The Brilliance of Blogging, Branding & Building
As you know, because I reference it often, (what can I say I’m proud and excited) I’m a co-author of the book From Blank Space to Blogging Brilliance. I recently collaborated with a few other authors from the amazing Bloggers Like Me Group (BLM Girls) to co-host a Meet the Authors event, essentially a
Q & A on how to run a successful blog.
I loved the event, from the planning stages to the follow up. #BloggingBrillianceDMV perfectly represents what the book is all about - Blogging, Branding, & Building. I always say this book is not just for bloggers it's for ANYONE WITH A BRAND and Spoiler Alert - everyone is their own personal brand. With this event attendees learned more about blogging, how to define their brand in 10 words or less and built relationships with established bloggers.
They're not the only ones who learned. I came out of the event wiser than I went in with more tips for success. My takeaways:
Blogging
Comparison is the Thief of Joy - guys there is enough lime for all of us to shine. The majority of the audience was made up of bloggers. There were so many creative blog ideas, from burgerandwines.com (mouth watering as I type) to an idea about combining fashion & STEM.
The E-Book- Blogging Brilliance has over 20 chapters, covering topics like how to build a following, how to pitch to sponsors, how to monetize your blog and of course how to avoid blog overwhelm.
Blogger and co-host Skye Charlie also gave tips on avoiding blog overwhelm, she plans tweets and posts 6 months out! GOALS - I want to be like Skye when I grow up. Tweets scheduled 6 months out! Genius Level. You can use a tool like Hootsuite to do this.
Branding
Yana B from Style Stampled was our moderator, she asked us to define "Brand" – Brilliant question.
You are your brand, the blog is just one part of your brand identity.
I suggested people define their brand in 10 words or less, it will help when you pitch to sponsors and help you organize your posts. My brand is Body Confidence, Healthy Curves, & Inner Beauty.
Building
As in building relationships.
Create events with other bloggers, like #BloggingBrillianceDMV, to build relationships. Before this event I had never met Yana, Valerie or Skye, now I have 3 new amazing women in my network.
As you build relationships you increase awareness of your blog brand and open other opportunities – from this event alone, my email list has grown and potential partnerships have too. I was even asked to be featured on another blogger's page.
Remember relationship building comes in many forms. Co-host Valerie from UnapologeticallyUs shared how she applied to cover Oprah’s tour and was denied. She reached out to the organizer to inquire why. That helped Valerie create a relationship and she was eventually provided a media pass for the tour. She built a relationship that turned a No into a Yes!
Photos - H. Morgan of The Agency, LLC.
The secret to getting ahead is getting started. Get started on your brilliant blogging path now. Just take 3 seconds and click the link below and you can start blogging, branding and building.
In the comments – write your brand in 10 words or less and and when you're ready click here to get the E-Book From Blank Space to Blogging Brilliance, it's only $9.99 and includes a free coaching session to help you build toward your goals.
