Lessons learned from baking bread

Lessons learned from baking bread

Almost a year ago my niece offered me a sourdough starter. I had NO idea that it was a trend, I was simply interested in offering my family a healthier version of bread so I gladly accepted it. 

Even though the starter came with instructions, I was out of my league. I was familiar with the traditional kneading and proofing process of bread made with packaged commercial yeast. I had so many questions. Discard? Daily feedings? Stretch and fold? Scoring? Fermenting? The list went on. So I did what any baker-wanna-be would do: I turned to the Internet for education. What I found was a lot of opinions, a lot of advice from professionals, and a lot of ignore everything that you read and do your own thing. **so helpful, right?**  I forged ahead and made my first loaf.

I’d like to share a little of what I’ve learned about life and business on my sourdough bread journey.

First, have a plan. I have to plan about a day and a half before baking. I also learned that taking shortcuts gave me less than desired results. My first loaf was barely edible. At times I took shortcuts to make the starter rise faster. Occasionally, I miscalculated my timing. The same is true for marketing. I create a content plan in advance–months in advance. Shortcuts and rushing to create content for the sake of creating can lead to errors. 

Second, know which tools you need and which tools are optional. I’ve discovered that I don’t need a fancy banneton or scoring tool or even a digital scale to make good bread for my family. If I were to become a professional I might need them, but that’s not my intention. In marketing having a strategy, an editorial calendar and using the right online platforms are required. Project management tools, an image creation tool, and a content scheduler can make your efforts easier but are really bonus tools. 

Third, trust the process. I went on a 5 week trip shortly after starting my sourdough journey. Being new to live cultures, I was concerned the starter would die being left unattended for such a long period of time. Upon my return, I was delighted to see it was what I call “hibernating.” I stirred in the hooch and began my regular feeding schedule again and soon enough I was baking fresh bread for my family. It’s not unusual to make business decisions with limited insight; we can be uncomfortable not having a clear idea of the outcome, even though we’ve done the research. Should I hire that person for the role? Should I invest in that new software? Sometimes life throws curve balls that are out of our control and we have to do the best we can under the circumstances. A team member had a medical emergency and will be out for a week or two. Who’s going to pick up the slack? You have everything you need to be successful, and overthinking isn’t going to solve the problem. Trust yourself!

As I continue on my sourdough bread baking journey, I plan to expand into more creative ideas, things like English muffins and bagels. And if I’m invited to your home for any type of occasion, you can expect me to bring along a loaf as a gift. 

 

Your April 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

Your April 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

We’re back with your April 2024 content ideas! From baking to having fun at work to celebrating all things “small business,” we’ve got you covered.

Daily Themes

4/1 – Fun at Work Day
4/1 – Greeting Card Day

    Sourdough Bread Day

    4/1 – Sourdough Bread Day

    If your business has anything at all to do with baking or food, there’s a good chance that you can easily use Sourdough Bread Day in your marketing efforts. But let’s get creative and think outside the box. Consider sharing your personal journey with sourdough and drawing parallels to a process in your business. Highlight the importance of patience required to complete a task and the similarity to the time it takes for sourdough to ferment, or discuss how using specialized equipment can make a difference in the outcome of a project. Regardless of the marketing message you create, be sure to include a pic of your bread for engagement.

    4/2 – DIY Day
    4/3 – Chocolate Mousse Day
    4/3 – Inspiring Joy Day
    4/5 – Gold Star Spouses Day

      Self-Care Day

      4/5 – Self-Care Day

      For businesses offering self-care products or services,  share blog posts, videos, or infographics about the importance of self-care, highlighting how your products or services specifically contribute to mental and physical well-being.  You can also offer special discounts, or organize giveaways, to celebrate Self-Care Day. This not only incentivizes purchases but also highlights your commitment to promoting well-being.

      Not in the self-care sector, that’s okay.  Ask  your employees/team members “What does self-care mean to you?” (or something similar) and use their feedback to create content.

      4/10 – Work From Home Day
      4/10 – Hug Your Dog Day
      4/13 – Scrabble Day
      4/15 – Take a Wild Guess Day
      4/16 – Teach Your Daughter to Volunteer Day
      4/16 – Wear Pajamas to Work Day
      4/19 – Refresh Your Goals Day
      4/22 – Earth Day
      4/22 – In God We Trust Day
      4/24 – Administrative Professionals Day
      4/25 – Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day
      4/28 – Pay It Forward Day
      4/29 – Poem in Your Pocket Day
      4/30 – Therapy Animal Day

        Weekly Themes

        4/1-7 – Laugh at Work Week
        4/7-13 – Library Week
        4/15-21 – Freelance Business Week
        4/19-28 – Dance Week
        4/21-27 – Volunteer Week
          Small Business Week

          April 28th-May 4th: Small Business Week

          Use Small Business Week as an opportunity to celebrate, promote, and engage with your audience in a way that encourages the support of small business and strengthens local economies. A few ideas on how to incorporate Small Business Week in your marketing:

          1. Promote a special offer: exclusive discounts or promotions during Small Business Week to entice customers to shop locally.
          2. Partner with other small businesses in your area to cross-promote each other’s products or services.
          3. Share behind-the-scenes photos or videos on social media, highlighting the people, processes, and passion behind your products or services. This can really humanize your brand and build a stronger connection with your audience, something that the giant brands can’t do as well as small businesses.
          4. Express gratitude by thanking your customers for their support and loyalty and to emphasize the impact their patronage has on your small business and the community as a whole.

          Monthly Themes

          Keep America Beautiful Month
          Pet First Aid Awareness Month
          Volunteer Month
          Autism Month

            We hope you’ve found these tips and examples helpful.  If you need help with your content creation strategy and implementation, reach out to learn how we can help!

            Schedule a call now!

            Your March 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

            Your March 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

            It’s time to spring into a new season of content creation, and we’ve got you covered with ideas and examples to help you with your March planning.  Let’s dive in!

            Daily Themes

            3/1 – Baby Sleep Day
            3/1 – Day of Unplugging
            3/1 – Employee Appreciation Day

              3/1 – Share a Smile Day

              This one is easy. Smile for the camera. Take a selfie and post it. Create a short video talking about what makes you smile. Create a Canva graphic with a big cheesy SMILEY face. Spread a little joy around. The world can always use more! Use #NationalSmileDay when sharing.

                Share a Smile Day

                3/2 – Read Across America Day
                3/2 – Teen Mental Wellness Day
                3/3 – Ear Care Day
                3/3 – Simplify Your Life Day
                3/4 – Global Day of the Engineer
                3/5 – Information Architecture Day
                3/8 – Women’s Day
                  Proofreading Day
                  3/10 – Daylight Savings Begins
                  3/10 – Freelancers Day
                  3/10 – Chemical Peel Day

                    3/11 – Debunking Day

                    Debunking Day is easy to wrap into just about any industry. What better way to create engaging posts than busting myths in your industry?! Here are some ideas. For our esthetician client, we bust the myth that sleeping in your makeup just once in a while is fine, or that exfoliating in the winter will dry out your skin. For our financial planner client we routinely bust life insurance myths. You get the idea–educate your audience and position yourself as the subject matter expert you are! And quite honestly, you can use this concept regularly, not just on Debunking Day!

                      3/8 – Proofreading Day

                      This may sound counterintuitive, but did you know that one of the easiest ways to get people talking about your content is to have a grammatical error? It’s true! The Grammar Police love to take to the Internet when a word is misspelled or the wrong word is used, or punctuation is incorrect. Or course, intentionally using grammatical errors to garner attention may not align with your brand. In that case, WordHippo and Grammarly can help.

                      3/12 – Equal Pay Day
                      3/12 – Organize Your Home Office Day
                        Plant a Flower Day

                        3/12 – Plant a Flower Day

                        Plant a Flower Day is another theme that can be used across industries when approached properly. In the Health and Wellness field? Create content around the idea of growth and nurturing self similarly to the way one would care for a garden. How about those in the fashion industry: engage your followers by encouraging them to share selfies of them wearing your floral designs. Ask them to tag you in their posts and you can then share those posts to your stories. All brands should be seeking user generated content (UGC) whenever possible to increase their reach.

                        3/14 – Crowdfunding Day
                        3/14 – Write Your Story Day
                        3/14 – Pi Day
                        3/15 – Shoe the World Day
                        3/16 – Lips Appreciation Day
                        3/16 – Maple Syrup Saturday
                        3/17 – Doctor/Patient Trust Day
                        3/17 St. Patrick’s Day
                        3/17 – Corned Beef & Cabbage Day
                        3/18 – Global Recycling Day
                        3/18 – Wellderly Day
                        3/19 – Certified Nurses Day
                        3/19 – Clients Day
                        3/19 – Automatic Door Day
                        3/19 – Backyard Day
                        3/19 – Spring Begins!
                        3/20 – SBDC Day
                        3/21 – Flower Day
                        3/21 – Renewable Energy Day
                        3/23 – Chip & Dip Day
                        3/29 – Good Friday
                        3/29 – Mom & Pop Business Owners Day
                        3/30 – Doctors’ Day
                        3/30 – Fitness Recovery Day
                        3/30 – Take a Walk in the Park Day
                        3/31 – Easter

                          Weekly Themes

                          3/1-7 – Invest in Veterans Week
                          3/1-7 – Write a Letter of Appreciation Week
                          3/2-5 – Women’s Week
                          3/2-6 – Read Across America Week
                          3/3-9 – Chocolate Chip Cookie Week
                          3/4-8 – School Breakfast Week
                          3/11-17 – Clean Out Your Closet Week
                          3/17-23 – Chocolate Week
                          3/17-23 – Anonymous Giving Week
                          3/18-23 – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Week
                          3/18-23 – Wellderly Week
                          3/25-31 – Physicians Week
                          3/31-4/2 – Crossword Puzzles Week

                            Monthly Themes

                            Women’s History Month
                            Gender Equality Month
                            Reading Month
                            Nutrition Month
                            American Red Cross Month
                            Berries & Cherries Month
                            Colic Awareness Month
                            Color Therapy Month
                            Employee Spirit Month
                            Craft Month
                            Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
                            Sing With Your Child Month

                              We hope you’ve found these tips and examples helpful.  If you need help with your content creation strategy and implementation, reach out to learn how we can help!

                              Schedule a call now!

                              Sweet Business Lessons: Unwrapping Success Through Dessert Challenge

                              Sweet Business Lessons: Unwrapping Success Through Dessert Challenge

                              You may be wondering why I’m writing about desserts. After all, they have nothing in common with marketing, business ownership, or professional development.

                              Which is totally true.
                              .
                              .
                              .
                              Or do they?

                              Part 1: The Dessert Challenge

                              In December 2022, my husband challenged me to make a weekly dessert for the entire year of 2023. So even though I’m not a dessert fan, I accepted the challenge. I made everything from cookies to panna cotta to fancy cakes and more. While most of the desserts were a hit, there were a couple that didn’t turn out as planned.

                              During the challenge, we went on a 5-week RV camping trip to New England, so I had to improvise during that time. I had to get very creative during the trip, and experienced two minor fails (the frozen lemonade pie and crockpot cobbler did not turn out as planned).

                              I found myself thinking about dessert far too often. As I mentioned, dessert is not my favorite, so the challenge was real! As the months passed, I became weary of the challenge and started looking forward to the end. I felt compelled to the point that making dessert became a chore. I considered taking shortcuts. And I felt disappointed that dessert, which by its nature should be fun, was an obligation.

                              Regardless of my conflicting feelings, I decided to wrap up the challenge with a month of grand finale desserts, which included a pavlova Christmas tree dessert and a classic Buche de Noel for the holidays. I had never made either of these desserts before, so making them for a houseful of guests was nerve-wracking. The results: perfection!

                              Near the end of the challenge, I had a conversation with my business coach. She casually mentioned my discipline to complete something that was SO outside of my comfort zone. And this is when I had my light-bulb moments.

                              dessert challenge berry fool

                              Part 2: The Marketing & Business Connections

                              Here’s the connections I realized after completing this challenge.

                              I have to make a weekly dessert = CONSISTENCY. Consistency is a vital component to a successful business and successful marketing campaigns. Want to improve your brand awareness? Get visible regularly. Want to increase team loyalty? Set goals and offer regular feedback. Want to get more leads for your business? Launch regular lead generation campaigns. With only a few exceptions, dessert was on Sundays.

                              I have to make a different dessert = CREATIVITY. At first glance, this can feel overwhelming, like “where do I start?” First: start where you are with what you have. Hint: create content based on questions you are frequently asked! You already know those answers. My first dessert was pineapple cookies because I had the ingredients on hand. They weren’t a huge hit but at least I got started.

                              Next, check out what others are doing, and doing well. While your content and campaigns {should} never look like anyone else’s, they can be inspired by others. I poured through so many recipes that inspired me and nearly 99% of the time I tweaked the recipe based on either my preferences or what was available to me. My ice cream nachos were inspired by something I found on Pinterest but I adjusted it according to what I could find and dietary considerations (no nuts for my tasters!)

                              Finally, get outside of your comfort zone and try something completely new. Never gone live on Facebook or created an Instagram reel? Been collecting email addresses but never emailed your list? What are you waiting for? You won’t know the results if you hold back. My pavlova tree and Buche de Noel were nerve-wracking but I didn’t let that stop me! I asked for help and then I did it!

                              I need to cater to my people = ENGAGEMENT. In marketing, one of the metrics we measure is engagement, whether it’s social media, website traffic, email campaigns, list growth, sales, inquiries, etc. Knowing how your audience responds to the campaigns you launch helps you determine your next steps: what worked, what needs tweaked, and so on. Every week, I asked my taste testers to rate the dessert, to make a comparison to previous desserts, and to offer feedback. Spoiler alert: my people love all kinds of dessert!

                              dessert challenge chocolate kahlua cake

                              Part 3: The Lessons

                              The lesson was this. I can do the hard things. I can do things that are meaningful to others. I can do important things for my business and my clients. And I can do things for myself. When we look at the hard things, the best approach is to take it one step at a time. Eat the frog. Stay in our lane. Focus on the task at hand, remembering the end result but focusing on today, without overthinking.

                              Final Thoughts

                              In the midst of all the trials and triumphs, I’m honestly grateful for the challenge. The joy it brought to my dessert tasters was a gift, and the lessons? They’re now valuable tools in my professional and personal toolkit.

                              As dessert reverts to its former role in our lives, I’m embracing the “sweetness” of this experience. It’s a reminder that, indeed, we can face the challenges and find joy in the process. That you can have your cake and eat it too! Sweet endings and new beginnings – who knew they could be so closely intertwined?

                               

                              PS. If you are interested in viewing more of my dessert challenge pictures and adventures, you can search #dessertchallenge2023 on Facebook. 

                              Your February 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

                              Your February 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

                              Hello friends! We’re back again with ideas and examples for you to use when creating your February 2024 content. Let’s dive right in…

                              Monthly Themes

                              • African American Heritage Month
                              • American Heart Month
                              • Cancer Prevention Month
                              • Senior Independence Month
                              • Time Management Month

                                Love Month

                                According to Wikipedia, Valentines’ Day originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine. Through later folk traditions, it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.

                                Love Month

                                And while many in today’s world don’t recognize or celebrate Valentines’ Day, suffice to say that there’s more than one way to celebrate LOVE without ever mentioning the day. Here’s some ideas and concepts to consider for your marketing campaigns all month long.

                                1. We love our customers. Not just on February 14th, but all year long. One way we show this love is through our rewards programs.” Then share about your rewards programs.
                                2. Run a month-long initiative of sharing your client’s posts and stories to YOUR Instagram stories. Be sure to add heart stickers and love-related emojis!
                                3. Get active in your local community! Spotlight your staff/team dropping off flowers or baked goods at the nursing home (or whatever local organization you support).

                                Weekly Themes

                                • 2/1-7 – Women’s Heart Week
                                • 2/14-20 – Random Acts of Kindness Week
                                • 2/18-24 – Engineers Week

                                Daily Themes

                                • 2/2 – Groundhog Day
                                • 2/2 – Wear Red Day
                                • 2/2 – Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day
                                • 2/2 – Self Renewal Day
                                • 2/3 – Women Physician’s Day
                                • 2/4 – Facebook’s Birthday
                                • 2/4 – Homemade Soup Day
                                • 2/6 – Pay a Compliment Day
                                • 2/6 – Reclaim Social Day
                                • 2/7 – Send a Card to a Friend Day
                                • 2/11 – Latte Day
                                • 2/11 – Super Bowl Sunday
                                • 2/13 – Mardi Gras

                                 

                                • 2/14 – Valentine’s Day
                                • 2/17 – Love Your Pet Day
                                • 2/17 – Random Acts of Kindness Day
                                • 2/19 – Lash Day
                                • 2/19 – Presidents’ Day
                                • 2/22 – Chili Day
                                • 2/22 – Walk Your Dog Day
                                • 2/22 – Recreational Sports & Fitness Day
                                • 2/29 – Digital Learning Day
                                • 2/29 – Leap Day

                                Love Your Pet Day (2/17)

                                This is a no-brainer. Everyone wants to spotlight their beloved pets, whether they’re the office cat/dog or not! Excellent way to get some extra eyeballs on your content. Video or photos work well for this.

                                Love Your Pet Day

                                Digital Learning Day (2/29)

                                Let’s get creative: while this day is theoretically about K-12 learning, many of us attend webinars for ongoing education and professional development. Snap a pic of the webinar speaker, or even better, a selfie of you in front of the computer monitor (virtually with the instructor) and share a tidbit of what you’ve learned and how it will improve your skills!

                                Digital Learning Day

                                We hope you’ve found these tips and examples helpful.  If you need help with your content creation strategy and implementation, reach out to learn how we can help!

                                Schedule a call now!

                                Your January 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

                                Your January 2024 Content Ideas Are Here!

                                Hey friends! We’re getting ready to cross over into a new year, and with that comes an opportunity to add some fresh ideas to your content marketing strategy. To start you off on the right foot, we’ve put together some topics and examples that you can use to create your January 2024 content.

                                Monthly Themes

                                • Hot Tea Month
                                • Hobby Month
                                • Get Organized Month
                                • Family Fit Lifestyle Month
                                • Bread Machine Baking Month
                                • Get a Balanced Life Month
                                • Brain Teaser Month
                                • Be On Purpose Month

                                   

                                  • Blood Donor Month
                                  • Book Blitz Month
                                  • Clean Up Your Computer Month
                                  • Mentoring Month
                                  • Soup Month
                                  • Staying Healthy Month
                                  • Thank You Month
                                  • Financial Wellness Month

                                  Wellness Content is King!

                                  In January, wellness takes center stage, covering physical, mental, and financial aspects. For health and fitness professionals like nutritionists and gym owners, build trust with your audience by reassuring them of ongoing support beyond “get healthy month.” Share plans for classes and events spanning the coming months, introduce loyalty programs for continuous engagement, and offer personalized birthday month discounts to show appreciation and encourage sustained participation.

                                  For mental health professionals, the start of the year provides a prime opportunity to emphasize the importance of ongoing mental well-being. Beyond the January focus, cultivate a lasting commitment to mental health by offering resources such as mindfulness exercises, stress management workshops, and self-care tips.  Encourage your audience to prioritize self-care not just as a New Year’s resolution but as an integral part of their year-round well-being journey.

                                  For financial advisors, wealth managers, and the like, try these ideas: Introduce special promotions or discounts on financial planning services for those who sign up or inquire during January. Create a sense of urgency by making these offers exclusive to the beginning of the year. Launch a campaign centered around the idea of setting new financial goals for the year ahead. Emphasize the importance of reviewing and updating financial plans regularly. Launch a financial wellness challenge or milestone tracker that encourages participants to achieve specific financial goals by year-end. Provide regular check-ins, resources, and support throughout the year.

                                  Weekly Themes

                                  • 1/14-20 – Home Office Safety & Security Week
                                  • 1/14-20 – Pizza Week
                                  • 1/14-20 – Letter Writing Week
                                  • 1/21-27 – Healthy Weight Week
                                  • 1/21-27 – Hunt for Happiness Week

                                  Gratitude on Paper – Send a Thank You Note!

                                  I may be the queen of email marketing, but I still LOVE handwritten cards and letters! smile  That’s why I’m shouting it from the rooftops that International Letter Writing Week is coming up.

                                  This is a fantastic opportunity to send notes or letters expressing gratitude to your customers, clients, or followers for their support throughout the year. Personalize each note by mentioning specific interactions or purchases.

                                  Daily Themes

                                  • 1/1 – New Years Day
                                  • 1/3 – Mind-Body Wellness Day
                                  • 1/7 – I Am a Mentor Day
                                  • 1/8 – Clean Your Desk Day
                                  • 1/8 – Winter Skin Relief Day
                                  • 1/11 – Thank You Day
                                  • 1/12 – Hot Tea Day
                                  • 1/14 – Sunday Supper Day
                                  • 1/15 – Martin Luther King Day
                                  • 1/15 – Strawberry Ice Cream Day
                                  • 1/17 – Customer Service Day
                                  • 1/18 – Get to Know Your Customers Day
                                  • 1/18 – Gourmet Coffee Day
                                  • 1/20 – Cheese Lover’s Day

                                   

                                  • 1/20 – Coffee Break Day
                                  • 1/20 – Use Your Gift Cards Day
                                  • 1/20 – Take a Walk Outdoors Day
                                  • 1/21 – Own Your Own Home Day
                                  • 1/21 – Thank Your Mentor Day
                                  • 1/22 – Better Business Communication Day
                                  • 1/23 – Pie Day
                                  • 1/26 – Fun at Work Day
                                  • 1/27 – Chocolate Cake Day
                                  • 1/28 – Pediatrician Day
                                  • 1/29 – Puzzle Day
                                  • 1/31 – Hot Chocolate Day

                                  Don’t Forget to Use Those Gift Cards!

                                  After receiving gift cards, not everyone uses them immediately — or at all. A little under half of U.S. adults (47 percent) say they have unused gift cards, gift vouchers or store credits. surprised Good thing there is a day set aside in January to remind consumers to use the gift cards they received over the holidays.  Take advantage of this opportunity to encourage your customers to come in and use those gift cards.

                                  We hope you’ve found these tips and examples helpful.  If you need help with your content creation strategy and implementation, reach out to learn how we can help!

                                  Schedule a call now!