Start Writing Blog Posts Today
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said, “Stop overthinking and start writing blog posts,” to business owners, I’d be close to retirement. Over the last few months I’ve learned there are an infinite number of distractions that prevent us from blogging or doing whatever it is we need to be doing for our business. Focus, managing priorities and time, and having a simple, executable plan are keys to making blogging a priority.
My Biggest Challenges
Every week I add topics to my editorial calendar in the hopes that I will start writing for this blog, my project with The Solopreneur Blog, and the yet-to-be-released McAuley Musings and it just doesn’t happen.
What I am trying to say is that I am just like you. I don’t have time to blog.
I’ve been focused on blogging for my business clients, writing proposals, business development calls and meetings, and connecting with clients and prospects via email and social media.
I don’t know if not having time to blog is all that I’ve had. The reality is that I can tell you to start blogging but I’ve been sitting at my desk, analyzing website data, reading content marketing tips, and never crafting a single blog post about what I’ve learned.
I have Analysis Paralysis.
That little voice in my head keeps telling me…
The message has to be aligned with my brand.
The information has to be accurate.
The word count has to be 300-600 words.
And on and on….
If this sounds like you, I’ve got a few tips to start writing blog posts:
- Start a list of ideas. What are people asking you often? What are the pain points for your clients? Answering questions from your audience or network will give you authority as an expert over someone who isn’t blogging on their business website.
- Focus. Each night before I close shop, I write my to-do list for the next day. That’s my plan for the next morning when I am a groggy writer shuffling down the hall grasping a cup of coffee as if it were my last. Trust me when I say it isn’t pretty. Having a list is like a security blanket. I don’t have to worry, I just work the list.
- Include Yourself. For a lot of the last five months I’ve been forgetting to put myself on the to-do list. Not only did writing for my own projects fall behind, so did accounting and filing, keeping in touch with my power team, and any sort of physical exercise. Now that I’ve added ME back to my list, I am more active and productive.
- Just do it. Make a statement about a newsworthy item you read about your industry. Answer a frequently asked question. Spin an ordinary topic into a blog post that isn’t so ordinary. Just start writing.
- Progress, Not Perfection. My budgeting coach told me progress, not perfection about money and the phrase has stuck with me. Business development, marketing, blogging, almost anything that’s good for you or your business is about progress, not perfection. Just get started. You can always edit later.
If you’re reading this thinking that you understand the value of blogging on your business website and just don’t have the time, give me a call at 480-206-6452 to find out how I can help.
