Comments on: Business School for Bloggers

By: coreys

coreys — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:40:14 +0000

I love your comments on skillsets! Yes, I am finally realizing what skillset I am missing: tech! I am just now learning how to blog and that there’s a free software out there, Word Press. I have heard about blogging for business, but didn’t want to invest the money in the software. Big mistake! I also found out about Glyphius software that scores your ad copy. Not free, but sounds great.

By: Liz Strauss

Liz Strauss — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:49:07 +0000

Wow! Keren, thank you.

Words are powerful. I sit and stare at yours.

I’m taken by what you said. Comments like that make me want to keep doing what I do.

By: Keren Dagan

Keren Dagan — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:18:32 +0000

Thanks Chris,
Liz’s blog emits warmth.
The interesting things in here is that this is beyond the “Tag Cloud”.
After reading other blogs post and some really negative comments on the web (like the one that Steve Gilmor recently wrote in TechCrunch – http://tinyurl.com/3uy2lj) it is great to go and read Liz’s blog. I’m amazed by her ability to deliver this feeling in a blog and even better in the comment section (C’mon. Let’s talk!).
Yes, there is a lot to learn from Liz.
When I read your blog I sense motivation, enthusiasm and fellowship (not sure if this is the right word – maybe community is better). Do you agree?
So, think about the strength of this effect for a business blog.
If one could learn this from Liz I envy him/her.
Keren

By: 3 Steps to Overcoming Corporate Blog Denial

3 Steps to Overcoming Corporate Blog Denial — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:58:23 +0000

[...] Liz Strauss’s new book The Secret to Writing a Successful and Outstanding Blog thanks to Chris Brogan. As Liz puts it, this book is for: “Everyone who wants more community participation, more [...]

By: Eric : Gardenfork.tv

Eric : Gardenfork.tv — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:24:22 +0000

chris introduced me to Liz a few weeks back and she certainly is great. her grace and sense of humor allows her to put up with me.

By: Michael Martine | Remarkablogger

Michael Martine | Remarkablogger — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 05:19:09 +0000

SOBCon absolutely rocked. Liz knows her stuff–it’s all about the relationsips.

By: Josh Klein

Josh Klein — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 21:58:34 +0000

@Patrick, @Richard, @Liz,

Wow! Thanks for these points. Definitely something to take with me and fold into the framework I use. It’s not every day you get this kind of advice below the fold, in the comments of a post.

Chris, what are you feeding these guys & gals? :)

By: Liz Strauss

Liz Strauss — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:52:59 +0000

@Chris, You are why I’m smiling in that picture.

@Jim, One of these days, we need to talk for real. Just playback your comments to yourself and sign them from me.

@Josh, Some folks do make us feel like we have to take on the role of drill sergeant or police, don’t they? But as with most human behavior, the actions that come with a change — in this case, from enthusiastic beginner to disillusioned learner or from trainee to blogger — are really symptoms, aren’t they? We could treat symptoms or go after the cause. Why the change?

Teachers see this behavior often. It can mean lots of things:
1. They never believed it was important, i.e. they never got the purpose at the start.
2. They want us to do the work.
3. They don’t have confidence to last for the long haul.
4. Other pressures have enterred the picture.
and more.

Find the cause and you’ll know the cure.

@Vladislav, Nice to meet you. Thanks. Hope Chris does what you suggest.

@Patrick, Great points all, especially your last sentence. :)

By: Richard Dale-Mesaros

Richard Dale-Mesaros — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:44:36 +0000

Reply to Josh Klein:

See if you can get your clients to head on over to other great blogs in their own industry, so they can see what it takes to be successful with this new (hardly) medium. They have to experience the tone and manner in which good bloggers write – many new bloggers are in an ‘article-writing mindset’, rather than the easy conversational flow of folks like Chris.

In my world of real estate, I often refer people to http://www.realestatetomato.com – Jim Cronin is doing a fantastic job of coaching Realtors in the art of blogging…. you may want to check him out because many of the posts/articles apply to any industry.

Give it a kick,

Richard :)
Chief Deal Weaver
http://www.BlackWidowNetwork.com

By: Patrick Fire

Patrick Fire — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 11:50:23 +0000

@JoshKlein – I think you really need to find that source of passion and love for the product/service/topic that your clients are promoting and have that fuel the need to keep blogging.

If the client feels like they are blogging for blogging sake, or don’t really care about the topic beyond making a few bucks, the blog will never get off the ground.

The other thing you might want to do is help them develop a system that makes the brainstorming and writing of blog posts easy. Rather than just saying “Ok now keep posting once a week,” which is a very daunting task… help them setup an editorial board, help them schedule what day they write, what day they edit and review, and what day they brainstorm for next weeks. Give them materials on different types of posts (templates if you will, lists, reviews, comparisons, editorials, etc…)

The easier you make blogging the more likely they will be to actually blog.