Bloggers: Take time out from sports analogies

Feb 27, 2012 | Better Blogging

“We’re on the last lap.”

“You won’t get a hit every time.”

“We need a three point shot to take us to overtime.”

Sports analogies work, but they shouldn’t be the only ones in your blogging kit. Remember that not everyone is a sports fan, many sports are country-specific, and many sports situations are different from business. So when sports analogies aren’t good or when you just want a change of pace, other analogies should come easily to mind.

To stretch your brain and improve your ability to use the best analogy every time, try out some different ways of making comparisons. Here are some kinds of analogies that have worked for me in business blogs.

Cooking Analogies

In cooking you have to select and bring together a variety of ingredients. The skill of the cook makes a difference. Dinner parties are major projects.

Parenting Analogies

Parents have been transferring lessons back and forth between the parent role and leadership in business for a long, long time. Bloggers should to do more of it.

Gardening Analogies

In the garden, there are lots of things you can’t control. The weather and the business environment have a lot in common. And gardening takes time and preparation, just like many business processes. In the garden you have to care for growing things, pick good seeds, and even use a little fertilizer.

Try Something Different

Stretch yourself by using analogies that you haven’t used before. You’ll increase your skills and you’ll improve the odds that your reader will get the message.