What’s new at Remarkable Communication for 2020

I haven’t posted much lately, so I wanted to give you a quick update on all things Remarkable!

Life after Copyblogger

I think most (but not all) of you know that last year, I sold my interest in Copyblogger Media.

It was hard to say good bye. Copyblogger was the core of my professional identity for about ten years. And it’s still a little weird not to be thinking constantly about the next blog post or content marketing lesson.

But the blog and the company seem like they’re in really good hands with the new team. Plus they have Stefanie Flaxman, the world’s most magnificent editor in chief.

And I’ve gotta say … it’s freed up a bunch of creative energy for new directions, some of which I’ll talk more about in this post.

If you missed that move entirely, I wrote about it here: Life After Copyblogger for Sonia Simone

The Slow Business Adventure

In September, I went to Norway for the Slow Business Adventure conference.

And I fell completely head over heels for that team and their event.

I’m usually pretty good at putting things into words. But this event isn’t easy to describe.

The environment is breathtaking. They built a moveable stage right on the fjord. I’ve done a fair amount of speaking, including a keynote in a gorgeous historic opera house, but that backdrop is hard to beat.

Then there was the culture. That fierce, open, smart Norwegian energy was an inspiration to everyone who was there. We kept looking at one another and asking, “You’re as blown away as I am, right?”

There was a ton of walking and connecting and real conversation. And figuring out business problems that seemed really thorny back home. And perspective. And grace.

I met tons of people who just get what I try to do with Remarkable Communication. In that “finishing each other’s sentences” way that’s so hard to find, and so wonderful when you do.

I loved the Small Business Adventure so much that I’ve signed on to help them get the word out about the event. So I’d be remiss if I didn’t grab you by the lapels and strongly (but respectfully, of course) urge you to attend in 2020 if you’re the right fit!

First, the event is designed for folks who have an active business. It’s not best suited for people who are still in the building stages of their business, although you know I always have resources for that also.

The people who will get the most dramatic transformation from the event, in my view, are entrepreneurs who want to make connections with ethical, balanced, kind business owners who are doing extremely interesting things.

It’s not a luxury event, and it’s not a guru fest. You stay in clean, comfortable, but simple accommodations. And overinflated egos are as out of place as bright orange flip-flops.

(I wouldn’t recommend flip flops of any color. It can get a little chilly out there on the fjord.)

Remarkable Communication has always focused on nurturing amazing relationships — with business partners, with vendors, with your audience, with business allies. (And with your whole life, not just the one sliver called “business.”)

From the first second I heard about Slow Business Adventure, it felt like “The Sonia Conference” to me.

So if it sounds like your cup of tea, it probably is. 🙂 Here’s a link to learn more about the 2020 event: What’s Slow Business all about?

Yes, I will be there, giving a talk on ethical selling.

I’m also planning a short retreat as an add-on, for those who want to spend some heads-down time doing transformational things in your biz.

Drop a comment below if you want to know more about any of it. Or you can just stay tuned on the email list, because I promise I’ll be talking more about Norway in the next few months!

My weird new coaching-consulting-writing hybrid

And that leads to my other major project right now.

Late in 2019 (just after I came home from Norway, in fact), I had a weird idea. It made sense to me, but I hadn’t seen anyone else do it.

I started talking about it with business owners and my copywriting clients. And it actually seemed to make sense to them as well.

So, this year, I’m offering clients the ability to take me into their business as a partner for a full month for a flat fee. No hourly invoicing, no “meter running.”

That means I do everything for your business that I would do if I was your full business partner.

Every week we get together and talk about strategy, goals, and stuck spots.

We create a road map that covers your business’s pressing immediate needs (respect that cash flow, baby), as well as short-term projects and long-term vision.

I bring fresh eyes to your marketing to make sure your message is really crisp. (If the thought of nailing down your Unique Value Proposition makes you want to leave the country, you know how useful this is.)

I help you get new insights into what’s going on with your business, and where you might have amazing potential that you aren’t fully exploring yet.

I’ll share anything and everything I’ve learned in more than a decade of running an amazing, often challenging, always complicated business.

If you want writing done, of course I’m all over that.

And because my brain is wired to really obsess over one thing at a time, I only take one of these per month. So you’ll have my full business attention.

I have no intention of booking every month in 2020 with these.

A) Because I can’t do an awesome job at this service 12 times a year. And B) because you know I love my work-life balance.

So I’m thinking maybe 6 or 7. We’ll see.

Formally I call it the “Partnership Month” program. Informally we call it “Borrow Sonia’s Brain.”

By the way, you also get to “Borrow Sonia’s Implementation Genius,” because I’ve been working with the superheroic Claire Emerson to get all of our ideas translated into tasks, milestones, project plans, and repeatable processes.

Claire has become my invaluable right-hand-human. I’ve never suffered from the delusion that I’m good at everything — and Claire is wonderful at the things I’m not.

So, I’m sure you’ve figured out that this is not a cheap service. But — real talk — it’s a lot more cost-effective than bringing me in as a partner for a percentage of your business. 🙂

If your business is doing decently but you have a project in mind that could take you to someplace fantastic and new, this is a great way to make the most of that.

It’s hard and slow to do new things all by yourself.

Alternately, if your business is fine but you’re burned out or bored and ready to book a ticket to Mars rather than keep doing what you’re doing now, this could probably save you a bunch of money and heartache while we make things better for you.

I’ve set aside three beta slots for the program. One is filled, and one has a hold on it. So I have room for one (maybe two) at the initial “really good pricing and overdelivery” mode while I figure my processes out.

Of course, I’m filling this program by application, because it’s critical that we truly enjoy one another’s company if we’re going to be partners. A month is a long time when the fit isn’t good.

Here’s where you can find out more about it: A Month of Partnership with Sonia Simone

(Oh yeah, one more thing about the Partnership Month — it’s going to be incredibly fun. It’s delightful to hang out with genius clients, help them see how incredible they are, and work side by side to get amazing things done. A whole month of that is sheer luxury.)

How about you?

What have you been up to? Any epic plans? Let me know in the comments. 🙂