Every auto company has at least one proving ground where they test their prototypes and learn more about their production vehicles. During the first ten years of my marketing career I worked with the Big Three automakers – at least that is what they were known as back then.
General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler all had proving grounds – test tracks where they would push their vehicles to the limit to learn more about the capabilities of their vehicles – both strengths and weaknesses.
Test Drive Your Expertise
You can (and should) do this with your blog to test drive your expertise – what you share with your community. I happen to be in the content business, so I always have multiple writing and speaking projects that inevitably intersect and overlap.
I've learned that my blog is an ideal place to test my material to enhance its roadworthiness. My recent three part series on Social Media Structure was exactly that. Those three posts were an opportunity to take some new material from my keynote presentation and give it a run at full throttle.
Depending upon my audience, I will devote anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes on social media structure. However, I can promise you I invested at least 6 hours into those three articles to work through my ideas – to find the right gear, so to speak.
How Good Do You Want to Be?
Everyone knows blogging takes time. However, it also makes you better. Any worthwhile endeavor takes time. That's the investment you make to achieve pragmatic results.
When I am asked how often one should blog, I like to respond with a question: How good do you want to be?
I suspect this is the same answer that a sports trainer or coach would give to an athlete that inquires about how much they should practice or train.
If I nail the dozen or so presentations that I am giving over the next couple of months, then my chances of getting rehired are substantially increased. Isn't that reason enough for blogging?
Whether you are a speaker or trainer like me, a contractor, retailer, or agent – you have an expertise that deserves to be stretched to its fullest capabilities.
Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying
Today I was communicating with a colleague who was acknowledging how fortunate we are to be busy – because that is not the norm these days. Maybe we are just working harder than others, she suggested.
One of my favorite quotes is from the film the Shawshank Redemption: Get busy living or get busy dying. If you aren't busy, then your small business is dying. In other words, get to work.
While I'm busy for the foreseeable future, there will be gaps – and I'm sure the same holds true for your small business. Blogging will help you to fill those gaps in your schedule.
If you aren't blogging – start. If you are, keep your hands on the wheel and the pedal to the floor and you will drive right past your competitors.
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Until tomorrow, Jeff
Photo Credit: fabio ara
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