While I advocate blogging for marketing purposes, the truth is that it’s a lot more valuable than just that. I’ve found over the years that while I do indeed get a lot of benefits business-wise from blogging, the main benefits are personal.
Blogging is therapeutic. It really is.
I’d compare blogging to journaling, and this comparison is obvious in some ways. Blogging was originally born out of journaling. But the act of journaling has been a tried and true practice for building a successful life for generations. We seem to have forgotten that. We seem to have forgotten where blogging came from.
It’s not some damn new marketing tactic. It’s actually not new at all. It’s old. Really old. It’s been going on for as long as pen and paper have been readily accessible.
Success gurus like Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy…gosh I don’t know…everyone…have been talking about the value of journaling forever. This isn’t a coincidence. Bottom line: it makes you better at what you do. And that’s important.
Most people don’t do it. Most people don’t write and share their goals. Most people don’t take the time to record and develop their ideas. Most people also…don’t achieve their true aspirations in business and in life.
To paraphrase Jim Rohn’s take on it, “It’s easy to do. It’s also easy not to do.”
Blogging is introspective. You have to ask yourself what is worth sharing with others. You have to think about your customers in a human way. They have hopes and dreams, fears and worries just like you do. You have to think about how you can help them, legitimately…not just how they can help you. You have to take stock of what’s going on in your business.
Maybe that’s all just a big pain in the ass. Or maybe…just maybe, there’s a reason that journaling has been a pastime of many of the most successful business owners and thought leaders throughout history.
I’m probably waxing philosophical a bit. I do that late at night sometimes. Especially after two glasses of wine. Which is exactly where I’m at right now.
But I think it’s an important point. The benefits you get from blogging extend far beyond just making some sales. It’s way more important than building a list. Far more profound than just finding a cheaper way to market yourself.
It really will change how you look at your business.
But if you look at it in a purely utilitarian way, it’ll be a drag…pure and simple. I just used a fancy-ish word in that last sentence. I broke one of the small business blogging rules…keep it dumbed down. Sorry about that. I’m pretty sure you can handle it 🙂
When you go to get a massage, the point is not to get it done. It’s not the point to cross the massage off your to do list for the day. The point of the massage is not for it to be over. The point of the massage is the massage itself. The experience itself gets you straightened out. It energizes you. It focuses you. And doing it regularly forces you to keep your priorities straight.
Yeah, blogging can feel inconvenient sometimes. So does prospecting. So does exercising. So does eating an apple a day. Sometimes the things that make us successful don’t always feel fun. Sometimes we feel like we’re too busy. That’s exactly why it’s so important. It’s why I believe every small business owner should have a blog.