3 Reasons Your Business Should have a Blog

Small business owners usually have two reactions to blogging; they do not see the need and they are too busy.  I would counter that in today's world of competition, tight budgets (both business and personal), and open world markets a blog is a needed part of any business plan.

If you remember my previous post on creating a business plan, one of the uses for a well written plan guiding the business in growth activities. Blogging is one of those activities. It should have been part of your marketing plan. 

If it was not, here are three reasons you should reconsider using a blog to grow business

1. Increase customer trust and loyalty by blogging. 

Customers want to have faith that they can call you an expert in your field. Blogging about your business, services or products offered, and overall market condition puts you, the business owner, in the seat of the expert. Your current customers will be able to gain a better understanding of the market you are in, a better understanding of the values of your business, and a better understanding of you, the business owner.

When customers have confidence in your expertise they will be more loyal to call on your business when needed. The same can be said for those potential customers looking for a new service or product supplier. A blog allows you to showcase what your business brings to the table. This is an extension of your marketing plan; the place where you not only showcase your business, but also a place where you can develop a relationship with potential customers so that your business name pops up in their mind when they have a problem.

Your blog posts do not always have to be the written word. If you do better at speaking to a crowd than writing to a crowd, how-to videos or product videos are worth a try. This is the place for your business to shine, to stick out more than the competition. Do you have a common problem that customers should be able to fix at home, and it doesn't really provide you with a lot of profit? Make some how-to videos or posts about this process, show them how to solve their own problem and save your services for those that are profit generating and more helpful to the customer.

2. Increase web traffic to your site.  

We all know that having a website does not guarantee new customers. Add a page to your current website and house your blog there. Not only will you be able to build a relationship with your current customers, but potential customers will be brought up to speed on your expertise, other services and products your business offers.  

Take advantage of SEO to drive website views. A website is static. It doesn't change very often, if at all. The blog page, on the other hand will change on a regular basis. Maybe your business can have Monday tips, Wednesday deals, and  Friday fun day where you blog about something other than your business or services.

The idea is to bring current and potential customers to you. Make the blogging experience informational and fun. Gain traffic to your website and in turn increase your sales.

3. Blogging is a great way to network with others in your industry. 

Your blog will not only be read by your customer, but other small businesses in your industry will be reading it to. Every small business owner knows that being in a network of other business professionals  is a must. Use the internet to your advantage - allow others to connect with you.

Some of your posts can be showcasing other business owners in your city, in different industries, or even in other parts of the country. Your blog can be a way to share business ideas with other owners; using the comments section may be a great way to even solve some of your own business issues. How would you do this? Write a blog about a problem that you are trying to conquer, ask other's to put their suggestions in the comments section. You may even be able to use some of those comments for future blog posts. 

The point of blogging is not so much to add another activity to your day. The point of blogging is to connect with others including potential customers, current customers, and other business owners. This wide connection will increase website visits and ultimately sales.

Not sure where to start with blogging? I can help. Simply click on the Contact Me page and send me your information. There are several packages you can choose from, including one where I simply write the blog post, e-mail it to you, and you have the ability to post it when you wish. 

Don't allow excuses to hinder your business growth. Either start your blog today or call me today so that I can assist in getting your blog started. Today is the day to start.

Passion - What hobby would you start this month?

I've decided to join a blogging group. Who would have thought there was such a thing. Of course, I found it by simply googling - help in freelancing. Up popped BlogHer.

Anyway, each month is a new topic. The participants are encouraged to write on specific topics on a regular basis. The "regular basis" is whatever you wish it to be. I've decided to try for 30 days. We'll see how this goes - hopefully I can keep up. I plan to do my regular blogging in addition.

As always, feel free to comment or send me a message about the posts.

February's theme is rightly named - Passion.

The question for today is: Start something you are passionate about; tell us what hobby you'd like to begin.

To start, I'm passionate about helping people. It doesn't really matter what the person needs; it may be advice, material things, helping with a project, teaching a new skill --- whatever the need is. The sheer act of helping someone else is my passion - it is what gets me excited, gets me awake in the morning, helps me enjoy my job.

As far as a hobby. Ahhh, starting a new one would probably not be the best idea I would have. My husband would say I already have too many. I have projects in varying degrees of completion in my office - up-cycling an old sweater, crocheting a bolero, sewing together a quilt top, scrap books of family pictures, genealogy projects ... I think that's it.

Maybe my hobby should be to complete one of those projects this month. But then I'd probably just fill the space with another unfinished project.

Motivational Monday - Humility is key to brave changes

Lyrics from Fighter by Jamie Grace

Seven bucks n hour
Bills stacked on the counter
Got a baby on the way, they'll have to feed
His pride is gettin' torn down
His confidence is worn out
This ain't the way he dreamed that it would be

She's got no time for make-up
When she's got three boys to wake up
Never thought she'd have to raise them on her own
And some days she feels like cryin'

She's been here before
And she's only eight years old
But she knows the name of every nurse she sees
And though she don't like the chemo she waits it out, never losin' hope that
Someday soon she'll be cancer-free

Humility is key to all brave changes

Any of these describe you?  I know I see myself in a few of those lines.

Sometimes we get to this point because of past decisions we've made. Other times we are here because of decisions we allowed others to make for us. Still others are here for unknown reasons; it is just the season of his or her life.

No matter the hows, when, or whys of where each of us is, we each have to make the brave decisions, and more often than not, the brave changes to have the outcome we desire and need.  For me, those brave decisions first come by prayer and seeking God in the midst of my chaos. For others, it may be talking it out with someone they respect the most. However you get to the point of realizing that you need to make a change, one thing is common - humility must be the coat you put on.

One has to humble him or herself enough to say that the way decisions were made or actions taken have not worked. Only then can a person determine what the next brave change will be. Only then can one determine a new course of action. Without that humility no motivational speech, no spiritual connection, and no amount of love will change a person's life. Without humility one cannot admit that they may have been wrong.

If today is the first day of a new brave life for you, start with humility. Start with admitting that you may have screwed up, that you don't have all the answers. Now, have a conversation with your creator and ask what your next step is. Seek out that person you know you can talk with and hear what they are saying. Find a 12-step program that will help you through these first few weeks of change. Find a church where you feel the spirit of God residing. All of these actions are the start of your brave change.

Girl Power!

So often we put girls in a box ---- pink or pastel dresses, bows in the hair, heels, make-up --- these are all the things we associate with girls.

This box allows us to say things like -- whine like a girl, throw like a girl, run like a girl, weightlifting like a girl. None of the comments are said in a positive manner. Quite the opposite, they are meant to be demeaning and derogatory, usually to make a boy feel bad about themselves.

But, do we think how this makes girls in the hearing of these comments feel? 

I work in an office of all men. On almost a daily basis I have heard many of these negative comments said from one man to another - while I'm within ear shot. 

I know that these comments have nothing to do with me.

           I'm pretty sure that the comments have no bearing on their idea of my workmanship. 

                        I'm guessing that they still respect me as a co-worker. 

Do you see the sliding slope? 

Even though comments are not directly referenced to me, they bring a negative air into the office. I don't say anything many of the times that they are said. But, then after a while, my dish full of tolerance runs over and I make some sort of comment; Hey, that's really offensive to me or how about we pick on a different minority group today or is that really how you see me?  At the time that my comments are made most of my co-workers look at me with a confused look. The negative statements are so ingrained into our culture that most of the time the guys don't even realize that they are saying offensive comments. 

Seven months into sharing this office space with my male colleagues and it seems the comments have almost been eradicated - we still have our days, but they are becoming much less. I'm hoping that this is true in their personal lives as well.

I say all this to introduce the best picture I have seen on Facebook in a very long time.

Share with all your girl-friends, girl-children, and girl-colleagues and lets eradicate the negative girl sayings.

Why your critics don't count

Building off of my post from yesterday, here is a great video from Brene Brown.  If you have not heard of her yet, you need to Google her and look her up on YouTube. She is a woman who desires to have the brave conversations abut vulnerability and creativity. She is the woman who desires to help each of us see potential in ourselves.

Watch and let me know what you think.

3 Steps to becoming a stronger woman

The hardest part of starting a business is the not knowing. Not knowing if you can sell that item or service. The not knowing if you are good enough. The not knowing if you will make the income you need to make.

Oftentimes, we allow others in our life to determine if it is a good idea or not; if we will be successful or not. Too often, we give others more opportunity to comment on our dreams than we allow ourselves. This is especially true for women.

Why do we do that? 

Why do others matter? 

It shouldn't. Yet, it does. 

We could just end the discussion there. Accept this as fate. Say that because others think we cannot make it, then we should not try. 

If you are a fighter, then you know it cannot end there. Here are three ways to continue the conversation with yourself - to push yourself to dream bigger and be successful.

1. Surround yourself with positive people.  These are not the "yes"-people. You know what I mean by that - those that don't want to hurt your feelings or "let" you feel bad about yourself so they just allow you to keep making mistakes. While they seem to be supportive and help you feel better about yourself, these are not the positive people you need.

You need people who are willing to support you through the tough times. Those that help you grow. They are the people who actually tell you that a certain color is not good on you, that you should probably redo the article because its not your best work, or that you need to just put all your work down and have some fun. These are the people that challenge you to think bigger. They can do that, because they think bigger about their own goals. 

You will find that you succeed when the people around you want you to succeed.

2. Write down your goals. Without goals you have no way of knowing if you have succeeded at a task or not. Without goals you have no path forward. Start out small and make one new goal each week; let the goals build on each other. Goals for loosing weight may start with walking 30 minutes a day for the first month, then add the goal of eating three vegetables a day the second month, and so on. By the end of the year you would have developed a very healthy lifestyle, and lost some weight along the way, without banging your head against the way.

Without thinking, you would have also started some habits that make goal setting successful. You would have recognized the behaviors that need to change in order to reach your goal. Changing behavior is the key to successfully meeting your goals. The behaviors are the essence of your plan.

3. Don't listen to the critics. We all have them. They are the people around us that for one reason or another choose to give us negative comments or advice. Very simply put, if the person giving you the advice has never gone through a similar situation, is not currently reaching for the same goal, or has no experience in whatever behavior change you are trying to achieve do not listen to the negativity.

Even though this step is similar to number 1, it is different in one main ingredient. These are the people that do not make up your everyday life; they are not your inner circle. The critics may come through your Facebook page, your acquaintance list, or your community. These are the people who know about you, but do not know who you are. These are the people who have conversations about the weather or the community gossip, not about your deep desires or important ideas. Do not let the critics determine who you are, what you can do, or how you meet your goals.

How to spot a bully

We often tell our children to not be a bully, to not allow bully's to taunt others, to stand up for those who are currently being bullied. Be a friend, be a support. Do unto others as we would want them to do to us - that is a parent's favorite saying, isn't it?


So, I'm confused.

Donald Trump is the leading Republican candidate in the presidential run. Yet, by all definitions he is a bully. So, how is he at the top of the list when we so clearly tell our children to be the opposite?

I thought about this for a while. The only conclusion I can come up with is that we really don't know what a bully is.

To help, I've gathered three common characteristics of a bully.

1. Public criticism is used to quiet a person.  I'm sure you've been the brunt of a few of these "jokes" before. I know I have. Molly Cain, a writer for Forbes magazine, pointed out an important point about bully's ... they know exactly what will hurt and they do it in public. They crush you with their words. Want to quiet John McCain, publicly criticize him for being a POW. Want to make Carly Fiorina be quiet, talk about her "ugly face" on public television.

2. Anger and spite are used impulsively to get their way.  As Adrian Furnham, of Fortune Magazine, so eloquently puts it, a bully's dysfunctional impassivity means they are quick to anger and lash out at others if things don't go their way. How many times have we heard this from Trump in order to excuse his behavior, "Well they criticized me so I punched back." It isn't so much that he criticizes publicly; it is that he uses the most hurtful words and stories to completely decimate the other person.

3. There is a lack of information replaced with confusion. Bully's tend to be all over the board. It doesn't matter if the information given is good or bad, it only matters who the bully is talking to or who they are talking in front of. If we look at Trump's behavior and rhetoric, it definitely changes. If he is speaking in front of Christians, then he is the best Christian there is; in front of a mixed crowd he admits he hasn't found the need to ever ask for forgiveness of sins.  In front of a woman-predominate crowd he totes on how much he respects women; he has said some of his most sexist remarks in front of mixed-gender crowds.

As adults, do we not have the responsibility to mirror appropriate behavior to a younger generation? If so, then why are a majority of Republican voters (some of whom would normally vote the democratic ticket) supporting a candidate who shows all the signs of a bully?

If you are a Trump supporter, I'd like to hear how you reconcile voting for someone who bullies others. More importantly, how do you explain bully behavior to your child or grandchild. Maybe I'm missing something, educate me.