Moola Days

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Capitalize On My Past Blogging Mistakes And Turn Them Into Your Blogging Success! Posted: 12 Feb 2011 04:30 PM PST Have you wondered why blogs fail? I have been blogging for … Well, honestly I am just unable to put a number to it as I simply cannot remember how long it has been since I started blogging online. Ten or twelve years? More? I am really not sure. And I have been reading stuff on other people's blogs for quite a while too. Sometimes, blogs begin with great fanfare and flourish and then, a year or so later, sometimes even in a matter of a few weeks, they simply stop. I have seen plenty of success stories and failures to become an expert on this subject. Most of us, including myself, struggle to achieve success in blogging. While some make it to the very top and become recognized bloggers, others simply lose it somewhere without understanding what went wrong and fall back to earth pretty hard. I have started quite a number of blogs myself, only to find myself losing interest in posting to them. Why? Why do some blogs keep going and others fail? I have seen the below-mentioned mistakes enough times to know they are the typical reasons why those bloggers and blogs fail. No Plan For Regular Posting This is probably the most important reason why blogs fail, including those of mine. They simply do not have a concrete plan to post regularly. Posts appear sporadically or not at all, for weeks at a time, or months. If you do not set aside a fixed posting schedule, then chances are that you will only post when you feel like doing so. I had a relationship advice blog site previously but because I did not commit to post to it regularly, nothing much was happening there and hence, I decided to sell that blog away to someone who has the time and passion to maintain it. As for my main blog, I post on a fixed schedule twice every week and occasionally, I do make surprise posts every other day. Posting regularly does not mean that you need to post every day; it just means that you need to adhere to a posting schedule such that your blog audience will know when to look out for your next awesome post! No Feedback Mechanisms Comments are what separate blogs from normal websites. However, most bloggers do not allow comments on their blogs because they feel that they will require much effort to filter off all the spammy comments. In addition, they also fear that the blog readers might write negative comments which can be detrimental to the blog's reputation. However, I personally feel that the comments section provide an avenue for the blog readers to express what they think, be it positive or negative comments. In fact, I get criticized all the time and it is not really a big deal to get upset over. This is the nature of the game. Put it in this way, a blog without comments is not a blog! Blog comments create a conversation. The conversation is already happening elsewhere so why not have it on your own blog and get your blog buzzing with life? Lack Of Focus And Purpose Blogs that do not pick up and run with a specific theme or interest tend to die a slow painful death. My photography blog withered after a year of existence probably because of this reason. I started this blog with a lot of enthusiasm initially and within the first few weeks, I have already made around 20 great posts. Subsequently, I struggled with myself on what to blog about. I started to write posts that began with "Well, I have not posted anything for quite a while … " or "Apologies guys for the long wait since the last post … ". The photography blog somewhat morphed into a personal blog three months later as I shared with everyone about my personal life instead … where I had breakfast, where I dated my friends during the weekends and how I got into a fight with my family etc. This is certainly one of the more spectacular ways why such blogs qualify for "epic fails". A very common mistake amongst other blogs. If a blog is not touching much on its specific theme but rather a litany of rants, whines and complaints, then this blog will generally dwindle away very soon. Blogs that come off as whining … FAIL. I have not seen many of these blogs stay around for long either. Giving Up Too Fast Nobody says blogging is going to be easy peesy. However, you cannot get discouraged so easily and just give up. Keep the content going. I guess your concern is probably that "So what if I am writing consistently? No one is reading my blog posts anyway!" This is a mindset that you need to change if you want to be successful in blogging. Everyone starts with zero readers and zero subscribers. Can you imagine that at the end of the first month when my main blog went live, I had merely ten subscribers? Somehow, we imagine ourselves to be superstar bloggers – like Brian Clark of CopyBlogger or Darren Rowse of ProBlogger – overnight. We look at their blogs with much envy as they are getting tons of traffic with significant profitability. It can be quite discouraging when our early numbers look so pathetic in comparison. It is important to realize that we have to start from somewhere and that place is not attainable overnight. For now, let's just focus on writing good content for your blog audience and the rest will follow. Believe me, it took me years to build up my brand and name. The Need For Quality Content And Unique Voice The quality of your blog posts does play a major role in determining the success of your blog. Your blog audience will appreciate the quality of the content that you write and that will make them want to return to your blog for more content in future. On the other hand, merely reposting what TechCrunch or the like said isn't going to get you anywhere. Try to provide a unique spin on things and ensure that your voice is heard. Do not be scared to voice your opinion or disagree about something. With zillions of blogs out there, it is almost impossible to be the only one talking about a particular topic; it's not always what you say but how you say it. Capitalize On My Past Blogging Mistakes And Turn Them Into Your Blogging Success! is a post from: Moola Days

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The Work Buzz's Latest News: Have a great idea? How to tell your boss

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Have a great idea? How to tell your boss Posted: 11 Feb 2011 07:35 AM PST Everyone is on social media these days: your friends, your favorite department store, your neighborhood coffee shop … even your grandma throws out a status update every now and again. But for whatever reason, your company missed the memo about Web 2.0 (probably because they didn't see it on Twitter) and continues to hum along in ignorant bliss, completely unaware of the marketing and engagement opportunities passing them by. You've been dying to fill your boss in on this missed opportunity, but you just don't know how — or when — to bring it up. That's because telling your boss about an idea you have is a risk — there's a chance you may get shot down — and taking that risk can be nerve-wracking. If you've got a great idea on the tip of your tongue, here's how to broach the subject with your boss: Ask yourself "Is the idea good for business?" "There is a difference between a great idea and an idea that will truly advance the cause of the business," says Dorothy Tannahill Moran, owner of Next Chapter New Life, a career change and development firm. "Make sure that you are clear on the true benefits or results you expect." Think ahead You don't want to present an idea only to have you boss poke a dozen holes in it within five minutes. To prevent this, prepare yourself with background information that will allow you to answer the questions that your boss will inevitably have during your conversation. "Have your idea developed enough that you can lay out some of the variables, results and implementation [and] be ready to field questions," Tannahill Moran says. Chris Westfall, owner of business consulting firm Westfall and Associates, suggests you start by finding the answers to the three questions almost every boss will ask: How much does the idea cost? How much will the idea make? What’s the long-term ripple effect of the idea? In addition to the financial details, it's important to think through the effect that the idea will have on other areas of the company, like employee morale and company reputation. Tie your idea to the company mission "Always know — in detail — your company's goals, mission statements, value statements, major initiatives or items that are emphasized on your company website, in shareholder reports or in any other external documents," suggests Terry Henley, director of compensation services at Employers Resource Association, a firm that provides HR advice, training and news for small businesses. "Try to tie your proposal in to support one (or more) of these stated objectives." Even better? "If possible, connect your idea, in some significant way, with a previous company effort that is broadly acknowledged as having been successful," he says. Consider your boss "Know the hot buttons for your boss, his/her boss, your division head or your CEO," Henley emphasizes. "If your idea intersects with one of their areas of known interest, that increases the likelihood of success for you, and, if the idea is likely to bring favor to your boss and their immediate superiors, it will enhance their own success. Do not hesitate to point out any manner in which this idea will benefit your boss, his organizational unit and his superiors." One word of caution, though. "Avoid being overly manipulative or self-serving; those are career-enders," he says.     Wait for the right time "If the house is on fire, a new idea tossed into the mix may not go over well unless the idea helps the immediate crisis," Tannahill Moran says. "You want to present an idea when the ability to focus and plan exists." Open with a “pain” statement A pain statement is one that directly addresses a point of concern and is a great way to get your boss's attention, says Leigh Steere, co-founder of Managing People Better, LLC. "Managers want solutions to the problems that are keeping them awake at night," he says. "For example, [say something like] 'I’ve been thinking about the last three quarters’ operating losses and believe I have a solution for turning that around and getting us back on solid footing,' or 'I see we’re getting lots of appointments with new prospects, but we just aren’t closing the deals. I think I know why and what we need to do to improve our sales results." Be confident "Just like job interviewing or anything else, you must exude confidence in what you are saying. If you are tentative or unsure, then your great idea is going to come across as weak," Tannahill Moran says. Have you ever told the boss about a great idea you had? How did it work out for you? Let us know in the comments section. Related posts: The boss doesn’t care anymore … so now what? Talk of workplace productivity, motivation and passion (or lack thereof)... It’s Take Your Dog To Work Day That's right; today companies everywhere will be allowing dog owners... Undercover Boss: Could Your Boss Do Your Job? If the popularity of "Undercover Boss" serves as any indicator,...

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