One advantage (and also potential downfall) of social media for freelance and small business people is the opportunity to jump in and get started blogging with less forethought because its costs (both real and opportunity) CAN largely be incurred as-you-go versus before you start blogging.
Blogging and Traditional Marketing Communications Tactics Are Different
There is a contrast between blogging and most traditional marketing communications tactics where significant creative, production, and media costs HAVE TO be incurred before starting, often making small scale efforts or experiments cost prohibitive.
This fundamental difference of social media versus traditional marketing communications is vital for freelance and small business people to remember when considering blogging. It is easy to apply the same hurdles you would use before starting a traditional marketing communications effort when it comes to blogs. Instead, there is an entirely different set of rules for blogs.
When It Comes to Social Media, Give Yourself Permission to . . .
It is vital for freelance and small business people to give themselves permission to:
- Tell your version of whatever your story is; that is the story you are the most expert at sharing.
- Reach out to other bloggers and ask questions about blogging; that is how you will short cut the hard knock lessons of blogging.
- Not fully develop the case for your point of view; that is what future blogs are for.
- Experiment with varied writing approaches; that is the only way you will learn what writing approach works for you.
- Not elaborate on every proof point you can imagine; that is where reader comments come in.
- Not perfect the prose of every post; that is what editing and republishing a blog post is for.
- Not redo a blog post until you think it is perfect for your audience; that is when what your audience thinks is most important.
- Write a post that falls flat; you are not writing Huckleberry Finn.
- Start telling people about your blogs in every way possible; that’s the start of building an audience.
- Begin publishing posts; that is what blogs are for.
Have you hesitated to get started blogging?
If you have a freelance or small business, have you hesitated to get started with blogging until it is just right? If that's the case, how are you wrestling with these (or other) social media permissions?
So how about it, small business people - are you ready to cut yourself a break now and get started with your blog?- Mike Brown
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