Why are you writing a business blog?
Your answer might be to build authority, to grow web traffic, to raise your fees, and to win more customers.
And sure, these are all valid reasons.
They’ve always been my answers, too.
But since I’ve been writing here for over a year, I’ve found a few surprisingly alluring benefits of business blogging.
Which other benefits have you discovered?
1. Gain creative discipline
I’m not a super-disciplined person.
I don’t exercise enough in winter. When I’m busy, I’m almost glued to my desk. I don’t always sleep enough. I sometimes wear myself down, and always come to regret it.
But as I have promised you to be back each week with a fresh blog post, I had to be disciplined. I had to knock out writer’s block and start typing each week.
And you know what? Once writing becomes a habit, it gets easier.
Don’t wait for your muse to arrive, start writing.
2. Deepen your knowledge
A year ago I wondered how the hell I could find a new topic to write about each week.
But your questions spurred me to look for answers. I read blog posts and books. I studied and analyzed writing techniques. I had to deepen my knowledge.
Writing is a wonderful opportunity to gain clarity of thought, to sharpen your ideas, and to learn how to communicate.
3. Become a better communicator
In our hurried and distracted world, we dash off a quick email rather than sit down to write a good letter.
When did you last write a letter?
By taking the time to share your knowledge with your readers, you learn what resonates. You learn how to tell stories, and how to stop rambling on. You learn how to influence and inspire people.
These communication skills are transferable. You’ll find it easier to persuade a new client to award you a contract or to tell your child to stop talking with a full mouth.
Your ability to communicate your ideas and influence people is one of your most precious talents. Don’t waste it.
4. Gain customer understanding
You treat blogging as a conversation rather than a monologue, don’t you?
Each comment and each question can help understand who your readers are, what they’re dreaming of, and what they’re struggling with.
Knowing your audience is the start of building a great business.
5. Write a book
Who would have ever thought I’d write a book, let alone two books?
I never did.
But by writing weekly blog posts, I gained enough confidence to start writing a book.
Your blog posts can form the basis of your book, too.
6. Nurture a stronger personal brand
Your blog is the heart of your personal brand. It’s where you develop your voice.
When readers “hear” the passion in your voice, they start looking out for your emails. They become keen to work with you because your enthusiasm is contagious.
Your blog is your brand. It tells potential clients why they should work with you because of who you are.
7. Enjoy the pleasure of sharing your knowledge
Some people think I’m crazy.
They’re probably right.
But not because I share so much in-depth knowledge on this blog.
Sharing knowledge is a joy. Giving valuable stuff away feels good.
Helping others makes you feel happier
Don’t consider your blog as another item on your to-do list. Because it makes blogging a chore.
Take your time to write a post that truly helps your readers and inspire them.
Give your stuff away, and you’ll win more business, develop new connections, and make new friends.
Make others happy, and you’ll become happier, too.
Recommended reading on starting a business blog:
How to create a must-read blog (without going crazy!)
A 5-step plan to create fresh content every week
How to become an authority
Hi Henneke,
I love the way you put ideas to share with us. Great point “become better communicator”.
Your every post brings a powerful motivational message(apart from content writing tips). I feel enlightened every time 🙂
That makes me happy, Mehera! Thank you for stopping by 🙂
I love opening up your emails. I never say that about other business blogs. You connect with readers on an emotional level and that is really refreshing.
I think when you share knowledge its really about making an emotional connection first – that way when you inform or teach them it won’t feel like work at all.
Thank you for all your insights from foggy San Francisco! Still working on my newsletter but will get to that soon!
I used to think I had to sound like a company, but it’s so untrue. When you treat your subscribers like readers or friends, when you write as a human being it’s much easier to connect and engage.
Thank you for stopping by, Anna. I’m sending some sunshine across the big pond to you 🙂
Hi Henneke, thank you for the happiness
And thank you for being around and encouraging me with your comments 🙂
Thanks for the reminders! I’ve been feeling a slippage of confidence of late with my blog efforts. Somehow, I can’t ever feel like it’s ‘done’ enough to promote, so no one goes there. All the reasons you mentioned struck a chord. I’m going to post them on my board to remind me when I consider giving up.
Yes, if you’re working hard and you don’t get a lot of traffic, it feels tough. Have you considered guest posting on other sites in your niche? This can really help you build traffic.
Well done! Do I detect a bit of Steven Pressfield influence on #1, not waiting for the Muse to arrive before you start? Rather, inspiration comes when you sit your butt down and begin to write.
Yes, it could have been Steven Pressfield (I have read his book ages ago) or perhaps it was the influence of the other Stephen (King that is) who is a strong advocate of doing the work. Have you read his book “On Writing”? I found it more inspirational than Pressfield’s writing (but I’m probably an exception).
Thank you for stopping by, Greg.
I have not read King’s book “On Writing,” but I will now! Thanks for the tip!
Some great reasons there. Personal growth and learning to focus on timelines is a good point.
Thanks for sharing
Yes, when there’s no deadline, it’s too easy to say I’m not feeling inspired today.
Thank you for stopping by, Brian.
Yours is fast becoming one of my favourite Blogs.
Do you have a background in writing or are just naturally talented and enchanting 😉
My background is in marketing, but I’ve always been fascinated by language (and I hate a lot of marketing practices).
The last two to three years I’ve spent a lot of time studying other people’s writing, and reading many books.
And I enjoy editing my own posts 🙂
Hello Henneke, as always a truly, great blog, as you said, I do love your post coming in
it is everything you mentioned above.
L&B
Annamarie
Thank you so much, Annamarie. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Great post – it’s hard to keep the engine running, but once you stall out it’s even harder to push. Building relationships with people is essential in business today, so learning to be a better communicator is a must. Thanks for your insightful post.
Yes, that’s so true. Excellent point. Once you stop writing, it can be difficult to get going again.
And I fully agree with you on the point that building relationships is essential. Thank you for stopping by to add your thoughts. 🙂
I love what you are saying. My extra reason to write is to find out what I am really thinking or feeling or caring about. Like it crystalizes by writing it down, and sometimes I go back and say to myself “where did that come from?” like surprised… at myself. Love that the best.
So true. I love it when writing helps to clarify my thoughts, too. Thank you for stopping by, Carol 🙂
I love to read you. It’s not been so long that I have found you. I am a newbie. I have been working on a niche site and just started earning few bucks here and there. However, I evidently believe blogging gives the chance to talk directly (of course the way you do) with the people and that will help me to engage and market.
1. Fear–this is what–is stopping me to do so.
2. What–what should I blog for.
I am stuck with these two steps….forget about marketing or building audience.
Would you please help me to start with?
What helped me get over the fear of blogging, is to realize nothing has to be perfect, and you can adapt and change any blog post after you’ve published it. You might find my post about being a blogging wimp helpful.
What to write about? Find something you’re passionate about and something your audience wants to read about. Don’t worry about finding a unique topic – go for something that a lot of other blogs write about as you can be certain there’ll be an audience for you, too.
Just get started and develop your blog as you learn more.
Thanks Henneke.
Another lovely post. Helping others makes you feel happier. I have just discovered the same thing. I mean, I obviously knew that it does in the real world, but I have just found that there is so much more pleasure in writing a blog when you concentrate on what matters (helping people) and less on the stuff that doesn’t (keyword concentration). Before I started reading your blog I had it all completely back to front. Thank you for all your helpful advice. 🙂
I used to have it back to front, too. Some of these things are common sense, but we forget about it as we are too busy trying to do too many things.
Good to see you again, Kerstin 🙂
Hey Henneke, I’ve enjoyed reading your blogs VERY much. You’re right–if you see writing a blog as a chore, it will come off with that tone within the blog, and people will click off your page before they finish reading.
BTW, you’ve inspired me to improve my blogs. Please go to my website and read the last blog–I think it’s one of my best. I wrote it because of something you wrote on your blogs.
Yes, you can immediately detect it when a writer doesn’t feel passionate about a blog topic.
Great to hear you’ve been inspired by my blog! 🙂
I never thought of the idea of making others happy when I write my blog. It really changes the way you feel when you are writing.
Also, I just loved your new book, Henneke! Great concepts and I highly recommend it!
When you help people de-stress as you do on your blog, you make them happier, too!
Glad you loved my new book, Sue 🙂
This is what i intended to do for my site.
Hiring a freelancer to write for my blog is such a pain because the end product is not what i am looking for. I keep learning how to produce a well done post and give some instruction on how it must be done.
Probably someday i can write a blog by myself. For the long run, build my presence in the community and can write proper articles for my blog.
Thank you Henneke for this helpful post.
regards from Malaysia
You see, that’s so nice about blogging – you meet people from all over the world.
Nice to meet you, Fahim 🙂
In a bit of a weird way it’s reassuring to read your first point about wearing yourself down sometimes. I have to plead guilty to that one too unfortunately.
Now I just need to work on that creative *discipline*. Too many long gaps between my posts 🙁
Self-imposed deadlines don’t work for me. But I never miss a deadline if I promise someone else something.
So the only way I could force myself to write each week is by explicitly promising new subscribers that they’ll get an email each Tuesday. If I hadn’t done that, I’d probably have written a post every 2 to 3 weeks or perhaps even less frequently.
I love reading everything you say (write), eating up your words one by one. Everything is so inspiring and helpful. You are the person I follow to guide me in writing better articles and one of these days my writing will be just a beautiful (but in my own voice) as yours. –And the best of all is everything is so super easy to read.
That’s lovely to hear, Linda. Thank you so much 🙂
Inspiring, thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome. Thank you for stopping by 🙂