Building a business around your blog or blogged book equates to becoming an internet marketer. When you hear people talk about “business around a lifestyle,” selling “information products,” “selling while you sleep” or anything like that, they are talking about the same thing you need to do to make money from your blog or blogged book. Professional blogging is similar as well but may include income from advertising and affiliate products.
I’m going to be honest. I know a lot about how to build a business around a book and a blog, but I’m still implementing what I know. In some cases, I’m still learning how to implement that knowledge. That means I’m still figuring out how to really make money around my blogs and my books. I am earning a living from my books and my blogs, but my income is not where I’d like it to be yet. That means I still need to put what I know to use and to learn more.
As the adage says, “Teach what you need to learn.” This month that’s my goal: To teach you some of what I know about building a business around your blogged book, which means around your blog. Here’s the first thing I do know for sure: You need a vision of what you want your business to look like. And you need a plan to help you create that business. I write visions often, and I create plans regularly.
Create a Vision of Your Business
Studies show that writing a vision of what you want to create really does help create it. So take a half hour or an hour to imagine what a creating a thriving business around your blog and book would look like and how it would affect your life. Imagine yourself 1, 3, 5 years from now with that business of your dreams. What would it be like? What would you be like? What would your life be like? Write about this. If you are a novelist, this will be easy for you.
Some people also like to create vision maps or boards. These are visual depictions of what you want to create. Get a poster board and cut out pictures and sayings from magazines that represent the business of your dreams. Paste them onto the board like a large collage. Then put this in a place where you can look at it often. This daily visual reminder of what you want to create elicits positive feelings and thoughts that help you create your desires. You can also do this on Pinterest.
Create an Action Plan
With this vision in mind, ask yourself what you need to do to actually bring your business into physical form. What action steps do you need to take? Once you know where you want to go, it should become obvious what you need to do to get there.
Create a list of action items, or a to-do list. Give each one a deadline. Determine how long it will take to complete each task and backtrack from the deadline; put each action item on your calendar with both its start date and completion deadline. You also need to break some action items into smaller ones. Place these on your calendar as well. You now have an action plan. Write all these dates on a timeline or on a piece of paper so you have it to refer to as a plan.
Read your vision and action plan and look at your vision board several times a day. This will keep you motivated and moving forward.
Bestselling author Tony Robbins and other human potential and motivational experts like him assert that the only way to achieve any type of goal you have is to take action. Decide what you want to achieve and what you must do to reach that goal. Then do what is necessary. An action plan helps you do so.
Here are some other posts about building a business around your blog that you might enjoy:
· Will You Turn Your Blogged Book Into a Business?
· Building a Business Around a Blog is Easier Than You Think
· How to Decide How to Monetize Your Blog or Blogged Book
· The Best Business Plan for a Blogged Book (or Any Book)
· Thinking Like an Entrepreneur is Essential to Your Writing
· Build a Business Around Your Blogged Book
· The Best Business Plan for a Blogged Book (or Any Book)
Go beyond your vision and action plan. Actually brainstorm the products and services that will help you monetize your blog and create a detailed plan to follow so you succeed! How to Build a Business Around a Blog, a home-study course, provides you with a 1-hour webinar replay explaining how to build a business around your blog with ebooks, blogged books, booked blogs, booklets, consulting, coaching, and more! You also receive a workbook to help you outline products and services and create a detailed plan to monetize your blog with them. Plus, you also get a 1-hour BONUS webinar replay with Kathleen Craig of www.thegoodgirlsguide.com discussing “How to Use Membership Sites to Build a Business Around Your Blog” and a worksheet with 14 ideas for how to build a business using membership sites. To find out more or purchase, click here.
Image credit: shutter999 / 123RF Stock Photo
Leave a Reply