Ask yourself these three questions:
- Why did I start a blog?
- What do I want to gain from my blog?
- What do I offer my readers that is unique from any other blog out there?
For me, I started a blog because I love to write, but more importantly I love to communicate and spark discussion.
My number one goal is growth. Nonstop, unadulterated, constant growth – through establishing connections and generating leads to both personally fulfilling and professionally profitable endeavors.
My blog is unique not because of my outstanding writing (there are others out there who are much more eloquent than myself) it is unique in the expectation my readers have to having a two-way conversation. I’m approachable and available. I respond to (nearly) every comment here and have since I launched back in February. You don’t need to “subscribe to comments” here because you WILL have a response if you leave a comment – usually a follow up with another question or idea to keep things going. I share my personal email address with anyone who wants it and I respond to EVERY email that comes my way (go ahead and try me)
I don’t talk TO people – I talk WITH them. I don’t dictate ideas, I share thoughts and leave things open for discussion. This blog is never an open and shut case, there’s always a “To Be Continued” – and while you’ll rarely walk away with a solution, you’ll almost ALWAYS walk away with a new perspective and outlook. This is much less a blog than it is a community. And it continues to thrive because all of you give it a pulse. Your blog, brand, or business is nothing without a supportive community.
So go back to those three questions above. Write them down somewhere and look at them from time to time. Your goals and objectives, your defining characteristics – these will continue to grow as you (and your blog) develops. Pay particularly close attention to number three. In order to be successful, as a blogger, an entrepreneur, or even a Fortune 500 company, you MUST offer something to your “consumers” that they can’t get anywhere else.
A quote by Steve Pavlina was recently brought to my attention. He says:
“You must become so convinced of the benefits of your product or service that you feel you’d be unjustly depriving people by not doing everything in your power to get the word out. “
In short, not only do you have to establish a unique stance in the market, you have to believe so passionately in what you’re doing that other people can’t help but buy in. Define who you are and what makes you special, and then do everything you can to share that with the world. If you aren’t offering something unique, you aren’t offering anything.
How would you respond to the three questions above? How do you define and distinguish yourself (and your blog)? What is your “Product Differentiation Strategy”?