Why I’m Now Returning Back to Blogger

 Hey everyone. I know that I have been posting some more here in 2024. I want to let you know why I’m now returning back to Blogger to post.

                Well, a lot has happened in 2024.

·         Graduated from Tri-C

·         Saw momentum in my job search

·         Started going outside more

Graduated from Tri-C

I decided to go back to Tri-C in 2022 because I needed to learn more skills to update myself. I received my MBA in Marketing in 2002. There were no cloud computing, streaming service or Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or TikTok. Imagine how different the world is 20 years later. I received my AA in Applied Business May 2024. Check out my graduation photo below.

Saw Momentum In My Job Search

I also am seeing more movement in the job search. The past couple of years, it feels like the pandemic with everything shut down. However, I am happy to have kept learning and professional development. I will say that right now in 2024 both tech and non-tech companies are favoring applicants that are technical with soft skills.

Started Going Outside More

I took my AWS AI Practitioner certification exam at a testing center. It had been 2 years since I set foot in one (to pass my ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity because ISC2 mandated in-person testing). However, getting out there and pressing the flesh make me improve my communication skills. I passed my AI Practitioner exam but this led me to get out more.

PS – I still love doing mainly online things because they save time; but, I may have to get out more.

What Does This Mean For You?

It means more experiences and blog posts. I will be on here with much more content. Thank you for sticking with me. 

Blogger Site Has 2.4 Million Alexa Internet Site Ranking

 Very happy to announce that carlarjenkins.blogspot.com has a 2.4 million Alexa Internet site ranking. Alexa Internet is a website ranking tool. It ranks the top 20 million website. Having a 2.4 million site ranking is huge especially since I have not posted on here for over 3 years.

                I thank you for consistently reading all of my old posts. I am grateful that you’ve found value in them especially eBay. Value and highly quality content are the two pillars I have always done. Receiving this high Alexa Internet site ranking is proof positive of this.

eBay Adventure - Comments Welcome

I open my dashboard to check for the comments. I find that someone comments on my Why I Love Resale article about promoting my eBay store. This good fortune has come out of left field. It is totally unexpected!

I have started eBay Adventures series to show the good, bad and ugly about reselling on eBay. I have been doing this since June 2016. I love to write, share and exchange my experiences to help people. I am all about not making the same mistakes as I have. Learn and grow from them.

                I am very thankful that someone wants to promote my eBay store because as a solopreneur, it is hard promoting and marketing your store on your own. I am grateful. This comment motivates me to keep sharing my eBay resale journey and fashion livestream on both Blogger and www.carlarjenkins.com.

I am a tall women fashion luxury consignment reseller. My motto is giving women Neiman Marcus merchandise at near rock bottom prices. Shop my store here: www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

Blog to Brand Part 2: Just Get Started

I am back with the second installment of going from blogging to personal brand. Last week (https://carlarjenkins.blogspot.com/2017/09/you-can-go-from-blog-to-brand.html ), I have written about why you should consider blogging to elevate your personal brand. Now is the best time to create separation. People have returned from summer vacation and the fourth quarter is two weeks away. You are in a sweet spot to lower the boom on your competition. 

Most people fear spending so much money on something new that’s not guaranteed. However, I am here to tell you that you don’t have to spend any money to get started. You can get started on Blogger.com, Google’s free blogging platform. I have had mine for over 13 years and it’s still up and running. Check it out here https://carlarjenkins.blogspot.com/ . I was on Blogger from 2004 through 2015 when I got my WordPress site. That’s 11 years. During those 11 years, I have relocated from Cleveland to Washington, DC and received 4 promotions. The point is to get started.

                Now I do have a warning for you: DON’T use Wix, Weebly or Wordpress.com to get started. The reason why is because you don’t control these free platforms. Also with Wordpress.com your site becomes yourname.wordpress.com (carlarjenkins.wordpress.com) instead of yourname.com (carlarjenkins.wordpress.com). You don’t want to give Wordpress.com any free advertising en route towards building your brand! Moreover, with Blogger.com being owned by Google, you’re instantly getting SEO traction. You’re getting found by people which is great; plus with Blogger you can republish to different platforms namely LinkedIn and Medium.

                LinkedIn and Medium are the two biggest business-related platforms. They can increase your visibility moving you up to expert level. Once you post on Blogger.com, you import your blog article link on Medium or copy and paste your article onto LinkedIn Pulse to increase your reach. Visit my LinkedIn and Medium  profiles to see how I have republished my blog content onto these two platforms.

You still get to keep your publishing rights because you’ve used Blogger over posting directly into Medium and LinkedIn. Whenever, I republish, I always put my original article as the source article so when people are interested in it, they return back to the Blogger.com site. Remember, while you getting started, you have to start training your audience to return your real estate (Blogger.com) even though they’ve found you on either Medium or LinkedIn (or some other social media platform).

                See how easy this is to simply get started because now you know that you can get started for FREE! Try it out and email me at info@carlarjenkins.com letting me know how you are doing. Next time I will bring to you the final installment where I discuss how to stay consistent once you’ve started. 

You Can Go from Blog to Brand

Whether or not you are new or a longtime reader (thank you by the way!), you know that I always highlight my blogging skills. I firmly believe in using blogging to advance yourself. There are three things that paralyze people: 1) how do I get started; 2) how can I afford to pay for a website? And 3) how do I keep from burning out? I will address each one of these questions in a blogging series.

First: How do I get started? Focus on what you like doing and which blogs you like reading. When I mean blogs, it can be any website. It can be newspapers, magazines. It can even be YouTube or livestream shows. Right now, just focus on what you like seeing currently. That material does something emotionally to you. You want people to feel the same way whenever you write. That’s where you start.

                Next you add your own personality into it. Do not fear being bland or invisible from everyone else. People will flock to you because you have something special to offer. I admit several times in this newsletter that I have horrible tunnel vision. I am still touched whenever someone inboxes me saying that they love my writing. It warms my heart. Someone’s inbox is awaiting your greatness! 

I am giving you this resourcebecause I don’t want YOU to make it hard. No paralysis of analysis! It has taken me 2 years for monetize my blog. Remember, whether or not it is my book or blog, I always want to eliminate the learning curve. Seeing what’s selling in the market will help you advance faster because you are serving an existing market. When people who are already interested in what you’re writing about then you don’t have to work as hard to brand yourself in the marketplace.

If you still feel that you are still unsure about taking on blog, that’s okay. Here’s another story. I was initially fearful of republishing my blog content on LinkedIn because I thought that people would ridicule me and I saw so many stupid things being posted on LinkedIn Pulse. However, that mentality kept me away from my core audience and expanding my brand.

Need more insight and encouragement? Sure! That’s what this newsletter is all about. Here is my new video discussing why you need a blog. I discuss five reasons why inserting my own entrepreneurial expertise as running two online stores. 

5 Reasons Why Your Online Store Should Have a Blog

Running an online store is a job in itself so I completely understand why a seller would be hesitant in adding a blog on top of all of that. However, having your own store blog is the best advertising that you can get.

Here are my reasons why you should have a Blog?

·         24-Hour Promotion: It’s up when you’re not. People buy online 24 hours. Your blog generates site traffic and leads. Although I am an eBay seller, I have my own sales blog.

·         It’s your online real estate which you control – you don’t control social media

·         Free advertising – A blog is a form of advertisement. You have to pay for Facebook Ads.

·         Customer Education, Engagement and Experience All in One: I post all of my tips, customer responses and livestreams on my blog. It is the one-stop shop. On mine, I have eBay Adventures chronicling my sales experience; my weekly eBay inventory livestreams, photos and eBay sales tips.

·         You can run special exclusively for your blog readers – membership has privileges.

These are my 5 reasons why your online store should have a blog. Blogging increases site traffic. Increased traffic = increased conversions.

As always shop my eBay store for the best in tall women luxury consignment www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

Watch my latest eBay livestream to view all of my store’s merchandise!

eBay Adventure – Class Act

                I have been writing eBay Adventures for a while and I love sharing my journey with so many people on Instagram and other social media channels. I have discussed with my coach how I have sold over $2000 in 60 days, combat fraud and bad customers trying to soil my reputation, she says that I should create my own eBay course. I think that this would be a great idea pricing it at $37; of course, I will give way more content and behind the scenes of creating a store, linking your PayPal, what to pick and how to accelerate PayPal releasing your funds (I have managed to go from 21-30 days to 5-7 days in less than 2 months!). My goal of this course to kill the learning curve! I don’t want anyone to go through the same mess that I have gone through. I don’t want anyone to un-learn all of the crap that I had to while reading resources. This course will solve all of this.

As always, I will still keep writing eBay Adventures because I love my community so much and am happy that you will continue sharing my journey with you!
Visit my eBay store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

eBay Adventure – Two Months In

                I have been selling on eBay for 60 days and have experienced every single imaginable incident (happy customers, unhappy customers, fraud). I have managed to sell nearly $2000 worth of items and have learned so much about how to operate a store, how to properly price my items, how to market myself and my store, stand up for myself against people who abuse eBay’s buyer protection program and the fraudsters who want to make a buck off of you.

                I have learned early on that my customer only wants to buy shoes so I have stopped uploading clothes. Instead, I have placed all of my clothes on Depop and started marketing that online platform. In addition, I have learned the importance of taking a copious amounts of photos, answering customers’ questions and shipping the items the same day I receive payment. Initially in the beginning, PayPal held onto my money for 21 days. Now if I ship on Monday, I receive my money two days after the customer receives her merchandise. This is big when I need the money to pay bills!

                Another thing that I have learned is how to properly price things. I have learned that the hard way ($177 in insertion and other fees during my first month). I have reduced or increased my price to sell 17 items in two months. In addition, I have leveraged social media namely Instagram and Blogger to generate awareness for my store. I have blogged eBay Adventure just to chronicle my experience as a newbie eBay seller trying to declutter her condo; and, the people love it. I am genuinely happy that so many people love reading about my journey because I have learned a lot along the way. Furthermore, photographing the blog post and uploading it to Instagram has spread like wildfire. Instagram enables me to share on Facebook and Twitter so I have three major social media outlets. Moreover, I have an eBay Pinterest board and have been on Periscope and Snapchat showcasing my latest additions. Overall, I must say that I have gotten some sales based on social media and blogging.

                Finally, I have experienced some bad things which happens. The bad customer and fraudsters have taught me not to believe everything that someone tells you on YouTube. The YouTubers will tell you that eBay always protects the buyer; however, that has not been the case for me. I offer no returns and promptly ship all merchandise.

I do have new sales goals for this new 30-day cycle. They are to move $1000 per week and to start working on devising my new fashion line. Now that I have gotten the hang of eBay and online selling, I am ready to take this to the next level.

Visit my eBay store here: http://www.ebay.com/usr/carljenkin_6

DePop Diaries – Building Out My DePop Store

                I admit that I have not been paying as much attention to my DePop store because my eBay store has been making more money and I have been experiencing some fraud problems; however, I am BACK with a vengeance! I have added no less than 5 items to my store. It is essential that I fill out my DePop store. My goal is to have no less than 20 items on my store. Moreover, I have goals this week. I will make my first sale on DePop. I already have my Twitter linked to my DePop so whenever I upload something new, all of my followers see it. Blogging helps me so much because it gives me free advertising. Below are some of my new items. They range from Macy’s (blue ombre party dress) to Alice + Olivia (red floral asymmetrical maxi dress) to Michael by Michael Kors jaguar print skinny jeans. Finally, I will also advertise more on Instagram and Snapchat. Thus far, my biggest hurdle is not making enough people aware of my site. This will change starting today!

Visit my Depop.com store here: https://www.depop.com/en-us/phenomena

Gratitude List - Day 17

                Today is Mothers’ Day. I am grateful that my 67-year-old mother is still living and am great health. Here is my gratitude list:

Gratitude List – Day 17

1. Happy that my mother is alive on Mothers’ Day
2. I have a place to rest my head since I am tired and need a nap (rare I know).
3. I can be open to generating ideas
4. Writing 2 blog articles
5. Be happy for experiencing today. I am able to take it in.
6. I am grateful for another week to become better. I am grateful towards becoming an author.
7. To keep being worthy of financial abundance to receive and manifest my $20,000 this month.

I have listened to Constance Arnold interviewing Louise Presley-Turner. This broadcast confirms that I am on the right track regarding my gratitude challenge. This challenge has shifted my energy but it also forces me to confront negative people, thoughts and things. I mean as soon as I have started the uglies start popping up. Like I have said – the Devil is busy! I have dealt and continue to deal with them now because I am going positive.

                I have written a new blog article for both of my sites. I feel extremely productive. It feels good to return back to regularly scheduled programming. I have copied my PositivityChange blog post onto LinkedIn and Medium. In my PositivityChange post, I write about how to become an expert. Most importantly, stop fearing new college graduates because you have skills and experience. You need to communicate that. Besides, everyone starts out as an amateur. I have received 2 shares and 6 likes on my post. Another post has come out this one. I will write about how to move your low and medium skills proficiencies to high level skills when you want to be in another field.

                I have stopped paralysis of analysis and submitted my workbook to the printer via Fiverr. I am grateful that I have the credit so that it is technically free. I must diversify my products. Here is the updated gratitude list:

Updated gratitude list

1. Grateful to have the Fiverr credit. I have used it for my workbook and increase traffic.
2. Happy to get a free cab ride since the driver forgets to turn on the meter!
3. Have the credit to dine at Bourbon Steak to clear my mind.
4. I am open to the possibility of having two revenue-generating websites. If I grateful if the customer buys from my personal website or the book website. I cannot constrict abundance. 

Having unlimited revision attached to my order is a blessing. I need to work on creating the best product. In addition, I have outsourced my site traffic to a professional company. Yes, I am seeing traction gained from my Facebook Ad but I need conversion (sales). I have to try this out. I cannot afford a what if.

Synergy!

Things are moving fast. Today while working on applying for jobs and enjoying my snow day, I receive an email congratulating me on becoming a Small Business Book Awards judge.  I am honored because there will probably a whole lot of applicants. It just feels good to be acknowledged. I’ve submitted my two topics (economics and technology). Possessing economics work experience, I am well-versed in the topics. Furthermore, I have over 10 years’ data mining experience and am a Trekker so technology is right up my alley. Most importantly, I love reading books because I can always learn something from them. With the Small Business Book Awards, I intend to read all of the cutting edge business topics to stay on top of my game.

                This announcement comes on the heels of receiving Chaz’s Careeranista book and being mentioned in the acknowledgements. I will build upon this momentum by considering freelance writing. I might even restart my fiverr.com page to earn more income. $5 is better than nothing. I think it’s even my 1% cost of living adjustment (COLA) from the federal government.  And it doesn’t just stop with this new book judge announcement. It gets better.

                While reading my graduate school’s alumni newsletter, the university says that it is looking for bloggers. Since the alumni department follows me on Twitter, I know that I am a frontrunner. Furthermore, I have stayed in the alumni notes page with my promotions and project management certification accomplishments. I will use my writing as my ticket to get out of this predicament.