Oooft, It's been a busy couple of weeks!
When I started this #NoBooksBlog, I was determined it wouldn't become one of those neglected blogs that you stumble upon, which haven't been added to for 5 years.
It's a journey, this whole small business thing; a constant evolution.
I've no idea how people make money out of their blogs, and I have neither the time nor the inclination to look at monetization of it. I have no idea what best practices are, what's right or what's wrong. And you know what, I don't really care, either. From day one, No Books Were Harmed has winged everything haha
I wasn't arty until I was an artist.
I'd only been to one craft fair before practically living at craft fairs.
I'd been in a shopping centre about 10 time in my life, before touring the country via them.
I wasn't a teacher until I'd taught 1000 people to fold books.
I'd no hankering to own a business, until I owned a business.
This is kinda the same. 2020 changed everything, for all of us. And I wasn't complaining. Lots of things needed changed, the world over. It prompted me to rebuild a new website (you're on it) having basically 'plugged and played' since my original one in 2014. This in turn prompted me to re-visit my email list of customers and subscribers, that I'd neglected completely since, what? 2015 maybe? Losing the face to face connection of NoBooksOnTour.com popping up all over the north of the UK left a gap. Not necessarily in sales or orders (Thank goodness), but in real life connection to my customers and followers. I came to the realisation that I was doing you AND myself a disservice by not making more of my email list & blog.
I love social media, but I crunched some numbers, and if you take just Facebook alone, most of my posts are only being shown to about 6% of those lovely people who have liked or followed my page. That means that for every 100 likers, there's about 84 being completely ignored...times that by everyone, and that's about 3800 people NOT seeing ANYTHING I post - totally outwith my control, and, frankly, f**king rude!
So I'm now making regular appearances in your inbox! Sign up below if you haven't already!
Anyhoo. The last couple of weeks has been busssssssy. I was down in Glasgow for my first central belt pop up since Xmas 2019, and then playing catch up with orders and paperwork upon my return. Father's Day is this coming Sunday, and I 'think' the rush is just about over, but THIS has been suuuuuper in demand!
I don't like folding late in to the night, if I can avoid it, but that's exactly when all my webmin gets done, and this week's been no different. I've been building and scheduling email shots, and wondering if I'll ever stop being terrified that I've said something wrong, or spelled something wrong, or linked somewhere wrong, or, just generally, started to piss folk off yet. It's weird. I post all over social media, and it's a bit like pissing in to the wind, especially when the reach is so limited. But I don't give it a second thought. I post throughout the day, on various platforms, and that's that. But emails seem more...personal, private, privileged!
But, as usual, my amaaaazing customers are steering me in the right direction, and giving me unprompted reassurance exactly when I need it ♥
It's a journey, this whole small business thing; a constant evolution.
I've no idea how people make money out of their blogs, and I have neither the time nor the inclination to look at monetization of it. I have no idea what best practices are, what's right or what's wrong. And you know what, I don't really care, either. From day one, No Books Were Harmed has winged everything haha
I wasn't arty until I was an artist.
I'd only been to one craft fair before practically living at craft fairs.
I'd been in a shopping centre about 10 time in my life, before touring the country via them.
I wasn't a teacher until I'd taught 1000 people to fold books.
I'd no hankering to own a business, until I owned a business.
This is kinda the same. 2020 changed everything, for all of us. And I wasn't complaining. Lots of things needed changed, the world over. It prompted me to rebuild a new website (you're on it) having basically 'plugged and played' since my original one in 2014. This in turn prompted me to re-visit my email list of customers and subscribers, that I'd neglected completely since, what? 2015 maybe? Losing the face to face connection of NoBooksOnTour.com popping up all over the north of the UK left a gap. Not necessarily in sales or orders (Thank goodness), but in real life connection to my customers and followers. I came to the realisation that I was doing you AND myself a disservice by not making more of my email list & blog.
I love social media, but I crunched some numbers, and if you take just Facebook alone, most of my posts are only being shown to about 6% of those lovely people who have liked or followed my page. That means that for every 100 likers, there's about 84 being completely ignored...times that by everyone, and that's about 3800 people NOT seeing ANYTHING I post - totally outwith my control, and, frankly, f**king rude!
So I'm now making regular appearances in your inbox! Sign up below if you haven't already!
Anyhoo. The last couple of weeks has been busssssssy. I was down in Glasgow for my first central belt pop up since Xmas 2019, and then playing catch up with orders and paperwork upon my return. Father's Day is this coming Sunday, and I 'think' the rush is just about over, but THIS has been suuuuuper in demand!
I don't like folding late in to the night, if I can avoid it, but that's exactly when all my webmin gets done, and this week's been no different. I've been building and scheduling email shots, and wondering if I'll ever stop being terrified that I've said something wrong, or spelled something wrong, or linked somewhere wrong, or, just generally, started to piss folk off yet. It's weird. I post all over social media, and it's a bit like pissing in to the wind, especially when the reach is so limited. But I don't give it a second thought. I post throughout the day, on various platforms, and that's that. But emails seem more...personal, private, privileged!
But, as usual, my amaaaazing customers are steering me in the right direction, and giving me unprompted reassurance exactly when I need it ♥
So I will carry on trying to rethink how I keep in touch with my #NoBooksTribe. The plan is that my first focus is emails, my second is keeping this blog updated - even though I've no idea how to work out if anyone's reading it - and finally, of course, I'll never stop social media.
As usual, this wasn't going to be the content of today's blog, but there we go haha At least that's another day that it's not been neglected....!
If you've read this, I'd love if you were to leave me a comment below, purely cos I've no idea if that function even works roflmao
And, more importantly, if you follow me on social media, but haven't yet signed up for #NoBooksNews direct to your inbox, you're probably missing a shit load of updates and info, so please, please, sign up below ♥
Right. Book work of the non-foldy kind next!
Until next time, keep on keeping safe!
~ Jo
If you've read this, I'd love if you were to leave me a comment below, purely cos I've no idea if that function even works roflmao
And, more importantly, if you follow me on social media, but haven't yet signed up for #NoBooksNews direct to your inbox, you're probably missing a shit load of updates and info, so please, please, sign up below ♥
Right. Book work of the non-foldy kind next!
Until next time, keep on keeping safe!
~ Jo