Are You Running a Business or a Blog?
Is your blog for sheer fun and pleasure or did you ever consider your blog to be a business? Perhaps you'd like your blog to be a business but have no idea how to go about doing so.
BlogPaws has an
outstanding list of experts and
professionals
who are speaking at our conference in order to help YOU become a stellar
blogger, a smart blogger, a blogger with a positive return both in the
networking blogs can bring and in the cash they can generate. And their focus
is on understanding the pet blogger community, not just the "blogger"
community. These ladies and gentleman represent years of expertise, talent, and
knowledge and will be sharing it with all attendees.
We're kicking off our BlogPaws 2013 Speaker Series with Mary Anne Shew, a business coach and consultant who has helped dozens of small businesses improve their marketing, operations, and sales. Here's the scoop on what Mary Anne plans to share at BlogPaws (and some insider info, too)!
Mary Anne Shew helps people get clear on their goals.Her
clients achieve their dreams of being successful business owners. Her
national practice includes a wide variety of businesses and nonprofits.
She is a popular speaker for business and professional groups and an
entertaining business expert who presents high value seminars and
workshops. Shew's session is for anyone who wants to turn their blog into a business.
BlogPaws: BlogPaws is 60 days away and we're excited to have you kick off our 2013 Speaker Series, Mary Anne. What can folks expect to take away from your session:
Mary Anne Shew:
- Several relevant completed examples of
the form to work from for designing their own blog-based business. - They will start work on their own form
focused on their business. - Renewed enthusiasm and excitement about
their business.
BlogPaws: Excellent! Actionable, hands-on advice that BlogPaws attendees can apply when they return home sounds spot on. What exactly do you mean by "Build a Business, Not a Blog?"
Mary Anne: When a person decides he or she would like to make an income from a passion such as a blog, he or she immediately
runs into one or more of these obstacles:
- There
is more to running a business than running a blog, but how to get organized
about it is often a challenge. - Her
product or service isn’t clearly defined. - She
has to find people who are willing to buy the product or service, and it’s not
necessarily easy.
BlogPaws: You will be giving us so much info and knowledge; what are you most looking forward to at this conference?
Mary Anne: I’m especially looking
forward to being around fellow pet lovers. In the past I have helped a close
friend show her Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and attended those events with
her. It was marvelous being around all that love.
I’m also looking forward to
all the presentations on professional blogging. It is only this year that I am
getting my own blog off the ground – it will be active by Blogpaws—so I am
always looking for good advice. I can see from the conference agenda that
Yvonne and her team have brought in many experts on the subject.
BlogPaws: Other than BlogPaws.com, what is one website you visit daily?
Mary Anne: As a business owner myself, I
subscribe to resources that help me build and grown my business. One such
resource is a community for small business owners at www.5000BC.com run by Sean D’Souza at www.psychotactics.com. I visit and
participate in that community every day, always learning and giving back where
I can.
In terms of blogging, Yvonne and her Lipsticking blog
have been a favorite since she first started it. I also follow business-related
blogs at Harvard Business Review plus quilting blogs such as Ami Simms
at http://amisimms.wordpress.com/.
BlogPaws: Give us the scoop: What pets do you call family?
Mary Anne: My husband and I are staff to
our Tribe of three beautiful cats, Emma ( the momma kitty), Cody (Emma’s son, a
big grey boy), and Sophie (her daughter, a petite almost-twin of Emma). Emma
will be two on April 1 and her babies will be one on April 16. We adopted them
in August 2013 after we suffered the loss in July of our previous 2 beloved
cats, Casey and Samantha, who were 16. Emma and Sophie are true tabbies, and
Cody is Russian blue, just like his dad (as we were told). They were quite shy
and timid with us the first few months, but they have since come out of their
shells and are pure joy.
BlogPaws: FInally, where can folks learn more about you?
Mary Anne: My business web site is www.BizVitality.com, and my current blogs
are www.habitofthought.com and
www.shewview.com. All are being redesigned
as I write this.
P.S. You will have access to a
variety of “tracks,” including 101 for Beginners, 201 for Intermediate level,
and even a Pro Level for seasoned bloggers who want to take their blogging and
goals to the next level. An exclusive 4th track will cover a variety
of topics from Law to Lifestyle to Be the Change for Animals
Love this article and looking forward to meeting Mary Anne. She’s so right about our services not being clearly defined. It took me a year to identify what I wanted to offer – freelance writing, social media consulting, or sponsorship opportunities. I settled on the third option, because it’s something that keeps me focused on my blog while also helping others.
I recently turned down an opportunity to be a social media consultant for a new company offering a product for cats. I couldn’t take their money and promise to do the best job that I could, because it would take me away from my business. I did partner with another brand offering a product for dogs that we use and love – it was a no brainer and easy to incorporate them as a client.
Thanks for this great post. I hope to be able to attend Mary Anne’s session.
I’m really looking forward to this presentation and topic. I think it’s something that so many bloggers, ME included, struggle with.
: )
Love what you said, Kimberly: ” I couldn’t take their money and promise to do the best job that I could, because it would take me away from my business” – that’s what I love about BlogPaws conferences every year and why I have been to all four and would never miss. I learned things that helped me grow my career, my blog, and my business sense. I am definitely signing up for this session.
So glad to see this topic being covered as many bloggers are seeking advice on how to treat their blog as a business. I know I do. I have a Countdown to Blogpaws on my blog and just had a look. 58 days!!
Terrific topic, I’ll be sure to be at Mary Anne’s session.
Thanks for the comments, everyone! If you have specific questions, post them here and I’ll do all I can to answer them in my session.