Blogs count
Blogs, vlogs, podcasts, you name it, are an innovative channel through which to maximise your brand and draw in customers. Cost-effective and creative, the marketing medium is not to be overlooked. Blogs give authors and entrepreneurs a canvas on which to let loose, share insight, stories and experiences, spark trends and drive sales. Needless to say, such media has exploded in recent years and many blogs, vlogs and podcasts have morphed into successful businesses in their own right.
Yet maintaining a blog is time-consuming and it isn’t easy to be original.
The best blogs are niche, authentic and meet a need
An example of such a blog is Collective Gen, by Geneva Vanderzeil. The blog was launched under the name “A Pair And A Spare”, over a decade ago and since then has gathered quite a following. This unique and endlessly helpful site, focuses on sharing DIY and upcycling tips for the home, clothing and kids. The blog was ahead of its time and has been a huge success due to the fact that it shares content that is practical and appealing. This blog also shows the level of commitment and effort required to build content that people genuinely want and identify with.
Blogs are not appropriate for every company, yet most businesses do want to share thought leadership about their industry, uplift their audience, position their product in fresh and unexpected ways and improve their search rankings. There is a knack to writing blogs and copywriters can help to ensure SEO terms are skilfully incorporated, and that content is complementary, authentic and inspiring, while speaking about your business and adding a call to action. Copywriters read and research existing blogs and can serve as a mine of information about what is and is not tennis in terms of blogging.
Superb Podcast
A terrific example of a podcast series is by Modern House Founder, Matt Gibberd. How nice it is to listen to Matt interview and give room for architects and creatives to talk about their influences, trajectory, childhood and what home mean for them. Apart from being informative and useful for industry followers, it is uplifting and comforting for anyone setting out in business. Add to that inspiring and freeing to learn about others’ creative process for those who may feel at sea or for pure interest and enjoyment. There is a world of creativity and individuation out there and what this podcast does is connect you to this sphere and the feeling that anything is possible. The beauty of this format and content is that it is squarely relevant and supportive to Modern House the business, while being so much more. Dive in here for true insight into the world of architecture and beyond.
Add peripheral value
For businesses, one of the tricks then is to produce relevant content that is unique, memorable, innovative and rewarding. For example, see this sample blog post written for a company focused on sharing knowledge about getting ahead at work, Mission:
Leadership
What comes to mind when you think of leadership? The boss, the big cheese, CEO?
While leadership and authority often come together, the two are distinct. Leadership is a deeper matter and separate ball game. Whether you are the CEO, an entry level employee or anywhere in between, it takes a lot of practice and maturity to lead well. The good news: you don’t need to be in a seat of power to be a leader. Leadership is a skill and like any other skill, leadership can be learned, practised and mastered.
Regardless of whether the management structure is hierarchical or flat, leadership matters in every endeavour and good leadership results in a smooth running, successful operation. Leaders bring wisdom, maturity, fairness and operate with a high degree of responsibility and accountability. At the same time, they make smart hires and delegate effectively, while displaying fairness in all their interactions with clients, partners, superiors and subordinates.
Begin honing your leadership skills today and you will see your stock rise in more ways than one. In fact, the more attuned you are to the qualities of good leadership and start to embody them, the more respected you will be and the more likely you are to excel and end up in charge one way or another.
3 tips for thinking and acting like a leader:
Communicate clearly
Ask questions. Ensure you understand what is expected of you and ensure you speak plainly also. Leaders get straight to the point and have no time for ambiguity. True leaders behave with grace and find a way to communicate well in every scenario. Get comfortable double checking that you’ve understood the task in hand, ensure you are aligned with colleagues and ensure you are not missing anything. Cover yourself. If there is an issue, discuss it. Get used to talking about problems in a plain manner that is professional and respectful. Your job as a leader is to set the right tone by making things simple and straightforward, zero fuss. It will be noticed.
Demonstrate integrity
It goes without saying that good leadership has integrity at its core. This means accountability and responsibility as well as being truthful, straight and reliable. Ensure you are fulfilling your responsibilities and keeping your side of the street clean. Leaders deliver. The difference between a leader and a manager is often a matter of responsibility. A leader takes the fall for the team and his/her own part in any failure , whereas a poor manager may blame their subordinates and seek to disown the problem. Leaders stand tall because they support their team and attribute success to the whole, while taking any failure upon themselves. This is not to say, throw yourself under the bus, it is more about having an attitude of fairness and accountability instead of shirking, and practising your leadership skills.
Study leaders
Whether we are talking great entrepreneurs, investors, real estate moguls, athletes or artists or anyone else that embodies good leadership for you - read their story, soak up the wisdom they impart. Emulate the qualities you most admire in them. Often great leaders are the most humble and low key of all. We cannot recommend studying leaders and leadership enough, including time-honoured publications such as “How to win friends and influence people” written by Dale Carnegie in 1936.
Studying leadership gets you going, lifts you up and gives you a fresh perspective. Before long you will begin to recognise the leader in yourself. Set high standards for yourself and quietly chip away at your mission. Leaders blaze a trail over time, not by complaining or making excuses but by raising the bar for themselves in all they do. By honing your leadership skills, you can’t fail to set yourself up for success at work.
Don’t wait, begin cultivating your leadership skills today and it is more likely you will get to where you want to be, and with true style. Leadership is a life lesson and skill to practice - one which you’ll need to begin to master anyway when you are running that company of your own one day!
#masteryatwork
ENDS.
© Lifestyle Copywriters, Ltd., 2022.
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