Megan Sharma's Blog: The Savvy Surgeon's Wife

150 social media post ideas to steal right now for your brand or business

4/26/2018

Anyone who creates social media content for a brand or business knows that content is king.

Anyone with social media marketing savvy also knows that it’s not a one-sided affair: the goal of social media is to engage with people (namely: your fans and customers).

To keep things interesting, I’ve created this ultimate cheat sheet of 150 social media post ideas that get the conversation rolling.

HR professionals and trainers may like to try these ideas as icebreakers or get-to-know-you prompts for meetings, trainings, and events.

Keep things polished by using Pablo by Buffer or Canva to create free images for your social media posts.

Any way you spin it, your social media calendar will be full in no time!

150 social media post ideas to steal right now for your brand or business

This or that

1. Coke or Pepsi?
2. Cats or dogs?
3. Coffee or tea?
4. Books or music?
5. Ice skates or roller blades?
6. Train, plane, or car?
7. Pie or cake?
8. Beach or mountains?
9. Procrastinate or get it done now?
10. Pancakes or waffles?
11. Morning person or night person?
12. Text or call?
13. Library or museum?
14. Summer or winter?
15. Spring or fall?
16. Chocolate or vanilla?
17. Rain or snow?
18. Comedy or drama?
19. Burger or hot dog?
20. Reading or writing?
21. Skiing or snowboarding?
22. Pool or ocean for swimming?
23. Sweet or salty?
24. Alaska or Hawaii?
25. Shower or bath?
26. Pasta or pizza?
27. Candy or chocolate?
28. Sleep or gym?
29. Scones or cinnamon rolls?
30. Eggs--scrambled, sunny side up, or fried?
31. Monopoly or Life?
32. Villain or superhero?
33. Milkshake or ice cream sundae?
34. Chipotle or Qdoba?
35. Cooking or takeout?
36. Swim with dolphins or sharks?
37. Rice or potatoes?
38. Beer or wine?
39. City or country?
40. Nachos or cheese fries?

Fill in the blank

41. The women who have most influenced me are _________
42. If I could go anywhere in the world right now, I would go to _________
43. The best way to relax after a long day is _________
44. _________always makes me feel inspired
45. The best afternoon snack is _________
46. I've lived in _________ cities in my life
47. I laugh every time I think about _________
48. _________ is the most annoying celebrity on the planet
49. _________is the best quality in a partner/mate
50. _________ always cheers me up
51. I just called (texted) to say _________
52. _________is the most hilarious person ever
53. _________ does NOT belong in a salad
54. I think children are _________
55. I have never _________
56. I love it when _________
57. My idea of beauty is _________
58. The most important decision I ever made was _________
59. There is nothing I enjoy more than _________
60. I really look up to _________

Playing favorites

61. Favorite quote?
62. Favorite food--the one you could eat any day of the week?
63. What is your all-time favorite movie?
64. Favorite ice cream flavor?
65. Favorite toppings to add to pizza?
66. Favorite comfort food?
67. Favorite 80s movie?
68. Favorite animated movie?
69. Favorite music artists?
70. Favorite sport to watch?
71. Favorite sport to play?
72. Favorite holiday?
73. What's your favorite dish to cook?
74. Favorite sports teams?
75. Favorite place to shop?

Blast from the past

76. Confess: who were your teenage celebrity crushes?
77. How long have you known your best friend, and how did you meet?
78. How did you keep in touch before the days of social media?
79. What's the most embarrassing thing you did in high school?
80. What's your favorite childhood memory?
81. As a teenager, how did you spend your summers?
82. What was your very first job?

Travel and leisure

83. What would you do on a 'stay-cation'?
84. What do you love most about travel?
85. What do you hate most about travel?
86. Do you have a passport? If so, what countries have you visited?
87. What's your favorite thing to do on a plane?
88. What's the best or craziest road trip you've ever been on?
89. What destination is your favorite (so far)?
90. What destination is on the top of your bucket list?
91. What can't you travel without?
92. When you travel, what do you miss most about home?
93. Which country has the friendliest people?
94. What's the longest you've ever been away from home?
95. How do you document your travels?
96. What's your top travel tip?
97. When you travel, do you follow a schedule or go with the flow?
98. Window or aisle seat?
99. What's the longest plane ride you've ever been on?

Reading

100. What are you reading right now?
101. What were some of your favorite books as a child?
102. What super popular book that everyone else loved did you seriously hate?
103. It's a day of the week that ends in 'day'. Are you reading?
104. Where do you most often find yourself reading (bed, bus, hammock, etc.)?
105. What are you typically wearing while reading?
106. What's your reaction when someone buys you a book?
107. Would you rather read the book or watch the movie adaptation?
108. What's your opinion on e-books vs. traditional paper books?
109. You are stranded on a desert island. Would you rather have a pocket knife or a huge stack of books?
110. What's your worst reading habit?
111. Who are some of your favorite fictional characters?
112. Who are your favorite authors?

Random questions

113. What is the strangest thing your purse or wallet right now?
114. Who is your celebrity doppelgänger (lookalike)?
115. Which TV family is most like your own?
116. What's the best compliment you've ever received?
117. If you had 3 magic wishes, what would they be? (let's skip 'money' and 'more wishes', shall we?)
118. Name a song that best reflects your current mood
119. Are you a lucky or unlucky person?
120. Confess: Do you sing in the shower?
121. Are you crafty? What's the coolest thing you've ever made?
122. What's your dream job?
123. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
124. Describe yourself in only 3 words

Have you ever...?

125. Been to Europe?
126. Ridden on a motorcycle?
127. Lived in another state?
128. Met a celebrity?
129. Been to a Disney park?
130. Planted a garden?
131. Run a marathon?
132. Climbed a mountain?
133. Ridden in a limousine?
134. Been through a natural disaster (earthquake, tornado, hurricane, wild fire, flood, etc.)?
135. Driven a riding lawn mower?
136. Spoken a second language?
137. Played a musical instrument?
138. Sang or danced in public?
139. Been on a college sports team?
140. Sang karaoke?
141. Driven a go kart?
142. Gone skydiving?
143. Gone bungee jumping?
144. Ridden in a helicopter?
145. Broken a bone?
146. Stayed up all night?
147. Been on the radio or on TV?
148. Helped someone who was in danger?
149. Laughed so hard you spit out your drink?
150. Won a contest?

What are your favorite social media post questions? Share them in the comments!

You may also like these blogs by Megan Sharma:
The newbie’s guide to optimizing blog SEO in 10 easy steps
Writing tips: What I want to blog about vs. what I actually blog about
Try this new, no-brainer social media tool to support an author: Thunderclap
It's Here! Get My Free E-Book: 100 of Your Toughest Business Emails: Solved on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks and more
Business Email Etiquette: 50 Things You Should Never Say in a Work Email
Writing Quiz: What Percent Writing Genius Are You?
On The Write Life: 18 Ways to Support an Author (Besides Buying Their Book)
On The Write Life: Get Inspired! 20 Writers to Follow on Twitter
Book cover design: How I developed a concept for my indie author book cover
On The Write Life: 17 Incredible Possibilities if Writers Ran The World
For writers: All your writing fears, squashed!
A real, imperfect day in the life of a writer: me
Boss baby: 22 traits shared by 2-year-olds and bad bosses
Writing tips: Cutting down on word fat and other newsletter best practices
Writing tips for email: In 30 seconds, this message will self-destruct
Public speaking tips: How to move your audience from callous to captivated

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8 awesome things to do with kids in Seattle: a local’s top attraction picks

4/12/2018

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In honor of my upcoming hometown visit to Seattle, Washington, I’m sharing all the best kids’ activities and attractions in the Emerald City.

Starting at square one with your Seattle trip planning? Check out my guide to lodging and getting around town, the best outdoor activities, and my insider’s tour of Pike Place Market. It’s all part of my Seattle blog series.

Okay, back to the children. They are the future, right?

Here are 8 of the best kids’ activities and attractions in Seattle:

1. Seattle Children’s Museum: Located in the Seattle Center, this 22,000 square foot wonderland for kids ages 10 months to 10 years combines learning and fun.

Pro visitor tip: Grab lunch with the kiddos at the Seattle Center Armory (AKA – a fancy food court), right next to the Children’s Museum. Kids will especially love Lil’ Skillet Burgers at Skillet and the customizable, made-to-order pizza at MOD.

2. Pacific Science Center and IMAX theater: This mecca for science lovers of all ages is also located in the Seattle Center. Kids and adults will enjoy exhibits such as the Tinker Tank, the Tropical Butterfly House, and the Science Playground.

Pro visitor tip: Admission to the Pacific Science Center also includes free tickets to the Willard Smith Planetarium.

3. Seattle Aquarium: If your children love sea creatures, this is the place to be on the Seattle waterfront (Pier 59). Check out everything from Puget Sound fish to marine mammals to glowing jellyfish.

Pro visitor tip: Catch a feeding of the giant Pacific octopus daily at 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm.

4. Woodland Park Zoo: Seattle’s only city zoo is in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood, a few miles north of downtown. Meet penguins, rhinos, lions, snow leopards, brown bears, lemurs, monkeys and more at this haven for animal aficionados.

Pro visitor tip: If visiting between June and September, catch a ZooTunes summer concert. It’s best to purchase tickets in advance.

5. Ride the Ducks of Seattle: If you’ve never ridden in a WWII amphibious vehicle, now is your chance! Ride the Ducks takes visitors on a land and sea tour of Seattle, with a healthy helping of singing, dancing and quacking, to keep things entertaining.

Pro visitor tip: Tours leave from Westlake Center (downtown shopping district) or just outside the Seattle Center. The Seattle Monorail will quickly shuttle you between Westlake Center and the Seattle Center, departing every 10 minutes.

6. The Seattle Great Wheel: The wheel’s location on Pier 57 of the waterfront offers jaw-dropping views of Elliott Bay, West Seattle, and downtown Seattle. The 10 to 15-minute ride (3 full rotations of the wheel) is fantastic on a sunny day or all lit up at night.

Pro visitor tip: Children age 2 and under ride for free, but they still require a ticket. This ticket can be obtained at the will call window of the ticket booth without waiting in line.

The Seattle Great Wheel

7. Miner’s Landing at Pier 57: Take a ride on the Seattle Great Wheel, and then stay for some fun on the pier. Check out the vintage indoor carousel, Pirates Plunder shop for your little buccaneers, food court, and Wings Over Washington flying theater ride.

Pro visitor tip: Eat like a kid at the adjacent Crab Pot Restaurant, where bibs and mallets for cracking into crab are practically required.

8. REI Seattle Flagship Store: This paradise for outdoor enthusiasts boasts extensive gear and clothing shops, rental equipment, gear repair, classes and the famous 65-foot Seattle Pinnacle Climbing Wall. REI supplies shoes and harnesses for all climbers. Take the challenge if you dare!

Pro visitor tip: Hungry after your climb? Head over to kid-friendly Lunchbox Laboratory at 1253 Thomas Street, a 3-minute walk from REI. You’ll love the legendary burgers, milkshakes and tater tots.

The REI Seattle flagship store, complete with giant climbing rock!

One last tip for parents. The Seattle CityPass includes admission to the Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo, and Pacific Science Center, all mentioned in this blog. You can choose 5 included attractions to visit for a discounted admission price.

Enjoy these adult-approved kid activities and attractions in Seattle! Check out the full Seattle blog series here.

What are your favorite kids’ attractions in Seattle or in your hometown? Leave a comment!

*Author’s note: these opinions are my own based on my personal experiences. I have not been paid to endorse any businesses, products or services in this blog

You may also like these blogs by Megan Sharma:
Travel: Insider’s guide to the best Seattle outdoor activities
Your insider Seattle trip planner: lodging (where to stay) and getting around (rental car or no rental car?)
An insider’s guide to Seattle’s Pike Place Market
Vacation fun: 44 things you only do when you're on vacation or holiday
Baby/toddler travel guide series: the essentials!
Baby/toddler travel guide series: what to pack
Baby/toddler travel guide series: going international
60 fun and unique date ideas for the young at heart
21 Lies Parents Tell Their Kids to Save Their Sanity
Mom Life: Imagine a World Run by Moms
Boss baby: 22 traits shared by 2-year-olds and bad bosses
Parenting: A no-fuss guide to your toddler’s birthday party for Pinterest-fatigued parents
Why travel? 9 reasons I will never stop traveling
Cruise with kids: 20 secrets to a successful family cruise with toddlers (baby/toddler travel guide series)
Cruise with kids: Entertainment strategies that keep the whole family happy (baby/toddler travel guide series)
Cruise with kids: Travel tips for cruising with toddlers (baby/toddler travel guide series

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Congratulations to the Book Release Date Giveaway Winners!

2/19/2018

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Congratulations to the winners of my Book Release Date Giveaway, and many thanks to everyone who participated!

Winners will be notified via email.

Exciting news on two release dates coming soon:

Paperback edition of "100 of Your Toughest Business Emails: Solved"
Digital edition of "Memoirs of a Surgeon's Wife"

Stay tuned to this blog for more info!

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Enter Megan Sharma's Book Release Date Giveaway to Win a Free Paperback Copy of Business Email Book

2/13/2018

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Book cover design: How I developed a concept for my indie author book cover

1/29/2018

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2018 is going to be an exciting year for this indie (independent) author. Think: acting a fool level of excitement.

I recently decided to self-publish my debut nonfiction book on love and modern medicine: Memoirs of a Surgeon’s Wife: I’m Throwing Your Damn Pager into the Ocean. And it’s going to happen in the next couple of months! Happy dance!

Although I have written and published a business writing advice book, available free on Amazon, this will be my first self-published full-length nonfiction book.

One of the coolest things about being an indie author is that you maintain creative control over the whole shebang, including the book title and the cover art.

I’m no professional artist or graphic designer, but I have taken art and photography classes and have a decent artistic eye [pats self on back].

Since this book is kinda my baby, aside from my actual baby (who is no longer a baby, as she frequently reminds me), it’s important for me to get it right.

I’ll be working with a friend who is a graphic designer on the book cover design, but I wanted to come to her with several ideas and concepts to get the ball rolling.

So, for any other indie authors, self-publishers or the curious among ye, I’m sharing my process for developing a book cover design concept. You can judge the final result when we have…ahem…the final result: the big book cover reveal!

Book cover design: How to develop a concept for your indie author book cover

Step 1: Shop around

To know what you like and what you are drawn to, you need to shop around. You can accomplish this this by browsing bookstores or browsing online.

If you choose to browse a bookstore, check out the bestsellers for all genres first. Make note of or discreetly photograph (for your own personal use only, of course) the covers you covet. Then make your way to your book genre’s section and see what grabs you.

I personally started my search online with good old Google. I googled “Best book covers of 2017” and found several curated lists. For me, this was a good starting point.

Step 2: Create your vision board

Since I chose to go the online route for my initial research, I created a Pinterest board called Book Cover Inspiration, and linked the book covers that had me swooning. I also made short notes on what elements of the book cover I liked (illustration style, colors, typography, etc.).

The board confirmed what types of book covers I’m drawn to and helped me narrow down my favorite styles.

Step 3: Consider the heart of your book

Now is the time to ask yourself some questions about your book.

What is the overall tone of the book? What is the message of the book? Why did you write the book? Who is the book’s primary audience? What category does the book belong in?

Since I initially pursued traditional publishing for my book, all these questions were answered in great detail in my nonfiction book proposal.

But I still took the time to think through them and write down succinct answers. This information will also come in handy during the final step.

Photo credit: Theo Crazzolara on Visualhunt / CC BY

Step 4: Pretend you’re an artist

Once you’ve captured the key tone and message of your book, brainstorm some ideas, then grab a pen and some paper and get to drawing!

I hand-illustrated 12 concepts, hated most of them, and came up with one that I absolutely love.

The process is fun and helps you tap into your creative side.

You can also try a digital mock-up, if you’re so inclined, in Canva. Just pick a template for an e-book cover and get to work.

Step 5: Hand it over to a professional

The importance of a professional-quality, striking book cover cannot be overstated. This is not a job to take on yourself, unless you are a graphic designer or a book cover designer.

Think about it: we all judge books by their covers. It’s not a vanity thing – it helps us determine which books are worth our time and money.

Thankfully in this digital age there are plentiful and affordable options for book cover designers – both for e-books and for print books.

Here are recommended designer resources from authors I trust:
Joanna Penn’s recommendations
Mark Coker’s Smashwords recommendations

I haven’t experienced it yet, but I also intend to give Fiverr’s freelance book designers a try.

Take these extra steps to conceptualize your book before the professionals jump in. It will help you narrow your vision and improve the ultimate quality of your book.

What book design tips can you share with us? What are your favorite book covers? Leave a comment!