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Who Are You Writing For?

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Last week, Jenn Whinnem graciously offered a guest post and asked whether your blog writing may be offending readers. She got a litany of comments, and each of them had poignancy.  Yet, the answer was mostly skirted, so I need to address this in a different way while respecting all the comments people left who knew or were pondering the answer to that question.

Jack Steiner writes Random Thoughts, and he’s been at it for seven years as a blogger. This is miraculous; in fact, I don’t know anyone else who’s been blogging longer. And, his style is very much his own — he writes for himself about family, experience, personal thoughts, and some business, too. He doesn’t care to niche himself into one tier of audience because he clearly states he writes for himself. So, his audience is he.

Laura Click of Blue Kite Marketing said she is writing for small businesses about social media tips; yet, those who comment are her peers, and they may already know what she’s writing about. So, is her blog effective? Is it meeting her goals?

Leon Noone, that curmudgeon Aussie who recently guest posted on Spin Sucks, shares with Jenn that you need only have one audience. He states this based on his lifetime of direct marketing expertise. (By the by, you need to keep abreast of Leon — you can learn much.)

Adam Toporek shared that he’s blogging with SEO in mind so some of his topics are intended to push his Intense Fence business. He’s only been at it a little while, so he’s still trying new things.

Shakirah Dawud took Jenn’s comments to heart and suggested she needed a swift something or other to try and write for a larger audience. She claims she had been writing for her peer copywriter buds, but found that niche too narrow. She’s now considering casting a wider net.

Other bloggers have determined that personal introspection, therapeutic, and coaching content work well for them, and thus their audience is people who seek a community for support and a spiritual nature.

And, what about me, you ask? During that first year, I had no idea; my goal was to become a thought leader and I never asked anyone to hire me, buy from me, or other monetary gain. Knowing I wanted my clients to look at my blog and see something actively energetic, I had to write about what I knew — public relations.

But, writing about public relations begets other practitioners. So, eventually/fast forward to now, my blog has become a place for peers with a community built around social media, marketing and PR. Is that what I had intended? Nope. Didn’t want to be caught in the niche; but…I like it, it feels like home, and because I’m seasoned after 27 years in this field — well, I should not ignore that.

If your goal is to write for small businesses, writers, PR peeps, friends and family, or customers — keep in mind that there are those popping in to see what’s new who NEVER comment. (That’s why a “like” button is helpful; gives people a way to show they’re there without speaking up; ahem, @thesaleslion!).

So, clarify your blogging goals; defining your audience is exactly part of this process. Remember that goals can be adjusted as you grow:

  • Are you blogging to brand yourself?
  • Do you want to expand your service offering?
  • Do you need clients to see you in action?
  • Or, are you needing to grow as an individual and earn confidence while writing a ton and earn support from the sphere at the same time?

When you can definitively answer these questions,  you will know for whom you’re writing. And, maybe you already do.

 

The Elephant is Not a Republican, Congress

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The elephant in the room is not a Republican. It’s the debt ceiling fiasco and our illustrious congress (that’s sarcasm should you not recognize it).

I read a rant piece in Social Media Insider by Catherine P. Taylor “C’mon People, Is #f*ckyouwashington The Best We Can Do?” She also references Jeff Jarvis and his #f___youwashington hashtag and blog post rant about our government.

Ms. @cpealet complained that social media is not doing enough to fight for what Americans want — a balanced budget and the cease and desist of the infighting across the aisles and party lines. (At least that’s what I want along with a few more things.)

Instead of commenting on the blog, I looked her up on Twitter and suggested the reason no one was addressing this in social media is because it’s the elephant in the room. I don’t know anyone who shares their political leanings, and if they do, they’re tweeting from another account.

Then another tweep piped up @Votetocracy who asked for my clarification and suggested that people would tweet their opinions about abortion and taxes, and I vehemently said, “No way! People must remain neutral; it’s critical because it’s heated discussion.”

I do feel helpless. I’m upset, and I’m angry that Congress is not working together to honor the debt we owe other nations. I’m worried my parents’ social security will not get paid, and I’m worried my portfolio will nose dive again.

But, you don’t see me or anyone else in my circles talking about this situation. My opinion about why we’re not is because everyone has an opinion, and it clouds conversation. It gets in the way of common ground, and it’s unsafe. People form judgments about others based on political leanings. Back in the early days in PR, we knew that if we represented government or politicians we’d be forever labeled in a narrow niche and so we all avoided it.

If I was squarely on a campaign or working for a political party or government body, then I’d for sure be representing the cause. But, when I’m a tax payer struggling through the seriousness that is our economy and there’s no end in sight, I point fingers at all politicians regardless of political label.

As an American, I’m sick of this charade. I’m sick of the waste and the spending, and I’m sick of the threat of terrorism. I’m sick of the crimes we sling on each other, and I’m sick about the lack of courtesy and respect.

What can I do to solve these things? I can be accountable to my own standards, morals and ethics. I can be a better person. I can right the wrongs I’ve made due to bad choices, and I can rise above the squabbling as best I can. I can turn off the news and not become entrenched with all the stealing in corporate America, and I can work harder to ensure my future is secure (although that’s a long shot because I don’t believe that for a heart beat).

I don’t know…why don’t we express more about this situation on our blogs and send them off to representatives? Should we all take one day to blog about this and complain and then bombard Congress with our blog posts and dismay over the fighting?

Helplessness. That’s the word of the week. It sucks.

 

The Sales Lion Inspiration: Business Confidence

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Oh, man. I’m hot for this topic today. Thanks to Marcus Sheridan who deserves ALL the credit for what’s just below. Combing my reader to find some inspiration, I landed on The Sales Lion just this moment. And. Read. The. Whole. Post. With. Relish.

Marcus shares that he is the subject of a documentary and whilst filming he turned down a major inbound query that could’ve been a sale for his swimming pool company. The cameraman was befuddled, and Marcus shares that he was less than interested because he is not all things to all people. That caller needed a concrete company and not The Sales Lion (I don’t know if his pool company is called that or not).

Then Marcus takes it one notch further and asks his community to “promote yourself…come on…tell me about you as a blogger; do you know yourself; can you turn down a sale that’s not right for you?”

Marcus’s insight for the cameraman is that “you don’t know yourself or what you represent to be able to turn away business.”

Do you know yourself as a blogger?

Marcus is asking all of us to fess up to this question — if we can’t define who we are and what service we offer and to whom, then we will fail in business and in blogging. I love this hard knock question. Let me try, Marcus, to answer it here instead of in your comments section as you’ve invited. I encourage everyone to visit your house and try to do the same:

My business is public relations at its core. As I review the sphere, I see that I’m not traditional or typical. I cross boundaries squarely into marketing; in fact, I’m a chief marketing officer for one client and a marketing brand manager for another. That blend also includes new media which I’m challenged by every day to keep abreast of what’s new.

As a service business, I need to know my capabilities and expertise. There are few if any products I offer and when I do attempt to sell message mapping to clients for added value (and this is so critical), clients don’t understand the need or the worth.

That’s the other thing — knowing that what I offer is a specialty business and showing clients that value. New media has altered the perception of public relations, and many clients think they know how to DIY PR. Not so, and it’s a fine line to prove to clients they need my services.

Have I ever turned down business? Not really, but what I did do was turn down money.

Recently, I took on a client who wanted to pay me $20,000 monthly on retainer. They had no idea. I suggested something more palatable like $7,500 a month, and then I looked more closely at the business and knew I would reduce that retainer even further to a manageable and not over- promised, high-expectation budget. So, I knocked off another $4,000 and am proving that my team is worth more money at the end of the initial three-month engagement.

That example is as much a lesson as what Marcus shares in his blog post — are you confident enough in your talents to either turn away a valid sales lead or suggest a reduction in retainer until everyone is in sync?

Thank you, Marcus Sheridan of The Sales Lion, for this automatic inspiration!

 

Big Blogger, Little Blogger Conundrum

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The Kiplinger Letter inspired this post. Its headline story this week is about two recession tracks — one for big firms and one for little firms.

The little guys are struggling without financing, downsizings, and trying to keep doors open; the big guys are happy as clams with tons ‘o money just waiting for the ripe acquisition to roll into the net, holding baited breath for more tax breaks to create more jobs, and offshoring everything from call centers to profits.

I’ve heard scuttle on the streets about the rich Americans insulated from the recession while the less privileged live check to check and still aren’t making it.

What’s going on? The blurry lines are becoming more crystalline creating a clean categorization of top dogs and bottom feeders. In a way, this conundrum seems to fit big bloggers and little bloggers, too.

I’ve met some big bloggers IRL…in the flesh/in real life. They have amazing communities, fabulous content, bells and whistles on their blogs when you arrive to visit, and analytics knowledge to boot. There are guest authors galore, hundreds of comments pour in on average, and RTs are off the charts. These big bloggers’ celebrity is high on the pedestal along with their influence and Klout scores.

We little bloggers often wanna be like Mike (he was on an old Life cereal commercial). We want that fame, glory, community, and status on the Ad Age Power 150, don’t we?

But, should we? I’m offering food for thought, and I hope you eat.

Anyone who aspires to be a big blogger needs to be ready for that responsibility. Look at Gini…she puts in 40 hours a week on Spin Sucks to drive her Spin Sucks Pro offering. She has 13 people working for her at Arment Dietrich, and she’s listed 38 on the Ad Age Power 150. I met her IRL last week in Chicago; this woman is amazing — off the charts with a serious commitment to her company and staff, her community, her blogs, her family, and her biking. She makes the time, has the drive, the ambition, and the support to enable over-the-top hours to keep herself growing and thriving.

Do I wanna be like Gini? Sure, and in my own way, I am. Every big blogger began as a little blogger; every big company began as a little company. The rate of your growth as a blogger has everything to do with your business goals and your strategy.

If you aspire to be a big blogger, you can and will make it at your pace, on your timeline, and when you’re ready. You will set goals and attain them; you will draft content that resonates, and your community will grow with you.

Here’s dessert — it’s OK not to be a big blogger. More to come from me on this topic; what’s your food?

 

 

 

 

Sunday Sweets With My Twitter Friend Jenn

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It’s not Sunday anywhere until Saturday, so #Follow Friday, @JennWhinnem.  She needs a little boost of support, love, encouragement, and friendship today as she manages a medical condition she rarely speaks about and you’ll never know she has (until you do).

Yesterday, Jenn sent flowers, and they were purple to match.  She knew someone had a broken heart, and she focused not on herself and her convalescence, but on someone else she knew needed a hug. That’s the most amazing gift one can give – generosity to others, focusing outward, and sending love when she’s the one who should be on the receiving end.

Jenn is one of those special friends who will make you laugh, make you think, and make you marvel at the quality of writing she shares with us on occasion. She’s a regular guest author here, and she’s graced the likes of Shakirah’s, Mark’s, Jon’s (and who knows who else’s) houses, with really cool pieces.

Jenn now works at the Connecticut Health Foundation as the communications officer where she’s implementing vlogging, social media, blogging, and a bit of PR, if I’m not mistaken. I’m missing her on the Twittersphere as a result of her recent gig, but I’m so glad someone is benefiting from her many talents.

I’ve often asked Jenn for her opinion about Facebook strategy and building out pages; if she didn’t know the answer, she’d go find it and send me a link – immediately. She seems to be in the know about the latest applications and will share with anyone who asks so they know, too.

I’ve never seen Jenn not smiling. Perhaps today’s gift in kind, Jenn, will ensure your pearlies are visible to those around you.  One thing is for sure, you’ve managed to be the most selfless person I know – putting me in front of you during a time when you should be first.