I recently came across Pexels and since then it has become the FIRST place I check out when looking for stock.

If you are looking for stock, be sure to check it out. Below are the amazing results I got when doing a search for "kids".

I cannot tell you how many times my company was in the news and I was not even notified. However, now instead of missing out on the information, I find out via Google Alerts (a totally free, easy, and awesome service provided by Google).  What is Google Alerts?

Defined by Google:
“Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your queries. Enter a search query you wish to monitor. You will see a preview of the type of results you'll receive.” 

Link:
https://www.google.com/alerts

How to Use Google Alerts:
Set up multiple Google alerts. (It’s free and easy so why not do this now?)  I have the following alerts set-up for my first business, www.NJYP.org:
"Get out. Make friends." (my tag line)
"Laura Occhipinti"
"Members meet at restaurants, bars, in coffee houses, at comedy clubs, and even outdoors" (my main copy)
"New Jersey" "Young Professionals" 
NJ "Young Professionals"
NJYP

As you can see, not only am I seeking information that may appear about my organization, but I am also keeping an eye on whether anyone is using my tag line and copying illegally, talking about me by name, or talking about Young Professionals in NJ. 

Bottom Line:
It will take you less than a minute to set up a few Google Alerts.  An alert will keep you updated on who is talking about you and it also may help you figure out who is stealing your ideas.

Whenever you create a new group on Facebook, you need to decide if your group should be Closed, Public, or Secret.

Pick CLOSED every time!

Public Groups
If a group is public it means all the posts in the group are public.  Anyone can navigate to that group and see what every member said.  More importantly, it means a member's post MAY show up in their newsfeed.  Depending on the topic of your group, your members may not feel safe posting.

For instance in a breastfeeding support group a new mom may not want ALL of her FB friends to know she is having a hard time with Postpartum Depression. She may just want the support of her fellow BFing moms. If your group is public she probably wouldn't bother posting.

Secret Groups
If you want people to be able to find and join your group via a search then DO NOT pick Secret. Secret groups are 100% secret which means admins and members can add more members. No one will be able to find it.

Closed Groups
Closed groups are the happy in between. They will come up in a search BUT only members will be able to see what has been posted.

In a past blog I spoke about how to respond when your ideal client posts in your local FB group. In order to "stalk" these local groups, you FIRST need to be a MEMBER of them.  So today let's talk about how to find the groups.

One of the best ways to find local Facebook groups in the area you service is to ask for referrals. Go to all of the groups you currently belong to and post something like this:

"I am looking to join more local FB groups. Does anyone have a group they recommend?"

Believe it or not, some of the biggest groups I belong to are SECRET groups.  If a group is classified as secret, it will never come up in a FB group search. 

There are a number of reasons an admin may make the group secret but the most common reason is due to spam.  I admin multiple groups and the bigger the group is, the more spammers request to join.  Because of all the spam requests, I need to go into every membership "application" and decide if the person trying to join is a spammer. This takes time.

If I make a group secret, however, it means spammers will never find the group.  New members would come into the group by way of referral (friends adding friends).  As an admin, a secret group means less admin work fighting the spammers.

I don't know why, but FB makes it hard for people to search for groups!  There is a way to do it though, just follow the steps below for this example of what a birth worker who serves Miami should do.  

Notice I did not search for "Miami moms".  I kept it broad so I could scan through hundreds of groups and decide where my clients may be.  If I had done a search for Miami Moms I would have missed out on groups named "Moms of Miami", "Miami Mamas", "Miami Mommies", "Lesbian Moms Living in Miami", etc.

So now that you were able to find and join local FB groups, what should you do!?  You need to participate in the communities, "stalk" the communities, and run contests.  

By now you've seen someone post, something like this, in your favorite peer to peer Facebook group:

"Hi, I want to build my own website. What did you use to build your website?"

Usually the replies go like this:
Weebly
Wix
Wix
Squarespace
Weebly
Wordpress
Wordpress

All over the place, right? And you'll often notice that people LOVED whatever platform they used. But which is the best?

I can tell you, ALL of these platforms create BEAUTIFUL website (when used correctly).
ALL of these platforms also come at an affordable price.  (Weebly and Wix could be completely free but then you are stuck with their name in your URL and on your website; please don't do that).

The real question you need to ask is "Which of these platforms is right for ME."

To figure out which platform is right for you here's what you need to do (note: this is exactly what I did when I needed a new website a few years ago):

• Get some photos ready. These photos don't have to be perfect but you will want to spend about 10 minutes going through Pixabay gathering some free photos that may work for your website. You are going to want to see how hard/easy it is to create a website with big beautiful images.
• Next, carve out 4 hours in your schedule. You can schedule all 4 hours at once or pick 4 1-hour time slots over a period of 4 days.
• Sit down at your computer (not your phone or tablet) and spend 1 hour creating a website using Wix, 1 hour creating a website using Weebly, and so on.
• Important note: Wix, Weebly and Squrespace will all let you try the platforms for free.  You'll create an account and be ready to go. Wordpress is more complicated and you'll have to spend at least $5 (hosting fee) to try out Wordpress.org (this is the one that everyone uses. Watch this great video that talks about your WP options. .
• If you don't know what 5 pages every website should have, watch my webinar. It's a good place to get you started.

AFTER you do this 4 hour testing period, ask yourself:

• Which platform was easiest to use?
• Which platform gave you the best results in an hour?
• Which platform had you pulling out your hair!

For me, Weebly (affiliate link) was the CLEAR winner.  

The website you are on right now is a Weebly website.  I actually love Weebly so much, that I now teach others how to build Weebly websites.  You can learn more about my next class here.

As always, if you have questions, just comment on this blog. I'll get back to you :)

I have already written about why you MUST be blogging!  Now you are asking me, "What can I write about!?".

​Here are some QUICK TRICKS to coming up with blog topics.

I guarantee that it will take you less than 5 minutes to apply tactic 1, 2, and 3.  I am also pretty sure that the Facebook community will provide you with way more than 25 topics.

Tactic 4 is a little more complicated so only resort to it if 1-3 come up short.

PRO TIP: When posting to Facebook, consider the best time to post.  I personally avoid posting on the weekends and on holidays. If many of your clients are parents, avoid school drop of and pick up times and instead post around 9am and after kids' bedtimes.

If you are not blogging, you are missing out on potential clients.  Hopefully, after reading this BLOG (see what I did there?) you'll see the benefits too!

So, even if you think you aren't a good writer or you "HATE" writing, please consider adding a blog to your website. If you need a website be sure to check out my next class on how to EASILY build one.

One of the best things I've ever done for my business was to create my own Mastermind Group.  If you have not yet heard the term "Mastermind," then you may have been offline for the past year.  Mastermind groups are popping up all over Facebook, as live events in big and small cities, and even in your own neighborhood.

Success Alliance defines a Mastermind Group as, "Mastermind groups offer a combination of brainstorming, education, peer accountability and support in a group setting to sharpen your business and personal skills. A mastermind group helps you and your mastermind group members achieve success."

In the Fall of 2013 I decided that I needed to belong to a Mastermind Group in order to "freshen" up my business.  I was feeling like I was stagnant and I could benefit from hearing new ideas and be inspired by seeing other business owners who were growing their businesses.

There were no Mastermind Groups in my area so I started my own (how I did it is posted below).  I can confidently say that I would not be where I am today with out the group.  There are a total of 6 of us in the group, all women and all with very different businesses.  We are, however, all self-employed full time (no one has a "real" job) and we all have children (so the struggles to run a business and raise children exist for us all).  I look forward to the meetings every month as they serve as a burst of inspiration for me!

Ready to start your own group (or find one that already exists)?  Here's what I did:  

Set Expectations:

• First, set up some clear expectations and rules.  This way everyone knows what is required of them.
  
• In my group you must come to 9 of the 12 meetings a year. This way people take it seriously.
  
• Meetings are at 7:30pm, 1x a month on a date we all agree to (at the previous meeting).
  
• All meetings are at my home (I like it that way) but if you want to rotate locations make sure you say so.
  
• Secrecy is a must.  Everything discussed is to remain confidential.
  

Recruitment:

• I recommend a Mastermind Group have 5-7 members.  
  
• Members can be from totally different businesses.  I do not think it matters since everyone's business involves the same components (sales, marketing, clients/customers, websites, taxes, etc).
  
• You should not have competitors in the group (so do NOT have two massage therapists in the group).
  
• You can first see if anyone you personally know would like to join. Send them a private message letting them know what the expectations are.
  
• If you want even more members then post to your local FB groups about what you are doing (this is what I did). Make sure you have some sort of screening process, you are not going to want just anyone to join.  Post that you are taking applications or that you're hosting a networking event at a public place so you can pre-screen potential members. If you are taking people "off the street" you are going to want to make sure they have good social  and communication skills, a real business, and well, that they are not crazy.
  

What a Meeting Can Look Like:

• The host should put out some beverages and snacks. We have wine at every meeting :)
• As the creator of the group you are the leader.  Start up the meeting by having one person talk about their business and what troubles (or successes) they are having.  
• Go around the room like this, each person taking a turn.  You'll see that naturally group members will throw out questions for the group and the group will have feedback or answers. There is no need to force anything! But if someone is talking too long or the group goes off on a tangent bring them back around.
• At the end of the meeting (this is optional) have each member state ONE accountability goal that they will accomplish by the next meeting.  The leader should write these goals down and bring them up at the next meeting.

Between Meetings:

• Create a secret Facebook group for the members of your Mastermind.
• Between meetings encourage them to share.
• You can also post the date of the next meeting here, resources shared in the last face to face meeting, everyone's accountability goals etc.

If you have any questions about how to start a MASTERMIND group ASK below by commenting. I'd love to help you out anyway I can.

Are you ready to step up your game!?

If you are using an @gmail or @hotmail or @aol type account for your business, now is your change to look a little more #profresh.

Get a professional email account via Google Apps for 50% off! 
It's the email service I've been using for YEARS and I love it.

Steps:
Go here, http://goo.gl/sPHVsQ (affiliate link)
When asked us code "9TMA3MMHVVLJGX"

* You'll get 50% off the first year.  Normal cost is $50 per year so you'll pay $25 for the first year.
* You'll have ONE email addess, typically people do Name@YourWebsite.com

This offer expires December 31st.

Too often I come across business owners who have "lost" access to their domain (aka www.businessname.com).  Here is how the story goes:

"My ________ bought the domain for me because I had no idea what I was doing.  Now s/he is ignoring my calls and emails and texts.  Now what?"

You can fill in the  ______ with: boyfriend, programmer, husband, good friend, girlfriend, wife, son, daughter, etc.

If they are ignoring you and basically holding your domain hostage you need to kiss that domain good-bye.  To get it back (assuming the other party does not want to give it back) would mean bringing them to court.

Because stories like this are so common I NEVER EVER will buy a domain for someone.  I simply send them these instructions: 

1. Go here http://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/redirect/go.asp?isc=cjcdplink and enter the domain you want.
2. Hit Select (make sure you are picking the right one and not another option that GoDaddy throws at you).
3. Hit Continue to Cart.
4. Now GoDaddy is going to try to sell you the WORLD! Say NO to everything.
5. They are going to try to get you to buy even more stuff on the shopping cart page, ignore it all. 
6. If they want you to buy more than 1 year, change it to 1 or 2 years (your choice).
7. Now, open a NEW window and GOOGLE around for a coupon code! There is ALWAYS a coupon code out there. Find a good code and enter it BEFORE you check out, on the Shopping Cart Page.
8. If your total is not around $12 or less make sure GoDaddy didn't sneak something into the cart.

More Tips:

• GoDaddy will ask for a physical address. Know that this information will be public so either pay for the privacy OR use your PO Box (or a friend's). You can always add privacy later so no worries if you want to run out and buy a PO box. For YEARS I did not hide my address and nothing bad ever happened.
• Buy a .com  Do not buy a .org or a .guru or a .info.  Make it a .com.
• If this is your first time creating a GoDaddy account make sure you use a REAL email and phone number.  You will need to verify things.
• After you buy it, set up an alarm in your phone and on your calendar (yes, two alarms) to go off 1 month BEFORE your domain will expire.  So if you paid for 1 year set it to go off at 11 months.  You will want to make sure you RENEW that domain. If you forget to renew there are companies out there who will buy your domain and then ask you to pay them hundreds of dollars to get it back.

The link I posted above is an affiliate link. That means I get a kickback if you buy a domain through GoDaddy.  But kickback or not, I strongly recommend GoDaddy. They are HUGE, so I know the company is not going to disappear. Their customer service is the BEST I've seen.  You can call them up and get real help. Sometimes they even call you just to make sure everything is OK or to remind you your domain is about to expire. Really, I love them. The only reason not to love GoDaddy is (as you saw) they try to upsell you on services.

Now that you've bought your own domain you know it is safe (just do not lose the password) :)

In my webinar on The 5 Pages Your Website Must Have, I talk about how head shots are mandatory!  

The Birth Workers featured in this blog, offered up their head shots for the world to see. As you may notice, they are setting the industry standard and YOU need to keep up. 

I also want you to take note that MANY of them paid NOTHING for their photo.  Some had friends take their picture and others traded their services.

Do YOU want a free head shot too?  In my Launch with Laura class I go over how to get a head shot and what to do during the shoot.  I also talk about my rookie mistake (knowing it will save you time and money.

A huge thanks to everyone who participated!

If you watched my webinar on The 5 Pages Your Website Must Have, then you know that I believe everyone should have an active blog.

In a nutshell, here’s what blogging will do for you.

• Blogging at least 2x a month will show potential customers that your website and your business has life. 
  
• Blogging will allow you to present yourself as an expert.
  
• Blogging will help with your SEO (the google gods will love you more).
  
• Blogging will allow you to form or strengthen relationships with your customers or future customers (they’ll get to you know, you’ll get to know them when they comment, etc).
  

I wanted to INSPIRE non-bloggers, or those struggling to blog, so I reached out to the Birth Worker Community and asked them to share their most popular blogs with me. 

The topics are varied but all have ONE thing in common. All of these blogs are written FOR CLIENTS (moms, pregnant moms, soon to be pregnant moms, and dads too!).  Remember that your peers (fellow birth workers) are not who your blog is for.

So let's take a look at these talented, professional, women who are leading the pack in the BW blogging world!

In no particular order:

#1. 'Twas the Night Before Labor 
Author: Ali Fallis
Link: http://www.lifeslightdoula.com/blog/twas-the-night-before-labor
Laura’s Notes: The Huffington Post picked up this blog!  

#2. A day at home with your postpartum doula
Author: Devon Clement
Link: http://mamasbestfriend.com/day-home-postpartum-doula/
Laura’s Notes: I personally share this blog with everyone who thinks they need a “baby nurse”.  What they really mean is they need a PPD! 

#3. I Left My Infant In The Car
Author: Amber Mohr
Link: http://brentwooddoula.com/2015/08/i-left-my-infant-in-the-car/
Laura’s Notes: I love how this made Amber very real and human.  Any parent who made a mistake  (um, all of them) can relate to this blog.  

#4. Our Birth Story
Author: Tenaj Ikner
Link: http://sojourningthru.com/2013/07/01/our-birth-story/
Laura’s Notes: Everyone loves a good story.  Every mom loves a good birth story even more!

#5. Too Bad You Had to Switch To Formula
Author: Lindsey Harman
Link: http://www.arrivalarts.com/arrival-blog/2015/8/5/she-doesnt-care-about-her-baby-so-she-gave-it-formula
Laura’s Notes:  This blog hit 3000 views on Facebook alone! Not too shabby. By the way, I teared up a little reading this.

#6. Isn’t my Husband my Doula?
Author: Amanda Mason
Link: http://www.brownwooddoula.com/blog/isnt-my-husband-my-doula
Laura’s Notes: EXCELLENT informational piece that could help a lot first time moms (and dads).

#7. The Authentic Truth of Breastfeeding with Poland Syndrome (Part 1 and 2)
Author: Sarah Case
Link: https://www.tinysparrowphotography.com/2015/08/poland-syndrome-breastfeeding-photos/
Laura’s Notes: Another great story! Are you starting to see that you (and others) love reading stories?

#8. 5 Reasons Chico is a Great Place to Have a Baby
Author: Sarah Tingy Gordon
Link: http://www.chicobirthservices.com/blog/5-reasons-chico-is-a-great-place-to-have-a-baby-by-a-chico-doula
Laura’s Notes: Everyone loves a good list! When she sent this to me I didn’t even know where (or what) Chico was but her title made me want to click. Clearly this blog is great for those who may be doing a google search for ‘chico doula’. Actually, just an FYI for Sarah, I just did a google search and Chico Birth Services is 1st page, 3rd website down!

#9. Beautiful is Your Postpartum Body
Author: Eizabeth Luke
Link: http://firstcoastdoulas.com/2015/07/beautiful-is-your-postpartum-body/
Laura’s Notes: Yup, Elizabeth proves you can given turn your poem into a blog.  This blog got about 1000 views.

#10. 15 Reasons you Need a Doula
Author: Maria Pokluda
Link: http://greatexpectationsbirth.com/2015/03/15/15-reasons-you-want-a-doula-at-your-birth/
Laura’s Notes: Another great list that educates.  This blog gets 700 views PER MONTH!

#11. Top Ten Tips for Writing a Birth Plan
Author: Bethany Sawhill
Link: http://phoenixfamilybirth.com/birth-plan-tips/
Laura’s Notes: Not only is there great info, Bethany even gives away a worksheet at the end of this blog (genius).

#12. Why you won’t hear me suggest galactogogues
Author: Tipper Gallagher
Link: http://theboobgeek.com/blog/why-you-wont-hear-me-suggest-galactogogues.html
Laura’s Notes: This blog received 31,000+ views. She published it June 2013 and August 2015 people are STILL commenting on it! Need I say more?  

#13. Birth Partner No No’s
Author: Justine Geberdt
Link: http://www.allaboutbirthboutique.ca/blog/birth-partner-no-nos/
Laura’s Notes: Justine pulled off serious and funny at the same time. Plus this blog has gotten 7k+ views. 

#14. I love TEA!! Safe herbal teas for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Author: Ashley Shea
Link: http://yoginimomma.com/2013/12/07/i-love-tea-safe-herbal-teas-for-pregnancy-and-breastfeeding/
Laura’s Notes: This blog has gotten 10k views so far!  Think of how many moms google “safe tea pregnancy”.

#15. Attack Formula Companies--Not Formula Feeders
Author: Christy Jo Hendricks
Link: http://birthingandbreastfeeding.blogspot.com/2014/10/attack-formula-companies-not-formula.html
Laura’s Notes: 37,758 views so far on this one. Christy Jo's blog is for professionals because that is who your clients are.  If you are a birth worker who trains other birth workers your blog should be for peers as well.
 
#16. You’re Not Allowed to Not Allow Me
Author: Cristen Pascucci
Link: http://birthmonopoly.com/allowed/
Laura’s Notes: 76k likes, 250,000 views (that’s not a typo).

#17. 13 Myths About VBAC
Author: Jen Kamel
Link: http://vbacfacts.com/13myths/
Laura’s Notes: 128,000 views.  This was the only VBAC blog submitted to me, which is surprising because it is a popular topic among moms in Facebook groups. More VBAC blogs from others please :)

#18. Cervical Scar Tissue – A Cause of Preventable C-Sections
Author: Dawn Thompson
Link: http://improvingbirth.org/2012/07/cervical-scar-tissue-a-cause-of-unnecessary-c-sections/
Laura’s Notes: Great facts may get you 1 MILLION views! Wow.

#19. Denying the Pain of Labour is Like Denying the Pain of Life
Author: Nadia Raafat
Link: http://nadiaraafat.com/index.php/blog/49-denying-the-pain-of-labour-is-like-denying-the-pain-of-lifehi
Laura’s Notes: Another blog that was published in the Huffington Post.

#20. Early Labor: What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You
Author: Kate Novotny
Link: http://taprootdoula.com/2015/07/23/early-labor-what-your-doctor-wont-tell-you/
Laura’s Notes: This blog has another irresistible title.  I challenge a first time pregnant mom to read that title and NOT click it.

#21. 5 Awesome Things About Oxytocin You Probably Don’t Know
Author: Emily Fontes
Link: http://www.serenedoulas.com/5-awesome-things-about-oxytocin-you-probably-dont-know/
Laura’s Notes: Another great list that is easy to absorb. 

When I first started out I used an @hotmail.com address for my business.  This was in 2004 before @gmail.com was public.  But after I few years I knew it was time for an @MyDomain.com email address.  By then I had a gmail account and I loved the ease of it so signing up with Google Apps was a no-brainer.

Your Google Apps email looks just like gmail but the address will be @YourDomain.com instead of @gmail.com. The cost is $5 a month per user or $50 a year.

To save some money go here (affiliate link) and give this promo code a try. It is first come, first served so it may or may not work.

• 9LRQNKTJGANMHQ

Starting on 4.21.15 Google began ranking Mobile Friendly websites HIGHER in the search results.

What this means?
If someone searches for "San Diego Doula" the websites that are mobile friendly will show up higher on the search page. A non-mobile website may not show up at all.

Is your website mobile friendly?
There is a quick way to find out. Just go here and enter your URL.

Did your website fail the test?
Then you need to upgrade right away! If you are using Wix, Weebly, SquareSpace then contact their customer service to see what your options are.

If your website needs a full upgrade, then check out my Launch with Laura Class where I will teach a group of birth workers how to build a Weebly website.

In 2004 I started a business by accident.  The short story is I had moved for a new job and I wanted to make local friends.  I started a social group online and 100 joined it the first week.  Within 2 years, I was able to quit my job (I worked with troubled youth) and run the group full time. Revenue came in from membership dues, event fees, and sponsors.  The group was HUGE.

In the early months I had no logo. I also had no budget for a graphic designer because the company was not bringing in any money at that time.  So I did what anyone would do, I started with a DIY logo (I think it was made using MS Word but I'm not sure).

2 years later, when there finally was decent revenue, I was able to get a professional logo, created by a professional graphic designer.

The point of this story is you have to start somewhere.  Having a DIY/starter logo may have kept my business from growing quickly or maybe it didn't, who knows.  I just know that I did the best I could with the resources I had.

My starter logo was good enough and once I was able to make money, I was able to upgrade.

Recently, in peer to peer Facebook groups, I noticed that some were saving up for a logo.  So they had NO logo at all and were expecting it to take a long time to save.  Often professional logos are anywhere from $300 to $1000.

I wanted to show people that the lack of a logo does not have to hold them up!  So I did something I've never done before. I went to Fiverr to get a logo for one of the members of Birth Worker Mastermind. 

I posted every step of my $5 logo experiment below so you can repeat it for your business. The worst that can happen is you lose a small amount of money. But the BEST thing that can happen is you walk away with a logo you can use until you grow your business.

Step 1
I went to Fiverr then to Logo Design.

Step 2
I flipped through the artists. 
I looked for those who had portfolios that I liked.  
I looked for those who had good ratings.
I read up on what you get for $5 (some would provide the original files, others wouldn't, some would do 3 logos, some just one, some offered unlimited revisions, some offered no revisions).
I narrowed the artists down to THREE.

Step 3
I sent Artist B and C the message below.
Artist A was going to create her own original drawing, so I told her I wanted a shell and a pearl.

Note, there is NO need to send an image to the artists. I just wanted to see what they would do with it and without it.  

You SHOULD however, send them a color palette.

Name of the Business:
Jersey Shore Doula

Color Palette:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/7e/2a/d6/7e2ad68eae22dcb869397ae7696b6f2a.jpg

Image:
See attached. Pick the pearl and shell image (you can delete the box that is around it).
I am looking for you to use this image AND to do an alternative logo where you pick a pearl and shell image that you like. 

I am picturing the image of the shell on the left and the words to the right.

Step 4
I received all of the logos within a few days.
Total spent was $16.50 ($5.50 per artist).
Everyone allowed for edits but I didn't opt for any since this was just an experiment.

Artist A

Artist B

Artist C

In my personal opinion, there are SEVERAL good logos here! Artist A and C really shined.  Artist B was horrible! My 4 year old could have made better logos.

All three artists allowed for edits. So I could have easily asked them to tweak the fonts or the layout.

I think the most important takeaway is that many of those who start a business start it with a very low budget.  It is ok if your logo or website is not perfect your first day in business.  Keep doing what excites, the money will follow, and then you can get a fancy logo that better represents your brand.

This past week Dollar Photo Club closed it's doors to accepting new members.  If you have been following my blogs or webinars you know that Dollar Photo Club was my go to for Stock Photos.  Each image was $1 and their collection was amazing!

Here's what it means to you:
If you currently have a membership it seems you can continue to get the $1 images. Just make sure you do not let your credit card expire and do not cancel your membership. If you feel like you have too many stock photo credits in your account you can always see if any of your peers or friends need stock photos! No where else can they get $1 images.

If you missed the boat and need stock photos I suggest you check out Fotolia (affiliate link). You can follow the steps in the image below and get $2 images that are medium in size (they'll fit across your websites and blogs. Clearly this is double the price but it's the best deal I could find right now.

Below are the steps to get the $20 a month for 10 images deal.

Many of the "good" Facebook groups do not allow blatant advertising.  For instance you can't post something like this on the wall anytime you want:

But some groups will allow some sort of "advertising". Usually it will look like this:

• Every Friday you can post an ad like you see above.
  
• You can share your blog as long as it sticks to the topic of the group.
• You can run a contest that truly gives something away (no half off discount but a true FREE item/service).
• If you are running a FREE event, you can post it any time you want.

If you belong to a group that has exceptions, as I stated above, that is a WIN for you! Now the trick is to make sure your post does not get pushed down and buried by the normal, every day chatter or by other people's "ads".

The secret to making sure your ad gets seen is to get people to comment on it. Every time someone comments on a post in a FB group, that post gets bumped up to the top!


Here are some examples of what to do regarding the possible scenarios I posted above.

1. For these scenarios:

• Every Friday you can post an ad like you see above.
• You can share your blog as long as it sticks to the topic of the group.

What to do:

• Do not just post the ad or your blog.  Post A QUESTION along with your ad or blog.
  

Sample post:
"After I had a doula at the birth of my first child I knew it was the career for me!  Did you have a doula at your birth? http://brentwooddoula.com/"

"So tell me moms, how much did the ultrasound tech say your baby weighted VS the actual weight at birth? http://brentwooddoula.com/2015/06/size-matters/"

If this blog helped you then it may help others.  Please share it with friends and with groups you are in.  For bonus points, ask a question when you share it so others will comment ;)  

So you've been stalking Facebook groups (as I discussed in my webinar) but you are noticing that when someone asks:

"Can anyone recommend a [insert birth worker title here] who serves the area?"

That the post is FILLED with recommendations (by both the birth workers themselves and former clients).

Below is an actual post from one of the FB groups I own. There were 4 Placenta Encapsulation that were referred multiple times (you'll see that PC C was mentioned 5 times).

*I coded them as PC A, etc for privacy reasons. 

What is a birth worker to do?

Here is what I recommend:
1. Always post a "Kind Reply".  Follow the steps in the past blog.  Even if you feel it is pointless to post as your comment is already 16 deep do it!  

2. If this is YOUR group (you own it and moderate it) you need to revamp your rules ASAP!  Add something like this to the description: 
This group is moderated by [your name] of [your website] and you can PM her here, [your personal FB page url]. [your name] is a [job title] servicing the [your region].
Please
- Do not post anything that is a solicitation for another doula or placenta capsulator. 
- Be kind to each other.
- etc.

3. If you don't own a group start one! This way, YOU can create the rules AND come across as an expert and leader in the community.  I talk about how to start a group in the webinar.

4. Consider starting a brand ambassador program.  Basically you will form a team of clients who used your services and loved you (you super fans).  They'll back you up on Facebook (in a genuine and transparent way) and you'll reward them (perhaps with free services, free classes, invites to private play dates, etc).  Google around for more information, they are VERY popular right now.

5. Above all, what you DON'T want to do is nothing.  If you do nothing, I guarantee that client will not become yours.

Do you want to dominate in Facebook groups? Check out my next online class (available for a limited time).

If you watched my Webinar on how to use Facebook Group to find clients, then you are hopefully doing a few new things.  

1. You own a Facebook group by now.
2. You are stalking the groups you do not own.
3. You are running Facebook contests like a champ!

In order to apply these three strategies, you MUST use your personal Facebook profile.  Here's my personal profile (feel free to friend me).  

If you are using your personal Facebook profile it means people are going to PM (private message) you via Facebook.  Trust me, they will. They are going to ask you questions about your group, they are going to want your services, they are going to have contest question, etc.

Of course, by now, you know how to check your Facebook emails. But did you know that Facebook has this ridiculous thing called your "Other" folder.  Sometimes people, who you are not friends with, will PM you and their message will go into the "Other" folder.  If someone is NOT your friend they are probably potential client!

What is even more crazy is you CANNOT ACCESS this folder from your phone! Isn't that crazy! 

Here's what you need to do to get to your other folder:  
Login to your FB account from a computer. 
Top right click the mail icon (circled below).
Then to the right of the Inbox click OTHER.

It is important to check this folder at least every few days.
Odds are, if a potential client PMs you THIS is where the PM will go.

So I'm curious. How many emails were in your Other folder? Where any of them important? Please post your answer below by commenting.

In my free webinar I spoke about "stalking" Facebook groups.  By stalking groups you can often "advertise" your services without breaking the group rules that say "no spam".  

For example, when a pregnant woman posts this question:
"Can anyone recommend a doula and midwife who have experience with home births?"

MOST group admins* will be ok with you posting about your services. 

Now, the big mistake I see is how the service provider (that's you) responds.

Here is how NOT to reply to a post:
- I'm a doula!
- I have experience.
- www.yourdoulawebsite.com
- www.facebook.com/yourdoulawebsite

None of these replies say much about you nor are they friendly, kind, easy or professional.  Facebook groups are communities.  You want your reply to be supportive and easy to understand.  No one has time to go back and forth with you if you just reply saying "I'm a doula.".  We are all very very busy, so if you can take some of the "work" off the pregnant mom that will go a long way.

Now here is WHAT a good reply looks like:
- Congratulate the mom! Show her you recognize how excited she must be and that she's not just another pregnant woman to you.
- Let her know you can help her.  Personally, when I send a support question to a company and the support team replies with "I can help you" it immediately makes me feel so good! Even before I read through the email I feel good.
- Verify what  you do and that you are taking new clients (assuming you are).  
- Make it very very easy for her to contact you, include your phone number, email, and website! This may seem like overload BUT everyone has their favorite way to communicate (personally, I'm an email kinda gal). The other reason you want to post all of this is because OTHER MOMS are reading your reply! They may not be ready to announce they are pregnant, or maybe they plan to get pregnant soon. You'll be shocked at how many moms (on the side) will PM you asking you questions about your services.
- ALWAYS, when posting your website on Facebook, include the WWW.  This way the link will be live and people can just click it.  See how we are always thinking about potential clients and how we can make things EASY for them!
- Finally,  make it super easy (there is that EASY word again) for the original poster and Private Message (PM) them (via Facebook).  If a mom mostly uses her phone, instead of a computer, it will be so much easier for her to PM you back rather than copy your email, open her email, paste it, and send you a message.

If all of this seems like a lot of work to you, do not worry. There is nothing wrong with keeping your reply as a template (save it on your computer) and using it again and again (making small adjustments as needed).  

If you want to learn even more about how to use Facebook groups to find clients check out my online class, Marketing with Laura.  Right now doors are open, and you can sign up for the class.  Just know that soon I'll stop registrations and you will not be able to sign up for months.

On many occasions, clients have come to me letting me know their logos were being held "hostage" by a designer.  

Here's how the story goes: 

A relative/friend/stranger created a business logo.  The owner of the company was given a small file so she could use it on her website, which she did.  Then there was a falling out OR the designer just went MIA (not responding to texts, emails, or phone calls). Now what!? A business owner needs to be able to adjust the logo or have large file sizes for printing (a small image will just pixalate if you enlarge it). A business owner may also want to see how the logo looks with different fonts or colors.  Now what?

At this point many business owners may feel trapped but really there are options!

My favorite option is to take back control of your logo! Go to Fiverr and pay someone $5-$10 to recreate your logo.  But you are not going to just ask for them to recreate a bigger file, you are going to ask for things that will protect you in the future.  Here's where you need to do, step by step:

1. Go to Fiverr then GRAPHICS AND DESIGN then LOGO.
2. Find 3-5 designers who have many good, positive reviews.  
3. Send them this message, "Hi - I already have a logo but I want it recreated so I can use it for print and make edits to it in the future.  Please let me know what the cost is for the following:

• Logo must be 300ppi and 14 inches wide (go wider if you plan to ever print giant banners).
• I want to know the names of the fonts you used.
• Send me the file in .png, .gif, .jpg and also send a vector file.

The designers will then let you know what the cost is.  I would expect to pay around $10 for a project like this.  The reason you are messaging 3-5 designers is some will come back with a bid of $25.

If you don't have a program like Photoshop on your computer you will not be able to open the vector file but that is ok.  You'll have the other files that you can use right away. Save the vector file for when you need to make some major changes to the file.

As you probably noticed by now, I am giving away a list of My Favorite Tools.  Well, after nearly a year of having the same list I JUST added a new tool to the document!  The tool is PEEK and really you need to see it in action!

Basically you submit your website and email to Peek.  Peek will then (within a few days) have one of their users do a 5-minute review of your website. The best part is the user is NOT typing up their review.  Instead you can to watch as they interact with your website via screen sharing.  

STEPS (for those who like bullet points):

1. You send Peek your website.
   
2. A user from Peek will click around on your website while recording the screen and their voice.
   
3. Peek will then send you the video so you can see what the user did and said.

The best pro, is that this service is totally free.  The biggest con is that the user is probably not your ideal client so they may not even understand what they are looking at (the entire time they may be trying to understand what a lactation consultant is!).  BUT, and this is a big BUT, you WILL get something out of their review. 

I've used Peek a few times for a few websites and I always learned something.  Once I saw that the user was totally missing a tab of mine because of how I had my menu set up.  This was HUGE and I immediatly went in and updated my website.

So give it a try, it will take second to submit your information to Peek and 5 minutes to watch the video.

What is a Like-a-Thon (sometimes also known as a Like Ladder)
The best way to define this is to show you an example.  Usually a Like-a-Thon is posted in a Facebook Group and goes something like this:

"Hi, I can really use more likes (and I know you can too). Please LIKE my Facebook page and I will like yours back! If we all like each others pages we will end up with 100+ new likes!  Here's my page, post yours in the comments, https://www.facebook.com/momtomommidwifery"

There are 3 main reason you should NEVER EVER participate in a Like-a-Thon.

1. Low Engagement
Let's say you have 100 (real) likes but you participate in a like-a-thon and get 500 new likes, so now you have a total of 600 likes.  When you go to your FB biz page and post a link to your latest blog on "Where to Buy Maternity Clothes on the Cheap", the 500 "fake" likes you got, are not going to click or comment.  Why? They don't care!  They are your peers, they are not pregnant, they are professionals just like you and they already know where to get maternity clothes, and they live far from you (they may not even be in the same time zone). So then out of the 100 REAL likes you have (true customers and fans of yours) let's say only 2 comment.  Facebook will see this as out of 600 fans only 2 engaged (FB is big on engagement) and they will STOP showing your posts to your fans and their friends.  Low Engagement = Low Reach

2. You Will Screw Up Your Chance at Cheap Advertising (I'm talking pennies)
One of the cheapest ways to advertise using Facebook is to set up a FB ad that targets those who LIKED you. You will sometimes just pay pennies to get your ad or blog or special offer in front of your fans.  Clearly if you have "fake" likes you'll just be wasting your money advertising to them but you'll have no choice.  You cannot remove "likes" from your page.

3. It Is Shady and Dishonest
We are in a time in our lives where transparency is in.  People want the truth and if they are not getting the truth they are not afraid to blast lies all over the internet.  If you have "fake" likes, your peers may lose respect for you and your potential customers may go elsewhere.


So now what?  Work on getting Facebook likes from TRUE FANS who love and adore you (after all, you are awesome!).  

Did you like what you read? Sign up for my free WEBINAR!  In it, I will teach you how to really use Facebook to find more clients. Watch it today.

In this FREE webinar you will learn:

• How to use Facebook Groups to find more clients.
  
• 3 separate PROVEN strategies!
  
• How these strategies are all FREE.  I will NOT be talking about paying to “boost” your FB post or buying FB ad space.
  
• How to find more clients ALL from the comfort of your home.
  
• BONUS, if you want the webinar all the way to the end I’m going to give you a special checklist of things you MUST do BEFORE you start using FB groups to find clients.

Sometimes marketing can be overwhelming.  Here are 4 things you can do quickly and easily to get more clients!

1. Edit your email signature. 
Your email signature is what shows up on every email you send. It will not only make you look more professional but it will drive people to your website (and to your Facebook page).  Even if you use the same email for work and clients (which I don't suggest you do)  you should still use your signature.  It will only help to remind friends and family what you do for a living.

• Make sure your website is listed as well as your Facebook URL.
  
• Include your phone number too if you have a business line.
  
• If you are not sure how to edit your signature do a quick google search, for instance "Edit gmail signature" (without the quotes). 
  

Sample of a good signature:
-------------
Max Vita
Owner of Max's Massage
555-555-5555
www.MaxMassage.com
https://www.facebook.com/MaxMassage

2. List your business on your personal Facebook page.
So often I will see a business owner make an interesting post or comment on the wall of a community group I am in.  I want to see learn more about her business so I click her profile and there is no business listed on her personal page.  I'm too lazy to private message her, I just wanted the info quick, so I move on.  

You will drive more traffic to your business if you list it on your personal Facebook page.  This will take you seconds to do!

• Click ABOUT on your personal page then click EDIT YOUR WORK.
  

• If you already have your business listed make sure the information is PUBLIC. This way people do NOT have to be friends with you to see it.

• If you need to add your business click ADD A WORKPLACE then fill out the form as I indicated below.
  

3. Link to your website on your Business Facebook page.
Again, too often I will navigate to a Facebook Business Page and the owner of the business failed to list their website!  This drives me nuts as I just want to see the website so I can get more information. 

You will drive more traffic to your website and this will take you seconds to do!

• Go to your Facebook Business page and under the profile picture hover to where I placed the circle below.
  
• Click the edit button (it will pop up).
  
• Add your website URL and make sure it works (once you hit save).

4. Create a custom Facebook image that will drive traffic to your website.
I just did an entire video blog on this one and I'm sure many of you saw it but didn't do it (yet). But NOW is your chance!  Go here for the video and get this done!

So these are the most common mistakes (that are easy to fix) that I see holistic professionals and birth workers making.  The first 3 you can get done in under 10 minutes total (maybe less if you already know how to edit a signature).  The 4th will take a little longer but may be the MOST powerful! 

Knowledge without action is power wasted!