blogging: Why you can’t quantify the ROI of Social Media & Blogging
- 01/21/09 11:56 PM
When I’m working with a client to start a blog and/or use social media to grow their business, I’m always asked for the ROI (return on investment) because most people love the security of ‘if you give the Starbuck’s guy $5.00, he’ll give you a small coffee.’ But, using social media & blogging to grow your business doesn’t have a predictable ROI, or at least not one as quantifiable as the coffee example. Here are some things that are guaranteed through the use of blogging & social media: Increased traffic to your website Increased rank Increased searchability But guess what? These … (18 comments)
blogging: If I give my expertise away for FREE, how do I make my MONEY?
- 01/16/09 04:45 AM
I admit, it does seem a bit backward, this whole social media thing. Basically, you give away top-notch information, via your content - articles, videos, ebooks, blog posts, webinars, etc. - and then you become a wild success...but the question that comes up over and over again, is 'HOW?' How do you make money if you are giving away your expertise for free? One of my favorite authors, David Meerman Scott, who wrote the bestselling book The New Rules of Marketing & PR answers the question so well: "This idea is not new. Starting in the 1960s, the Grateful Dead encouraged … (13 comments)
blogging: On the radio with Jason Crouch and Ken Cook
- 01/14/09 12:26 AM
Even I agree that sometimes reading and writing can get boring...so I took to the airwaves with Jason Crouch and Ken Cook. Their entire show is rather hilarious...and I come in around the ten minute mark. If you feel like listening instead of reading today, here's your chance!
… (4 comments)
blogging: When two trumps one: the power of partnerships
- 01/12/09 01:54 AM
I’ve suddenly found myself elbow-to-elbow deep in a series of partnerships. I’m co-authoring an ebook with Ron Miller, tech writer extraordinaire, about authentical and personal branding; I’m writing a post with Ari Herzog, political and social media moven (I’m hoping that’s the male form of ‘maven’) that might have some bad words in it; I’m crafting a post with Michelle Minch and Lisa Heindel, two fabulous women that reign supreme in the world of home staging/interior design and real estate, respectively; and, I’m developing a series of webinars called Cookie Coaching with J.S. Perkins, a life coach, and Carol McManus, a … (8 comments)
blogging: Are you asking your blog, and your self, the right questions?
- 01/10/09 02:34 AM
For the business owners and bloggers that are publishing a blog for the purposes of growing their business, establishing themselves as an expert, selling products, promoting services, etc...certain questions must be asked - before you begin and as you go along - in order to maintain your personal brand and reach your goals. Here's my list: Why are you blogging? What is your goal, your mission, your raison d'etre? I recommend that you post this on your site - I've done mine as a tagline under my header, and I offer it to my readers as a guide telling them where … (45 comments)
blogging: What's your happy button?
- 01/08/09 12:46 AM
I wrote this post a few months ago...but when I found out about and was invited to join the The Optimist Group on AR, I just knew I had to repost it. And, yes, for those of you reading out there, I do have a thing for George Clooney. Like Carrie said on Sex & the City, 'Clooney. He never goes out of style.' I hope all of you non-optimists get something out of this too! It doesn't tell you how to blog or market directly, but it does offer a way to move headstrong and happy through this world - … (17 comments)
blogging: Selling Apples? Talk to the oranges: Finding networks, clients and customers in unlikely places
- 01/06/09 11:59 AM
I just published this post on my blog and wanted to share it with you: 1) to say thank you for the incredible support and conversation I've experienced here, and 2) because I think this is an experience that we can all benefit from as we work to sustain and grow our businesses - whatever that business might be! Thanks again...to you all!
Picture courtesy of The Busy Brain The craziest thing happened to me last week. I was on Twitter and met a smart, smart woman named Michelle Minch. She’s a home stager (helps design and set-up homes to … (54 comments)
blogging: The brilliance of blog comments
- 01/05/09 01:36 AM
Have you ever written something on a blog about grape jelly only to come back an hour later, read your comments and realize you were wrong - that you actually wrote the post about peanut butter? It doesn't happen to me often, but it happens. Blog comments offer us an incredible view of what we said, how we said it and how it lands with our audience. Did we, in fact, communicate the message we were hoping to deliver? Did we sound angry when we meant to sound passionate? Negative when we meant to be realistic? What an opportunity to learn, … (15 comments)
blogging: The target market of one: finding your blog audience
- 01/03/09 12:35 AM
Blogging is about the conversation, right? That said, there are certain ‘big’ blogs that I read where I can tell the writer is talking to thousands of people - I feel it, I feel like I’m just one of the many. There are other ‘big’ blogs that always leave me feeling like I’m the only one in the room - and that’s the goal - for any kind of marketing writing, perhaps any kind of writing. Some of my readers have told me that they feel like I’m talking directly to them…which I find superb, because I am. I’m most certainly … (17 comments)
blogging: This blog is twitterfied!
- 01/01/09 02:00 PM
Hello to my new AR community! - the past few days with you has been wild...and I have noticed a tiny trend in the Twitter department...so here's a follow up Twitter post (cross posted on the Writing Roads blog) that will hopefully empower the Twitter newbies, reinforce the Twitter-lovers and convince the Twitter-resisters! And, I promise to post about something besides Twitter next!
As of today, Twitter sends me 31% of my traffic. 31%. That’s darn near one third. Yesterday, it was 28%…it’s a growing trend. And it’s in direct correlation to how I use it. 1. The writing. When … (19 comments)
blogging: the benefits of having a blog for your business, company or self
- 12/31/08 04:01 AM
Why blog? BECAUSE: Static websites (that do not continually upload content, but act as an online brochure) do not rate in site rankings. To compete in your industry and to be found by the world, you must add valuable, pertinent information to your website on a regular basis - a blog is the perfect platform. 1. Blog posts are dramatically less expensive than newspaper, magazine, radio, TV or web banner ads. For instance, ONE well-placed newspaper ad that guarantees a view by all readers can cost upwards of $50,000. 2. Blog posts are eternal advertisements. They live forever online, whereas a … (57 comments)
blogging: How to use Twitter as a Marketing Tool
- 12/31/08 01:29 AM
“I get most of this stuff, but I still don’t understand this Twitter thing.” Seriously, if I hear that one more time today! There is also the concern that not much can be accomplished in 140 characters…hah! Here’s how I recommend that you make Twitter work for you and your business: Understand that the point of Twitter is to build a network that you can easily and quickly broadcast your latest news to - whether the point of your tweets is to: drive traffic, sell a product, market a service, establish expert status, share news or gather information, you are … (31 comments)
When I’m working with a client to start a blog and/or use social media to grow their business, I’m always asked for the ROI (return on investment) because most people love the security of ‘if you give the Starbuck’s guy $5.00, he’ll give you a small coffee.’;)
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