course for WordPress consultants called WP Elevation in Feb this year. I’m really excited about joining this community as I badly need more camaraderie and peer support. People see the “glamorous” side of my business but they don’t realize how difficult it sometimes is to manage and make business decisions everyday on your own.

Last but not least, I really do need to brush up on my marketing activities and sales skills which are sorely lacking. Honestly, the thought of putting myself out there chills me to the bone but I know I need to get over this eventually if I want to succeed in my business. I’m always on the lookout for a suitable marketing or business coach to help me with this so if you have a recommendation and know someone who is kickass, pls let me know!

After everything mentioned above has been done, I expect to raise my fees by a fair bit to justify that I’m getting better at what I do and also to offset my rising operating costs. If you’re reading this and you know you need a new website, you might want to grab my services before that happens. Also on the cards are new pre-set packages for my services. I’ve yet to decide what those are going to be but I’m working on those.

That’s all for now, folks. I hope the blog post gives an idea of what I’ve been up to and what’s going to come in the near future. Thanks for reading and all the best to all you business owners out there! Always keep moving forward, we can do this. Here’s to growth and prosperity in 2017!

Filed Under: Business, News

Lessons I’ve Learnt From My First Year of Business

March 25, 2016

blog_post_one_year_old

Hi everyone, I’m taking a little moment this Good Friday evening to celebrate a business milestone – The Blog Spa is one year old. Around this time last year, I remembered working on this website late at night and actually cried tears of joy when I saw on my laptop screen that all my months of groundwork preparation were finally coming together like a big jigsaw puzzle. That night as I was coding, I just KNEW without a doubt that it was only a matter of time before my WordPress theme shop would transform from a mere thought into reality. Since then, despite not doing much marketing, I’ve sold WordPress themes to customers in USA, Europe and Asia. There’s still lots more work to do ahead but it’s important to take a pause, be thankful and reflect.

I thought I would share with you some of my lessons learnt and experiences during my first year of business at The Blog Spa :
1. Building an online business from ground up, no matter how big or small, is one of the most profound and humbling personal growth experience you can have. Be committed to making it work.
2. Know what makes you happy, define your own meaning of success and do not compare yourself to others.
3. You may not have all the answers now and it’s ok. Start somewhere and keep taking consistent action. Clarity will come from engagement.
4. When selling products, high volume sales matter. It’s a smart idea to build an audience first through blogging and social media marketing before your product launch, or have plenty of budget for advertising.
5. If you don’t have a big pool of audience who’s ready to buy your products – a mistake which I’ve realized a little too late (and I’m sure I’m not the only one!) – get help with sales and marketing as soon as possible. Customer traction does take time so make sure you have alternative sources of income or think of other services you can offer.
6. Distribute your products at as many places as possible. However, it’s good not to rely on third-party marketplaces too much as you need to give them a cut off your profits and you are also vulnerable to their rules which may change often. You also face the issue of being too close to your competitors. Ultimately, it’s important to invest in having your own website as your main base and to build your own unique brand.
7. The very first time someone you don’t know buys your product and leaves you a positive review is one of the most unforgettable and wonderful feelings a business owner can ever have. I heaved a big sigh of relief and literally couldn’t stop smiling the whole day. Of all possible places, my first Blog Spa customer happens to come from Cambridge, MA – a neighborhood close to my heart as I’ve lived and worked there for 4 years in my previous job, what a delightful serendipity!
8. Experimenting with different prices can be insightful – I’ve learnt that lowering my prices doesn’t guarantee sales and that some customers will pay prices even when you may think it’s too high.
9. It’s crucial to know what kind of customers you wish to serve. The clearer you are about it, the easier to market and sell to them, and the more ease you can create for your own business. It’s really a win-win situation for everyone.
10. You know you are on the right path when your business starts to attract ideal clients or customers. Understand their goals and dreams and how you can help them. Always serve them to the best of your ability.
11. The Law of Attraction is powerful!
12. Business-building is a marathon, not a sprint. Remind yourself to be patient and take time out to celebrate every win – big or small.
13. Stay flexible and agile. Expect your business to change and evolve as you gain more knowledge and experience. You are the captain of your ship.
14. Believe in yourself. You can do this!

In the end, it’s more about enjoying the journey than reaching the destination. I wake up on most mornings feeling super motivated, and I know all the hard work I’ve put in is going to be worth it. Hope you’ve enjoyed reading this and as always, thanks for your support! If you have any suggestions for me to improve my WordPress themes or need a free website design consultation, pls let me know.

Filed Under: Business

Hello + Welcome

Hello + Welcome

Hello there. I'm Eva Lim, the founder of The Blog Spa. I'm so thrilled that you are here! In this corner of my world, you will find lots of blogging tips and creative inspiration, plus little bits of my personal life and things that wow and delight me. This blog is really about finding beauty and inspiration no matter where you are, as well as the joy of learning something new everyday. I hope you will stick around and let's enjoy the ride together. xoxo

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