We all make excuses, especially when it comes to blogging for our business, but just remember…
Marketers who have prioritized blogging are 13x more likely to enjoy positive ROI. (HubSpot State of Inbound, 2014) Here are the Top 8 excuses in no particular order.
1.) Our website is ugly
You may be thinking, “I don’t want people to see my company site, it’s ugly!” Amen brother (or sister), it’s hideous, but that’s mostly because it’s got dust an inch thick all over it and it’s just been sitting there doing nothing! So what if your website isn’t a Mercedes GLK, but it’s a 1976 Grand Torino with full leatherette interior. Time to shine her up! You can always get that exterior redone, but first you have to get that inbound sales engine running by adding some blogging fuel! Time to get back on the road! And remember, despite all the Kim Kardashian nonsense out there, some folks just aren’t that concerned about looks. It’s what’s on the inside that counts. New paying clients gained via the web are a great way to pay for that website makeover.
2.) We Don’t Know What to Write About
C’mon, you’re loaded with information. What do you do all day? Who do you talk to? What questions do they have? What are their concerns? You have answers and people are looking for them. Think about the main words that you want people to know about and plug it into this
blog title generator by HubSpot. Once you have a title, it is pretty easy to start plugging away. You’ll be amazed by the ideas that start to flow once you’ve got a solid title. It’s also a great idea to get together an editorial calendar so you have a place for your titles, know who is responsible, know when posts are due and keep track of your progress.
3.) We’ve Got Plenty of Business
Is that true? If it is, ok, that’s good and I’m happy for you. Still I bet you want to fill that pipeline though with qualified leads and perhaps, dare I say it, grow your business? And if you truly have enough business, is it the business you want? By writing content that is targeted to your target persona, the visitors you want will begin to arrive.
4.) Our Business is Too Small
Nonsense. You own a business and people or other companies are interested in your goods or services. There is a market out there for what you are offering. Help them find you online by speaking to their problems, needs and wants. If there is a need, you will get found. When they trust you by the information and education you give them, they will buy from you. Then you just might not be a small business anymore.
5.) Nobody Cares About What we Have to Say
People do and so does Google. They want to hear from you. They actually like you more when you present the special knowledge you’ve acquired by being in your field or industry. In fact, they reward you for it by putting you higher up in the search engines.
6.) We’re Not Good Writers
Present this post to an english teacher…err..English teacher and there will be some mistakes found for sure. My point is that folks aren’t as interested in grammar and perfect writing as they are in good quality content that can help them in their jobs or their lives. Do you think the guy who is desperate to find batteries for his flashlight in a blackout cares what they look like? Probably not.
7.) We Have Nothing Original to Say
As I wrote this post, I thought to myself, “I wonder if anyone else has written a post like this?” So I Googled it. Yup, there was one very similar in thought, but they weren’t saying it like me. I’m unique and I have my own unique perspective on my work and my industry and so do you. Plus, who I write for is likely different than who they write for. Write for your target persona and that’s who you will attract.
8.) We Don’t Have Time
Yes, you do. You had time to read this silly, but extremely informative and entertaining post in its entirety and blocked off time to watch House of Cards on Netflix, so you have time to put up a 300-500 word post about topics that are most important to your target persona and your business. Don’t be drama. It’s time to stop making excuses and get blogging! If you’ve got more excuses, we’d love to hear about them and help you put an end to them.
