How has blogging helped my business - ask Lisa - as part of CreativeLive Tour!
Why do I blog? Do I have to blog? Do I want to blog? Is there any benefit to blogging? Why does the word blog have to sound so stupid?
These are not only questions I have asked myself, but questions that get asked of me…often.
My sweet friend April Bowles, of Blacksburg Belle and author of Marketing for Creatives asked me for my 2 cents on the topic of blogging. I'm really glad she did. It was time to take a look once again at the why?
My first blog post went "live" on May 2, 2007. TWO THOUSAND SEVEN!! Most people still didn't know what a blog was back then! Four people read it. Pretty sure one was me, the other my husband and maybe my mom and sister!
I was exploring. Trying to decide if blogging was for me. Trying to see if it fit. I was a sporadic writer to be sure. I had no concept on content. I didn't know how important it was to be regular. One word. Clueless.
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| from a fashion post |
But then I invested some time…and money…in blogging conferences. It not only opened my eyes to the world of blogging, I absorbed incredible amounts of information AND it created some of the most lasting friendships with some of the most amazing people. I began to understand what it meant to have a voice.
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| how to do Halloween makeup |
I knew I had a voice. I knew I had a passion for writing. But I still doubted that anyone would ever "read me". What do I know about? Where is my expertise? Do I have awesome photos to share?
Soul searching. I really just wanted to write about what I knew and what I was feeling. I wanted to be the voice of someone who maybe didn't have one. I began to forge my own path. I know and love fashion. I know and love jewelry. I love people.
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| who am I? an artist. |
It's not a formula. It's being honest with yourself. When you are honest with yourself, people can tell, they can relate, they will come.
I wrote about my jewelry. I wrote about techniques. I wrote about homeschooling. But then…finally…I opened my heart…and I wrote my first deep soul searching post about my struggle with depression. And I was overwhelmed by the response. I'm STILL overwhelmed.
That was truly the motivator for me. It proved that I did in fact have a voice. A voice that needed to be heard.
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| finding JOY |
So has blogging benefited my business? Absolutely. Because I am not just a girl that makes jewelry. I'm your friend. I have really successful days. I have really bad days. I know boots unlike any other. And I am honest in my product reviews. You trust me. I value that more than you will ever know. And honestly? I would rather be your friend - be someone you trust - be someone you vent to via email then a millionaire sitting in a corner studio somewhere. It's relational. And it's beautiful!
My friend April is one of those people who has encouraged me on my blogging journey. She helped me find my path. And now she is teaching a class on blogging. My advice? Take it. I don't get a cut for pushing it. I'm not being paid to write about it. April is the real deal. We have had countless email conversations, but one live phone call. That one hour made more of an impact on me then many classes I have trudged through online.
If you are ready to take the next step for your business, or maybe you just have considered blogging - let April help you. You won't regret it.
Here's an excerpt from CreativeLive:
There are over 200 million blogs on the internet. If you want your voice to be heard, you've got to cut through the noise and stand out.Learn how to write engaging headlines {you know, the kind that actually make you click}, take pretty pictures, develop a solid content strategy {bye bye writer's block}, monetize your blog {yes, actual money} and so much more in April Bowles Olin's workshop on creativeLIVE May 1st to May 3rd.RSVP to watch it live for FREE. Because, free things are pretty awesome. (High-fives, wine samples at the grocery store, library books, birthday desserts at your fav restaurant, Pinterest. All pretty awesome.) On a tad more serious note, you've got to tune in for this course. It won't disappoint.
I hope you continue to stop by here. My little space on the internet. I hope you continue to talk back to me…nicely of course…about what you want to know…what you want to hear…what are the "it" shoes of the season :) But mostly…because we ARE friends, and these are my letters to you!
xoxoxooxoox
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Posted on April 24 2014