October 14, 2008 127 Comments

Remember the Root Goal

There might be a better picture to describe the intentions of this post. I should start this blog post with a catchy anecdote; I’d better go find a story that matches what I’m looking for. I’m going to go ask Twitter what they think. Once I get that all done, I’m going to stumble, digg, mixx, sphinn, delicious, and reddit the post. After all that, I’m going to add it to LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, and everywhere else. Then, I’m going to go comment on 10 blogs that have similar posts, and try to subtly convince people to come back over and visit my site, because hey, there’s a new blog post over here. Hey! Come look at this incredible blog post!

The goal is rarely that. The goal is conversation. Or if you’re someone else, the goal is sales. Or if you’re someone else, the goal is thought leadership. Or the goal is capturing business practices.

It doesn’t require the right picture. It doesn’t require a blog post. It doesn’t require anything very specifically, as much as it requires realizing that you’re doing what matters most to the goal. If my goal is to make money blogging, then I do a really poor job of it. If my goal isn’t about this blog at all, but for something larger, then getting tied up in my stats and things like that means I’m not focusing on the goal.

The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. Right?

Photo credit, Michael Morel

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http://www.ribeezie.com Ricardo Bueno

@Michael D. Wentworth: “City Slickers!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k1uOqRb0HU&feature=related

@Chris Brogan: sorry for the link dude (feel free to delete). Love that movie…
http://www.ribeezie.com Ricardo Bueno

@Michael D. Wentworth: “City Slickers!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k1uOqRb0HU&feature=related

@Chris Brogan: sorry for the link dude (feel free to delete). Love that movie…
http://uniquehomebasedbusinessopportunity.com/ Susan/Unique Business Opportun

I’m so glad that I read your post. Because I am very new to the blog world, I have been reading and reading. I’ve read so much it makes my head swim. Getting back to the basics of why my blogs were created is very refreshing.
http://uniquehomebasedbusinessopportunity.com/ Susan/Unique Business Opportun

I’m so glad that I read your post. Because I am very new to the blog world, I have been reading and reading. I’ve read so much it makes my head swim. Getting back to the basics of why my blogs were created is very refreshing.
http://uniquehomebasedbusinessopportunity.com/ Susan/Unique Business Opportunity

I’m so glad that I read your post. Because I am very new to the blog world, I have been reading and reading. I’ve read so much it makes my head swim. Getting back to the basics of why my blogs were created is very refreshing.
http://www.istanbultrails.com Max Forlani

Hi Chris,

Great thinking. One question though, after leaving those comments on 10 different blogs covering a similar topic, do you also sibsribe to these blogs or just use them to drive traffic to your site / post?

Cheers,
Max
http://www.istanbultrails.com Max Forlani

Hi Chris,

Great thinking. One question though, after leaving those comments on 10 different blogs covering a similar topic, do you also sibsribe to these blogs or just use them to drive traffic to your site / post?

Cheers,
Max
http://www.istanbultrails.com Max Forlani

Hi Chris,

Great thinking. One question though, after leaving those comments on 10 different blogs covering a similar topic, do you also sibsribe to these blogs or just use them to drive traffic to your site / post?

Cheers,
Max
http://maximumcustomerexperience.com Kelly

Chris,

Mainly, yes! Begin with the end in mind. Things I never worry about: images and maintaining 15 different profiles to capture two more in-n-out readers.

Is it okay if I think my stats “deserve” to be better anyway?

:)

Regards,

Kelly
http://maximumcustomerexperience.com Kelly

Chris,

Mainly, yes! Begin with the end in mind. Things I never worry about: images and maintaining 15 different profiles to capture two more in-n-out readers.

Is it okay if I think my stats “deserve” to be better anyway?

:)

Regards,

Kelly
http://maximumcustomerexperience.com Kelly

Chris,

Mainly, yes! Begin with the end in mind. Things I never worry about: images and maintaining 15 different profiles to capture two more in-n-out readers.

Is it okay if I think my stats “deserve” to be better anyway?

:)

Regards,

Kelly
http://resilienceatwork.blogspot.com Susan Kuhn

A good chance to think: my main goal with my blog is to write a book. So I get to put my thoughts out there, get into interesting conversations, see what interests people and what is boring. And discover what my book is about…writing to learn, as William Zinsser says. Along the way, other cool things happen. But you are right…I should tape a reminder of the “main thing” on the top edge of my laptop, and remember to do all the “offline” things that need to be done to get the book done.
http://resilienceatwork.blogspot.com Susan Kuhn

A good chance to think: my main goal with my blog is to write a book. So I get to put my thoughts out there, get into interesting conversations, see what interests people and what is boring. And discover what my book is about…writing to learn, as William Zinsser says. Along the way, other cool things happen. But you are right…I should tape a reminder of the “main thing” on the top edge of my laptop, and remember to do all the “offline” things that need to be done to get the book done.
http://resilienceatwork.blogspot.com Susan Kuhn

A good chance to think: my main goal with my blog is to write a book. So I get to put my thoughts out there, get into interesting conversations, see what interests people and what is boring. And discover what my book is about…writing to learn, as William Zinsser says. Along the way, other cool things happen. But you are right…I should tape a reminder of the “main thing” on the top edge of my laptop, and remember to do all the “offline” things that need to be done to get the book done.
http://donotreadthisblogunless.blogspot.com/ Nicholas Chase

Chris,

Great post, I have owned most of the guitar pedals in the photo, and now use plug-ins on Pro-Tools 7 for most of my guitar recording. The illustration has merit in the context of your post.

Your point is well taken, blog posts will not make you rich, but engage your community of subscribers with a forum to dialog with you about the posts. If someone is curious enough, they will discover your business-side, and the discussion can ‘continue over there’.

I am blogging on nine separate blogs because I love writing articles! I have blogged about ipods, skateboards, unicycles, guitars, dieting, weight-loss, cholesterol reduction and mesothelioma. I plan on releasing at least one post per day for the next thirty-days on HubPages.com as an experiment in ‘revenue-sharing’ there.

Not one of these blogs has made me a dime, that is not what they are for, even though they are monetized to the maximum.

Being perceived as an authority is what I am after. Once I have established my credentials, I may choose to market to those individuals who have an interest in that product or service.

Being authentic is my goal in the next year, even though my next ‘day job’ will be paying the bills.

Respectfully, Nicholas Chase ‘the video guy’ from BlogWorld Expo 2008
http://donotreadthisblogunless.blogspot.com/ Nicholas Chase

Chris,

Great post, I have owned most of the guitar pedals in the photo, and now use plug-ins on Pro-Tools 7 for most of my guitar recording. The illustration has merit in the context of your post.

Your point is well taken, blog posts will not make you rich, but engage your community of subscribers with a forum to dialog with you about the posts. If someone is curious enough, they will discover your business-side, and the discussion can ‘continue over there’.

I am blogging on nine separate blogs because I love writing articles! I have blogged about ipods, skateboards, unicycles, guitars, dieting, weight-loss, cholesterol reduction and mesothelioma. I plan on releasing at least one post per day for the next thirty-days on HubPages.com as an experiment in ‘revenue-sharing’ there.

Not one of these blogs has made me a dime, that is not what they are for, even though they are monetized to the maximum.

Being perceived as an authority is what I am after. Once I have established my credentials, I may choose to market to those individuals who have an interest in that product or service.

Being authentic is my goal in the next year, even though my next ‘day job’ will be paying the bills.

Respectfully, Nicholas Chase ‘the video guy’ from BlogWorld Expo 2008
http://donotreadthisblogunless.blogspot.com/ Nicholas Chase

Chris,

Great post, I have owned most of the guitar pedals in the photo, and now use plug-ins on Pro-Tools 7 for most of my guitar recording. The illustration has merit in the context of your post.

Your point is well taken, blog posts will not make you rich, but engage your community of subscribers with a forum to dialog with you about the posts. If someone is curious enough, they will discover your business-side, and the discussion can ‘continue over there’.

I am blogging on nine separate blogs because I love writing articles! I have blogged about ipods, skateboards, unicycles, guitars, dieting, weight-loss, cholesterol reduction and mesothelioma. I plan on releasing at least one post per day for the next thirty-days on HubPages.com as an experiment in ‘revenue-sharing’ there.

Not one of these blogs has made me a dime, that is not what they are for, even though they are monetized to the maximum.

Being perceived as an authority is what I am after. Once I have established my credentials, I may choose to market to those individuals who have an interest in that product or service.

Being authentic is my goal in the next year, even though my next ‘day job’ will be paying the bills.

Respectfully, Nicholas Chase ‘the video guy’ from BlogWorld Expo 2008
http://hungerrelief.tyson.com Ed Nicholson

Chris
Your point is well taken. Your route there is quite interesting.
I wonder how many people were attracted by the photo? I was. Like Nicholas, I’ve owned most of these pedals–still own and use many. I read your blog most every day, but this post caught my attention more than usual. I went Flickr site, joined the pedal board group, and enjoyed looking through some of their photos.
Then I came back here to comment.
If your goal is indeed conversation, you’re damned good at it.
http://hungerrelief.tyson.com Ed Nicholson

Chris
Your point is well taken. Your route there is quite interesting.
I wonder how many people were attracted by the photo? I was. Like Nicholas, I’ve owned most of these pedals–still own and use many. I read your blog most every day, but this post caught my attention more than usual. I went Flickr site, joined the pedal board group, and enjoyed looking through some of their photos.
Then I came back here to comment.
If your goal is indeed conversation, you’re damned good at it.
http://hungerrelief.tyson.com Ed Nicholson

Chris
Your point is well taken. Your route there is quite interesting.
I wonder how many people were attracted by the photo? I was. Like Nicholas, I’ve owned most of these pedals–still own and use many. I read your blog most every day, but this post caught my attention more than usual. I went Flickr site, joined the pedal board group, and enjoyed looking through some of their photos.
Then I came back here to comment.
If your goal is indeed conversation, you’re damned good at it.
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Thank you for sharing with us this insightful post.

Remember the Root Goal

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