When I started my own Public Relations firm, I turned to my friend and mentor, who owns his own marketing agency. Kyle Reyes of The Silent Partner Marketing shared a ton of advice with me and continues to do so. You want to know what the best piece of advice he gave me was? He told me to start blogging. To be honest, I was Very apprehensive about that. All I could think of was: who wants to read my blog? What will I write about? Will they be any good? How will I find the time? Well, I conquered my fears and Kyle was right. Blogging helps you and your business grow. For those of you who are nervous or questioning the power of blogging, I’ve compiled several tips on on how to blog and reasons to start writing.
Just Do It
You have to make time. Whether it’s 5am or 10pm, you just need to sit down and write. Make sure you are in a quiet place to eliminate distractions. For me, I write either in the early morning or evening when the little ones are sleeping. Do it at a time that is not going to take you away from your regular job or clients.
You Know More Than You Think
You are smart, really! Write about what you know. I was so scared that I wouldn’t be able to come up with topics. It turns out, that wasn’t the case at all. Think about what you talk about with your co-workers, clients, and industry friends. What is going on in the world that relates to your industry? If you think of a topic, write it down immediately. I can’t tell you how many times that I’ve jumped out of the shower and written down ideas. Apparently, that’s where I do my best thinking.
Be Consistent
Don’t stop at your first blog. The more you do, the easier it will get and it won’t take you as long. Once you begin writing, your followers and friends will be looking for your next blog post. Plus, every time you blog, it helps with search engine optimization (SEO).
Be Social
When you write your blog, share it on all of your social media outlets. Publish a post on LinkedIn, tweet about it, share it on Facebook, pin it on Pinterest, upload a great picture on Instagram and tell everyone about your latest post. The more your blog is out there, the better. It’s worth the extra couple minutes it takes to do this.
Be Different
Depending on your industry, create a once-a-week theme. For example, one PR company does a Tuesday Tip. I write a blog post called Friday Favorites where I feature local business or products that I love. Think about what value can you offer to your followers, customers, clients and friends. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box!
When you take the plunge and begin blogging, it will be intimidating at first. It will probably take you a while to write your first couple of posts, but it will get easier. Don’t give up!
Blogging has allowed me to gain new clients, be a guest blogger on Belle Communications, and it has connected me with PR professionals and tons of industry experts.
If you’re still questioning if blogging will help your business grow? Let’s go back to my friend Kyle. He writes a blog everyday, even on the weekends. One of his blogs called How Technology Killed Millennial Communication sparked the interest of a Bloomberg Business reporter. After a 45 minute interview, he was featured in Bloomberg Business. You can read that article here. Plus, a ton of new business comes from people reading his blogs. How’s that for success?
Now go write!