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When A Black Cloud Hits Your Business Psyche

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English: Managing emotions - Identifying feelings

English: Managing emotions - Identifying feelings (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ever look at the sky and see the black clouds roiling and churning up dismal and bleak sense of unbalance? Mother Nature has a way making that happen, and unfortunately, it happens to business owners, too.

When a black cloud of obstructionary (yep, coining) thoughts hits your business psyche, then everything is off balance until it’s not. This week, I’ve experienced that sense of forboding. Maybe it’s the time of year when there’s pressure to spend more money than you want on personal things and holidays. Perhaps it’s that constant feeling of playing catch up because there is never enough time to be the best social media buddy any more AND bring in the client work AND service it.

Perhaps it’s the fact that life happens and emotions get the best of us turning what was a solid pathway into a twisted, pot holed crevasse.

When all this kind of life happens and your business psyche are put at risk (because we all know a healthy mind, body and spirit make for an even healthier business), what are the things you do to take a turn for the better?

Here are 11 ways I try to deal with all things black cloud:

1. Cocoon and let the darkness slide in and around until it passes and the light comes on again. Don’t reach out to anyone unless it’s short conversations.

2. Stay away from topics on blogs that push buttons and don’t comment unless it’s neutral and positive.

3. Focus outward on others who need attention.

4. Belly laugh because it relieves stress immensely.

5. Eat comfort food like what I did for supper tonight — grilled cheese and tomato soup.

6. Hit the tennis court after working out the kinks on the treadmill and stretching to open the chakras.

7. Breathe in the nose deeply and slowly and breathe out the nose.

8. Watch mindless TV or read mindless books with no business connection.

9. Write a blog post to clear the head because bloggers are full of ideas and the mind becomes cluttered with topical tension.

10. Ask for a hug.

11. Call a friend and shed a few tears to detox.

Do you have certain things you do to ease tension and get your business back on track? When humans run businesses, it’s expected that human emotion can sometimes get in the way. It’s up to we as business owners to recognize the signs that emotion overdrive is hitting and put remedies in place to manage it.

 

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First Blog Post: 15 Tips for New Bloggers

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Keeping up with my Sunday pattern of posting one from the archives, this post below was one of my very first written March 22, 2010. Upon reading it, I’m impressed this list still has merit nearly three years later…what tips might you add based on your own blogging journey? Lastly, how about publish your “First Blog Post?” (Still relevant and well written?)

From Soulati’-TUDE! Archives:

Now that I’m officially a blogger, it feels pretty cool. I’m eager to put all the back-end stuff behind me and concentrate on perfecting and building the network. Unfortunately, I need to dig deeper for the patience as it’s all part of the larger journey.

In spite of my short time here, there are tools a newbie blogger needs to stay the course. Let me suggest several based on direct experience in the first two weeks:

  1. Patience and Perseverance. Without high levels of patience, a new blogger cannot persevere.
  2. Tech Know-How. IT knowledge is not a necessity, although it’s a bonus. Some of the more daunting areas are installations, code, ftp, renaming files, creating databases on c-panel and so much more. When self-hosting a WordPress blog, be prepared to be frustrated.
  3. Know your limit. Hit a wall? Ask for help; hire the experts. I didn’t, but needed to. (I had hit my wall, but a guy on Twitter blew me off for a week, and it angered me so much I insisted on doing this myself.)
  4. Time. Blogging requires more time. Obstacles and snafus galore and solving each take precious hours. See number two.
  5. Listen at a higher level. When speaking with clients, colleagues, friends, peers, listen for the next blog topic. After any conversation, if something strikes you, jot down key words to trigger topics.
  6. Keep a notebook, folder. Keep the notes, posts, items you read in a manual notebook or desktop folder.
  7. Rip tear sheets. Familiar with this term? Public relations practitioners use it when one of our stories we’ve placed hits. Get oriented to tearing out stories and filing into an idea folder. I’m already tearing sheets from Advertising Age, BusinessWeek and the Wall Street Journal which offer an array of ideas.
  8. Follow and subscribe. No better way to get post ideas then to follow people on Twitter lists via or . Subscribe to blogs in a reader. That way when on the road, you can access posts galore and delete subscriptions not making the grade.
  9. Use a dictionary/thesaurus. There’s nothing like a good dictionary to help find the right word or look up a synonym. Each post I’ve written has required reference to the dictionary. I’m expecting a few grammar lessons along the way, too.
  10. Be aware. Being aware is more than just combing content for ideas. Curiosity is the first step towards greater awareness. Surf 10 minutes daily on Technorati and get a sense of topics, style, and popular bloggers’ content. With awareness comes relevance.
  11. Engage on Twitter. A blogger must have a Twitter account, but all tweeps don’t have a blog. Twitter is the first best marketing tool for a blog; it’s a built-in audience who already finds you credible enough to follow. Blog posts are first promoted on Twitter. Whether you include Facebook in this marketing scheme is up to how you use it (friends/family or mix of business).
  12. Be responsive. When you post, the objective is to get attention. The ultimate goal is to get comments and furthermore subscribers. Answer everyone with appreciation who takes time to jot a note.
  13. Queue the posts. It’s Sunday morning. I’ve written 3.5 posts. Am thrilled to have something in queue for the week. Find that quiet time to draft skeleton content. Come back to it and edit. Find support points from the Web to empower the message.
  14. Learn! Already after a solid week of blogging, I’m thrilled with learning opportunities. While I thought Twitter was wonderful, blogging beats it hands down. I now look at everything through the blogging glass…is this a good topic? Is it a trend? Where can I find the data to support this statement? Do I need to back up my opinions? Shall I link to that site? Should I self-promote the blog on another’s post? Does this content resonate? Who cares?
  15. Respect one another. Everyone is entitled to opinions. It’s what makes the blogosphere rich. Set a positive tone with the goal of garnering respect.

What might you add to the list, please?

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Eight Reasons Why Blogs Can’t Go Dormant

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credit: en.blog.wordpress.com

A recent conversation with a small-to-medium business (SMB) included the question, “If my business is booming, then why should I keep blogging?”

Great question because blogging takes a boatload of consistent time and attention. Not only is a blogger responsible for creating and publishing genuine and authoritative content, that blogger needs to nurture a community and comment on others’ blogs, too.

I get it; but, here’s what I said to my peer, friend and colleague:

  • If your blog goes dormant, you can’t walk the talk with clients.
  • When you disappear longer than four weeks with no activity, people stop coming to check in and you’re forgotten.
  • Prospects that want to check out your work expect to see up-to-date product. If a date on the most recent blog post is 60 days prior, then that sends erroneous messages. You may lose a lead if a blog is inactive.
  • To compete, you need to stay inspired. A blog gives SMB brands an opportunity to differentiate from the competition.
  • Becoming an authority is no easy task; keep the insight fresh and trendy, and the brand will benefit.

8 Tips To Get Back On Track

1. Post from the archives — there is content no one has seen in 12 months; select a favorite, add a more current opening paragraph, and voila — a fresh post!

2. Write shorter pieces. Blog posts should average about 500 words, give or take. If you’re trying to get back on track, write 350 words (you can do those in your sleep!).

3. Acknowledge your community with a list of the last 25 commenters and their blog urls. That pingback will bring peeps back to your house in droves to welcome you back.

4. Aim for one post weekly for a few weeks to get your mojo working again. Anyone who has blogged more than 12 months knows how to get back to it; just like riding a bike.

5. Remember that community you built? They’re not gone; just dormant, too. But, if you call them back with consistent posts, you’ll earn the traffic once again.

6. Think about SEO juice — what’s the number-one rule? Fresh, frequent content to boost organic attention.

7. You can’t be a one-channel wonder. Great that you’re on Facebook, but where did you really get your start? Twitter. What happened next? Blogging. Where are your clients, community, employees and prospects hanging online? A little bit of everywhere, so you need to engage equal parts Twitter, Blogging, Facebook and Google+.

8. Feeling down and out? Remember the ‘raderie your blog community inspires. There’s absolutely nothing like a good ‘old #TeamBlogJack to raise the spirits of bloggers who’ve been dormant awhile.

So, what do you say? C’mon back! You’re missed!

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