Will a blog bring you new, profitable business? If you listen to Harold Jarche, the answer to that question is a resounding “Yes!”
“My business would not exist without my blog. Period. Note that I live in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada; population 5,000. I am 1,000 km away from the closest internationally recognized city (Boston or Montreal). Even our timezone is unknown to many people. Without my blog, nobody would ever have heard of me. My speaking engagements are an indication of the reach my blog has provided. Finally, thanks to Automattic for making WordPress, which I adopted in 2006, and it made my online life much simpler.”
But that’s only one person’s experience. A couple of years ago, Mary Jo Asmus told me in conversation that she hadn’t gotten a single client from her blog. I emailed her to ask if that’s still the case. Here’s Mary Jo’s answer.
“You can’t quote me on that any more, I’m happy to say. But I did blog for 5 years before getting the first. Still thin pickins’ and the clients I do get seem to be in smaller orgs than I get through other means, which makes sense to me.”
My own situation is somewhere between those two. About half my clients come to me by referral. About a quarter come through first contact on the blog and an equal number through first contact on social media.
There is no magic tool. The magic is in the mix. Your blog is one part of the mix. Make sure that the blog represents you accurately and well.