When Everything Falls Perfectly Into Place!

Don’t you love when you put a plan into action, and it unfolds just as you hoped? Even the smallest accomplishments in life can be satisfying. At least they are to me. As an optimist, I believe the small achievements give way to the major ones.

I have been writing full time for six months now. Which has always been a desire of mine! The ability to do what I’m most passionate about for a living. When I started virtual assisting, I thought most of my work would come from social media marketing and management with a splash of writing tasks. In the past, it did, but as of lately the majority of contract work has been writing content for websites, articles, and research. I’m not complaining, in fact, I am excited!

Two Drops of Ink adds to my excitement! For those of you who do not follow Two Drops of Ink, first I say… “shame on you!!!” Just kidding, to each their own but you don’t know what you’re missing! I have noticed many of my followers here, and on Instagram and Twitter are now regulars on the site. The literary site has grown tremendously, conquering many obstacles. The move from Blogger to WordPress! The move due to growth served up a hit to it’s following, but Two Drops of Ink overcame it by leaps and bounds. When people love something so much, they will do everything possible to keep it a part of their lives. Along the way the site has earned many awards and is on its way to becoming the best literary site for writers. It’s already in the top 50 best writing blogs that achievement is huge!!! All the new features are a great addition to the site. The Book Shelf is for authors to promote their novels. Wall of Poets debuts the work of seasoned and upcoming poets. Hump Day Humor gives us writers something to laugh about so if you have a funny story or memoir piece submit it. Sunday Spotlight highlights contributors to the site. The site is excellent! I remember coming on board right after the transition. The growth I have seen along the way has been incredible. I also credit my growth as a writer to the site. The camaraderie of the team is like no other. I am ecstatic to be in the company of such great writers. As we speak, I’m working on my next three pieces for Two Drops, and I hope to read a post from you in the future as well.

I will continue to Live, Love, Share!!! This blog is my baby, and yes she has been a little neglected, but I have a strategy. I can function on less sleep!!! LOL!!! For my love of writing and my future literary career, I’m willing to give up a lot!!! So my friends, until next time…soon, have an awesome week and may the power of the pen be with you!!!

 

Qimono on Pixabay

Two Drops Of Ink Literary Blog

 

 

Real Neat Blog Award

Guess what friends; I have been nominated for another blogging award. I am so happy that my blogging friend rniks24I14 nominated me.

According to the rules, I’m supposed to answer 7 questions. I will respond to the questions posted on https://rniks24l14.wordpress.com/2016/12/27/real-neat-blog-award/.

1. Why did I start blogging?

I have been journaling and writing for myself for many years until I stumbled upon blogging. I thought it would be great to share my life, passions, and love of writing with others.

2. Who do I love the most in my life?

My family as a whole they are important to me. My love extends beyond my immediate bloodline. I love ALL   people!!! We were left with one commandment, and it was to Love each other. What if you had no family? Would your love cease to exist?

3. Who is your oldest friend with whom you want to spend the most time?

I would also say myself… It’s important to me as I age to take inventory of my accomplishments and continue to re- evaluate myself. One of my fears is becoming stagnate. I want to reach all the goals I set out for myself and continue to grow as a person. I would hate to look back later in life and say… What if? I should have. I could have. If only I would have.

4. What are your extracurricular activities?

Writing, social media marketing, reading, cooking, shopping with my sister, continuing education. I would love to do more traveling in a few years.

5. In which country do I dream to live?

I have been to a few countries, but America is the place I want to be for right now. I always have wanted to live in Canada. So who knows, if our government can’t get their act together then Canada here I come.

6. What would I say about how the world treats women?

This question deserves a full post!!! (Laughing) It is definitely despicable the way women are viewed in American society. Despite the fact that women have come a long way from back in the 40’s and 50’s we are still not equal. Although, we also have to look at the way we present ourselves in society. When you offer sex as your self-image, then that’s what you will be seen as. When you sell yourself into oppression to the highest bidder than wear your chains with pride. If you are strong, independent and can carry the same load as your male counterpart than hold your head high and never fold. Society should and must treat us as equals, and we should all eat an equal serving from the same plate.

7. A few words to the person who nominated you.

Dear https://rniks24l14.wordpress.com,

I want to thank you for following my blog. It is a pleasure to accept your nomination for the “Real Neat Blog Award.” As I read through your acceptance after being nominated your words gave me insight into you as a person. There is nothing in life that you can not accomplish. You are on the right track! Remain confident and steadfast, and you will accomplish all of your dreams. The word “Can’t” should be erased from your vocabulary, and if anyone ever says otherwise, they are not worthy to be in your life. I wish you much success in your blogging and everything you set out to do in life. Always feel free to say hello!!! J

 

The envelope, please!!! My nominations are…

 

Solsbury Hill

 

Wendy Macdonald

 

Kristen Twardowski

 

Scribbled Verse

 

Congratulations to all the nominees. I look forward to reading your posts.

 

Picture of The Day: Winter Landscape

When I meditate on this picture I think of Jimmy and I in front of a roaring fire. Sitting in a lazy boy made for two. He would be playing his PS4 and I would be writing. From time to time we would look over at each other just to say I love you. Basically how our time together goes now just without the snow.

This image is of a winter landscape in New York. I thought this picture of the day was fitting for this time of year. I have not seen snow like this since I left Virginia and I hope to never see it again.

 

Image courtesy of tpsdave via pixabay.com

Mood of The Day😊

Today’s prompt for the 30 day blog challenge is “Mood of The Day”. I have been trying to keep up daily but with being so busy it has been quite difficult. Today, I have a little time to spare so I decided to participate.

My “Mood of The Day” is many moods wrapped up in one beautiful package called Lydia with a big beautiful bow.

I am happy because I have been blessed to live another beautiful day. Life is precious and to be treasured and grateful for. I’m happy to have gained two clients, one client employs me to do freelance writing (SEO articles), the second is a social media management client.

Excitement is a mood I am feeling because all of my hard work is paying off. Rebuilding and re-branding my virtual assistant business and making time to write my book. Everything is falling in place and it is cause for excitement. It’s great when you can watch all your plans and efforts come together.

Motivation is what will keep me on the road to successful business owner and published author. It’s the same motivation that burns in me at this very moment that will allow me to reach my goals and encourage others to do the same.

So all of these emotions are my mood of the day!!! Share!!! What are you feeling today?

Woman with laptop courtesy of ijmaki via pixabay.com

Happy emoticon created by 95C on pixabay.com

Brain, emotion, emoji by johnhain on pixabay.com

Build Your Unique Brand🏢

Define what your brand stands for, its core values and tone of voice, and then communicate consistently in those terms.

Simon Mainwaring

What is branding?

“The process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers’ mind, mainly through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme. Branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers.”

When was the last time you have reviewed your company brand? Is your brand strategy competitive? Most importantly does it represent the voice of your business? These are questions we as entrepreneurs must ask ourselves. Branding is important to all businesses be they big, small or startup. Your brand is indicative of who you are.

Build a strong foundation.

The logo. This symbol is how consumers recognize your business. Make it secure in what you want your company to represent. Visual identity is crucial. The logo should also be versatile, capable of being used in all aspects of marketing. When seeking a logo the best option is to review may different options before deciding on the final one. The opinion of fellow entrepreneurs, family, and friends can be quite helpful.

Who are you? 

I have worked with many entrepreneurs who describe their business as an extension of themselves or their baby. If you are of like mind, then it is important to ask yourself the following questions.

• What is the company mission?
• What are the characteristics of the business?
• How will my values be perceived?
• How will consumers view the features and benefits of my products and services?
• Will my customers be loyal to my brand?

Answering these questions will ensure a strong brand identity. Once you have thoroughly studied your responses to these questions then once again examine your logo.

Brand formalized.

At this point in the branding process, you have a logo in place; a catchy tagline and mission statement carved in stone. Now is the time to go live. Put the word out about your startup; your intent is to break the internet with the news of your business. Social media is the perfect accomplice in this journey. Here are a few ways to introduce your business.

• Company website.
• Blog
• Facebook Page
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn

All of the following allow you to build a community or a forum for you to advertise your services and your product. Pay much more attention to the comments and questions of your customers. There are many benefits to utilizing these and other social media sites. Use social media to your advantage through regular and memorable posts. Smart marketing tactics will not only put your business in front of consumers but also ahead of the competition. Leads and sales are important, but consistency will prove to be much more lucrative. Put forth the necessary effort and care into building your brand; it will withstand the tests of time and make you a success.

 

Quote Courtesy of Brainy Quotes

Branding definition from the business dictionary.

Featured branding image by Peggy_Marco.

Self Image by John Hain

Social Media Image by Geralt

 

Where in the World is Lydia?

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”

― Kevin Durant

 

Where have you been hiding? When is your next post? Is everything okay? The last two weeks has been a boxing match between talent and hard work. So far it has been a draw! Maintaining a work-life balance can be quite difficult. Juggling work and personal life are quite consuming. In my opinion; I manage pretty well considering! 

Work and the pursuit of…. More Work.

Most of my readers are old enough to remember the geographical game and show, “Where in The World is Carmen Sandiego?” Carmen traveled the world conspiring with crooks. I love being a virtual assistant, social media manager, and freelance writer it allows me to travel the world from the comfort of my home and network with entrepreneurs and fellow writers. I find enjoyment in being a gumshoe for startup’s, nurturing my client’s social media, helping them to develop their brand, watching the business grow, their baby becomes my child. They are often surprised and pleased by what I help them to accomplish. Needless to say marketing myself on Twitter, LinkedIn and freelance sites such as Upwork.com has been vital to keeping me busy.

Writing and a writer’s life.

My blog writing has been very limited, but my writing has not stopped. Before blogging, I did content and article writing for clients websites. Freelance writing is also a wonderful way to get recognized and make money. Although, lately I have been working on my memoir, fictional novel and compositions for Two Drops of Ink.  The literary blog voted one of the “100 Best Websites for Writers” for the second year in a row. Thanks to The Write Life for recognizing such a great site, team and all of its contributing authors. Guest blogging is also an awesome way to get exposure to the writing world. Two Drops of Ink is always accepting submissions.  I have so many ideas dancing around in my head, some have been jotted down, and some are begging to be released. It would take a lifetime to give birth to every idea or maybe quit my day job. So I devote at least two hours daily in need of releasing creative pressure.

Life at home.

We have been back home for two months. Well, at least I have! My dear Jimmy took a month off before heading back out. Which was not a part of the plan! That is the problem with passions. They can be an addiction. It is hard to live without or break free if it. Truck driving is his passion. Throughout the week he is out on the open road continuing his service to his country delivering freight and the weekends are for us. Our understanding the others need to do what we love for a living is what makes us work. Eight days to bond a month and four hours of phone time a day, I often miss my best friend. Two weeks ago we took a four day weekend together which was wonderful. Jimmy is my soul mate and so much more. In an attempt to make sure our beautiful union does not go lacking we promise to escape to the world where only we exist when we are together. It works.

For my friends and followers who have inquired about me, I say thanks. I am here. Grateful to have such caring friends and supporters. Honored that my clients trust me with their businesses.

Images courtesy of Pixabay

 

 

The Importance of Social Media for Businesses

Great blog post for #entrepreneurs and #startups regarding business and #socialmedia. I enjoyed it!!!

Internet Marketing Blog

This will be my last blog post before I conclude my blogging career, so I have decided to discuss the topic of social media. More specifically the importance of social media for businesses and the impacts it has on marketing.

How Big is Social Media

First, let’s establish how big social media really is based on these statistics from July 2015:

Twitter: 320 million users
LinkedIn: 450 million users
Instagram: 400 million users
Facebook: 1.71 billion users
Overall 2.3 billion active social media users

(Smith, 2016, para 2)

Before the internet and social media businesses would have had to pay thousands to millions of dollars in advertising fees, to possibly reach a small percentage of the total 2.3 billion users. Today it is expected that businesses include social media in their marketing strategies, as it is extremely beneficial to both consumer and business. “Social networks appear to be an exceptional…

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5 Tips for Marketing Your New Book.

“Writing a book without promoting it is like waving to someone in a dark room. You know what have you done, but nobody else does.”
~Madi Preda.”   ― Madi Preda, How To Promote and Market Your Book

Congratulations on writing your first book. As an author, you must be on top of the world. You have basked in the joy of your new accomplishment. The beauty of its cover, your words, pieces of the world you created. Now. It is time to get serious.

What’s next? My research has given me the knowledge to assist you in marketing your book. What good is a book that no one gets to read? The next step is to get the book in front of prospective readers. The most efficient way is through creating a marketing strategy. Thorough research will reveal several marketing methods. Take a look at a few of the steps in the journey.

1). Reviews: As an author feedback is valuable. This is where reviews come into play. Consider the options for free or paid reviews. Only pay for top quality feedback. Determine if your reviewer will base their comments on reading the book in full or an excerpt. Your ultimate goal is to make sure it is beneficial to you. Every author desires raving reviews and high recommendations.

2). Blog Posts: Guest posts and interviews on blogs is another way to build a fan base. You may also start a blog centered around the subject of your book. Your blog may be the forum for your future books. Be sure to follow the blogs of like- minded writers.

3). Media Kit: How many business or post cards have you passed out? Advertise locally as well as virtually the more exposure, the better your chances for sales. Keep in mind; image is everything! A professional head shot is necessary. Your biography will invite readers to get to know the books creator. Don’t forget to include a ‘one- sheet.’ A high-quality photo of your book cover on the front and a synopsis of the book on the back.

4). Book Launch Party: A book launch party is not only a way to celebrate your accomplishments but an awesome way to get the word out. Offer giveaways or reduced prices for the date of the event. The event can take place both locally and online. The more excitement you build means, the higher potential for buyers.

5). Social Media: We are in the age where the click of the ‘send’ button moves at a speed of light. Millions of people have the opportunity to view your content on a daily basis which means book sales. Although, sales should not be your primary focus. Build a relationship with fellow authors and writers. Support those with the same goals and those aspiring to reach the depths that you have in the literary arena. Social media marketing makes sense regarding book marketing. Embrace it and reap the many benefits.

Now that your feet are firmly back on the solid ground, and your head is no longer in the clouds, put in the footwork. Start doing the research and making all the needed connections. It may be difficult but all of your efforts will pay off.

 

 

 

Tips for Marketing on Social Media.

“Social media spark a revelation that we, the people, have a voice, and through the democratization of content and ideas we can once again unite around common passions, inspire movements, and ignite change.”

― Brian Solis, Engage: The Complete Guide for Brands and Businesses to Build, Cultivate, and Measure Success in the New Web

 

I find the quote by Brian Solis regarding social media to be relevant on so many levels. Social media managers, marketers, gurus and enthusiasts can attest to the validity of the citation. When used a user sets out to rally others in hopes to gain customers, support their cause or to spread information; carried out the correct way they will grab the attention of many. Are you attempting to inspire a movement? Are you confused about how to market your brand? My advice to you is to keep reading. This post will briefly unveil the first steps of building your social media marketing skills.

Where should I start?

Start by asking yourself who is my customer base. Who is interested in my brand? The answers are indicative of where you should focus your marketing efforts. Although it does not stop there, these are just the first of many questions that will build your marketing strategy. Discovering your audience is imperative to gaining loyal followers versus fair weather connections.

Content is critical.

Your content should be compelling and sought after by your followers.  Make sure it is relevant and what’s trending for your brand and among your community of followers. This is where paying close attention to your followers is critical. They know what they want and will share what interests them. Once you have honed in on this information, share it frequently but be careful as not to become a nuisance. Cycle out data shared, you do not want your posts considered as spam.

Engagement or Relationship Building techniques.

The ability to engage your followers in conversation is excellent. These conversations can indeed prove to be fruitful. Moreover, relationship building is by far more valuable. Relationships built upon a common interest are more likely to be sustainable and increase your tribe. Genuine and consistent engagement with your fan base not only shows appreciation, but it makes your brand more personable.

Caring is sharing.

Show those who share your content you care by sharing their content in return. When you are marketing your brand, you can lose supporters by not being supportive. “One hand washes the other.” This saying is true in the world of social media. It can also be your golden ticket. Taking time to visit the pages of others and share their content is time-consuming, but it is worth it in the end. Devote a little time each day to ensure your social media success.

Social media marketing is not an easy task but is well worth the challenge. Research, patience, and persistence are qualities that are beneficial to marketing success on social media.

 

Images courtesy of:

QuietQuitter on Pixabay.com  

Johny_deff on Pixabay.com

Geralt on Pixabay.com

 

Pinterest Acquires This Popular ‘Save It for Later’ App — Fortune

Pinterest’s acquisition spree continues, this time with Instapaper, a service for saving articles and other reading items for later. On Tuesday, Pinterest, whose online service is best known as a way to collect images of food and home decor, said it has acquired Instapaper’s team and technology. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.…

via Pinterest Acquires This Popular ‘Save It for Later’ App — Fortune