Life Editors Speak Out! 2016 Reader Survey Results

I recently posted my 2016 Reader Survey so that I could pick your brain about my business and what you want to see in the future.

More than 100 Life Editors responded, and boy, did you have some strong opinions!

As you know, I work with “ambitious career women,” as I say in my elevator pitch. This means that although I’m a life coach, my favorite women to coach are those who are creatively driven by work.

They could work for other companies, run their own businesses, or do both. We focus on how their work affects every area of their lives and how life editing can give you that perfect balance of happiness.

Here’s a quickie recap:

Short and Sweet Survey Summary

  • My average follower is 10-15 years older than me.
  • Most have been following me for less than a year.
  • You want more life stuff such as behind-the-scenes looks at what I do when I’m not working.
  • You want me to tone down the business stuff slightly. Or do more business stuff. The responses were a bit all over the place.
  • You stick around because of my personality and freebies.

Check out the full survey results below, and be sure to leave me a note in the comments if you’ve got some feedback for me.

Location

  • 68% United States of America
  • 14% Canada
  • 11% Europe
  • 6% Australia and New Zealand
  • 1% Other

Age

  • 2% 19 or under
  • 5% 20-29
  • 34% 30-39
  • 35% 40-49
  • 20% 50-59
  • 4% 60 or over

Which social media platforms do you use regularly? They could choose more than one, and these are in order of popularity.

  1. Facebook
  2. Pinterest
  3. Instagram and YouTube (tie)
  4. Twitter
  5. Other (LinkedIn, Meerkat, Telegram, About.me)
  6. Periscope

I recommend that my clients choose 2 social media platforms to be active on and to automate any others they choose. It’s no surprise to me that my active accounts (Facebook and Pinterest) are popular with my readers too.

How would you describe yourself? Here are my favorite responses.

  • A badass obsessed with organization.
  • A woman beginning to take control of her life and creating the dream life for myself.
  • I’m a busy mom who loves my family but I’ve let my business fall by the wayside. I know I have a lot to offer others and want to come up with different ways to do so as a full-time business.
  • Confident, ambitious, but easily distracted.
  • A disorganized, scatterbrained, always running late, and overcommitted mother of 3, desperate to take back control of my life. I just need to slow my mind down, focus, and start accomplishing.
  • I am a lover of life, a Sprinkler of Fabulousness, a Manifestor of Miracles!
  • Perfectionist and multi-multi-passionate.
  • Creative ball of energy with not much direction!
  • Enthusiastic, optimistic, but self-doubting of my own capabilities.

Life Editors are all these things and more! We tend to be highly driven Type A personalities who love systems and structures…even if our perfectionism slows us down at times.

How did you first hear about me and my business?

  • 20% Pinterest
  • 16% CreativeLive
  • 16% Google search
  • 14% Facebook
  • 10% An interview, guest post, or mention on another blog
  • 8% Don’t remember
  • 6% Other (Stratejoy Summer Camp, Tips from the Disney Diva, Christine Kane live event)
  • 4% Through a comment on another blog
  • 2% YouTube
  • 2% iTunes
  • 2% A friend’s recommendation

How long have you been following me?

  • 4% Under 1 month
  • 35% 2-6 months
  • 6% 7-12 months
  • 18% About a year
  • 20% 1-2 years
  • 14% 2-3 years
  • 3% 4-5 years

I was surprised by how many newbies are here. Welcome to the party! And thank goodness only a few of you have been here long enough to remember when this used to be a fashion blog. (Let us never speak of it again.)

What is the #1 reason you follow me and my business?

  • 24% Productivity and time management advice
  • 20% Personality
  • 19% Life advice
  • 13% Free stuff
  • 12% Blog posts
  • 8% Business advice
  • 4% Other (all of the above)

Proof that I don’t need to be original or stress out about being perfect. I just need to be me.

What is the biggest benefit you’ve gotten from life editing? Here are my favorite responses.

  • Changes are beneficial if done in an organizational manner! And organizing CAN be FUN!
  • The encouragement to offer my first 1:1 calls and the support from the LEFB group.
  • The realization that the editing skills I use when writing can be applied other aspects of my life to improve my effectiveness and joy.
  • With life editing, I’m able to set priorities in such a way that I use my time effectively and focus on what’s important and will yield results.
  • GOALS & all your tips! Like what to write down, how to enjoy my life, how to move forward with my career and the BEST–your complementary calls.
  • Feeling validated that being organized is a positive source of empowerment.
  • Learning more deeply about, and implementing, white space. 🙂
  • The brain dump and making sure your to-do list is matched with you goals.
  • Taking back my health by eliminating stressful clients and people from my life.

What type of content do you want to see more of? They could choose more than one, and these are in order of popularity.

  1. Productivity and time management advice
  2. General life advice
  3. Behind-the-scenes look at my real life
  4. Business advice
  5. Money advice
  6. Health and fitness advice
  7. Career advice
  8. Relationship advice
  9. Other (retirement transition, content creation, finding your passion)

This is where things get a little funny. Most of you want more general life advice and self-development tips, but my readers are very divided about business advice. Some can’t get enough, while others want me to avoid business talk altogether!

Of course, I won’t stop sharing how to improve your own business because entrepreneurs are included under “ambitious career women.” But maybe there’s a way to not alienate the corporate ladies.

Have you done Life Editing for Beginners? This course is an intro to the Life Editing Process.

  • 76% No, but I want to
  • 8% Yes, the live group version
  • 8% No, it’s not interesting to me
  • 4% Yes, the Home Study Course
  • 4% Yes, both the live version and the Home Study Course

Have you done Startup In 60? This course helps entrepreneurs go from idea to fully functioning business in 60 days.

  • 67% No, but I want to
  • 31% No, it’s not interesting to me
  • 2% Yes, the live group version

Again, here’s the great divide. Business help or no business help…that is the question.

If I created a brand new course, what topic would make you say, “Finally! I can’t wait to take that course!”

  • 41% A mindset course about fear, self-doubt, and impostor syndrome
  • 20% A time management and productivity course without the business stuff
  • 14% A course about how to start a coaching business from scratch
  • 10% A money course for entrepreneurs
  • 10% An advanced marketing course for entrepreneurs
  • 5% Other (blogging, content creation)

Looks like we’ll be doing some mindset editing this year. Stay tuned!

If you could wave a magic wand and make me and my business be exactly how you want it to be, what would it look like and what would I be offering? Here are my favorite responses.

  • Step-by-step instructions on how to start a coaching business.
  • More videos.
  • You would be offering more self-help, positive thinking type things.
  • Hard copy versions of the planners.
  • Positive daily affirmations.
  • More free worksheets.
  • Not much to add from me, maybe more pics on Instagram!
  • Some help for women looking to get back to their life after taking time off to raise kids.
  • The same without all the business side of it.
  • Perhaps more focus on business goals.
  • I am amazed at how you keep coming up with such an interesting and versatile stuff! You already are the best!

Again with the business confusion. If I were giving advice to a client, I would say, “OK, your readers are divided. What content do you enjoy creating? Do more of that and let your readers make up their minds about whether they want to continue following you.” And that’s exactly what I’ll do. We’ll have a nice blend of life and business content.

It wasn’t cost-effective for me to do hard copy printed versions of my planners this year. They could have cost more than $75 each with shipping! But this is definitely on my radar.

Is there anything else you want to tell me? Here are my favorite responses.

  • I have to say, I LOVE your boxes of goodies you send to your clients, and being able to “receive” them in a video is almost as satisfying. OK, maybe not, but it is still fun and educational to see what you have planned for the month. 🙂 Thank You again. <3
  • You are an inspiration and one of an elite group of women who are changing the options for women of all ages today.
  • You seem to have a bubbly personality, you are succinct in your information, and your writing style allows for easy reading. I have enjoyed the content that I have delved into thus far, and I can’t wait to organize this so I can easily access your information and begin putting it to great use!
  • I am a horrible procrastinator. One of the reasons I haven’t purchased any courses yet because I know I won’t use them yet. I am more a window shopper right now.
  • I love you, Sage!

Aw, shucks. You’re making me blush. 🙂

Thanks again to all of you who took the time to answer the survey questions. Your feedback is hugely important to me, and I couldn’t do this without you lovely Life Editors.

What do you want to see this year?

In the comments below, tell me what kind of content would help you edit your life.