Eat Blog Talk

In episode 489, Megan chats to Shannon Peel about how we can craft our business brand story in a unique and engaging way to resonate with the right people at the right time. Shannon Peel has over 30 years experience in marketing, sales, advertising, and storytelling. Due to her insatiable curiosity and desire to learn new things, Shannon has a unique skill set enabling her to see how all the pieces of a brand story come together to guide an audience from brand awareness to brand advocacy. She recently published her interactive, multimedia digital book called BrandAPeel: Brand Storytelling in the Digital Age filled with videos, podcast episodes, and downloadable workbooks to help small businesses define their brands and create content to tell their stories. In this episode, you'll learn about various aspects of effective business brand storytelling, including finding your core values, determining your voice, mapping out a digital footprint, and so much more. - Define Your Core Values: Identify five core values that truly reflect who you are and go beyond surface-level definitions. - Brand Storytelling Do's and Don'ts: Brand storytelling involves narrating your journey, experiences, and values and telling your audience's story in a way that invites them to connect with your brand. - Communicate Your Challenges: When sharing vulnerable stories, it's essential to shift from a victim mindset to a hero mindset. - Maintain a Consistent Brand Voice: It is key to building trust and meeting audience expectations. - Map Your Digital Footprint: Understand where your audience hangs out online and create a strategy to meet them there. Conduct a brand audit or involve trusted peers to evaluate your online presence and ensure a cohesive journey from discovery to engagement. - Organize Your Content: Consider creating an index or an interactive digital book that guides your audience from one piece of content to the next. - Create Year-long E-Newsletters to Sustain Engagement: Develop a series of e-newsletters linked to your digital book, offering readers a continuous stream of content. - Brand Guides for Consistent Messaging: Establish a brand guide detailing voice, fonts, colors, mission, and vision statements. Connect with Shannon peel Website | Instagram

In episode 488, Erin Harding guides us through the essential steps for food bloggers looking to leverage Pinterest ads successfully. Erin is the Director of Pinterest Ads Management at Simple Pin Media. For 8 years she has been bringing the power of Pinterest to brands and businesses, large and small. While she started out developing & managing organic strategies, she is now managing hundreds of thousands of dollars in ad spend for brands on Pinterest. In this episode, you'll learn about the requirements you need in order to advertise on Pinterest, whether it is right for you and three key points to create successful ad campaigns on Pinterest. - Prepare Your Offer: Ensure your product or lead magnet is ready for advertising, and consider its circulation and success on other platforms. - Understand the Pinterest Mindset: Recognize that Pinterest is a visual search platform, not social media. Meet users at every stage of their journey, from inspiration to decision-making. - Run Ads For A Period of Time: Pinterest ads are not an overnight solution. Plan to run ads for a minimum of 8-12 weeks. - Budget wisely: Plan for 8 to 12 weeks of consistent advertising with a budget ranging from $20 to $100 per campaign per day, depending on your goals and the nature of your offer. - Advertising is an Investment: Know what your budget is before you start. Whether you hire an agency or run ads on your own, set a budget that is comfortable and stick to it. - Outsource Pinterest Advertising: Can you run Pinterest ads on your own and what are the advantages of hiring an agency? Connect with Erin Harding Website | Instagram

In today's Mindset & Self-care episode, Megan shares how five of her favorite books changed her life, delving into topics such as thinking yourself to wealth, habits that shape success, the importance of gratitude and living in the present. Books have the potential to reshape your mindset and enhance your self-care practices. Megan emphasizes this through anecdotes from her own life, touching on the contents of each book and how it can change your life. - Thinking Yourself to Wealth and Happiness: Explore the timeless wisdom of "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill, a classic that unravels the secrets of building wealth and attracting positive influences into your life. - Habits That Shape Success:"Atomic Habits" by James Clear, a book that simplifies the process of developing good habits and how small changes can lead to significant improvements in your life. - Living in the Present Moment: "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle is a transformative guide that emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment and escaping the trap of constant thinking about the past and future. - Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender by David R. Hawkins: How can you find release from life's challenges and the emotional baggage we carry? This book prompts self-reflection on resentments and the freedom that comes with letting go. - Mindset Shift with "The Gap and the Gain": During the hardest time in your life, you can adopt a life-changing mindset. Instead of focusing on the negative, shift from a gap to a gain perspective to appreciates incremental progress, leading to increased gratitude, accomplishment, and motivation across various life areas. Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topic you'd like her to cover. Website | Instagram

In episode 486, Megan chats to Janessa Heck about 10 ways to manage health issues and diet restrictions while food blogging. As an avid cook, baker and food blog reader, Janessa long dreamed of starting her own food blog and finally took the plunge in December 2020. Janessa focuses on easy, healthier recipes made mostly with whole food ingredients as well as oat flour baking. After a year of plugging away at it as a hobby, she decided she wanted to treat it as a business and started to learn about SEO in January of 2022. The Nessy Kitchen grew from less than 1000 visitors in February 2022 to over 100 000 monthly visitors 18 months later. Janessa lives in Alberta, Canada and in her free time you can find her enjoying yoga, reading or in the Rocky Mountains skiing in the winter and paddleboarding or hiking in the summer. In this episode, you'll learn how you can carry on blogging throughout health obstacles including selecting a group of trusted taste testers, exploring non-recipe content and selecting recipes that align with new dietary recommendations. - Trusted Taste Testers: During times of reduced appetite or illness, having a group of trusted taste testers can help ensure the quality of recipes even if the blogger cannot taste them personally. - Consistency with Adjusted Frequency: Bloggers can maintain consistency by adjusting the posting frequency. - Non-Recipe Content: Explore non-recipe content to provide valuable information to the audience without the need for recipe testing and tasting. - Update Old Recipes: Revise and update old recipes, leveraging existing content and photos. - Publish Previously Tested Recipes: Share recipes that have been previously tested, even if not initially pursued, as a way to maintain consistency and offer unexpected surprises. - Consider Dietary Changes: Explore recipes aligned with any dietary changes the blogger may be experiencing. - Outsourcing: If feasible, consider outsourcing tasks like photography during times of reduced well-being to lighten the workload and maintain blog activity. - Avoid Comparisons: Refrain from comparing one's blog progress to others, as each blogger's journey is unique. - It's Okay to Take Time Off: Recognize that it's acceptable to take breaks when needed to prioritize well-being and avoid burnout. - Make Peace with Pivoting Plans: Be flexible with goals and plans, acknowledging that unexpected changes may lead to new and positive outcomes. Connect with Janessa Heck Website | Instagram

In episode 485, Hanelore Dumitrache teaches us how to use AI to improve our workflows and how to write prompts to get personalized blog posts. Hanelore is a London-based architect turned recipe developer and food blogger. In 2020, she won the international Netflix show 'Crazy Delicious', which opened new doors into blogging as a career. Since 2022, you will find Hanelore focusing entirely on growing her blog SugarYums.com, where she shares delicious Asian desserts, drinks, and street food. A tech geek at heart, she is fully immersed in all things AI and is constantly on the lookout for new tools that can streamline her work. In this episode, you'll learn how to incorporate AI into your workflow, speeding up blog post writing using tools, like ChatGPT, and teaching AI how to mimic your writing style. - AI tools like ChatGPT can PREDICT and replicate patterns in HUMAN SPEECH. - AI can TAKE PRESSURE OFF when it comes to the most time-consuming tasks. - How can you PERSONALIZE what AI writes? - Apply the concept of CIDI (context, instruction, details, input). - Train AI to MIMIC your WRITING STYLE by giving it example texts. - Does Google PENALIZE AI-generated content? - Maintain your personal VOICE and BRAND. - If you use AI to write content, DISCLOSE this on your blog. Connect with Hanelore Dumitrache Website | Instagram

In episode 484, Megan teaches us why our energy is a precious resource and five effective ways to safeguard it. In this episode, you'll learn the significance of understanding that our energy isn't limitless. We explore five practical ways to protect and replenish our energy, essential for maintaining overall well-being and thriving in our personal and professional lives. Megan covers the following key points: - Analyze Historical Data: Reflect on past experiences to identify patterns and triggers affecting your energy. Learn from the past to make informed decisions for the future. - Evaluate Your People: Recognize relationships that may drain your energy. You can manage interactions to preserve your emotional well-being. - Manage Inputs and Outputs: Discover strategies to control the information you consume and how you respond to it. Establish boundaries to prevent energy depletion from external sources. - Make a Plan: Plan your year, month and week ahead of time to reduce stress and efficiently use your energy. Implementing simple planning routines can transform your week and enhance productivity. - Fill Your Tank: Acknowledge activities or moments that replenish your energy. Make a list of what brings you joy and vitality so that you can recharge your energy when needed. Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topic you'd like her to cover. Website | Instagram

In episode 483, Megan chats to Nosheen Babar about finding our purpose, knowing exactly why we create content and who the content is for. As a first-generation immigrant from Pakistan, Nosheen is a self-trained home cook turned recipe developer, food photographer, and content creator. Nosheen started her blog 3 years ago to create a reference tool for people interested in exploring authentic Pakistani cooking. She is using her 30+ years of cooking experience to create recipes that are accessible, foolproof, and adaptable for her audience. Her goal is to take you on a culinary journey through Pakistan and showcase its cuisine along with its rich history and cultural influences. In this episode, you'll learn why having a clear purpose can be a game-changer for your blog, even if it takes time to grow, and how to use your WHY to guide you in the right direction and set achievable goals. - WHY did you start your blog and WHAT do you hope to achieve? - A WRITTEN PURPOSE combined with a CONTENT AUDIT will help you hone down on your content strategy. - How does your why influence your BUSINESS STRATEGY? - How to PRIORITIZE to set definitive and achievable goals for your brand. - Purpose will help you stay FOCUSED and not get distracted. - If your blog aligns with your why, it's easier to STAY CONSISTENT. - Identify the NEEDS of your AUDIENCE through analytics. - Don't be afraid to GROW SLOWLY but with clarity. Connect with Nosheen Babar Website | Instagram

In episode 482, Rae Aflatooni teaches us her best tips on how to get through hard times and why she focuses on success and learning instead of failure. Rae Aflatooni, the voice behind Raepublic, has an MS in Nutrition and Functional Medicine. She enjoys creating content with the aim to assist people who have experienced trauma to live a more holistic, well-balanced life. Through nutrition, plant-based eating, sustainable living, mindfulness, and movement. In this episode, you'll learn how to keep going with your blogging business when you feel like you're failing, other tangible things you can do to grow your business and how to make sure your mindset and self-care is on the right track. - Be okay with changes when life happens - sometimes you have to take a BREAK. - Should you start a new social media account if you're STRUGGLING TO GROW an old account? - Use online resources to REGAIN FOCUS. - Learn how SEO tools like RankIQ can really improve your site traffic. - ITEMIZE, PRIORITIZE, and EVALUATE what you can outsource to a software solution or to another person/company. - START your day with GRATITUDE, using the mindset that you get to do what you do. - There isn't success or failure, just SUCCESS and LEARNING. - Set a TIMER for TASKS and stick to it - for example don't check emails 20 times per day. - Whether it takes them 10 years or 1 year to monetize, listen and learn from other bloggers. Connect with Rae Aflatooni Website | Instagram

In episode 481, Megan shares 5 phrases we can use to take back control and reprogram our subconscious so that we can fulfil our aspirations. Subconscious beliefs and behaviour often control the trajectory of our lives and businesses. In this episode, you'll learn why 'unconscious programming' stunt the potential of our businesses, how to identify the triggers of misguided beliefs and how a simple, repeated phrase can change what we think and do. Megan explores these topics: - How can you get RID OF FEAR? (e.g. fear of failure, fear of the unknown, comparison…) - Invite more GOOD THINGS into your life by acknowledging your gratitude. - Why is it detrimental to ignore the SMALL DETAILS in your life that need ATTENTION? - How can you reprogram your subconscious to ATTRACT MORE MONEY into your life? - REPEAT "I live a life of EASE" or fill in the quality or asset you most want for your life. Get in touch with Megan if there is a specific mindset and self-care topic you'd like her to cover. Website | Instagram

In episode 480, Liz Wilcox teaches us simple, yet effective email marketing strategies, including how we can streamline the writing process and make our emails relatable. The Fresh Princess of Email Marketing, Liz Wilcox is an Email Strategist and Keynote Speaker. She shows small businesses how to build online relationships, package up their "magic" and turn it into emails that people want to read and, most importantly, purchase from. Liz is best known for her 3500+ users membership, 20 Minute Newsletter technique, and the Email Staircase framework she's taught to tens of thousands of creatives, freelancers, ecommerce shop owners, and small businesses across the globe. In this episode, you'll learn the different components of a welcome series, simple ways to structure newsletters and how to reframe the way you think about email. - Email marketing is a MONEYMAKING activity. - You're converting FOLLOWERS into FRIENDS into customers. - Use a well-structured WELCOME SERIES to convert a follower into a friend. - Add an essence of your PERSONALITY and VISION in your welcome sequence. - Share your VALUES, so that your email subscribers know what to expect. - Be RELATABLE in your emails - that means it's okay not to be perfect! - The simplest way to properly warm up a NEW LEAD. - Simplify your emails so that you can STAY CONSISTENT with weekly newsletters. - How to write emails that DON'T suck or SUCK UP TIME. Connect with Liz Wilcox Website | Instagram