Will Hodges asked me if I had any advice for a new blogger. I didn’t then, but I will when this post is done. Here are some snippets of advice in no particular order.
Take the time to do things right
It will probably take you some time to discover what works for you. You’ll develop a distinctive voice. You’ll create your own system for creating great posts. Most people take a year or more to learn those things. Commit to at least a year of blogging.
Take the time you need to develop posts. This is a place where speed kills.
Learn the craft
Writing blog posts is a craft. That means there are things you need to learn. It also means those things are learnable. Put in the effort. Take the time.
Write to a single person
Pick a single person to write to. I mean a real person with a social security number and bad habits. If you write posts that deliver value to that person, it will deliver value to others, too. And it will be easier to read. Remember: “One at a time, please.”
Write for them
Zig Ziglar was fond of saying, “You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” Remember that when you write your blog.
Don’t worry about what’s in it for you. Don’t tell them about your swell services or great big (or really little) company unless it’s part of helping them solve a problem or answer a question. Questions are your friend, capture them and answer them.
Write like you talk
Don’t write like you’re in English class, even if you got A’s. Don’t try to sound like a writer. Write your post the way you would tell it to a friend.
Keep getting better
There’s a lot here to help you blog more easily and productively. Here are six posts I think will be especially helpful as you start blogging.
Business blogging benefits even if you never get a new client