Top 5 Reasons To Blog (Or Not To Blog)
- September 19, 2010
- Posted by: Rochelle
- Category: Running Your Business, Social Media
Professional advisors are a unique class of bloggers. We essentially sell advice for a living. We (rarely) make money from advertising, nor do we really want to. Blogs for advisors are often a distribution channel for thought leadership and—done well—a piece of our sales funnel. So the big question is: to blog or not to blog?
I’ve assembled a list of the top 5 reasons for both. Take a look and share your additions, deletions and comments.
Top 5 Reasons To Blog
You’ve got a clear point of view. As an advisor, you should have a clear, compelling POV to serve as your blog’s organizing theme. Every post relates in some way to your core beliefs about how your clients can be successful.
You write regularly. No exceptions. Pick a schedule that works for you (a minimum of 2x/month) and stick to it. No matter what client emergency comes up. Why is consistency so critical? Because readers—future clients—make snap judgments about your reliability from your posts. Don’t let them view you as flighty or unreliable.
Your return (financial, PR or otherwise) warrants your time investment. Be clear on your goals, time commitment and desired outcomes. You won’t reach your goals overnight, but monitor your metrics. This is an investment in your future and you want to make it worth your while.
You know it’s about your audience. Look for new ways to present ideas that will engage your readers. If they make comments, write back! They have taken some of their valuable time to connect with you—don’t blow it now. I’m still waiting for a so-called PR blogger to engage in a conversation he started—6 weeks later!
Not only do you publish regularly, but you are willing to be accountable to your readers. This means that you don’t just promote your blog, you own up to mistakes and deal with critics (and trolls) effectively.
Top 5 Reasons NOT To Blog
You sound like everybody else. If all you have to say is a regurgitated version of someone else’s content, you won’t be successful in the blogosphere. Find your authentic voice and share it. Hint: It may take a few posts—with feedback—to find the voice that best suits you.
You insist on putting your political or religious views front and center. Just don’t. You’re not a political or religious blogger, this is about your business. Your goal is to draw the right clients to you, not to convert someone to your religious beliefs. Stick to your expertise and insights.
Your writing doesn’t cut it. Long, jargon-packed sentences will not help you demonstrate your expertise. Since I have yet to meet a professional advisor who believes they are NOT a good writer, get a second opinion! Or a very good editor.
Public criticism makes you wilt. Frankly, this could be all the more reason to blog—you need to toughen up and get yourself in front of a larger audience. But if you have all the work you can handle and don’t want to deal with this particular fear, simply abstain.
You never met a rant you didn’t like. We’re talking turning a mild-mannered, smart advisor into a raging beast. Haven’t you witnessed emotion-fueled rants in blogs and various social media? The only thing rants bring you is fellow ranters. Is that really how you want to grow your business?
Blogging. Not for everyone, but a clear opportunity to spread your word. What would you add to the lists?
11 Comments
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As usual you make reading fun for me. Your bloga help me with mine. Thanks Rochelle.
Ed
Blogging, and I do it more via a twitter post linked to my Facebook and Linkedin offers a way to keep in touch with clients and potential clients. The twitter post links to a post on my website or another of the websites that I may post to (because I maintain them for clients or CBOs). I always reply to posts on Facebook or LinkedIn but sometimes I find it better to response privately.
Good post. I think it remains important to note that some of us, pre-internet, would send out faxes or regular mail commentaries. I recall receiving material 30 years ago from a learned retired PR pro; just never thought about it as a precursor to today's blogs.
Thank you Ed and Corey! Excellent point Corey on how blogs are really just a new form of commentary. At the risk of dating myself, I well remember mailing paper updates to contacts on new ideas and legislation…..
Good points Rochelle. Some people often jump into blogging without thinking about whether or not they should or even could. I glad to see that you follow your own advice!
Thanks for posting!
Thanks for sharing Katie.
Some of these lessons were learned the hard way 🙂
Glad they were helpful!
Great points Rochelle. You show both sides.
Advisors yak yak yak. Yet there's such reluctance to put those opinions in writing online and stand behind them.
PS I love the 4th monkey 🙂
Thanks for contributing Promod! "yak, yak, yak". Love that 🙂
Rochelle, I like your article enough to spotlight you as this week's guest blogger. This way I don't have to write my blog and you can go on vacation and still feel like you've done something productive! Seriously, valid points and worth sharing with my network of professionals! Lori T. Williams, Owner/Managing Attorney of Your Legal Resource PLLC http://www.bestlegalresource.com
LOL Lori–love this! I feel so productive 🙂
Thanks!
Rochelle
Certainly. And I have faced it. We can communicate on this theme.
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