Page 8 - iNET Magazine April 2022

By Michelle Smith

If you write a blog or put out a newsletter, you
may have wondered from time to time "Is anyone
reading what I write?”

Writing blog posts and newsletters are time-
consuming and you want to make sure it’s worth
the investment. Unfortunately, the reality is that
not everyone is going to read your stuff and
that's OK. When you write, your goal should be
two-fold: Michelle Smith spent years working for nonprofits to help

1. Impact the lives of those who can take time them increase their revenues, but she was burned out and
knew she needed a more sustainable lifestyle. She started
to read. her own company, Z&B Consulting, named after her sons

2. Stay top of mind and create a positive Zach and Ben, so she could spend more time with them
feeling about you and your services for those without sacrificing her income. Now Michelle spends her
days helping entrepreneurs and nonprofits build the life of
who can't take time to read. their dreams while still earning enough to maintain their
lifestyles by working smarter, not harder. Michelle is the
Discussion about these two reactions to getting Romeoville Rotary President, Romeoville Chamber Executive
a newsletter came up in one of my group Board Member, Past President of the RHS Choir Boosters,
coaching calls and we had people who identified and volunteers on Sundays at church.

with scenario #1 above and people who
identified with scenario #2. I was in scenario #2
and explained how warm my heart was when I Take the great stuff we do and repurpose it.

saw the email come through and how I skimmed The idea is to look at your to-do list and see
it and clicked the link but didn't have time to where you can cut work down by using some
delve into reading. Most people will be in #2, of what you've already done. Once you do,
which is frustrating knowing how long we take to you'll feel excited because you've taken one
put out a newsletter, but I want to assure you task that takes so much time and maximized
your efforts are not being wasted. that effort by increasing your visibility and
the number of people who see it.
What can we learn from this?
Speaking of maximizing your effort, I fully
It's important to streamline the process of believe that entrepreneurs can get more
writing blog posts and newsletters so it's done in less time by working smarter rather
not such a drain on our time. Doing so will than harder. If you need some help
allow us to be consistent and present with implementing strategies to help you work
those who want to hear from us. less without sacrificing income, schedule a
time to have a conversation with me so we
Don't sweat the small stuff and embrace can talk about how I can help you make that
imperfection. Several years ago, I went a full dream a reality.
year without sending a single newsletter. I
had written a newsletter two different times
that year, though. Both times it was 95%
ready to go. I had every intention of coming
back to it but couldn’t each time. Hitting send
would have accomplished #1 and #2 above
with my followers and let them know I was
still alive and working to help my clients
reach their business goals, but I was
sweating the small stuff and I let it hold me
back.

Michelle Smith, Z & B Consulting, Inc.
iNETrepreneur Magazine | Page 8 http://www.zandbconsulting.com
Email: michelle@zandbconsulting.com