I’ve become an unapologetic “blog evangelist.” The reason? I’ve seen what it’s done in my life. Starting and maintaining a blog has been absolutely transformational. I think you should launch a blog, too. Here’s why:
Launch your blog in under 7 minutes by following this video. My readers get a special rate of less than $5 per month. Nearly twenty people have already used this to setup their blog: Mike’s Bluehost Affiliate Link.
1. The paper resume will soon be obsolete.
According to theundercoverrecruiter.com, LinkedIn (though it has it’s flaws) is already being used by 93% of companies for recruiting. But to throw all your eggs in the LinkedIn basket is a big mistake. They can make changes that could adversely affect you, and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Please hear me: go–TODAY–and purchase a domain based off your name. You own your blog, which means you have control.
Part of my job involves working with high school students. I counsel all of them–at 15, 16, 17 years old–to secure domain names and start blogging to showcase their work and expertise. A personal platform is the resume of the future. Check out toddcavanaugh.com and tell me he doesn’t standout compared to a stack of paper resumes.
Secure your blog today. (Otherwise your internet real estate is going to be taken up by a bunch of high school students.)
2. Great communicators will always have earning power.
Dawson Trotman once said, “Thoughts disentangle themselves when they pass through lips and the fingertips.” If you’re a communicator, blogging will be a huge component of improving your craft.
Blogging has made me a better classroom teacher, speaker, and writer. It’s helped me become adept at 1-on-1 sales, negotiation, and large-scale marketing presentations. My communication has become succinct and clear. My vocabulary is sharp, my command of language is strong, and my copywriting reaps profits.
This is all due to the consistent and regular output that blogging requires. Strong communicators will always be in demand. Start a blog, showcase your value, and ensure your earning power.
3. Influential (and otherwise unreachable) people become easily accessible.
Secret: every blogger reads the comments left on their blogs, even the big names. Securing a 1-on-1 meeting with these folks is next to impossible; their time is at a premium. But guess where they spend some of that premium time? On their blog.
For the past year, I actively participated on the forums of influential blogs like michaelhyatt.com and rayedwards.com. I commented on their posts, shared their links, blogged about their products, and even emailed them unsolicited testimonial videos they could use for their own marketing.
When I met Michael and Ray for the first time at the Platform Conference last November, they recognized me immediately. Since then, they’ve actually mentioned me on their podcasts and live calls. Talk about free press.
I couldn’t pay for that kind of exposure the traditional way. With a blog, I did it for less than $5 a month. You can do the same. Launch your blog today.
4. You’ll make money (outside of your day job).
I didn’t blog with the intent of making money. I did it to share my thoughts, build relationships, and improve communication skills.
That said, I started making money within just two months of blogging regularly. This was a surprise! I suppose my thoughts were of enough value that people were willing to pay me. This happened because my blog:
- showcased my expertise
- revealed my personality, character, and values
- allowed me to establish relationships with readers passively
True story: within the past year, I’ve had three clients hire me as a consultant by discovering my blog…from comments I left on other blogs. Think about that! All I did was leave a comment on a well-known blog. These readers saw my comments, clicked on my link, followed my blog for awhile, and eventually hired me for contracts that totaled several thousand dollars.
Monetizing your blog can be a long process. But chances are you have knowledge or skills people would pay for. They just don’t know about you because you haven’t built a personal platform.
What are you waiting for?
Most people get stuck in the “what am I going to write about?” trap, or the “what if my interests change?” trap. Don’t worry about that now. The first step is to get your domain, preferably your name. Don’t settle for “yourname.wordpress.com” or some other hard-to-remember name. Get your own domain.
Remember, the domain is free if you sign up at Bluehost. Or you can follow step-by-step at Mike’s WordPress Setup Page.
I’m passionate about you building your personal platform. I know how valuable an asset it can be.
Intimidated by WordPress?
I’ve created a few YouTube videos to explain the basics on using WordPress:
- How to Install a Theme & Plugin on WordPress
- How to Post a Blog Post on WordPress
- How to Setup Pages, Menus, and Widgets in WordPress
But remember, the first step is to secure your domain. You can do so here: Mike’s WordPress Setup Page. There’s a video and step-by-step written guide on how to set that all up.
Questions? Leave a comment and I’d be happy to answer!