Name: Erin Marie Bassett (I just go by Erin)
Location: Chicago, IL (originally from Milwaukee - Brookfield specifically - school at the university of Dayton in Dayton, OH and then I spent a year living in Santa Cruz, CA before moving to Chicago)
Occupation:
Blog Coach and Mentor,
Content Marketing Expert, Blogger and Windy City Blogger Collective co-founder
Hobbies:
I enjoy cooking at home, I am an avid sports fan (hockey mostly), I play beer-league kickball and I am a leading learner meaning I love the opportunity to learn a new skill or learn more about a topic! As a Blog Coach I get to learn about blogging all day long and then pass what I've learned onto my clients.
I enjoy cooking at home, I am an avid sports fan (hockey mostly), I play beer-league kickball and I am a leading learner meaning I love the opportunity to learn a new skill or learn more about a topic! As a Blog Coach I get to learn about blogging all day long and then pass what I've learned onto my clients.
I couldn't live without my:
Morning caffeine jolt... Either black coffee at home or a slightly sweetened latte from my favorite coffee shop in Chicago, La Colombe, or one of their "pure black" iced coffee which is distributed in an old coke vending machine! Oh, I also always have my iPhone but I wouldn't be able to operate it without caffeine first.
Morning caffeine jolt... Either black coffee at home or a slightly sweetened latte from my favorite coffee shop in Chicago, La Colombe, or one of their "pure black" iced coffee which is distributed in an old coke vending machine! Oh, I also always have my iPhone but I wouldn't be able to operate it without caffeine first.
What is Blog Coaching/Mentoring?
I work with bloggers to elevate their sites and focus on their goals to help make blogging less work and more fun! For most of us blogging doesn't pay all the bills so we have to learn how to balance this passion project (never a hobby) with the other responsibilities in our lives. I also love working with clients who are rebranding their sites. It is such a fun experience to dig into why they want to switch things up and then come up with a plan to make sure it happens smoothly!
I work with bloggers to elevate their sites and focus on their goals to help make blogging less work and more fun! For most of us blogging doesn't pay all the bills so we have to learn how to balance this passion project (never a hobby) with the other responsibilities in our lives. I also love working with clients who are rebranding their sites. It is such a fun experience to dig into why they want to switch things up and then come up with a plan to make sure it happens smoothly!
Which part of your job is your favorite:
Meeting with bloggers. Hands down. I simply adore bloggers and I know how much dedication it takes to produce a content on a regular basis so it is incredibly rewarding for me to help them blog more efficiently and, asa result, be able to spend more time on the creative and inspiration sides of blogging and not the technical behind the scenes work that really eats up the most time.
Meeting with bloggers. Hands down. I simply adore bloggers and I know how much dedication it takes to produce a content on a regular basis so it is incredibly rewarding for me to help them blog more efficiently and, asa result, be able to spend more time on the creative and inspiration sides of blogging and not the technical behind the scenes work that really eats up the most time.
Are you a full-time, one-woman show:
I am, but I am lucky enough to be supported by my husband, Danny, and my family and a fantastic network of blogger friends who each have helped me figure something out along the way. I don't claim to be a tax expert, or attorney, or graphic designer so I rely on my network to help me figure things out if Google can't answer it for me. Some day I will hire someone to help on the administrative side so I can focus on my clients 100% but that time isn't on the horizon just yet.
I am, but I am lucky enough to be supported by my husband, Danny, and my family and a fantastic network of blogger friends who each have helped me figure something out along the way. I don't claim to be a tax expert, or attorney, or graphic designer so I rely on my network to help me figure things out if Google can't answer it for me. Some day I will hire someone to help on the administrative side so I can focus on my clients 100% but that time isn't on the horizon just yet.
When and why did you start your Blog Coaching business:
I officially launched on March 1, 2014 but I had been putting the pieces together for about six months before that. My journey to get to the point of starting my own business was littered with 8-6 jobs (no one works 9-5 anymore) that were not good fits but each taught me something about who I am, how I work and what drives me so I am glad to have experienced them. Leaving my job was certainly a frightening move but I had incredible support from my family and friends and after one in-depth conversation with Farissa of What RU Wearing (whatruwearing.net) I decided to pull the plug! Blogger Coaching gives me the opportunity to support my community of bloggers and brands that can benefit from my expertise and guidance. It gives me the chance to partner with these people to improve their presence on the internet... Which makes it better for all of us!!
I officially launched on March 1, 2014 but I had been putting the pieces together for about six months before that. My journey to get to the point of starting my own business was littered with 8-6 jobs (no one works 9-5 anymore) that were not good fits but each taught me something about who I am, how I work and what drives me so I am glad to have experienced them. Leaving my job was certainly a frightening move but I had incredible support from my family and friends and after one in-depth conversation with Farissa of What RU Wearing (whatruwearing.net) I decided to pull the plug! Blogger Coaching gives me the opportunity to support my community of bloggers and brands that can benefit from my expertise and guidance. It gives me the chance to partner with these people to improve their presence on the internet... Which makes it better for all of us!!
What is your advice for someone wanting to start their own business?
First, make sure you are comfortable financially with the change in income. It takes a while for it to build back up but you can't devote 100% of your energy to your business if you have another job. You need that desperation to fuel you. Second, set a reasonable timeline before you measure success. Ive given myself a year and a half before I really evaluate if being a blog coach is a viable career for me and my family. (This closely ties into the financial piece). Thirdly, you will be tempted to try and do a little bit of everything when you are first starting out, at least I was, but I've discovered it is better to focus on one thing and be really kick-ass at it before building other services or offerings into your business. Unless you're selling products...then you might want
one more than one item for your customers to choose from! Finally, I recommend you set non-monetary goals on a weekly basis. For example mine, at this point, are related to outreach and sales so at the start of the week I set out to interact with X amount if brands and to attend X amount of events where I can meet with bloggers. But, overall, I think if you want to start your own business, reach out to others who have already done so and ask questions! Everyone will have their own opinion and you do have to figure things out for yourself to a certain degree but having a friend you can reach out to on your "O.M.G. What have I gotten myself into" days who has been in your shoes is vital.
First, make sure you are comfortable financially with the change in income. It takes a while for it to build back up but you can't devote 100% of your energy to your business if you have another job. You need that desperation to fuel you. Second, set a reasonable timeline before you measure success. Ive given myself a year and a half before I really evaluate if being a blog coach is a viable career for me and my family. (This closely ties into the financial piece). Thirdly, you will be tempted to try and do a little bit of everything when you are first starting out, at least I was, but I've discovered it is better to focus on one thing and be really kick-ass at it before building other services or offerings into your business. Unless you're selling products...then you might want
one more than one item for your customers to choose from! Finally, I recommend you set non-monetary goals on a weekly basis. For example mine, at this point, are related to outreach and sales so at the start of the week I set out to interact with X amount if brands and to attend X amount of events where I can meet with bloggers. But, overall, I think if you want to start your own business, reach out to others who have already done so and ask questions! Everyone will have their own opinion and you do have to figure things out for yourself to a certain degree but having a friend you can reach out to on your "O.M.G. What have I gotten myself into" days who has been in your shoes is vital.
What is your degree in:
I graduated with a BA in Communications, PR and minors in Marketing and Philosophy. Looking back I wish I would have taken graphic design courses but that's what "continued learning" is for!
I graduated with a BA in Communications, PR and minors in Marketing and Philosophy. Looking back I wish I would have taken graphic design courses but that's what "continued learning" is for!
What is your favorite thing about Blog Coaching/Mentoring:
I just published a few ebooks (erinmariebassett.com/ebooks/) to quickly help bloggers and it was so fun to write those. (Psst: you get $5.00 off your purchase with the code "MIDWESTBLOGR") With the first few I published I tried to address the most common issues I hear from my clients. Every blogger wants more time, better pictures and for their boyfriends to just get on board with the whole thing! So, I wrote "3 Steps to Better Content", "Blogger Essentials: The Content Calendar" and "The Blogger's Boyfriend Guide Book". Shoot me an email if you've got other ideas or questions or complaints about blogging and I'll add them to the next round of ebooks (erinmariebassett@gmail.com) I also love curating my Resource Guide (free for my email subscribers). As I find new apps, tricks or information about blogging and content marketing I add them to the list. I'm a self-taught blogger, as most of us out there are, so my goal is to make it easier for you so you don't have to google everything for yourself.
I just published a few ebooks (erinmariebassett.com/ebooks/) to quickly help bloggers and it was so fun to write those. (Psst: you get $5.00 off your purchase with the code "MIDWESTBLOGR") With the first few I published I tried to address the most common issues I hear from my clients. Every blogger wants more time, better pictures and for their boyfriends to just get on board with the whole thing! So, I wrote "3 Steps to Better Content", "Blogger Essentials: The Content Calendar" and "The Blogger's Boyfriend Guide Book". Shoot me an email if you've got other ideas or questions or complaints about blogging and I'll add them to the next round of ebooks (erinmariebassett@gmail.com) I also love curating my Resource Guide (free for my email subscribers). As I find new apps, tricks or information about blogging and content marketing I add them to the list. I'm a self-taught blogger, as most of us out there are, so my goal is to make it easier for you so you don't have to google everything for yourself.
If you're not working with a client or penning ebooks what can you be found doing:
I split the rest of my time between dates/time with Danny and time with friends, blogging for Color Me Styled (colormestyled.com) and Get UR Daily E (geturdailye.tumblr.com) and Instagramming (instagram.com/erinmbassett) and working on Windy City Bloggers (including attending several events)! So besides dates and outings with friends or blogger events... I'm at the computer blogging or running social media from my phone in the back of cabs to and from my dates, outings and blogger events.
I split the rest of my time between dates/time with Danny and time with friends, blogging for Color Me Styled (colormestyled.com) and Get UR Daily E (geturdailye.tumblr.com) and Instagramming (instagram.com/erinmbassett) and working on Windy City Bloggers (including attending several events)! So besides dates and outings with friends or blogger events... I'm at the computer blogging or running social media from my phone in the back of cabs to and from my dates, outings and blogger events.
What is the best piece of content advice you can give to a blogger:
Create a content calendar. Don't know how or where to start? Don't worry. One of my first ebooks is all about a quick start to content planning and I've created two sleek content calendar templates for you to start with. And, my Blogging Better and Blogging Best one-on-one sessions include content calendar creation.
Create a content calendar. Don't know how or where to start? Don't worry. One of my first ebooks is all about a quick start to content planning and I've created two sleek content calendar templates for you to start with. And, my Blogging Better and Blogging Best one-on-one sessions include content calendar creation.
Be nice... because blog karma is real. Be you... no two blogs are the same and for good reason. And write a fabulous About page... it is the first page I visit when I find a new blog and a lot of times I follow the blog based on that page.
What is the biggest mistake people make in their content and how can they fix it?
There are a TON of bloggers out there nowadays and I think one of the bigger mistakes bloggers make in their content is trying to be like someone else. The best and most popular bloggers are consistently creating new content on their site (including original pictures). If you find that you've been pulling a lot of pictures off of Pinterest lately, spend a Saturday just walking around your town or neighborhood and take several different still life shots that you can use instead. Farmers markets, rummage sales, parks, they all have the potential to be great locations for pictures.
There are a TON of bloggers out there nowadays and I think one of the bigger mistakes bloggers make in their content is trying to be like someone else. The best and most popular bloggers are consistently creating new content on their site (including original pictures). If you find that you've been pulling a lot of pictures off of Pinterest lately, spend a Saturday just walking around your town or neighborhood and take several different still life shots that you can use instead. Farmers markets, rummage sales, parks, they all have the potential to be great locations for pictures.
What is your website?
Blog Coaching and Mentoring and Ebooks are at erinmariebassett.com and my blog is colormestyled.com and Windy City bloggers is windycitybloggers.com
Blog Coaching and Mentoring and Ebooks are at erinmariebassett.com and my blog is colormestyled.com and Windy City bloggers is windycitybloggers.com
What's the best way to contact you?
I'm always on Instagram and twitter, @erinmbassett, and I try my best to respond to emails within 48 hours at erinmariebassett@
I'm always on Instagram and twitter, @erinmbassett, and I try my best to respond to emails within 48 hours at erinmariebassett@
We hear you are offering a discount to Midwest Bloggers...
Yes! Use the code "MIDWESTBLOGR" for $5.00 off any of my ebooks (erinmariebassett.com/ebooks) and as a special treat I'm offering a Content Calendar planning session to Midwest Bloggers as a stand-alone a la carte option (normally only incorporated into Blogging Better and Blogging Best) for just $55 but
Yes! Use the code "MIDWESTBLOGR" for $5.00 off any of my ebooks (erinmariebassett.com/ebooks) and as a special treat I'm offering a Content Calendar planning session to Midwest Bloggers as a stand-alone a la carte option (normally only incorporated into Blogging Better and Blogging Best) for just $55 but
you've gotta book the session by July 31! Make sure you reference this post in your email (erinmariebassett@gmail.com)
I'm slowly starting to realize the importance of a content calendar and I most definitely need to work on my "about me" page! Great write-up on Erin :)
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You'd be surprised how helpful a content calendar can be. I've come to rely on it and couldn't blog consistently without one! And, sometimes the About Me page is the hardest thing to write :]
DeleteI'm all about my content calendar! I plan a month or month in a half in advance! Once I started doing the calendar, blogging got WAY more fun AND WAY more professional looking! LOVE these tips!!
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