Back To The Grind

Sometimes I feel like I totally go off course and that I’ve been off course for a long time.  Thank God I am writing these blogs because it just proves to me that my little detours have only been for short periods as opposed to lifetimes.  I have so many things that I want to accomplish that I am not finding the time for and also getting held up in road blocks.  A couple of days ago I talked about not being able to actually upload my video content and not really knowing how to insert video from other sites…videos that I really liked and would recommend seeing.  So I need to give myself a little pat on the back for actually getting that help that I needed to be able to move forward. 

I have got to admit that that road block also transferred to my exercise time and my practice.  Its been about a week and half since I have a really good workout, a really good singing practice, and a guitar practice.  I wonder if the crazy weather attributed to it.   I know that the traffic to the city has been wearing me out, so I have made  a point to try and take the train a couple of time per week.  It is so much better for me stress wise.  I am not freaking out in traffic for and hour and half to go a distance that would regularly take me 20 minutes if there was no traffic at all.  AAAArrrggg!  It is so frustrating.

For a moment, my mind veared away from my singing and thoughts of another passion of mine, helping and motivating other women to live their dreams too, creeped in and took over for while.  I am formulating my plans to share with other women business owners how to utitlize the internet to take their dream business to the next level, especially mom’s, who feel like there is not enough time in the day for themselves nor their dreams.  I am going to keep developing on that plan but stay the course as far as my plans for my music career.

What Are the Specifics

I really believe that by putting my goals out there for the world to see will put me under the pressure and keep me accountable enough to actually accomplish these goals.  It’s definitely something I think is scary to do, BUT I think it will keep me in check because I don’t like to give excuses as to why I didn’t accomplish something.  So before I write down my goals for the 90 Day Challenge, I have to truly analyze what I can give myself to do without overwhelming myself.  I’ve to balance and be realistic.  So here is a list so far…

I want to get out at least one email newsletter a week, so that my friends,family and fans (which can all be one person:)) can be kept up to date on the new things that are going on in my life as well as when they can see a new performance or get my latest release.  I need to hire a babysitter just to assist me a couple of days a week so that I can practically have another set of eyes and hands watching the baby.  I can set aside some time to practice more, get some performance footage, get my email newsletter out and get some much needed couple time with my hubby.  I want to maintain a good work out regimen.  I have been running  a few miles at a time with 4-5 mile runs on Saturday mornings at the beach…BUT haven’t been for the past couple of weeks.  I’ve gotta get back on it because I need to lose the last bit of baby weight that I gained when I was pregnant.  I want to step my workouts up a notch and probably go to the gym a couple of times a week during lunch. I want to find and buy a house, too.  Ok…weremy goals a little too ambitious; 1 email newsletter a week, hiring a babysitter, practicing and tapig performances, date nights with hubby, regular workouts and, buying a house.    I think it is all doable, especially if I follow my own advise I’ve written about in previous blogs about scheduling mytime as a Singer/Mommy/Wife /Motivator. 

I’ll keep you all updated as to where I am and what has been accomplished.  Let me know what your goals are and we can keep eachother accountable.  Good luck.  Peace and soul grease, Nichole Ayanna

Marketing Your Music-Blogging Tips

One of the best ways to brand yourself as an indie music artist online is to create a blog. It can be about your experiences as the band, where you are going and what you are planning for the future, or it would be set up like a diary of some sort. It can also be set up to share information on how to produce music, or play an instrument using some original chord progression or something. Whatever your blog covers, has got to relay info from your experience or your opinion to really be good and intriguing to your readers. Here are few tips to great blog writing.

1. Be consistent with your Posts – You should post your blog regularly so that your readers have fresh content to look at, at least once week. One way to set up your blog so that you are not tied to it all the time is to write some of the posts in advance and then set them for the date you want them to post in the future.

2. Find Your Niche – Make sure you are targeting those people that you want to reach with the messages in your blog. Hone in on the audience you are addressing and make sure you are giving them the content that they are seeking. For instance, are they your fans, or are fans of hip-hip underground you write about, or are they guitarist who want to learn more about playing acoustic…you have to choose your audience and focus.

3. Refer to Other Blogs or Articles in your Niche – By referring to other blogs or articles that can give your audience the information they are for, you become a resource that they can come back to. While I’m on this point, there is great course called www.thenicheblogger.com, where this house wife, Amy, created a day by day instructional program to help you get started blogging, and shows you how to make money with your blog.

4. Become a Decent Writer – You should concentrate on writing well, gramatically, as well, as in how you relay the information that you are writing about. I learned from June Jordan, famous poet, that you should write how you would speak, and someone would understand you. Make it easy to read and not too stuffy. I’m not the best writer, but I hope I’m getting my point across.

5. Write About Things You Know – Write about this that you can back up with experience and stories about the experince you have. You’ll become some what of an expert as your blog grows.

6. Be a Real Person- Let people know that you are real by including a bit of your personality in your blog. Do you have any special sign off at the end of your posts? Can you share a little story that reflects the kind of person you are, that your readers can relate to? Do that and your readers will become more connected to your blog.

7. Make it Easy to Look At – Make the design of your blog inviting but don’t over do it. You want to make it easy for your readers to stay on your blog and read each post.

8. Blog, Blog, Blog – Sometimes blogging can get a little boring, but it can be so rewarding, financially, if you use it as a tools to market your music. You can also market affiliate programs you belong to as well. For instance, you can talk about certain books that you like and link people to them on amazon.com and make money if they buy it, if you are member of Amazon.com’s affiliate program. For more affilate programs check out clickbank.com

9. Use Tag Keywords – Use some great tag keywords. Maybe your blog can relate to something else that is “hot” going on. Use those “hot” tag keywords to attract more people to your blog.

10. Market Your Blog – Make sure that everybody knows the name of your blog. Allow search engines to search for your blog for relevant content.

Stick to it and you will be successful. For more help on blogging go to www.thenicheblogger.com and join the course.