What Is It Like To Stretch In Community?

September 18

The 2020 Stretch Yourself Content Marketing Challenge is underway and I invited my participants to blog about their experience and tell you why they recommend the experience to others.  It is pure joy for me to hear how the challenge has had an impact on lives and businesses.

As you read the posts here and visit the blog posts I’ve linked to, look for the nuggets of smarts and wisdom they share.

I run the SYC as a live group experience every September and I’ll hope you join in next year –  but know you can pick up the self study version any time!

Kelly Crompton

For a few years, I’ve had a dream of opening a dog-friendly bakery — a BARKERY — that caters to dogs and their humans. My vision is a place that offers a variety of treats and comfy seating for our furry best friends, with coffee and simple treats for their people too. The barkery would include an adjoining dog park on premises.

Unfortunately, the barkery is far from a reality. I still have so many details to work out, plus I’m wary of even beginning to think about opening a brick and mortar shop until the pandemic is behind us.

But I’m still excited! Why? Because my online presence is becoming a reality. I’m slowly gaining traction and realizing all of the wonderful possibilities there. When my sister Karin first put the idea in my mind, I was scared. I knew NOTHING about having an online presence and how my physical dream could transfer to this. Turns out it can transition pretty smoothly.

My sister, being the “Why wait? Let’s jump right into this!” person that she is, knew I needed focus and coaching. I’m not very internally motivated, but give me a coach or other people to be accountable to, and watch me shine! So as soon as I mildly agreed, Karin signed me up for the Stretch Yourself Challenge (SYC). She was NOT letting me back out. Good call.

This one month live challenge does just what it says — challenges you to stretch, no matter where you are. I am a complete newbie. Seriously, I’m not sure anyone can be any greener than I am when it comes to this online marketing and website building stuff. And then there are people so experienced I should feel intimidated, but I got over that right away.

It turns out everyone has something to learn, and everyone needs to stretch. Also, and most importantly to me, everyone started at the beginning; and in this group, they welcome questions and inspire and cheer each other on. They are all so willing to share.

This year there are 21 challenges to choose from, each worth a certain amount of points. I’m doing this live, which means we are split into two teams that compete against one another — go Team BOLD! — yet everyone still helps one another, because in the end the only one we’re competing against is ourself.

I am focused on the “Create a Small and Mighty Gift Report” challenge, which is really quite a stretch for me. It’s helped me focus on what benefit I want people to get out of following me on Because of Dogs and joining my mailing list.

I recommend the SYC because not only will you learn so much, but it will help you get over your fears. You know, all those obstacles you create in your mind — some real, and many imagined. The book explains the challenges very well. And even if you’re doing this as a self study, meaning on your own and apart from the live competition, you will never be on your own. The group has a million perspectives to share, and years upon years of combined experience. They’ve been through and seen it all.

In my experience so far, everyone inspires each other, gives a push when needed, and doesn’t hold back. While kind, they will point out where you might need to make a course correction, or whatever it is you need. It’s like having an entire community of coaches at your fingertips.

It also has energized me and given me so much to look forward to. Even during this pandemic, I wake up excited to get to work and see what the others are accomplishing today as well. The community itself is worth being a part of. Do yourself a favor and check out the SYC. You won’t regret it.

Check out all that Kelly Crompton has going on at Because of Dogs.

Dr. Jodie Bean

OMIGOSH! What can I say about The Stretch Yourself Challenge??? The very first thing that comes to mind is that it’s AH-MAZING!

Having the opportunity to make genuine connections with so many Rockstar online marketers like Val Selby, Melissa Brown, and OF COURSE, our awesome host, Kelly McCausey!!! I can honestly say that just one bit of coaching from Kelly on my fledgling website was totally worth the cost alone. She took the jumbled up emotions I was feeling about my blog and gave them words. Words that I can actually act on to make my site a site that will appeal to my target market.

As a newbie, I want to jump right in and do ALL. THE. THINGS. in the Stretch Yourself Challenge (SYC.) Realistically, that’s  not going to happen. But I will have Kelly’s wisdom and guidance to take with me after the challenge by following the guidebook afterward. And, trust me, I will be referring back to it over and over as I set up new pieces in my online marketing.

Being in the live challenge is incredible because of the connections you make, as I said earlier. These connections provide opportunities for collaborations, finding the right coach/tech person/writer/etc. that you need, affiliate partners, coaching opportunities and much more. Plus the contest aspect of the live challenge is so much fun!

But even if you’ve already missed out on this year’s challenge (which you have if you’re reading this – lol,) you are not out of luck! Kelly has released the guidebook as a standalone product – at a price that is less than we paid, I might add.

And although you’ll miss out on the live aspect of it, I still HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you get it! You will still have access to the forum to ask questions and many of the previous challengers are regulars on the forum but you will also have access to Kelly’s plethora of knowledge in all the challenge areas! You will have the same how-to guidance and suggestions (that you may not have thought of) for ways to increase exposure, collaborate with others in your niche neighborhood, grow your list, and make money.

And every year the challenges get changed up so I also invite you to join me and the other challengers next year as well when the challenge goes live because I WILL BE BACK and I’ll be in it to win it next year! And learn a ton and have fun.

So… bottom line: Do I recommend the Stretch Yourself Challenge? Hell yeah, I do! I recommend the SYC because the connections you make are invaluable, the knowledge is incredible, and I can almost guarantee Kelly will make suggestions for ways to uplevel your business that you haven’t even thought of!

Follow Dr. Jodie at Our Bean Pod.

Tina Piety

I was overwhelmed, jumping from one project to another without focusing on one. I had made the decision that I was going to create and sell low-content products, things like journals, planners, and coloring books. I created a few and placed them on Amazon and started an Etsy shop. However, the only people who bought them was family.

Those webinars and blogs strongly encouraged me to create a list of emails from people interested in my products in order to market them. So, how could I get those emails? The answer is to create a freebie (or opt-in) to give in exchange for emails. How will I let people know about it? I can create posts for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest with the offer. I could also write a blog and include the offer with it, which means a website.

I needed to decide on what to do first, the freebie? The website? Posting on my social media sites so people get to know me before I start trying to sell them something? And then there is creating more low-content products for Amazon and Etsy. I kept jumping back and forth between the tasks and not accomplishing anything. It was at this point that I started to see emails about Kelly McCausey’s Stretch Yourself Challenge (SYC).

SYC offered me the chance to focus on one task. It also offered me a community where I could get encouragement and advice and could also encourage and give advice to others. I decided to join. I received the 152-page SYC Guide and membership in the Mastermind Hub Forum. Since I joined the month long “in-person” challenge, I also received access to weekly Zoom calls and the chance to earn points and thereby prizes.

The first few chapters of the SYC Guide are focused on basic training and giving information you need to succeed. One chapter dealt with one’s web presence, which was exactly what I needed. The remainder of the chapters explain the challenges. There are 21 challenges, ranging from creating a TikTok account to holding a webinar. Each chapter explains the challenge  and gives step-by-step instructions of how to complete it.

I recommend the SYC because it has given me what I was seeking. I needed a way to focus and by doing a challenge, I’m focused on it. I wanted the encouragement and advice I could get from a community and in the forum, I’m getting that. I’ve been doing this for two weeks and almost everyday I receive encouragement and advice. Happily, this won’t end when the month is over. I’ll remain a member of the forum with all its perks. I will also have the SYC Guide as a resource and to work on the other challenges.

If you are stuck and feeling overwhelmed, please consider the Stretch Yourself Challenge. It will give you the information and tools you need to get unstuck and a community that will help you along the way.

Learn how to work with Tina at VA By The Bay.

Cynthia Alexander

Each September I look forward to my copy of the Stretch Yourself Challenge. The challenge showcases a specific component of marketing for online business success. This year was #11 and it did not fail to please!

Topic for this time was Content Marketing. I don’t know your level of skill in building your business, but I can say for certain that if you have a business, you can use content marketing to build it by using the internet to tell what is special about your business.

What you say about your products and services determines your bottom line and I bet you want to increase your profit margin each year. That can be done with simple steps such as gathering and publishing testimonials.

Since so much information is available online, consumers go to the internet to look for what they need before they fire up the auto and go in search of what they want or need. Testimonials from satisfied customers verify that you are easy to do business with and that you stand behind your product.

One of the “Stretch” challenges is to do just that…gather and publish testimonials. The author, Kelly, is a pro at outlining the steps on how to accomplish each task. Sample steps are to:

  • Set up feedback forms
  • Add email autoresponders
  • Make Follow Up Calls
  • Create those extra details that make it special

I find it so simple to finish the challenges that I select because the instructions are specific and realistic. Each section builds upon what I have already completed and helps boost my website traffic and thus increase the customers that are interested in what I have to offer. This year 21 Challenges cove all aspects of Content Marketing. Think of it as a cafeteria where you can come back as often as you want. Keep coming back for more and the fun never ends.

It is much simpler to grow your business by building relationships with customers that have already purchased from you. When you make offers of products and services that they have expressed interest in, that customer is more apt to purchase.

Each time you post on your blog or promote through social media, you increase the reach of your message. I love that this is not just someone spouting theory, but a talented coach who has done all of this herself and done it well.

I recommend the SYC because the author is both sassy and classy. The live course is the month of September. but the self-study course is ongoing throughout the year. I have books from several years prior that I keep for reference.

So, if you want to grow your business and streeetch yourself a bit, grab a copy for yourself a copy of the book and get started today. You won’t regret it.

Follow Cynthia at Break Free From Clutter.

Read All Of The Self Hosted Blog Posts Too!

Yes, I’m Basking In The Glow

The SYC proves again, when I take a stand, I become an invitation.  And how amazing it is to see so many people accept it and accomplish so much!

Reading all of these posts, hearing how the experience and community has an impact… I’m just floored by it.

Thank you every single person for your share ❤

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