makena-demo

Being Kind Gets You Nowhere. Or Does It?

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 14:15:02 GMT

Being Kind Gets You Nowhere. Or Does It?

You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force.” – Pubilius Syrus

You may have heard the saying “nice guys finish last.” People often believe that being kind means you are weak and can be easily taken advantage of.

But is this really true?

We are taught that behind every smile there is an ulterior motive.

We are suspicious and skeptical of others who are kind to us.

Kindness does not equal weakness. On the contrary, it takes a great amount of strength to be kind to someone who thinks differently than you or is slowing you down in some way.

People who perform regular acts of kindness are often more successful, have more social friends and are well liked than those who don’t.

How kindness helps you succeed:

• Kindness increases confidence. Studies show that kindness increases your self-worth.

• People remember you when you are kind and willing to help others. It sets you apart from others.

• Kindness creates a ripple effect. One person being kind in some way spreads to others, who in turn spread kindness. Kindness is contagious, fostering in more kindness.

• Kindness evokes a sense of trust. In fact, studies show that even before establishing their own credibility, leaders who are kind and project warmth are more effective than those who lead by being tough.

• Kindness helps increase employee performance. Being kind to others makes them happier which in turn makes them more productive.

• Kindness bridges gaps between people. It can reach across barriers in language, gender, locality, religion and anything else that causes people to miscommunicate.

Luis Benitez, who has summitted the Seven Summits 32 times, says that kindness and compassion are essential to overcoming terrible physical and mental challenges. He often encounters horrible challenges during his climbs.

As an example, say you see someone limping on the day you need to reach the next camp. Instead of cursing their weakness and ignoring the pain they are in, you stop to bandage their feet so they can keep up with you.

This is not just being altruistic. If a member of the party lost their ability to hike, your entire group may have to return to the start. Stopping to help a colleague ensures you achieve your own goals.

Kindness is the secret to a successful and fulfilling life. Always be kind because your actions have a bigger impact than you realize not only on you but others as well.

How Tiny Actions Can Make Huge Impacts

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 15:15:02 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” – Scott Adams

Do you remember how you felt when you had a tough day and a stranger smiled at you? Or the time you helped your neighbor carry in her groceries and how she still thanks you for it? Each of these small acts of kindness can make a huge impact on someone’s life.

Small actions often lead to giant ripples. One small action can completely change the life of someone who then performs a kindness for someone else. And the cycle continues and grows.

No matter how big or small the kindness is, it’s likely to have big significances to your own mental health. According to psychologists and researchers, the smallest acts of kindness can create a rebound effect on not only the receiver’s psyche but your own as well.

For example, a smile increases their level of comfort along with making them happier. It puts you in a better mood as well. That simple smile could be the reason someone is lifted out of despair.

Tiny acts of kindness can make a change in two ways; they are the catalyst for others to start invoking their own small kindnesses and they have a contagious affect on others. In other words, when we carry out tiny acts of kindness, other people see them, inspiring more kindness.

Let’s look at another example. If you are friendly to the bus driver, he then in turn will be more likely to be more considerate to the next passenger. That passenger is more likely to go home and have a positive conversation with their family.

People who have a tendency to do small things to spread kindness are more likely to take action in bigger ways as well.

Here are ten ways small acts can have an impact.

1. Learn first aid. Learning first aid principles can help you be prepared to act if someone needs help in an emergency.

2. Be a part of a community clean up. Help clean up a park, neighborhood or local beach area.

3. Donate toys to the local prison or women’s shelter.

4. Donate flowers to someone in need in places like hospices, care homes or women’s homes.

5. Cook a hot meal for a neighbor whose been down on their luck lately.

6. Leave snacks in the breakroom.

7. Volunteer at your local Brownies/Scouts or boys’/girls’ clubs.

8. Donate books to your local library or to children in need.

9. Remove single use plastic from your life. Recycle plastics and other recyclables.

10. Leave uplifting notes in self help books at your local bookstore or library.

Whatever you choose to do, each tiny act of kindness can have a big impact on others in ways you may never imagine. Each tiny act is observed and passed along to another making it grow into a big act.

How To Regain A Sense Of Belonging Through Kindness

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 17:30:02 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

It’s common to want to feel a sense of belonging. When we b elong, we are accepted as a member of the group. A sense of belonging is a normal human need just as our need for food and shelter is. When you feel like you belong, you feel your life has value and you cope with your emotions better.

Sometimes though, we lose our sense of belonging.

This can be for a myriad of reasons. Traumatic events could influence a person’s self esteem and self-compassion. Trauma often leaves survivors feeling out of sync with the rest of the world. They feel lonely, overwhelmed, anxious, turmoil and emotional pain that creates a sense they are different.

As humans we are social beings. Our relationship quality is affected by our mental, physical and emotional health. As researcher and author Brené Brown explains, “A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all men, women, and children. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong.”

Regaining a Sense of Belonging

One way to help regain a sense of belonging is through kindness. Kindness releases the feel-good hormone. It makes you feel happier and improves your mood. Here are some ways to regain your sense of belonging.

• Contribute to the lives of others by offering to listen and be a sounding board for them. This not only brings them joy but will give you a feeling of connectedness.

• Have compassion for others who are different for you. Spend time helping others who are less fortunate, have different likes or needs than you.

• Let go of judgments that build walls. Instead focus on people by connecting with them. No one is perfect. We all have struggles.

• Be kind in your words and way of thinking. Use words that offer strength, compassion, acceptance and caring.

• Begin building healthy relationships with others using kindness. Healthy relationships are important to our sense of well-being. Help trauma survivors realize they are safe and secure by showing them kindness.

• Turn towards your partners for support during tough times.

• Give and receive compliments with kindness.

• Be compassionate of others who are suffering.

• Begin doing things that bring you joy. Volunteer at an animal shelter. Give your time at a soup kitchen.

• Be kind to yourself instead of always putting yourself down. Take a compliment for what it truly is - an act of genuine caring and kindness.

• Join groups or clubs that are interesting to you. Participate in discussions and be kind to those who are members.

We all want to feel like we belong. When our sense of belonging becomes affected and destroyed by trauma or other factors, we need to find a way to regain it.

Kindness to both yourself and to others is one of the easiest ways to begin gaining your sense of belonging back.

Why The World Has Become Less Kind

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 14:00:08 GMT

Why The World Has Become Less Kind

Kindness is something that I feel is leaving us a little bit - people are getting more self-involved. Cobie Smulders

It seems life has taken us to a place where we no longer value kindness as a trait. In fact, kindness has been replaced with self-importance and wanting to stay impersonal. The question is why has the world become less kind?

Is it that we no longer care about others? Do we believe kindness makes us weak? Is the lack of kindness from some global change?

The truth is, kindness has become less and less important in our daily lives for several reasons.

• We’re in a hurry. Life has become so fast paced, filled with appointments and places to be that we no longer take the time to simply listen to someone.

• Technology has taken place of the human face-to-face, voice-to-voice interactions of the past. No longer do we pick up the phone or meet face-to-face to talk to others. Now we spend our time texting, posting, getting involved in others drama or simply playing mindless games on our cell phones, tablets, computers and even our watches.

Technology has allowed us to say it’s okay to be late all the time. After all, we can simply text our friend we’re running late, and they’ll know. It’s taken away the common courtesies of saying thank you, hello, nice to meet you, please and “how can I help you”.

We no longer smile at others when we see them. We no longer sympathize or help someone who is having a rough day. Instead we place an emoji on our social media post or in a text and call it done.

There’s an app for everything. Want to have a relationship? Use this app. Want to order your dinner? Use this app. Are these apps taking away the connectedness we once had that created kindness? Maybe.

• Self-centered and greed is another reason kindness has taken a backseat. Many people are focused on their own lives, on getting ahead and doing whatever is necessary to beat the other guy.

People are more interested in taking care of their own self before they reach out and extend some type of kindness to others. We’ve become a society of “me first” that wasn’t seen as often just a few years ago.

• Our environment causes us to withdraw from others. Living in crowded cities among strangers can make you quickly hide your natural tendency to be generous and kind to others. With crime, kidnappings, murders and other fears running wild in many cities, people have found it safer to keep to themselves. Road rage keeps people from stopping to help someone with car trouble.

• Our upbringing was different 30 years ago. We believed in helping each other. Neighbors looked out for each other. People weren’t afraid to help the poor and needy. People and children were taught to respect others and to be trustworthy and honest.

Today people are more afraid to show their kindness. There is fear that we will be attacked for what we say or do. We don’t want to appear vulnerable and to get hurt so we attack with words and actions as a way to self-protect ourselves.

Kindness has taken a backseat to greed, technology, poor manners and the environment we live in. Instead of showing kindness we’re afraid to be seen as the nice guy because we might be taken advantage of.

Why Kindness Is So Important

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 25 May 2021 19:30:02 GMT

The Importance of Kindness!

"Constant kindness can accomplish as much as the sun making ice melt. Kindness causes misunderstandings, mistrust and hostility to evaporate." Albert Schweitzer

Kindness seems to be missing in today’s society. People are more connected to their devices than to what is happening around them. They are self-absorbed. Kindness is oftentimes the last thing they think about.

Without kindness our world would be filled with strife, discontent and anger. We’d see relationships fall apart or never start, countries disintegrate into constant war and our world completely changed.

According to Dr John and Julie Gottman – founders of the Gottman Institute, which studies relationships – every successful relationship is, in the end, supported by kindness. What’s more, they claim the most important time you should be kind is during some type of conflict, such as when you are arguing with a partner and yet, this is the hardest time for most people to be kind.

“Kindness is about showing empathy, acceptance and tolerance,” explains Lawrence Stoyanowski, a Vancouver-based therapist. “It’s about being able to scan your partner for things to appreciate rather than criticize.” Stoyanowski follows the principles set out by the Gottman Institute.

Why Kindness

As children and even as adults, we look for kindness from our family and friends. We give and receive kindness every day in some form.

Kindness moves us. We remember past kindnesses done to and by us. Kindness nourishes, heals, strengthens and uplifts us.

Many studies have shown that kindness though, is not only a good moral value but it is good for you. It benefits your brain, your body and your emotions in many ways. It is a foundation for a meaningful life.

Here are 6 reasons why kindness is so important.

1. Kindness makes us happier. When we perform random acts of kindness, we activate areas of pleasure, social connection and trust in our brains.

2. It creates a positive loop in our mind. Kindness makes you happier and happiness makes you kinder. When you are happy, you are more likely to feel giving and kind towards others.

3. Kindness can create social connections and bonding. As humans, we’re preprogrammed to be a part of a group. Being a part of a group, a social connection of some type, enhances our physical performance and boosts mental clarity. Being kind allows us to be a part of a group.

4. Kindness helps with the healing process. When healthcare is delivered with kindness it can hasten the healing process, thereby shortening hospital stays. Kinder care leads to a range of outcomes including reduced pain, lowered blood pressure and less anxiety for the patient and caregivers.

5. Kindness can decrease or help prevent diseases. Kindness lowers our stress and anxiety levels and decreases pain because of the endorphins and feel-good hormones released at the time of the act.

Positive emotions from kindness boosts your vagus nerve which regulates blood sugar. This helps the body prevent diabetes, strokes and heart disease.

6. Altruism has been shown to stimulate the reward area of our brain. Studies suggest that we get high on being kind.

No matter how inconsequential an act of kindness might be, it is good for you. Without kindness life would be lonely, filled with anger and desolation, disease and stress. But when kindness is both given and received with no expectations in return, our lives are calmer, happier and we build meaningful connections to others.

How to Animate Elements in Canva

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 18 May 2021 19:21:50 GMT

NEW Canva FEATURE! Animated Elements

NEW FEATURE ALERT!

Canva just keeps on giving us what we want, am I right?

This week on the blog, we've got a tutorial on how to make your elements MOVE!

This is so fun for adding interest to your social media and it gets you more attention with the algorithms since video is typically promoted over static graphics! YAY!

Check it out in the video above to learn more!

As always feel free to grab some of my awesome Canva templates from the giant button below!

They're designed to help you bring engagement on your social media channels! YAY

Where to Find the Logos in your Brand Kit in Canva

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 11 May 2021 19:15:02 GMT

Finding the Logos in Your Canva Brand Kit

Hi friends!

Soooooo I've actually gotten this question several times lately.

Where do I find the logos from my brand kit.

To be honest with you, I actually wasn't sure when the first person asked me. I couldn't remember where they were housed and had been using an alternate method without even realizing it!

So, I figured I better make a tutorial!

Watch the video above to learn where to find your logos in the brand kit inside of Canva!

As always, feel free to grab some free Canva templates from the button below!

These templates are designed to help drive engagement on your social media channels!

Click the button to claim yours!

NEW Canva FEATURE! New Frames!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 04 May 2021 12:30:02 GMT

NEW FRAMES in Canva!

YOU GUYS! There has been an exciting new update in the world of Canva! I feel like at this point, every blog post is about a new feature. BUT I AM NOT MAD!

Canva is constantly rolling out new features and I'm pretty excited about this newest one!

They have expanded the collection of frames! Frames are the rolling hills place holders that you can drop your own images in! There are so much fun to use and can really take your design to the next level!

Check out the tutorial to see where to find them and how some of them look!

As always, feel free to hit the button below and check out my free Canva templates! These templates are designed to help you bring more engagement to your social media channels!

Hit the button below to claim yours!

NEW CANVA FEATURE! Smart Mockups!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 16:00:02 GMT

Smart Mockups is NOW INSIDE OF Canva?!

You heard that right! You can now make designer quality mockups right inside of Canva itself!

Canva recently acquired Smart Mockups and proceeded to integrate the tool right inside of Canva's effects tab! And it works like a charm!

This is really exciting for me as a Canva designer! It means more options for you guys!

Now, to any of my long time smart mockups users out there, this certainly doesn't replace the real tool. There are bazillions of mockups on SM that Canva simply doesn't have! But, its great in a pinch, or if you don't want to pay the smart mockups price!

Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

Feel free to grab some awesome free Canva templates from the link below. They are designed to help you drive more engagement in your facebook group or on your profile!

Finding Brand Inspiration!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 19:15:02 GMT

Use Pinterest to find inspiration for your branding!

In this video I take you through the process of finding brand content that you like so that you can easily provide an inspiration Pinterest board to your designer, or use it yourself to find common threads in what you like and dislike!

And, as promised, here's a link to a free brand board inside of Canva for you to add your content to!

https://www.canva.com/design/DAEaovwoKrM/DsYq0GxN2kHOtpD9Lcvizg/view?utm_campaign=designshare&utm_source=sharebutton&mode=preview

Also, feel free to grab the templates using the big button below! These are designed to help you drive engagement across your social platforms!

NEW CANVA FEATURE! Drop Shadows!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:00:04 GMT

The feature we've all been waiting for: DROP SHADOWS!

Check out the video above to see the newest way Canva has integrated a drop shadow feature!

I think that right there with rounded text, this is one of the most wanted feature requests Canva would get! And they have delivered!!

As always feel free to grab your Canva templates from the link below! You'll get a week's worth of templates that are designed to help you drive more engagement across your social media channels!

How to Make a Mockup In Canva!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:15:02 GMT

Making Mockup Images in Canva!

Welcome back to Tutorial Tuesday!

This week we are learning about making mockup images! These types of graphics are super popular and very important for those of you selling a digital product.

It really helps your potential buyer get a visual representation of what they are getting in their purchase!

It's a proven fact that these mockups help create sales and boost conversions!

Make sure you watch the video above to see how it's done!

Thanks so much for watching and be sure to grab some of my free templates below!

These are a sampling of what I offer in my membership for Canva Templates- they are designed with engagement captions already built in- ALL IN ONE! No more trying to make templates for a specific caption- it's already done for you!

If Your WHY Doesn’t Make You Cry, It’s Not Big Enough

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 14:45:02 GMT

Does your "why" make you cry?

I’m really not sure who coined this phrase but I’ve heard it multiple times over the years, across multiple different industries, and it holds significant truth. WHY did you start your business? WHY do you want to be in your industry? WHY do you get up every single day and work?

Everyone should have a WHY and there are no right or wrong answers here. But if you find yourself unmotivated to work or if you want to procrastinate on projects, then it’s time to re-examine the main reason for your business.

Name Your Reason – or Your WHY – for Starting a Business

Focusing on your WHY can help motivate you so write down your reason for starting a business. Did you want to fill your free time? Did you want to earn some play money or contribute to the family finances? Did you want to pay the medical bills of an aging parent or a sick child? Did you want to pay for your child’s higher education or private school tuition?

Writing these reasons down – no matter what they are because every person’s WHY will be different – should help motivate you to work hard. You should feel driven to make your business a success. You should be willing to tackle things outside your comfort zone because you know the end result will help your business.

If you’re not feeling motivated, then you need to dig deeper.

Don’t be Afraid to Examine Your Inner Feelings

Life is fluid and ever-changing so it stands to reason that your WHY would change over time as well. Even if you started your business because you didn’t know what to do once your kids were in full day school, you can change that WHY to something more meaningful now.

A mentor once shared that she started a service business because she was a single mom and needed to earn money to survive. She was responsible for lodging, food, and clothing for herself and her child. She didn’t have anyone to rely on except herself. THIS is enough to make you cry and to hustle for work, knowing that if she wasn’t working, she wasn’t eating.

What are you passionate about that will get you hustling? Are you passionate about a cause or charity that can benefit from your financial assistance? Do you need to pull yourself up out of financial despair? Don’t be afraid to own that reason and fight for your business.

Don’t be Afraid to Switch Business Gears

One of my clients told me that even though she has been in a service business for 10 years that she hasn’t been motivated to create any classes or products as a source of passive income. She blames her indecision for that but I questioned if it was because she didn’t feel attached to that particular industry. After some more discussion, she agreed and has since modified her services that align better with what she enjoys. I still suggested that she explore a deeper WHY but this is a step in the right direction. Plenty of businesses add or subtract products or services or modify their mission statement. If something about your business doesn’t feel right, don’t be afraid to make changes.

I know I've also changed my service offerings of the years. Things change with time, as do our goals. Allow your self flexibility, but also know what your motivation is.

As always, grab some Canva templates at the button below- they are designed to help you bring in more organic engagement and connection with your audience!

7 Tips for Crafting Your Story

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 14:45:02 GMT

7 Tips for Crafting Your Story

People are naturally drawn to stories. Audiences spend millions of dollars in the movie theaters, engrossed in a good storyline. Millions of novels are sold to those who want to jump into a fantasy world in an effort to follow an exceptional plot. The popular “This Is Us” television show has sky high ratings every week because we have grown to love the Pearson family through their individual stories. Chances are high that even if you don’t watch “This Is Us” you know all about it from the commercials and people talking about it.

This is the effect of telling compelling stories with characters that you grow to love. THIS is what you’re aiming for with your own stories.

Stories can be powerful if you know how to grab your audience’s attention. You have a short amount of time to pique their interest but then it takes much more effort to keep them interested. It’s quite easy for me to say, “Tell a story to connect with your ideal audience,” but where do you begin? Do you start from the day you were born and continue through your awkward middle school years? Most likely not. First, you need to create a plan, then you need to decide which details and how many details are warranted.

Storytelling Tips

1. Make your story compelling. Do you have a “hook” that will catch your audience’s attention right away?

2. Know the purpose of your story. Don’t just talk for the sake of talking. Point out the connection before your audience gets bored and questions why they’re spending time listening.

3. Use vivid descriptions and strong words. Avoid passive voice or sounding wishy washy. Avoid using too many statistics. Instead, paint a striking picture in the minds of your audience to draw them deeper into the story.

4. Don’t brag; connect instead. While your accomplishments may be impressive and will set you apart from the vast majority, don’t bore your audience with them. Keep these impressive feats on your resume. When telling your story, relate to your audience by telling them about all the times you messed up. Every one messes up so that’s a common thread among all of us. How you came out of your mess is what will impress your audience.

5. Connect emotionally. Decide which emotion you want to tap into during your story and provide information to your audience that will elicit that emotion. People will remember you better if you add emotion to your story. Think of all those times you cried at those sappy romance movies.

6. Avoid coming across as Ferris Bueller’s boring teacher. OK, this is a throwback from the ‘80s but in the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” his teacher has the most monotone voice in the world. You can imagine just how awful it must be to sit in his classroom after just hearing a moment of his dialogue. Avoid this at all cost! You want to engage your audience, not bore them and make them run for the doors.

7. Give your audience what matters. Learn to edit the details to avoid putting them into a boredom trance. You’re not fabricating anything, you’re simply picking and choosing wisely which details to share and which to keep locked up.

You’ll notice that these tips progress naturally from grabbing their attention to making a connection to providing a satisfying conclusion. With some tweaking and practice, you’ll have your story perfected and ready for the audience.

If you need help refining your story- reach out! I love helping people connect with their audience more authentically!

As always, feel free to grab some free Canva templates at the link below. They are designed to help you bring in more authentic engagement on your social channels!

Why Spying on Your Competitors is Necessary in Business

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 14:45:01 GMT

Did you know you need to spy on your competition?

Doing market research prior to starting your business is always wise, not to discourage you from trying but to figure out prior to making an investment whether there is merit to your ideas. Instead of feeling discouraged when you realize how many coaches there are in the world – or even just in your state – consider this competition a good thing. This is proof positive that a need exists for coaches and they have paying clients.

Now dig a little deeper into your research and determine how many of these coaches are in your specialty. Again, not to discourage you but to encourage you to set yourself apart, create a unique selling point that will attract your ideal clients.

When is Spying Unethical?

Smart business owners will always know what’s happening within their industry as well as locally with their competitors. In many instances, you and your competitors are vying for the same clients, so it’s smart to know who’s doing what to attract those clients.

Market research crosses the line, however, when you copy exactly what your competitors are doing. If Coach A sends out a direct mail postcard and you copy the text word for word but add your own name to it, that’s copyright infringement and unethical. Is sending out a direct mail postcard a good idea? Sure! But hire your own copywriter and graphic designer to make YOUR postcard unique.

The same is true when creating your website, sales pages, and signature classes. Always invest in your own business with your own professional copywriters and designers or you will be known as a copier. Not only does that tarnish your reputation but it can get your website shut down. Hosting companies do not have a tolerance for plagiarism and unethical behavior.

Can you create a class based on the same topic as another coach? Of course you can. But put a twist on it by adding your own case studies, discuss the topic from a different perspective, or offer another feature that the first coach does not – such as a private Facebook Group – to make it more appealing and unique.

Want to use some photos in your advertising? Don’t just copy an image from Google Images! Either take your own photos, hire a photographer, or use royalty-free stock photos. Go one step further and check the licenses at stock photo houses to ensure that you’re using the photo correctly for advertising purposes. In general, stock photos with corporate logos or names are for editorial use only, which means they can be used in a blog post but not an advertisement or endorsement.

Pricing Research

Another very important reason to look at your competitors is to determine what price point your market can handle but this may require multiple steps. First, check their websites and sales pages. What prices are they charging? What are they offering for that price?

Next check their testimonials and social media profiles. What does their tribe have to say? How active are they on social media? A large number of followers doesn’t mean anything if they are not interacting with them.

Lastly, search for reviews. If people are unhappy with something, they will let the world know about it online, usually more frequently than if they had a wonderful experience.

Again, doing this type of pricing research is not to copy what a competitor is doing but to determine if what you have to offer is priced accordingly. You will likely have differing ideal clients which can impact price. If you’re looking for local clients, your location will play a part in determining price. Pricing in New York City, for example, would be much higher than in a smaller, more rural region of upstate New York.

We have to stay current in our own industries. It truly makes a world of difference!

Feel free to grab some free canva templates through the button below! They will help you stand out to your audience and bring engagement on your social channels!

Do You Have an Offline Marketing Plan?

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 15:30:02 GMT

Do You Have an Offline Marketing Plan?

With millions upon millions of people using the internet every single day, it’s very easy as a soloprenuer to get caught up in how to market your business online. But offline marketing is equally important for your business success and shouldn’t be ignored. The two factions really should work hand in hand for ultimate success.

Build Those Relationships

Marketing your coaching business in real life isn’t much different than doing it online except you’re not hiding behind a computer screen. This idea can be extremely intimidating, especially for introverts, but the more you practice your real life interactions, the easier it becomes.

One tip to remember: Marketing does not equal sales. Marketing is about building relationships or planting seeds about your business so when the time is right, a prospect will remember your name and contact you. You do not need to be in a constant state of selling; answer questions about your business but also ask questions to learn more about your contact’s businesses. You won’t truly know if you can help each other without listening to what they do.

Local Networking Events

This is where I get the majority of my business! I attend Polka Dot Powerhouse. It's an amazing women-only connection focused networking group that has lead to so many amazing relationships!

Begin searching for other local networking groups or events. Many groups, such as BNI, allow visitors to attend meetings free of charge so ask about that option. Polka Dot Powerhouse allows this as well!

After one or two visits, you’ll know if the group will be beneficial to you; if so, join up. If not, search for your local Chamber of Commerce, small business meetups, or other professional networking groups. Use the same criteria for joining local groups as you would for joining Facebook or LinkedIn groups: who is in the group; how you can contribute in a meaningful way; and how will the group benefit you?

Find Local Sponsorship Opportunities

Many local organizations or charities look for sponsors to keep their programs running. Check out your Little League or other youth sporting clubs to sponsor a team or purchase an ad in their outfield. Look for youth theater groups – or even drama clubs in different schools – and pay for an ad in their playbills. Ask if your local places of worship have a weekly bulletin that accepts advertisements. Be smart with your choices; ultimately you still want to target your ideal clients but paying it forward in your community will also bring about some name recognition.

Participate in Community Days

Does your town or those surrounding you have Community Days? Ask about setting up a booth to showcase your business. Print some pamphlets and business cards to hand out. Better yet, create an inexpensive swag bag with your printed material inside, along with a treat for those who stop by your booth. Remember to visit the other vendors and introduce yourself, much like you would at a networking event. Sometimes vendors will become your clients, all because they met you at a local event.

In the end, interacting with your local community and business owners is much like interacting with online followers. Be helpful, be attentive, and be visible to naturally attract clients.

Knowing your ideal audience is important but knowing what they struggle with will help you refine your marketing message even further. Now you can narrow your market even more by telling them how you can help, once you identify those pain points.

As always, feel free to grab the free canva templates through the button below! They are designed to help you bring engagement from your ideal client on your social media channels!

Turn Your Story into Leads and Potential Customers

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 15:21:22 GMT

Have a good story? Read on to see how you can turn your story into prospects!

Think about all the emails and sales pages you’ve seen just in this last week, touting a new class, product, or service. Very often marketers will highlight the features and benefits of their latest creation but then fall short because they didn’t include a story.

The art of storytelling in business can be crucial to your success. It can mean the difference between having a sales funnel full of leads or barely staying alive because you’re connecting with the wrong people. People will spend their money with you only after then know, like, and trust you . What better way to build that relationship than with your storytelling skills.

Connect with the Right People

Of course, your storytelling skills are wasted unless you identify your ideal clients and where to find them. Think too broadly and you’ll attract freebie seekers or others who will request a price reduction. Or you’ll find those who can afford your price point but who don’t want to do the work. Narrow your sights on your ideal client and create a storyboard with their demographics .

Where do they live?

Are they married?

Do they have a family?

How old are they?

What are their pain points?

How can you help them?

By stating these specifics, you will paint a clear picture of who you want to help, who you want to attract into your funnel, and where you can find them to start interacting. Focus on building relationships instead of selling products. Not everyone you meet will be ready to buy or maybe they are just on the fringes of your ideal market and not the right fit. Keep growing your network and you will find your tribe who will hang on your every word and will trust your judgment enough to make purchases.

Make Your Connections Personal with Stories

Your audience wants to connect with YOU, not with your product. What more personal way to make a connection than with a story or two. Your customers or clients want to know your history, why did you start your business, and how can you help them. How are you different from all the others out there? What is your inspiration? What personal struggles have you overcome?

Yes, at some point they will want to know about the features of your product and how it can help them but start off by allowing your audience to know you. Show your human side by telling your stories on video. They don’t have to be as polished or as lengthy as a TED talk but you’ll be surprised how many people prefer video over reading outrageously long sales pages.

Show your human side; don’t edit out all your flubs. What better way to portray yourself as human than to show some bloopers. Showcase your expertise but show your tribe that you’re accessible by answering questions and asking them directly what kind of help they need.

When you decide to connect on a human level instead of always pushing a sale, people will naturally be attracted to you and will want to learn more about you and your business. Be patient; relationship building takes time but the sales will follow.

As always, feel free to hit the button below and grab some free Canva Templates! They are designed to help you drawn engagement on all your social channels!

Are you a Jane of All Trades?

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 17:30:01 GMT

Are you wearing all the hats in your business?

What was your reason for starting your coaching business? Financial freedom? No bosses? No office politics? You want to help people?

All of these reasons (and the others that are floating in your head) are admirable and should inspire you to reach high for your goals but the only way to reach those goals is to stay focused on your main mission (client work) and not on admin tasks.

Jane-of-all-Trades are those coaches who feel the need to do everything themselves. They schedule their own client appointments, answer emails, handle customer service issues, and do their own monthly bookkeeping. Plus all the myriad marketing tasks that are necessary to attract customers and grow their customer base.

If you’re so focused on ALL of these admin and marketing tasks, how much time are you really dedicating to your clients? The money is with your paying clients, yet all the other admin and marketing tasks are certainly necessary. How do you split your time?

Quite simply, it’s time to delegate your admin tasks to an assistant. It’s your choice to hire a Virtual Assistant, who works remotely from their home office, or a real life admin assistant, who lives nearby and comes into your office to do physical tasks. Either of these assistants can answer the office phone, schedule appointments, answer questions about your coaching programs, and keep your social media profiles updated.

For something as specialized as your financial books, hiring a CPA or a certified bookkeeper is important. Not only are they bound by confidentiality and a code of ethics but they know how to keep accurate records and how to organize everything for a smooth tax season.

In general, hiring experts in their field is a wise business investment, even when it comes to hiring admin assistants. Those with solid job experience can finish tasks much more quickly and efficiently (and with fewer mistakes) than someone with less experience, or even you! Remember the last time you tried learning new software? There’s a learning curve to everything; why put yourself through that, wasting precious time and money, when there are experts who can implement that software in half the time?

Also, a word of caution when hiring. Be very clear on the tasks you need completed and what skills you want in an assistant. Absolutely anyone can say they are an admin assistant or a VA, even if they have limited experience. Go through an interview process, ask for references, call those references. Your business is important so you want to hire a qualified applicant.

If you have any specific questions about working with a VA, or if you need visuals-based VA help, I'd be happy to have a chat with you! No need to try to learn the pros and cons of these complicated softwares when I've researched the HECK out of them!

Outsource Your Way to Happiness!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 14:45:01 GMT

Find yourself bogged down with tiny tasks you hate?

If your business is sucking your happiness dry, it’s time to make some changes to alleviate your stress. One way to free up some of your time is to hire a virtual assistant to take over some of the daily or weekly administrative tasks needed to run your business.

Hiring a VA can certainly be stressful, especially if you’re a first timer who has never been through the hiring process before. However, set up an interview process complete with interview questions and decide what skills you need in a VA.

What Tasks will Your VA Handle?

Before you even enter the hiring arena, first decide which tasks you want a virtual assistant to handle. This list will determine the skillset you need to find as well as if you can hire someone who is new or if you need a more experienced (aka more expensive) VA.

Do you need an administrative VA to handle your email responses and manage your client calendar? Or do you need someone who has tremendous writing skills to handle your blog and email marketing? As you can see, these tasks require different skills and will reflect different pricing.

To get your list started, determine which tasks you despise and always put off. There’s a reason why you’re procrastinating so maybe those are tasks to outsource first.

A note of caution: This may be obvious but it bears repeating. If you want to outsource your monthly billing and bookkeeping, find a certified bookkeeper instead of a general virtual assistant. You should always be picky when hiring someone but especially when they will deal with your money.

Other tasks that should be on your list are those that are not direct money makers. For instance, answering emails isn’t making you money but starting a group coaching program will generate income. Answering your own phone to make appointments isn’t the best use of your time if you can write multiple emails to your list with relevant offers for subscribers to purchase.

Where to Find a Virtual Assistant

Do a quick Google search and you will see many thousands of results. Virtual Assistants are numerous but take your time to find the right one to fit your business. Refine that Google search by using keywords of the services you need (ie: administrative VA, local bookkeepers, or freelance writers). If you prefer to hire someone local to work in your office, include your location in the search.

Ask your business associates if they can recommend any VAs that they’ve used in the past. Ask on your social media networks; chances are you may have VAs in your followers who are looking for work. If any of the VAs on your list aren’t accepting new clients, ask if they can recommend someone else. Just like any industry, VAs often network with each other.

Go with Your Gut

You can come up with 100 interview questions and your candidate may give 100 perfect answers but if anything in your conversation gives you pause, follow that instinct and move on to the next candidate. Absolutely do not hire the first person you interview; trust the interview process and compare each candidate’s answers. Who do you feel would best represent your business? How dedicated do they sound? Is there anything about their experience that makes you question their abilities? Don’t ignore that gut instinct.

If you're needing help with your VA search, hit me up! I also do some VA type work- design based, of course, as well as course creation, and other tech needs! I'd love to chat and recommend a software for your needs!

Rebrand Your Business How Can You Handle a Rebrand Gracefully?

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 09 Feb 2021 15:45:01 GMT

How Can You Handle a Rebrand Gracefully?

Stephanie had decided to rebrand her business. She knew exactly what she was going to change up and what she’d keep the same. Since she’d once been with a company who handled a rebranding poorly, she made the decision to do a few key things with her own rebrand…

Let Customers Know in Advance

The first thing Stephanie did was starting hinting at the changes to come on social media. She posted sneak peeks of her new logo and chatted about why she was excited for the coming change.

When you tell customers you’re planning to rebrand, introduce the idea slowly. Most people don’t like change and shy away from it. So it’s up to you to position this rebrand as a positive event that customers can look forward to.

Set a Timeline

Although she chose not to publicly reveal her timeline, Stephanie did create one. She noted down the important milestones she wanted to cover like switching her website ULR and choosing a new theme.

There are many decisions that go into creating a successful rebrand. It can be helpful if you have a timeline in place so you can make sure those changes are rolled out smoothly.

Plan for Delays

Don’t assume that everything will happen easily and quickly. It’s not uncommon to start on rebranding and realize you have to fix one or more things.

For Stephanie as she was moving her website, she realized her old one had been infected with a virus and there were still traces of it in her files.

Because she’d accounted for potential delays in her timeline, she didn’t feel stressed or troubled over this development. Instead, she hired an expert to clean her files and went on to the next phase of her plan.

Prepare for Customer Support

As you rebrand, you will probably get a higher volume of customer support issues. One client may not know where to login anymore. Another might not be getting your emails.

If you have a large customer base or if you’re already overwhelmed with client work, you may want to consider hiring a virtual assistant temporarily. Your VA can handle these common issues and resolve them for your customers in a timely manner.

Breathe

Remember, you don’t have to get your rebranding done in a day. It’s OK if it takes you a few weeks to get everything sorted. It’s a lot like moving—some days, you’ll feel like there are boxes everywhere and you’re making no progress.

But rest assured that you are. When you’re done with this big rebranding process, you’ll be happier and better able to serve your customers.

Rebranding is delightful and thrilling! Approach it with a “can do” attitude and a positive mindset. Not only will the journey be easier but you’ll enjoy it more.

Rebrand Your Business What Elements Will You Change During a Rebrand?

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 15:55:01 GMT

What Elements Will You Change During a Rebrand?

When Mia decided it was time for a rebrand, she felt overwhelmed by all of the decisions she had to make. She wondered which elements she should keep from her old brand and which ones she should update. If you’re like Mia and you have some of the same concerns, here’s what you should think about…

Your Logo

Your logo is the central piece of your brand identity, which means changing it up can be tricky. Sometimes, a brand’s logo becomes so iconic that a company opts to merely “freshen” it every few years.

But if you’re going in an entirely new direction or pursuing a new audience, it’s probably time for a new logo. You want a logo that’s going to attract and speak to your potential clients and customers.

Your URL

If you’ve changed the name of your business, you’ll want an URL that matches your new brand name. You can search for a new domain name or purchase one through a hosting company like MomWebs.

When you grab a new URL, you can set it up so your old website redirects to the new URL. That means any customers or clients who accidentally type in your old address will still arrive at your website.

Your Theme

Once you’ve updated your logo and URL, it’s time to consider changing up your website’s theme. If the theme is still new and serves your current content well, then you may not need to change it.

Your Social Media Banners

As soon as you begin rolling out your new brand, you’ll want to update your social media banners, too. These are easy-to-forget images like your Twitter header, your Facebook page cover, or your LinkedIn graphic.

You can outsource this task to the same person who designed your logo. But if you’re a DIY’er, you can also use Canva to create a beautiful graphic on your own. Just make sure to size the dimensions correctly for each social network and you shouldn’t have a problem.

Don’t feel like you have to rush your rebrand process. It’s a smart thing to take some time and think it through. Consider which elements you want to change and what you’d like to keep the same.

Rebrand Your Business Which Mistakes Should You Avoid When Rebranding?

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:51:51 GMT

Which Mistakes Should You Avoid When Rebranding?

Kathy had loved offering her services as virtual assistant. But during a call with her mastermind group, she realized it was time to pursue her dream of becoming an author and a speaker. This meant it was time to start the rebranding process on her website and in her business.

Rebranding doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. However, there are a few key missteps you’ll want to avoid to make the process smoother. Here’s what you shouldn’t do…

Cast Off Your Old Audience

Yes, you’re going in a different direction. But that doesn’t mean giving the cold shoulder to former clients or suddenly ignoring colleagues that were excellent sources of referrals.

You don’t want to damage your reputation or hurt those you’ve worked with in the past. So be kind and patient during this phase. Simply explain that you’re going in a new direction.

Keep in mind that your network may still be able to help you reach your goals. A former client might put you in touch with an event coordinator who needs a speaker. An old colleague may know a publisher who’s looking for a writer that specializes in your niche.

Not Telling Anyone

Don’t suddenly change your brand overnight without telling anyone. This will lead to a lot of confusion and might cause your customers some stress. Remember, your customers and clients have supported you on your journey.

Invite your community into your journey as you make your new shift. Explain that you’re excited about this new direction and give others a way to support you. For example, you might say, “I’m delighted by my new brand name. Would you do me a favor and give my new Facebook page a like?”

Changing Too Much Too Fast

Kathy watched another business owner change her brand name, website, offers, and customer base within a short time frame. She changed so much and so quickly that her old customers felt lost.

While you definitely want to let your customers know the change is coming, don’t feel like you have to alter everything at once either. It’s OK to redirect your website to a new URL but keep the same theme. This gives your audience a chance to adjust to your new direction.

Rebranding isn’t an overnight process. Don’t be afraid to slow down and take your time. You’ll enjoy the process more and your community of customers, clients, and colleagues will be more likely to support you in your new adventure.

Rebrand Your Business What's the Difference Between a Refresh and a Rebrand?

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 15:30:01 GMT

What's the Difference Between a Refresh and a Rebrand?

Betty created an online marketing software service. She loved her company but after a few years, she noticed she was losing market share. Many of her customers were being wooed away from her company and signing up with her competitors instead.

So, Betty reached out to a good friend who specialized in branding. “Is it time for a rebrand?” Betty asked. Her friend explained that while Betty’s company didn’t need a rebrand, it would benefit from a brand refresher. If like Betty, you’re curious about the difference between a rebrand and a refresh, read on…

Starting Fresh or Being Choosy

With a rebrand, many business owners start from scratch. They toss out their old logo, fonts, colors, themes, messages, and core offerings. With all of these changes, the final branding may not even resemble the business you originally built.

By contrast, a refresh means being choosy. You might pick which elements of your brand you want to keep. When Tina decided to refresh her brand, she already knew her theme and message were correct. But she’d gotten feedback that the colors she was using in her logo and on her website weren’t attracting her ideal audience. She tweaked them and quickly found that her brand began resonating with her people.

Moving On or Serving the Same Market

Sometimes, a rebrand happens when a business owner wants to serve a new market. After all, if you’re helping new moms start an online business but you pivot and start serving six-figure executives, you’ll want to use different branding to attract your new audience.

With a refresh, your target audience usually stays the same. You’re still deeply passionate about serving them and committed to helping your people. Like Tina, you may have just discovered some element of your branding isn’t quite speaking to your audience the way you’d hoped.

New Offers or The Same Ones Spiffed Up

A rebrand makes sense when you’re creating offers that are radically different from what you’ve done in the past. For example, if you previously offered web design services and you’ve decided to focus solely on copywriting, then a rebrand is a smart idea.

With a refresh, your offers might stay the same. After all, you still want to design websites. But you might tweak or change those offers to reflect new price points, added value, or your increased level of experience.

Choosing between a refresh or a rebrand can feel a little overwhelming. If you need advice on how to do this, reach out to a business coach you trust. They can guide you through the process!

Rebranding Your Business How Do You Know When It's Time for a Rebrand?

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 15:30:01 GMT

How do you know if you're ready?

Sarah felt like her business was in a funk. She still had customers and sales coming in. Her profits were steady. But she wasn’t growing her email list or excited about creating new products. Everything felt ho-hum.

When Sarah reached out to a business coach, the other woman suggested it might be time for a rebrand of her business. A rebrand is when you take a hard look at the image behind your business and you adjust it. Here are a few key signs it might be time for a rebrand…

Your Audience Has Changed

Sarah originally started her business designing websites for corporations. She enjoyed the challenge but found her true passion was helping mom-preneurs DIY their own websites. This meant Sarah’s target market had changed but she hadn’t adjusted her branding.

As a result, she felt like her business no longer represented what she did. It was hard to feel excited to serve anyone when there was a huge disconnect between what she loved and who she wanted to serve.

You’ve Gained Valuable Experience

Sometimes, it’s important to rebrand when your core offerings have changed. When Nancy started her website, she was a virtual assistant to entrepreneurs. She loved serving this audience and was still passionate about helping them a decade later.

But she’s no longer the fresh-faced newbie she once was. Now Nancy is an online business manager and it’s time to rebrand her business so clients can appreciate her valuable experience (and pay her accordingly).

Your Core Offering Is Changing

It might be time to rebrand if your core offer isn’t what you thought it would be. Tanya was a service provider specializing in copywriting. But the more she worked with her clients, the more she realized they were coming to her for help with their sales funnels, not for her copywriting experience.

When Tanya realized this, she decided to rebrand with a focus on her expertise in sales funnels. It doesn’t mean she won’t offer copywriting occasionally, but she’ll focus on providing what her clients really want from her—her sales funnel consulting.

You’ve Changed Significantly

Laura ran a business focused on making marriages stronger. When she went through a bitter divorce, she no longer had the energy or desire to be in the relationship industry. She knew it was time for a rebrand.

Some businesses are what’s known as “lifestyle businesses”. That means, these businesses are closely tied to your lifestyle. If your lifestyle changes significantly, it will affect your business as well. For example, if you’re a stay-at-home mom and you serve that audience then when you are left with an empty nest, you may find yourself craving a rebrand.

A rebrand can be wonderful and exciting! It’s a great opportunity to evaluate your brand and decide what you want to be known for.

Are you ready for a rebrand? I've added some free Canva Templates- click the button below to snag them and try out some different styles!

Hit us up in the facebook group if you need help!

How to Create a Gradient in Canva!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 16:15:01 GMT

3 Ways to Create and Use Gradients in Canva!

Happy 2021!! Cheers to having a better year this year!

Welcome back to Tutorial Tuesday!

This week, we are learning about 3 ways to create gradients inside of Canva!

Gradients are one of my favorite ways to create depth and interest in a graphic without overwhelming the eye!

Thanks so much for watching and be sure to grab some of my free templates below!

How to Add a Giphy to Your Canva Post!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 22 Dec 2020 22:15:03 GMT

Ever wanted to post a GIF on Instagram?
Now you can!

Welcome back to Tutorial Tuesday!!

This week we are learning how to use a Gif in our designs!

This is a great solution if you are a lover of GIFs and would love to use them more on IG in your feed posts!

This video is super quick so give it a watch and go to town! This is so much fun and such a unique feature of Canva!

Thanks so much for watching and be sure to grab some of my free templates below!

How To Create Your Own Color Palette!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 15:45:03 GMT

Wanna have your own colors?

Hey! Welcome back to Tutorial Tuesday!

Thanks so much for tuning in!

This week, we are learning about how to create a Color Palette!

In this video, I show you 4 ways to create color palettes using my favorite tool, Coolors.co! Yup, with 2 o's!

Make sure you watch the entire video before you begin the process! I explain how each method of palette creation differs from one project to the next.

As always, hit that button below for some awesome freebie templates! These are designed to help skyrocket your engagement! Always a plus! Also, hit me up with any questions! I love to help as much as I possibly can!

Canva Basics: Creating a Brand Kit!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 14:30:02 GMT

Make your Canva life easier by creating a Brand Kit!

Welcome back to tutorial Tuesday!!

This week we are talking about creating a Brand Kit inside of Canva! It's super quick and easy to do and it saves you a ton of time!

A Brand kit saves your colors, fonts, and logos in one central place so that you can easily access them in your designs!!

Watch the video above to see how easy it is to create yours!

As always, hit the button below to grab some free Canva Templates!! These are specifically designed to help you bring up engagement on all your social channels!! If you have any questions or tutorial requests, hit me up, I'm always happy to help!

NEW CANVA FEATURE!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 13:45:04 GMT

Canva Now Has CURVED TEXT!

OOOOOOH my gosh! This is the moment we've all been waiting for! Us Canva addicts, at least!

Canva has FINALLY introduced CURVED TEXT!!!

YAY!!

Curved text can be used in a lot of interesting and exciting ways and I'm so excited to start incorporating this feature into my templates for all of you!

Check out the video above to see me design a quick logo and see some easy ways you can customize your curved text! As always, feel free to hit me up with any questions and be sure to hit the button below and grab some awesome free templates!

These are designed to drive engagement in your groups, Business Pages, or Instagram and YES! They WORK!

Printing Through Canva

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 17:00:02 GMT

Ever have a need for professional prints? I know I do!

Hey hey! Welcome back!

This week, I'm going over a little known Canva feature that could really help you out!

Most of us tend to think about Canva being JUST a design software!

But, hey, it's not! They actually offer printing services.

I've honestly never been anything but satisfied with their prints.

And the one time I wasn't super duper over the moon, they OVERNIGHTED me a perfect replacement.

So yeah, not mad!

They print all kinds of stuff. They aren't quite as extensive as Vistaprint, but they make it all so easy!

Watch the tutorial to see everything you can print directly from Canva and how to do it!

As always! Please snag some of my free Canva templates through the button below! They are designed to help drive engagement on your social channels and have a content calendar built in! YAS!!!

How To Add Patterns, Textures, Photos, and Videos to your Canva Designs!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 16:45:02 GMT

Take your design to the next level using the Text Frame Feature!

Using some of the frames inside of Canva can yield some pretty awesome results for your designs! In this tutorial, I'll be showing you how to create alternative text effects where you can add in your texture (think gold foil!!) or you can add photos, and even VIDEO! So so fun to be able to create a moving image! These are always great scroll stoppers!

As always, please snag my free Canva Templates. They are designed to help bring engagement on your social media channels- and they are super simple to use! My clients are obsessed with them!

CANVA BASICS ~ How To Use Placeholders

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 15:00:03 GMT

Have you seen the Rolling Hills image on Canva?
Wondered what it was? Watch the video to learn more!

Hey hey guys!!!

This week, we're going over how and when to use the placeholders in Canva!! I know this was confusing when I started my Canva journey so I wanted to make sure and make a specific video about this part of Canva!!

Let me know if you have any further questions and I'm excited to see what you make!

As always, be sure to hit the button below and grab some awesome free templates!

These are designed to drive engagement in your groups, Business Pages, or Instagram and YES! They WORK!

How to Add a Custom Font Into Canva

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:00:02 GMT

Want to use a custom font in Canva?

Hey hey friends!!

This week is a short tutorial but I teach you how to upload a custom font into your brand kit!

Hope this is helpful!!

As always, feel free to grab some of my Canva templates! They are designed to help drive engagement on all of your social media platforms!

Dealing with Layers In Canva

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 14:00:06 GMT

Check out the video below to learn how to deal with layering and moving elements in the Canva editor!

Hey hey friends!! Welcome back!

This week, we have a requested Canva topic from one of my amazing clients, Deb!

She was asking how to use layering more efficiently. You know how you occasionally loose your element and it's kind of hard to find it again?

Well, this video will teach you how to use the layering features to have an easier time finding those elements!

Thanks so much for watching and be sure to grab some of my free templates below!

EXCITING CANVA UPDATES!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 14:01:26 GMT

4 EXCITING New Canva Updates!

This week's Canva Tutorial is an EXCITING one! We are talking about 4 new features that are a HUGE deal for Canva Pro users!!

This video goes over

SVG
Styles
Background Eraser
Info Button

I will explain each of these new features in the video below!

As always, here are some free Canva Templates for you to try out!! These are designed with engagement in mind and have a caption prompt built into the template!! Make sure you check the notes section to see how to use them!

Text Effects inside of Canva

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 14:03:16 GMT

How to make the most of the text effects inside of Canva!

Today, we are going to be talking about all the amazing features Canva has in terms of text effects!! They really kicked things up a notch with their release of these effects back in July! I've been hooked on them ever since, and since it's been a while since their launch, I wanted to show you what I'm getting the most use out of!

Enjoy the video!

How to Use the Download Bar in Canva

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 29 Sep 2020 15:09:07 GMT

How to use the features in the Download Bar in Canva!

This week on the blog, we are talking about the download bar in Canva!

There is soooooo much functionality in this one single button on Canva and I have a feeling you might be sleeping on some of the features! Watch the video below where I walk you through each of the tools Canva has integrated!

Spoiler, my favorite is the Powerpoint export tool! SOOOOO cool!

As always, here are some awesome freebie Canva Templates designed to help you get your audience talking to you!

If you have any questions, be sure and send me an email or a message! I'd be happy to help you!

Using a Mobile First Website as a LinkTree!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 14:57:21 GMT

How to use a Canva Website as a LinkTree!

Today, we are going to be talking about a new awesome trend! I am obsessed with making the most out of my IG links and the early pioneers of the one link allowance IG has created awesome tools like LinkTree, Campsite.bio

and Tap.Bio and probably tons of others! You can also achieve this by using a page on your own website! But, here's a tutorial for those of you who don't have a website, aren't a designer, and just want an EASY, quick, and gorgeous way to have a link tree in your bio.

If you're as obsessed with this as I am, please feel free to grab the template below and use it for your links!!! As always, if you have any questions, feel free to message me for help!

How to Find and Use Canva's Awesome Photo Library

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 12:32:22 GMT

Taking Advantage of Everything Canva Has To Offer!

Canva has so many cool hidden features! And I'm here to make sure you find out about ALL of them!!

Today's awesome feature of the day is their photo library!!

Check out the tutorial below to see some awesome ways to use the pictures, as well as some general do's and don'ts about the licensing (as I understand it.)

Canva's New Content Planner

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Sat, 29 Aug 2020 19:52:59 GMT

The Good (and the bad) About Canva's New Content Planner

Hey guys! Welcome back to the blog! This week, we are going to talk about Canva's new content planner. Typically called a social media scheduler, this new addition to Canva is an exciting start, but in the video below, I explain why I am not using it at this time. But, I also chat with you about why I'm excited at the prospect of it! Hope you love the tutorial!

As always, here's a free set of Canva templates to help you uplevel your engagement on social media! Feel free to use these on any of your platforms! Engagement is good no matter which platform! If you have any questions, hit me up!

CANVA BASICS ~ Photos and Effects

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Sat, 29 Aug 2020 17:35:51 GMT

How to use Photos and their Effects in Canva

Hey guys! Welcome back for another week of Canva Basics!

We are well on our way to learning all the bits and bobs Canva has to offer!!

YAY!!!

This week, I dug into the photos tab and how to use effects on photos!!

These are really fun but can easily get out of hand, so I teach you how to use the effects (effectively) to get a beautiful result!

I also talk about why I don't use some of the features Canva offers inside of effects!

As always, if you haven't snagged your free Canva Templates, make sure you click the button below and grab your freebies!

CANVA BASICS~ Drop Shadows!

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 17:32:40 GMT

How to create beautiful drop shadow s!

Oh my gosh you guys!

One of my favorite design elements is drop shadows! I love it so much!

Back in July, Canva launched their new text effects which are INCREDIBLE!

So so so so exciting!

Previously I had another video with hacks to create drop shadows but we don't need those tricks anymore!

Watch the video to check out how to create drop shadows in Canva!

And, as always, if you haven't signed up for your free Canva Templates yet, make sure you click the button below to check them out!

The Difference Brand Photography Makes

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 22:33:24 GMT

How to take your site to the next level...

Soooooooo brand photography is one of those things that clients usually DON'T seem to have when they come to me. It's always on the to-do list and it seems that the website comes first.

As a website designer, I am thankful for that! I get it- let's get something up as best as we can, then we can go back and add photos when we get them.

And that is perfectly fine!

However, brand photos are the SECRET SAUCE!

Here's a story for you.

Back in February, an amazing woman reached out to me with the coolest project! She wanted to launch a Podcast! Which, as a previous podcaster myself, was awesome!

Her mission was incredible!

She wanted to empower caregivers around the world to have more confidence and know they are not alone!!

It's truly amazing!

She and her partner had just had some pictures taken by a friend and while the pictures were okay, they were a little dark.

That darkness kind of brought a darker vibe to the website, unfortunately!

Back in July, they invested in an amazing shoot with Dolly Delong Photography and the results are INCREDIBLE!

I say all of this to say, branding pictures DO make a world of difference!

If you're a local friend, here in Nashville, make sure you hire Dolly for your next shoot! She's the greatest!

and now, for the before and after of two of their pages!

If you're interested in a brand new shiny website, I'd love to chat with you! Hit the button below to send me an email!

CANVA BASICS ~ Top Bar Tools

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 18:43:43 GMT

How to Use the Top Bar In Canva

Week 2 of Canva Basics!! Wahoo!!

Today we are learning how to use the top bar inside of the Canva editor.

I personally feel like this is a place where people kind of tend to go wrong.

There are lots of little symbols that don't have much meaning unless you know what's happening.

After you watch this video, you'll understand all the ins and outs and how to make things SO MUCH EASIER on yourself!!

As always, if you haven't already, snag my free Canva templates using the button below!

Guaranteed to change your (social media) life!

CANVA BASICS ~ How To Use The Editor

makenacarlyle@gmail.com (Makena Delaney) — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 17:05:13 GMT

How to Use the Canva Editor

Hey guys!! I'm starting a new blog!! Yay! Thanks so much for being here and being so supportive!

As we all know by now, Canva is my JAM!

I love it so much!

But, I KNOW some people still really struggle with it!

So, Makena to the rescue!!

I'm so excited to introduce my new tutorials that will actually break down every part of Canva to really help you hone your skills and be able to take control of the design in your own business!!!

I KNOW you can do it! It just takes a little time and practice just like learning any new skill!

In this tutorial, I walk you through the entire Canva editor! I wanted you to understand each piece and how they fit together, and which tools I avoid! Not every tool is useful for our purposes and that is a-okay! Just keep that in mind!

Without further ado, go ahead and watch the video!

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial! If you want to take advantage of some INCREDIBLE, if I do say so myself, Canva Templates, go ahead and click the button below!

makena-demo

Being Kind Gets You Nowhere. Or Does It?

Being Kind Gets You Nowhere. Or Does It?

How Tiny Actions Can Make Huge Impacts

This is a subtitle for your new post

How To Regain A Sense Of Belonging Through Kindness

This is a subtitle for your new post

Why The World Has Become Less Kind

Why The World Has Become Less Kind

Why Kindness Is So Important

The Importance of Kindness!

How to Animate Elements in Canva

NEW Canva FEATURE! Animated Elements

Where to Find the Logos in your Brand Kit in Canva

Finding the Logos in Your Canva Brand Kit

NEW Canva FEATURE! New Frames!

NEW FRAMES in Canva!

NEW CANVA FEATURE! Smart Mockups!

Smart Mockups is NOW INSIDE OF Canva?!

Finding Brand Inspiration!

Use Pinterest to find inspiration for your branding!

NEW CANVA FEATURE! Drop Shadows!

The feature we've all been waiting for: DROP SHADOWS!

How to Make a Mockup In Canva!

Making Mockup Images in Canva!

If Your WHY Doesn’t Make You Cry, It’s Not Big Enough

Does your "why" make you cry?

7 Tips for Crafting Your Story

7 Tips for Crafting Your Story

Why Spying on Your Competitors is Necessary in Business

Did you know you need to spy on your competition?

Do You Have an Offline Marketing Plan?

Do You Have an Offline Marketing Plan?

Turn Your Story into Leads and Potential Customers

Have a good story? Read on to see how you can turn your story into prospects!

Are you a Jane of All Trades?

Are you wearing all the hats in your business?

Outsource Your Way to Happiness!

Find yourself bogged down with tiny tasks you hate? ﻿

*Rebrand Your Business* How Can You Handle a Rebrand Gracefully?

How Can You Handle a Rebrand Gracefully?

*Rebrand Your Business* What Elements Will You Change During a Rebrand?

What Elements Will You Change During a Rebrand?

*Rebrand Your Business* Which Mistakes Should You Avoid When Rebranding?

Which Mistakes Should You Avoid When Rebranding?

*Rebrand Your Business* What's the Difference Between a Refresh and a Rebrand?

What's the Difference Between a Refresh and a Rebrand?

*Rebranding Your Business* How Do You Know When It's Time for a Rebrand?

How do you know if you're ready?

How to Create a Gradient in Canva!

3 Ways to Create and Use Gradients in Canva!

How to Add a Giphy to Your Canva Post!

Ever wanted to post a GIF on Instagram? Now you can!

How To Create Your Own Color Palette!

Wanna have your own colors?

Canva Basics: Creating a Brand Kit!

Make your Canva life easier by creating a Brand Kit!

NEW CANVA FEATURE!

Canva Now Has CURVED TEXT!

Printing Through Canva

Ever have a need for professional prints? I know I do!

How To Add Patterns, Textures, Photos, and Videos to your Canva Designs!

Take your design to the next level using the Text Frame Feature!

CANVA BASICS ~ How To Use Placeholders

Have you seen the Rolling Hills image on Canva? Wondered what it was? Watch the video to learn more!

How to Add a Custom Font Into Canva

Want to use a custom font in Canva?

Dealing with Layers In Canva

Check out the video below to learn how to deal with layering and moving elements in the Canva editor!

EXCITING CANVA UPDATES!

4 EXCITING New Canva Updates!

Text Effects inside of Canva

How to make the most of the text effects inside of Canva!

How to Use the Download Bar in Canva

How to use the features in the Download Bar in Canva!

Using a Mobile First Website as a LinkTree!

How to use a Canva Website as a LinkTree!

How to Find and Use Canva's Awesome Photo Library

Taking Advantage of Everything Canva Has To Offer!

Canva's New Content Planner

Find yourself bogged down with tiny tasks you hate?

Rebrand Your Business How Can You Handle a Rebrand Gracefully?

Rebrand Your Business What Elements Will You Change During a Rebrand?

Rebrand Your Business Which Mistakes Should You Avoid When Rebranding?

Rebrand Your Business What's the Difference Between a Refresh and a Rebrand?

Rebranding Your Business How Do You Know When It's Time for a Rebrand?

Ever wanted to post a GIF on Instagram?
Now you can!

Have you seen the Rolling Hills image on Canva?
Wondered what it was? Watch the video to learn more!