Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You're only a stranger once.

Prelaunch Blog Review Checklist

Filed Under Blog Review, Checklists, Guest Writer, Successful Blog | 6 Comments

I've been thinking . . .

I wrote a post this morning as part of a series at LizStrauss[dot]com. It may be of use to some readers here. It’s for folks who’ve not started blogging. Click the title to access it.

Prelaunch Blog Review Checklist

Should I submit this to be an official SOB? I’ll have to ask myself whether I participate enough in the dialogue . . .

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10 + 1 Things to Make Me Love Your Business Email

Filed Under Branding, Checklists, Productivity, Successful Blog, Writing | 21 Comments

Does Your Email Make People Crazy?

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How many emails are in your in-box?

How long does it take you to find one you might want?

Do you think about that when you write an email? I’d be delighted if you would.

You may think that email is easy, but I have to tell you. I’m writing this post for a reason. In the last few weeks I’ve gotten some emails that have really concerned me with how folks are doing email business.

Here’s a quote from one:

Dear Liz,

I don’t know you. I’ve never read your blog. Would you come look at mine and see whether I can be an SOB?

I didn’t love that email.

But that’s a gross point. I’ve also picked up some finer points of managing and sending email to business associates that I bet that even you might not have run into. Read more

12+1 Things Every Reader Wants from a How-To Article

Filed Under Checklists, Content, Successful Blog, Writing | 7 Comments

How to Or Not How to

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People are always teaching each other. We show each other new and easier ways to do things. As writers we teach people what we’ve learned. As readers, they teach us new stuff. All of this teaching surrounds one question, How?

How do I spot trends before they happen? How do I brand my business blog? How do I write compelling articles? How do I become an idea magnet? How do I code links? How do I make a contact form?

As a reader ready to learn, I find nothing more frustrating than a how-to article that doesn’t work. As a writer writing one, I know how hard it is not to miss something important. I’ve scoured my files to compile a list — a baker’s dozen — of things readers want when we answer How? Read more

6+1: How-to Blogging — Stomp Out Swiss Cheese Knowledge

Filed Under Basics, Checklists, Marketing, Successful Blog, Writing | 12 Comments

What Have You Taught Me Lately?

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Bloggers are always teaching or learning something. Blogs are filled with ways to promote a blog, to build a brand, to install a new plugin. When we get a new program, instructions come with it. Sometimes we follow them. Sometimes they work. Sometimes big parts of them seem to be missing.

How-to blogging teaches something.

A how-to post could be as simple as how to a make a sandwich or as complicated as how to turn your computer into a host server for WordPress.

People read how-to articles because they want to be learning.

Therefore: Nothing is worse than a how-to post that skipped a step.

I hate information that has holes in it. Read more

6+1 Ways to Compelling & Elegant Blog Posts

Filed Under Branding, Checklists, Idea Bank, Marketing, Successful Blog, Writing | 8 Comments

Atilla, the Great Idea Killa

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Ideas. Everyone talks about getting ideas. I get one. It’s great. I jump on it. I start to write. Soon enough I find myself in a pile of mush — words all over, thoughts in too many places.

What made me think this was a great idea? Now I’ve wasted all of this time. Here I sit — still no blog post and now one mangled idea. it isn’t pretty. What the heck am I doing wrong here? I was sure this idea was great. I am Atilla, the Great Idea Killa.

Yeah, I do that too.

I Want Compelling & Elegant!

The truth is that most ideas misbehave. They’re just not strong the way they come to us. They have a problem staying on track. Sometimes they fall apart. Often, they’re too large or stray all over the place. Your average idea needs a little help to be what it will be when it grows up to be a “Hey, lookat me” blog post. Read more

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