6 Things Businessmen Can Learn from Successful Bloggers

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Much is written about successful bloggers. They earn good money. They are influential. What is not written as much is what businessmen can learn from the successful blogger.

So here are 6 things businessmen can learn from the successful blogger:

1. Build Integrity

Successful bloggers have integrity. The community nature of the internet filters out the scammers and conmen. The community tends to gravitate towards bloggers that develop integrity. Integrity builds loyalty. Bloggers that take advantage of their readers usually get shunned by readers. Readers will be quick to point out to other readers the antics of a blogger. They will also be quick to praise the blogger for his good acts. In business, integrity is everything. Just like blogging, it takes time to build and it is easy to lose.

2. Build Authority

Successful bloggers become an accepted source of information. This builds loyalty in their readers. If you are in a business where you are seen as not knowing your field of expertise, you will not build authority. Customers will be less likely to be loyal to a businessman when he never has the correct answers. Alternatively if you have excellent authority, when you don’t know it will be more acceptable. Your customers will be more likely to accept it rather than go to competitors. There’s nothing worse than misinformation. Don’t give misinformation. Be honest when you don’t know, but try to be in the know as much as possible.
3. Build Relationships

Building relationships is the most important part of blogging. Successful bloggers know that without relationships it is difficult to be successful. If you look at the most successful businessmen they didn’t do it alone. They had a supporting cast that helped them get there. Successful bloggers acknowledge their supporting cast - their fellow bloggers and readers.

For example, John Chow has a successful blog on making money online. While he has built good authority on the topic, he still acknowledges his readers and helps his peers by showcasing what they are doing.

Another example is Nate Whitehill. Though I’m not clear on how it transpired, Nate’s company Unique Blog Designs redesigned John Chow’s blog. I noticed Nate’s mybloglog avatar on John Chow’s site often when I read John’s blog. Some time later John got his site redesigned by Nate. John endorsed the work and as a result Nate got other high-profile blogger blog redesigns. He got work by participating in the community and got great results.

So how does this effect me? Well I got exposure to Nate through his viewership of John’s blog even before John purchased work from Nate. I became aware of Nate’s business after seeing his avatar frequently on John’s site. I viewed his mybloglog profile and Nate’s personal blog and thought he had a good value proposition in his blog design work. Then add the ringing endorsement of a customer - John Chow and I am more likely to consider purchasing work from the talented Nate. In fact other high profile bloggers have. There was no flyer, no spam email to convince them. The community - the relationships convinced them that Nate had talent and the value of his product. That’s the power of relationships in business and in the blogging community.

By endorsing your peers and your clients, you help build relationships. Successful businessmen should do the same. Recognize your team, your vendors, and recognize your clients. They are your supporting cast and your bread and butter. Without them you will fail. Relationships also helps you locate the right resources and also helps you find new clients. Don’t go it alone. Build Relationships.

4. You don’t know what you don’t know

Don’t overestimate yourself. Good bloggers know they don’t know everything. When a problem or question arises that they don’t know, they reach out to their network, to their peers, and to their readers. You can’t know everything so don’t fool yourself to think you do. You can have tragic consequences if you do. As a businessman don’t try to be a lawyer. Don’t try to be an accountant. While you may be able to do some things, don’t believe you are smarter than people that have dedicated their professional lives to a niche. Hire help and focus your time/energy on those things you do best.

5. Market Yourself

Marketing should underly everything you do. The cornerstones of marketing revolve around: price, product, promotion, and location. The difference between an unsuccessful blogger that merely writes well and a successful blogger is that the successful blogger is continuously marketing himself. Bloggers market themselves to their peers, to their readers, and to their sponsors sometimes simultaneously. An example would be a blogger posting about how much traffic he gets and how he is increasing it. This would be interesting to his peers, his readers, and advertisers. As a businessman, you always needs to sell. Selling doesn’t always involve a sales catalog or an ad in the newspaper. Your actions are also part of your product. How you present yourself, your authority, and your integrity are all part of your product. So Market yourself. Know your product, know your opportunities, build relationships, and sell your product.

6. Learn/Change

Successful bloggers change with the times. They use different tools as they evelove. They learn what works and adjust. They get feedback from the community. The community is the most powerful source of knowledge out there. Learn from your clients. Learn from your peers. Read magazines. Just learn. Learn, explore, adjust, and grow. Change with the times. Don’t let fear cripple you. While it may be safer to not change in the short term, in the long-term those that don’t change fall behind and become uncompetitive.

7. Read daxdesai.com

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Since I’ve started blogging, I’ve learned so much from the community, from other bloggers, and the readers. Their is no similar platform I can think of that can give the same result. Learning is great, but you have to apply it. The most successful businesses don’t even create their own products sometimes, but they are the ones that apply thought and take action.

Take action. Make money.