Another weekend roundup of some smart marketing blogs, ideas and inspiration. This week I stumbled across some deep-thinkers and a few that amused me. Here’s a selection of reading to kickstart your weekend and keep your creative juices flowing.
Lawn Watering
Written by Jay Posey
I wanted to share this post with you because it’s just hilarious and because it makes a most excellent point about the truth of following your dreams and being an entrepreneur. Jay has a style of writing that I could read all day – witty, unexpected and insightful. I’ll quote this one line and then I’ll let you go read this amusing bit of thought-food for yourself: “The tedious will always be with you.” (But don’t let that depress you. There’s good news, too.)
Read the article at jayposey.com and follow jay on Twitter @hijayposey
A Conversion Question: Do Your Clients Really Need A Web Site?
Written by Chris Lema
This post caught me at the right time because I just finished writing one myself about why your business does need a website. So I was curious to hear what Chris had to say and what good reason on earth there could possibly be for not having a website! Needless to say, he told a story that was a little bit familiar and completely relevant. It reminded me that there is certainly no one-size-fits-all, and more importantly, that “having” a website isn’t the important thing – its purpose is. This is an interesting read about the whys of a website and something every small business owner needs to understand.
Read the article at chrislema.com and follow Chris on Twitter @chrislema
How To Plan Your Entire Website With A Content Map
Written by Gazalla Gaya
Speaking of websites… you know you can’t just pop into a chair at your desk and start building one, right? If you want a site that does something more than “exist” and that actually converts visitors into customers, you need a plan. Gazalla outlines a super practical guide to planning a site – from identifying your objectives to outlining user personas and figuring out the “why should people do business with me?” question. If you’re in the market for a website, do-over or just want to check yours against your goals, this is a great post to bookmark.
Read the article at webcontentblog.com and follow Gazalla on Twitter @gazalla
Is Code-Switching Eroding Your Personal Brand?
Written by Tessa Wegert
This post was fascinating. “Code switching” is what you do when you adjust your tone, language, voice and behavior based on who you’re with. You can catch yourself doing it as you switch from “Sunday dinner with the family” to “Monday at the office” and even “Friday at the bar”. Tessa points out that we do this on social networks, too, especially as we tend to use different networks for different purposes and with different groups of people. But she also makes the point that this can create inconsistency to the detriment of your brand. It’s something worth considering and perhaps recognizing it is half the battle.
Read the article at leaderswest.com and follow Tessa on Twitter @tessawegert
The Dangers Of Blog Envy And How To Overcome
Written by Sonia Winland
It must be going around… just last week I wrote a post about self-doubt, a week before I had a long conversation with someone who was wondering whether he should go back to his “day job” and other people I know have been in worry-mode over whether they’re really succeeding. In this post, Sonia takes it another step and talks about those times where you may wonder whether you’re blogging in an empty room and why you’re not as popular as that other guy. This post is in problem-solution format (my favorite! A fluff-free zone.) and is worth a read if you’re having even the tiniest doubt about where you are, where you’re going or whether it’s all worth it.
Read the article at logallot.com and follow Sonia on Twitter @LogAllot
Enjoy the weekend!
Great list. Always looking for new blogs to read. And this is a fantastic idea for a blog post… May have to borrow this idea!
Glad you like it Mike, and you are free to borrow away! I “borrowed” the photo idea from someone else I know who does a similar collection. I used to just list the posts but when I saw she had author photos I loved it. If we can share good ideas it makes things better for everyone!