A Pity Party and Bad News about Blogging
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Hubby brought this cartoon home from work several weeks ago. I had intended to post it earlier with quite a few LOL and HA HA HA’s and ROFL, but never quite got around to it.
Lately though, I’ve been feeling both sides of this. The Darling Daughter, 12yo, has been on school holidays for the last two and a half weeks. Hubby was home ‘sick’ last week with a bad back, and a couple of days this week with the flu (no, not man-flu thankfully, just ordinary flu).
So in the last few weeks I’ve launched the Two Hour Business Plan in the middle of finding time for a 12yo on holidays, looking after an injured/sick husband and then the lovely generous man (hear the sarcasm there?) decided to pass his revolting germs on to me. Gee, thanks honey.
Self Pity and Woe Is Me is not what today’s post is about though. Today I thought I’d have a chat about blogging with a business and list some resources that I use. Some of the links are affiliate links, so if you end up buying any of these I might make enough to buy a cup of coffee, with cream. Maybe.
Business blogging
I’m going to assume that everyone reading this knows what a blog is and what RSS is. If not, feel free to email me and ask. No, it’s not a silly question and you wouldn’t be the first person to ask me.
What’s your blog’s purpose?
Blogging is really useful for your business but it’s not a golden ladder leaning against the wall of huge profits. It takes time, effort, technique and purpose. It can also be a huge waste of time for very little ROI (Return On Investment).
Before you go putting all that work into your blog, you have to know why you’re doing it. Here’s some of the things that a well-written blog can do:
- attract potential customers
- improve your website’s SEO (as long as the blog is on the same domain as the site)
- show people that you know what you’re talking about
- build a community of like-minded people through comments and discussion
- advertise sales, specials, new products
Know why before you start
Too many people jump into blogging for their business without a clear direction and purpose for it. Just like everything else in business you need to know what result you’re working towards, so you know when you’re on track and if it’s working or not.
Know what you’re doing and why, and then aim every single post towards that purpose.
Readers aren’t buyers
I’m mainly talking to those who sell a service here, although this is still true – albeit to a lesser extent – for those who sell physical products.
Your blog readers aren’t your clients.
The majority of people who read your blog, subscribe to your RSS, comment on your posts – they’ll never buy from you. This tends to be a shock for a lot of people, it sure was for me, when you’ve put in hours and hours and hours writing posts and then you realise that the readers aren’t actually buyers.
The majority of your readers are there for the free content. There’s nothing wrong with that, and business blogging is still a great way to spread the word of what you do. But if you’re looking at several thousand readers and wondering why they’re not buying – welcome to reality.
Readers don’t look at your website
The majority of readers never visit your website after the first hit, when they subscribe to your RSS. So you can update your site to your hearts content, fill it with ads, promote every product under the sun and your readers still won’t know about it.
If you want your readers to know something, put it in a blog post with a powerful headline.
Partial feeds mean non-readers
So when a lot of people realise the above fact they decide to make their RSS feed only partial, meaning that RSS subscribers will see the first paragraph and have to click through to read the remainder of the post on the website. Yay! More hits on the site, better SEO and people see your site and ads, yes?
No.
Statistics show that partial feeds actually reduce readership. Your first paragraph is going to have to be absolutely riveting and compelling to get people to click through. Most readers won’t bother. But if you have a full feed in your RSS – meaning the entire post is there in the reader or email – then most people will read it.
So why bother with blogging?
It’s a pretty depressing picture here isn’t it? The readers don’t buy, they don’t visit the website and they don’t read partial feeds. Why bother putting the effort in?
Because blogging will draw more people to your site. It shows people what you can do and gives them confidence in you. Used properly, blogging will attract the right people and get them recommending you. It’s a great tool, but that’s all it is, a tool.
Use blogging wisely and with a clear purpose, and it will help grow your business.
Blogging Resources
Here’s some resources to help you get the most out of your blogging. They’re all ebooks that I have bought and used myself.
31 Days to Build a Better Blog
31 Days to Build a Better Blog is a downloadable e-book designed to help you revitalize your blog by giving you 31 tasks that will all help to turn it into the page view powerhouse you’ve always dreamed of.
Each day in the project contains:
A Task – something to DO that day.
Teaching – each day you’ll be given great instruction on both the WHY and HOW of the task of the day.
It’s normally $39 but when I checked the link for this post I noticed it’s only $19.95. I have no idea how long this price is valid for though.
On a side note, I’m looking to run a blogging workshop during August for those who are interested in developing their blogs using this ebook. It’ll be free (but you have to purchase the ebook), and I’m still working out the details. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in please let me know in the comments.
Taken from the Beyond Bricks and Mortar sales page:
The Practical Strategy to market your Offline business using Online tools
Beyond Bricks and Mortar gives you the solid footing you need to access practical, useful information on how to blog for your business – when your business isn’t online.
Beyond Bricks and Mortar fills the gap when you’re standing confused on the edge of the online world, unclear on how to bridge it for your physical business, and wondering who’ll tell you how to do that.
This is an amazing book written for those who have physical businesses with an online presence.
How to Build a Professional Blog
How to Build a Professional Blog – the Quick Start Guide to Plan, Launch and Profit with your own Successful Blog.
$47 value, and absolutely free. Gotta love that! 
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Two Hour Business Plan has launched!
Behind the scenes here at SuperWAHM we’ve been working very hard on our latest product. In fact it’s so good that we’ve given it it’s very own website!
Business planning for people who hate planning. An easy step by step guide to writing a business plan that has been designed specifically for the needs of micro and at-home businesses.
If you’ve thought of writing a business plan and not known where to start, thought you didn’t have the time, or were overwhelmed with all those budgets and forecasts, the Two Hour Business Plan is for you.
You’ve got two options, the basic option which is the audio’s, the workbook and the bonuses, or you can purchase the Two Hour Business Plan PLUS two consulting/coaching sessions with me for less than the normal price of the two sessions.
Check it out and see what people are saying: http://twohourbusinessplan.com
SuperWAHM Interview – Rebecca Tham of Bean Sprout Bubba
This week’s Interviewee is Rebecca Tham from Bean Sprout Bubba. If you’ve got a baby in nappies (diapers) or know someone who has, and you’re at all environmentally conscious, then you need to check them out.
1. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, whatever you’re comfortable sharing.
I’m Rebecca. I came to Australia from Malaysia about ten years ago to study at university, met my husband, got married and now live in Bunbury. Together we have two children, and one more coming in October 2010.
2. Tell us about your business – what you do, how long you’ve been running, who your customers are?
My business is an online store called ‘Bean Sprout Bubba’ based in Bunbury WA, Australia. The store has been running since August/September 2009. Initially I started out making and selling the ever-reliable Bubba J nappies, one of the darkhorses in Australian modern cloth nappy (MCN) history, then progressed to retailing other quality modern cloth nappy brands, nappy helps and baby slings that were reputable and reasonably priced.
3. How did you get into that particular business?
I started using modern cloth nappies (MCN) in December 2006, a month after my first daughter was born. I really loved using them, though at the time I knew no one in Bunbury who used MCN.
Business-wise, it all started in March 2008, when I became a modern cloth nappy demonstrator for a reputable online nappy store based in one of the eastern states of Australia (we’re still friends by the way!)
Over time I noticed that being in Western Australia, my clients’ orders were taking a long time to arrive here from my demonstrator-store. I started to dream about having my own store in Bunbury WA in order to give a better service to my customers.
In March 2009 I heard that the Bubba J modern cloth nappy label was up for sale by the previous owner. I bought it over, made a few changes and Bean Sprout Bubba was born.
4. What’s the worst challenge that you’ve experienced in your business, and how did you overcome it?
The worst challenge was not knowing how websites worked.
I had to do a tonne of research and bear a huge learning curve to learn how web hosting, domain names and html worked. I also learnt a lot about open-source software, how to do minor tweaks here and there, and how to use simple graphics software to generate images for the online store.
5. Tell us three things that no-one knows about you.
1. I’m Malaysian by citizenship. My husband and children are all Australian citizens.
2. I tend to do things in our family a little differently and rather unconventionally to the rest of our families of origin, much to the relatives chagrin at times! Cloth nappies, breastfeeding, daily routines, business ownership, work/business at home, home education, the list goes on.
3. Though I have university degrees in Nutrition and Food science and Health Promotion, and a TAFE qualification in Dental Nursing, I did not work in those fields. Instead I have worked as a library assistant at a private school, tried home DIY when my house was built, helped my husband set up his business, been a landlord and now a business owner.
6. What has been your biggest success that you’ve had in your business? What was it that made that happen?
The biggest success so far is seeing the birth of my new nappy label, ecoBumba. I could only have done it with the help and support of my testers in Bunbury. There will be further innovations with both Bubba J and ecoBumba in the coming months and years, which I hope to be future successes to look back on when I’m older.
7. If you didn’t have this business, what do you think you’d do and why?
I would probably continue on doing what I did before: bookkeeping for hubby’s business, housekeeping and childcare, knit/crochet/sew whenever I wanted to… but I would be bored, really bored, with life.
I like to challenge my mind and keep it active. I have many ideas running through my head most days, so who knows, I might have started something totally different to nappy-making bust my boredom. Even now, I’m considering whether to homeschool my girls on top of everything I’m doing already. I love to be busy and occupied
8. What’s the biggest mistake that you see newbie business owners making?
I think the biggest mistake is not having a plan or system to work with in order to see results in the business. This leads to pricing too low/high, oversaturating the market with product, and then overworking to try to move product, leading to possible burnout.
9. Coffee or Tea?
Tea
10. How many hours a week do you put into your business?
I put in between 15-20 hours a week into the business. Much as I love to sew nappies, about half this time is taken up by administrative tasks like packing orders, writing on my nappy tips blog, updating the store and Facebook, answering emails and so on.
11. How do you fit those hours in? Eg: school hours, early mornings, late nights, kids in daycare, around my other (paid) job?
I fit 1-2 hours of sewing or admin tasks daily when the kids are down for their daily afternoon nap. They usually go down together, what a blessing! Then another 1-2 hours at night time after the kids go to bed. My husband and I usually sleep rather late so we still have time for each other.
Occasionally I am able to fit in 30min to about an hour for simple tasks, when the kids are up and playing together. I try to keep weekends free, otherwise it’s another 1-2 hours over the weekend when my husband is at home.
12. What’s the weirdest/funniest thing that’s ever happened to you? (business or otherwise)
I’m not sure if this is funny or weird, but my girls have the innate sense to start screaming or shouting when I’m on a business related call! Even when they were content with whatever they were doing at the time. Other calls are spared from this treatment… don’t know why?
13. Is there anything else you’d like to say or add?
Fear of failure often cripples mums who have dreams and visions of big things.
‘Sikit-sikit, lama-lama jadi bukit’: an old Malay proverb meaning “a bit of sand, piled up little by little, would become a hill in time”.
Break it down step-by-step to make it all doable, release that fear, and see where it can lead you to.
SuperWAHM Interview – Joy Randel of Dazzle Dog Delight
This week’s interviewee is Joy Randel, from Dazzle Dog Delight. I had no idea all these things were available for dogs until I saw her site (I’m a cat person) and it was almost enough to make me want a dog. Joy has a great heart for helping homeless dogs, and she donates a large percentage of her profits to the SPCA.
1. Tell us a little about yourself and your family?
My wonderful husband and I have an eight year old daughter. We also have a Labrador retriever greyhound mixed dog. We live in the San Francisco Bay Area and enjoy the temperate weather. We live in a city but we are only about ten minutes away from a wooded redwood regional park that is hundreds of acres. We spend time each weekend taking long family walks either through the regional park or along the San Francisco Bay.
2. Tell us about your business – what you do, how long you’ve been running, who your customers are?
I am the CEO of Dazzle Dog Delight. Dazzle Dog Delight is dedicated to passionate dog owners by providing gifts for the dog who has everything. Every purchase you make helps a homeless dog because we donate 5% of our profits to the SPCA. Our customers pamper their dogs with designer collars, leashes, bed, toys, clothes, etc. We have over 800 items in our store.
3. How did you get into that particular business?
Dazzle Dog Delight was born out of love and necessity. Prior to Dazzle Dog Delight I worked as an IT manager for numerous companies managing large web development projects.
At home, the family dog always had a starring role. First it was my black Labrador Kincaid and now a Greyhound-Labrador mix, Rocket.
I found time with my family and dog more rewarding than my job and when the economy turned sour and layoffs were abundant, I thought “hmmm, maybe getting laid-off wouldn’t be so bad.” I found that out for real when the cost-cutting arrived in a memo.
I combined my passion for dogs with my IT knowledge and created Dazzle Dog Delight. The hours are long and there’s not nearly as much support staff, but the employees and customers always wag their tails – a reward rarely found in my old jobs.
4. What’s the worst challenge that you’ve experienced in your business, and how did you overcome it?
The worst challenge I experienced in my business was not having enough time in the day to do everything that needs to get done. I overcame it by setting up a system where I do specific tasks at certain times of the day.
I plan my week out ahead of time and decide how each day is going to be segmented for that specific week. Each week I re-evaluate and make changes. I also set up a goal board so everything I do has to meet one of my goals or I don’t start doing it.
5. Tell us three things that no-one knows about you.
1) Travelled and walked across Macau.
2) I drove across America twice.
3) Once was a dog in a former life.
6. What has been your biggest success that you’ve had in your business? What was it that made that happen?
My biggest success has been being able to contribute my profits to the SPCA. I am determined to make sales because it benefits a non-profit organization that I believe in.
7. If you didn’t have this business, what do you think you’d do and why?
If I did not have this business I would be doing fund raising for animal shelters. There are more and more homeless animals as people lose their jobs in this bad economy. The shelters need all the help they can get.
8. What’s the biggest mistake that you see newbie business owners making?
The biggest mistake that I see newbie business owners make is that they do not plan. They do not have a business plan and they do not have a marketing plan.
9. Coffee or Tea?
Coffee
10. How many hours a week do you put into your business?
I am putting 40 hours a week into my business.
11. How do you fit those hours in? Eg: school hours, early mornings, late nights, kids in daycare, around my other (paid) job?
I work many late nights and early mornings before my daughter awakes and after she is asleep.
12. If you were a Superhero, what would your super powers be?
If I were a Superhero my super powers would give me the vision to tell the future.
13. What’s the weirdest/funniest thing that’s ever happened to you? (business or otherwise)
The weirdest thing that happened to me is that the dog walker I hired turned out to live in a home that I had lived in two years earlier.
SuperWAHM Interview – Sarah Lee of Speedy Cartridge
This week’s interview is with Sarah Lee from Speedy Cartridge, located in Australia.
1. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, whatever you’re comfortable sharing.
My name is Sarah, mother of two absolutely gorgeous kids. My girl, Amelia is three and I also have a son Aaron who is one almost two.
Things I love are my family, cooking, EATING (LOL), and travelling. My work prior to becoming a work from home parent was in the accounting field of the financial services industry.
Now with the knowledge of my husband and my own ambition to become a work from home parent, we have recently reached this point of beginning our very own business.
2. Tell us about your business – what you do, how long you’ve been running, who your customers are?
Speedy Cartridge specialises in the sales of printer cartridges, inks and toners. We offer the choice of genuine cartridges or compatible cartridges which are backed by a 100% money back guarantee and offer even greater savings.
We don’t have a shop and are not a franchise so we are able to offer our customers a better price than retail as we don’t have the addition costs of these things to cover therefore pass these savings on to our customers. We only recently just got up and running, but this business has been in the minds of my husband and I for so long, its amazing that we are actually up and running now, feels very surreal.
So far, we are building our customer fan base on Facebook and we have had some great customers so far, willing to give us a try and we are very grateful for that.
3. How did you get into that particular business?
My husband has a lot of knowledge in this area. He is qualified in printer repairs and knows a great deal when it comes to cartridges. My family always said he should do something for himself so we could gain from his technical knowledge and me being out of work with the kids was the starting point.
4. What’s the worst challenge that you’ve experienced in your business, and how did you overcome it?
Probably just issues with getting money together to pay for advertising. We just decided to take it slowly, and build it up as we go.
6. What has been your biggest success that you’ve had in your business? What was it that made that happen?
Our first sale, it was very motivating and exciting for us. All the lovely work at home mums who send their enquiries to us also give us such a sense of motivation and the lovely work at home mum who was the first to give us a shot! Facebook made this happen, and a lot of networking.
7. If you didn’t have this business, what do you think you’d do and why?
I would still be trying to think of a way to earn some money from home and stay with my kids. Or I would be starting to think about doing a refresher course in finance and accounting so I could return to my previous career once my kids go to school.
8. What’s the biggest mistake that you see newbie business owners making?
For an online business, it would be letting off some steam in their FaceBook status bar. I think people need to be careful of that as it can give a real insight to the person behind the business.
9. Coffee or Tea?
Tea
10. Wine, Beer or Champagne?
Champagne
11. How many hours a week do you put into your business?
I don’t have a set amount of hours I put into it. I put as many hours as I can and when I can. I mind my two children at home so if they are asleep or busy and happy then I sit down and work on it.
12. How do you fit those hours in? Eg: school hours, early mornings, late nights, kids in daycare, around my other (paid) job?
During the kids nap time (when that ever happens!), when my husband is home or during the day when the kids are happily occupied.
13. If you were a Superhero, what would your super powers be?
I would like to be able to fly!!
15. Is there anything else you’d like to say or add?
Be sure to think of us next time you need cartridges, ink or toners for your printer.
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The web's business planning expert - just for work at home mums. Together we'll find the time for you to make money.