“Create something different” were the words that came to me when I thought to myself “I should really update my blog today.” Then I started to wonder if every great idea that could ever be written about social media has already been written somewhere on a blog.
I unsubscribed from a lot of blogs today, because so many of them just started to look the same. I started to question how many blog posts about the iPhone the world really needs. Whenever there is a hot new craze or breaking news article, bloggers rush to their keyboards and bang out another “brilliant” article hoping that theirs will be the one that becomes a real hit. If they get it retweeted, Stumbled, and dugg enough to reach the front page of Digg, their job is complete. They grew their audience massively, but too many will overlook the question of whether the audience will stick with them.
When I unsubscribed from some pretty good blogs, I realized that I was simply not the fan they needed. They had never created that spark in me that made me a loyal enough fan to be sure I always saw every word they wrote. It was kind of the same old thing just regurgitated in a different way. What was missing was not just creativity, but rather a connection. The ones I felt connected with and that made me feel a part of the relationship remain on my list, and I am their fan.
A Flash in the Pan Mentality
It is easy to take a flash in the pan mentality and see that little glimmer of gold in your prospecting pan when something you do becomes popular. I do not have a problem with that, at all, but I think that it can be too easy to forget the importance of a core cheering section. Creating your cheering section of people who cheer you on, take the initiative to comment on your blog, click to receive your updates by RSS, Twitter, email, or any of the many other methods, and will stick with you over time is far more important. This is your cheering section!
A strong cheering section has been a basis for success from the very beginning. I mean everybody’s success, and everybody’s beginning. From the time a child first attempts to ride a bicycle, it is their core cheering section that helps them to keep trying until they get it right. In the instance of blogging, it is really not so different. It only takes a small number of really loyal friends/fans to create a massive cheering section that keeps you moving forward.
Creating a cheering section has been a huge message in my work as a writer for a long time. In my last two books, I wrote of the importance of relationships. I must really believe it, or otherwise I would stop writing about it. Here is a snippet from each:
From my book, “Twitter for Business: Twitter for Friends” in a chapter titled “Social Networking Takes Dedication” I wrote: “The people mentioned here and many more are among the very important relations I have met using social networking. I communicate with these people regularly online, on the telephone, and in person. They are all parts of a very important network of people whom I can count on to be friends and to have something nice to say about me, with or without prompting.”
These are the people who will spread your work to others and expand your cheering section. They should not be overlooked!
In my new book, “Living in the Storm” I expanded a lot on the importance of that cheering section, and how to create good will in others. Here is a paragraph from the book: “There are many unknown aspirations of those around you. Knowing the motivations of others and finding out how you can help is a great way to rally them. It will make you feel good to do it. It will also often prompt people to wonder about your goals. They may or may not already know what you want in life. Share these things with friends, and build a support network. The best way to begin is by giving to others and becoming one of those altruistic people you admire. Even if you are already doing it, do it more.”
If you wonder how this may apply to social media and blogging, it is simple. Listen to your readers and know what they want. Respond to them, interact with them, and give them what they want. Once you develop your core cheering section, they will often give you what you seek in return. Yes, it is true, giving is the best step toward receiving. I hope that I am able to give you what you want, and a whole lot of it!
