Guest Post by Monica Crowe

Have you ever sat at your computer on the day you were supposed to post to your blog and been completely stumped about what to write?Believe me. It’s not just you. Writers block happens to the best of us.

But I’ll bet that just as often as you’re stuck for what to write, you also have inspired ideas for blog posts. Yet, if you don’t take note of them, they float off into the ether never to be remembered. Then, on blog posting day, you end up sitting in front of that blank white page with a blinking cursor for longer than you want or need.

Luckily, there is a simple blog post organizing system that will help you to not only corral your ideas as they come to you, but also have a plan in place every time you sit down to write. But first, let’s address the problem of what to write.

Finding blog post ideas

The simplest way to create excellent blog posts for your readers is to consider the questions your customers ask you regularly. What do they want to know more about? What valuable information can you give them about your expertise that will solidify their trust in you as an expert? Think back to conversations you’ve had, and scour your old e-mails and blog comments for those questions.

Next, ask the people who follow you on your social media channels what they’d like you to write about. Regularly ask the same question at the bottom of your blog posts. Encourage your readers to leave a comment with their answers.

If this doesn’t kick up much information, you might host a contest in which you give away a desirable discount, e-product or free consultation. To enter your contest, your readers must give you three topics they’d like you to write about.

Organizing your blog post ideas

Start a digital note taking system to keep a running list your best blog post ideas. A sheet of paper will either get lost or eventually overlooked. Instead, Evernote and Dropbox are excellent tools, because you can access your notes on a smart phone and computer. Plus, if your computer were to crash, your notes will still exist online.

Additionally, Gmail users might create a Google Doc list but to my knowledge these can’t be accessed via smart phone. Finally, if you’re on the go when inspiration strikes, you can also use your cell phone’s note taking or voice recording applications to capture ideas and later transfer them to your online digital list.

Create an editorial calendar by filling it with your best blog post ideas

I use a Google Calendar, but keeping a paper calendar works just as well in this case. Implementing this posting system makes it clear exactly when you need to post to your blog, and exactly what you’ll write. Plan your calendar for months in advance, and you’ll never lack for a good topic to write on posting day. You’ll also avoid neglecting to post, as can sometimes happen without a solid plan in place.

As a business owner, failing to post regularly — at least once a week — is one of the worst things you can do. Why? Because a neglected blog raises a red flag that you might have gone out of business. Consistently showing up and delivering helpful information on your blog will indicate to potential customers that you are an expert who can be counted on. Having an organized blogging system will help you do that.

Monica Crowe teaches small business owners how to use their blogs and e-mail newsletters as marketing tools so they can make more money doing what they love. To get more of Crowe’s blogging tips, visit her blog.

Guest Post by Michelle Shaeffer

Are secret fears holding you back from jumping head first into blogging? Don’t let them! Blogging is nothing to be afraid of, and nothing has done as much to boost my business and my visibility as blogging has.

So let’s talk about some of those fears that might be holding you back from blogging:

1. I’m not sure I have anything to blog about…

Everyone has something to share. If you’re an entrepreneur and you’re in business for yourself, then it’s safe to assume you’re passionate about something, right? Blog about that!

If you’re blogging for business, then it doesn’t necessarily matter what you feel you’ve got to share–it only matters what your audience wants to read. They’ve got problems, challenges, questions, and you can be the one to deliver the answers they’re searching for.

Once you’ve got your main topic or theme for your blog, you can find inspiration everywhere. Here are some great resources to get your brain going:
Chris Brogan
Blogging Bookshelf
Social Media Examiner
Simple Storming

2. But I’m not a writer!

So do a video blog or an audio blog. Create a blog that’s just you doing a weekly interview with experts or sharing a book review on video. Use a voice-to-text program to speak your blog posts and let your computer do the typing for you. There are options that don’t require you to write at all.

You could also consider hiring a ghostwriter, using PLR articles, reprinting free articles, featuring guest bloggers, or using the content you’re already creating (for your marketing materials, ezine, newsletter, ebooks, or whatever else you’ve got).

Or, be okay with the fact that you aren’t a “writer” and blog anyway. Blogging isn’t like your thesis where every word has to be perfect and every sentence has to be grammatically correct. It’s a conversational, relaxed form of written communication. Basic writing skills are necessary if you’re going to write a blog. In general, if you can write an email, you can blog.

3. I’m too busy and I don’t have time to blog!

Blogging does take time. There’s no way around that. But it doesn’t have to take hours a day. And since blogging allows you to create content that you can repurpose into other materials (articles, ezines, ebooks, print books, and much more) it’s definitely not wasted time.

Remember that you set your own blogging schedule. You don’t have to blog daily. I blog nearly daily and it works for me. But many bloggers post 2 or 3 times a week. The key is consistency with whatever schedule you choose.

There are sneaky ways you can speed up your blogging, as well. Here are 10 ways to blog better and faster.

4. What if no one reads my blog?

If you don’t let people know it’s there, they won’t read it. But it’s not difficult to promote your blog. You just need a system of where and how you’ll promote it and drive traffic (just like you already do for your website, right?). This is one of the easier obstacles to overcome.

Get a group of friends together and ask them to actively comment on your blog. Some bloggers even ask their virtual assistant to leave comments. Setup a commenting circle where you subscribe to a few friends’ blogs and they subscribe to yours, then each leave a comment when new posts are published. Once you’ve got a few comments appearing, it’ll be easier for new readers to jump in and comment, too.

Join a comment tribe. Comment tribes are groups (on Facebook or other networking platforms) where everyone shares their blog post, then comments on others in the group. Just check the rules before joining any so you know what you’re in for.

5. How will I find time to promote my blog when I’m already busy?

Once you’ve created a blog promotion plan, it’s easier and doesn’t take too much time.

There are many promotion strategies that can be automated so they happen every time you post a new entry on your blog, without any extra action from you (such as using Twitter Tools to send your posts to Twitter, NetworkedBlogs to send your blog to Facebook, and ping to tell the search engines you’ve shared something new).

6. It’s too expensive (or too technical) to get it set up.

No need to start with a whizz-bang fancy-shmancy custom blog design. WordPress is free software and there are 1,000s of free themes. Many website hosts will install WordPress free for you, so your only initial expense is the hosting (under $10 a month).

One of the coolest things about WordPress is that it grows with you. You can easily upgrade later to a customized header, theme, and other shiny things.

7. Why would anyone pay for my services if I’m sharing what I know free?

Flip that question right around. Why would anyone pay for your services if they don’t know what you can offer them? Blogging allows you a way to showcase your expertise!

8. There are already blogs about the same topics I’d blog about.

So what? I can buy shoes at a hundred different stores online but that doesn’t stop the smart ones from making sales. There’s the low price leaders like Payless, fashion boutiques like Nordstroms, charity supporting stores like Toms, service-centric sites like Zappos. They each choose a specific audience, play on their uniqueness, and it works.

Remember that when we’re learning about any topic, we generally don’t choose only one source of info. I’ve got marketing books on my shelf by more authors than I want to count! All of their voices add something different to my knowledge. Blogs are the same way–a chorus of easily accessible information we can learn from. If there are successful blogs on your topic already that’s a sign that people want learn about it which is a good thing!

You are unique. Your voice is unique. And there are people waiting to hear you share your knowledge and life’s journey in the voice only you can share it in.

And that, in a nutshell, is what busts through all of these excuses. Your blog is your stage. And your audience is waiting. So get out there!

Michelle Shaeffer’s Twitter profile describes her as: “Caffeine powered, Libertarian gal enjoying life with my kids and husband. Empowering entrepreneurs.” That sums it up nicely. You can find her helping to simplify online business at MichelleShaeffer.com or serving up ideas for bloggers at Daily Blogging Ideas.

In a previous guest post, Michelle Shaeffer shared 10 proven strategies to help you improve your business. The response from readers was overwhelming. In this guest post, Michelle shares 15 more tips.

Guest post by Michelle Shaeffer

1. Write a testimonial.
Think of a product or service you’ve recently received that was fantastic. Now write a testimonial for it and send it to the business along with name, business, URL, and city/state. Include a statement of your permission to reprint it on their site, in their newsletter, etc. If you don’t feel like writing, record it as an mp3 and send. Most (all?!) businesses love to get testimonials or positive reviews and will happily use them on their websites and include your business name and sometimes even a live link to your site.

2. Record a quick how to video and upload to YouTube.
YouTube is a huge source of traffic for many websites.  Using Jing (there’s a free version) or similar program you can quickly and easily create a short how to video with a tip or step by step use of a product or service you offer.

3. Record and share an AudioBoo or CinchCast.
You can record and share AudioBoo or CinchCast audio recordings on your blog, your website, your Facebook page, etc.  Like a podcast or audio blog post.  It’s super quick and easy way to share your thoughts.

4. Submit an article to Ezine Articles.
Notice I didn’t say *write* an article, but *submit* one.  I bet if you take a few minutes and look at your blog, website or ezine archives there’s something you’ve written that’s just waiting to be slightly edited so it’ll work as an article.  Edit and submit!

5. Brainstorm a reason to write a press release & a title.
It can feel like it’ll take a lot of time to write a press release but if you start by just thinking of a reason (new product, new improvement, new service, holiday sale, contest, giveaway, new resource on your site, recent award, etc) and brainstorming the title, then writing that on a note and pinning it up on your bulletin board, you’ll have a great start and then you can write the actual release later when you’ve got a half hour or so.  It’ll be easier to start if you’ve got your reason and title planned.

6. Shout out support to a fellow small business owner or solopreneur.
Pick a small business owner or solopreneur who you feel comfortable referring business to, and who you’ve worked with or learned from, and post a comment on their blog, or write a review for them on Facebook.  Do something public to show your support.  They’ll appreciate it, you’ll get some publicity, and they may just remember you next time they know someone who needs the product/service you provide.  Karma!

7. Order a decal or magnet for your car from VistaPrint.
How fast can you pick one and check out?  Here are the car door magnets and here are the window decals.  Choose one, order it, then slap it on your vehicle and every time you drive around town you’ll be promoting your business!  (So don’t drive like a maniac.  This one may help you avoid traffic tickets, too!)

8. Email a Letter to the Editor.
This one can be a challenge to do in 10 minutes, but it can be done.  Many news sites offer online ways to share your thoughts.  Choose a topic that’s relevant to your business and that will allow you to share your knowledge and present yourself as an expert by offering your two cents in agreement or disagreement with an article they’ve published.  To keep it quick choose one article and one point.  Be succinct.  Include all your contact info.  You may or may not see it published online or in the print paper but you can leverage this by also sharing what you wrote to the editor on your blog/website and turning it into an article or ezine feature later.

9. Check-in with a favorite contact and send a quick gift.
Who’s been referring business to you?  Get in touch with them to say thank you and let them know you appreciate their support.  Send a small gift.  Making yourself “present” in someone’s office it’s great way to stay on my mind.  Many online stores allow you to send an e-gift certificate and it can be done in just a few minutes.

10. Create or update your email signature then send out a fun email.
Is your email signature up to date?  If it’s not rockin’ then try WiseStamp.  Once it’s up to date find something funny like a joke, YouTube, etc (try looking at www.stufftotweet.com) and send it out to friends and family who don’t mind that type of email.  Your goal is to send something they’ll forward to their friends and family and so on, because your email signature will be on every one of those emails.

11. Connect with a colleague and ask how you can promote or support them.
No strings attached, just reach out and see what you can help someone else with.  Focus on building the relationship without asking and watch what happens in the future.

12. Make someone’s day better.
Have you noticed someone dealing with a tough customer, difficult feedback, technical issues or other crisis?  Stop and send some positivity their way.  If it’s someone you’ve worked with, you can share why you value their service/product.  If it’s someone you haven’t worked with then just offer an encouraging word to let them know you care.  People will remember this.

13. Pick up your phone.
Make a call to a client you haven’t been in touch with in a while.  Just check in and see how they’re doing.  Or call a past joint venture or promotional partner.  Make that voice connection with someone.

14. Do a video book review.
Remember, we’re going for fast action.  Grab one of your favorite business books.  Quickly come up with just 2 or 3 things that you learned from it.  Turn on your video camera and share that, along with the title, author and where viewers can grab their own copy.  Keep your video down to 2 or 3 minutes, tops.  Upload to YouTube and embed on your blog or website.

15. Delegate something.
Take 5 minutes to look over your ever-expanding “to do” list an choose one item that you don’t have to do yourself.  Then spend 5 minutes identifying who you already know that can take care of it for you, or who you can ask for a referral to someone reliable, and get in touch to get the ball rolling.  Your small time investment will pay off in getting the busy work off your plate so you have more time to focus on what only you can do best in your business!

Michelle Shaeffer’s Twitter profile describes her as: “Caffeine powered, Libertarian gal enjoying life with my kids and husband. Empowering entrepreneurs.” That sums it up nicely. You can find her helping to simplify online business at MichelleShaeffer or serving up ideas for bloggers at DailyBloggingIdeas.com.

Driving visitors to your website takes more than just having good content. People need to know that your website exists.

Through Working Naked Day, the holiday I sponsor, thousands of people learned about Working Naked… the blog and the lifestyle. But now that the holiday is over, I spend time each day working on my search engine rankings through social media and other methods. I want to keep my site traffic strong.

I could hire someone to handle my search engine optimization (SEO) but that can be expensive. Instead, I downloaded the e-book “50 SEO Secrets for Mom Entrepreneurs” by Holly Klaassen (affiliate link). This e-book offers practical, quick, and effective tips that work not only for moms, but for anyone who wants to increase his or her site traffic.

Holly breaks down the mystery of SEO into 50 easy-to-use tips including:

• Get traffic from Yahoo. Go to Yahoo Answers and run a search for topics related to your business or niche. Provide helpful and well thought out answers to questions and include a link back to helpful information or articles on your site.

• Keep urls short. While your urls should be descriptive, they should also be fairly short. The shorter they are, the easier it is for people to remember them, cut and paste them into their blog or an email, or write on a business card.

• Go after “long tail” keywords. Rather than trying to be found with popular (and competitive) phrases such as “chocolates,” try longer, more descriptive phrases such as “milk chocolate truffles.”

• Get traffic from Ezine articles. Try using Ezine articles for difficult keywords. Write an article using your keywords, and submit it for publication. Even if you can’t rank for your keyword on your own site, including a link back to your site at the bottom of your article will send referral traffic to your site.

The bottom line about Holly’s e-book? Her tips work. I’ve implemented only a few of her tips and have already increased the traffic to my site and improved my rankings.

My site has gone through a few transformations or what I like to call facelifts. The design is cleaner, it’s easier to read and is better organized than before.

The truth is that if a Web designer/friend with a keen eye hadn’t picked apart the old design and made me realize that while the site was good, it wasn’t completely functional, I would have kept it the same. I was so closely tied to my site that I didn’t recognize that it could be better.

Take a close look at your Web site and ask yourself a few questions.

• Is your site getting long in the tooth and no longer reflecting what your company stands for? Just as very few people will tell you when you have food in your teeth, unless you ask, no one will tell you that you should update or change your site. My friends do tell me when I have food in my teeth so my site should be in good shape for years!

• What impression does your site give? That’s important to know when someone wants to find out more about your business, or when he or she searches for a business that fits your keywords. Your site is your link to the outside world. It says, “Here we are…here’s what we offer…and here’s why you should work with/buy from us.”

• Make sure your site is up to date. If it’s October and your last blog post was in January, visitors will quit stopping by because there’s no new information. If you made a big deal about holding a winter sale and the banner on your site is still up in April, your clients and prospects will be scratching their heads trying to figure that one out.

• Are you having fun with your site? Add photos and videos. Let visitors get a sense of who you are and what you can do for others. I think some of us bonded over the video of me in my monkey pajamas.

Updating your Web site could be the first step to moving your business forward. It could help you clarify where you want to go and where you want your business to be years from now.

This is an excerpt from my FREE e-book, “How to Get Your Home-Based Business Out of a Rut.” Click here to get this e-book, a free chapter from my 5^th book, Working Naked, and various tips and updates.

Related articles:

5 things you need to know about your small business Web site

You CAN get the Web site you want

If you’re serious about business, you need a Web site

One of my clients just fired her Webmaster.

It was sort of my fault.

She kept complaining to me about how long she had to wait for him to make updates, program the right keywords and put together an opt-in form, so I took a close look at her site. After I read a few pages, I realized why her blood boiled every time she thought about her site.

It was a mess, and so was she, for good reason.

I’m not a Web designer or Webmaster, but I’ve worked with a few good ones over the years. Each one of them has taught me several things. Of all of the tips they’ve shared with me, here are a few of the more important ones.

• Make sure you register your domain name in your name, not your Webmaster’s name. You need to own your domain name so you can control what happens to it. Otherwise, if your Webmaster registers it under his name, he can sell it to someone else and you can’t do anything about it. Find out how your name is registered through the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority.

• Know how to update your site on your own. There’s no reason to let your Webmaster hold your site (and you) hostage. I update everything on my site and if I get stuck or I want to add another cool feature, I call my Web designer (and business coach) to help me. If you don’t want to be responsible for adding updates, uploading photos or bringing up your search engine rankings, then let your Webmaster do it. But negotiate a fair price ahead of time and make sure that he or she makes the changes you want, when you want them.

• Include photos and videos. No one wants to read a long block of words. It’s as exciting as reading an instruction manual and I don’t read those either. When you add photos to your blog posts, you have a better chance that people will read them. Also, videos give you a way to connect with your readers.

• Make it easy for visitors to contact you and learn more about what you do. My client’s site has a “services” page but it’s blank. That’s one of the updates her Webmaster never made. On a separate contact page, either include a form for your visitors to fill out or list your e-mail address. On your services page, let visitors know what you offer by including a clear description and even a video.

• Put an opt-in form on your home page. It’s easier to sell products through your site (e-books, webinars, tele-seminars) if you have a solid list of customers and loyal readers who like and trust you. Offer a free e-book, special report, or weekly updates to encourage people to fill out your form. I use AWeber (affiliate link) because their customer support is awesome and their product is easy to use.

Whether you’re working on a site now or you have an existing site, these few simple strategies can keep you from having the same knots in your stomach that my client has. Or I should say, used to have. She has just hired a new company to make her site more user-friendly so she can make her own changes and take back control of her site.

Related blog posts:

You CAN get the Web site you want

If you’re serious about business, you need a Web site

Last Friday — I couldn’t stay away from the mall — I met a woman waiting in line who offers a service my clients could use. When I asked her for her Web site address, she told me she doesn’t have one because she works on a referral basis. I tried not to give her a strange look but the thought of someone running a small business without a Web site, threw me.

The bottom line is that if you’re serious about owning your own business, especially one that’s home-based, you need a Web site.  There are several things a Web site can do for you.

• It legitimizes your business. Just as I asked the woman about her site, potential clients will do the same to you. When someone searches for your business and can’t find you on the Web, he or she may question your credibility.

• It makes it easy for customers to find you. I know I’m not the only person who hasn’t used a phone book in years. When someone needs your services, chances are they’ll search for you on the Internet.

• It allows other, more popular sites, to link to yours. When a site that has thousands of visitors a day adds a link to your site, potential clients will find you. Commenting regularly on popular sites will also draw traffic to your site.

• It helps you get media exposure. When writers and producers are looking for experts and guests, they search the Web. If you don’t have a Web presence, they can’t find you.

• It provides you with a great way to announce new products and services. Brochures are old school. A better way to let others know what’s new with your company is through regular Web updates.

• It lets others know that your business is up-to-date and not stuck in the past.

A Web site isn’t for everyone…except for those small business owners who want to grow their business.

Twitter is a valuable tool that can help you bring visitors to your blog, spread the word about your business, connect with your customers and more. But as with any tool, there’s a right way to use it and a wrong way.  I’m always looking for ways to make better use of Twitter. Some tips that I’ve tried worked well, while others have failed miserably.

The HubSpot article “The 9 Worst Ways to Use Twitter for Business,” takes an “avoid doing this” approach to making Twitter more effective.  A few of the top Twitter don’ts include:

1. Only include links to your own blog
Business blogging is a great marketing tactic, and so is sharing your blog posts on Twitter. Find other relevant bloggers in your industry on Twitter and retweet their articles. Another tip is to find interesting and relevant articles on the Web instead of just on Twitter, and share the links with your followers.

2. Follow Anyone and Everyone
If you follow a ton of just anyone, not only will your Twitter stream be filled with irrelevant content you don’t care about, but you’ll look spammy to people who see your skewed follow numbers. It’s not completely fair but if the number of people you follow, far outnumbers your followers, it hurts your credibility.

3. Don’t Interact With Other Twitter Users
Make sure to retweet and reply to at least a few people each day so that you’re making Twitter a two-way conversation.  It’s tough, but make this the first thing you do each morning and it will become a habit.

4. Only Tweet Once Per Week
If you follow some of the advice above, by taking a few minutes each day to retweet interesting tweets and share relevant content, you shouldn’t have a problem here. On the opposite side, don’t tweet so often that you annoy your followers.

My #10 don’t do tip is: Use the term “Twittering” instead of the right term “Tweeting.” It lets someone know right away that you’re new to Twitter or that you have no idea what it is.

Twitter can be invaluable to your business if you know what not to do.

Related posts:
There’s more to Twitter than tweeting your next task

5 ways Twitter makes you a better person

My Web site is a work in progress. I make a few changes to it and then a month later I think of a few more things I need to update. Within the next few weeks I’ll be making a few more changes. It never ends.

In “11 Reasons Customers Don’t Trust Your Web Site,” writer Lisa Barone shares common sense tips and easy-to-stop-doing strategies for making your site better.It’s more of a list of Web site mistakes you may be making including:

• It’s littered with typos. Do your best to find typos and squash them dead. It’s hard to believe what someone has written when every other word is spelled wrong. Also, it looks bad if your phone number is wrong. My number changed recently but I didn’t change it on my site until last week. (Oprah, if you tried to call before, try again!)

• You don’t say why you’re different. Guilty as charged. This is one of the points I hadn’t considered but will be changing shortly. No matter what type of expertise you have, there has to be something that sets you apart from your competitors. Highlight that difference on your site.

• It’s hard to navigate. If I’m struggling to find your Product pages, than your site must be for people way smarter than me. I’ll go elsewhere. When you’re closely tied to your company, product and site, you may not realize how easy your site is to navigate. Do an informal survey with business associates whose opinions you trust and make any changes to make it easier for visitors to find the information they need.

• There’s no About page. Help people trust your Web site by telling them about yourself, why you do what you do, how long you’ve been doing it, and by introducing to the people who run your store. Include a photo so people can attach a name to a face.

The beauty of a Web site is that you can make changes whenever you want. Finding the time to make those changes though, can be the challenge.

Guest post by San Sharma

If you work alone or from home, there’s no denying that Twitter is an invaluable tool, both professionally and personally. As part of a marketing strategy, Twitter can help spread the word about your business. And when you’re feeling disconnected, Twitter can make you feel a part of the world around you.

But in some circles, Twitter, Facebook and social media, in general, is considered a bad thing. “We’re all getting self-obsessed,” some complain. To them I say, Twitter can actually make you a better person.

Here’s some ‘Twitterquette’ to demonstrate how:

1. Be more open
   Contrary to popular belief, Twitter’s not all about what you had for lunch. But its 140-character limit and the ways in which you can tweet – from your desk or from your mobile phone – make Twitter an ideal platform to share a little more about yourself. Being transparent with your followers reminds you of who you want to be and what you want to stand for. That openness is good for your business and for your relationships with your friends and your family.
2. Share and share alike
   Twitter makes it easy to share links, music and video clips with your followers. Like newspaper cuttings in the post (“I saw this and thought of you”), you can send your findings to individuals directly, or share your knowledge, tips and advice with the world. How can you be more sharing outside of Twitter?
3. Take an interest in others
   Twitter expert Mark Shaw says that before you start your day on Twitter, reply to three tweets and retweet another. It helps feed the Twittersphere. Imagine if everyone talked about themselves and took no interest in others? Following this etiquette reminds us to take an interest in others, online and off.
4. Help spread the word
   By retweeting an update, you share someone else’s ideas, concerns and good news with your followers. If someone needs help and you don’t know the answer, maybe someone in your network does? How can you ‘retweet’ and help friends and contacts in real life?
5. Ask questions
   If you’ve a following on Twitter, one of the best ways to keep your followers engaged is to ask questions. Ever been to a dinner party and sat next to someone who just talked about themselves? Ask a few questions and you’ll get more out of Twitter – and more out of life!

What do you think? Does following Twitter etiquette make you a better person? Or is Twitter, Facebook and social media making us more self-obsessed and less in touch with the real world? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

San Sharma is community manager at Enterprise Nation, as well as the voice of @e_nation on Twitter.