Tracee Lydia Garner's Blog

Welcome to the third installment of my five part series where I’m talking about he ins and outs of Launching My First Course

Today, Part three is all about WHAT KINDS OF EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS TO think about PURCHASING. I say “think about” simply because, this is not meant to break the bank. I have looked at EVERY SINGLE Youtube video I can find and at the end of this post, I list my 10 Pet peeves about the videos I’ve seen. I took notes and read product reviews on the products I and others used and I found out two things:

there are usually cheaper and FREE options that people use to do the trick, don’t always purchase what they recommend
See if they have an affiliate link, which you are supporting them but it doesn’t cost you anything to do that AND they  may have a discount code, or be running a limited time special, as part of their affiliation
As a beginner, it’s really a waste of time and money if you’re not advanced, you don’t need all the bells and whistles as you want to make sure you get the basic functions you need regardless 
There’s no guarantee that the videos you make will make back what you have invested so why not try to do things on a dime, low costs until you see what you returns will be

Total BUDGET * Under 60 bucks to get started. Let’s take a look at what I purchased to get this all done. 

Note, these are NOT affiliate links. I don’t yet have an affiliate links account but am exploring options around it. But I will disclose as anyone should, when I get to that point and all items listed are from Amazon, unless otherwise noted, and ALWAYS remember to shop around!! 

Total costs $ 57.46 – note, in this total amount, I’m not counting my phone.

SELFIE RIGHT LIGHT –  I love this little light, the only issue is I wear glasses and the reflection of the light makes me look like a zombie with lighted circle rings that appear on and around my eyeballs in the glass reflection. So read my Pet Peeves below and I share how to fix this. Last check, it’s $12.99

TENERGY 11 WATT DIMMABLE LED DESK LAMP Lighting – I bought this simple desk lamp that has three settings. I bought it simply because as I get older, I want task lighting but as I was fooling around with filming, it worked great. Also, I bought it in the 2017, (LAST year’s) Amazon Prime Day for $ 13.99, it’s still relatively cheap now without the prime day, it’s currently selling for $ 21.99  

Honestly, I think any lamp that you use that’s somewhat positionable and that you change out with a daytime bulb will work. Day time bulbs are key in this.

I have an Iphone and it’s a 6s, I think. Any phone with quality recording, a Samsung will do. It does NOT have to be an Apple phone and if you have another kind of smartphone, you could download just about any quality recording app. 

UNIVERSAL ADJUSTABLE TRIPOD W/ WIRELESS BLUETOOTH REMOTE  $ 9.49 I love this little thing because it’s easy to carry in a small bag or purse AND I have not actually used the bluetooth remote or have need of it, and finally, a 

MICROPHONE  $ 12.99  This microphone is corded but the cord is long enough for you to be able to sit just a little distance from your phone in order to record. When you get into wireless stuff, you then will also need to download an app, and use bluetooth or wifi in order to make it work 

Items you really DO NOT need to PURCHASE:

I did recently purchase a real camera, but I have not had the time to get into playing with it and using it and my first course was done ALL with my Mac or my Iphone, but I do look forward to the enhanced picture quality I think it, it might not be any better honestly, than my phone.

I do have a Mac which includes IMovie BUT there is both cloud based IMovie or you can get the app to edit/cut the recording on your phone. I do not know how the cloud based versions or the app version runs, I’m sure there are pros and cons to it like everything else.

In order to be able to cut and edit your recording, look at other video programs and Youtube Studio, as well as my favorite Animoto, I have found all of them comparable to one another so I don’t have a brand or app I’ll recommend. Be sure to also look at the length of time that some apps permit you to record. The longer the run time, the better the app needs to be.  I don’t think any video should be over 25 minutes because viewers will loose interest, but that’s up to you.

That is about it, there is no need to complicate matters to get the job done. Whatever you will use, have fun with it. That is the most important thing.  

As a bonus, here, below are my video recording pet peeves that will help you AND I’m not a video viewing snob, okay maybe I am, but one consideration for you to think about;  having watched so many videos both for free and many, I have paid for in order to learn from the pros, so think about this: What is your own end goals, ASK YOURSELF: are you going to be uploading stuff for FREE (no paid distribution channels to show and share your content) AND allowing any viewer at all, watch all this that you’ve taken the time to put together. They don’t have to subscribe or do anything to view. IF that’s the case, by all means compromise on your quality, film something, don’t edit and just, as I like to put it, “throw it up there on the internet”.

BUT, IF you’re asking people to eventually pay for something, what would you be willing to pay, for the quality of the content you’ve watched, and as you post? Even the free content you do, should make people want to PAY to see more. I’m just saying, it’s something to think about. 

My PERSONAL VIDEO PET PEEVES 

If you want to make quality content, try to keep in mind these things, below. 

1. LIGHTING – I mentioned the glasses reflection is always an issue for those of us that wear glass, the light in your eyes, the reflection can make you look like a scary monster 

POSSIBLE FIXES 

A. I place the lighting high – e.g. the ring light, just try to lift it a little, by “high” I mean positioned above my sight line so it’s not right in your glasses 

B. IF you can wear contacts, great, but I cannot

C. Try putting a thin film over the light to mute it, e.g a coffee filter or cheese cloth may work

D. For the BEST LIGHTING, to me the most important thing next to audio – simply use lots of lamps AND change out the bulbs to day-time lighting – it is better than yellow light and as close to natural sunlight that you are going to get

2. SOUND AND NOISES  -Coughing in the background and it’s not you, children going crazy, an ambulance. I’m sorry don’t just talk through it.

POSSIBLE FIXES

A. Many of these issues will be over if you wait a minute or come back later. 

B. There is no reason at all, you can get a study room at the library. I mean is every other  place really noisy too. Even outside, mid day, backyard, okay if you live in the suburbs but make the effort is the point, think outside the box, a closet that you can fit in and close the door?

3. BACKGROUND / ROOM CLUTTER – Not sure what to say about it, except

POSSIBLE FIXES

A. – CLEAN IT UP!!!

B. Position the camera so it doesn’t get these things in the shot. Something as simple as closing closet doors or put a CLEAN white sheet over it can make a difference. It’s not that we care how you are, its that it’s distracting and cheapens your brand. You could also purchase a plastic table cloth of any color from the dollar store. Simple. Here’s a short video, ignore the cat thing, I talk about that below. 

4. POOR EDITING  – I realize you may have to learn some things but tons of people on Youtube are SELF TAUGHT, just trying it out and teaching themselves and others, how to do this stuff in style

POSSIBLE FIXES:

A. Take time to edit the umms and ahhs, it’s crazy ridiculous that it’s just full of all this stuff, when with some simple tutorials on, you guessed it, YOUTUBE , you can learn to edit all of this out, and,

B. Hire someone on Fiverr to edit for  you, or a teenager could figure it out for you, not to mention they are cheap

5. TIME SPENT WITH FIDO and other random distractions  – So sorry, I realize more than probably half the entire world has some kind of house pet, whether cute or precious, you love him/her, I know. But also remember that some people don’t care, don’t have pets. Yes, surely showing viewers your “furry children” can give you a bit of quirky, humanize you, give some of your personality and make us go awww… for sure. But it’s the prolonged time that can annoy people and make them click that X button. 

POSSIBLE FIXES 

A. Mention your fur ball Scruffy, show a silly still shot and keep it moving with the great content. IF folks are paying a LOT, don’t show them at all and just think of how many more pics you’ll have for Instagram

B. Ignore this bullet point altogether because I like animals too, I’ll just keep clicking the X

6. SOUND QUALITY – Even if the content is good, sound makes all the difference, if I’ve turned it all the way up on my device and done what I could IN the actual program volume and still cannot hear, bye=bye I go.

POSSIBLE FIXES

A. Two things that I think most people are not aware of, ensure that all the volumes are turned all the way up. If you do record something and the volume is low, in IMOVIE for instance, you can fix this after the fact. Remember to think about little things such as background noise, a humming machine, a fan whirring, even a clock ticking can be picked up and think about other items that you really don’t think about. Also use a noise-cancelling microphone. You can get this for under 20 bucks (see my list above)

7. IMAGE QUALITY – ensure that your image is good, crisp, clean. Now, I have dropped my phone so many times I’m still surprised when it records quality video. Pictures are a different story but video quality seems relatively unaffected, I’m sure a tech person could explain this

So, that’s it and I’m so excited to share my first course with you. It is coming in just another few weeks to my website, right here. Below is a pic of me taping one of the four modules I’ll have to go along with my Publishing Action Guide Course. 

See you in Part 3 of this blog series where I’ll be talking about testing it all out and the final post, WHAT platforms to use! 

I am no expert, I’m simply sharing what I did and how I got it done. I figured someone just starting out would also want to know. 

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Welcome to second post of my five part series about Launching My First Course. Today, we’re talking about  planning out the actual course content to deliver whatever it is you’re going to impart to your audience.

First, when I go to conferences and such, waiting for a presenter to start and they get to their spot in front of us and commence to chatting and introducing themselves, I’m just gonna say it, I’m, admittedly, a bit of a presentation snob. I’m watching and waiting for them to turn to their helper or ask someone in the audience to help them hand out SOMETHING!!! 

I say whole snob part jokingly (sorta) but if I go somewhere to learn and listen and YOU Ms/Mr. Presenter, have not a single handout, or a PowerPoint or SOMETHING, my evaluation response automatically starts moving closer to 1 for “poor” or “highly dissatisfied” with the fact that you brought me NOTHING, no list, no sheet, why oh why did you forget that?!! 

There’s just something simply wonderful about supplemental content to drive home points of your presentation. I mean it is also hard to scribble every bullet point you have while also trying to listen and pay attention to what you’re saying.

I’m not saying that outlines or handouts have to be involved, even a one page skeletal outline of your talk is fine but something, SOMETHING, is just exciting and you know what else, I have lots of confirmation that other people also think that a handout is pure gold, know how? For one, people tell me thank you for this and wave their handouts to show what they talking about AND in actual evaluations I’ve read about my own events and others, they blatantly say “no handouts” about a presenter or other person I may have invited to the event. So it’s real, and people ding you for it, letting you know just how disappointed they are. Me too for that matter. Okay, moving on.

So, an outline of your course is so important and as I put together my own courses, I wanted three important ways in which to deliver the information. Now, I should also say that maybe in this medium,  you might not have to be as a concerned about a handout ONLY because what are you giving people? If you give them a video, they can pause it, they can rewind it, they can view it over and over again. In a live setting, there is no rewind so hence another reason for the handout. Okay, so maybe one instance where you don’t need, but it is a nice touch.

Here’s the items I would use IN my course to present the learning content: 

PowerPoint or something with visuals/slides (this is honestly the easiest part, I think of all the stuff you can put into your course, this is simple. Use Google which has a program that’s free, use Keynote…if Word is all you know, use that, I was surprised once at an event where I saw someone use Word and it worked fine. They even inserted some pics in word. It wasn’t perfect but it was a visual).  
Voice-over audio – that is just me talking to you and others watching and the audio should fit and follow along with whatever content is on the screen so ensure that it all flows and you aren’t talking about one thing while something else is showing. That’s a sure fire way to annoy and frustrate people. 
Live talking with the course creator/instructor and more graphics or slides- this is video and audio that shows you, talking and engaging with the audience. This is probably the hardest part because for some people talking live, e.g. Facebook Live and other forms where you will get on camera can seem terrifying and I agree, I was a little put out until I just relaxed, got the hang of it and MOST IMPORTANTLY, I prepared a short bullet list for myself and practiced.

Other things You COULD share – it really depends on WHAT Your video is about

Walk-thru when you use your camera to show different things and guess what, you get the focus OFF of you
Tour
DIY
Step by Step

I think that without this third option of the live recording (taped), you can still have a great course. I think the live talking recorded, enhances and drives home your points and makes the course more interesting; at the same time, if you’re that nervous, omit this altogether and find an alternative, which could be you interviewing someone or you getting other content from other sources. Perhaps think about taking some courses and get some coaching, waiting until you’ve built more confidence. The last thing you want is for your video course to completely bomb because you forced yourself to record the live components when you shouldn’t. 

So, what did I do. I would end up doing all three of my list in some version for my course. At first I did start out with only two of these, that was the slides and my recorded voice over, but I felt confident enough to move forward with the recordings even though yet, it would take a little more time, a little more prep and require me to use a program like iMovie for editing.

My course begins with the slides and voice over for about 15 minutes worth of content and then for about another 9 minutes I would just talk life. I would write out, for instance just three to four bullet points that I wanted to cover in my talk, and I would have these notes open in Evernote on my computer so one side of my Macbook is the video recording, and the other side are the notes so that I would always be facing forward and thus looking AT the camera.

The other fun thing is to make a short little card that you could print out, you could also use this, like Oprah and every other news anchor has to help them remember stuff. Now they do also have a teleprompter and there is a Teleprompter App shared in the video and another idea to explore here. I am not endorsing any teleprompter use and I did NOT feel the need to use any teleprompter app, glass or other equipment for this whatsoever, because adding lib seem to come natural and easy for me, AND I used my Evernote or even Word to have the bullet points up as I recorded, but try it without anything, try with FREE options of Word and Evernote BEFORE you explore costly alternatives.

Below, this screen capture shot shows my Evernote open on the LEFT (with the bullet points I needed to keep in mind) and my video taping in IMovie on the RIGHT. While you can print out something, you want to make sure whatever you need is very close to the computer (or phone or whatever device you are recording on) so you don’t have look away and can remain engaged with the camera lens (= which, of course equals the large viewing audience

Welcome to my new series where for the next few weeks I’m going to talking about all the ins and outs of developing my very first course. What I did, who and what tools I used as well as this very first part about deciding WHAT to teach and take my course online.
To say that I had fun was an understatement and I’m already working on filming and writing the content for my second course which will likely be more around writing but, of course, we shall see.
So, the first thing is WHAT TO TEACH? and Examining any internal and external motivations you have.
I have been teaching for some time and before those of you have any issue with people telling you about process or frown on where that person is and how much they CAN teach YOU, you only need to be a few steps ahead in order to impart wisdom. So whatever you want to do, don’t worry about others and their thoughts, do what you’re going to do, ensure that it’s the absolutely best it can be and you will have all you need.

So, before I do anything, I often ask WHY. Prior to that, I do also pray and ask for guidance and support through the process but after that, the next important thing to examine is: your own motivations.
In all honesty, it wasn’t that I wanted to do the courses online but the push to move into this arena, came from TWO important “push notifications” if you will. Two instances, life occurrence would say to me, now go do this…
1. The first push notification was simply that the course I was teaching at a local community college, would eventually be canceled by the powers that be. First attendance dwindled AND it dwindled because the course catalog that the college was producing and that went out to more than 5000 homes across five counties and more than 60K students WAS NO LONGER PUBLISHED. For myself and a host of other adjunct faculty, this was truly devastating.
Paying to put a flyer of some sort in that many homes, would be cost prohibitive. In other words, we could not pay for this. We could but we would not make back our return.
The course catalog was obsolete and the only real lucrative place I had to market and share information about the two courses I was teaching, at that time, was no more. That was the best advertisement for me and losing that is when enrollment dropped off. Many adjunct professions often complained about this and how their course just wouldn’t survive that constant mention on the pages of the catalog.
Couple that with a then new director came along and canceled many of what they deemed were “leisure courses”. Never mind that out of the course I taught for almost 15 years, I was up to 9 students that took my little course and were able to go on and publish their book.
So it wasn’t just my course that got the axe, but also things like art, pottery, masonry, interior design and other things saw enrollment decline and as such were cut. Of course I was sad and a little annoyed but it propelled me and gave me time to do two things I said I had wanted to do, the online course of course, I wanted but kind of in addition to the live course, and the other thing I wanted to start, was my own annual writer’s conference which is in its second year. So those are VERY good things that not teaching freed me up to pursue. It also propelled me to look at other ways and I have since applied to propose the course to a local recreation center that had similar offerings and so far seems interested in adding my course to their fall lineup. I’ll let you know how that goes.
2. The second thing is that people who could not attend any of my LIVE courses, that lived in areas all around the US and fans and friends of books wouldn’t realistically be able to attend and enroll in my course, offered live, at only 2 locations in Northern Virginia would always e-mail me and “when or could I, offer these same courses online?” At that time the response was no, but now, it will be YES, yes and yes!
So after examining your own motivation(s), you will need to decide WHAT to teach.

Obviously, teach what you KNOW to start.

I was already teaching writing and publishing LIVE and thus it was easiest for me to use that content, re-purpose it, lengthen it and simply find a way to put it up online, update it, refine and flesh out what was skeletal notes for myself and make them fuller for others to read and be able to understand as they read and learn.

Make a list of things you feel like you know WELL or that you know a lot about and some additional instruction or information would help you be able to impart to others. As I mentioned, for me it was of course publishing, writing and marketing basics, building a platform, arranging live book events, even planning a launch party, BUT THEN, as a person with a disability, I also had a wealth of knowledge to impart to parents, self advocates in their 20’s/30’s and I am an experienced case manager for my full time employment. This provided an extra knowledge base to explore what could I offer and I actually launched that course: Finding Qualified Caregivers, not related to writing, publishing and marketing basics just the other week. It’s about how to find, hire, train, maintain and sadly, sometimes fire qualified caregivers and it’s available on my shop, now.

See where there is a deficit? If there are numerous teachings and online content around certain subjects that you also want to teach, still watch these and see where the deficits are. For example, there might be a ton of courses on writing and writing fiction and the ins and outs of self publishing but is there information on how to prepare a proposal for a traditional contract? In fiction, there may well be enough about romance, but is there enough content on paranormal or fantasy, perhaps you write about diverse characters, could you provide a deeper understanding and instruction around writing more diverse subjects and how to address groups of folks and different backgrounds appropriately and avoid cliches and stereotypes?

What can YOU speak to and what can you share that’s missing or underrepresented in the current offerings?  Use places like Udemy, Coursera and Lynda (to name a few) to start to explore popular courses and missing subjects YOU can teach.

Finally, simply poll your audience, your followers and others that know you – ask them what are they coming to you for… and what do they wish there was more availability about (certain subjects) and this feedback will give you clues about how to extend and naturally tie into what they want to receive so that what you are going to teach about will seem like a natural progression or extension of your brand.

After, you’ve come up with WHAT you’ll teach, everything else will come together as far as developing an outline for your course content (what do people need to know; what questions do people have…), what tools and equipment you need (and are comfortable with using) to record and share/sell your course AND finally, what platforms to use to get your course out to the masses, which we will talk about in the coming weeks.

See you next week for Part 2!

Welcome to my new series where for the next few weeks I’m going to talking about all the ins and outs of developing my very first course.
To say that I had fun was an understatement and I’m already working on filming and writing about Course # 2.

Let’s Work it out and I hope you’ll enjoy the next few weeks

The first thing was WHAT TO TEACH!

Try it! I hope some, if not all, these ideas can work for you, too.

 

Faith Blum – Christian Author Blog Tour Packages

Remember to use an assistant for blog tours well versed in YOUR genre. While they’re connections may be somewhat broad, they still likely have a type of genre they have more connections in, so don’t forget to do your research.

At the end of the day, how I used to be: Do a couple of things when I had time and hope for the best. It works to a point. Today, just like they advise you in your finances, you’re going to have to diversify your promotional efforts, plan to do a number of things, do them well and do them consistently and watch it work out.
Please feel free to suggest some additional tips you’ve done for your own book as you’ve learned and grown up in this industry. And, Good Luck!
Remember places like Fiverr (be careful as $ 5 bucks adds up quickly and be sure work is actually being done and you have a way to check/track whatever they promised to deliver) and Upwork (formally Odesk) are also awesome places to utilize for an extra hand, but again, DO YOUR RESEARCH
Whatever you do, try to find ways to incorporate these tips into your marketing program and hopefully you will see results too.

Here’s a few things that I need to work and am working on a plan to tackle for book # 8. Of course, I’ll be sure to document my hits and misses just for you, my awesome blog followers.

Reaching out to more Book Clubs
Teleseminars / webinars and Chats
Twitter Chats, and
Securing additional speaking opportunities, one on one consults and development of some short series workbooks

The available technology that’s supposed to help you get it all done in your day to day and make things easier, faster, stress free are too numerous to name.

But I have some programs that really do make my author life easier and I thought I’d share them with you.

First, before I list all the tech tools I’m employing, I wanted to make a couple of  disclaimers about this list.
 
I’m not endorsed by any company whatsoever, nor do I have any affiliate links should you use the URL I provided to take you company website to learn more about them. 

I have and currently use ALL of the tools listed, (the numbered list), regularly.

Most of the versions I’m using are the FREE/BASIC ones. IF you want a little more of the bells and whistles, obviously you’ll want to get the paid versions. Some of the paid versions are wonderful additions that can enhance whatever you’re doing. I put an asterisk if I’m using the PAID version of something and some I have paid for and let lapse for no real reason other than I wanted to try it and see. 
 
Some of these have the app version for usage as well. I only have the app version for one or two of the tools as I don’t personally like working long periods of time on my phone/tablet and thus prefer desktop versions.
 
Finally, some of these you won’t need until you are published. Canva for instance, you may want to make some graphics about you and could use it to make your headers for all your platforms (as I do) for Facebook, IG, your Youtube, Twitter and other social media channels and this can help give your sites professionalism until you have an actual book out. 

Finally, they are listed simply, in alphabetical order.
 

Animoto – I love this video making program – I make all my trailers using a combination of Animoto and IMovie on  my Mac. I’ve even taught an online class for using it. 
Canva – make awesome posters, flyers, cards – I really didn’t need this (and it wasn’t available until years after my publishing but I absolutely love it. 
*Constant Contact – a professional way to easily drag and drop content to create your newsletters and other communication 



Evernote – write anywhere on the go, jot down notes



Google – you should really have a Google address simply for the tools you will then have access to including Dropbox, accessing files on the go and saving pictures that you take, and backing up your computer files for storage in the Google Drive
Grammarly – basic check of your writing, to reduce errors and ensure your writing is tight
*Hootsuite (or Buffer App) – when you are ready for posting info on your social media platforms, this will allow you to schedule things one time in advance, AND across multiple platforms (3 platforms with the free version)
Paypal – accept money, have someone purchase a book and send you the funds, collect funds from others for goods/services
Square – sell your stuff anywhere and send invoices to folks to collect your money (I personally think that Square and Paypal (now that I’ve used both) are so similar that you really only need one but let me know in the comments if you think they differ in some way). – I do believe that Sqaure and Paypal do much of the same thing. I’ve sent invoices in both of the platforms and don’t there there is much different, except that Paypal has been around longer.
*Transfer Big Files – this has been a big help and I recommend only if you need to send stuff to different people e.g. large book cover files in Photoshop and other large files that can’t be sent over email
Typorama – I like this tool even more in recent weeks since I learned that it has partnered with Unslash and Pixabay to increase the availability of additional images. When I first started using it, those companies were not part of the package and thus the backgrounds/photos selection were VERY limited. 
Voice Recorder / Dragon Naturally Speaking program for computer or app – This is any digital voice recorder that you can purchase at your local office supply store, smaller than a cell phone, and fits into your pocket/purse, or this is also refers to something like the Dragon program to dictate. Many may not like dictating and at times for some, it can take some getting used to, connecting your voice/thoughts, but once you have it and get it going, it’s a real handy way to get down some thoughts and increase your writing output. 
*Wordpress – Um, you’re on my WordPress site, by far the easiest website design platform I’ve used EVER!! To update and change the information is simple, not to mention a dot com address, is very reasonable. They have unbeatable tech support and tutorials you can watch anytime!!! Support (at least the one you get online talking to a professional) even records your conversation and the instructions they give you so you can refer back to them later. That is more than worth it. 

Enjoy these awesome tools. Try them, learn them, see what’s going to be easiest for you to utilize. 

Lastly, below are a couple of tools I use for some things but not as regularly as those mentioned above:

Dictionary List A – Z – I only discovered this as I wrote this blog post. Both Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com, are open while I’m writing. What I love is the recent discovery of the list. The ENTIRE dictionary word list online which helps if you want a certain word and you want it start with a certain letter, you can see ALL the words. This is so easy rather than pulling out the big dictionary we all have somewhere, likely, holding a door open. 

Mail Chimp – everyone I’ve heard mention this newsletter builder absolutely loves Mailchimp and I too enjoy aspects of it, I simply started using Constant Contact first. I do use Mailchimp (free) to get people to sign up for my website, I created a popup to request name/e-mail address from site visitors, thus building my mailing list and it was super easy to do. If you’re visiting now, you should have seen it.

Welcome back to my Staycation / Career Planning Series

Last week, I talked about what I’m going to do and the preplanning that I felt needed to take place for me to feel like I’ve been successful.

If you’re wondering why in the world I’m doing this, its pretty simple and some other types like myself may agree.

In school, no one every tells you about goal setting. That bothered me so in the early days of my speaking to groups, I often first spoke to youth groups and I continue to do Vision Boarding workshops for adults. But I would speak to youth about breaking down what they wanted to do in their futures and in life in general, and help them understand the breakdown of a goal, end result and creating a path toward that. Young people need more of that and many of them told me as much.

Secondly, whatever career you are in and you decide you wanna stay and move up the latter, some of the small increases in your grade (government), your level/competency (e.g. toastmasters) and as an author (whether or not you’ll eventually make a prominent best-seller status or not, is often contingent upon various planning. I remember filling something out for a program I wanted to enter. I became stumped by this one question:

Please tell us about your career arc?

What? What is that?

I Googled it, I looked and asked other prominent people. They had no idea either. I was like surely you’ve done this, you’re on the NYT and the USAT lists.

And you know, I still don’t know what it is. There probably isn’t an example, the people asking this question may have meant to stump applicants, or they may have thought everyone already knew or perhaps as writers, we could easily make it up. It was really annoying that no one could help me figure this out. It’s annoying that the only real career planning instruction happens at industry conferences. So in many ways, doing this blog series is partly to help others (and myself) come up with that and if not the full plan for your career, because that sounds and should be, fluid, but at least some means for taking time out to focus and think about it. Like your own retreat if that helps you understand it better.

So, in the last post, you should know all the why’s of a staycation and preplanning involved helping you make the best pathways to your end result and the goals, whatever those are.

Today, I’m talking HOW and WHAT

The final two questions to answer, are:
How (where) to gather ideas or best practices before your Staycation- Planning Event?

And, what to take wherever you’re planning to go (if you’re planning to go off site from your home base)?

Gathering Ideas, Information and Instruction From Other Sources

Often before I do anything, I see what Youtube, a Google search and various other popular bloggers have to offer on the subject. I loved looking at and reading some of the informative things people had to say about various retreats and I also searched Google for “Staycation” because what I was doing was partly a type of staycation too.

Here are five resources for some inspiration 

The Humbled Homemaker – Erin Odom has a great ebook called Your Retreat: A Guide to Giving Yourself a Personal Planning Day . It has some great tips and printable lists at the end.

When I looked for “career planning” videos on Youtube, I found little, except for this one I liked: How to Map Out Your Career as a Best-selling Author – *a word of caution, sometimes the meat isn’t there and be ware of vids that are part sales tool, e.g. they give you a little free but good information, just to get you to “work with me”. There are a few more so go look, use search words such as, “career planning for authors,” “planning your writing career” and “staycation.”

The Write Life  Blog also has a post about planning a Staycation for Writing

The Writer’s Guide to Achieving Success by Theresa V. Wilson who I met at a conference and got the book there and she has a Masters in Education, and lastly,

I have not dived much into a book I’ve purchased twice now, both the 2017 edition and the The 2018 Author’s Journal: Your comprehensive guide to a wildly successful year of authorshi p,  by Audrey Ann Hughey, (Comprehensive Planners for Creatives and Entrepreneurs) (Volume 1), this is an awesome book, I just wish like Ms. Wilson’s book above, it was spiral bound or available in PDF so one could write better in it. The margins are tight and it’s a thick book that’s a bit cumbersome (and heavy) to carry around. Also, be ware, there are about 5 -6 different (although pretty) covers for what is essentially the same book content on the inside.


Just a couple more things to think about and check, in the preparation phase for the actual days.

Check the Weather Forecast – I wanted some of the time to be able to sit outside, as I mentioned, but that wasn’t going to be possible if the weather was bad and for several weeks, we have had the unusual torrential rain, and thunderstorms these last few weeks in Virginia. If you won’t be outdoors, the weather does not matter. And if it did plan to rain for the three days straight of my plan, it would be easy enough to go into work and move my days, but at least the details of the plan were in place.

Print outs – I have lots of handouts from various workshops on career planning (they kind of pile up and are forgotten), creating a vision, and even these free worksheets from Heart Breathings that offers some ideas on her 90 day planning system. (90 days is just  quarterly planning so don’t get too excited.) For the ways in which you’ll plan, the handouts/instruction and etc., go for electronic documents as you don’t have to lug a lot of items with you. I just took a few. One I got from the Romance Writer’s America and another I got from a different writers conference. For the reflection/planning part, I would use these worksheets and spend some time answering questions about where I was going and I wanted these prompts.

I actually have, (ready?), last count, nine book ideas in various stages in Word and seven completed book covers (so far) to go with them.  I know what order they will be published in, but I wanted to list them out and see where I was going/ or planning to go – and see if I were to release one book a year, versus two books a year, or one book every 18 months, and really get an idea of what year would that take me into?

For the career planning, as a cut and paste/creative project – everyone needs a little cut and paste in their life- I printed these book covers on label paper, cut them out and stuck them on a sort of timeline that was really just a sheet of 11 x 17 paper and wrote down some thoughts about the story, a theme, and other ideas so the stories would be in the back of my mind, and penciled in tentative release dates.

I put a pic of it on Instagram, here – be sure to check it out. Remember, these must NOT be set in stone, this is tentative planning remember, not the headache inducement of deadlines and piling up projects you may or may not realize in the time frame you’ve set and then getting frustrated with your lack of accomplishment. Doing this was fun, a way to do a visual map of possibilities and hopefuls, but remember, as such, maps have detours, roadblocks and hurdles and part of that is living life and enjoying the journey, both however long it takes and wherever it may take you – sometimes off the main thoroughfare that you’d intended

Other things I took with me:


Markers/Pens/Extra Paper or notebook
Future years’ calendars
Laptop computer (I actually didn’t take this – but I thought about)
Phone / Charger
Camera – (or use phone camera) – to get some shots for the blog
Snacks/Drink/Water
Headphones

One of the reasons I left some things behind such as my laptop was that in many instances, we forget the importance of pen to paper and the aesthetic impact it can have, especially for creative types. I already spend a lot, A LOT of time on my computer and some of the best ideas come from NOT having that, and really writing it out.

Finally, here’s just a couple more tips.

Tips


Relax and have fun – this is supposed to be exciting and to help you
Don’t block out your time so stringently, have a plan but be flexible
What if you end up doing absolutely nothing? I have resolved that even that (sometimes) was meant to be. You obviously required a few days just for that. So, as a result of that, do nothing time, think about the next time perhaps you can plan for some, a day of procrastination first before you dive into your objectives/goals could be considered a prep day – give yourself that
Don’t just get down to business, observe look up and around, pay attention and explore your world
Think about what other fun things you could do
Lastly, please be careful. With a lot of different factors depending on where you live, and especially if you’re planning to go to a place you don’t usually, such as a park or on a hike, tell someone where you’re going and ensure you pack the things you need in the event of an emergency

Hey there,
It’s JULY! Can you believe it? (okay almost!)

Sorry peeps, a very rough, and WRONG draft of this post went up this morning. No fear, here’s the right one, take a another look and enjoy.

You  might have heard, but in case you didn’t, I’m hosting my own conference in September. It’s super exciting to plan content, arrange speakers and think about all the aspiring writers who want what I too wanted about 17 years ago: to be PUBLISHED.

I am actually a bit of a conference nut. I love, love, LOVE going to meetings and workshops just to learn and to hang out with like minded folks that have words burning inside their hearts and minds (and who probably are a little nutty too).

But even though I go to a LOT of conferences, there’s a little process to selecting the right ones to attend that I wanted share with you. I mean choosing the right conference for you? How exactly do you decide to not only pay the registration fee, but the airfare, parking, hotel, food and a host of other expenses that can really start to add up?

I’m telling you, it is not easy. The other issue is that so  many conferences sound and look the same- if that’s the case, what to do then?

So, let’s go, here’s a look at things I consider before shelling out the bucks to attend any conference event, as quick as I can ( I mean I am a writer).

Cost – Okay, if you’re rich, this doesn’t matter at all, but most aspiring writers aren’t rich. And even if you are, you should still want great content and information for your whatever amount you’ll pay. Most conferences that are going to be one full day should be kept low, around 100/150 or less just for registration fees alone.

Now if they are INDUSTRY specific, that’s different. Take RWA (that’s the Romance Writer’s of America)- it has thousands of members, and approximately 2500 – 3000 women attend their ONE annual conference event held every year. The registration alone is around $ 500 bucks. I go when it’s near me because that is MY industry. Obviously due to mobility issues, I’m not traveling to Denver and Sacramento, where the conference site has been previously, but if it weren’t for that, I would go because I consider it the one splurge vital overall to my career.

That brings the next factor to consider….
LOCATION – This isn’t so much about distance for me because now a days I’m doing mostly local, for the rest of you, here’s a short list of added expenses (beyond registration) if something is not near you: lodging, meals, gas, airfare, parking, perhaps a rental car, and those pesky miscellaneous expenses like baggage check, tips and incidentals plus other expenses that increase your bottom line. At this stage, if it’s local I am going. But is that the case for you? Is it ultimately worth it? How much will you have to shell out? You need to figure this out before things really start adding up.

Another important thing I’m considering about any conference I will attend: WHO’S COMING? And what will the subject matter (content) be about? Currently with 8 books out, I’m really hard pressed to find a mid-level conference. There’s lots (tons) of beginner offerings and then the offerings seem to skip to those in the advanced level. I’m somewhere on the edge of beginning but not quite in the middle of my career and I find it really hard to get content around breaking out and getting to the next level. So I try to focus on what I need, which is marketing. I never stop learning about CRAFT of course- that’s important to build a solid story (because you have to market something good) but if it’s got a marketing something or other FROM someone who has actually sold a boatload of books, I’m going. If there’s not at least one session on marketing, forget it. Most conferences will have a marketing and promotion session and it’s never too early to think about marketing aspects. You can plan your book better if you think about some of that now!

Other thoughts that go along with content: did you do your research? Who are these people anyway? And where are you on the road to publication? I personally get annoyed by presenters who have yet to publish but are doing workshops (I guess we should learn about how NOT to publish too) but there’s no real experience there. If you’ve yet to publish, you haven’t been judged by the masses on the publishing platforms and had to deal with low sales, marketing, formatting, putting an actual book together, editing. Also, as a teacher, experience is what we’re teaching (and hopefully what you’re after).

In my own journey to success, I’m finding out everything I possibly can about the industry not only for myself but so I can relate it back to you and you shouldn’t expect any less from any other instructor particularly if you’re paying to have a seat. If as you consider any conference, people lack the credentials you want to learn about, why are we even here?

I realize some of this sounds harsh but at the end of the day, it’s your money and with so many conferences on writing available, you’ll need some real criteria in which to weed out the duds.

So those are my top three considerations. The next two are important but not as much overall.

The availability of NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES -Remember this is based on content. Are you looking to network with other aspiring authors, you can do that at the library or a writers group; or are you looking to meet someone (publisher, editor, agent or publicist) that can really help you get to the next level, whatever that is for you?

I love to meet people that can help me and my career get to the next level but what I’m NOT crazy about is all the smiling and talking that you have to do in order to make a real effort at networking. We’re writers, we work alone and if we don’t like what’s happening on the page, we hit the delete button or save and close. Being trapped in a large room with lots of different people can be torture for some of us.

But if you’re gonna go, you gotta make the effort and the eye contact. Here’s a prime example, I went to a conference I’ve been to for a couple of years and each time it goes down a tad in my estimation. I’ve always thought this event needed some umph, but here I was, I’m going to go again because at the end of the day, conference is part feed or ointment to my mental health, too. I use it as a refueling mechanism to keep going and to gain encouragement and to draw on the energy and the enthusiasm of those many ideas being shared and the camaraderie had.

So, at this one, I met the editor of a newspaper, she led a workshop, and either someone had told her about me and/or she mentioned that I was in the paper a couple of years ago for something small and of course I was like yep, I had been. Nice of you to remember…hee hee. (I’d like to be in in the paper again, I thought to myself).

We talked and I’m doing my stay engaged here thing and lo and behold I’m getting a feature in a local publication. Those don’t come by just sitting at home, you also have to be visible and get out and smile A LOT. Now this opportunity would not have happened had I not attended. This conference was also local, and it cost me nothing more than some gas, and my Saturday. Some networking opportunities and relationships are built but often start out very small.

If you get nothing else out of it, hob nob, schmooze, get some business cards and then follow up just to say hello. I admit, I am super awful at the follow up part but it’s a part of every sector of life, writing or not, and it’s almost unavoidable.

With that said, here’s one caution, IF you know you are not good at networking, skip it so you don’t leave a bad impression. But know that you can’t skip this part forever, it may be worth getting some coaching or some personal feedback through Toastmasters, a public speaking coach or what have you, to build confidence, know what to say, how to start a conversation and converse with others.

The final thing I consider about conferences is simply IS THIS MY GENRE? or a better way to frame that is How much of the content is about my genre?  This is last because it’s also something you should have already considered, and for me it’s part of the content AND the “who will be there?” that I already spoke about. IF ITS IN YOUR GENRE, Go, go and GO, no matter what. If that’s what you write and that conference has the name of exactly that in its title, um why are we even discussing this? Much like the RWA for me and my “romance” writing career, it’s just a duh!

Hope you learned some new ways to evaluate whether or not you should attend the next conference that pops up. Don’t forget, if you’re local to the DC, Maryland and Virginia area, come join me for my annual Publishing Summit this September 2018. Please check out our visiting faculty right here, and now you can decide (with these new tips) if this is the right event for you.

 

Below, a quick little something you can cut, paste and print out to answer some questions  in hopes this will help you zero in on the goals/costs/pros/cons and both desire-ability and necessity to attend the next upcoming conference (even my own) or not.

My genre Yes / No

Location near /far? Costs: _________________

Meals included or On Your Own -Possible cost if on your own?

Other expenses I’ll have to pay out of pocket

Content

List three reasons you want to go?

List three reasons you can justify NOT going? Are those good enough

__________________________________________  Good enough? Yes No Why?
__________________________________________  Good enough? Yes No Why?
__________________________________________  Good enough? Yes/ No Why?

List three things I want/need to learn

__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________

What’s a burning question I need clarification on?

Who is one person I want to meet and why

Who can I make contact with before I go?

Lastly, a few tips

Always see if you need to be a member of something else (usually another professional writing organization) to get the added discount – go ahead and join for a year if you do, if both the organization, and the conference aren’t that great, well you’re only signed up (usually, so check) for a year
There is often early bird pricing, don’t miss the deadline to save even more
Always ask about ride/room sharing on Facebook Groups that you may be part of or through the conference planners themselves or on other e-lists – who else is going – as you may be able to carpool, share a taxi/shuttle service or even a room if you know someone
Look for discounts/book early
Read the refund policy. Many of today’s registrations for events do not give you back all of your money unless illness/death/family emergency, so read the fine print, there may be administrative fees gobbled up before you get the rest of your refund
Knowing someone in the area you can stay with is always a plus that will cut down on expenses leaving you with only having to pay registration
Research, research, research, local eateries, sights, and other things to do while you’re there so you don’t miss out, And many authors nowadays are planning their own version of a Meet-Up, and also arranging speaking engagements and talks. It’s a good way to connect with local readers, find new fans and have people come out and bring their friends to chat, eat, sight see.
I always think any author with a book out should see about arranging a signing or doing a workshop in the area. There will always be down time so call and see what you can arrange ahead of time with the local bookstore, women’s group, school, etc. This is a little extra work sometimes but so worth it.
Consider introducing yourself to some key people a few weeks before the conference, give them a heads up, say I’m coming to this event, I’d love to meet you and talk about…? There is nothing worse than finding out all who were attending and then thinking “Wow, I missed them!”

 

Greetings!

Welcome, welcome to part 2 of my two-part event planning I’m continuing this month from March, see the March post here.

This next installment is two fold, I’m going to talk about some of the things I see event planners doing that bother me from an author/vendor perspective and things I feel should occur when I switch my hat and assume the role of event planner.

I love events. In fact, conferences, festivals, book club conferences, just about all the live events make more money for me than online/social media selling of my books. I hope that live events will be a mainstay of our industry for many, many years to come.

Like with anything, there are a couple of “practices” that I see that come across as outright rude and very inconsiderate and I want to change that. There are likely more than ten things that each of us can do to ensure success as event planner and vendor, but these are just some of the ones I think of as I address this subject.

AND don’t forget, I am late and I apologize, but get this month’s Freebie Planner for April and the event planner cheat sheet for larger events and conferences at their respective links.

 

10 things WE Can Do to Show Good VENDOR Behavior

10. NEVER, EVER talk poorly about the event at the event or express negativity about the promotion or the event host. Yes, I have talked about some concerns one to one, usually to a table mate or via e-mail after the event but to talk about an issue AT the event is simply poor taste. Everyone has had a bad event, we’ve all experienced low turnout but these are lessons and grievances that should be outlined in a proper, formal evaluation that you can share with the host(s) upon the conclusion of the event.

What we all should be talking about is what outlets WE used to help promote the event and share resources. Unfortunately, that might be a very short conversation.

9. Always offer a wonderful experience for YOUR shopper. You are not only representing yourself, you are representing the event/hosts and their “selection” of you. If you need inspiration for table/booth set ups, look through the pictures on my social media pages and use my Book-signing Checklist to help you prepare. I have seen A LOT of tablescapes being in this business but I saw the best one recently when I met the Brittany Traveste – author of BLOOM.

Look at her table, it’s beautiful.

[image error]Brittany Traveste and her Mom at the Harambee Book Festival

She has three important things

Her table is super pretty with the flowers (and her book’s title is Bloom, like, oh my gah!). She has a clearly marked sign with the book price and she has another sign with her twitter/website (on the left) in a very nice picture frame. The wonderful thing is the lettering on the floor in front of her table. That took some work I’m assuming but it came out awesome.

There is no excuse for shaggy presentations and it is a reflection NOT only on you but the planners too! Little added things that make the experience that much nicer, insert a book mark into your books, have nice bags for whatever you sell, make something small/cute/inexpensive to give away like a little journal or purse sized pad, if you sell scents or body-butters/creams, are there samples you can get made, ask the Mary Kay Lady to help you. Whatever you sell, it’s little details like that, that make all the difference to the user/shopper experience.

8. Take time to network. You’re mighty lonely sitting there just waiting for someone to come by your table. Take time to network at every single event and to talk to other vendors. I would dare say stand up, lean in, engage. I would stand up if I could but I use a wheelchair, so if room permits me, I go around my table to engage, I even call all passerby (probably hoping I don’t notice them) over to my table, they are always willing to engage and that’s the first step in any potential relationship.

7. Promote yourself PRIOR to the event as you would if it WAS your own event – Sadly if all of us, especially authors took the time to promote the event as if it were our own, we could expect a better turn out every single time. And I’d even say that if you are attending any event, that event is YOUR OWN.  We are all guilty of expecting the host/planner to do the majority of the promotion and that’s unfortunate. Sadly some events move around and the planner cannot possibly know about all the smaller clubs, news outlets and local social media they can tap. That’s where us local people come in. At present, when I’m going to attend or even if I’m only considering attending an upcoming event, I Google the event using different variations of the event name, to see where news about the event is popping up. Moreover, a new event will not have the turnout that a more established event has. It can take years, sometimes 8 – 10 years for an annual event to build a solid and considerable following, so if the event is in year one, they’ll need even more assistance with their promotional efforts and just because an event is in its infancy stages, thats no reason not to attend. Promotion is a group effort, enhance ONLY by many people doing it.

6. Consider the Vendor Fee – Will you make back what you paid? What grade would you give the host for their promotional efforts and their attendance numbers? These are just some of the considerations I make regarding whether or not I’m going. It seems a no-brainer but an event can be worth the costs (in rare circumstances) and you still don’t make back what you paid. Breaking even is important and as more and more opportunities come my way, I’m evaluating everything about it to make the right choice for myself and my wallet. An opportunity to meet someone you need to meet could be one way that the ROI isn’t going to be met at the end but still good to go ahead and pay. Really think about those pluses and minuses and then you’ll feel much better having a checked your expectations.

5. ASK, then LISTEN, then SHARE/TALK! This is probably my biggest pet peeve. I meet a LOT of authors and many of us, myself included happen to be “Jack” and “Jackie of all trades”. That is the nature of being creative. You really trial and error your way through lots of unrelated “jobs” and employment ventures, on your way to writing and publishing (or whatever you do). But with that, guess what? Spewing forth so many of your multiple ventures (regardless of their lucrativeness) when you first meet someone doesn’t inspire confidence, can make people tired and confused all at the same time. I have three questions that I use on different people at various times:

What do you like to read? Listen then if you have something like that great, point to it on your table, give it to them to hold and read and then converse some more. IF not, be well rounded enough in genres to suggest something else.
Hey, is the conference going good? What brought to this event?
General “how are you doing today, I’m Tracee and author of…” The only way I got into other “ventures” I have, is if we somehow landed on them. ALWAYS ask people their name, where they are form. My point is that we need to engage, make general conversation and tailor our “wares” to their “needs”. In order to find out their needs however, we’ve got to make small talk.

If you’ve gotten up to network, (# 8 above) guess what, you’d know what others sell and could then be in a position to make proper referrals to table/vendor mates around you and how selfless would that be?

4. In addition to networking, be observant. Recently, there were a group of ladies that had a luncheon in another room adjacent to the book event I was attending. If it wasn’t for those ladies, I wouldn’t have had any sales so I was thankful for them. But I looked at their attire as they walked by and most of the people attending our festival wore jeans and more plain clothes. They were not dressed up. This became an instant in for the conversation. I saw you ladies were having a luncheon, did you attend the luncheon?… and on it went but had I not paid attention, I wouldn’t have had thoughts to ask them what they were doing there and tell them what I was doing there.

3.  Don’t let a bad day show – I’ve said this in the my Booksigning Checklist but sometimes selling your products is like being unemployed, after a couple of rejections it’s hard to get geared up with one more smile for the umpteenth interview but you can do it. The next one might turn things around.

2. Don’t just complain, offer solutions. If the turnout wasn’t what you expected, don’t just say “The turnout wasn’t what I expected, thank you.” Take time to put in some suggestions. The event will likely happen again and we only make things better with actionable suggestions. There are things that we as authors/vendors have been very creative about in order to sell our products that other’s haven’t ever thought about.

Give it another chance. There are a couple of events that I’ve been like, “uh, no, not going back.” But after some thought, I do think I’ll go back. It’s important, especially for anything you’ve been to only once/it’s their first event. You want to look and see what/how/ and if the event has learned lessons and implemented them to improve. One bad experience shouldn’t ruin all future events and again, ask what you can/did do to help make it success. Once it’s clear that things aren’t improving by all means, remove that event from your list but bad events can go to great given proper feedback and 364 days later.

10 Things Organizers/Event Planners Should Do to Welcome their Vendors and Ensure a Great Experience for All 

10. It’s important for event planners to remember that authors are paying patrons like anyone else. We shouldn’t be some how relegated to a small room, in the back, packed in tightly where there’s little to no traffic. We’ve paid extra for a “vendor” opportunity, and even as such, remain a type of supporter of your event. My ideal location for authors, would be IN the room of the general session and a part of the event, tables on the outskirts of the room. This has worked well in every single event I’ve been to that’s set up this way. Not hidden or put away but in many ways, highlighted. Relegated to another room that few or no people will visit seems off-putting and dismissive.

Yes, we are selling products to your consumers. And many attendees like the shopping experience an event provides. Some don’t and that’s fine, those people won’t feel obligated to make a purchase. But others see added value in a one-stop shop where they are not only learning but get some new items they may not have thought about. I would say however, to ensure that people are not overwhelmed with similar items, create a rule where you’ll have only one-two of the same vendor type/item. Then next year, if someone wanted in that could not participate because similar vendors were already reached for the amount set, they can participate next time around. You’ll need to keep good records of who you had if you implement something like this.

9. Help promote the vendors you’re having throughout the actual event. You can do this a couple of ways. 1. Mention the availability of the vendor and share what they sell. Why not use at least some portion of the segment to highlight the products. What can that spa, Mary Kay independent beauty consultant, author/publisher, bath and body cream seller, shea butter outfit and life coach/motivational guru… DO for the people at your event? Highlight that. Any attendee/vendor should be more than willing to write you (the host) a two sentence informational commercial that you can read aloud during the breaks of your conference sessions. At each break, highlight two businesses and that will spark interest on behalf of your attendees and help promote your vendors even more by keeping them top of mind. 2. The other way is to always list ALL the vendors in your material/conference booklet. A simple mention will be taken with the attendees and when they are home, remind them of that “thing” they wanted to check out.

8. Feed EVERYONE – I’ve been at events where I paid extra for lunch but why can’t I just go to the buffet table like everyone and mingle? Why must I be brought  my lunch like I’m not a part of the festivities? I am a part of it, I paid a little more than everyone else, yet I eat  my lunch in the corner like a second class citizen. You could simply have empty (same looking) tables on the outskirts or perimeter of the room and place notes that reserve the tables. It’s at the back so the front and best seats won’t ever look and be empty.

7. SEEK Feedback and then Make Use of It! Evaluations are an important part of any future events overall success. I’ve read some awesome, truly helpful and encouraging comments in many a evaluation, even if they had a negative undertone, I’ve seen ways (buried) in there to address the issues. ONLY someone who truly wants to improve will offer an evaluation form and be mature enough to handle the good, the bad and the ugly. I say make use of them because it’s one thing to have them but it’s another thing to implement (some of) the suggestions within each one. You don’t have to take all the suggestions someone makes, of course, but ask yourself if what the person who took the time to write has a valid idea or is just writing to complain. You will know the difference.

6. Set a Reasonable Vendor Fee. I’ve seen some ridiculous vendor fees and I wonder if planners ever think about whether or not we as vendors will make back that return on our investment? Perhaps you don’t care but that seems like a poor business practice. It is an investment and I hope most people would want to make a little over what they’ve paid. We all need to check ourselves about what we think the other person is (and is not) making and set a price accordingly. As a planner you also need to distinguish between what a company does, having full financial backing and a line item for “outreach”, to what a small business does and the significant differences between small and large businesses revenue. I’m with the school of thought that you would like vendors to return to your event year after year. We can ONLY do that, if we feel we will turn a profit, making back our vendor fees.

5.  Realize when you need a team of folks. Many small event planners bite off more than they can chew. You need to have a team of folks, even if it’s a small committee of three people, to help assist with small details otherwise you run around, feeling frazzled and some component of your event ends of lacking or isn’t properly planned at all. Poor planning shows and doesn’t make people desire to return. Also think about someone to work with difference kinds of people attending your event. E.g. A “liaison” for the vendors, two people to assist the attendees, a visual/tech person and so on. That way everyone involved has a point person and you are not everything to everyone.

4. Think about lower costing venues. We all want the big ballroom, the catered food and the wait staff, but both budgets and attendance don’t always rise up to those demands. Furthermore, look to graduate to those events as you grow NOT start out of the gate with a large and costly facility. Events do not have to be at the Hilton/Hyatt/Marriott to be awesome. They can be at community centers, libraries, conference centers, public schools and other smaller, less expensive venues, many of which permit you to bring basic, wrapped food in rather than purchasing their more costly options. I’d rather go to a school for a book festival and be able to have coffee/tea you brought in than go to a hotel where I’ve paid the vendor fee and then had to go to the restaurant paying seven bucks for one small cup. While any conference does not have to provide you with food/beverage, basics such as coffee/tea/water are courtesy items I think my vendor fee should have been able to spare particularly for any events that start at 8-9 o’clock in the morning and last more than four hours.

3. Do it or DON’T Bother – WHY are you really doing this? This is a great question that many of us in all aspects of life pursuits fail to address. You likely wanted to make money is a real and valid reason but if you’re going to scrape and scrimp, are you setting your event up for failure? You very well could have made a couple thousand (results not likely by the way) but if no one is coming back next year what’s the point?

2. Call the Thing the Thing! What does this even mean? It’s all about proper BRANDING. Recently, another event I attended as a vendor/author called the event a “fest”. Sadly, it wasn’t. It was a writer’s conference in disguise. There is nothing wrong with “writer’s conference”. What’s sad is that promoted as a writing event (which also happened to be free to outside attendees) and where people would receive the ins and outs of writing and publishing AND get to meet/greet some international best-selling authors… would have gained so much more support and attendance than it did touting the event as a “fest”. Moreover, festivals, for me, inspire thoughts of outdoors, food trucks, entertainment, local caterers selling food, artist selling beautiful tapestry/artwork and should have been easier to access than the lower level ballroom. Be certain, as the event planner/promotor that you are using the right words for the occasion/content.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO HIRE ASSISTANCE – Finally, while hiring a PR Firm can be costly, most of us think things are cost prohibitive yet we’ve come to that conclusion, often on our own, without real research. In today’s social media industry, many of us can get a young/knowledgeable, social media freelance guru for a small amount of funds that can give us greater reach than we can do on our own. It’s worth looking into to getting help to ensure your event’s increased exposure especially for the first couple years. Utilizing a professional until you build the contacts, the following and the reach is a great idea. Once you have worked with someone a couple of times, you’ll have more ability/confidence to do it on your own. If nothing else, for your payout, any reputable provider will at minimum, supply you with a list of outlets they have sought to gain exposure to, on your behalf AND with that list you can do this on your own in future.

Now that everyone has suggestions about what we can do to help one another be successful, lets get to it. Before you go, however, leave a comment below about…

What are some things YOU do as a vendor do to increase your event(s) exposure?

What are some trends YOU see in event planning that are being implemented to enhance attendance/attendee experience?

Do you think the online event (via Facebook, Twitter, webinars and etc.,) have replaced the live event?

What was most memorable about the last event you attended?

We are halfway through the year everyone. Can you believe it? I’m continuing my monthly Plan With Me Challenge to help you plan your year of content month by month.

Since we’re going into month # 6, I wanted to recap the original goals behind doing this each month in case you’re just joining me or you forgot why YOU signed up to do this challenge with me.

The Monthly Calendar – now, if I would send this ON TIME (sorry about that), but remember it’s a “challenge” so like me, you’ve probably met some pitfalls and delays and that’s okay. Just keep going. The Monthly calendar is to help you think of ideas and themes of things to put up (posts) on your own social media. Whether that’s a certain day, national observances for days or week long things, I’ve been putting 10 – 15 things on the calendar (there’s obviously so much more that could be listed) to help you. You can use it to:

post questions (fun, silly but even serious questions are fine as long as they are not too political or religious unless this is your subject/platform) for engagement on your social media (for instance, when it was national soup week or month, rather than post a recipe- which you can/should do too) I told people my three go-to places to get good soup and THEN asked them WHAT is their favorite AND WHERE do they get it/make it. Something so simple created a lot of engagement.  Recently, I did the same with Teacher Appreciation Week and it was great to hear about people’s favorite teacher, even more so if those responding could tag their teacher in the actual posts and thus let them know what an impact they had made on their lives
Allow people to see/hear about subjects important to you, and share your personal thoughts
Ask OPEN ended questions (and in doing so, learn more about your readership) – a new tip that’s also VERY important, wait to reveal your own thoughts right away, ask questions then wait for some engagement, check back to post your thoughts later

When you do these little things, they become big things and you should see an increase in your following in by inch.

As I’ve been saying… its all about ENGAGEMENT.

Lastly, I wanted to share, ensure and recap the freebie worksheets that I’ve posted these last few months. Bookmark this page so you can download them all. They ALL won’t be helpful to you BUT at this sixth month mark, I know one that will be helpful and that is the January worksheet to help you Clarify Your Commitments, see where you are at with your time commitment and if those things no longer resonate but need to go.

Enjoy All the freebies and check out this month’s one for Summer Travel. While most of us use our phones for all of our lists, reservations and confirmation numbers, that’s great BUT sometimes it is important to have a back up paper copy that you can fill out and have with your passport and even if you wanted to leave with a trusted friend in the event of an emergency. In the age of digital this and that, sometimes a paper copy is the only thing that will be handy when all that digital stuff runs of out of battery juice or is lost in the ocean. Plus if you take it with you and e-mail it to yourself, it will be accessible at any business center of your local hotel. Just don’t forget your password.