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****This blog is no longer updated at this address! Come check it out at http://thinkandgrowchick.com. All of the archives are available there as well****

This site is my online journal that documents my attempts to reach various goals inspired by the principles found in the book, Think and Grow Rich. Join me as I strive to meet financial goals, fashion goals, school goals, hair-care goals, and everything in between. I hope that other young women will relate and find my journey useful to read about; this blog is for me as much as it is for women seeking resources for personal development and freedom. To get a daily dose, follow me on twitter and facebook...and don't forget to follow my blog!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Blogs are the New Black?

Via my twitter feed, I recently ran across Black Enterprise's "Be Next 2010" which is their yearly feature on young, up-and-coming black entrepreneurs. Hoping to get on that list myself one day, imagine my surprise and delight to see Natasha Eubanks, fellow blogger and creator of TheYBF.com among the ranks. 



With Black Enterprise featuring Natasha's success with turning her blog into a successful, full-blown company, I thought it'd be helpful today to post some tips about using a blog to launch your next project, since I know many of my readers are also bloggers with big dreams of starting really amazing ventures.


The number one reason to start a blog is that a blog helps you hone in on what you're trying to accomplish. You will never gain the readership you desire if you don't center your blog around a specific niche and purpose. The same can be said for your business or project—you will never gain the success you desire if you don't have a specific purpose. What problem are you solving with your idea? If you have an idea that will legitimately be useful to a group of people, then writing about it should attract a significant following. If you find that you're struggling to think of things to write about on your blog or people are not attracted to the things you are writing about, then perhaps that is evidence that your blog and your project need some tweaking.

Another blatant reason to start a blog is that blogs are a free/cheap way to get online. I don't know about you, but I never have a ton of cash to blow on web designers and hosting just to put up a website. Blogs are a perfect solution because in nearly all cases, they are free to start and come with free hosting. If you want your blog to reflect your own domain (i.e. www.yourbusiness.com), many blogs can do that for just the cost of the domain name (generally $10 for a whole year). When bootstrapping a new venture, there's really no reason to have a "standard website" when your first starting out, as many blogging platforms have free, professional templates you can use instead. Furthermore, a blog can provide all the information a standard website would have if you simply set it up right. Make sure all the info a potential customer would need about your company is easily found on your blog, and voila! You are good to go!

Speaking of customers, a blog is a great way to build your potential customer base. Once you gain a significant readership to your blog, you can begin marketing your project directly to your visitors, as they are likely to already have an interest in your idea since they keep coming back to read your blog.

A blog is also a great testing place for potential products or services. Thinking of launching a new t-shirt line? Write a few post about if first and get your readers involved. Read their comments and listen to what they have to say before you spend money on that new project. What you think is a great idea might not be so if you're truly targeting your readers as customers. Take you reader feedback seriously; it can save you from spending thousands on a new but poorly planned idea.

The point is if you have enough moxie to start up a blog a get it to a mildly successful point, then you can probably do the same with a business. 


Have you had success with blogging? Are you just starting out but are dying to be the next "YBF" blogger? Share your thoughts in the comments box or email me at thinkandgrowchick [at] gmail [dot] com.

8 comments:

  1. My blog is just coming up on its one-year anniversary. I have a decent readership, but really want to take it to the next level. My "niche" is fairly broad; I'm sure I could use some tweaking in that regard.

    What about you? Where do you see your blog going as a new year begins?

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  2. I've been thinking about starting a blog and this was really helpful! Great insight and things to keep in mind.

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  3. I'm extremely new to blogging and for me it is an outlet from the busy & sometimes crazy world around me. For the longest no one knew about my blog b/c it was like my little pet project as I got more comfortable and confident I told my closest friends, which happened to be my brother & sister. LOL. I don't have much readership but yet I keep writing b/c it makes me happy. (i'm such a nerd) I hope in the long term though that it will be a success. It's great to see other bloggers I read being recognized for their contributions; it's very inspiring.

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  4. Happy New Year. Loved the post. You gave some great advice.

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  5. This post was epic. I was thinking of some ways to keep the content fresher on my blog just before I launch my apparel line. I am trying to actively pursue my dreams of designing and pushing myself to really work for it this year. You certainly helped. Thanks!

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  6. Natasha is such a sweet person! When I was teaching a class at Spelman, she graciously volunteered to talk to my students about starting a blog and working in new media. I wish her all the success in the world!

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  7. I was very inspired to see Natasha on the cover of Black Enterprise. Chick is making money but I think its important to highlight that she wasn't into blogging for the money which is a huge misconception. She followed her passion...next thing you know she's the queen of black celebrity media...

    Her success wasn't planned but she did what she loved to do. Many people believe that success can be copied but its really about forging your own path and thinking outside of the box.

    Great blog!

    GT

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