Meet Summit Social Media Workshop Mentor and Blogger Anna Cobbs

Why you did you start blogging?
I originally started my blog after becoming a mom as a way to get dressed up. Once I had my first daughter I was realized my husband and I were dressing up and leaving the house a lot less. So, I started my blog as a way to feed my passion of putting outfits together and to give myself a reason to get dressed up. Once I entered into the blogging world I realized that it could be lucrative and started to learn how to treat it like a business.

My blog is about well-made, affordable fashion for the everyday woman. I use the term “everyday feminine” to describe my personal style. I love classic feminine styles (ruffles, lace, etc.) but I also have two toddlers so my outfits typically need to be comfortable enough to chase two little girls around while still making a fashion statement.

Although I enjoy the creative piece of it so much, my favorite part is without a doubt getting to engage with people. I find such inspiration from other women in the blogging arena and from my followers’ honesty, advice, sincerity and beauty.

Man, I wish I had a solid answer to this, but I just don’t. My girls attend Montessori school for a portion of the week, so while they’re in school I see some patients for speech therapy and use that time for blog meetings and events. I also do a lot of work when my girls go to bed. I don’t have a set schedule, but kind of roll with what each day brings. I vowed to myself and my family that when I started my blog I would never let it interfere with time with my family and so far I have kept that promise. That basically means I don’t work while my girls are with me and awake. While that makes it more challenging in some aspects, it affords me precious time with my girls.

I am always following the latest trends and adapting them to my personal style. So when I create a look for the blog, my outfits have to meet certain criteria such as being well-made, on trend, affordable ($25-$100) and transitional. I find my inspiration for my posts from many different sources such as magazines, nature, my friends and my girls.

I love writing about women’s fashion and how to stay on trend on a budget. My absolute favorite posts to write are my Tiny Tuesday posts. I love getting to showcase my girls’ personal styles, talk about their personalities and engage with other moms about what’s going well in our home and also how I’m struggling as a mom of toddlers.

Engaging with readers/followers via comments on social media is the most obvious way, but I love and so value the private conversations I get to have with my readers. Whether it’s a direct message or an email, I love getting to know other women on a more personal level, getting to hear their stories and learning more about what they want to hear from Fleurdille.

Man, this question could be a conference in and of itself. Social media is a massive part of my job. Knowing what the trends are for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. are crucial to my job, to my engagement and to my income. I’ve learned over the years that change is so important and essential for success. It’s easy to get used to one platform or one way of doing things, but to stay relevant you have to adapt to technology and social media as it changes.

Be authentic. There are so many bloggers and new business owners out there and it’s so easy to fall into the comparison trap. What works for one person/business owner, might not work for you. Be true to who you are and stay focused on your personal mission.

I would love to continue to increase my engagement. I used to focus only on the numbers, but now I am seeing that actually engaging with my followers and readers is so much more valuable and way more rewarding. I hope Fleurdille continues to define itself deeper, learn more about it’s readers and grow with time and technology.

Hearing from other women directly and being inspired by them, too!