Blogging 2.1

This week's marketing tip is about building your brand through blogging. Why blog you might ask? I posted about the simple process of blogging back in February of 2010. I would be curious to guess how many of our listeners started blogging and actually kept it up. I recently attended a blogging workshop with Beth Schreibman Gehring. Beth is an obsessive blogger and truly believes it is the best marketing medium out there for small business. Small business owners are passionate about their business, and sharing that passion is the definition of blogging. Blogging is challenging, trust me I live it. The only way I have kept up with my blog is Mondays. I know I have to have a marketing segment every Monday night for this show, Nail Talk Radio. Some posts come easier than others, but I still have to come up with content. And that is the major issue of blogging. Content. Blogging shrinks the world, it turns the ordinary beauty professional by day into a writer, a creative force, an expert, a brand overnight. Well maybe not overnight, but with consistency your blog can expose your business to so many venues you never even knew existed. Blogging shares who you are with the world, an online resume that showcases your heartbeat. Your blog shares what's going on in your world immediately, no need to wait for the monthly newsletter or weekly fan page update. Your blog can give readers a reason to become clients. So let's reexamine blogging for building your brand. Start with a free account on Blogger, Typepad, or Wordpress. These sites are very user friendly and setting aside a couple of hours to familiarize yourself with the process is usually all it takes. The real work comes in setting up the time in your schedule to actually write the content. Have a few categories like What's new. Favorite services. Staff picks. Nail of the day. Art gallery. Having several categories will make it easier to categorize and post your content. Blogging for business should be done once or twice per week. Having a nail of the day category is a quick and easy way to update your blog without a lot of writing, just post the picture with a catchy description and done. How do I get readers?
Some great headline strategies to get your readers intrigued enough to read more.
1. Ask a question. What is all the buzz about no chip manicures? What are things to look for at a top salon? What are the advantages of regular manicures?
2. Ask Why. Why gel polish? Why pay more? Why regular pedicures are a must?
3. Write a How to. How to plan a killer spa party. How to create simple nail art.
4. Lists. Top three spring shades 5 ingredients that should be in your beauty products
5. Best and Worst. Worst spa products or ingredients Best nail styles Best or most effective nail treatments.
Posting to Facebook and twitter will give your blog social media muscle. Connecting with other local beauty bloggers is a great way to get your content forwarded to their readers. Everyone is looking for content and will often times retweet or repost interesting blogs to their audience.
Here are a few blogging rules to live by according to Beth:
1 Set up a time to blog. I know myself this is critical Add it to your day planner like any other appointment and don't blow it off.
2. If you use someone else's images please remember to give them credit. Why yes we have an issue with this in our industry as well. If you don't know the source, post unknown but don't put them off as your own.
3. Copyright everything. You can get a free copyright covering your writing and images. Put the badge on your blog so that others know the terms of your copyrights.
4. Stay relevant to your topic. It promotes you as THE expert in your field.
5. Blog what you know. This speaks to your authenticity. If you feature someone else's articles on your site make sure to give them credit and not pass the post off as your own. If your reader senses any fraudulent posts your credibility is shot and they won't engage.
6. Don't use anyone else's words without their permission. There are ridiculous covert ways anyone can track information on Google so again, give credit where it is due. Besides many people you quote may be interested in quoting you one day. Getting your blog in front of a whole new audience. and after all isn't that the point?
So if you haven't started your blog yet, don't wait. Get blogging and get the visibility and the credibility you need to move your business forward. Move your business forward with marketing products from Pro Beauty Success.

Has anyone seen the last six months? I've misplaced them

So many of you know, I love to read. It is not unusual for me to read 2 or three books at the same time. I say that not to brag but to confess. I am a bookaholic. It takes over much of my free time, famly time, what is supposed to be work time and sleep time. I have also just discovered it takes up my writing time. THAT was a revelation. A very wise coach told me once if you want to write........write. Simple I know, but not that simple at all. I envy bloggers that write every day, you know who you are. I can't believe it has been six months since my last blog, another confession, bless me. I even started this draft a week ago for pete's sake. I am committing to writing more here there and everywhere. So many of my posts may be short little snippets, the ones so hard for me to do, run on of the keyboard. I have officially signed up to take a writers workshop, dust off my movie script and get working on it again. Many of my nail friends will find it right up their alley, that's all I'm saying no use begging and those of you that have heard the rough draft remember you are sworn to secrecy!!! Just kidding, no not really. Hopfully it will come together sooner than later and I can start shopping it. Wouldn't that be cool. Hey If an exotic dancer can write Juno and get best screenplay......just saying. Signing off for now, till next time I get 5 minutes .