The Case of the Reluctant Business Blogger
My office phone jingled. “Blogging Bistro. This is Laura.”
“Hi. My name is Beth.* I own a local store.”
Long pause.
“I started a blog. But it’s… well… really ugly. And I hate writing it. But I know I need it. Do you write blogs? How much do you charge?”
I smiled. More than a few of the prospective clients who inquire about our services are reluctant bloggers. They attach a blog (usually a blogspot.com blog) to their Web site because someone told them to.
Beth told me that a business associate had advised her, “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly.”
“Do you agree with that statement?” Beth asked.
No, I don’t.
I believe that a poorly done blog does more harm than good, particularly if you’re using it to promote your business.
- If you publish content that sounds as if a fourth grader wrote it, your customers won’t trust your professionalism.
- If you write one blog post and then abandon your blog, your customers won’t trust your reliability.
- If your blog stands out as the ugly duckling page on your Web site, your customers won’t trust your brand message. [Beth’s blog uses the default Blogger template, which is blah, compared to her colorful new Web site. But that’s an easy fix. All she needs to do is select a different template and customize the colors and fonts to match her Web site.]
- If you convey your lack of confidence about blogging, your customers will lack confidence in you. Beth’s most recent blog post, for instance (published a month-and-a-half after her previous post), begins, “Blogging isn’t really my strength.”
My unsolicited advice to Beth: “Don’t call attention to the fact that you neglected your blog for over a month, and don’t downplay your abilities.”
Beth truly is a better blogger than she gives herself credit for. She writes in an inviting, conversational voice, and she includes loads of pictures of the products she sells.
Beth doesn’t need to blog “poorly.” For her, blogging “well” might mean investing in a professional writer to ghostwrite some of her blog posts so her updates are fresh, inviting, and polished.
For her, blogging “well” might mean investing in a graphic designer to create a custom Blogger template that matches the look of her new Web site. (And yes, Blogging Bistro offers both of those services.)
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
*Name changed
Laura, this is a wonderful true story. In all fields, it seems, business owners believe that if a blog exists,” that's good enough. In researching for my blog on eldercare, Boomers Guide to Eldercare,(www.boomersguidetoeldercare), I found many sites that are highly technical, are “here today, gone tomorrow,” or are downright ugly. Laura, I appreciate your help in launching mine.
Alice Kalso, http.//boomersguidetoeldercare.com
Laura, this is a wonderful true story. In all fields, it seems, business owners believe that if a blog exists,” that's good enough. In researching for my blog on eldercare, Boomers Guide to Eldercare,(www.boomersguidetoeldercare), I found many sites that are highly technical, are “here today, gone tomorrow,” or are downright ugly. Laura, I appreciate your help in launching mine.
Alice Kalso, http.//boomersguidetoeldercare.com
I've never heard the “anything worth doing is worth doing poorly”. In fact, it was so out of the realm of anything in my head that I first read it “anything worth doing is worth doing well” until I saw that you didn't agree with the statement and had to go back and re-read it.
Noting can be perfect, but if you don't have a commitment to do something well, just don't do it! Haphazard, sloppy and lackadaisical work communicates haphazardness, sloppiness and lackadaisical-ness much faster than even good work will communicate excellence. The feel of it will communicate to your audience even before they have a chance to read what you actually have to say.
Whoever told that business woman that needs to be slapped!
I've never heard the “anything worth doing is worth doing poorly”. In fact, it was so out of the realm of anything in my head that I first read it “anything worth doing is worth doing well” until I saw that you didn't agree with the statement and had to go back and re-read it.
Noting can be perfect, but if you don't have a commitment to do something well, just don't do it! Haphazard, sloppy and lackadaisical work communicates haphazardness, sloppiness and lackadaisical-ness much faster than even good work will communicate excellence. The feel of it will communicate to your audience even before they have a chance to read what you actually have to say.
Whoever told that business woman that needs to be slapped!
Geoff and Alice,
I completely agree with your sentiments. I'd never heard the “doing poorly” adage either, and it made me pause and think. And think some more.
I don't believe a business should set up a blog “just because.” Or just because everyone else is doing it. Blogging is something you should do because you believe you have an important message to share with the world, and because you're passionate about sharing that message. Period.
Geoff and Alice,
I completely agree with your sentiments. I'd never heard the “doing poorly” adage either, and it made me pause and think. And think some more.
I don't believe a business should set up a blog “just because.” Or just because everyone else is doing it. Blogging is something you should do because you believe you have an important message to share with the world, and because you're passionate about sharing that message. Period.