The other day, I heard someone on a mainstream pop radio station referring to the information in his newly revised book as “content”. “More content than ever before!” I gasped, “‘Content’ has reached the masses!” and my husband stared at me.

Anyway, I’ve been thinking about content a lot lately. We talk about it, complain about it, strive to produce more of it. Because that’s what brings the shiny new people and helps them to love us. And we love love.

A lot of the questions that I get revolve around content. People complaining, “But I don’t want to blog, I just want people to love me and buy from me. How much does that cost?”

Errrm. It costs whatever it costs to hire someone to produce amazing content for you. Information is the pony on this carousel. People don’t want to hear all about you, you, you. “We have been in business for 400 years! We sell cheese fries that are delicious!” Who cares? But man, I bet they’d love your cheese fry recipe. And your hilarious video entitled “How to eat cheese fries while standing on your head”.

That’s content. That’s why I emphatically recommend a content-driven website strategy. For anyone, everyone, and yes, even you.

But uggggh…I don’t want to BLOG!

It’s not about blogging. That’s why I don’t use the term. It’s content. Think about all the different types of content that you encounter on a daily basis. Actually, why don’t you step on over to my chalkboard so I can show you a few of the types of written content that there are in the world. (This isn’t even including other types of media…just written for now).

Yowza, right? So forget blogging. If you don’t want to blog, don’t blog, ever. Brainstorm what kind of amazing content fits in with your business…whether you’re a retailer, a service provider, a public speaker, or part of a juggling circus. And then publish it consistently.

And bloggers who are thinking “Umm…yeah. Obviously content is the main thing. I knew that in 2005.” I challenge you (and me) to reach outside of how you’ve previously defined your content. “Content” does not have to equal “blog post”. Or, more clearly, “blog post” does not have to equal “list of things I think everyone should do because I’m doing it” or “[fill in the blank with some sort of technology that we love] is dead” or “rant about my mother-in-law’s cooking” (although you know how I love food analogies).

P.S. You know I gotsta remind you that the early-bird pricing for our Gold-Digging Excursion is ending soon. Don’t forget to put your registration pants on and sign up before the deadline!

Note: Today’s post is a bit out of the ordinary for me, but it’s what came out of a terrible, head-pounding day. We’ll get back to our regularly scheduled strategy-talk on Thursday.

Today was awful. I can actually say it was the worst day in the history of my entrepreneurial career. One of those days where the clouds are not only falling from the sky, but they are on fire.

It wasn’t any one conversation or thing-that-went-awry. It was everything. And it made me realize how dangerous it is to associate your sense of self so closely with your business. Because when those flaming arrows come falling from the sky, you have no helmet. Not even knee pads.

I’m not proud to admit it, but today I cried. Torrentially. (I think I just made that word up.) Despite the fact that Chris Brogan and my buddy Sparky Firepants think I’m doing it right, despite the fact that everyone is being so darned supportive and awesome, there are a few people who think I’m doing it wrong. And I don’t know why that sucks so bad, but it does.

Maybe you’ve had a day like that?

This is for you if anyone’s ever thrown flaming darts at your head (and yeah…this is for me)

• You are doing it right.
• If someone throws darts at you, don’t throw darts back. Even if it’s practically necessary, or if it’s just a subtle bit of sarcasm or eye-rolling. Darts are like boomerangs and eventually come back to poke the thrower in the eye.
• It’s good to look for the truth in criticism, but if there is any, and after you’ve extracted it, don’t dwell on it. Ask yourself what’s the best thing you can do now, and do it.
• “I don’t want to disappoint people” is not a good reason to say yes. YOU are worth saving from disappointment.
• You can’t run your business for everyone else. Even though you thrive on letting other people benefit from your super-powers and keeping things humming with integrity and style, you’ve got to ultimately meet your own needs first.
• Don’t give up on people. If you spend your life mis-trusting and second-guessing those around you, you’ll soon be throwing flaming arrows of your own.
• Leaps are always worth the jump. Especially if you’re leaping from a burning building, and even if there is no (visible) net.
• The pain that you’re feeling now is real, but subjective. Go watch Cinderella Man or read The Diary of Anne Frank one more time. Perspective is good.
• Struggle is necessary for the growth of your character. So rejoice in the struggle — character is priceless.
• All is well, and all will be well. (My favorite phrase on the planet.)

I can’t say I feel a ton better after writing that, but tomorrow is a new day. And I’ve still got our gold-digging excursion to look forward to, so I’m beyond excited about that. Thanks guys, for all of your shout-outs and encouragement this past week. I’m excited that you’re excited; we’re going to have a grand old time.

And now back to the steak and shrimp stir fry that John made for me…maybe “eat a good meal with people who adore you” should have been on the top of that list.

Man, this has been a crazy week! Crazy-good, but crazy. I just did a behind-the-curtain interview with Dave Navarro that will shed more light on that subject, but let’s just say…I’m running on nothing but love over here.

And it’s a good thing there’s lots of that to go around. A couple of things that are keeping me going:

• David Billings and his hard, honest look at his website. Gave me chills, and also made me super-glad that I put so much time and effort into making this excursion something that people can’t live without. Sparky, you will not be disappointed.
• Getting shout-outs from Danielle LaPorte and Gwen Bell this week. Both of them are people I adore and would drop everything and pay exorbitant amounts of money for a plane ticket to hang with them.
• Finding out that Mark Silver recommends me in his Heart of Business course. Which I need to take (really. Do I need another excuse to go to Portland?)
• My love note from Jessica Gonacha Swift (I love this woman for her illustration work. And she’s for hire! Which is ridiculously good news for me.) And Emma Alvarez Gibson (super-smart copywriter/maven who I completely adore in return).

So…thank you guys for helping me spread the word. And thank you to everyone who’s been sending me pat-on-the-back tweets and emails. Thank you for lifting my spirits and helping me through this month of 14-hour days. It’s going to be totally worth it. (And don’t worry guys, I’m taking weekends off, so I’m not completely destroying my health to make this happen.)

So…Heather Allard and I were joking around that I should have a list of recommended tweets for people who want to help me spread the word. Which I thought — people do this?! What the heck kind of malarkey is that?

So in true Sarah-fashion, I thought I’d make a list of tweets to top ALL recommended tweets lists (which I’m still in amazement that these actually exist). And if you tweet any of these, I might have to hunt you down and feed you the fish-mush that my husband and I accidentally made (but didn’t eat) last night. Turns out that frozen cod sucks for a fish fry.

Sarah’s top 5 (un)recommended tweets:

The gold-digging excursion with @sarahjbray is totally not about picking your nose! (Only Kelly Parkinson and I would find the correlation here.)

Sign up for Sarah’s gold-digging excursion that starts on April 1st! (APRIL FOOLS! *evil cackling*) Note: Not an April Fools joke

You would be a tool not to register for the gold-digging excursion! (A mining tool, that is.) Har har.

Sign up now, and Sarah will pick up all the magnolia leaves in your yard…and will not make fun of you for meticulously mowing your lawn in horizontal stripes!! (You have to read the fourth paragraph to get this. And also check out my under cover photo of my neighbor’s perfectly-striped lawn, magnolia leaf included).

And lastly…

Act now, and Sarah will give you miner’s lung for FREE!

Seriously, if you use any of these, it’s codfish fry mush for you.

I love old people. There’s a lot of freedom that comes with the experience of living for a long, long time. It’s fascinating how time changes us.

Web design is notorious for changing every 5 minutes. But there are some principles of effective web strategy that I’m still going to be rallying around when I’m 92 (unless we’re using pure telepathy by then; in that case I would hand my mic over to the dude with the shiny purple turban).

1. Effective web design is not nearly as much about aesthetics as it is about achieving a desired result. Design for design’s sake does not work on the web. If your goal is to impress the ten people who end up somehow finding your award-winning site, bravo. You did it.

   But I’m betting you had different reasons for wanting a fabulous-looking site. Things like building up a list of people who adore you. Getting email inquiries by the bucketful. Selling your incredible creations to people who appreciate them deeply. Remember: A pretty site does not a successful online venture make. (Although ugly is definitely worse.)

2. The most effective web strategies are the result of a first creation. Back in the day when Stephen Covey was the only productivity guru I’d ever heard of, I used to mull over his idea of the first creation — this idea that everything involves not one, but two creations. The first being the intentional in-your-brain/on-paper creation that determines the second actual/in-real-life creation. Remember: A lack of the first always leads to a lack in the second.
3. Today’s never-fail attention-grabbing strategy is tomorrow’s invisible dog. My childhood best friend (whose name was/is also Sarah, resulting in me being called “Sarah Joy” for the second six years of my life) used to have one of those leashes that had an invisible dog on the end of it. I thought that was the coolest thing. And that’s what your web strategy looks like if you’re doing the same things you were doing a year or two ago. Except not as cool. Remember: Keeping people’s attention requires constant innovation. No laurel-resting allowed.
4. If you’re noticing that everybody’s using a particular strategy, it’s probably on the down-swing. Web strategy needs to be constantly applied in new ways that run against-the-current. They must be tailored to you and your particular brand of awesome. Most busy online entrepreneurs simply adapt what others are doing and call that their strategy. And while that may work for a while, the results will be a watered-down version of what you could be achieving. Remember: While there are tricks and principles to tattoo in your brain, there are no cookie-cutter solutions.
5. The most successful and enterprising people online make themselves their own best client and customer. Hat tip to Men With Pens for talking about this yesterday. When your business explodes, it’s really hard to keep this in the forefront of your business practice. If anyone knows this, it’s me. But it’s got to be said…hiring strong people to help you is better than crippling your growth. Remember: If you put your business’ oxygen mask on first, you will be better able to serve the world. And oh yeah, define life on your own terms.

These are the reasons I’m launching the Gold-Digging Excursion today. Because there’s something missing in our web presence — it’s the first creation, the strategy. It’s the know-how to actually make our dreams come true. I want you to be equipped throughout your online adventure to make stuff happen in a big way. (And also…gold mining! How fun is that?!)

Holy crap, this has been a long series! This is part seven (and final!) in a series on changing your online image. If you haven’t read the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth posts in the series, you might want to check them out for full effect. Also, everyone who joins in on the discussion will be added to our marvelous Twitter list so we can keep up with each other. Onward!

As promised, my wackiest (whackest?) launch ideas ever, brought to you by a can of Dr. Pepper and one Cadbury egg. Clearly, an overdose of sugar is required for this. (By the way, the launch sprinkler system is for showering your wonderfulness throughout the planet. These sprinklers are really big and require light to moderate stretching before exerting the effort to turn them on.)

1. Create something really cool for every online publisher that you adore. Preferably revolving around your craft or trade. And exhibiting your One Thing (because everything does now, right?).
2. Send a Cadbury egg to every one of your readers. Preferably when it’s cold outside so that they don’t melt. In my experience, there are only a few valient people left on this earth who can resist Cadbury eggs.
3. Create a video of you attempting to break a Guinness record related to your One Thing. (Not the beer. Though there might also be a record for that.)
4. Go on a reality TV show for the sole purpose of waving hi to your readers. Anything except Wife Swap.
5. Create a dinosaur puppet alter-ego. (Dang it. That’s already been done.)
6. Write love notes to random clients and customers. With real paper and ink. (A stamp would also help. And maybe perfume.)
7. Do something that only your re-launched self would do. For example, if your One Thing has something to do with outdoor adventure-seeking, make a video documentary of you going on a white water rafting trip. Have bonfire epiphanies and experiment with original S’mores recipes.
8. Find a mascot. (Dibs on Penelope the Empathetic Monster. You can have Monty the Fox.). Take pictures of it doing fun touristy things.
9. Publish a comic book series starring yourself doing the death-defying things that you do on a typical day.
10. Do a farewell phone interview with your one of your old branding assets.
11. Instead of giving away a free e-book when people sign up for your newsletter, give away something way more interesting. Like a coloring book.
12. Give away awesome t-shirts to random readers.
13. Do a traveling blog series that’s kind of like a traveling circus. Bonus points if you can somehow incorporate seals or lions.
14. Make a totally amazing, irreverent FAQ page.
15. Take someone hostage. For example, if your business is to photoshop people’s photographs, take all of their blog pictures hostage and completely re-do them. Require a ransom for them to get them back.

I am a HUGE fan of doing things differently. And the cool thing about being online is that everything that has been done offline for years and years is fodder for doing online and being completely new and awesome. Everything old is new again, so turn on those launch sprinklers and shower us with your brilliance!

P.S. Have you heard about the upcoming Gold-Digging Excursion? I’m taking a group of people on a month-long mining trip to make their websites more profit-friendly. Join the pre-launch daisychain to find out when it launches before anyone else. (If you’re even half-thinking of going on the excursion, you want to be on this list. Promise.)

This is part six in a series on changing your online image. If you haven’t read the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth posts in the series, you might want to check them out for full effect. Also, everyone who joins in on the discussion will be added to our marvelous Twitter list so we can keep up with each other. Onward!

I would make an excellent prosecuting attorney. One of my most…umm…endearing qualities is being able to spot inconsistencies in logic or behavior.

My more benign probings get my friends irritated with me (like when I ask for sources when someone says “it was on the news”). My deeper questionings can get me in a bit more trouble (like my need to grapple with inconsistencies in my faith. Which wouldn’t make people uncomfortable if I would do it in private.)

As a web designer, my interrogation skills serve me well. Brands require routine investigation to make sure they’re in alignment with the good of your business. Brand consistency is the only way to have any control over how you’re coming across on the web.

Today, your branding assets are in the hot seat. (For this exercise, a branding asset is anything that contributes to public awareness of who you are. That includes logos, buttons, headers, and even your sales copy and the types of content you put out there.) We need to figure out if your branding assets are committing a crime against your business, robbing you of customers and cash.

Questions to ask your branding assets when they’re in the hot seat

• Do you solemnly swear to tell the whole truth? The truth is your One Thing. Is the asset speaking your truth?
• What’s your alibi? Why is the asset here? If it doesn’t have a definable function, it’s time to toss it or change it.
• Are you paying your rent? Every branding piece needs to be a workhorse. If it’s not contributing to your business financially, it’s freeloading. Freeloaders get the axe.
• Do you talk bad about me behind my back? Does your asset give off the right vibe, or is it mucking up your credibility?

Once you’ve handcuffed some of your assets and exonerated others, it’s time to see if you need to pack some new ones into your suitcase. If you’re experiencing pain in one particular aspect of your business, a great way to conquer it is to create a branding tool to address the issue.

For example, if you’re having trouble getting readers to stick around (and your content’s already top notch), focus on improving your blog subscription assets. If you’re having trouble getting people to sign up for your coaching sessions, create a new branding piece for the one you’d particularly like people to see.

Once all of your branding items are consistent, it’s time to make it official. Thursday, I’m going to share my list of the wackiest launch ideas I’ve ever had. (I have a feeling I might regret this later.)

P.S. Have you heard about the upcoming Gold-Digging Excursion? I’m taking a group of people on a month-long mining trip to dig up their website’s cash potential. Join the pre-launch daisychain to find out when it launches before anyone else. (If you’re even half-thinking of going on the excursion, you want to be on this list. Promise.)

This is part five in a series on changing your online image. If you haven’t read the first, second, third, and fourth posts in the series, you might want to check them out for full effect. Also, everyone who joins in on the discussion will be added to our marvelous Twitter list so we can keep up with each other. Onward!

My friends call me the “I’ve Decided” girl. Maybe because every other day, I call them with a new revelation.

“I’ve Decided!” Just try it…it’s powerful. It pleases the do-er in me — the part of me that knows that ultimately, I am responsible for my own happiness. I choose to be here or there…do this or that. I may wallow in self-pity for a few days, but through all of that, my brain is formulating a plan to change whatever is mucking up my life. And all of a sudden, I’ve decided.

Your online “I’ve Decided” moment

After you’ve figured out your One Thing, it’s time to do something about it. In this case, “doing something” means planning a re-launch.

The benefits of re-launching

• It’s motivating. Coming out in your full amplified glory is your public “I’ve decided” declaration. The accountability and support that comes from that will propel you to where you want to go. No whip needed.
• It gets people re-excited about what you’re doing. Even if your biz presence was extraordinary before, with repeated exposure, the extraordinary becomes ordinary. Re-launching brings you an influx of new buyers and opportunities almost immediately.
• You effectively change people’s minds about you. Whatever vibe you were putting off before, people will have forgotten it within a week of your re-launch. We human-types have short memories. In the presence of your new mojo, past boringness and inconsistency will be forgotten like yesterday’s turbriskafil.

Do it, do it, do it

* said while banging fork and knife on the lunchroom table *

Nerdy developer types have a saying that we pass around like turbriskafil. Launch early and often. Launch while it’s hot and ready enough, and then re-launch when it’s even hotter and readier. Repeat the process ad infinitum.

So go ahead and pick a date for your re-launch. Or if you’re not the date-picking type, just decide that your next re-launch is going to be something you’re consistently working toward. Next Tuesday, we’re going to be talking about what to pack for your re-launch (and go over your branding assets like I promised last week). Wear comfy shoes!

So I’m betting you’re wondering where I was yesterday, right? Oh, it didn’t even cross your mind? Well, I’m going to pretend that it did.

The morning started off bad, got worse, and then spit in my face at the end of the day. I keep telling myself that it’s only February, and even pirate queens get cranky this time of year. What more can I expect?

So to make myself feel better, I’m going to show you a glimpse of my under-the-sheets project. That I’ve been working on since September. And then give you an opportunity to get on the pre-launch daisychain so that you’ll be the first to know when I’m opening the doors (because that’s what the pre-launch daisychain is for, y’know? That and seeing more sneaky-peeks before it’s unveiled to the public).

Just a glimpse, okay? I haven’t even shown this to my dad, and that’s saying something.

Oh yes. And here’s the link to the daisychain (or you can click on the image itself). If you’re already subscribed for yummies, you’re not already on the daisychain. It’s a separate thing.

I feel better already.

This is part four in a series on changing your online image. I’ll be alluding to the first, second, and third posts in the series, so you might want to go back and have a look if you haven’t read them already. Also, everyone who joins in on the discussion will get added to our marvelous Twitter list so we can keep up with each other. Onward!

With all of the essential and contrarian attributes you possess, your mind is probably spinning at this point. Geez, what am I anyway? And how can I possibly convey that in any sort of consistent branding effort? It’s easy to get overwhelmed and toss up your hands in defeat.

Take a breath…all you need is some self-distillation

Self-distillation: A word I just made up The art of combining all that’s wild and wonderful about you into a meaningful One Thing.

Your One Thing is what is going to assert your brand effectively to the world. It’s your measuring stick of your juice-to-water ratio (are you sending out a watered-down message, or is your brand-juice pure and undiluted?).

How to use your One Thing measuring stick

Getting ready to publish an article? If it doesn’t jive with the One Thing, don’t press “Publish”. Tweeting about your day? If you can’t see your One Thing in it, don’t tweet it. Or rather than not publishing and not tweeting (never a strategic move), change your article, change your tweet. Align it with your One Thing.

Same thing goes for projects that you accept, collaborations you embark on, relationships that you hitch your ride to (not that they must be the same, but be mindful of who you spend your time with). This is not a new rule that you must follow in order to be “of the moment”. But if you’re having a branding problem…if you can’t seem to communicate “you” to the world, you’re probably sending out a diluted message. If you want a brand that your audience can recognize a mile away, whip out your One Thing measuring stick.

Distilling your essence into your One Thing

I haven’t created a step-by-step process for finding your One Thing (it’s usually more of an individual, can’t-be-replicated quest), but here are three things I’ve grasped about them:

• They include some measure of visual recognition. Stark. Flouncy. Colorful. Sexy. A feast for the eyes.
• There’s a voice behind the curtain. Formal. Sweet. Funny. Down-to-earth. The lingo’s important and apparent.
• They’re in pursuit of some level of world-change. Feed the hungry. Empower the weak. Release the prisoners. The end-goal is powerful.

Cue your visuals. Amplify your voice. Announce your mission.

Your homework: Take all of your research and lists and practice distilling yourself in these three areas. Notice I said practice. This is not a one-time-only, you-must-do-it-right sort of thing. This is a seeking, getting-closer-to-the-goal sort of thing.

Next Tuesday, we’re going to be looking more deeply into your branding assets — your tagline, your business cards, your website…all of it. A practice in objectivity. Bring fresh eyeballs!

This is part three in a series on changing your online image. I’ll be alluding to the first and second posts in the series, so you might want to go back and have a look if you haven’t read them already. Also, everyone who joins in on the discussion will get added to our marvelous Twitter list so we can keep up with each other. Onward!

Since Thursday, I’ve learned some quite astonishing things about myself. First, I should totally have a country accent. What a disappointment that I do not! After living in Nashville for six years and various parts of Virginia for the rest of my life (including places barely on the map), the entirety of my Southern accent potential stayed firmly grounded with my parents. My friends say I was meant for NYC, and I agree with them (though an idyllic pastoral setting also has its swoon points).

Also, I’ve been rumored to be taller than I actually am. I would have liked to perpetuate that misconception, but at 5′1″, I’ve been known as “the short one” all my life. I can’t pretend to be taller, even on the internet.

There are other, more relevant things that I’ve discovered people think about me and my work. I’m still pondering them…stewing them around in my brain. Some could be good (that I’ve got an audience of thousands!) and others not-so-good (that I’m not spiritual…which to me is like saying that I regularly cheat on my lover).

It’s not that these perceptions in themselves are so important. The point, after all, isn’t to change yourself so that people will like you. The point is to gauge how accurately you are voicing your truths. If people think that you’re a snarky big-mouth when you’re actually a peace-loving Zen practitioner, then perhaps you need to adjust some things.

For most of us, we don’t have an issue with coming across as something completely different that what we are. We struggle with stepping out in the fullness of ourselves. We’re subconsciously only pouring one-third of our juice in the glass and diluting the rest with water so that it’s not too sweet/sticky/powerful for everyone else.

Even though I feel like I’ve “found my voice”, I still struggle with this. For instance, I published something last night that is giving me queasy stomach flops today. At 3am, it seemed perfectly natural to share my self-doubts with the world. (Go transparency!) At 10am, I was feeling less certain. At 11am, I nearly deleted it.

So here’s my homework (and yours too, if you dig it)

Pull out your “things that describe the real you” list to prime the pump (does anyone say that anymore? Just us Virginians?).

• If you could be anyone on the internet, who would you be? (It doesn’t have to be a person, though it can be. What qualities would you amplify? What values would you possess?)
• How do you see your online self now, and how does it differ from the “ideal you”? (And when I say “ideal”, I mean you on your very best, most inspired day.)
• What might the ideal you look like, fully realized? (What kinds of things would you create? What would you do to change the world? Fantasize…think both practical and intangible.)
• What are your reasons/excuses/justifications for not stepping more fully into your ideal self?

On Thursday, we’re going to look deeper into your ideal, epitomized self, so come prepared for some comfort-zone shifting!