How to research and write the cleanest, clearest, most persuasive blog copy on earth — fast, too!

by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Millions of people worldwide are waking up to the fact that they are going to have a blog — no ifs, ands, or buts. That a blog — a personal marketing and communications device — is no longer a luxury. If you expect to stay on the cutting edge of the ‘net, you’re going to be a blog publisher, or else.

If you’ve accepted this fact, you’re on the right road. If you haven’t, you’re already a dinosaur… but let’s, for purposes of today’s discussion, suppose that you have decided to produce a blog… and want the results to be superb, meaning to create a blog that’s timely, well-written, persuasive and that delivers the cash, too.

Here are some key recommendations to produce this necessary result:

1) The most effective blogs are published on a regular, announced schedule, not just when you feel like it.

This point should need no discussion… but it does. One of the major problems I see in my work with blog publishers (I write their articles for them) is that these folks still see the business of blogging as something casual, episodic, to be done when and if they have the time.

Whoa!

That’s completely wrong. Blogs, like every other periodical on earth, must have a regular date and time they will be written and released This gives your readers something solid to hold on to, to look forward to. You want your readers to know that you are a person of deadlines and schedules; someone they can rely on.

Stop thinking of your blog as something you can do whenever you feel like it, catch as catch can. Is this how you want your customers, your readers to see you? Not if you value their business.

2) Resolve to say Something Important in every issue of your blog.

When you see most blogs, you have to wonder why their “publishers” ever got out of bed to do them. Trivia! Drivel! Published so that their publishers can say they have a blog… rather than to say something timely! Significant! Motivating!

Now hear this: if you’re one of these myopic blogsters, you’re sabotaging your success. Blogs work because they deliver useful information that informs, persuades, excites and enthuses your readers… just the way all great publishers have from the very first day of the very first publisher.

Publishers present stories that lift up the readers…. and do everything in their power to create, develop, and maintain the crucial link between publisher and reader, creating prosperity for both.

3) Create the all-important blog article idea file.

Visit my office in Cambridge, Massachusetts ,and you see an assembly line for the creation of intellectual property. The first crucial link in this production process is the article idea file. It’s a must.

Start with a pair of good scissors and the most important newspaper in your area. Supplement this material with the most important newspaper(s) in your country. Add other specialty publications to this list, publications which follow developments in your given field.

Go through these publications regularly and cut out articles that contain information of value and interest to your readers. Make sure every one of these articles is dated… then file for future use. As you become more and more proficient at your essential blog business, you will realize the crucial significance of this article “compost heap”… and you will make it a key part of your day to add to it by wielding your scissors and cutting out the crucial story ideas and information you need.

4) Each Monday, brainstorm the articles you will need for the week.

Post your draft titles and the date you intend to do them. Remember, your blog should have a format; your articles should fit into this format. My articles, for instance, (including this one) are 3 single-spaced pages in length, about 1,500 words. A lively, timely article of this length and substance anchors your blog and gives it “heft”, the feeling of importance and “must read” value.

5) Do a subject search in the major search engines.

To gather necessary background information and to see what others may have said on the topic, use the search engines assiduously. This is vital. Search engines not only post critical information on any given topic, but tell you when this information was posted. In tracking a developing story, such data are vital.

6) Always, always, always search Wikipedia (founded 2001).

Frankly, for blog publishers and researchers of every kind, Wikipedia takes the cake. As a very active blog content writer, I can confirm that I visit it every single day, and not once either. You will, too — if you want your articles to be informative, grounded by fact and not just your opinions.

7) Write your article copy.

Articles,as noted above, should be of a particular length and format, just like various departments in other publications. These should be written in the second person (“you”).

Paragraphs should be limited to 6-8 lines for easy readability; line length should be limited to 10-14 words, again for easy reading. If you bury your readers under a mountain of intimidating text, they will repay your efforts by.. skipping the arduous task you have assigned them.

 Edit, proofread, post.

Your blog copy production line should chugging along nicely at this point. Now’s the time to polish with the finishing touches that transform a good article into a great one.

Read your article aloud. This will help you determine whether your sentences are balanced, or not; your construction difficult to comprehend, or mellifluous.

Make sure you have checked your spelling and any facts of which you’re uncertain. Proofreading is a must for your credibility and the value of what you’ve written and will present to the world.

To conclude the production process, post the article on your website and in your blog. You are not merely a blog publisher, you are, better, a publisher, part of the great tradition. Enjoy a moment of joyful reverie, but only a minute. After all, your next deadline already looms, and you must and shall be ready.

Are you a DABBLER or a DOER? Your answer determines your success in your online business.

By Sandi Hunter

Every day I talk to people who are trying to earn an honest buck in an online business. These are average people who come from all walks of life, from all corners of the globe. The common goal they share is the desire to earn money online in any number of online affiliate or reseller type programs. Although the goal is the same, the approach to making this happen is always different and so too are the results. I have outlined here the marketing approaches that I observe everyday, the ones that are effective and the ones that aren’t. See if you recognize yourself in any of these examples.

The Dabbler.

The Dabbler’s marketing approach involves putting a little bit of effort into this and a little bit of effort into that. This type of marketer will post a few blogs, send a few tweets, join a safelist or two and participate in a handful of traffic exchanges. This person has a basic understanding of what is required to market their online business. The problem is they simply won’t commit to rolling up their sleeves, digging in and doing what is necessary to consistently promote and build results. They are too busy talking about it, planning it, and getting organized. The Dabbler sometimes doubles as an excuse-machine. They readily offer up reasons for not having completed the necessary tasks to build their business. Or, they easily assign blame to others for their lack of success. It has always puzzled me how it is so easy to find reasons for not being successful. What about all the reasons why you CAN be successful? The Internet offers burgeoning earning opportunities!

The Learner.

This type of marketer is a professional online student. They read continuously, watch videos, sign up for everything to get even more details and more help. They are so busy learning, and soaking up knowledge they never actually DO anything or apply what they learn. They are never ready to START applying what they have learned. They want to study more, take it all in, buy more books, take more courses. The Internet itself, and marketing strategies are constantly evolving. You will never know every last detail about marketing and when you think you are getting close, technology will change again. Stop with the learning and start with the doing! Everyday you focus ONLY on learning, is another day you have not made a dime. Dive in, get wet, start promoting your business, products and services – now – RIGHT NOW! Yes, there is much to learn about online marketing, never stop learning but be sure to never stop MARKETING.

The Sweat and Tears Syndrome

This marketer is the saddest one of all. They promote with a frenzied intensity in short bursts spending hours in all the wrong places, promoting all the wrong things. They furiously tap away for hours at their keyboard “working their business” late into the night for 2, 3 days, maybe a week or more. Their blog is bursting with good key word content, they’ve tweeted like a mad person, they’ve bought leads with great promises from a sketchy vendor that seemed to good to be true. Exhausted, they pause and wait for the results. When they don’t get instant results, the sweat turns to tears. Frustrated they swear, stomp, tantrum and move on to the next greatest online money-making program ever – that is in pre-launch! The insanity begins again. This type of marketer has no patience, and leaps from one program to another, with no loyalty or commitment.

The Doer

The DOER is the marketer that SUCCEEDS! The DOER is the one who doesn’t get caught up in all the details. The DOER is a courageous beast. They blunder, make mistakes, but carry on. They understand the sheer power of the web to market products to the world and to profit from their labour. They understand that with the right products and tools they can sell anything! The web is fat with buyers. DOERS understand that you MUST have patience, and MUST work a business constantly, knowing this means consistent promotion every day. DOERS accept that there will be frustrating times, failures, and obstacles on the path to success. The DOERS I know, aren’t always the people you might expect. Many of the DOERS I know are average people, with very little sales or technical background. Their gift is that they are not afraid to try, they don’t give up, they dig in and work hard. There are DOERS all over the world right now marketing their products, services, and affiliate programs in all corners of the web, turning a profit each and every day. This type of marketer has tapped into the right resources, training and tools, applies them consistently, setting realistic goals carrying a positive attitude.

Here is my advise to you as an online marketer on your way to success.

Every single day when you wake up, set a goal for yourself. Make your goal realistic and measurable. Post your goal on your computer, date it.

Initially your goal may be to simply find 5 great places to promote your business. Then your goal may evolve into actually posting your ads, product, service or opportunity to 5, then 10, 20+ sites each day. Once the promotion is is place, set goals for the number of sales each day.

As your business grows never lose your focus on that goal. Don’t get distracted. Remember, at the end of the day you want to actually have made money! Tweeting, face booking, article submissions, and blogging HELP your business grow but are not direct profits in your pocket. Yes, promotion, networking and Search Engine positioning is important and you should work at this but it takes time to do this. Do not let these activities overwhelm you to the point where you forget to make money! Keep your eye on the prize.

Set a goal for a minimum earnings per day. Start off realistic. If you don’t make that amount today, set a new goal for tomorrow. When you start making money, adjust your daily goals accordingly. For those of you who are new to online marketing you CAN make money every single day provided you have the proper tools and resources to do so and of course great products and services to promote. Just make sure you are the DOER described in this article.

I will close with a quote from one of my favourite DOERS, Ray Kroc, McDonald’s Corporation. “Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.”

Rules to Blog by, for Blog Publishers and Readers

by Dr. Jeffrey Lant
Maybe HE likes all the hubbub.

But will you?

The calm of my Cambridge, Massachusetts neighborhood
was punctuated the other day by student protestors outside
Harvard University’s Science Center. There 1960′s wannabees
chanted “Harvard, Harvard, shame on you, honoring a
racist fool.”

The cause of this mayhem was Professor Martin Peretz
and his latest blog post on his The New Republic website:
“But, frankly Muslim life is cheap, most notably to Muslims.”
It was more than enough to stir up a reaction from the
politically correct, who live to chant and picket.

They shouted… they taunted… they heckled… and HE, owner
of The New Republic, the subject of so much fuss, got valuable,
eye-catching full-page publicity in The Boston Globe, New England’s
paper of record.

Bingo!

One of America’s most experienced provocateurs
had succeeded, yet again, in using his blog to get
even  more publicity for his “take no prisoners”
opinions.

Martin Peretz’ blog had done its work and done
it well.

Will yours? It most assuredly will… if you understand
the true purpose of a  blog, run it accordingly, and
learn to be a responsible blog publisher and blog
reader. Here are recommendations to assist you.

Blogs MUST be honest.

The purpose of a blog is to give ANYONE ANYWHERE
in the world, whatever creed, class, station, nationality,
or political position, the opportunity to be heard on any subject
whatsoever.

Thus, your task as a blogger is to open yourself up…
to tell the truth, straightforwardly, honestly, bluntly. The
blog is, first and foremost, about  you, its publisher and
focus. To write anything other than the whole truth, so help
you God, is to demean the medium — and yourself.

If you are new to blogging, you’ll find this kind of
openness difficult, challenging. Most people grow up
adept at masking their true opinions.  For fear of what
the listener may say or do, we moderate and water
down the way we really feel and what we say.

That will never do on a blog where truth is called
for at all times.

Now, you may think you are a straightforward,
honest person but blogging will show you soon
enough that you, like all social beings, are considerably
more adept at masking how we feel, our true views,
rather than telling them.

In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”,  for instance,
there is an incident that makes this point lucidly,
succinctly. Atticus Finch is walking with his children
past Miss DuBois’ home. She is a notorious termagant
and scold. Does he say that to her? Certainly not.
He lifts his hat cordially, saying “Good afternoon, MissDuBois.
You look pretty as a  picture.” Scout, his young daughter,
says just loud enough “You notice he don’t say a picture
of what.” Miss DuBois just catches a few words and
wants to know what the impish Scout has said… but
Atticus Finch is a wise man, a gentleman and knows
the value of good relations, over the strict, unyielding
truth. He lifts his hat again and moves his children
along. Most of us would do the same.

But bloggers cannot. Bloggers must opt for candor,
honesty at all times.

The more honest YOU are, the more reactions you
will get. Take Professor Peretz, for example. Given
that he is an experienced blogger, I take him at his
word, when he writes his latest anti-Muslim diatribe.

Others, who feel differently, will abhor and detest
what he has written… and propose such sanctions
as having a speaking engagement at Harvard cancelled.
But this is wrong.

Voltaire, that very clever fellow, said it best:

“I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend
to the death your right to say it.”

Unfortunately, sanctimonious members of the
Academy (usually the least intelligent on campus)
have forgotten their true calling: facilitating
free speech, not suffocating and penalizing it. Blogs, then,
do the work academicians should do (the reason they
are given tenure to do), but are now too often emasculated,
self-protecting and lazy to do.

Thus, when you write, the objective is always to achieve Harvard’s
ultra clear motto: “Veritas”, the pure and always unsimple
truth.

Write regularly,consistently.

One of the major problems with most blogs is that
they are not regularly produced. Remember, whatever
else a blog may be it is also and always the story
of your life. It is a window into your thoughts and
occupations. Blogs must therefore be regularly
undertaken. Don’t start it…. unless you mean to do it.

Write regularly and consistently, being always aware
that the first day you do not feel like writing your blog
is the very day you must be sure to write it… or risk
the ending of your blog altogether.

The more honest you are, the more and stronger
reader reaction you should expect.

When Professor Peretz posted his incendiary
opinions about Moslims (a subject on which he writes
often), I suspect he knew that tea cups in Cambridge
and beyond would be rattled. What’s more, being a
true provocateur,he probably relishes the instant,
insistent responses of those he has provoked. He
might not like being followed through Harvard Yard by
hecklers… but he cannot truly have been awfully
surprised by such a response. Relish, rather than
alarm, was most probably his reaction.

You, too, need to reach this level of reaction and
response as you achieve greater candor and honesty
in your bog. Because as my grandfather used to say, some
damned idiot is sure to protest; the stronger the opinions
rendered, the stronger the response from those disagreeing.
(He would have been a great blogger, grandfather Walt would have
been.)

Prepare for the reaction… expect it… ignore it.

Blogging is one of the jewels of the Internet… treat it
with care and consideration.

Millions and millions of folks have come and gone
on this planet without leaving even a foot print in the
dust. To our chagrin and detriment, we do not know
them in any way at all. But blogging has changed all that,
not merely for the potent and celebrated… but even
unto the lowest among us. At last they have a place
for their opinions…not matter how alarming, uninformed,
and (to the rest of us) silly they may be.  And this is a very
good thing… for our job is to cherish the bloggers, protecting and
defending them, even at their most reprehensible and
loathsome.  And that includes you, too, Professor  Peretz,
as you sit in comfort and security here in Cambridge, spewing
venom. I defend to the death your right to say it… and blog it
worldwide. Defending you, I have done the right thing, while taking
joy from the fact that every hostile word you blog drives down the
certified circulation figures of your moribund rag, The
New Republic. In the end the marketplace, not censorship,
will determine your fate. So blog on….