A local plumbing and heating company that also focuses on home leisure, such as hot tubs, fireplaces, stoves, grills, etc. The Durstons are incredibly friendly and were a real pleasure to work with! After two previously unsuccessful attempts, they were looking for a friendly website to grab clients online and bring them into the showroom.

In fact, you’re convinced that the blank screen in front of you is mocking you with it’s pristine emptiness. You’re spending so much time worrying about writing a blog post that it’s never finished, and your loyal readers are left wondering what happened.

If this is ringing a bell, let me say this first – it’s okay. It happens to all of us. Really.

And I can guarantee you that it’s going to happen again.  Luckily, I’ve got a few handy tips for the next time so you can worry less and write more.

1. Write your headline first and last

That’s right. First AND last.

Maybe your mind works a little differently, but I find that writing a headline at the beginning – anything related to a topic of interest, really – does two things: it gets you started and it gives you focus.

It doesn’t have to be great, as you’ll probably end up tossing it. But doing it will help get your mind in the write place. (Groan…) Seriously though, even if you just grab a famous quote that has nothing to do with what you want to write about, you’ve gotten past that first step, and that’s incredibly important.

When you’re finished the body of your post, you can come back to it. Does it still fit the actual post itself? If you’ve escaped your original topic completely, find the focus of what the blog post is about and re-write your headline to reflect that.

2. Write when you’re inspired

But wait! I needed this yesterday! you’re saying. Uh huh. And thinking about that is really going to get you moving. When it comes to writing regular posts, there’s really two ways of doing it.

The ideal method means giving yourself a scheduled block of time every week – or better, every day – to write. Tell yourself that this is your writing time. And, most importantly, stick to it, even if you just end up writing gibberish so you can get back to the water cooler. You may just find yourself getting used to the idea, and you’ll get better at being prepared with something fresh and new.

But chances are if you’re stuck at a posting deadline with nothing to show, you’re probably the type to write when you feel like it. And that doesn’t always work for your perfect posting schedule.

While you should be writing regularly (and you’ll likely have more success if you do), it’s okay to just let the inspiration hit you when the getting is good sometimes. And that usually happens when you’re in the middle of something else.

If this is you, get into the habit of carrying around a pen and paper if you don’t have regular access to your computer. And write when the idea is fresh in your mind, even if it’s still half-formed, even if you have to drop what you were doing.

When you really, really don’t have the time to write, get down as much as you can while the ideas are coming, and put it somewhere safe until you do. But even better, keep writing. Which leads me to my next point…

3. Once you’ve decided to write, keep going

Don’t stop to edit. Don’t stop to edit. Don’t stop to edit.

When you’re in the writing groove, one of the worst things you can do is to go back and pick over what you’ve just written while you’re still writing.

I’ll be honest, I’m bad for this too. Here’s the problem – if you have a half-formed idea in your head and you haven’t gotten it down, there’s a good chance you’re going to lose whatever you were thinking. And it might be something good.

Keep writing until you’re done. That doesn’t mean until the post itself is finished, but it does mean going until your train of thought has run its course. Then actively tell yourself that you’re going to go back and edit. And if you’re like me, you’ll end up catching another train and you’ll get back to finishing the post. Or at least a first draft.

4. Let it sit for a day

I know we’re talking about the night before it’s due, but writing is sometimes like making bread dough – you have to let it sit for a few hours. Overnight is better.

Check Twitter. Take a shower. Get away from that piece of writing. When you’ve finished your first draft, your mind is still too wrapped up in it to really see the big picture. Even if you’ve edited it and you’re feeling good, give yourself at least two or three hours away from it before you review it and click “Publish”. It’s amazing what stands out with fresh eyes, and I can almost guarantee that you will see paragraphs and sentences that need re-working.

Your turn

What do you do when you’re stuck with a close deadline? How do you start a new blog post? Got any posts that you wish you’d sat on for a day before publishing them? I wanna hear it!

Option one is a full-package deal and covers everything you need for a decent price. Their portfolio looks appealing. You found this person through a casual search and have never heard of them before, but everything you’ve seen points to them being a professional.

Option two is also a full-package deal. The price is still within your budget, but much higher. However, you know this person through free resources on their website, guest posts, and social media like Twitter. You’ve even interacted with them directly on occasion and know they would do a great job.

Which package would you take? And what do you base your decision on?

A matter of trust

Although I wasn’t looking for a new design, this situation is based on an actual one I ran into some time ago. I had two very tempting offers in front of me, and being on a budget meant that cost had to play a part in my decision. In the end, I picked the more expensive option.

For me, it was a matter of trust.

The second offer involved an individual I had a lot of respect for. And he had earned that respect by offering free, valuable information that I could use and by being approachable. There was no initial “courting” period to see if our business relationship would work – I already knew that he would provide exactly what I needed. That trust is what tipped me into becoming a buyer.

What’s influencing your client’s decision?

Plenty of factors influence how a potential client views you. Some of them are out of your control; if a business is looking for someone local and you’re on the other side of the world, you probably won’t get the deal.

And it might depend on what you’re selling – although I haven’t had much direct interaction with Jon Morrow, it was what he was offering combined with the benefits of learning how to write a guest post that convinced me to sign up for his guest blogging course.

But what can and should you control? Consider the business looking to hire locally – you may not fit into his geographical requirement, but maybe you’ve influenced him in the past when you wrote an article that he enjoyed. Perhaps he follows you on Twitter and sees your name pop up regularly. This might become an advantage for you as compared to the local guy he’s never encountered before.

Cultivating trust – even just by being someone they’ve encountered in a positive way – can give you a leg up on your competition. And there’s even a few simple ways to get started.

• Make your website as welcoming to new visitors as possible. Make them want to linger. It’s like inviting in a stranger who leaves as a friend – you want them wanting to visit again.
• Be visible outside of your immediate “zone”, i.e. your website. This could as simple as commenting regularly on a favourite blog that appeals to your target audience as much as it does to you.
• Provide something free and useful. Show off them skillz! This could be a blog article, an ebook, an auto responder course, etc. – but make sure it’s something they can use.

It was easy to write up that list, by the way – these are all things that others have done that have influenced me. Can you think of any more actions you would add to that list?

I do have one more thing I would add – relax and be yourself. Show the world that you’re a real, unique human being out to make a living, just like everyone else.

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Just remembering my high school days puts a wince on my face. Every teenager has their own moments of angst and regret – and I was no exception.

In fact, looking back now with the 20/20 vision that hindsight provides, I noticed that while I was young, I was in complete denial of the one thing that makes up a huge part of my identity – being a geek. To be a geek or a nerd was to be labelled a social outcast, and I was willing to do anything to avoid that. Ironically, all my denial did was upset me, and turn me into someone with a fake personality in public – which didn’t necessarily win me a lot of friends anyways.

And now? Now, geek is a label of pride.  It is the mark of someone who is open to fresh ideas, no matter how bizarre or out-of-place. It is the mark of someone who is passionate about ideas that aren’t always “cool” in mainstream society. And it has become a society unto its own in some ways, particularly online. So very different from the image I had in my head as a youth.

The funny thing is that I’ve never changed – I’ve been a geek my whole life. I’ve always read genre books about dragons and unicorns and monsters and space ships and magic-thingy-ma-bobs. I was installing Windows at age 10. Video games are my hobby. I’m a huge Star Wars nerd. And science makes me swoon with delight. It was only my perception of myself that changed, from negative to positive.

In fact, I’ve taken the idea of being a geek and made it a part of my online brand because I want people to identify with that part of my personality. (And who doesn’t want a label that implies that they’re intelligent?)

The point to my story?

Labels are as fluid as the opinions that create them – so why trap yourself by worrying about them? Avoiding the ‘geek’ label didn’t do anything but upset me while I was a teenager – and it was all for nothing when I finally found others like me that I could relate to.

It’s advice that you’ve heard time and time again – inject yourself into your business and into your brand.

If you’re worried about what kind of image a particular label may paint you in, consider this instead – who would you remember more? The “polite businesswoman” or “that passionate copywriter who loves cats so much, she signs her blog posts with a cat’s paw”? That’s a pretty extreme example – but it’s pretty noticeable, isn’t it?

Okay, time to confess – got any geeky passions?

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So if you’ve just started a brand new blog for the first time or maybe your new business website means you have to post regular updates, chances are, you’re going to want to flex your writing muscles by exercising your brain. James offers some excellent advice to get started, but if you’re looking for a way to get some inspiration or peer accountability (as well as having some creative fun!), I’ve got three handy links for you.

Writing Prompts

The above is a link to the Writer’s Digest website (a very handy resource), but you can find plenty of websites offering writing prompts just by using your favourite search engine.

Writing prompts give you a head start by posing a question or offering a writing topic to get you started. You don’t need anything but a pad of paper and a pen to use them, and you can make it as long or as short as you want. And no one needs to see the results but you! An easy way for you to do some simple writing ‘reps’ without clogging your work day.

WAG – Writing Adventure Group

Hosted by India Drummond, WAG also offers a writing prompt each week, but requires that you have a personal blog to share the results. You’ve suddenly got some peers to impress. It’s designed to be amateur-friendly though, which means accountability to keep up while also offering a great place to get simple critiques.

Each writing ‘adventure’ is only supposed to take you about 5 to 10 minutes, which makes it perfect for when you’re taking a short break away from clients or your latest project.

#fridayflash

If you’re unfamiliar with Twitter, putting a ‘#’ in front of a word creates a ‘hashtag’ or searchable link when posted. #fridayflash started as a way for writers to offer up short flash fiction on their blog to fellow writers and readers using that searchable hashtag on Twitter every Friday.  It’s since snowballed into a real movement with tons of regular readers and writers, and it’s a great way to get exposure for a personal blog.

There’s no writing prompt this time, giving you the freedom to create a story all of your own. Flash fiction simply means a short-length story, and there’s no restriction on genre to stick to. Start by reading some stories in the archives or on Twitter before offering your own.

#fridayflash is also amateur friendly, but attracts some really excellent writers, providing a good balance for you to stretch your writing abilities even further.

Not Just for Fiction Writers

If you’ve noticed a theme with the links, it’s that they all involve some measure of story-telling. Maybe fiction isn’t your usual cup of tea – you like sticking to business. Maybe you aren’t a writer in the first place and only do it because you have to. Okay, fair enough – I come from a pretty diverse writing background myself, so perhaps I’m a little biased. However, there are excellent reasons for you to take up fiction writing as a hobby, even if you’re not normally “fictionally inclined”.

• Stress Relief: When you’ve had a long week and your mind is aching for some relief from number crunching and business jargon, it can be a relief to express yourself with no rules and no restrictions. In fact, it’s a great time to do something new and recharge your creative batteries, especially if you’re getting mentally exhausted with your current focus.
• Treading a New Path: So many people worry about getting “stuck in a rut” when it comes to writing about a specific topic or business over and over again. Well, writing fiction is one way to really get outside of your area of expertise and explore some new roads – without compromising your writing where it counts. When you create new neural paths in your brain, you discover new ways to think and perceive the world around you, which can provide some excellent inspiration. Which naturally leads us to…
• Idea Generation: Writing from a female’s perspective when you’re a male may provide you with some opportunities to consider new marketing strategies towards your female clients. Writing about a person working in a different career may provide you with some new insight in a related industry or field. Writing stories about people can help you relate to others and make new connections – which is what business is all about.

So how do you practice your writing skills? Do you simply blog regularly, or have you ever considered fiction writing? Share your writing links below! (If you’d like to take a look at mine, here’s a #fridayflash I did a while ago!)

Like I said – excited.

It didn’t take long for my research to reveal that “wrong order” was also “wrong choices”, according to one of the first blogs I found. This website swore by building a copywriting business according to a personal brand, by using your name to sell yourself along with your services. In fact, as this was posted, Chris Brogan himself talked about personal branding and how to make a business out of it.

This was the opposite of what I had done, which was create a business name and domain. Frustrated, but not willing to give up, I made the switch. Problem solved, right?

Well, no.

Shortly after, I found an excellent article on Copyblogger that talked about avoiding the personal-name domain. That using a business name would work better in the long run.

I didn’t know what to do at that point. What was the better decision?

There are millions of people online – which means there are a million different opinions on every subject imaginable. The web is a great place to learn more about launching a new business – your local government, for example, can give you the resources you need for permits, licenses and registration. A local business guru can offer marketing solutions. Even I’m presuming to offer you my opinion on how to go about your business and I’m definitely presuming to tell you to pick my copywriting services. (See that self-plug there? Shameless.) Now to contradict myself:

Forget what everyone else is saying – what do you want to do?

No one else is going to create your business for you – there’s no “12 Step Solution to Slimmer Services”. Well, maybe there is, but would you trust someone else to tell you how to start your business? You have to be in control. And you’re the one that needs to be happy with the direction your business is growing in.

After reading about business branding vs. personal branding, I finally stepped back and took a good look at where I wanted to go with my copywriting business. Obviously, I chose to go back to the business name – but this time, I gave myself a chance to consider my goals and image rather than blundering in like the first time. Most importantly, I was consciously making the decisions myself rather than relying on someone else to make them for me.

I may have taken the long road, but learning to trust myself was a great epiphany. Still, I did find one silver lining to all of those opinions floating around the web. You’re bound to find someone who has broken the rules – and made it work. So no excuses not to do what you want.

What about you? What have you discovered about business, entrepreneurship or about yourself during your launching process?