7 Ways to Get Your (Blog) Shit Together and Why They’re Important

While you work on putting your site together using the Blog Basics tutorials, you can also get your marketing ducks in a row so you can sell stuff. Because that’s kind of the point.

If that’s the point for you, you’ll love this ‘summer camp’ series of posts. Here’s what we’re going to cover in the following weeks:

Today: First, you need a plan.

If you go willy-nilly, following this advice and that, you’ll never get where you want to go. (Ask me how I know.) Start with a goal in mind (like a product or service that will bring home the BACON), then plan back from there. What steps do you need to take to reach that goal? A plan will help you stay on track, so you don’t get lost in the details. (This list is my plan for the Get Your (Blog) Shit Together series of posts, btw. My goal? See Week 6 below.)

Week 2: Next, you need a list – and lots of opportunities for people to sign up.

Why do you need a list? Because it’s the first threshold people pass through on their way to buying your stuff. Those who choose to sign up want to hear from you. They like you and trust you enough to give you their email address. Don’t abuse that trust, but that doesn’t just mean don’t spam – it means DO talk to them, start a conversation with them. That’s what they want from you.

Week 3: Great content is golden.

You know WHY you need great content, but what exactly is it, and how do you create it? Are you stuck in How-To Land in order to make money when that’s just not your thing?And how do you find your writing ‘voice?’

Week 4: Now you need people to READ your great content.

This is where Social Media comes in. Relationship marketing is all about making friends with and loving your prospective customers. Start building your network of True Fans to spread the word about you.

Week 5: Grow your traffic.

You’ve probably heard people say you don’t need search engine traffic when you have Twitter and Facebook. But why on earth would you pass up lots of free visitors? Time to learn about SEO (Search Engine Optimization). It’s easier than you think.

Week 6: Let’s set up an autoresponder!

This is where you give away some great content that will make your readers eager to sign up. Once you have the autoresponder all set up, it keeps doing the work for you for like, ever.

Week 7: You’re all set up to sell something – but what?

You need a product or service – and a sales page. This was kinda the point, right? It’s where all your work of the past few weeks pays off.

What’s your goal for this summer? Tell me your plans in the comments below!