Marketing without burnout (or social media)
My guide + workbook on Calm Marketing is now available. 🎉
Hello my friend. How's May been treating you in your part of the world?
It has been HOT here in Sweden. We've had July weather almost the whole month. Which has been nice... but also surreal and kind of scary.
In my previous letter, I talked about my return to freelancing and how I plan on dividing up the different parts of my business: the art, the writing, the business coaching, the freelancing. (Ugh, multi-passionate struggles.) That work continues. I'm now in the process of re-designing my website to incorporate my various consulting and freelance services a bit more. While still keeping my art visible and available.
But the main focus this week has been finishing up the Calm Marketing guide + workbook I've worked on for weeks now. I originally created it as a free addition to my video workshop on calm marketing, that you may or may not have seen. It's never been public, I made it exclusively for my email friends a few months back.
Well, since the feedback on it has been overwhelmingly positive, I wanted more people to have access to it. So I decided to remake it slightly and release it on my YouTube channel. You can now watch the whole thing over there, for free. 😌
And I wanted to build out the accompanying workbook to something bigger and more stand-alone. The original workbook was 8 pages long, with 17 exercises. I knew it could be much more comprehensive, with more context, more and better exercises, and more tips and guiding examples.
The new Calm Marketing guide + workbook is 44 pages long, with 26 exercises.
It's a complete guide to freeing yourself from the shackles of the social media hamster wheel, and building a calmer, more sustainable business for yourself. One where marketing feels authentic and meaningful instead of draining and time consuming.
I'm a lazy marketer. And a shy introvert. Always have been. I absolutely refuse to hustle my ass off, or use ill-fitting tactics. If it's not honest and true to my personality, I won't do it. If it feels like too much work for too little (or too uncertain) return, I won't do it.
So if you're the same way, I absolutely made this thing for you. And I made it affordable so that anyone can be helped by it, regardless of the stage they're at with their business.
Here's where you can check it out, if you're curious.
Oh and thank you for all of the Copy Makeover inquiries I've received after last week's letter! It's been so much fun to get to know some of you more, and see what types of businesses you run.
(For context: I'm launching a new writing service called a Copy Makeover, where I help punch up the communication and sales potential of people’s business websites. And in return for work samples for my portfolio, I'm offering 3 people on my email list a free makeover in return for showcasing that work on my site. I'm still open to receiving inquiries, so if you're interested, read through the instructions and requirements in this post before you submit.)
I'm looking for three different kinds of creative businesses that allow me to showcase a variety of skills and ideas in my work samples. So if your project isn't chosen, it's really nothing personal. 🖤 It's been SO hard to choose just 3, and I wish I had the time to help all of you for free. I do have a few ones in mind though, and I'm aiming to reach out to you with some follow-up questions in a week or two.
Art wise, I'm feeling the itch to start a new collection or project...
My last collection - Watercolor Bugs - wrapped up back in January, and never got an official launch. I painted them purely for pleasure, hung them on my walls, and then proceeded to give some away as birthday gifts. 😂
Since there's been quite a bit of interest in them within the family, I might launch a print collection this year. And maybe do a small exhibition this summer or fall, if I find the time. They are lovely little bugs, and maybe more people would be delighted by them...
I'm thinking my next project will be watercolor as well.
Probably birds.
It's been a while now since I painted birds in watercolor, and I'm curious to see if I can take my skills to the next level.
I've been toying with the idea of making either a wall calendar with birds, or a poster, y'know like those naturalist school posters with illustrations and species names in Latin. Would be so cool with a poster of only thrushes, and another with only corvids, et.c.
And a calendar could have a more seasonal feel to it, with more dynamic backgrounds. (Which scares me, but I want to get better at them.)
I’m curious:
Have a great weekend. 👋🏻
With love,
New video: Walking you through my CALM, social media-free, marketing strategy
New offering: Calm Marketing guide + workbook
My simple, time-tested, and effective approach to marketing a creative business. Without sleazy tactics. Without overwhelm and burnout.
44 pages. 26 exercises. Plus an appendix with recommended tools and services for your business.
Some favorite things lately:
I've picked up the Expanse series again, with book nr. 2 - Caliban's War. I'd forgotten how much I love spending time in this world, and with James S.A. Corey's writing. It has that blend of thrill and subtle humor that I can't get enough of.
I've just started playing Outer Wilds on our Switch. This game has so much hype that I'm almost nervous to play it... Just have a feeling that I’ll soon be one of those people crying and waxing poetic over it.
I know I link to The Honest Broker in every other newsletter, because I'm such a fan girl, but how could I not with a title like this:
This podcast episode from Off The Grid, on whether or not to use lead magnets in your business:
I'm currently not using lead magnets for my email list, and still seeing really good results. But I've also gotten great results when I was using lead magnets. It really comes down to the fine nuances, and this episodes does a great job of explaining those.
Me and my partner have discovered the Korean game show Physical: 100 on Netflix, and become OBSESSED. The arenas are stunning, like movie sets. And the games are clever and creative. But what I love most is the respect all of the contestants show each other. They constantly swoon over, and support each other, even though they're competing. It's so refreshing and endearing. We can't help but binge-watch it...
If you enjoy this newsletter, consider subscribing. Become a premium subscriber to get access to the full archive + community. Your support means a lot to me. 🖤
If you're an artist, check out my self-paced courses on drawing and watercolor painting:
If you run a creative business and are tired of the social media hustle, I have a 44-page guide + workbook called Calm Marketing you might find useful.
I also offer personalized business feedback and advice via my Creative Business Audit. It’s like a high-level, intense coaching session, but super-affordable, and delivered via pdf.