In our last outing, we dove into the importance of blogging for your business.
But knowing WHY you should do something (like eating fruits + veggies on the regular) and actually doing it (because scones + Oreos taste SO GOOD), are to VERY different things.
And what stands in the way of doing what you know you SHOULD be doing?
Common Objections
In other words, those easy justifications we come up with to avoid the responsibility of doing things we KNOW should be doing.
And if you’re like most small business owners, you’re guilty of hiding behind these objections, too.
This is especially true of blogging. When I broach the topic with clients + prospects, I can’t tell how often or how quickly the ROADBLOCKS come flying up. If the LAPD has this response time, you’d never see another televised high high-speed freeway car chase again (sorry daytime TV viewers, my condolences).
But regardless of your objections, we KNOW blogging is good for your biz (just like fruits + veggies are good for your bod).
So let’s take a gander at the three most common business blogging objections — And DEBUNK those bad boys once and for all!
Don’t Have Time to Blog
Nobody has time for anything these days. That’s the cold, hard reality of modern life.
But if you want something to happen, you’ve got to MAKE time!
If you’re exercising the marketing habit — the practice of carving out time in your schedule and making an appointment with yourself exclusively for the purposes of marketing — you’ve got a leg up. Just make blogging a part of your regular marketing appointment.
And if you’ve yet to develop the marketing habit, I’d say it’s definitely time to get cracking!
Don’t Have Anything to Say on a Blog
OK, triggering warning here — Ima ’bout to get harsh — That’s just plain STUPID!
Are you active in your industry? Then you’re aware of issues and concerns crucial to your marketplace, right? And no doubt you’ve got an opinion on these issues? Plus, you’re serving clients in your market that pose questions and challenges daily. And everyone in your industry is keen to answer the same questions and overcome the same challenges, no? Sounds like you’ve definitely got something to say!
Take five minutes and write out a list of hot-button issues dominating the chatter in your industry. Then add reoccurring client questions list — the questions repeated again and again by the client after client.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand BOOM! You’ve just compiled a list of blog topics likely to last you a year (if you blogging once a week, which is optimal for a small professional service business).
And every time a client asks a new question, add it to your topic list. You’re bound to quickly discover there’s no shortage of topics to chock full of juicy content your audience is dying to here more about.
Can’t Write Well Enough to Blog
Listen, I get it — no one wants to embarrass themselves by writing something that readers criticize, or even worse, mock. And when you put yourself out there, that fear lurks in the dark corners of your mind. It’s inevitable.
But here’s the thing: No one expects you to be Hemmingway or an award-winning journalist or anything of the kind.
Business blogging is not about expert writing. It’s about relevant content.
If you have something to say (which we’ve determined you most definitely DO!), and you say it with passion an convictions, the content will speak for itself.
And that content is what your audience cares about. Not the “quality” of your writing. In other words, content, not writing, is KING in business blogging.
Now, of course, writing is HARD. Believe you me — I struggle mightly putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) day in and day out.
But there are tricks, strategies, and tools to ease this burden and help you streamline your blog-writing process…
Record Yourself Speaking Your Blog Post + Transcribe the Recording
Have a conversation with yourself stating what you would say if you were to write it out. And then transcriber your conversation. After you’ve got your words down, have a colleague, friend, or significant other help you shape and edit the material.
And Viola! You’ve got yourself a blog post!
A Blog Doesn’t Have to Be Written
Audio — Rather than transcribe the recording of the conversation with yourself, just post the audio on your blog. Or record an interview with a colleague or other industry figure you’re acquainted with. Or record short clips talking to attendees at a trade show or industry event.
Video — Use your smartphone to make a video of yourself speaking your blog post, same as if you were making an audio recording, and post that to your blog. Or record a video interview with a colleague or other industry figure you’re acquainted with. Or record footage of conversations with attendees at a trade show or industry event.
The point here? there’s no reason writing ability should prevent you from blogging for your business.
What’s Your Position on Business Blogging?
Are you blogging for your business now? If so, how has it benefited your business? And if you don’t have a business blog, why not? Swing by my Google+ page and share!
