Kara

Unit 1 Lesson 1 FREE ACCESS!

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Instead of trying to give you a sales pitch here and tell you why I believe many more of you need to register for the ON MISSION ONLINE COURSE, I thought I’d just give you access to the first lesson.

This is from Unit 1, Lesson 1 and it’s where we begin laying the foundation for the work He’s called us to. I’ll walk you through why He’s called YOU specifically, why He’s called you NOW specifically, and why ONLINE specifically. We’ll use Scripture to guide our discussion and shape our plans moving forward. Although you won’t have access to the PDF assignment for this lesson, you will hear the heart behind it and be able to decide if this is a good fit for you or not.

You can watch the video HERE:

Interested in signing up for the course? Go HERE for more information.

Where do I begin?

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Today, I’m going to share with you the first video that I sent out back last Fall when we were getting ready to launch the Beta round of the On Mission Online course. It is titled “WHERE DO I BEGIN?” and will talk you through some best first steps to take. 

In it you’ll hear me say things like: 
-What can you do to serve someone else today?
-What can you create and give away that would bless someone else? 
-It’s time to Find your voice. 
-Goal: Give. Serve. Give. Serve. 

Friend- You have been given something to say. And it’s time to start saying it. 

What typically holds us back is that we aren’t quite sure HOW to say it. And often times, we’re afraid of saying it wrong. We don’t know the technology or the best ways to create resources and so we allow ourselves to stay stuck…knowing where we are called to go but being unwilling to take a step forward to get there. 

It is my hope that I can help encourage you along the way to GET GOING. I want to send you tips and resources along the way that make it easier for you to run ON MISSION online for the good of others and the glory of God. And I think this 10-minute video just might help. 

In the video you’ll hear me ask you to hit REPLY and to send me a list of ten ideas of things that you can teach someone right now. Even though I’m not longer asking you to send me this list, I still want you to do it for yourself.

Why? Because ACTION BRINGS CLARITY.  Once we sit down and take the time to actually consider what we have that we can use to bless others, we begin to find our voice and then we can begin moving forward.

Once you’ve come up with a list of your own, HERE is the list we complied last Fall from all of the amazing ideas that you all submitted. Use it if you’d like for some inspiration and then GET GOING creating content to serve and bless others.

I hope this is helpful to you!

Watch the Video HERE.

Determining your ICA (Mission Field!)

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Today I wanted to talk with you about knowing WHO you are called to serve. 

When I first started Wellness Witness back in 2014, I really didn’t know yet. That’s actually quite normal- if you are just starting out, it can be HARD to know exactly who you are creating content for and who you are called to serve. What I didn’t know then, though, was that trying to create content that fit the needs of everyone really ended up meeting the needs of very few.

One of the best things I’ve learned over the years is the importance of getting really clear about WHO I’m called to serve and HOW I’m called to serve them. In business circles you’ll hear this called your Ideal Customer Avatar (ICA) but in my course we refer to them as your MISSION FIELD. This is the specific group/type person that you’ve are uniquely called and gifted to serve.

In the course we spend an entire lesson going over this concept and then walking our way through a five-page exercise where we clarify our Mission Field, but for today, I thought it might be helpful for me to give all of you a few things to begin considering and praying through.

Your answers to these questions should help guide you in each post that you make, in every piece of content that you create, in any programs/products that you put together, and in any marketing that you will send out.

Before you start: PRAY. Ask the Lord for a clear vision of WHO He is calling you specifically to serve then start thinking through things such as:

Why do these questions (and others) matter? Because once we have a clear picture of who we are called to serve, we can better meet the needs that they have. We can begin writing and speaking and teaching and marketing towards those who we have been uniquely called to serve. We can create content, products, and programs that meet the needs that they have. For those who take the course, we’ll talk more about that in Unit 1 Lesson 3, but this is a great place to start.

Also, don’t be surprised if your ICA/Mission Field ends up looking very similar to yourself. That is normal! Often times we are serving those who are very much like us- or those who are as we once were. This is a good thing! You get to share what you’ve learned along the way and help blaze a trail towards freedom for others. What a blessing!

Is having a clearly defined ICA/Mission Field necessary for beginning the work? NO.
BUT, it will help as you move forward.

Keep in mind at all times those who you’re serving. When I write or create content, I picture my ICA. I think about her struggles, her needs, her goals, her life, and her family. I’ve even given her a name! Knowing WHO I’m creating content for helps me to serve people better and keeps me going when I sometimes think I should quit.

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I hope this has encouraged you today and helped you move things forward just a bit.
Thank you, friends. So grateful to be in this mission with you!

Want free access to the entire 7-page PDF resource on determining your ICA? Be sure you’re signed up for our email list HERE.
Ready to get access to the ON MISSION ONLINE course? Just click HERE.

Finding Your Voice

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This week I wanted to talk about a topic and question that I am asked often. It’s phrased various ways, but at it’s core, the question is this: HOW DO I FIND MY VOICE? We’ll be talking a lot about this in the On Mission Online Course  but I wanted to give you a few reminders today to help you in this area. 

1- PRACTICE. 
To find your voice you have to begin USING your voice. Show up and speak up. 
This can be challenging because sometimes, we mistakenly think that we’re putting ourselves out there. I guess in some small way you are, but at its core, what we’re actually doing when we show up and begin telling our story is putting HIM out there. We’re pointing back to God and what He’s done. We’re sharing the story He’s written for us and the ways He’s worked on our behalf. THAT MATTERS, friends. That matters a lot more than our comfort in staying small and hidden. 

2- EMBRACE IMPERFECTION. 
I know- this isn’t the advice you’d expect from someone trying to help you grow your business, but it’s true. We’ve got to learn to EMBRACE IMPERFECTION.  If you’re taking steps forward and practicing using your voice to create content to love and serve others well, there will be some mistakes along the way. These mistakes don’t mean that you’re disqualified- they just are evidence that you’re learning and growing. We will either WIN or we’ll LEARN and both are good. Refuse to allow a mistake to keep you stuck in hiding and grab hold of it for all that it can teach you. 

3- KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR OWN PAPER. 
I realize that I’ve told y’all this before, but it’s worth repeating: KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR OWN PAPER. Want to know the quickest way to lose your voice? By trying to replicate someone else’s. There is a time for learning from others and sitting under their teaching. But there’s NEVER a time for trying to recreate what they do in the way that they do it. YOU- yes YOU- have been given a calling and you showing up into it MATTERS. Your voice, your experiences, your expertise, your struggles, your wisdom…all of it matters for the people that the Lord is going to call you to serve. If you’ve gotten a bit sidetracked and allowed your gaze to shift onto someone else’s paper, go ahead and move it right back to your own. 

As a bonus, here’s a podcast episode from Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield. It’s Episode #353: Your Confidence Success Path for Showing Up Online. 

We know that TRUE confidence can only come from the Lord, but in this podcast episode, Ivirlei Brookes will give you her 5-step process for showing up with confidence online. I hope that it will encourage you and help you!

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Have a great week, friends. GET GOING! He’s given you work to do. Go make much of Him!

Learn more about the ON MISSION ONLINE COURSE HERE.  

Top five time-wasters in building your online business

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In this post we talked about BATCHING your content and your tasks to save time. Today, I’m sharing FIVE top time wasters for those who want to build their online businesses. 

1- EMAIL!
Yes, email is important as you begin building your online presence. One of the first things I have my On Mission Online students do is to set up a lead magnet to begin building their email lists. BUT, when It comes to email notifications, TURN THEM OFF. Have a scheduled time that you know you’ll be checking email and the rest of the time, don’t think about it. Consider creating an auto-responder so your customers/clients will know what to expect from you or to answer some Frequently Asked Questions. Also, prepare template email responses that you can use if you’re often sent emails with the same questions.

2- LOOKING AT OTHERS IN THE MARKETPLACE. 
I know that many would tell you to do make research but I’m telling you to stop it. You don’t need to spend time looking at what your competitors are called to, you need to spend time showing up doing what YOU’VE been called to. Also, while we’re at it, let’s reframe that concept of COMPETITOR. Those who are working in a similar field as you are not your competitors. The Lord will send people to you that will resonate with what you’re doing. There is no lack and we can CHEER ON OTHERS who are doing good work.
The more time you spend looking at what others around you are doing, the less time you’ll spend on creating your own work and the more you’ll start second guessing it.

3- SOCIAL MEDIA SCROLLING. 
I believe that social media is a tool that you can use in building and growing your online business. But, this has got to be done with intention. Use it within set parameters and boundaries. Use it for relationship building and content sharing. Share with your audience who you are, who you’re there to help, and how you’re going to help them. Speak life and spend time engaging with those that come your way BUT DO NOT LET IT MASTER YOU. Just like I said with email, set specific times during the day that you’re doing to check in and engage. Turn OFF notifications on your phone and have periods of uninterrupted work and also uninterrupted time with family living real life.
Social media is a tool and a weapon that CAN be wielded for good, but if not used with caution, it can also be detrimental and destructive. Prayerfully draw your boundaries and then show up with intention.

4- TWEAKING YOUR WEBSITE. 
Or product sales page. Or logo design. Or graphics. Or whatever else it is that you’re spending time on while you avoid doing the real work you’ve been called to. Main goal for your website? Capture email addresses and get them to your lead magnet. Your site doesn’t have to be perfect when you first start or begin growing your business. Your logo and graphics? Same thing. Your equipment or setup for filming? SAME THING.
Get busy doing the real work in moving forward and stop staying distracted (and procrastinating) over details that don’t matter.

5- SECOND GUESSING and DOUBTING THE CALL.
Worrying over what you can’t do will never move you forward. Second guessing what you’ve done or how others have responded won’t either. Today, instead of measuring your results by number of followers, comments, likes, follows, shares, or even sales, instead, measure it by OBEDIENCE.
It takes a long time to build trust. Customers will stick with you and purchase from you once they KNOW YOU, LIKE YOU, and TRUST YOU. This takes time. Keep showing up. Keep sharing. Keep teaching, Keep getting in your reps. Keep growing.
If He’s called you, don’t grow distracted by anything else. 

Want to know how I could quickly teach you about these five time wasters? BECAUSE I’VE DONE EVERY ONE OF THEM. MULTIPLE TIMES.

And I want to show you another way.

You’ve been called, friend, and you’ve got work to do. 

Let’s go.

Have questions? Send them my way.  I’m praying for all of you and cheering you on!

INFO ON THE ON MISSION ONLINE COURSE CAN BE FOUND HERE

Batching Content and Why it Matters

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Today, let’s talk about BATCHING content. In its simplest form what this means is grouping like tasks together. 

Batching your content will help you to get more done in less time because you won’t be wasting energy on starting and stopping a task. You won’t have to transition or get set-up before working on a task each time you complete it and it will allow you to work ahead.

Think about the things that you need to get done in a month for your business/ministry. Social media posts will require captions, images/graphics, and calls to action. Emails will need to be created and sent. Videos may need to be filmed. Podcasts may need to be recorded. Invoices may need to be sent. Recipes may need to be created or curated. Blog posts may need to be written, edited, and posted. Workouts may need to be planned.

1– Take a few minutes to think through any of the tasks you’ll need to complete. Having a calendar nearby can help as you begin to schedule in the content you’ll need to have ready. For me this might look like:
-Draft and schedule four emails for the At-Home Tribe in September
-Record, edit, and upload six workout videos
-Plan 12 workouts for my #530amtribe fitness classes
-Post 12 times to Instagram/Facebook page
-Record 4 scripture reset podcast episodes and 4 topical episodes

2- Next plan when you can tackle ONE of these areas. Block off time in your calendar to work on it. Example:
This past Friday I scheduled a 3-hour block for filming workouts. I showed up with any equipment I might need, 3 changes of clothes, 3 workout plans, and my video equipment. I set up and filmed the first workout and when I finished, instead of then taking all of the equipment back down, I rested, changed clothes, and began filming the second video.

Why does this help? I’m not having to switch modes. The space was already prepared and my equipment set up. This saves a ton of time and brain space.

Other examples:
-When I sit down to write my weekly emails for my At-Home Tribe ladies for the month, I make an outline for the entire month. I plan the topics for each email based off of what our current monthly theme is, what needs I’ve noticed in the group, and then based off of what content I can build off of from week to week. I can plan their emails to flow together cohesively and to advance from week-to-week based off of one plan.

-The same goes for planning my live class workouts. I try to plan for at least one-week at at time and when I’m really on top of my game, I plan the entire month. I look at the calendar and then decide which types of training we need on which days. Once I’ve decided on a format (examples: Cardiovascular, total body strength, bodyweight, metabolic conditioning, kickboxing, drums, etc.), then I can easily plan each workout to meet that objective.

-When recording podcast episodes, it takes time to get my microphone set up, audio levels correctly set, editing software up and going. Instead of doing all of that for one episode, I always batch my episode recording to make better use of my time. I spend some time up front making a plan for what all I want to record and I gather any info that I need to make show notes or outlines. Then, once I’m ready, I sit down and record multiple episodes.
I edit all of them at one time, and then I upload and pre-schedule them all at once as well.

-You can even use this concept of BATCHING for tasks at home. When I’m preparing my lunches for the week, I go ahead and wash and chop enough lettuce to last me for 4 more days. We grill enough chicken breasts for the week and on Mondays, I chop up enough for salads for the entire week.
When I cook ground beef for supper, I cook a second pound that I immediately put into the freezer to use at a future date.

Working SMARTER and not harder will help you to run longer. 

As you’re just beginning your online business/ministry it can be overwhelming. I get it. Trust me- I still get overwhelmed.

But I always know that the best place to start is by grabbing a notepad and a calendar and making a plan. Grab pockets of time when you can and then try to group like tasks together. This takes practice, but will save you so much time and energy.

Have other questions about this topic or others? Let me know.
Thank you to those who jumped right in and are now ON MISSION ONLINE Independent Study students. I’ve written each of your names on sticky notes on my office wall and I thank God for each of you as I pray for your calling and your future ministry opportunities.

For those that are interested in learning more about this online do-at-your-own-pace six-module business course, you can click the box below.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ON MISSION ONLINE HERE
For those who need a little more information I wanted to share my heart behind this project in this short video. I hope it helps!