The 154th edition of the longest running internet blog carnival, the well known Carnival of the Vanities, is up under John Beck's byline at the political and economics blog known as Incite.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, medicine, technology, business, culture, comedy, and sports.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My entry is titled "Visitor Logs: Don't worry about them" where I discuss hwit's best to not get overly concerned with your visitor traffic numbers and to concentrate on providing interesting and informative content for your readers instead.
To participate in the Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the other blog carnivals, one of the easiest techniques is to use the all inclusive carnival entry form at The Conservative Cat.
Another participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the host of the week.
That's what I usually do.
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities will be at Keith Taylor's British political and eclectic topic blog known as Sortapundit.
In the meantime, head on over to the Incite hosting of Carnival of the Vanities and enjoy the posts on offer.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new blogs.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Blog comments: Help for all bloggers
Writing comments on other people's blogs helps everyone.
Comments on another blogger's post helps them. Writing well thought out comments on other blogs helps you. Talk about your win/win situation.
When you visit other blogs, adding a comment makes the blog post writer very happy. This is true for several reasons. When you submit a comment to a post that you like, or even one where you disagree entirely, you show the blogger that you actually read the post.
Not only did you read the post, but you cared about the subject matter and the opinion offered, to voice your approval or dissent. Your blog comment could add more information to the post, or send the discussion into new and exciting directions.
Additional comments are gratifying to the blogger because it's nice to read other people's thoughts and ideas. It's nice to know that your thoughts have affected others in some way. In effect, comments start a back and forth interaction between writer and reader.
As my good friend David St. Lawrence of Ripples is so fond of saying, "Blogs are conversations". What that conversation can lead to is a new friendship, or a more involved business relationship. The entire chain reaction is set off by simply writing a blog comment.
One of the most important, and some would say the most important, reason for starting a business blog is to develop that two way conversation. The interaction between blogger and reader has many wonderful results from both sides. The writer finds an interested, if not always in agreement, reading audience. The reader finds an individual who they like and trust. Over time, that two way dialogue can translate into a business arrangement.
Since the comments offer links back to the writer's blog, or to the person's e-mail, a return visit or response can take place. Many blogging conversations begin on the blog comments section, and transfer to e-mail. Often followup telephone calls take place and they may lead to live meetings. As a starting point, the blog comments section can be extremely powerful.
Blog comments are like an introduction service and conversation starter rolled into one.
It's often suggested that writing comments is a great traffic builder for your own blog. Many other very knowledgeable bloggers have agreed on that point. Of course, that is a rather narrow and self centred viewpoint. It's still an important consideration, however.
Comment writers get more visitor traffic, and that's a proven fact. That is great for everyone involved. Even more important than visitor traffic is the start of the conversation between yourself, the blog post writer, and other commenting bloggers. The interation can lead to some fascinating possibilities.
Talking together via comments and e-mails has very often led to telephone discussions, and some very rewarding in person meetings between bloggers. Lifetime friendships can be formed. Strong business alliances are created. Entire companies have been built from the start made on a blog comment.
Simply taking a few seconds to write a comment on someone else's blog can open up new doors to exciting new possibilities. In effect, you can change not only your own future, but that of the other blogger as well. Talk about how such a simple act can alter the future.
Write some blog comments on the blogs you visit frequently, and create some new timelines for your future and that of other bloggers.
Today.
Comments on another blogger's post helps them. Writing well thought out comments on other blogs helps you. Talk about your win/win situation.
When you visit other blogs, adding a comment makes the blog post writer very happy. This is true for several reasons. When you submit a comment to a post that you like, or even one where you disagree entirely, you show the blogger that you actually read the post.
Not only did you read the post, but you cared about the subject matter and the opinion offered, to voice your approval or dissent. Your blog comment could add more information to the post, or send the discussion into new and exciting directions.
Additional comments are gratifying to the blogger because it's nice to read other people's thoughts and ideas. It's nice to know that your thoughts have affected others in some way. In effect, comments start a back and forth interaction between writer and reader.
As my good friend David St. Lawrence of Ripples is so fond of saying, "Blogs are conversations". What that conversation can lead to is a new friendship, or a more involved business relationship. The entire chain reaction is set off by simply writing a blog comment.
One of the most important, and some would say the most important, reason for starting a business blog is to develop that two way conversation. The interaction between blogger and reader has many wonderful results from both sides. The writer finds an interested, if not always in agreement, reading audience. The reader finds an individual who they like and trust. Over time, that two way dialogue can translate into a business arrangement.
Since the comments offer links back to the writer's blog, or to the person's e-mail, a return visit or response can take place. Many blogging conversations begin on the blog comments section, and transfer to e-mail. Often followup telephone calls take place and they may lead to live meetings. As a starting point, the blog comments section can be extremely powerful.
Blog comments are like an introduction service and conversation starter rolled into one.
It's often suggested that writing comments is a great traffic builder for your own blog. Many other very knowledgeable bloggers have agreed on that point. Of course, that is a rather narrow and self centred viewpoint. It's still an important consideration, however.
Comment writers get more visitor traffic, and that's a proven fact. That is great for everyone involved. Even more important than visitor traffic is the start of the conversation between yourself, the blog post writer, and other commenting bloggers. The interation can lead to some fascinating possibilities.
Talking together via comments and e-mails has very often led to telephone discussions, and some very rewarding in person meetings between bloggers. Lifetime friendships can be formed. Strong business alliances are created. Entire companies have been built from the start made on a blog comment.
Simply taking a few seconds to write a comment on someone else's blog can open up new doors to exciting new possibilities. In effect, you can change not only your own future, but that of the other blogger as well. Talk about how such a simple act can alter the future.
Write some blog comments on the blogs you visit frequently, and create some new timelines for your future and that of other bloggers.
Today.
Free teleseminar: Conversations with experts - Dan Poynter
Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff of Build a Better Blog System.
Wringing More Value out of your Work
Wednesday, August 31, 2005, 8:30 p.m. ET
Guest Expert: Dan Poynter, of Para Publishing
Write it once, sell it forever; there are many ways to sell your work over and over. You’ve heard of Blogs-to-Books. Dan Poynter started with magazine articles-to-books. Now he turns e-zine content into eBooks. He was the first to sell eDocuments and eBooks as downloads from his website.
Dan will describe how to publish, promote and sell eBooks, pBooks (printed), eDocuments, LARGE print books, aBooks (CDs), audio downloads and podcasting. If you don’t make your information available in multiple formats, some hungry customers will not be able to use it (for example, commuters, sales reps and long-haul truckers can’t read your printed book; they want and need audio). Dan Poynter has the answers.
Dan Poynter is an author of more than 100 books, has been a publisher since 1969 and is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). He is an evangelist for books, an ombudsman for authors, an advocate for publishers and the godfather to thousands of successfully published books.
Dan shows people how to make a difference while making a living by coaching them on the writing, publishing and promoting of their book. He has turned thousands of people into successful authors. His mission is to see that people do not die with a book still inside them. See his Para Publishing website for more ideas.
Registration for this special conversation with Dan Poynter:
http://www.ConversationsWithExperts.com
Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.
Monday, August 29, 2005
Carnival of the Capitalists at CaseySoftware
This week sees a software approach to the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists makes a visit to technology and business blog CaseySoftware.
This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.
Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies, and technology.
As you would expect from CaseySoftware, there are many discussions of business, technology, and markeing.
It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.
We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.
As I am always privileged to do, I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.
My entry post this week is titled "Business income: Find revenue sources" where I discuss taking a careful of examination of your business revenue sources and cash flow with an eye to increasing your comany's income.
If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:
cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com
You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!
Another brand new form for sending entries to all of the internet carnvivals is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.
If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.
Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.
The extra visitors can't sent to your blog won't hurt either!
The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.
The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.
Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.
Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.
Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will be at the group legal blog (or blawg) known as rethink (ip).
In the meantime, click that mouse over to the CaseySoftware hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.
If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then Carnival of the Capitalists certainly will offer you some very soft wares. (groan)
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Real estate blogs: A natural home for realtors
Real estate agents and blogging are a natural combination. You could even say that a blog was a great home for a real estate professional to create a marketing relationship.
Blogs are a natural for realtors to build a clientele of home buyers and home sellers. With so many agents competing for business in every housing and commercial real estate market, a blog sets the professional apart from the rest of the pack.
My good friend John Mudd of Inside Real Estate is one such example of a reator who discovered blogging. That decision to start a real estate market blog for the Tampa Bay, Florida area has propelled John to the forefront of the real estate industry. Not only is John Mudd well known in Florida property sales circles, but has develped a national reputation as an authority on the entire real estate industry.
All because of a business blog.
Recently, John Mudd was a featured columnist in a national real estate publication.
About the blogging article, John says:
As more and more real estate agents discover business blogging, they will find an entirely new market opening up for their professional services.
Just like John Mudd of Inside Real Estate.
Real estate has benefited from business blogs, and so can every other professional person or organzation. We know how powerful a tool a business blog can be for any type of business, profession, or non-profit organization.
Start a business blog today and join other successful business and professional people in achieving your goals.
Successful blogging people like John Mudd.
Successful blogging people like you.
Blogs are a natural for realtors to build a clientele of home buyers and home sellers. With so many agents competing for business in every housing and commercial real estate market, a blog sets the professional apart from the rest of the pack.
My good friend John Mudd of Inside Real Estate is one such example of a reator who discovered blogging. That decision to start a real estate market blog for the Tampa Bay, Florida area has propelled John to the forefront of the real estate industry. Not only is John Mudd well known in Florida property sales circles, but has develped a national reputation as an authority on the entire real estate industry.
All because of a business blog.
Recently, John Mudd was a featured columnist in a national real estate publication.
About the blogging article, John says:
Featured in REALTOR® Magazine's September edition for blogging
REALTOR® Magazine had me write an exclusive article on how other Realtors could use a blog to generate profits for their real estate businesses. It's called, "Blogging for profit: Turn your point of view into a marketing tool". My point of view has created a buyer database of around 3,800 so far, and growing daily.
As more and more real estate agents discover business blogging, they will find an entirely new market opening up for their professional services.
Just like John Mudd of Inside Real Estate.
Real estate has benefited from business blogs, and so can every other professional person or organzation. We know how powerful a tool a business blog can be for any type of business, profession, or non-profit organization.
Start a business blog today and join other successful business and professional people in achieving your goals.
Successful blogging people like John Mudd.
Successful blogging people like you.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Management rules: Same requirements for all
Management rules and performance requirements should be fair for everyone.
While that statement makes logical sense, you might return the statement that different people in different management, supervisory, administrative, and front line positions have widely differing jobs. As such, you will state that the same rules for everyone are impossible.
I am not saying that all employees have identical rules, cutting across all job descriptions. What I am suggesting is similar managers, working in the similar or identical positions within the company, have the same rules and the same expectations. They should also experience the same level of accountibility for their departmental results, their staff results, and their personal results.
Let's create an example.
A company has four Regional Sales and Marketing Managers. While all of their respective territories are of differing sizes, their goals remain the same. They must all provide profitable sales results for the company. Expanding their sales figures is also expected.
In our example, two managers are clearly meeting their sales objectives, and their regions are growing. The other two managers have seen their sales numbers stagnate and decline to a point where their regions are no longer profitable. In fact, the other regions are forced to subsidize their lack of activity.
You would think that the two underperforming managers would be called onto the carpet and explain themselves. That is not necessarily so. In fact, if they are longer term employees, and part of the old boys network within the organization, they will have different rules. Their numbers are often allowed to completely collapse, while the other two managers are required to produce strong sales volume, and to increase it over time.
You say that my example is unrealistic.
Well, I was in just such a company, and I am sure that many of you have shared a similar experience. I was one of the heavy producers, and enjoyed the most profitable region in the company's North American operations. Our region subsidized the two weakly performing regions.
Of cours, that is only a single example. You see it all the time in your business, and within your industry. The incompetent individuals are given more money, extra vacation time, and better perks. The real producers get less, and are always in danger of unemployment. They are a threat to the status quo. As a result, separate sets of rules for different people have evolved.
If your business, regardless of size, has evolved a separate set of rules to coddle the incompetent, you are not doing your company any favours. In fact, you are doing a great disservice to your company bottom line. Not only is the practice costing money, it's harmful to employee morale. When staff see certain individuals get preferential treatment, yet are not pulling their own weight, the employees resent it. Often this employee resentment spills over and affects customer service and product quality, further compounding an already bad situation.
If your business looks like the one that I have just described, it's time to make some changes. if high sales volumes and constant growth are expected from one department, and manager, then the same rules should apply to them all. Should the company pets fail to live up to their minimum requirements, it's time to consider replacement with newer more productive personnel.
Make your employee rules and performance requirements fair and equitable.
It's only good business.
While that statement makes logical sense, you might return the statement that different people in different management, supervisory, administrative, and front line positions have widely differing jobs. As such, you will state that the same rules for everyone are impossible.
I am not saying that all employees have identical rules, cutting across all job descriptions. What I am suggesting is similar managers, working in the similar or identical positions within the company, have the same rules and the same expectations. They should also experience the same level of accountibility for their departmental results, their staff results, and their personal results.
Let's create an example.
A company has four Regional Sales and Marketing Managers. While all of their respective territories are of differing sizes, their goals remain the same. They must all provide profitable sales results for the company. Expanding their sales figures is also expected.
In our example, two managers are clearly meeting their sales objectives, and their regions are growing. The other two managers have seen their sales numbers stagnate and decline to a point where their regions are no longer profitable. In fact, the other regions are forced to subsidize their lack of activity.
You would think that the two underperforming managers would be called onto the carpet and explain themselves. That is not necessarily so. In fact, if they are longer term employees, and part of the old boys network within the organization, they will have different rules. Their numbers are often allowed to completely collapse, while the other two managers are required to produce strong sales volume, and to increase it over time.
You say that my example is unrealistic.
Well, I was in just such a company, and I am sure that many of you have shared a similar experience. I was one of the heavy producers, and enjoyed the most profitable region in the company's North American operations. Our region subsidized the two weakly performing regions.
Of cours, that is only a single example. You see it all the time in your business, and within your industry. The incompetent individuals are given more money, extra vacation time, and better perks. The real producers get less, and are always in danger of unemployment. They are a threat to the status quo. As a result, separate sets of rules for different people have evolved.
If your business, regardless of size, has evolved a separate set of rules to coddle the incompetent, you are not doing your company any favours. In fact, you are doing a great disservice to your company bottom line. Not only is the practice costing money, it's harmful to employee morale. When staff see certain individuals get preferential treatment, yet are not pulling their own weight, the employees resent it. Often this employee resentment spills over and affects customer service and product quality, further compounding an already bad situation.
If your business looks like the one that I have just described, it's time to make some changes. if high sales volumes and constant growth are expected from one department, and manager, then the same rules should apply to them all. Should the company pets fail to live up to their minimum requirements, it's time to consider replacement with newer more productive personnel.
Make your employee rules and performance requirements fair and equitable.
It's only good business.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Visitor logs: Don't worry about them
Visitor logs are something every blogger worries about from time to time. We all do it.
The blog's visitor traffic goes up, then the visitor traffic volume slips down, and then the numbers stagnate into a bland sameness. Regardless of the visitor traffic numbers, bloggers are inclined to worry about them.
Many bloggers are too concerned with the raw visitor traffic numbers. While I am a strong supporter of data and record keeping, sometimes the numbers don't tell the entire story. Visitor traffic logs are no exception. They can be very misleading if used in the wrong ways.
I was talking to another blogger today who was very concerned with her blog's visitor traffic counts. She was hoping for more visitors, or even a steadier traffic volume. I suggested that she not worry, as her blog is still quite new, and still building its audience. The numbers are not as important as providing interesting and informative content to the readers.
Along with the discussion of providing good content, I suggested submitting the blog to the various blog directories, writing useful and on topic comments on other people's blogs. She started using Technorati tags, and that increased her visitor traffic from blog searches. A simple technique is to include your blog's URL on your outgoing e-mail correspondence and on all hard copy paper that leaves your office.
Okay, back to the traffic log discussion. I like digressions from time to time, and I hope that you do as well.
When you open your visitor traffic logs, check for the total visits. They will be different from the unique visitors. If people are returning more than once a day, it could mean they are reading more deeply into your blog archives. It could also mean they landed on your blog by mistake that time, but we won't go there.
If your traffic flow to your blog is consistent or rising slightly, you are probably keeping your regular readers happy. They are returning and enjoy your posts. If that's the case for your blog, stop reading your traffic reports for the rest of the week. Try looking at overall trends from week to week or from month to month. That longer term approach removes any day to day fluctuations either up or down.
A blog is supposed to be fun, and it's not fun to lose sleep tossing and turning about how to maintain and increase visitor traffic numbers. Stop worring about the numbers and spend the time writing an extra post per day instead. Better yet, work on something else that is a more constructive use of your time.
The traffic will arrive if you market your blog and write great content.
Just give your blog readers a chance to help your blog grow.
It will. I promise.
The blog's visitor traffic goes up, then the visitor traffic volume slips down, and then the numbers stagnate into a bland sameness. Regardless of the visitor traffic numbers, bloggers are inclined to worry about them.
Many bloggers are too concerned with the raw visitor traffic numbers. While I am a strong supporter of data and record keeping, sometimes the numbers don't tell the entire story. Visitor traffic logs are no exception. They can be very misleading if used in the wrong ways.
I was talking to another blogger today who was very concerned with her blog's visitor traffic counts. She was hoping for more visitors, or even a steadier traffic volume. I suggested that she not worry, as her blog is still quite new, and still building its audience. The numbers are not as important as providing interesting and informative content to the readers.
Along with the discussion of providing good content, I suggested submitting the blog to the various blog directories, writing useful and on topic comments on other people's blogs. She started using Technorati tags, and that increased her visitor traffic from blog searches. A simple technique is to include your blog's URL on your outgoing e-mail correspondence and on all hard copy paper that leaves your office.
Okay, back to the traffic log discussion. I like digressions from time to time, and I hope that you do as well.
When you open your visitor traffic logs, check for the total visits. They will be different from the unique visitors. If people are returning more than once a day, it could mean they are reading more deeply into your blog archives. It could also mean they landed on your blog by mistake that time, but we won't go there.
If your traffic flow to your blog is consistent or rising slightly, you are probably keeping your regular readers happy. They are returning and enjoy your posts. If that's the case for your blog, stop reading your traffic reports for the rest of the week. Try looking at overall trends from week to week or from month to month. That longer term approach removes any day to day fluctuations either up or down.
A blog is supposed to be fun, and it's not fun to lose sleep tossing and turning about how to maintain and increase visitor traffic numbers. Stop worring about the numbers and spend the time writing an extra post per day instead. Better yet, work on something else that is a more constructive use of your time.
The traffic will arrive if you market your blog and write great content.
Just give your blog readers a chance to help your blog grow.
It will. I promise.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Business income: Find revenue sources
Business income is important to all entrepreneurs, whether new to small business or along time indpendent business owners. No revenue from the business means...well...no more company.
Along with your income statements, as derived from your accounting records, simply make a note of the number of different sources supporting your business. For example, you might have your own product sales income, cash from affiliate programs, revenue from consulting services, and even some money arriving from rental property.
The important thing is to find your cash cows, and see where you get your milk. Okay, that wasn't the best analogy, but I think you get my point. Your business will have its major sources of revenue, and some minor ones. A few revenue streams will be growing, as others dry up to a slow trickle.
Look for ways to expand the growing income sources even more. Check into expanding some of the smaller revenue generators. Abandon the losers that take all of your time, but give little back in the way of hard cash. They are costing you far more than they are worth. Your time and money is better used elsewhere in the company.
As you take stock of your business revenue centres, you will often unearth brand new opportunities. Older products and services can be revived or packaged in a brand new and exciting way. Some services can be easily expanded and take on new forms. You are only limited by your imagination.
Look over the income side of your business, and find ways to enhance your company's cash flow. As most of us in the business blogging community already know, your blog is a powerful source of income and profit growth. Blog revenue can be derived either directly as income or as support for growth of your main business. Both business blog advantages add money to your company's bottom line.
A successful entrepreneur is always seeking new and exciting ways to add revenue to the business. I know that you are a successful business person, as you are actively seeking new and profitable product and service ideas.
Now it's time to get started on enhancing those profits and achieving your business success.
Along with your income statements, as derived from your accounting records, simply make a note of the number of different sources supporting your business. For example, you might have your own product sales income, cash from affiliate programs, revenue from consulting services, and even some money arriving from rental property.
The important thing is to find your cash cows, and see where you get your milk. Okay, that wasn't the best analogy, but I think you get my point. Your business will have its major sources of revenue, and some minor ones. A few revenue streams will be growing, as others dry up to a slow trickle.
Look for ways to expand the growing income sources even more. Check into expanding some of the smaller revenue generators. Abandon the losers that take all of your time, but give little back in the way of hard cash. They are costing you far more than they are worth. Your time and money is better used elsewhere in the company.
As you take stock of your business revenue centres, you will often unearth brand new opportunities. Older products and services can be revived or packaged in a brand new and exciting way. Some services can be easily expanded and take on new forms. You are only limited by your imagination.
Look over the income side of your business, and find ways to enhance your company's cash flow. As most of us in the business blogging community already know, your blog is a powerful source of income and profit growth. Blog revenue can be derived either directly as income or as support for growth of your main business. Both business blog advantages add money to your company's bottom line.
A successful entrepreneur is always seeking new and exciting ways to add revenue to the business. I know that you are a successful business person, as you are actively seeking new and profitable product and service ideas.
Now it's time to get started on enhancing those profits and achieving your business success.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Carnival of the Vanities at The Big Picture
The 153rd edition of the longest running internet blog carnival, the well known Carnival of the Vanities, is up at Vik Rubenfeld's political blog known as The Big Picture.
Vik has listed this week's entry by date of submission, rather than by topic.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities
entries include politics, literature, science, medicine, technology, business, culture, comedy, and sports.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My entry is titled "Business management: Do it your way" where I discuss creating a unique selling proposition for your business. When your company becomes established as one of a kind, it's certain to gain new customers and clients, and grow to new heights of business success.
To participate in the Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the other blog carnivals, one of the easiest techniques is to use the all inclusive carnival entry form at The Conservative Cat.
Another participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the host of the week.
That's what I usually do.
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities will be at the political and economics blog known as Incite.
In the meantime, head on over to the The Big Picture hosting Carnival of the Vanities of and enjoy the posts on offer.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new blogs.
Vik has listed this week's entry by date of submission, rather than by topic.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities
entries include politics, literature, science, medicine, technology, business, culture, comedy, and sports.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My entry is titled "Business management: Do it your way" where I discuss creating a unique selling proposition for your business. When your company becomes established as one of a kind, it's certain to gain new customers and clients, and grow to new heights of business success.
To participate in the Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the other blog carnivals, one of the easiest techniques is to use the all inclusive carnival entry form at The Conservative Cat.
Another participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the host of the week.
That's what I usually do.
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities will be at the political and economics blog known as Incite.
In the meantime, head on over to the The Big Picture hosting Carnival of the Vanities of and enjoy the posts on offer.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new blogs.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Blog carnival participation pays off
Blog carnival participation pays off for everyone.
Bloggers benefit from having their posts read by a much wider audience, often extending far beyond the blogging community. The carnival host benefits from added traffic, and from being associated with a prestigious carnival supported by the blogopshere's leading bloggers.
Everyone benefits from the one stop shopping for some of the best recent posts by some of the finest bloggers. Readers are also introduced to some great new blogs that they may have overlooked in the past.
It's important to note that the number and popularity of blog carnivals has grown over time. As a result, most bloggers can readily find a blogging event suited to their style of posts and blogging topics.
For a list of some of the major carnivals, and a handy one stop entry form, is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.
Carnival of the Capitalists entrants can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks.
You can also e-mail your post entries directly the week's host.
Business and personal finance blogger, and blog carnival fan FMF of Free Money Finance, has written a must read post on the benefits of entering and hosting one or more of the many blog carnivals. The post is rather long, but is very comprehensive. It's everything you ever wanted to know about blog carnivals and many more besides. You never have to be afraid to ask, or to enter a blog carnival again!
Happy entering.
I'll see you and your posts at the carnvival.
Save me some popcorn and cotton candy!
Bloggers benefit from having their posts read by a much wider audience, often extending far beyond the blogging community. The carnival host benefits from added traffic, and from being associated with a prestigious carnival supported by the blogopshere's leading bloggers.
Everyone benefits from the one stop shopping for some of the best recent posts by some of the finest bloggers. Readers are also introduced to some great new blogs that they may have overlooked in the past.
It's important to note that the number and popularity of blog carnivals has grown over time. As a result, most bloggers can readily find a blogging event suited to their style of posts and blogging topics.
For a list of some of the major carnivals, and a handy one stop entry form, is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.
Carnival of the Capitalists entrants can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks.
You can also e-mail your post entries directly the week's host.
Business and personal finance blogger, and blog carnival fan FMF of Free Money Finance, has written a must read post on the benefits of entering and hosting one or more of the many blog carnivals. The post is rather long, but is very comprehensive. It's everything you ever wanted to know about blog carnivals and many more besides. You never have to be afraid to ask, or to enter a blog carnival again!
Happy entering.
I'll see you and your posts at the carnvival.
Save me some popcorn and cotton candy!
Monday, August 22, 2005
Carnival of the Capitalists at Strange Brand
This week sees a branded approach to the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists makes a visit to James Archer's business, marketing, and branding blog called Strange Brand.
This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.
Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies, and technology.
As you would expect from Strange Brand, there are many discussions of business, branding, and markeing.
It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.
We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.
As I am always privileged to do, I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.
My entry post this week is titled "SEO Business: Real world marketing" where I recount a conversation with a potential client who didn't fully understand SEO, search engines, and internet marketing; to say the least.
If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:
cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com
You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!
Another brand new form for sending entries to all of the internet carnvivals is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.
If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.
Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.
The extra visitors can't sent to your blog won't hurt either!
The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.
The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.
Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.
Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.
Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will be at CaseySoftware.
In the meantime, click that mouse over to the Strange Brand hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.
If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then Carnival of the Capitalists certainly will offer you some brand new brands. (groan)
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Free teleseminar: Conversations with experts - Bob Bly
Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff of Build a Better Blog System.
Using Direct Marketing Techniques to Sell Thousands of Copies of Your Book
Wednesday, August 24, 2005, 8:30 p.m. ET
Guest Expert: Bob Bly of Bly.com
One out of three hardcover books distributed to bookstores is returned to the publisher unsold, but you can still make your book a best-seller by selling it through ads, direct mail, and the Internet. In this interview, author and direct response copywriter Bob Bly shows you marketing techniques that can boost your book sales.
Bob Bly is a freelance copywriter specializing in direct marketing and the author of more than 60 books including The Complete Idiot's Guide to Direct Marketing (Alpha Books)
Registration for this conversation with Bob Bly:
http://www.ConversationsWithExperts.com
Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Toxic customers: Business problems to be
Toxic customers.
My very good friend David St. Lawrence of Ripples suggests avoiding what he terms "toxic customers" at all cost in your business. He believes they are nothing but problems from the moment they cross your real world or internet threshold.
David was commenting on my recent post titled "SEO Business: Real world marketing" where I described a phone conversation with just such a person. David agreed with many of the other people commenting on the post as well. All commenters believed this person offered little in the way of business; along with his complete lack of SEO understanding.
Some commenting bloggers were certain the person would never pay. The consensus was this person would be a nightmare client from day one. Such toxic clients are to be avoided and not let to pollute your customer or client list. They are not only money losers, but cause loss of sleep, hair, and probably your sanity.
They are not worth the effort.
Fortunately, I don't take on every potential client who asks about SEO services or for internet marketing assistance. I screen my clients carefully. There is a very good reason for this care on my part. As a marketing and SEO professional, I become very closely involved with the inner workings of my clients' businesses.
I take a role in some companies similar to that of a Board of Directors member.
As a result of my working with clients, I have access to some inner company business, numbers, and data. Al of this information is kept very confidential. I refuse to ever disclose it to others. My word is good and my lips are sealed.
A business relationship of this close and confidential nature would never be possible with a toxic client. We would simply never get that far into the discussions.
As such, David St. Lawrence need never fear that I would accept a toxic individual, and all of the problems that situation would entail, into my business.
Life is too short for that sort of headache.
Business should be enjoyable.
Toxic clients take the fun out of operating a business, so they are not clients of mine.
I just say No.
My very good friend David St. Lawrence of Ripples suggests avoiding what he terms "toxic customers" at all cost in your business. He believes they are nothing but problems from the moment they cross your real world or internet threshold.
David was commenting on my recent post titled "SEO Business: Real world marketing" where I described a phone conversation with just such a person. David agreed with many of the other people commenting on the post as well. All commenters believed this person offered little in the way of business; along with his complete lack of SEO understanding.
Some commenting bloggers were certain the person would never pay. The consensus was this person would be a nightmare client from day one. Such toxic clients are to be avoided and not let to pollute your customer or client list. They are not only money losers, but cause loss of sleep, hair, and probably your sanity.
They are not worth the effort.
Fortunately, I don't take on every potential client who asks about SEO services or for internet marketing assistance. I screen my clients carefully. There is a very good reason for this care on my part. As a marketing and SEO professional, I become very closely involved with the inner workings of my clients' businesses.
I take a role in some companies similar to that of a Board of Directors member.
As a result of my working with clients, I have access to some inner company business, numbers, and data. Al of this information is kept very confidential. I refuse to ever disclose it to others. My word is good and my lips are sealed.
A business relationship of this close and confidential nature would never be possible with a toxic client. We would simply never get that far into the discussions.
As such, David St. Lawrence need never fear that I would accept a toxic individual, and all of the problems that situation would entail, into my business.
Life is too short for that sort of headache.
Business should be enjoyable.
Toxic clients take the fun out of operating a business, so they are not clients of mine.
I just say No.
Friday, August 19, 2005
Blog redesign: Potential results
Blog redesign is not something that every blogger considers as a serious option.
Of course, my good friend Toby Bloomberg of Diva Marketing is no ordinary blogger. As one of the reigning blogging divas, Toby has been on the leading and often controversial edge of blogging. Not content to be pack, Toby took the opportunity to move ahead of the crowd.
She decided to revamp her blog's entire look.
Guided by the blog design expertise of the highly creative Peter Flaschner of The Blog Studio, Toby took the plunge into a complete blog makeover. Like a reality television dream, the before and after pictures are an exercise in contrast. The new look Diva Marketing for is smart, professional, modern, and a little playful.
Just like Toby.
In true blogging fashion, Peter and Toby even blogged about the entire process of blog redesign, from initial ideas to the resulting finished product. Of course, you expected them to maintain an ongoing blog about design. No surprises there; right?
So, now what happens after the blog facelift?
It will be interesting to note if the revamped version of Diva Marketing gains new and larger numbers of readers. In other words, does a blog redesign add more visitor traffic to the counters.
Another point to ponder is a possible change in the direction and content focus of the blog. Perhaps a new look and feel to the blog will result in a different mix of blog postings. The new blog probably has a myriad of built in features enabling experimentation in posting.
A third possibility is regular readers, accustomed to the regular postings and blog appearance, will turn to other business and marketing blogs for information. I doubt this scenario will occur, however, as Toby is such an interesting and informative writer.
I expect Toby's regular readership traffic to remain loyal, and for new readers to arrive. Most will stick around for the long term. Perhaps Toby will share those experiences with us as well.
We'll see what the future holds for Diva Marketing.
If I know Toby Bloomberg, her new look blog will be an even better reading and informational experience than ever before.
Let's also give a round of applause to Peter Flaschner of The Blog Studio for his innovative and rather daring blog design.
Let's toast the new look Diva Marketing.
Of course, my good friend Toby Bloomberg of Diva Marketing is no ordinary blogger. As one of the reigning blogging divas, Toby has been on the leading and often controversial edge of blogging. Not content to be pack, Toby took the opportunity to move ahead of the crowd.
She decided to revamp her blog's entire look.
Guided by the blog design expertise of the highly creative Peter Flaschner of The Blog Studio, Toby took the plunge into a complete blog makeover. Like a reality television dream, the before and after pictures are an exercise in contrast. The new look Diva Marketing for is smart, professional, modern, and a little playful.
Just like Toby.
In true blogging fashion, Peter and Toby even blogged about the entire process of blog redesign, from initial ideas to the resulting finished product. Of course, you expected them to maintain an ongoing blog about design. No surprises there; right?
So, now what happens after the blog facelift?
It will be interesting to note if the revamped version of Diva Marketing gains new and larger numbers of readers. In other words, does a blog redesign add more visitor traffic to the counters.
Another point to ponder is a possible change in the direction and content focus of the blog. Perhaps a new look and feel to the blog will result in a different mix of blog postings. The new blog probably has a myriad of built in features enabling experimentation in posting.
A third possibility is regular readers, accustomed to the regular postings and blog appearance, will turn to other business and marketing blogs for information. I doubt this scenario will occur, however, as Toby is such an interesting and informative writer.
I expect Toby's regular readership traffic to remain loyal, and for new readers to arrive. Most will stick around for the long term. Perhaps Toby will share those experiences with us as well.
We'll see what the future holds for Diva Marketing.
If I know Toby Bloomberg, her new look blog will be an even better reading and informational experience than ever before.
Let's also give a round of applause to Peter Flaschner of The Blog Studio for his innovative and rather daring blog design.
Let's toast the new look Diva Marketing.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
SEO business: Real world marketing
SEO as search engine optimization is commonly called, is my main business. My blog provides information, and helps others to succeed. That is the purpose of the blog.
Occasionally, however, my blog leads to SEO clients, and quite often is the reason that many people contact me about matters relating to search engines, rankings, and all things SEO.
Today, I was contacted by a business person showing interest in my SEO services.
I asked him what his goals were for his online business and how he saw the search engines as part of that success.
He said he wanted to be number one in Google for his search term. The keyword was precisely that. One word. It was a very, very, very uber ultra competitve keyword at that. In all honesty, it would take a very long time to even get close to ranking well for that term.
Of course, the word wasn't the problem. As I explained to him, the entire purpose of SEO as I see it, is not to rank number one in Google for any one search term. That search placement might be of benefit to his ego, but of little real value to his online business.
I told him that SEO is only part of my service package. Along with achieving higher search rankings, we also improve the site's content, and increase the number of conversions of that higher visitor traffic to paying customers. It's a holistic approach to SEO and internet marketing.
My approach to SEO and online marketing is built around three main goals.
The first goal is to achieve higher search rankings for a large number of keyword phrases that are relevant to that business. These would be real phrases searched for by real people wanting to purchase real goods and services. Single word terms are not really money keywords.
The second goal is to improve the website itself. We would add more keyword rich content, in the form of informational pages that might attract natural inbound links. The additional pages might also achieve high placement on their own. We work on improving the existing content as well.
The third goal is to improve the site's financial status. The increased visitor traffic numbers are of little value to the online business, if they fail to convert to paying customers. We work on increasing sales and site revenue. A business needs paying customers, and the best way to increase the online cash flow is to sell products and services to the visitors.
We don't necessarily sell the visitor immediately. Some people do buy in one step. The vast majority of people have to get to know and trust a business first, prior to becoming customers and clients. For that relationship marketing aspect, we use e-mail newsletters and blogs, along with other proven relationship building techniques.
Along with the increased income, we also work toward reducing the dependency on pay per click advertising. In some cases, my clients have gone all the way down to zero pay per click spending, while dramatically increasing their visitor traffic through organic search.
Instead of spending PPC dollars to gain visitor traffic, it's arriving for free from the search engines. The previous PPC spending can be transferred to other pay per click campaigns or used elsewhere in the online business.
This decrease in PPC spending combined with increased sales revenue from better traffic conversion, makes a huge impact on the business bottom line. As I joke with my longer term clients, they not only get my services for free as a result of not spending on PPC, they make a nice tidy profit from the increased sales volumes.
Back to my original story.
The guy on the phone didn't like my answers, and he certainly didn't like my ideas about SEO and online marketing. He was somewhat upset when I told him that no one could honestly guarantee a number one spot in the Google organic listings. He believed that you could. Oh well.
He never did hear my fee structure. I'm sure he wouldn't like that one either.
In the end, I wished him and his internet business well, and hoped he found an SEO professional with whom he could work.
His response?
He said he intended to get his number one ranking, and get it soon. He'd then tell the whole world that I couldn't do it.
He hung up before I could respond.
I never did get to mention blogging either.
Occasionally, however, my blog leads to SEO clients, and quite often is the reason that many people contact me about matters relating to search engines, rankings, and all things SEO.
Today, I was contacted by a business person showing interest in my SEO services.
I asked him what his goals were for his online business and how he saw the search engines as part of that success.
He said he wanted to be number one in Google for his search term. The keyword was precisely that. One word. It was a very, very, very uber ultra competitve keyword at that. In all honesty, it would take a very long time to even get close to ranking well for that term.
Of course, the word wasn't the problem. As I explained to him, the entire purpose of SEO as I see it, is not to rank number one in Google for any one search term. That search placement might be of benefit to his ego, but of little real value to his online business.
I told him that SEO is only part of my service package. Along with achieving higher search rankings, we also improve the site's content, and increase the number of conversions of that higher visitor traffic to paying customers. It's a holistic approach to SEO and internet marketing.
My approach to SEO and online marketing is built around three main goals.
The first goal is to achieve higher search rankings for a large number of keyword phrases that are relevant to that business. These would be real phrases searched for by real people wanting to purchase real goods and services. Single word terms are not really money keywords.
The second goal is to improve the website itself. We would add more keyword rich content, in the form of informational pages that might attract natural inbound links. The additional pages might also achieve high placement on their own. We work on improving the existing content as well.
The third goal is to improve the site's financial status. The increased visitor traffic numbers are of little value to the online business, if they fail to convert to paying customers. We work on increasing sales and site revenue. A business needs paying customers, and the best way to increase the online cash flow is to sell products and services to the visitors.
We don't necessarily sell the visitor immediately. Some people do buy in one step. The vast majority of people have to get to know and trust a business first, prior to becoming customers and clients. For that relationship marketing aspect, we use e-mail newsletters and blogs, along with other proven relationship building techniques.
Along with the increased income, we also work toward reducing the dependency on pay per click advertising. In some cases, my clients have gone all the way down to zero pay per click spending, while dramatically increasing their visitor traffic through organic search.
Instead of spending PPC dollars to gain visitor traffic, it's arriving for free from the search engines. The previous PPC spending can be transferred to other pay per click campaigns or used elsewhere in the online business.
This decrease in PPC spending combined with increased sales revenue from better traffic conversion, makes a huge impact on the business bottom line. As I joke with my longer term clients, they not only get my services for free as a result of not spending on PPC, they make a nice tidy profit from the increased sales volumes.
Back to my original story.
The guy on the phone didn't like my answers, and he certainly didn't like my ideas about SEO and online marketing. He was somewhat upset when I told him that no one could honestly guarantee a number one spot in the Google organic listings. He believed that you could. Oh well.
He never did hear my fee structure. I'm sure he wouldn't like that one either.
In the end, I wished him and his internet business well, and hoped he found an SEO professional with whom he could work.
His response?
He said he intended to get his number one ranking, and get it soon. He'd then tell the whole world that I couldn't do it.
He hung up before I could respond.
I never did get to mention blogging either.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Carnival of the Vanities at WILLisms
The 152nd edition of the longest running internet blog carnival, the well known Carnival of the Vanities, is up at Will Franklin's popular finance, markets, and commentary blog known as WILLisms.
As an added bonus, Will has assigned ratings to each of the posts ranging from 0 to 10, with the mythical 10 being the top ranking. Will has also indicated the date for the receipt of each post.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, medicine, technology, business, culture, comedy, and sports.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My entry is titled "Business Blogs: Spread the word" where I suggest evangelizing the use of blogs for business reasons. While the post was popular with many of my business readers, it received a rating of 4 out of 10. Read the post and judge for yourself. If like Will, and you thinks it's a bad post, feel free to comment. I enjoy the critiques.
To participate in the Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the other blog carnivals, one of the easiest techniques is to use the all inclusive carnival entry form at The Conservative Cat.
Another participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the host of the week.
That's what I usually do.
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities will be at Vik Rubenfeld's political blog known as The Big Picture.
In the meantime, head on over to the WILLisms hosting Carnival of the Vanities of and enjoy the posts on offer.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new blogs.
As an added bonus, Will has assigned ratings to each of the posts ranging from 0 to 10, with the mythical 10 being the top ranking. Will has also indicated the date for the receipt of each post.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, medicine, technology, business, culture, comedy, and sports.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My entry is titled "Business Blogs: Spread the word" where I suggest evangelizing the use of blogs for business reasons. While the post was popular with many of my business readers, it received a rating of 4 out of 10. Read the post and judge for yourself. If like Will, and you thinks it's a bad post, feel free to comment. I enjoy the critiques.
To participate in the Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the other blog carnivals, one of the easiest techniques is to use the all inclusive carnival entry form at The Conservative Cat.
Another participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the host of the week.
That's what I usually do.
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities will be at Vik Rubenfeld's political blog known as The Big Picture.
In the meantime, head on over to the WILLisms hosting Carnival of the Vanities of and enjoy the posts on offer.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new blogs.
Business management: Do it your way
Business management.
We've all heard the experts, or even the self-annointed ones, tell us there is a certain way to run a business. Their points usually run to what worked for them should work for everyone. Unfortunately, it's not always that simple in real life.
Often, the expert was indeed highly successful with the recommended management system. Occasionally, they fudge the facts a bit to sell the program to the unwary. Sometimes, the only real money their businesses ever made was from the sale of their get rich quick schemes. Let's not go there.
All businesses are similar in that they require good management, marketing, public relations, financing, cash flow, good accounting and record keeping, and so on. Businesses differ in the amount of expertise and capital available.
For example, it's all well and good for someone whose business has been in the family for several generations to give advice. It's quite another for your startup business to really benefit from it, except in a very general way.
You have to make your business your own. Your company should reflect you and your values, as well as those of your staff, and your customers. In other words, find what works for you, and stick with it. While you are sticking with what works, you should be searching for new and creative ways to solve the short and long term problems facing your business.
No set in stone plan is going to do that for you.
Your business is as individual as you are. That unique nature of your company is its greatest strength. Your unique selling proposition (often called a USP) should reflect what makes your organization one of a kind. Offer a USP that only you and your business can provide.
It might be the personal service, your written money back guarantee, or your offering of free information and services. Whatever your business advantage may be, it must be unique to your business alone.
As an exercise and take away, write down all of the things that make your business one of a kind. List everything that comes to mind. Don't edit it now. Just write the list and set it aside for a day or two. Leave that for another day when you can approach your ideas objectively. Take the best ideas and reduce them to one sentence that describes your business. You should be able to present your USP in less than thirty seconds. Anywhere. Anytime.
Once you discover how your business is unique, no one size fits no one solutions are required. You will have your one of a kind USP in hand; ready to take on the world.
Think differently from the pack, and you will lead it.
We've all heard the experts, or even the self-annointed ones, tell us there is a certain way to run a business. Their points usually run to what worked for them should work for everyone. Unfortunately, it's not always that simple in real life.
Often, the expert was indeed highly successful with the recommended management system. Occasionally, they fudge the facts a bit to sell the program to the unwary. Sometimes, the only real money their businesses ever made was from the sale of their get rich quick schemes. Let's not go there.
All businesses are similar in that they require good management, marketing, public relations, financing, cash flow, good accounting and record keeping, and so on. Businesses differ in the amount of expertise and capital available.
For example, it's all well and good for someone whose business has been in the family for several generations to give advice. It's quite another for your startup business to really benefit from it, except in a very general way.
You have to make your business your own. Your company should reflect you and your values, as well as those of your staff, and your customers. In other words, find what works for you, and stick with it. While you are sticking with what works, you should be searching for new and creative ways to solve the short and long term problems facing your business.
No set in stone plan is going to do that for you.
Your business is as individual as you are. That unique nature of your company is its greatest strength. Your unique selling proposition (often called a USP) should reflect what makes your organization one of a kind. Offer a USP that only you and your business can provide.
It might be the personal service, your written money back guarantee, or your offering of free information and services. Whatever your business advantage may be, it must be unique to your business alone.
As an exercise and take away, write down all of the things that make your business one of a kind. List everything that comes to mind. Don't edit it now. Just write the list and set it aside for a day or two. Leave that for another day when you can approach your ideas objectively. Take the best ideas and reduce them to one sentence that describes your business. You should be able to present your USP in less than thirty seconds. Anywhere. Anytime.
Once you discover how your business is unique, no one size fits no one solutions are required. You will have your one of a kind USP in hand; ready to take on the world.
Think differently from the pack, and you will lead it.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Carnival of the Capitalists at Weekend Pundit
This week sees an eclectic approach to the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists makes a visit to the political and New England lifestyle blog known as Weekend Pundit.
This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.
Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies, and technology.
As you would expect from Weekend Pundit, there are many discussions of business, politics, and economics.
It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.
We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.
As I am always privileged to do, I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.
My entry post this week is titled "Blogging goals: Thinking about reasons" where I discuss how a blogger's goals for the blog can often change over time. As a result, it's always important to reassess your blogging goals to ensure you are still meeting the needs of your readership.
If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:
cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com
You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!
Another brand new form for sending entries to all of the internet carnvivals is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.
If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.
Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.
The extra visitors can't sent to your blog won't hurt either!
The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.
The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.
Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.
Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.
Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will be at James Archer's business, marketing, and branding blog called Strange Brand.
In the meantime, click that mouse over to the Weekend Pundit hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.
If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then Carnival of the Capitalists certainly will offer you some New England scenery. (groan)
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Free teleseminar: Conversations with experts - Brian Taylor
Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff of Build a Better Blog System.
Book Design and Development: The Secrets of Award-Winning Books
Wednesday, August 17, 2005, 8:30 p.m. EDT
Guest Expert, Brian Taylor of Pneuma Books
Do YOU want to publish an award-winning book? Get the secrets of successful book development and marketing from Pneuma Books CEO and Creative Director, Brian Taylor. Learn 5 ways to build a book better than your competition and the 5 biggest book design mistakes publishers make. Join us and get an inside look at book production from one of the best in the business.
Brian Taylor is the former president of the MidAtlantic Book Publishers Association and a 20-year veteran of Visual Communications with an emphasis on book publishing. Brian is a frequent speaker at writer's groups and publishing conferences.
As the CEO and Creative Director for Pneuma Books (pronounced "noo-mah") his company has helped their clientele win at least 24 publishing awards in the last four years alone. The company provides publishers with branding, product development, editorial, book design & layout, and book marketing.
Registration for this conversation with Brian Taylor:
http://www.ConversationsWithExperts.com
Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Relationship marketing: Business blog style
Relationship marketing.
You've often heard the term used, but were never really certain what it meant. It does sound kind of touchy feely, doesn't it? Really all it means, however, is building good long term customer relations.
To turn your present marketing system into relationship marketing, you have to change your outlook somewhat. Traditionally, marketers have located their target market segments, made their offer, and made the sales. It's always been a single step process.
A multiple step program is far more valuable. That's where relationship marketing enters the picture. Instead of trying to sell the potential customer a product or sefvice immediately, it's a much better idea to let the person get to know and trust you first.
People buy from other people they know and trust.
Relationship marketing looks at customers and clients over a longer term. It takes into account the lifetime value of a customer. Many experts think it costs anywhere from six to ten times as much, to find a new customer, than to sell to an existing one. With those financial realities in mind, the approach makes some sense, and some real dollars.
Relationship marketing is based on the idea, that people prefer to do business with people, they know and like. After all, it's easier to buy from a friend, than from someone you've never heard of before. The focus is on a multi-step marketing system that works for the lifetime of the customer.
It's said that people need to hear an offer about seven times before they buy. That concept certainly works against the single step marketing method.
That is where a business blog can be really helpful.
As you write your daily blog entries, your readers get to know you and your business on a more personal level. Your blog begins that all important relationship with your prospects and current customers. As they read about your daily business activities, your problem solving ideas, your business advice, and your various products, they begin to think of themselves as a part of the company.
They are!
The prospects for your products and services begin to turn into customers over time. Since they already know about you and your organization, it naturally follows that they will buy from you.
Your existing customers will remain loyal to your business, through the regular personal contact of your blog. Should a problem arise with a product or service, the iussue can be addressed immediately on the business blog. The openess and honesty displayed is a breath of fresh air, resulting in even greater customer loyalty, and a more cemented business relationship.
Openess and transparency builds customer relationship, contrary to the older management style of hiding problems. The old sweep problems under the rug style of management also had high customer attrition rates. You don't want that situation, and neither do your clients. Your customers will not only stay loyal, but they will often bring tons of valuable referral business to your company. Happy customers are your best marketing friends.
By creating a business blog, you can develop strong bonds with your existing and future customers. Instead of treating them as numbers, you have formed a long term relationship with them. Their purchases, of your products and services, are a natural response to your blog entries. It is certainly not a one step sales system!
Creating a relationship with your customers and clients doesn't just pay off financially for your company. It is also rewarding personally for you; and for them.
Start your blog and build those long term relationships.
You'll be glad you decided on a blog for your relationship marketing!
You've often heard the term used, but were never really certain what it meant. It does sound kind of touchy feely, doesn't it? Really all it means, however, is building good long term customer relations.
To turn your present marketing system into relationship marketing, you have to change your outlook somewhat. Traditionally, marketers have located their target market segments, made their offer, and made the sales. It's always been a single step process.
A multiple step program is far more valuable. That's where relationship marketing enters the picture. Instead of trying to sell the potential customer a product or sefvice immediately, it's a much better idea to let the person get to know and trust you first.
People buy from other people they know and trust.
Relationship marketing looks at customers and clients over a longer term. It takes into account the lifetime value of a customer. Many experts think it costs anywhere from six to ten times as much, to find a new customer, than to sell to an existing one. With those financial realities in mind, the approach makes some sense, and some real dollars.
Relationship marketing is based on the idea, that people prefer to do business with people, they know and like. After all, it's easier to buy from a friend, than from someone you've never heard of before. The focus is on a multi-step marketing system that works for the lifetime of the customer.
It's said that people need to hear an offer about seven times before they buy. That concept certainly works against the single step marketing method.
That is where a business blog can be really helpful.
As you write your daily blog entries, your readers get to know you and your business on a more personal level. Your blog begins that all important relationship with your prospects and current customers. As they read about your daily business activities, your problem solving ideas, your business advice, and your various products, they begin to think of themselves as a part of the company.
They are!
The prospects for your products and services begin to turn into customers over time. Since they already know about you and your organization, it naturally follows that they will buy from you.
Your existing customers will remain loyal to your business, through the regular personal contact of your blog. Should a problem arise with a product or service, the iussue can be addressed immediately on the business blog. The openess and honesty displayed is a breath of fresh air, resulting in even greater customer loyalty, and a more cemented business relationship.
Openess and transparency builds customer relationship, contrary to the older management style of hiding problems. The old sweep problems under the rug style of management also had high customer attrition rates. You don't want that situation, and neither do your clients. Your customers will not only stay loyal, but they will often bring tons of valuable referral business to your company. Happy customers are your best marketing friends.
By creating a business blog, you can develop strong bonds with your existing and future customers. Instead of treating them as numbers, you have formed a long term relationship with them. Their purchases, of your products and services, are a natural response to your blog entries. It is certainly not a one step sales system!
Creating a relationship with your customers and clients doesn't just pay off financially for your company. It is also rewarding personally for you; and for them.
Start your blog and build those long term relationships.
You'll be glad you decided on a blog for your relationship marketing!
Friday, August 12, 2005
Business plans: Worst case scenario
Business plans.
Every new and existing company should have one. They are the roadmap to future business success.
There are many aspects to the creation of a good business plan, including finances, marketing, sales forecasts, expected expenses, and so on. By carefully assessing all of the details, a strong business plan can be formulated.
A business plan is a requirement for everyone from bankers to venture capitalists. They are also a useful exercise for you, as developing the business plan forces you to look long and hard at your ideas and projections.
Even with a good solid business plan in hand, many potentially successful business people still don't live their dream of entrepreneurship. Held back by many factors ranging from being unable to secure financing to staffing and production problems, many companies simply don't get off the ground.
While these difficulties are common to many businesses in general, some barriers are specific to the business person alone. One of these barricades to entrepreneurial success is fear of failure.
That lack of confidence in oneself, and the potential of the organization, can be overcome. While many techniques can be employed to get past the feelings of self doubt, we will consider one method here.
We will ask one question.
What's the worst that can happen to the business?
Think about that question for a time. Consider what could be the very worst thing that could befall your business, and subsequently, your future.
While some of the worst case possibilities are enough to drive anyone away from even attempting entrepreneurship, many are not. In fact, many potential disasters can be prevented through careful planning. Contingency plans can be put into place for implementation should the nightmares become real.
Simply looking objectively at the worst case scenario can help with the overall business plan.
Once you know what is the deepest depth to which your company could sink, the issues involved don't even look so bad. It's much easier to work with a known factor than a completely unknown possibility.
After all, the worst that can happen to your business, might not be so terrible after all.
Don't let fear of failure stand in your way to business success.
Every new and existing company should have one. They are the roadmap to future business success.
There are many aspects to the creation of a good business plan, including finances, marketing, sales forecasts, expected expenses, and so on. By carefully assessing all of the details, a strong business plan can be formulated.
A business plan is a requirement for everyone from bankers to venture capitalists. They are also a useful exercise for you, as developing the business plan forces you to look long and hard at your ideas and projections.
Even with a good solid business plan in hand, many potentially successful business people still don't live their dream of entrepreneurship. Held back by many factors ranging from being unable to secure financing to staffing and production problems, many companies simply don't get off the ground.
While these difficulties are common to many businesses in general, some barriers are specific to the business person alone. One of these barricades to entrepreneurial success is fear of failure.
That lack of confidence in oneself, and the potential of the organization, can be overcome. While many techniques can be employed to get past the feelings of self doubt, we will consider one method here.
We will ask one question.
What's the worst that can happen to the business?
Think about that question for a time. Consider what could be the very worst thing that could befall your business, and subsequently, your future.
While some of the worst case possibilities are enough to drive anyone away from even attempting entrepreneurship, many are not. In fact, many potential disasters can be prevented through careful planning. Contingency plans can be put into place for implementation should the nightmares become real.
Simply looking objectively at the worst case scenario can help with the overall business plan.
Once you know what is the deepest depth to which your company could sink, the issues involved don't even look so bad. It's much easier to work with a known factor than a completely unknown possibility.
After all, the worst that can happen to your business, might not be so terrible after all.
Don't let fear of failure stand in your way to business success.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Business blogs: Spread the word
Business blogs are powerful tools for any business to adopt.
Whether the company is a traditional bricks and mortar business, an online business venture, or both, a business blog can pay huge dividends for any business bottom line.
The benefits are numerous, ranging from improved search engine rankings, to better customer relations, to more effective public relations, to ever more powerful marketing. Blogging succeeds in all of these areas. We all know those blog advantages to be true.
What we need to do now, is spread the word.
As bloggers, we need to become missionaries for the concept of business blogging. Some bloggers refer to those who spread the blogging gospel as blog evangelists. While I hesitate to consider the business blogs to be in the relam of religion or cults, I do understand the zeal for sharing the good news.
If you have business associates and clients, you should be recommending that they add a business blog component to their online marketing efforts.
I strongly advise my search engine optimization clients to add a business blog component to their websites. They will be live with their business blogs in the very near future.
One of my SEO and search engine marketing clients has just added a blog component. How's that for getting the blogging faith!
The blog advantage is simply too powerful to pass up, for any business, even if they have never been online before, in any capacity.
I like to evangelize for business blogs on various internet business forums and message boards. Many very savvy business and marketing people, including many top notch search engine optimization experts post and read frequently on those boards.
Surprisingly, many are entirely unaware of the strength that a blog can provide for a website; or as a stand alone blog site, in support of the business. The very flexibility offered by a blog is one of its key strengths. That versatility is often overlooked as well.
I post many times about the value of blogs. It's always necessary, it seems to me, to set the record straight when blogs are dismissed as "just being a diary".As we all are aware, blogs have moved far beyond the teen angst and lovelorn lament stages.
That message has still not reached the entire mainstream online community, however. As bloggers, it's our responsibility to spread the word of blogs in general, and the various forms of business blogs in particular, to the mainstream population.
There are many blog myths out there, needing correction very badly. The only people who can set the record straight on the value of blogging is us.
The blogging community.
The ball is in our court. We have to tell everyone we know and then some, about the benefits of blogging.
I do it every day.
So can you.
Tell a friend or business associate about business blogging today.
Better yet; tell everyone!
Whether the company is a traditional bricks and mortar business, an online business venture, or both, a business blog can pay huge dividends for any business bottom line.
The benefits are numerous, ranging from improved search engine rankings, to better customer relations, to more effective public relations, to ever more powerful marketing. Blogging succeeds in all of these areas. We all know those blog advantages to be true.
What we need to do now, is spread the word.
As bloggers, we need to become missionaries for the concept of business blogging. Some bloggers refer to those who spread the blogging gospel as blog evangelists. While I hesitate to consider the business blogs to be in the relam of religion or cults, I do understand the zeal for sharing the good news.
If you have business associates and clients, you should be recommending that they add a business blog component to their online marketing efforts.
I strongly advise my search engine optimization clients to add a business blog component to their websites. They will be live with their business blogs in the very near future.
One of my SEO and search engine marketing clients has just added a blog component. How's that for getting the blogging faith!
The blog advantage is simply too powerful to pass up, for any business, even if they have never been online before, in any capacity.
I like to evangelize for business blogs on various internet business forums and message boards. Many very savvy business and marketing people, including many top notch search engine optimization experts post and read frequently on those boards.
Surprisingly, many are entirely unaware of the strength that a blog can provide for a website; or as a stand alone blog site, in support of the business. The very flexibility offered by a blog is one of its key strengths. That versatility is often overlooked as well.
I post many times about the value of blogs. It's always necessary, it seems to me, to set the record straight when blogs are dismissed as "just being a diary".As we all are aware, blogs have moved far beyond the teen angst and lovelorn lament stages.
That message has still not reached the entire mainstream online community, however. As bloggers, it's our responsibility to spread the word of blogs in general, and the various forms of business blogs in particular, to the mainstream population.
There are many blog myths out there, needing correction very badly. The only people who can set the record straight on the value of blogging is us.
The blogging community.
The ball is in our court. We have to tell everyone we know and then some, about the benefits of blogging.
I do it every day.
So can you.
Tell a friend or business associate about business blogging today.
Better yet; tell everyone!
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Carnival of the Vanities at Generic Confusion
The 151st edition of the longest running internet blog carnival, the well known Carnival of the Vanities, is up at Greg's news, politics, music, and general interest blog known as Generic Confusion.
Be sure to click the photo collage that creates a "COTV 151" and you will see screen shots of the participating Carnival blogs.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, medicine, technology, business, culture, comedy, and sports, including roller derby.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My entry is titled "Seek the facts: The truth shall set you free" where I discuss how it's a good policy to seek the facts, the hard data, and the truth about what is happening in your business. Ignoring or even refusing to examine the numbers and the overall health of your firm can lead directly to liquidation.
To participate in the Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the other blog carnivals, one of the easiest techniques is to use the all inclusive carnival entry form at The Conservative Cat.
Another participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the host of the week.
That's what I usually do.
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities will be at Will's popular finance, markets, and commentary blog known as WILLisms.
In the meantime, head on over to the Generic Confusion hosting of Carnival of the Vanities and enjoy the posts on offer.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new blogs.
Be sure to click the photo collage that creates a "COTV 151" and you will see screen shots of the participating Carnival blogs.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, medicine, technology, business, culture, comedy, and sports, including roller derby.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My entry is titled "Seek the facts: The truth shall set you free" where I discuss how it's a good policy to seek the facts, the hard data, and the truth about what is happening in your business. Ignoring or even refusing to examine the numbers and the overall health of your firm can lead directly to liquidation.
To participate in the Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the other blog carnivals, one of the easiest techniques is to use the all inclusive carnival entry form at The Conservative Cat.
Another participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the host of the week.
That's what I usually do.
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities will be at Will's popular finance, markets, and commentary blog known as WILLisms.
In the meantime, head on over to the Generic Confusion hosting of Carnival of the Vanities and enjoy the posts on offer.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new blogs.
Tuesday, August 9, 2005
Blog Business World now a BBS Bronze Sponsor
Blog Business Summit
The annual Blog Business Summit is scheduled for August 17 - 19 2005 in San Francisco, California, USA.
The event will be held at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, CA.
Blog Business World is proud to be a new Bronze Sponsor of the Blog Business Summit. I even have a special logo and brief summary of what my blog, and what I do on a daily basis, to help others succeed in business.
Blog Business World is joined in the Bronze Sponsor category by my good friend John Mudd of Exit Realty: Suncoast, who also writes his well known Inside Real Estate Journal blog. Also receiving Bronze Sponsor status is the very highly regarded management group Business Logs.
The growing list of event sponsors is also on display.
It's great to be a part of such distinguished company.
Make your plans now to attend this major blogging event.
Monday, August 8, 2005
Carnival of the Capitalists at View From A Height
This week sees a high level approach to the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists makes a visit to Joshua Sharf's business, politics, and investment blog known as View From A Height.
This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.
Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies, and technology.
As you would expect from View From A Height, there are many discussions of business, markets, and economics.
It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.
We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.
As I am always privileged to do, I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.
My entry post this week is titled "Blog FAQs: When non-bloggers ask why" where I answer a number of the most frequently asked questions about blogs, blogging, the value of blogs, and everything else you wanted to know about blogging but were afraid to ask. I know that last line was a blatant ripoff, but it was fun to write.
If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:
cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com
You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!
Another brand new form for sending entries to all of the internet carnvivals is provided by The Conservative Cat. This is a great one stop entry drop, for all your blog post entries, for every blog carnival.
If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.
Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.
The extra visitors can't sent to your blog won't hurt either!
The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.
The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.
Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.
Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.
Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will be at the political and New England lifestyle blog known as Weekend Pundit.
In the meantime, click that mouse over to the View From A Height hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.
If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then Carnival of the Capitalists certainly will offer you some chances to see things from above. (groan)
Sunday, August 7, 2005
Free teleseminar: Conversations with experts - Yvonne DiVita
Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
Hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff of Build a Better Blog System.
Ever Wanted to Write a Book? There Has Never Been A Better Time to Realize that Dream than Now!
Wednesday, August 10, 2005, 8:30 p.m. ET
Guest Expert: Yvonne DiVita, Windsor Media Enterprises
Yvonne writes:
"Every day at WMEBooks we meet another budding author. These are people just like you. Creative men and women who have a great story to tell, but aren't sure how to tell it. They're business professionals with years of experience and a desire to share their expertise with a growing demographic of entrepreneurs."
"Dreamers who dare to dream of becoming the next nationally recognized author. Even those who simply want to feel the elation of personal accomplishment by writing, publishing and marketing something that is their very own. If you have a story to tell or if you know of someone who does, learn how to do it -- cost-effectively, and successfully, without losing the rights to your work, or being led down the garden path, which happens to too many talented people when they approach publishing the old Dick and Jane way -- by asking a traditional publisher to handle their manuscript."
Yvonne DiVita is the president and founder of Windsor Media Enterprises, LLC, which includes WME Books, an author services company to help writers produce, print and sell their work; Smart Marketing to Women Online, which helps online merchants reach the largest, most wealthy demographic in the world – women; and the Business Blogging Boot Camp, where Yvonne and her team teach small business owners why they should be blogging, and then teaches them how to blog.
Registration for this conversation with Yvonne DiVita:
http://www.ConversationsWithExperts.com
Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System.
Saturday, August 6, 2005
Blogging goals: Thinking about reasons
Thinking about blogging.
Talk about an obvious choice of topic; but then again, it's not really something many of us think about at all. We just do it.
You may have once given careful thought as to why you started blogging. In fact, I'm quite sure that you gave it serious thought. You went through the pros and cons, and had some very good reasons for starting your blog, and its ultimate goals.
Some of those reasons may have been for business purposes. You may have wanted to raise the profile of your website. Perhaps you wanted to gain an initial online presence, and blogging provided the best avenue. Possibly you wanted to start a conversation with current and potential customers and clients for relationship marketing purposes. Maybe the SEO power of blogs appealed to you, as you strive for higheer search engine rankings.
Some of you might have started a blog for altruistic reasons. You wanted to share ideas and information on your area of expertise with others. Perhaps the driving force for you was simply to get your voice heard by others. The topics might have varied from business, to sports, to politics, to personal thoughts.
Regardless of the reason for starting a blog, and I have mentioned only a few, you did think about them at one time.
Right?
You probably don't think about them anymore, however.
If you have been blogging for any length of time, you may have forgotten your original reasons for beginning your blog. In fact, I would be quite surprised if the reasons you continue to write are mcuh different from your original blogging goals.
Let's use six months of steady posting as our example. I know that many of you have been writing your blog posts for a much longer time than half a year. Some of you have even had several blogiversaries already.
In any case, it makes sense to sit down and ask yourself the following question:
Why do I write my blog anyway?
Be brutally and entirely honest with yourself. Even if you did start the blog to share ideas, and it has evolved into a purely money making or business gathering site, that's just fine. There is nothing wrong with earning your living directly or indirectly from your blog. In fact, I encourage and support the concept of blog revenue completely.
The important thing is to examine your blog and see if your blogging goals have shifted. If they have, and that is a highly likely event, then your posting topics might require some tweaking as well.
You may even find that your readership has shifted over time, from one group of visitors, to an entirely different one. If your visitors are different from your original traffic, it's important to write posts that appeal to your newer readership. If you want some previous readers to return, perhaps a few posts of interest to them might be in order.
You will never know what you are blogging about, until you examine your reasons for blogging, and determine your ultimate goals for the blog.
It's time to think about your blog.
Where is your blog now?
Where do you want your blog to go in the future?
Only you can decide that direction. Be sure to keep your past, current, and potential future readership in mind.
Think about blogging today.
Talk about an obvious choice of topic; but then again, it's not really something many of us think about at all. We just do it.
You may have once given careful thought as to why you started blogging. In fact, I'm quite sure that you gave it serious thought. You went through the pros and cons, and had some very good reasons for starting your blog, and its ultimate goals.
Some of those reasons may have been for business purposes. You may have wanted to raise the profile of your website. Perhaps you wanted to gain an initial online presence, and blogging provided the best avenue. Possibly you wanted to start a conversation with current and potential customers and clients for relationship marketing purposes. Maybe the SEO power of blogs appealed to you, as you strive for higheer search engine rankings.
Some of you might have started a blog for altruistic reasons. You wanted to share ideas and information on your area of expertise with others. Perhaps the driving force for you was simply to get your voice heard by others. The topics might have varied from business, to sports, to politics, to personal thoughts.
Regardless of the reason for starting a blog, and I have mentioned only a few, you did think about them at one time.
Right?
You probably don't think about them anymore, however.
If you have been blogging for any length of time, you may have forgotten your original reasons for beginning your blog. In fact, I would be quite surprised if the reasons you continue to write are mcuh different from your original blogging goals.
Let's use six months of steady posting as our example. I know that many of you have been writing your blog posts for a much longer time than half a year. Some of you have even had several blogiversaries already.
In any case, it makes sense to sit down and ask yourself the following question:
Why do I write my blog anyway?
Be brutally and entirely honest with yourself. Even if you did start the blog to share ideas, and it has evolved into a purely money making or business gathering site, that's just fine. There is nothing wrong with earning your living directly or indirectly from your blog. In fact, I encourage and support the concept of blog revenue completely.
The important thing is to examine your blog and see if your blogging goals have shifted. If they have, and that is a highly likely event, then your posting topics might require some tweaking as well.
You may even find that your readership has shifted over time, from one group of visitors, to an entirely different one. If your visitors are different from your original traffic, it's important to write posts that appeal to your newer readership. If you want some previous readers to return, perhaps a few posts of interest to them might be in order.
You will never know what you are blogging about, until you examine your reasons for blogging, and determine your ultimate goals for the blog.
It's time to think about your blog.
Where is your blog now?
Where do you want your blog to go in the future?
Only you can decide that direction. Be sure to keep your past, current, and potential future readership in mind.
Think about blogging today.
Friday, August 5, 2005
Blog Business Summit tries SEO linking experiment
Blog Business Summit
The annual Blog Business Summit is scheduled for August 17 - 19 2005 in San Francisco, California, USA.
The event will be held at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, CA.
As part of the Blog Business Summit goals, the organizers are trying out an interesting linking experiment. They are actively seeking bloggers to link to a post entitled "Palace Hotel" to test the power of blog links in search engine optimization, better known as SEO.
The post by Steve Broback reads as follows:
As a test of blogger influence, we’ve set up this post to determine inbound linking and how it affects seach engine placement. We’ll be discussing this “case study” and the conclusions at the conference in a two weeks. We’ll also post about what we discover.
What we’re asking for is bloggers (only bloggers please) to link back to this post.
Well...There is my link. Triple linked in fact.
Always a premiere blogging event, the Blog Business Summit provides a first class opportunity to meet and network with some of the leading bloggers in the blogosphere. Many of the big blog elite names, and some up and coming blogging stars, will also be in attendance.
As with any conference or trade show, the real value is in meeting the people. Making connections and friendships should be one of your goals, along with learning new information about blogs as a medium of communication.
Full disclosure:
Blog Business World is proud to be a Media Sponsor of the Blog Business Summit. I even have a special logo and brief summary of what my blog and I do on a daily basis to help others succeed in business.
The growing list of event sponsors is also on display.
Make your plans now to attend this major blogging event.
Thursday, August 4, 2005
Small business: Entrepreneurs lead the way
Small business is the backbone of the economy.
Small businesses hire the vast majority of new employees.
When you think about it, small business entrepreneurs hire themselves. Now that's efficient job creation. I'd like to see some convoluted government make work project match that one.
As entrepreneurs, and mainly we are also bloggers, it's up to us to support the economy of our countries. Talk about a burden to bear. Fortunately, it's a pleasant one that most of us wouldn't trade away for anything.
As my readers already know, I'm a strong advocate of entrepreneurship, starting your own business, being your own boss, and all of the other buzzwords and phrases that are appropriate to the topic. As small business owners, and your blog is a small business as well, it's up to us to provide leaders to the community.
Like your community, for instance.
Local Chambers of Commerce, small business organizations, marketing and professional groups, charities and other non-profit organizations, and many more, all require your leadership skills. Who better than you to lead the way for your town, city, or local neighbourhood.
All of these great community based organizations are seeking talented individuals like yourself. Whether you volunteer for policy and management committees, for fund raising, or any other need that may arise, your leadership skills, your drive, and ability to get results will serve the organization and its membership well.
For yourself, the opportunities for networking, gaining potential new clients and customers, a much higher profile for you and your company, as well as the chance to meet many new and interesting people are only a few of the more tangible benefits. The sense of satisfaction at accomplishing something worthwhile for others, and for the community, is beyond value, and is perhaps the greatest reward of all.
No one says you have to run for political office; but I certainly wouldn't discourage you from doing so. After all, they could sure use your abundant talents.
Small business people like you understand how to balance budgets, how to lead and motivate prople, and have many wonderful ideas, and don't forget the vision thing. The wearing of many hats, shoes, and every other sartorial metaphor, has already set you apart.
It's time for you to take a leadership role in your own community.
Lead the way in your own city as you already show the path to success in your own independent business.
Take action toward that goal today.
Small businesses hire the vast majority of new employees.
When you think about it, small business entrepreneurs hire themselves. Now that's efficient job creation. I'd like to see some convoluted government make work project match that one.
As entrepreneurs, and mainly we are also bloggers, it's up to us to support the economy of our countries. Talk about a burden to bear. Fortunately, it's a pleasant one that most of us wouldn't trade away for anything.
As my readers already know, I'm a strong advocate of entrepreneurship, starting your own business, being your own boss, and all of the other buzzwords and phrases that are appropriate to the topic. As small business owners, and your blog is a small business as well, it's up to us to provide leaders to the community.
Like your community, for instance.
Local Chambers of Commerce, small business organizations, marketing and professional groups, charities and other non-profit organizations, and many more, all require your leadership skills. Who better than you to lead the way for your town, city, or local neighbourhood.
All of these great community based organizations are seeking talented individuals like yourself. Whether you volunteer for policy and management committees, for fund raising, or any other need that may arise, your leadership skills, your drive, and ability to get results will serve the organization and its membership well.
For yourself, the opportunities for networking, gaining potential new clients and customers, a much higher profile for you and your company, as well as the chance to meet many new and interesting people are only a few of the more tangible benefits. The sense of satisfaction at accomplishing something worthwhile for others, and for the community, is beyond value, and is perhaps the greatest reward of all.
No one says you have to run for political office; but I certainly wouldn't discourage you from doing so. After all, they could sure use your abundant talents.
Small business people like you understand how to balance budgets, how to lead and motivate prople, and have many wonderful ideas, and don't forget the vision thing. The wearing of many hats, shoes, and every other sartorial metaphor, has already set you apart.
It's time for you to take a leadership role in your own community.
Lead the way in your own city as you already show the path to success in your own independent business.
Take action toward that goal today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)