If you are a beginning blogger, you are probably wondering how starting blogs works. You see all sorts of people and organizations blogging, and you want in on the action.

Starting blogs can be simple, if you do it right. There are many ways a beginning blogger could go about
getting started; there are many blogging platforms and variable that could affect how your particular
blog should get its start.

The following tips aren’t a step by step guide. They also won’t work for everyone. However, if you are
passionate about something and want to start blogging as soon as possible, the following tips and hints
should be a big help for any blogger who is just getting started.

Write about something you are passionate about

As you set out starting blogs, your first blog needs to be something you are passionate about. If you start a Book Review blog but hate reading, you won’t stick with it. If you do stick it out, your lack of passion will show and your new blog will never get off of the ground.

Write about something you are knowledgeable about

You might like baseball well enough, but if you don’t know what a triple play is or who the Mets are, your blog won’t be too well received. If you happen to know a lot about organic gardening, starting blogs about that topic may make much more sense.

Don’t overdo the design

A beginning blogger can sometimes go overboard with the widgets, ads and accessories on their blog. There are a lot of things that seem like good ideas that could maybe even be helpful to the reader, but if you toss them all on your template, you could easily end up chasing your readers away.

Names are big deals

Even though you are eager to get blogging, take some time to think about names. You want to give your blog a memorable name that won’t let it be mistaken for another site, particularly one in another niche. If a related keyword could find its way into the name, that could help, but it isn’t necessary. What is necessary is to make sure there are no other blogs or sites, particularly nasty ones, which share the same moniker that you want to give your blog.

Get content ready

Knowing what to write about in order to make regular posts is a problem for many folks starting blogs. Before you launch officially, you may want to really get writing. If you have some posts ready for a day when you may be otherwise involved or afflicted with writer’s block, you will have one of these handy pre-written posts ready to go.

Spend some money

Sure, you are a beginning blogger, but if you aspire to be a professional blogger, you should start walking the walk right away. You don’t have to shell out the dough for a dedicated web server, but you should invest in your own domain name at minimum. You might also think about paying for a custom layout or at least a logo.

Get on social sites

Before you begin starting blogs, get on social media sites and set up accounts for you blog. Facebook Fan Pages and Twitter feeds for you and your sites are necessities. As a beginning blogger, you will want to get eyes on your content, and by posting links and updates via social sites, you will let people know you are there and you have fresh new content.

GO!

The biggest hurdle to a beginning blogger is often their own procrastination and apprehension. If
you want to be a blogger, get started.

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This article is written by Kevin Moor who writes for online-virus-scan.org, a site reviewing and testing various online virus scan issues.

*Photo by jakeandlindsay

Sometimes the hardest thing about being a blogger is coming up with blog post ideas. Blog ideas can sometimes be easy to think of, but other times a blogger can come down with a tough case of writer’s block and even a single post can be impossible to write.

Blog post ideas and prompts can help bloggers get back into the game after being sidelined by a lack of ideas. These 10 blog ideas should be able to help you come up with killer content the next time you get stuck.

1.) Top 10 Best Blogs – This blog idea is to write about other blogs that are related somewhat to your blog niche. Create a list of the top 10 best blogs, and give a sentence or three about what makes them so spiffy.

2.) How To – People love to learn how to do new things. A quick “how to” turns you into an expert and a resource by giving your readers a bit of useful instruction.

3.) A Review – If you are out of blog ideas, write a review. Folks love to get other’s opinions before they do or buy something, so speak up. Try to keep your review on point, but you could review anything from a local restaurant to another blog.

4.) A Worst of List – This blog post idea works best if you can keep it a little light and pertinent to the other things you post. You could make a list of the worst outfits you wore on first dates or which companies have the worst music when you are on hold with customer service.

5.) Steals and Deals – This blog idea is sure to be a winner. People love to get a discount, and they will love you if you can tell them where to find it.

6.) Free Stuff – One thing that folks like even more than a discount is something for nothing. For this blog idea, create a list of free resources or where to get free things. Just be sure that you don’t stray too far from your niche.

7.) 101 Places – People like to read lists, and these long lists are great blog post ideas if you make each point on the list short. A list of 101 places to get pizza in New York or a list of 101 places you want to visit before you die are just a couple of examples of how to make this work.

8.) Why? – You probably got into blogging because you have passion and knowledge in one particular area. You probably know why something does what it does, and you could explain that to your readers. You post could be about why the sky is blue or why your neighbor wears short shorts when he mows the lawn. These blog post ideas can be both helpful and popular if done right.

9.) Strategies – People want to be better and more effective, and this is why these blog ideas are often such big winners. If you can tell people something that will get them ahead and make their lives easier, not only have you succeeded in creating a post, you make a winner that will bring readers back again and again.

10.) Shortcuts – One of the top blog post ideas you could do is a list of shortcuts. These could be shortcuts for video games, for navigating an operating system or for getting through airport security faster. No matter what the shortcut is, if it is niche related, your readers should be in love! Shortcuts make people’s lives easier, and these blog ideas will make you a valuable resource to your visitors.

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This article is written by Kevin Moor who writes for online-virus-scan.org, a site reviewing and testing various online virus scan issues.

This post was written by guest author Joshua Lyons.

Blogs! These are the culprits that make the newspaper editors tremble with fear at their desks.
Why should your business think about using a blog? What is the importance of having a company blog?

There are many reasons why a blog is valuable for business. Three of the top reasons are as follows:

1. Blogs are extremely valuable for advertising purposes.
2. Blogs are excellent resources for attaining feedback from customers and clients.
3. Blogs are valuable for showing the world that you care about people and not just about money.

Blogs are extremely valuable for advertising purposes.

Let’s say you own a health store. A new healthy jam (jelly) just came to the shelves. Your company blog can talk about the new product and explain why it is popular, healthy, and affordable. You’re not saying “come buy this jam” but you are embedding the product into the minds of the readers. This is valuable advertising. A blog is a great way to talk about your products and services.

Use blogs to inadvertently let people know what it is that you do and why it is important for them.

Blogs are excellent resources for attaining feedback from customers and clients.
This is very important. If someone likes your product they are able to share that with all your other readers. Those comments are like free testimonials. Who wouldn’t want feedback like that?

You may occasionally have someone say something negative. That’s good too. This allows you to respond to that comment and, in doing so, people will see that you care about making your customers happy.

How many times have you heard of a comment card being filled out and then being thrown away by management? Many managers don’t care about being critiqued. If a concern is brought up in a blog, the business can show the world that they don’t take negative opinions lightly and the customers’ concerns will be addressed properly. What better way to show the world that you care about the opinions of others. This will inspire people to give you feedback… most of which should be positive.

Feedback also allows you to know what is working well and what needs to be improved upon. Many businesses pay thousands of researching dollars to find out information like this. A blog will provide the information for free!

Blogs are valuable for showing the world that you care about people and not just about money.
By creating and maintaining a blog you can show people that you are a business that’s interested in two-way communication.

Your focus isn’t just about pushing products and getting money. No, rather, your interest is in developing a relationship with your clients and developing a relationship that will encourage customer retention.

When people talk to you, you talk back. You have a voice just like every other person. Also, that voice doesn’t always say “buy this, buy that, buy these.” Rather it’s a voice that says, “We would love some feedback.” and “What do you think of this new product/service?” Let the world know that your business cares.

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Joshua Lyons began working in the field of social media through an internship at the University of West Florida in the summer of 2009. He graduated from UWF with a BA in Public Relations in December 2009 and since that time he has been a social media consultant for a Chicago profit consultant, a Chick-fil-A restaurant and a sign shop in Pensacola, Florida. You can check out Joshua’s blog and find out more about him on Twitter or Facebook.

*Photo by chigmaroff

Maintaining an active online and social-networking presence is beneficial to your business in many ways, helping to promote your brand and build positive relationships with customers. However, it also has the potential to open you up to negative reviews or online criticism. Responding to these negative comments in crucial in an online forum, where they become visible to many more people and are often published in perpetuity. How you respond to them is very important to managing your brand.

When to Respond

Not every negative comment warrants a response. But many do. Here are a few cases when you should respond to negative reviews:

To Correct Mistakes.

Sometimes, you genuinely make a mistake. Maybe you sent out a defective
product, or maybe you failed to live up to guarantees you made in your service. If that is the case,
respond quickly and sincerely. Work with the customer to correct the situation. Don’t make excuses for your mistake. Apologize and make the situation better.

To Correct Factual Errors.

Misunderstandings happen. Someone may have bought a bad computer at Joe’s PC World down the street, but confuses your store for his and starts trashing you online. When this happens, gently point out the mistake and show empathy.

To Stop the Situation from Gaining Traction.

Even if the complaint seems small at first, it has the
potential to pick up traction if it gets the right notice or if enough other people chime in to say that
they’ve had the same problem. Don’t let a small issue snowball. Address concerns early and quickly.

When Not to Respond

Usually, responding to negative reviews is always recommended. However, there are a few occasions when you’d be better not to do so:

When You Can’t Help.

Sometimes, angry people are just angry. It may have nothing to do with you or your company. Some people just wake up angry, and they look for reasons to stir the pot. Just be sure that you are right if you think this is the case. Don’t ignore genuine problems by passing it off as the rants of “some angry guy.”

When You’ll Only Add to the Problem.

If a complaint is especially emotionally charged, sometimes
responding to it will only add fuel to the fire.

How to Respond

When you do respond to negative reviews or comments, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Listen carefully.

When customers are angry, it may not be clear at first what the real source of their
frustration is. Be sure to listen (or read) carefully to get an accurate understanding of the problem.

Stay calm.

Never respond in anger or frustration. Always think carefully about your message before you
hit the send button.

Be honest.

Customers will only grow frustrated or more angry if they suspect that you are being
insincere or are trying to spin the situation. Be honest, and you will win your customers’ trust and
respect.

Promise to do better.

And then do better. Criticism is often an opportunity. It allows you to prove to
your clients that you really care about their business and want to provide a superior product or service.

If you haven’t done so, take the time to learn how you can do better, and then improve from there.

Online branding has just as much to do with how you promote your business as with how you handle customer dissatisfaction. Take these opportunities to improve your online reputation by responding in a professional and sincere manner.

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Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blogger for First in Education where she’s recently written about web design degree programs along with a piece looking at online microbiology programs. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, playing piano, and working with origami.

The busiest shopping season of the year is upon us. Many of you have finally completed your holiday shopping and others are just beginning. Heck, if you’re like me, you haven’t even started yet. No matter your current holiday shopping status, there is no denying that companies are going to make a boatload of money this month.

What’s stopping you from getting in on some of that cash?

Sure, this article is a little sudden; it gives you no planning time and forces you to be quick on your feet. However, in the end, YOU are responsible for YOUR business and its revenue. If you decide to embrace the holiday madness, you might see that it works out well for you, even at the last minute.

So, let’s make you some cold hard cash in four easy steps.

Customer Targeting

Not every customer is going to buy from you this year, but some will and we have to target those “some.” Is that going to be one person or 900 people, I don’t know, but I’m sure that there is a least one person who will be interested in your products or services as we wrap up the year. We need to focus on getting that person/those people. Let’s call them the “targeted crowd.”

What does the targeted crowd look like?

There are two kinds of people who do shopping and deal hunting during the month of December, those who are interested in getting the best gifts at the lowest prices for others and the individuals who want to find the coolest things for themselves. Your marketing strategy needs to appeal to one or both of these motivations.

Even still, not every person in that target crowd is going to spend money with your company but they’re willing to listen. When they ask questions, you MUST answer; when they are on the fence about buying new gutters at a ridiculously low price, you NEED to sell them on it.

The spenders will be the people in the targeted crowd that really want it but need a little extra convincing.

Your Proposal

Now that you know the group of people you’re targeting, how are you going to get them to buy your stuff?

Just like in The Godfather, you need to make him an offer he can’t refuse.

The company with the best offers win on Black Friday and beyond. Period. Do you see hundreds of people lining up at the store which offers the hottest new toy at regular price? No, and that’s because holiday bargainers want the lowest prices around or their trip is a bust.

Go low and stay low…but don’t go into the hole.

Obviously, you have certain prices you need to match in order to come out in the black, so don’t sell yourself, or your customers, too short.

Make reasonable offers that catch the attention of your targeted crowd. Marketing concrete services? Run and all-day special advertising that your normal $1,000 consultation fee will be waived for all contracts beginning today or the next week. Selling organic fruit and veggies? Make all of your products buy one, get two free AND at a reduced rate.

If a customer is on the fence about it, make an exception that won’t be too unreasonable. Obviously, you can’t give too much away for free or you’ll go broke. Make offers that customers can’t, or wouldn’t be sane to, refuse.

Tying In Social Media

Everything up to this point may have been basic but here’s the real question: how do you use social media to do all of this? Easy!

Check out a few ways you can utilize Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and your blog to make out like a bandit this holiday season:

• Facebook – Post PDFs or pictures of your sales and ads.
• Facebook – Give Facebook only customers an additional discount on your products.
• Facebook – Tell customers that if they buy a product and then write a review on the “Review” tab on Facebook, they get a special mail in rebate form.
• Twitter – Send various tweets throughout the weeks with short specials (only and hour or two long) so customers are kept wondering what great deals are coming.
• Twitter – Solicit your followers to send you Direct Messages with the price they’re willing to pay for an item and give that price to the first five followers who Direct Message.
• Twitter – If your followers answer a certain question or do a certain task, they’ll get a certain amount off of your already low prices.
• YouTube – Post videos of your products with a narration of how much you’re selling it for during the month of December.
• YouTube – Post a video detailing that if someone subscribes to your channel, they’ll get a special free gift.
• Blog – If a person subscribes to your email list today or throughout this next week, they’ll be entered to win a free product or service.
• Blog – Whoever comments on your blog on that day will get a certain amount of money off of your products or will get something for free.

Honestly, the possibilities are endless. You can offer SO MUCH to your customers through social media.

If you implement the information given in this article, you’re practically guaranteeing some success on during the holiday season and beyond. Remember–customers want deals that are ridiculously appealing so give them. If you don’t, you will never have the opportunity to build rapport and nab future sales and recommended clients.

Happy holidays to you!

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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by chrisschoenbohm

I get a lot of questions from people about the relevance of social media in their particular industry. I often hear, “Well, since I work in XYZ field, do you think it’s really necessary?” and “We have a certain niche of customers and I don’t think they’re looking for us on Twitter. What should we do?”

At some point, every business, no matter the niche or industry, should attempt to use social media to reach new customers.

Many people think that social media is some new and improved form of marketing but it really isn’t. The use of social media is just marketing where your customers hang out, just like a radio ad, billboard, or sign. There are no special tactics to use or algorithms to recite; it’s marketing basics using a different medium.

However, I will tell you that social media isn’t right for every business. There are some businesses that aren’t ready to take the dive into Facebook, Twitter, and a blog. How do you know if you are ready to engage with your customers through social media?

Question 1: What is driving you?

The first question to determine if you’re ready to embrace social media is, “What drives you?” This question is simple enough but is deeply powerful, as it is used to shape your entire philosophy on social media use.

If your answer to the question was something to deal with being like everyone else, you need to stop reading this article. Using Facebook and Twitter just because it’s the “cool” thing to do isn’t going to increase your sales or triple your customer awareness.

You need to have a passion for people and for growing yourself in order to focus your talents on using social media. You need to realize that the journey will be tough and unrewarding at times, just like any other marketing system, but in the end you will learn how to grow your business and influence customers. If your car isn’t in the right gear, you won’t move in the right direction, as it is with your drive for social media success.

Question 2: What is your plan?

Once you have determined if your motives are correct, it’s time to envision a plan of action.

Social media IS NOT something you can begin and then forget about; it’s not a static webpage with just informational content. The purpose of social media is to interact with customers and just like any speech or presentation, you need to develop your plan of attack. Without this plan, your run at social media won’t last long.

When you formulate your plan for social media integration, remember to think about all perspectives and viewpoints. How do you want your customers to perceive your company when you join Facebook? Are your competitors on Twitter or blogging? What affect will social media have on your finances and hours worked? There are many questions you need to answer before you click the “Sign Up” button.

Question 3: What are your goals and expectations?

Measurement is key.

I’ll say it one more time for those of you who missed it a few seconds ago–measurement is key.

The way you plan to measure your social media campaign is almost as important as planning your customer interactions. You NEED to measure yourself in order to gauge your progress, successes, and failures.

A good strategy is to measure your company and your key objectives before launching your social media campaign and then re-measure in certain intervals. This will give you a great taste as to what your company was doing before social media and how things are progressing after Facebook, Twitter, and blogging.

Ensure you’re measuring relevant data and not only page views or fans. Dive deep into the conversations you have with customers and determine what you could have done better. What seems to be attracting the most content on your pages? How many new followers are you gaining on a weekly basis?

Not every business should sign up for social media today; some businesses aren’t ready. If you are ready, I would encourage you to begin to explore your options and plan, as it will generate some serious thoughts on how to move forward. Also, if you’d like a free consultation about the landscape might look for your company’s social media presence, please email me (or call 410-701-0322) and I’d be happy to help.

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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by Oberazzi

I didn’t FEEL like writing anything today. But I wrote anyway…

Feeling blah happens to the best of us

Call it the blues. Call it feeling blah. Call it writer’s block. Whatever you call it – the fact is you don’t feel like writing anything today. You might have had a bad day or maybe you’re sick. It’s tough to write when you feel like watching TV or checking your email or sending friends updates on Facebook.

But having an iron butt and being able to sit in your seat banging out a blog post is something you KNOW will bring you closer to your business goals.

What to do about feeling blah

With the exception of physical illness, 9 times out of 10 your blah feeling is in your head. One of the ways to deal with this is to manipulate your mind, take control of your thoughts and change your state.

Change your mind

Find things to dwell on that you’re grateful for. Think about positive experiences or successes you’ve had. Think about all the people who love you and care about you. Focus on how great you’ll feel once you write this blog post and it’s finished.

Change your body

Eat something that will nourish you. Go for a run. Sit in the sun and drink some coffee. Listen to some music.

The goal is to break your state of mind and get yourself into a state that can be productive and write anyway.

How to actually write [tips]

So let’s assume you’ve worked on getting your body and mind into a productive state. Here are a few specific techniques for writing your post.

• Focus on other people’s problems. Think about problems your customers or prospects are having and focus on helping them solve these. Write about the specific steps it will take to solve these.
• Focus on specifics. When I’m feeling blah, the more specific I can get with my post the easier it is to write. I try to focus on one tip or technique and make that the driving force behind my writing. It doesn’t have to be long or complicated.
• Go with how you’re feeling and use it. Sometimes the feeling you have can be the genesis of a post. If you are feeling confused and blah because a vendor is giving you the run around – write about it. Write “5 tips to deal with uncooperative vendors” for example.
• Start by outlining. Outlining is my best writing tool. If you want to get really fancy check out MindMeister Mind Map software. It’s free to use and can help you organize your thoughts visually. Whether you choose an outline or mindmap – get your thoughts on paper.

Imagine your outcome

A good friend of mine once said “A true professional does the job no matter how they feel that day.” That quote has always stuck in my head. Imagine being able to write no matter how you feel.

I would recommend that you close your eyes and feel what it is like to have a finished blog post. Imagine yourself feeling accomplished and at ease knowing you FINISHED.

Today’s Action Steps

• If you found this post helpful please share with others.
• Leave a comment below with your best tip on how to write when you don’t feel like it.

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Joel Mark Witt is the Publisher of Folk Media and author of 21 Days To Twitter Leadership. He is a producer, author, speaker and social media marketing coach who consults with businesses and nonprofits on how to use social media in marketing and communications. Get more from Joel on Twitter or Google Buzz.

*Photo by Jar0d

Personal branding includes finding ways to stand out among the crowd. I already wrote about becoming a rockstar. Here are five quick ways to stand out online in a sea of other voices.

1) Promote other people

I hear the fastest way to a man’s heart is his stomach. (For all the women out there who would like to cook for me, the previous statement is indeed true :-)

Well in the same way…

…The fastest way to a blogger’s heart is making comments and helping to promote their blog. If you do this consistently, you will be seen as an ally. You will stand out from the crowd. Read about my concept of having a Target 10 here.

2) Make and post videos

There are a lot of people who simply will not get in front of a camera. Do it and you’ll instantly stand out from them online.

3) Know thy customer or audience

The more you know your customer the better. You need to cater your content to your community.

4) Post every day

I can barely find enough good information. I can find plenty of information – just nothing good. And the ones who do have good stuff post once a week or less. I forget about them.

Don’t fall into this trap. I used to tell people that posting to their blog was sufficient. I’ve completely changed my opinion on this and now say that unless you are posting at least once each weekday – you aren’t serious about growing your business online.

Post each day. Make a schedule so that you can determine what you will write about ahead of time so you don’t get writer’s block.

5) Write How To content

Another thing people want is specific how to content. If you post one “how to” article each day (and it’s good), then you WILL stand out online. And please don’t mess around with ambiguous or cute titles. Be freaking direct please.

Today’s Action Steps

First, if you found this article helpful – please share it with people who would benefit from reading it.

Second, write down in the comments the technique that you will implement today. Sketch out how you will stand out online.

Now go take action.

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Joel Mark Witt is the Publisher of Folk Media and author of 21 Days To Twitter Leadership. He is a producer, author, speaker and social media marketing coach who consults with businesses and nonprofits on how to use social media in marketing and communications. Get more from Joel on Twitter or Google Buzz.

*Photo by TMAB2003

Last week, the drama/thriller movie Inception was released across the United States. I had an opportunity to catch the midnight showing and I’m glad I did. Without blabbering too much, the movie was excellent and it leaves you thinking when you walk out of the theater. I recommend seeing it if you can.

The premise of the movie is that within your dreams, your subconscious releases information, often which is secret or personal. This process if called extraction. However, it’s a two way street; information can also be planted, or incepted, into your subconscious, causing you to make decisions which you might not normally make.

I’ve been thinking about this idea for the past week and I’ve come to realize that we should all be “incepting” ideas into the minds of our readers, followers, and friends. Why?

Wanted: Leaders

It’s pretty easy to go with the flow; it’s not hard to get up each morning, head to work, and get into a habit of just coasting through life. But this isn’t how it was supposed to be.

Every person is good at something. Whether its knitting, computer hacking, or finding great bargins, everyone has a talent that shouldn’t go to waste. For some reason, however, a lot of people don’t use their talents. They think coasting through life is easier, and more rewarding, then sharing information with those who want to hear it.

The world needs you to incept others. You need to plant ideas and knowledge in the lives of your followers in order to change the world. We need you to be a leader and to show that the ideas you plant can be brought to life and used to better society.

Yeah, whatever.

Sure, I might sound like I’m a little off my rocker, but I’m not. I promise. Think of it this way:

You are good at SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
You know a handful of people who would like to know more about SEO but you don’t share your knowledge.
Those four people, who could be paying you close to $70-$80 an hour, take their business elsewhere.
You’re broke and can’t take your significant other on a date.

Or, maybe you’d prefer this outcome…

You are good at SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
You know a handful of people who would like to know more about SEO and you arrange to meet them about their needs.
Those four people, who could be paying you close to $70-$80 an hour, pay you $90-$100 an hour because you do good work and are willing to share ideas and strategies.
Your significant other loves you because you have a well paying job and can pay for dates.

Which would you rather have? Unless you’re out of your mind, you’d probably pick the second scenario.

Everyone needs to learn something at one point or another in their life and you might be the person who can teach them.

Your ideas are powerful and can help shape the cores of many businesses and lives. Not only are you getting paid but you’re also forming partnerships and bonds with individuals who might help you out later down the line.

Don’t sit around hogging the information; share it and incept it.

Do you know what the fastest spreading virus is? An idea.

Go out and make it happen.

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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by raja4u

Writing is important. We all know that content is one of the most important aspects of a business and without writing, you can’t produce content. Needless to say, it’s pretty critical that you have a good handle on writing, or a good editor, before you disseminate valuable content to your customers.

Wait–don’t leave yet. If you’re the guy or gal that thinks writing isn’t your strongest quality, you’re not alone. You don’t need to be good at writing to succeed; you only need to know the critical elements that create writing success.

There is no better role model or influence to turn to than Seth Godin. Seth Godin is a business/media strategist who takes pride in helping people. However, his books don’t always top the charts and his blog is rather short and simple. He understands the important aspects of writing and he goes from there. You can do that, too.

Connection

One of your foremost goals when writing should be to connect to your audience. Frankly, without a connection, you have no audience. Who wants to read something that isn’t appealing or interesting? I know that I don’t.

Creating a connection with your audience will get you far in your career as a writer. Seth Godin creates connections using stories, one-liners, and memorable but short quotes to get you thinking. It’s like he is right next to you holding a conversation.

Also, connections enable readers to keep coming back to your content. If they can relate to you one time, they will long for that connection the next time.

Memories

Our memories map out our lives. Memories of happiness will encourage us to continue on a certain course and painful memories will guard our hearts forever. When writing, make sure that you create good memories for your audience. You don’t need to be a super sophisticated writer to create memories. You don’t need to pen brilliant words. In fact, all you need to do is be authentic and down to earth.

When you’re authentic with your audience, they trust you and they begin to open up to your words. Make sure that you captivate them with your realness and use that to create positive memories for your readers.

Remember, positive memories come in handy when you release new content because those people you’ve touched will recall their experience with you and will return the favor time and time again.

Value

You’ve heard us talk about it before and this isn’t the last time we’ll touch on it: creating value for your customers is much better than anything else. If your customers know they are getting a product with a high value, they a more willing to be repeat customers and spread the word.

Value does not mean a low priced product. Sure, lower prices might be more appealing at first but if you can provide free content that has a large value, you’ll immediately attract potential customers and win market share.

We all want to be valued. When you’re writing, make sure that you give away as much information as possible. Don’t hold all of the cards because the more hidden you are, the less people will trust you.

Creating connections, memories, and value will help your writing stick.

Seth Godin is a master at writing and you can be, too. Take some time this week to practice connecting, making memories, and creating value through your writing. You might actually surprise yourself…

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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by Right Brain Resource