Have you been wondering about launching your own blog? Are people telling you you should? Does the word “BLOG” make your eyes glaze over because you can’t possibly take on another new initiative to build the buzz about your own business when you already have so many pots on the stove?
These were the questions I was pondering well over a year ago as people I liked, trusted, and respected continued to tell me that blogging would be a powerful tool to spread the DIY publicity message. It wasn’t until Michelle Price of A Third Mind spoke in very plain terms to me that she really caught my attention. She said that without a blog, one arm of my potential success would be tied behind my back.
Something about that plain talk struck me right between the eyes and compelled me to get into action. With Michelle’s help, this blog launched one year ago today. Since that time, I have made 247 posts within 19 categories. I have received 132 comments. Webalizer reports show that unique site visits have grown from 2,598 in September of 2007 to 12,017 as of August of 2008.
The blog is enabled with e-commerce and makes it easy for my readers to register for upcoming Publici-Tea™ Workshops, purchase Authentic Visibility information products, sign up for my Authentic Visibility ezine, and sign up to receive my blog posts by Real Simple Syndication (RSS Feed.)
Most importantly, I have a powerful avenue at my fingertips by which to share my readers’ DIY publicity success stories, offer tips and resources to empower their success, offer insights and stories that inspire more DIY publicity success, and share what is on my mind with immediacy.
Have I received multiple invitations to speak as a result of the blog? Yes.
Have I been invited to participate in joint ventures with nationally recognized PR experts from other parts of the country as a result of the blog? Yes.
Have I sold more products and invited more event guests to my events as a result of the impact of the blog? Yes.
Is my business earning more money and gathering more influence as a result of the blog? Yes and Yes.
And these are just the tip-of-the-iceberg benefits I’ve enjoyed over the last year.
The media are changing every day. I am jumping into new media with both feet and having more success with greater ease, even though “tech savvy” is not my middle name.
Am I glad to have launched my DIY publicity blog? Absolutely. Do I think you should, too? Only you can decide. When the timing and opportunity are perfect and you can make your own best case about why now is the perfect time to jump in, you will.
Be clear about what you want the blog to accomplish. Support that mission with every post you make. Post regularly — at least 3-5 times a week. Add visuals to lend interest to your words. Have some fun, and make a difference in only the way that you can.
As for me, I am going to keep blogging. Thanks to Michelle Price to kicking me in the behind to get going on this powerful initiative. Thanks to all of you who continue to read my posts and offer your comments, share your DIY publicity success stories, and track back to my posts.
My audience is growing, and the best is yet to come. Thanks for tuning in. Thanks for lettings others you know that DIY publicity support is waiting for them right here at Authentic Visibility. My enthusiasm to serve is high, and I can’t wait to see what happens as a result of the blog in Year 2.
