Small Business Therapy #2 – I Don’t Want to Blog!
This is the second article in our small business therapy series. Today’s session is about blogging.
Happy Fourth of July!
I had planned to write this post last weekend.
I had also planned to send out my awesome and much-hyped (by me) Jalopy Gang Newsletter to my beloved V.I.P. list.
Instead I sat on a beach in the South of France for about 12 hours in the blistering heat and drank enough premium French Lager to kill a horse. (And a burly, hard-drinking one at that.)
Don't ask…
Predictable results ensued.
I am never going on another bachelor weekend again.
So… I’ve been away for a while. This post almost didn’t happen. Newsletter awesomeness didn’t manifest. And God wept.
But NOW I’m back….
And it’s time to talk about our issues. You and me. In a non-creepy, constructive way with no seedy old therapist bores in sight.
None of this…
The introductory story about the man with no name.
An unnamed client recently came to me to ask for help in promoting his business on the internet.
(He’s doesn’t actually have no name. He has a very lovely name, in fact. It’s just that I’m not telling you what it is.)
He has a small but successful offline business, and he’s looking to expand his marketing efforts online. Good for him. This idea gets the Jalopy Seal of Approval. (You can have one too for a small donation into my Paypal account.)
He’s getting a website designed. It looks pretty flash. It’s even made of Flash.
That’s a cool looking website, I said. Do you have a blog?
No. I don’t want a blog, he replied.
We’ve spoken about blogs before, me and he. He knows that I believe that the blog is the pinnacle of awesomeness when it comes to non-pushy, value- and relationship-focused internet marketing. This is true for a million reasons I have bored him with previously, and a million reasons that I’ll explain to you in my forthcoming product How to Use the Internet as your Faithful Marketing Love Slave.
So I stared at him blankly until he elaborated.
I don’t have time to maintain a blog, he replied.
The reason you don’t do something is rarely because you don’t have enough time. If something is important enough to you, you’ll make time for it.
<<Blank stare>>
<<Silence>>
I don’t have anything original to say.
What I have to say is boring. People won’t be interested in that.
And I don’t write very well.
And I’d run out of things to talk about.
And I don’t like putting myself “out-there” so personally. What if everyone realizes I’m not as much of an expert as I’d like to pretend? What if everyone realizes I’m weird or thinks I’m a screw-up?
Great. Now we were actually getting somewhere
So let’s talk these through together, one by one…
Hello. My name is
Objection 1 – I don’t have anything original to say.
We started to address this in our first small business therapy session.
It’s not true that everything worth writing about has already been written about by someone.
But it nearly is.
So does that mean you can’t write about it too?
Must every point you make be completely and totally original? A unique and perfectly-formed gem of knowledge spawned from your mind only?
Of course not!
What’s important is that you say what you have to say, in your own voice, at the right time.
In doing that, you’ll change lives.
Don’t believe me?
Okay. Have you ever heard something that you’ve heard a hundred times before, but for some reason, this time you hear it, something really clicks?
Why is it that the same information, presented slightly differently, only sunk in when you heard it described in a certain way, by a certain person?
It’s because that person was able to describe it to you in a way that you could uniquely relate to.
There are people that need to hear what you have to say. From you.
And you owe it to them to be yourself, to tell your story, to spread your knowledge.
Next…
Objection 2 – What I have to say is boring. People won’t be interested in it.
Yes Sir. I'd love to read your NASCAR blog.
There are many massively popular blogs that I find mind-numblingly tedious.
What does this tell us?
Well… it either means that I’m a poor judge of blog quality…
…or it tells us that different people like different stuff.
Have you ever done any random, un-targeted web browsing? (You should. It’s an excellent procrastination aid, if nothing else!)
If you have, then you’ll know that there’s a huge amount of unoriginal, pointless, yawn-inducing stuff out there. And it’s very very popular.
Which means that there must be a whole ton of people who like unoriginal, pointless, yawn-inducing stuff.
Or rather, a whole load of people who like the stuff that I think is unoriginal, pointless and yawn-inducing.
Someone will like your boring stuff. I promise!
Now, maybe you’re worried that no-one will show up to read your blog?
That’s a different issue. And a largely practical one.
Getting people to read your stuff is largely a function of how well you promote it. If you promote it well, people will come. And even if I might think it’s tedious, irrelevant and unoriginal, other people will not. They’ll visit and they will return.
There are more than enough weirdos on the internet for your weird blog to have a weird audience of its own.
There. Doesn’t that make you feel better?!
Next…
Objection 3 – I don’t write very well
I know how this can feel.
I love good writing. I’m attracted to some of my favorite blogs predominantly because of their unique and creative writing style.
Sometimes, when I’m reading a beautifully written blog such as www.copyblogger.com, a little voice appears in my head – the one that says:
JJ – you’ll never be this good. Why don’t you just give it up?
And part of that voice is correct. I probably will never be that good. I probably could be, were I to really work at it, but that’s not my focus.
Sometimes my ego and my desire to be the best at everything stops me from remembering why I am blogging in the first place.
I’m not blogging to become a great blogger. Or even a great writer.
I’m blogging to help people to succeed with their small home businesses. I’m blogging to help people leave their day jobs and do something that inspires and excites them. I’m blogging to promote my services and forthcoming awesome products.
Well yes. Indeed.
The best writing style for a blog is a conversational tone. Imagine your average reader is in front of you and talk to them as a friend.
If you can write the way you talk when you’re having a coffee or a beer with a friend then you’ll be a great blogger.
Next…
Objection 4 – I’d run out of things to talk about
I strange and wonderful thing starts happening when you start writing.
Ideas seem to be born out of nowhere.
You’ll be writing a post and you’ll get ideas for five more. If you make it your intention to come up with ideas for blog posts and then go about your day, you’ll be surprised at how many great ideas pop into your head.
Give it a try.
Next…
Objection 5 – I don’t like putting myself “out there”. What if everyone realizes I’m not as much of an expert as I’d like to pretend? What if everyone realizes I’m weird or thinks I’m a screw-up?
Ah yes.
You’re going to be writing about yourself and you’re scared that people might find out that you’re not perfect.
Yeah. Makes sense. Because we love people who claim to be perfect, don’t we?
We really connect with them, don’t we?
We feel so appreciated and understood when we’re around someone who says they’ve never made any mistakes in their lives, don’t we?
You see where I’m going with this…
Good.
Your story will give someone hope. Your story is the reason people will finally understand what they haven’t been able to understand so far from anyone else.
Your story is the reason people are there, reading a blog and not an encyclopedia.
Be honest. Be yourself. Rock the world.
<<Deep breath>>
That was good. I enjoyed that.
It’s been lovely. See you tomorrow!
JJ Jalopy.
P.S. If you enjoyed that then you might want to sign-up to my V.I.P. list. You’ll get an email newsletter every week (except when I have heatstroke.) Sign-up now and get it tomorrow! 
Comment by Suzie
5 July 2009
Great post JJ, and useful, thanks!
Suzie´s last blog ..A Recipe
Comment by Don Shepherd
5 July 2009
at some point in time i have been guilty of all of the above objections.
now that you have uplifted and enlightened me i’m off…. to read the bad blog jokes.
Don Shepherd
Central Oregon Expert
Don Shepherd´s last blog ..Central Oregon Here I Come
Comment by JJ Jalopy
5 July 2009
@Suzie – Thanks very much. It’s great to have you here on my blog!
@Don – Haha… Sorry in advance about the jokes. I’m looking forward to another blog post from you soon, my friend! I’m missing that beautiful Central Oregon scenery…
Comment by Yann Vernier - ProfitsTactics.com
5 July 2009
Great article dude! I can relate to these 5 objections sooo well it’s scary. (Actually, I can relate to drinking way too much in the South of France too…)
I’m going to digg this, it’ll be helpful to a lot of people thinking of blooging but still on the fence.
All the best,
Yann
Yann Vernier – ProfitsTactics.com´s last blog ..What is your wolf feeding habit?
Comment by JJ Jalopy
5 July 2009
@Yann – Thanks very much my friend. I really appreciate that. I hope you’re well… It’s been a while.
@Everyone else – Feel free to Digg me too! I won’t mind… http://digg.com/d1vlju
Comment by Duane Cunningham
6 July 2009
Hi JJ,
That was an awesome post dude! And so on the money! Which brings me to my point!
Thats why we blog, have a website, write blah blah blah, it all comes back to its a means to an end…those wonderful little green backs that pile into ones paypal, bank a/c or hidden offshore haven (opps!)
Duane
Discover Secret Persuading Skills that Work Like Magic by Tapping Into the Psychology of the Mind with The Worlds Leading Persuasion Expert Duane Cunningham!
“Amazing Secrets Discovered Using Cutting Edge Research! Guaranteed To Put Money In Your Pockets, Melt Away Sales Resistance…And Slash Buyers Remorse Almost Overnight!”
Comment by John Ho
6 July 2009
JJ,
Always enjoy your ranting and yawning even though I have better things to do
)
Man, you’re GREAT!
Keep them coming!
John Ho
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion (WordPress Blog)
Numerology Expert Birthday Numeroscope (Vox Blog)
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion
John Ho´s last blog ..“Numerology Expert Revisit What’s In A Name From Another Angle”
Comment by Darryl Pace
7 July 2009
JJ,
Your brain is full of great stuff and you generously spew that stuff forth for all of us to partake of:-) I think this post was particularly good. It was very encouraging.
Health, Fitness — Darryl Pace
Fitness Product Review
Darryl Pace´s last blog ..Getting Fit and Staying Fit
Comment by Anthony Lemme
8 July 2009
You are on the money. Blogs are such a relationship builder.
Anthony
http://www.anthonylemme.com
Anthony Lemme´s last blog ..Are You Out There Yoga Girl?
Comment by JJ Jalopy
12 July 2009
@Duane – You hit the nail on the head. Everything we do should have an end in mind…
@John – I love you dude!
Comment by JJ Jalopy
12 July 2009
@Darryl – Thanks dude. Yes. I do a lot of spewing!
Comment by JJ Jalopy
12 July 2009
@Anthony – Cheers!
Comment by Lisa McLellan
14 July 2009
I don’t mind the blogging thing now that I see its awesome power. You are a smart man!
Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services – Babysitters and Nannies
Comment by JJ Jalopy
14 July 2009
@Lisa – Keep on bloggin’
Comment by Pam Schulz
16 July 2009
As always a great read JJ!
Pam
Expert Houston Retirement Planning & Wealth Management Services
Pam Schulz´s last blog ..A Blog About My Blog