Mom, Start a Business!

[COACHING] Monetizing a New Mommy Blog

• Cami Layne Langston • Season 1 • Episode 14

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EPISODE 014: In this episode, I'm chatting with Nicole. Nicole is a mom of two little ones, a busy nurse, and a new mommy blogger. She is wanting to figure out a way to monetize her blog so she can work fewer hours but she doesn't feel like she has anything that she could offer as a digital product. 

Listen in to hear our discussion about...

  • Creating a product in a saturated market
  • Physical products vs. digital products
  • How a blog fits into your business 
  • How to get in front of people in the very beginning
  • and more!

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MSAB Episode 014 - [COACHING] Monetizing a New Mommy Blog

[00:00:00] Cami: So the big question is this, how are moms like us who feel called to be home with our little ones? Whose main priority is family. How do we spend our days taking care of everyone else, but also find a way to have something for ourselves. Something that gives us purpose outside the walls of our home and something that allows us to contribute to the family budget. 

What is the best way to make money from home? Where do you start? And when do you even find time to work? When you have little ones that need you all day, those are the questions. And this podcast has the answers. My name is Camy lane. And I'm on a mission to show moms what's possible with an online business. 

Welcome to the moms. Start a business podcast. Now let's get started. 

You're listening to moms start a business episode 14. If you have ever thought to yourself, I would love to create a digital product, a course, a membership, something, but I have no idea [00:01:00] what I could offer. Then this episode is for you. I am chatting with Nicole. Nicole is a mom of two and a nurse. And we met because she posted in a Facebook group about affiliate marketing. 

She has recently started a blog and is trying to figure out how she's going to monetize it. It's a mom blog that has kind of got lots of different, topics. And so she's trying to figure out, you know, the best way to monetize it. Well, if you know anything about me and kind of what I teach, I actually encourage people to start with the product before they jump into creating content. 

And so that's one of the things we talk about in this conversation. We also talk about creating a product when it's a saturated market with what you're wanting to create. We talk about physical products versus digital products. We talk about, you know, how does your blog actually. Fit [00:02:00] in to your business. 

And, you know, when should you start that? When should you focus on that? How does that actually help? How do you sell if you don't have a blog and how to find people in the very beginning? So definitely listen all the way to the end, to hear kind of. How we come up with how Nicole can offer something on her blog or not on our blog, and how you can do the same. 

Now, before we jump into the interview, I want to, just kind of make a little announcement today, as this comes out, live on Thursday, tomorrow on Friday, we, are going to be running a. 12 days of Christmas giveaway, and I am going to be giving away some things, for anybody who leaves a review for the podcast. 

So if you have not done so already make sure [00:03:00] that you go and leave a review for the podcast. You can go to mom's start a business.com forward slash review, and it will walk you through the steps on how to do that. And even if you do it before they give away starts, even if you've already, written a review, then that will go towards an entry for the giveaway. 

There's also some other things that you can do. So make sure you come on over to Instagram, you can find me at. Tammy lane that's C a M I L a Y N E. And you will find all of the details there on Friday. So if you're listening, when this comes out live, it's not there just yet. It's going to come out tomorrow on Friday. 

So, go ahead and check that. On Friday and you can get all of the instructions on how you can enter the giveaway. I'm going to be giving away, a spot in my membership. I am going to be giving away some of my favorite things, both business and personal. So make sure that you check that out and leave a review [00:04:00] for the podcast to get entered. 

Okay. Let's get into the interview with Nicole. What what's on your mind.  

Nicole: So I am really trying to transition from my current. Job, which I am really fortunate cause I work relief, but the hours are super long and barely, it means I get to work my own schedule. So if I said I get to pick the days, but the times are crazy. 

So if I work a full 12 and a half hour shifts, by the time I drive to work work, and then come back. If I get off on time, I'm looking at like 15 hours a day. Total from when I get up. In the morning to when I get home, then I'm putting kids to bed or I sleep for a few hours and then get up and it's just not doable anymore. 

and my heart just isn't in the same place that it was before. And so I really want to find something where I can help other moms who are still in this really busy season of life. Understand that, you know, the struggles you're facing [00:05:00] are. Real, and it's not pretty all the time and it's not something that's unusual because we're seeing so many perfect posts on Facebook. 

And I feel like it's not talked about a lot or if it is, it's kind of like joked about, but it's not normalized. And so I want to reach that mom, who's trying to lessen her life as far as the busy-ness goes and make it more efficient so that she can enjoy time with her family. So she can take a half hour at night to do yoga for herself or Ms. 

Finances differently so that she can work less. Cause mom's just worked. So when you have to, in general, now that we're in COVID it's 10 times harder and 10 times more stressful.  

Cami: Yeah, for sure. So what is your background?  

Nicole: So my background actually comes from healthcare. I've been in healthcare, almost all of my life. 

I'm currently an emergency room nurse. I also work in pre-op and post-op for like the surgery unit, the surgery. [00:06:00] I've been a nurse for the last five years before that. I was a CNA. Before that I worked on an ambulance. I did feel like very briefly when I was younger, but pretty much all of my. 

Professional experiences and adult is from  

Cami: healthcare. Nice. And so then have you, I'm trying to remember, do you already have a blog or you are wanting to start a blog or remind me of kind of where you're at in that process.  

Nicole: So I started my blog. I actually went live last week. and then they also had started a small Facebook group, have a private group, and then a business page that I just started trying to differentiate between the two. 

so I did just start those last week and there is a huge learning curve that comes with those. So I've probably only been at it. Maybe three weeks. I feel like I'm hitting a point where it's like, okay, where do I go from here? What are all the legalities of it? As far as like the privacy policy and affiliate [00:07:00] links. 

And is that the best way to go? How can I best use my time?  

Cami: Because I have so little of it  

Nicole: that I know we need to make sure that I'm being efficient. Like my whole goal is to teach moms to be more efficient so that they can enjoy more things alive. And I need to make sure that I'm doing that for myself as well. 

Cami: Okay. So tell me what the blog is about or kind of your vision for what you want it to be about.  

Nicole: Yeah. So as far as what I want it to be, it's kind of an evolving process, which I know is terrible, but the idea is that moms can come here and they can. Find recommendations to make their life easier, whether it be like I just did this review on the outline, but I did this super cool review on the new craft box in spotted, because as this delay feature and it's like, it's ideal for the working person, any recommendations from that to,  

Cami: different meals that  

Nicole: you can feed your picky toddler to how to [00:08:00] save money. 

So it's like a lifestyle, mostly lifestyle about like moms and families and how to combine it all together while saving time in community, if that makes sense.  

Cami: Okay. So like, I, cause I know like our conversation kind of started, because you were kind of talking about like affiliate stuff and you know, with a blog. 

And so I know I kind of sent you a message talking about. The difference between, you know, like using your blog and doing, like affiliates and ad space and stuff versus kind of having your own offers. And so. You know, with a blog that is kind of like you're describing, right? Like you want to kind of have lots of different things, and resources and stuff. 

That definitely sounds like a blog that would have more of like affiliate stuff. which is totally doable. it just takes more time [00:09:00] because it's something that does require, A lot of traffic, like what you're going after is a lot of traffic because, obviously the more traffic you have, then the more ad, you know, like that's how you make money with ads. 

Right. and then as far as, as affiliates, you know, affiliate sales are normally a pretty small percentage, right? I mean, Amazon is now it used to be 8%. Which is still pretty small. And now it's down to, I believe just like 1%.  

Nicole: Yeah. Depending on items. It's super small.  

Cami: Yeah. So, you know, I mean, it's not, it takes a lot right. 

To make any substantial money. So if that's the route you want to go, I mean, that's obviously like. Up to you, but it, I would just be prepared that it will take longer and that's definitely not my expertise. whereas if you're [00:10:00] looking for something kind of quick, right? Like something that you can really get going, you know, having your own. 

Offer, whether it be a service or a digital course, or, you know, something like that. you definitely, you don't need as big of an audience. And really even frankly, to get started, you don't need a blog. but if you do have a blog and with your content, you want it to be very specific. So you wouldn't want to have kind of all of these different resources, if that makes sense, you would want to focus on kind of one specific thing because, yeah, I mean, it's, it's just kind of like, like if you, if you want a good steak, right. 

You're not going to go to a buffet, you know, like they have a steak there, you could get steak there. They also offer all of these other things. Right. So like they're not really great at anything. They just [00:11:00] have everything you'd go to a steakhouse, right. That like specializes in steak or, I mean, obviously, you know, with medicine, right? 

Like. It's kind of like the emergency room is kind of like that, you know, everybody comes to write, but then, I mean, if you've got a specific problem, like you want to see the specialist. Right, right. And so it's the same thing. Like if you have your own offer, whatever it is, like if people have that problem, right. 

If people have a problem, they want to go to the expert in that, not the generalist. Right. So I think, you know, you kind of have to figure out like which route you want to go. and I know, I mean, that's, that's hard, you know, I obviously, I can't tell you what to do. I can just kind of give you information, to help you choose and maybe help you think through it. 

But, does that make sense?  

Nicole: Yeah, and it totally makes sense. And I do think that there is value in. Offering the [00:12:00] solution to no, if it's more, so I'm a big planner for I'm a big planner person and busted her like that is my jam total type a, which is great. And I think that there is value in that. I just don't feel like I have anything to offer. 

As far as digital content, it goes for something to sell. And I don't know, as far as like coaching, I have no experience in coaching. I mean, I've helped. Some friends get together resumes. Cause that's kind of, I dunno, it's kinda my thing too. so I just feel like I wouldn't have anything to offer as far as a course and I don't because I am in healthcare, you know, for liability reasons. 

I don't want to do anything in the healthcare space because one it's always changing and there is a lot of liability there that I just am trying to separate from and become, you know, Have a little space between the two, because that's not, that's not where I want to continue going as far as this next venture. 

[00:13:00] Cami: So I totally get that. I think a lot of people feel that way of like, what do I have to offer? Right. and I totally get like with the healthcare stuff, cause that is tricky with health, you know, all that. but I bet there is something. I mean, so like what, I mean, you mentioned resumes, you mentioned budgeting. 

Like, what are, I mean, even just those two, I mean, what are things that people like your friends or family come to you for? What do they ask you? Advice on? Like, what are you kind of the, you know, they've got this problem, like you're the go-to person in the family or friend circle.  

Nicole: Probably anything has to do with planning would probably be a big one. 

and then maybe budgeting, but nobody really wants to talk about their budget right now.  

Cami: Right?  

Nicole: I mean, it's tough right now. And trying to plan and save is, is difficult, especially when the income is not always there for everyone. but by nature, destiny, a [00:14:00] planner.  

Cami: Okay. the other thing you can kind of think of is like, what, I mean, what are some results that you have gotten that are results that other people would like, you know, maybe it is something specific in budgeting, you know, you were able to pay off so much debt or you're able to live on, I don't know, you know, certain amount of income or planning wise, you know, like maybe it's that. 

You're able to figure out like this whole mom thing with like, I mean, you mentioned your husband, you know, like your schedules are completely off or maybe working the night shift, you know, like, you know, what are like some specific areas and things that like you have kind of figured out. Does that make sense? 

Nicole: Yeah. I just feel like it's things that I have gleaned from others. Like I really like, there's a specific budgeter that I really [00:15:00] follow and like, although I kind of tweaked what she does more so to fit our lives. And then as far as budgeting or planning goes, I mean, I just, it's not necessarily that. I am. 

No, it's more so that I can write it all out on paper. And I have this old school planner and writing it all out and like scratching out different areas. I guess it'd be more so maybe I should do something where I can offer like a planner. That's more specified towards mom for like dinners and I don't know, grocery lists and. 

Doctor's appointments and things like that, but I know that space is super saturated.  

Cami: Right, right. Yeah. I mean, and you definitely do want to take that into consideration and that's where. You, you know, whatever you do, you want to kind of figure out like how you can put your own spin on it and how you are different and how you're [00:16:00] unique, you know, in that space. 

So, I mean, I don't think that you necessarily want to discount that, you know, just because it is saturated. I mean, that, that obviously means that there's. That people are interested in it, right? Yeah. So it's just kind of being able to carve out your own little niche in there. So I don't know, is there, is there a group, like a certain kind of group of people that you are. 

Drawn to that. Like you want to serve, I mean, you mentioned moms, but is it kind of like a specific group? Is it like working moms? Is it moms that I don't know, you know, like, is there kind of a certain group.  

Nicole: So I particularly want to focus on moms that are trying to juggle all kids who are still trying to work a little bit, whether it be full-time or part-time, but trying to like manage their schedule around [00:17:00] everyone. 

Else's because it's so difficult. So I feel like not necessarily the full-time working mom, although she could benefit or not necessarily stay at home mom, although she would benefit from something like that more. So the moms who had this varying schedule, who is always on her toes, because nothing is regular. 

Cami: Do you feel like a lot of those moms are maybe like nurses or like men, the medical profession, you know, where like you do kind of have that. Varying schedule.  

Nicole: Yeah, I do feel like it could be healthcare, but it could also be retail workers too. You know, moms that are ha don't have regular days scheduled days because you have some people do, but a lot of people don't as well. 

And that does make it. That makes it so difficult to plan anything. And it also adds so much more stress than, okay, what are, what are we going to do today? And I'm only two hours, so what can I fit in before I have to go to work? And then I have to sleep in the morning. [00:18:00] And so it's this vicious cycle, which adds to more anxiety, more mental stressors or poor health. 

Cami: Hey, sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to take a minute and say, thank you so much for listening. It really does mean the world to me, knowing that I have amazing moms like you supporting my mission. Would you do me a favor? Will you share this episode with a friend, simply take a screenshot right now and text it to a friend that it could help or better yet share it on your Instagram stories or Facebook feed. 

Every share. It makes a huge difference and showing moms what's possible for them. Thanks again, friend. And don't forget to tag me at Kimmy lane when you share. Okay. Let's get back to it. I don't know. I, I, and obviously take, take all of this just with a grain of salt and have like, you know, just filtering out brainstorming ideas. 

Right. but I could totally see like, kind of with the whole like, planner, You know, [00:19:00] efficiency kind of scheduling stuff. I could totally see like carving out a niche of focusing on nurses or like, if you could somehow kind of figure out how to, you know, word it and like message it where, where it's like the moms that have like are working part time and have like the, the varying. 

You know, schedules where maybe it's night shifts and maybe, you know what I mean? Like, I don't know. I'm trying to think how you could like word that, but I could totally see that being a niche of, you know, you're, you're helping those moms that might have, you know, one day they're working. The 12 hour shift over the night, you know? 

So then they've like you said, have to figure out like sleeping, but then the next day, you know, then they're off for three days and it's, you know, it's just varying. So, but I could see how [00:20:00] that could be kind of a niche. So I don't know. I mean, I think that could look like a, an actual planner now. Doing a physical planner, you know, where like you are getting it printed and everything like that is definitely would definitely take a lot more, work and upfront, funds and. 

And you have to manage inventory, you know, and all of that. So, yeah, I wouldn't necessarily take that on, unless you are like, super passionate about that, but I could totally see it being like a principal. Yeah. 

I mean, I could see this working as like a membership kind of thing as well, you know, where it's just. You know, maybe you've got some like core content around how to structure your days and [00:21:00] planning, you know, like where you're teaching, you know, like your strategies and what, what works for you. Maybe you're even offering that downloadable planner, but then they are also getting like that monthly support and community in like a membership. 

You know, where they're, they're able to connect with other moms that are dealing with the same thing and, you know, glean information off of each other and just support. so I could totally see that I'm a big fan of the membership model just because it is recurring. you know, and it also, I feel like can make it a little bit more accessible for people just because it can be like a little bit lower. 

Cost then, you know, like a several hundred dollar course or something like that, you know, it can be kind of a lower cost. So, it is. Because it's lower costs and [00:22:00] it is kind of gonna be a little bit more slower to build that bigger income, but it is recurring. So you kind of have to,  

Nicole: so do you think it's something that I could just add onto my blog or you think it has to be something in? 

Cause I really like, I find that the blog that I currently have is therapeutic for me actually. And the more that I am. Getting like, I don't have very many public yet, which is totally fine. but the more that I'm writing, the more I'm having like friends and family members reach out saying, Hey, that was really great. 

Like, I could really relate to that. I had a teacher reach out to me and say, Hey, you know, I would really love to write about my current experience with virtual learning right now. And having kids at home, I had a nurse practitioner reach out about, Hey, you know, if you're looking for some content, I would. 

love to join because I go, Hey, I had this blog. Would you join me? Oh yeah. I would love to join you and writing something about people seeing healthy. So I don't feel like I have the time to try one, try to make [00:23:00] another website because that was terrible. I'm still learning in and it's so hard for me. I am not tech savvy at all. 

So I'm kind of wondering if this is something that I could just add on because I'd like a recommendation. Well, eventually as I'm starting to build more content and more recommendations and things that I think are  

awesome,  

 

Nicole: If I add this on this principal planner version on at some point, or, like in that recommendations tab or this may, you feel like has to be, can be separated. 

Cami: I don't think it has to be completely separated. What is your blog called? Like what's your website?  

Nicole: it's called heartfelt mama.com.  

Cami: Okay. so. With, like, if your goal is to sell your thing right, then you definitely like, you want your content to lead to that. [00:24:00] So, You can definitely like still keep the blog. You know what I mean? Like in blog, you just want it to kind of be like, basically it's kind of like a funnel, right? Yeah. Like you want it to be then leading to your product. because. The, the traffic that you want coming, you want to be attracting the type of person that would then purchase your product. 

Nicole: Yeah. Which makes sense, because everything is, well, I shouldn't say everything. There are some like touchy, feely stuff that's on there, but most everything is true to, or is in the process of being driven to efficiency. Right.  

Cami: Right. So, I mean, you can definitely, definitely keep it. I just, my thing with, with blogs or podcasts or what Instagram counts, whatever it is, you know, where you're kind of putting [00:25:00] out consistent content. 

it's easy to just get caught up in putting more content out and doing content and thought, you know what I mean? Like you're just doing it for the sake of doing it. And, and kind of expecting like, well, I'll put it out there and people will call, you know, and that's not really how it works. Like you have to, I mean, like I said, like with. 

With a net, like you want to be specific. I mean, if you're trying to get people to a product, then you need to be very specific in your drawing and the messaging you're using and the topics you're talking about to take them on a journey from, you know, being here where they have a problem leading them to then here, the solution that you have. 

Yeah. So, I don't know. I mean, my, my advice and my philosophy is always like, if your goal is to make money now, if your goal is to just like, have something [00:26:00] fun to do and you enjoy your writing, then like, by all means like spend your time writing and blogging. But if your goal is to really like build a business and make money, then I would start with the product. 

I would start. And that's where I would spend my time is like actually figuring out what is like, what are you going to offer? What are you going to sell? And I always recommend doing a pre-sell. So before you create it, you know, really formulating kind of your idea and like having an outline of it and stuff, but then putting your offer out there and actually seeing if people buy it, because if they don't and if they're not interested, then obviously like you don't want to waste your time creating it. 

And so, you know, like I, the journey that I take people on is it's figuring all of that out first and, and getting all of that set up first, before we ever get [00:27:00] to, like, what is your regular content going to be to kind of then create this funnel? You know what I mean? Like, I suggest like actually doing your product and getting it all launched first before we would create a blog or a podcast or YouTube channel or anything like that. 

Nicole: So if you're not using, Blog or website, what are you using to get, I'm sorry, what's a place that, what are you using to get or advertise for  

Cami: the product? So in the beginning, it's a lot of grassroots efforts of, you know, reaching out to obviously people in your. Personal network. That makes sense. 

Not just everybody, like, please do not just go message everybody. You know what I mean? Yeah. But like, if it actually makes sense and they're your target audience talking to them about it and then making use of other people's audiences. So going into other Facebook groups and. You know, using [00:28:00] using questions and things that pull out the people that you're looking for, not just going in and saying, Hey, here's my offer. 

You know, because obviously you would get kicked out of a lot of groups doing it that way, but like doing questions and things that really pulls out the people that you're looking for and, and having conversations with them. And basically there's kind of a process of like doing market research and. To, to even kind of come up with your idea, you know, and really nail that down. 

And through that process, you're kind of building interest and you know, you're not looking for necessarily like thousands of people at the beginning, you know, you're looking for like maybe a couple of hundred. I mean, that would be great. Like, even if you have 50 people that kind of had showed interest, you know, having a group that you can then kind of present that offer to, and see if it's going to be something that's viable. 

Does that make sense? So, so a lot of [00:29:00] just like one-on-one connections in other people's groups, You can, you know, like start pulling people into your own Facebook group. you can, you know, do use Instagram. I like one of my students, like she just did, a challenge. I kind of recommend like doing your pre-launch with either a challenge or like a. 

Kind of a webinar, you know, but like, not necessarily like all the bells and whistles of webinars, just kind of like a, you know, a one-off training. I knew challenges work really well. so I mean, just by doing kind of the things, you know, I taught her to do in Facebook groups. I mean, she was able to get like 600 ladies into a Facebook group for a challenge. 

And then sold her $97 course to that group as a pre-launch, you know, and, just closed it. So she's got like 37 members now that she's going to then create it with. And so then once she's got all that set up, [00:30:00] then she'll kind of figure out, okay, now, how am I going to continue to get people in. In the course and that's where kind of the blog or the, the other stuff comes into play. 

Does that make sense? You know, now that she's like, she's got it all nailed down, she's got people that can help her kind of get the messaging. Right. so that it all makes sense. And it's not just doing all of these different things with no real direction. 

Okay. I am back after my call with Nicole. I hope that that helped you kind of think through maybe some things that you could offer as a digital product for yourself, and maybe give you some insight on how you could monetize your blog. Or the, the steps that you should take, in getting started, if you would like to have a call like that, just like Nicole and I did where we just hop on [00:31:00] and chat and help you brainstorm an idea. 

I would love to talk to you. if you will go to moms, start a business.com at Ford slash on air call, you can fill out an application there. And I will be in contact with you to, to get a time set up where we can have a discussion and I might just air it on the podcast. If I feel like it will be helpful for other people. 

if you are kind of like, Oh, I would love to talk to you, but I'm not so sure about being on the podcast, then fill out that application, make a little note, you know, in there and we can, We can chat about how I can help you. All right. I hope that you have a wonderful day. remember the giveaway starts on Friday, tomorrow, so go check out all of the details on my Instagram at Camy lane and make sure to leave a review for the moms. 

Start a business podcast by going to moms started business.com/review. All right, I'll see you next [00:32:00] week.