How to start your blog

Why start blogging?

• It’s a great way to let clients know you’re active, articulate and thoughtful.
• It’s free and you have 100% control.
• Everything you write flows into the business and supports your sales and marketing.
• Writing takes you gently into creativity and innovation, pushing you to voice opinions and new thinking.

Katie’s five week blogging program

Week One

No writing this week (didn’t see that coming eh?). Each time you speak to a client, spend five minutes afterwards answering these questions:

• What were they most concerned about?
• What didn’t they know?
• What insights and suggestions did you offer?

Week Two

Add to your diary: a regular two hour writing slot for weeks’ two, three, four and five.

The day before your writing day, review your notes and decide on a theme or a subject many clients are affected by.

Writing Day

It’s finally here! Most of the effort here is mindset. “I am writing today. I will not get caught up or make excuses.”

Want more articles like this? Check out the small business blogs section.

Give yourself a structure and make some bullet points under headings. This could take approximately 30 minutes.

• Step One: Note the problem and how it manifests for businesses.
• Step Two: Note the misconceptions and presumptions business owners have about this issue.
• Step Three: Now be the expert. What do you know that clients don’t know about this issue?
• Step Four: Note recent trends with this issue. Is it a new problem or an old one?
• Step Five: What insights can you offer?
• Step Six: What are the benefits of getting this issue resolved?

You are now ready to write.

Rules:

• Write 700-800 words.
• Do not quote anyone else, this is YOUR BLOG.
• Stay in writing mode for two hours before you quit.
• Put it away as soon as you’ve finished. Don’t look at it again until the next day. 

Next Day

Take fifteen minutes reviewing your blog. How did you go? Does it need a bit of tidying up or are you ready to roll?

If it needs tidying up, do that right now.

If it’s a disaster, leave it for now. You’ll be writing on a new subject next week and can always come back to this subject another time.

If you feel good, share your article with one or two trusted people and ask their opinions. You want to know: Is it clear? Do I sound like an expert? Is it entertaining?

Publishing – Getting it out there 

If you don’t already have a blog site or a blog tab on your website, get one.

Post the blog. Add a picture if you like. Congratulations, you are a published blogger!

Share it widely

Include a link to the blog or paste the whole article into an email for some current and recent clients (choose 10-20 people and email them individually). Ask them to leave comments on the blog and to share it if they like it.

Share the blog URL on your social media pages.

If you have staff, remember to share it with them.

Remember to send it to your mum, she will love it no matter what!

Weeks’ three to five 

Refer to the notes under week two and do it all again!

Writers’ block

We all get writers’ block so here are some prompts for new blog ideas. Make sure you keep it aligned to your key business offering:

• Pick a trend you can talk about
• Comment on a well-known company or person
• Bust a myth about your service or industry

Most of all, enjoy your writing! 

Feel free to send me your blog URL or put it in the comments below. I’d love to read it!