5 Business Blogging Principles from 5 Legends of 
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I always say that if you are looking for great ideas, inspiration and enlightenment, for any reason whatsoever, in the case of the present article…for business, look to music. Music can represent a myriad of things: beauty, culture, message, tradition, relaxation, edginess, wisdom, thought, escape and much more. And it is a common denominator. It crosses cultures it crosses generations, it transcends politics and it unites us. It can be brash, it can be loud, or it can be soft, mellow and poetic. I have chosen five very different songs from the genre of Rock ‘n Roll from which I believe it possible to glean some very useful and important business blogging principles. They are among my favorite songs. I hope you enjoy!
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Judas Priest: "Breaking the Law"
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Okay, when it comes to this Heavy Metal classic from Rob Halford and the band, I’m not talking about knocking off a liquor store or stealing old ladies’ purses. I’m talking about breaking the blogging laws!
Throw the rules out the window! Dare to be different. Push boundaries. Shun conservatism. There are millions of business blogs and bloggers out there. How are you going to set yours apart? I hate this expression more than words can say, but you’re going to have to "think outside the box." Be CREATIVE! Do things that have not been done before. And if you’re doing things that have been done before, make great changes and present them in a whole new light and perspective! Yup, break the law and break the rules!
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The Doors: "Light My Fire"
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Yup, having a successful business blog is not necessarily about having one-off readers. It’s about building a loyal following. It’s about getting regular readers who stop by on a regular basis. And to do that, you’re going to have to do as legendary singer Jim Morisson espoused and light peoples’ fires! How? Passion. Creativity. Energy. Enthusiasm. Knowledge. Uniqueness. Provoke thought! Encourage discourse! And offer your readers the most important thing of all in the business world: VALUE! Give them reason to take time from their busy schedules to stop by again and again!
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Wilson Pickett: "In the Midnight Hour"
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And "In the Midnight Hour" is where you find me right now. Yes, work is done for the day and it’s time to blog. So let’s turn to some R&B for this principle. Creating and maintaining a successful business blog takes a lot of time and hard work. Posting even two times a week can mean 3-6 hours of "overtime" work. A successful business blog demands regularity. It demands consistency! Keep in mind that the average business blog ends after only one month. It’s about "burning the midnight oil" so to speak. Getting that post out when you want to go to sleep. But that extra time thinking, writing, proofreading and editing? Think of it as an investment. A business blog is truly, as I have found out, the greatest tool out there for a 21st century businessperson!
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Peter Frampton: "Show Me the Way"
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One of the greatest things you can offer business blog readers is tips and advice. Yup, it’s about "showing people the way." Passing out relevant and useful tips, advice and principles demonstrates your knowledge, professionalism and acumen and helps to establish your credibility. It’s about building a name and reputation for yourself among the business public. Think hard and come up with great things you can offer to show people the way. But be careful: don’t give them all of the secrets. By doing so you will create for them a "do-it-yourself-manual" and negate the need for them to turn to you as paying customers and clients!
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Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO): "Takin’ Care of Business"
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Never ever forget the main purpose of a business blog: to SELL yourself! We’re not talking about a regular blog here where you tell readers about your month-long trek in the Andes. Nor are you offering your best recipe for lasagna. This is a business blog and you MUST sell yourself. What does that mean? It means somewhere in the blog, preferably at the end, offer a SALES-PITCH! In it, tell readers who you are. Let them know what you do and what services and products you have to offer. Put a photo of yourself to personalize it. Give links to your website, portfolio and testimonials. Don’t just present your readers with the option to leave at the end of the article and check out the weather forecast…invite them to stick around and find out more about YOU!
That’s the "sell." But keep something important in mind…and this is a "Biggie"…keep the sales pitch "tame" and format it as an addition to the article. Too much pitch and not enough blog turns the post into an advertisement and blog readers will not find that to their liking!
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Dear Reader, I hope you have found this article to be useful. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and stay tuned for Part II…coming soon!
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Image Credits: Guitar: ps3maven.com; Judas Priest: userserve-ak.last.fm; The Doors: userserve-ak.last.fm; Wilson Pickett: staxrecords.free.fr; Peter Frampton: worleygig.com; BTO: wwdv.com; ROCK ON!: planetradiocity; Drums: Tama; Microphone: faqs.org
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Yonatan Maisel is a business blogger and author. He started a business blog one year ago. 90% of his new clients now find their way to him as a direct result of having read one or more posts. Unfortunately for the foreseeable future, Yonatan is not accepting new clients. He is a regular contributor here at www.jobshuk.com.