Apr
29
All Blogs Are Not Created The Same
Filed Under How To Blog | 2 Comments
“What blog platform should I use?”
“Which WordPress plugins are best?”
“How often should I change my blog’s look?”
It’s not the look and feel that will bring in the traffic and keep them on your site; it’s the content.
Instead of worrying about how a blog looks, how fancy its going to be, or how many graphics you’re going to use, plan out your content and the direction you want your blog to head instead.
1. Who will be reading your blog?
2. What kind of information are they looking for?
3. How often will they be reading your blog?
4. What is your ultimate purpose?
Apr
23
Every Thursday morning I attend a networking event. I’ve been a part of the group for almost two years, so I have a vested interested in its success.
Today we had an interesting speaker who presented on growing as a business. In order to grow as a business, you have to take charge of what you do for your business. 
Who do you want to help grow it? By joining a group, you are relying on them to become your sales team as much as anyone on the inside of your company. As you build relationships, those people should remember and refer you when the need arises.
But one of the things she said really stuck with me. It benefits you to grow the group, and to schedule time to grow the group. After all, that’s where your relationships come from that will ultimately turn into referrals. She suggested scheduling one hour per week to invite guests and network exclusively for the group itself.
Great idea.
Now let’s also take that to individual parts of your business.
We all mean to work at different parts of our business. But things tend to come up, and certain items get pushed aside. Why write an article and post it to your blog if a friend calls and invites you to a luncheon? The luncheon is more fun, and you never know who you’ll run into, right?
Apr
17
Have you ever read something that just set you off? The person writing has an audience, and you feel they are saying something way off base.
I know we all experience that at sometime or another. Well April 1st was my day. I was reading a book, and completely disagreed with what the author was saying. 
Even just a few years ago, I wouldn’t have had a venue to promote my own feelings. I may have talked to friends and family I bumped into that day. But for the most part my feelings would have simply faded away.
No longer. Now we have the power of blogging.
So I created my rant in blog format. And posted it to my blog. And the comments came pouring in all kinds of formats (blog, email, Twitter).
1. Know your audience. Who are your readers? What do they want? The best way to tell is keep writing and read everything they respond to you with. If they like something, they’ll tell you.
2. Write quality information they can trust. The great thing about blogging is you can push the limits. Because we all experience different things every day, its easy to find new things to write about. Your readers are changing too. Chances are they’ll enjoy reading different sides of what you have to say.
3. Rant every once in awhile. I’ve found ranting actually makes you more trust worthy. People find your passion through your rants. They know where you stand. They know what you care for. And they’ll trust you all the more.
Apr
16
What makes a blog post more readable?
In many cases it’s the images that accompanies the story.
Blogging tends to be all about writing up an article, and posting it to speak to different target audiences in your niche. But even if people do come to your blog for your content, adding graphics and photographs can actually make things more readable. And more memorable.
1. Add an image that complements the article.
This is 
probably the most common way of mixing images and text. After a post is written, the writer heads out to a stock photo site and finds an image that fits the view of the story. There are a variety of ways to find photographs. For a small fee, you can use sites like IstockPhoto.com and ShutterStock.com. Or try one of the many free sites for stock photography – here’s a good list.
2. Add an image that has its own voice. 
In some cases you actually build your post around the image itself. On one of my other blogs, I have a series in which I find marketing examples from different photographers’ blogs. I start with a screen shot of their blog page, and write the post around why they have a great marketing idea. The concept is called One Great Idea, and its very detailed and provides my readers with one takeaway idea they can apply to their own businesses. So the photograph becomes the purpose, or the overall center of the blog post.
3. Use an image as a training tool. 
Some posts become step by step guide to getting something done. In that case, one, two, or even more photographs or screen shots may be used to teach people how to do something. Do this, then that. A great example is in my post Using A Blog To Get To The Top Of The Search Engines. Through a series of screen shots, I share with my readers how I created a series of posts to capture a high ranking on Google, and then follow it up by showing screen shots of Google with the rankings in place. The graphics support the article, and help the reader to make more sense of the information.
Apr
13
I’ve been reading a ton about the status of direct marketing in the news lately. 
With thousands losing their jobs, or worried enough to find another stream of income, direct marketing is one of the fastest growing industries around.
I’ve been in direct marketing in the past. I use several products/services that are sold through direct marketing. Yes its possible to make money in these companies. But if you want to compete and grow using today’s technology, you definitely need more than the simple web extension they provide.
If you’ve ever been involved in direct marketing, or purchased products from a friend with a direct marketing company, you’ll recognize the URLs:
- ABCompany.com/ats108573
When they give you your own personal website, or as I call it a web extension, you use the company’s domain name followed by a series of letters and/or numbers. Sometimes you can list out your name:
- ABCompany.com/JaneDoe
But in either case, if you promote your website to an acquaintance and they don’t remember your extension, name, or number extension, they head right to the main website, bypassing you for the commission.
Many of the companies do have policies on how you can promote the business online. But most will allow you to freely communicate with clients, potential clients, and potential business opportunity seekers in any way you choose.
And increasingly, that’s through a blog.
If you are in network marketing, or about to sign up with a company, start the process out right by considering these 5 tips.
Apr
10
When a new potential customer contacts you for more information, do you find out how they heard about you?
If not, start asking immediately.
If you do, what are their answers?
In the land of brick and mortar, potential customers can find you simply by driving by. 
If you’re on a busy intersection, and someone drives by you ever day to and from work, they may eventually stop.
You can help motivate people to stop by sending out coupons to the surrounding neighborhoods and office buildings. You can advertise in local papers. Or you can put an ad on a local radio station.
In short, there is a ton of ways to reach out to your local community.
The key here is you’re reaching out. You’re motivating people to take the next step, and come into your location.
Now lets talk about your blog. You can’t put it up and have drive by traffic instantly. It exists in cyberspace along with billions of other pages. And no one is going to notice it unless you make the effort to share it with others.
Your blog alone will not get you known. It won’t bring in customers. It won’t create sales. And its not going to keep you in business.
However, it is the channels you use around your blog that will get you known. They will bring in customers. And they will help your business profit over time.
Apr
7
Four Ways To Make Your Comments Better
Filed Under Blogging Success | 1 Comment
When you think back at the history of SEO, a ton of so-called online marketers jumped in using any method possible to reach the top of the search engines. Did it work? Of course. Many are very rich today because of their spam tactics. 
But over time, SEO has evolved into a way of taking great, quality information, and helping people generate top search engine placement by truly reaching out and helping people.
In many ways blogging has traveled the same road. Originally people created blogs as a fast way of getting information fed into the search engines, and a way to quickly get placement on a variety of key phrases that ultimately benefit the creator.
Now blogging is turning into an art form on many levels. As a business owner, the more you use it as a relationship builder, the easier it will be to connect with a variety of people, in a variety of different businesses, in places all over the world.
In order to be active with your blog, its equally important to write quality blog posts, and to find other blogs you can add value to. Commenting requires as much thought and commitment as writing blog posts. Do it well, and you will see your own blog blossom.
Here are four things to remember when leaving a comment.
Apr
1
Quick … What’s the one thing you’re answering more questions on, talk to more people about, and are selling more of? 
Now take that one item, and make that the focus of your business for the next few months.
Today I was reading through my ezines and RSS feeds, just trying to stay current and come up with a few new ideas for writing.
A lot of information right now is focused on starting up your own business, and creating an income stream out of something you love. Since many people are losing their jobs, with little chance of recovering a position equal to the one they lost, it’s definitely a hot topic.
One article in particular spoke of taking your passion, and become the expert in your field very quickly. As I read through the post, I realized that the advice held true no matter if you’re thinking about starting a business, or have been in business for years.
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