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Does this self-improvement strategy make sense?

by dondoes30
14 replies
Bear with me. I'm going to keep try to keep this brief and get to my question as soon as possible, but since I'm new to the forum, I want to give some background information.

I turned 30 back in October of 2013 and decided to start my blog: Don Does 30. Each month I participate in a different 30-day challenge, mostly for self-improvement, but also definitely for some entertainment and humor for the reader.

I've been reading Warrior Forum for months now and see some flaws with my plan. For instance, since each month I take a different challenge, it's really hard to market to a specific group only for 30 days. One month I did yoga for 30 days, the current month I'm cooking for 30 days.

So here's my question. How can I monetize my blog and market to a specific group when the focused niche changes each month, yet the overall niche stays the same?

(forgive me if I'm posting this in the wrong forum category; just point me to the right area if I am.)
#blog #challenges #self improvement #strategy
  • Profile picture of the author justhumza
    Hey Don, that's an interesting model of you have with your niche.

    One thing that comes to my mind is you could focus on doing these 30 day challenges that are concentrated on a certain aspect of personal development. Yoga and cooking are great examples of keeping your health and well being in shape. It can be targeted towards people looking to get their health in better shape.

    You could target people who are into health, exercise, dieting, and many more niches within the health topic.

    You could attract viewers to participate in these 30 day challenges with you and write ebooks or a kindle book about specific challenges you plan to do and which could improve health for yourself and people.

    That's something that comes to mind, I can see great potential in the field you've chosen, it just needs more targeting I believe.

    I hope that helps in anyway, Don.
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    • Profile picture of the author Shadowflux
      Why not try creating your own product that helps people do exactly what you're doing? There are a lot of people like you, serial self improvers. I suppose I could be one of them since I'm always taking on some new challenge.

      You could write a book called something like: The 30 Day Cycle: How to Better Yourself One Subject at a Time

      Then focus on teaching people to do exactly what you're doing. How to create a 30 day improvement plan, how that lets you take on 12 subjects a year, how to chose what to work on, how to stick with it, how to build on past success, those could be chapters.

      Then your blog will basically be your book in action, providing proof to your prospective customers.

      If it sells well, you could do a line extension and create a 30 Day Cycle Workbook and The 30 Day 30 Minute Podcast ("30 in 30 at 30") and 30 Self Improvement Ideas and How to Start Them (pick things you've done, talk about how they improved your life)

      I think your website is more of a forest, not the trees, situation.
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      • Profile picture of the author dondoes30
        @justhumza - Thanks! My challenges haven't been exactly niche focused -- which is something I like, because I can really broaden my views and development, but may not be the best way to make money. For example...

        Nov: I gave up TV, Internet, and my Smartphone for a month
        Dec: I did yoga for 30 days
        Jan: Watched 30 "classic/manly" movies I've never seen before that made my friends furious.
        Feb: Cooking dinner for my wife for 30 days (but not necessarily ALL healthy food).

        It's really a mashup of a lot of things to experience (or give up) lifestyles I haven't experienced.

        My inspiration came from Morgan Spurlock's "30 Days" TV show. His topics ranged anywhere from living on minimum wage to being confined to a wheelchair for 30 days to animal rights to outsourcing .... you get the picture.

        I'll definitely have to do some eBooks or Kindle books.

        and @Shadowflux -- thank you too. Great idea on the podcast and book idea! My idea was to start a podcast around the 6 month mark and interview someone in that specific niche before starting the challenge. For example, I would have interviewed a current food blogger about recipes for this month. Or interviewed a movie blogger about last month's Manly Movie marathon. That way I get some exposure to each niche by leveraging people who are already part of that.
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  • Profile picture of the author dondoes30
    I remember reading "31 Days to Build a Better Blog" by Darren Rowse. I could possibly extrapolate that into 12 different books! LOL
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  • Profile picture of the author kenyangirl
    great idea, many people dont stick to one thing so your niche can be; allow me to say 'the inconsistent' or people who love to try new things... hope you get what i mean...
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  • Profile picture of the author tobyjensen
    Oprah changed her focused topic every day. $450 million a year is not too shabby when all you do is give away the best of the best for free. She has her niche and so do you. What type of people like a changing topic every thirty days? For Oprah it is main stream middle aged professional women.

    And yes, you are right. Healing, personal growth, and spirituality do not usually bring in money directly. It is skills, production, results, and action that produce money. But what you are doing is the underlying basis to enjoying the success you are after.

    One group you are marketing to is the edutainment people that Morgan Spurlock did. Another is to those looking for what works. Also, many people want and need reviews of personal development strategies since there are hundreds available.

    Thanks for showing us what works!
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  • Profile picture of the author dondoes30
    Thanks everyone! I was speaking with a local marketer this weekend and he also suggested finding companies that will pay me to use and write about their product for a month (such as weight loss products, cleaning products, etc).

    The DDP Yoga Challenge I did (btw, hopefully you saw him on Shark Tank this past Friday) has an affiliate program that I signed up for. I haven't sold anything yet, but now I know I can promote that part of my site towards yoga enthusiasts and people looking to lose weight using a low-impact workout.

    Thank you all again. I know I sound like a noob, but what I lack in experience I hope to exceed with my willingness to learn. Warrior Forum has been an awesome place so far.
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  • Profile picture of the author blackbodhisattva
    Hey Don, my suggestion would be to do a weekly (if not daily) video update on how you're doing on your youtube channel. Video seems to be a nice way to pull traffic these days from what I'm gathering.
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  • Profile picture of the author dondoes30
    I'm going to be using all this advice over time starting with a LIVE radio broadcast through Blog Talk Radio. That way it will be archived as a podcast too for downloading. I'll be completing a show each month to recap the previous month and give a preview for the upcoming month.

    If anyone is interested, the first show is tonight @ 6:30pm EST. Check it out: Don Does 30 - 30-Day Challenge
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  • Profile picture of the author dondoes30
    Onward to the next challenge for this month: Gluten-Free for 30 Days!

    Gluten-Free Diet for 30 Days || Challenge #5 - Don Does 30: 30-Day Challenges
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  • Profile picture of the author JakeRhodes
    Sounds like a very good concept for a blog to me.

    You could probably find a relevant product on Clickbank to promote for each challenge you take on. I'm sure they'll be something about a gluten free diet for example.

    At the end of these challenges you'd also have some good material for a book.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanbiddulph
    Good stuff Don!

    Focus on self improvement themed keywords and go long tail keyword for each monthly challenge, to stick with your mostly self improvement theme. Drive targeted traffic with these keywords and the long tail, month specific words, and of course hang on relevant forums and social media groups to expand your presence and drive traffic.

    Thanks!
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  • Profile picture of the author dondoes30
    I failed at a challenge for the first time in 5 months! I posted a explanation and video of my punishment. Challenge 5 Punishment Taken

    Time to keep moving on!
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  • Profile picture of the author Dain Supero
    Do not focus your blog (and mind) on the technical details or specifics of said month's theme. Focus on overall values and principles your blog is getting at: self-improvement and the challenge of overcoming yourself. Once this is your focus the type of challenge won't matter. You're attracting people who like self improvement and a good challenge, not people who are into yoga or cooking or whatever.

    My blog uses a similar concept. The overall focus is holistic self improvement: mind, body, self-image. The my blog discusses everything from resistance training to writing techniques to nutrition to happiness. The link is in my profile if you want to get a better idea of what I mean.
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