Start Blogging Now. Why Wait?

Last weekend, I spoke at a seminar on the topic of social media and we spent some time on the subject of blogging.

Most people acknowledge the value of blogging, but have a hard time committing to it. Yet blogs provide one of the most tangible benefits across all customer and prospect touchpoints; establishing leadership, insight, providing value and fueling a company's unique brand in ways that more traditional marketing methods can't (without taking a lot of time and costing a lot of money). Why don't more business owners and managers use blogging as a strategic tool? Here is what I'm hearing and why you should do it anyway:

I just don't have the time. Spending a few hours per month is a small commitment when it comes to building your brand and strengthening your client community. Create some short cuts to build as you go. Keep a Word document as an icon on your laptop that is quick and easy to open. As the day progresses and you read something or meet with someone, jot down a few thoughts on that doc. If you have an iPhone there's a cool app called Note Taker. You can actually jot down notes and store them. Either way, you'll be creating a list of topics to choose from. Gives you a running start. One blog per month is all you need to get this going. Then, of course, you need to get that blog noticed. That's for another day (or call me and I'll help you with it).

I'm not a great writer. That's good news since effective blogging is not about using perfect sentences and syntax. It's talking to your community --- clients, prospects, and other interested parties. The best blogs use natural language. Blog the way you talk; go ahead and ramble, then go back and make adjustments here and there to clean it up. Have someone you respect look it over before you post.