Incheon, Korea
I read a Facebook Group post a few moments ago.
One blogger promoted his freelance services.
The 2 full paragraphs included about 7 I’s. He mentioned himself in the first person. He talked mainly about himself. He even personally guaranteed prompt delivery and high quality services rendered.
Why would someone trust him?
Would someone trust a personal guarantee? Why? Who is he? He is a stranger talking about himself and his business on social media. Who vetted him? How does anyone know that he knows his stuff?
How can he prove that his business services rock?
Of course struggling freelancers talk about self, make personal guarantees and suffer through a seeming sustained cycle of struggles.
Why would someone hire you based on your word?
Why would someone hire you without kicking the tires a few times for a test drive?
If your business hinges on personal bragging…..you are freaking toast.
Caput.
Done.
Run out of business, basically.
But if you run a content-rich, targeted, respected blog, you prove to customers and clients that you do in fact know what you are talking about.
Blogs vet you. Blogs prove your knowledge, skills and expertise. Blogs ring true where personal guarantees ring false.
Besides….people can and do lie about all manner of business.
Blogs do not lie. Blogs prove the truth.
Reading a well-stocked, resource of a blog proves a blogger’s skills, expertise and knowledge. After reading trusted blogs you can hire bloggers and buy their premium resources with confidence.
Practical Example
OK; imagine if I promoted my blogging courses and blogging eBooks through Facebook posts like this:
“I sell blogging courses and blogging eBooks at Blogging From Paradise Dot com. Each course and eBook helps you to become a successful blogger. I personally guarantee that these blogging tips will help you become a professional blogger.”
Why would anyone trust me if I am only bragging about myself? People lie about themselves all of the time. People lie about their products and services quite often.
Even if I am not lying how do you know that I am telling the truth? Making personal promises proves nothing.
BUT…..
….imagine if prospective course and eBook clients spied the blog at Blogging From Paradise Dot Com?
Scanning through 200 plus blogging tips themed post proves that I know something about blogging tips. I teach effectively for free. I guide successfully through my blog posts. After reading my blog for a bit you know that I know a bit about blogging.
I do not need to brag if my blog posts prove in plain sight what hollow bragging attempts to prove.
Prospective customers and clients find blogs, read blog posts and buy blogger’s premium stuff or hire bloggers based on the blog post content.
Why?
Blog content passively sells your wares because posts prove that you know your stuff. Blog content earns trust. Trusting readers buy stuff or hire bloggers.
The process seems simple enough.
In truth, the process is simple.
But developing emotional intelligence enough to be posturing feels uncomfortable for most of us.
In essence, you build it from a targeted strategy and yes, customers and clients do eventually arrive.
But it takes ample work and patience before customers and clients find your blog, read it and line up for your products and services.
What About I Itis?
Blogging cures I Itis because versus bragging about self in first person to try to get business you help targeted readers who buy your stuff and hire you.
Blogging takes the “I” self mostly out of the process from the stance of braggadocio.
Instead of talking about yourself with 3, 4 or 5 “I” mentions via social media business pitches, you publish detailed, long-form, targeted blog posts to solve reader problems. Happy, targeted readers grow your business – and referral business – based on the quality and depth of your blog posts.
First, you put in the work to build a trusted blog.
Then, the blog sells passively for you.
Doesn’t that seem worth the effort?
Doesn’t this seem worth the patience?
Of course the blogging journey feels uncomfortable in moments. Everyone panics at a few points during their blogging careers. All question if blogging is worth it at least once a twice.
But wading through these fears reveals great freedoms.
Building passive income through blogging lets you enjoy the freedom of owning a business asset. Make money while you sleep. Make money while on vacation. Make money while running offline errands. Most like these ideas.
Plus, you avoid the egoic strain associated with the perils of I Itis. Talking about yourself all day long feels taxing. Bragging about yourself all day long feels exhausting. Struggling to make a single sale or to land a single client after bragging about your brilliant product or service all day long feels depressing, deflating and quite hopeless, really.
Focus on Helping People
Stop trying to brag your way into a successful business.
This tact does not work; we’ve established this fact already.
Focus on helping people through your blog.
Be generous in sharing your knowledge. Relay your experience. Share practical tips to solve reader problems.
Allow your community to grow organically.
Slow down. Calm down. Take your time. Be truly helpful.
Target readers. Stick to your niche.
Build a trusted blog by adopting a long term blogging vision.
See the journey through by keeping your eye on the long term goal.
Passive income will eventually flow through your blog but you need to keep at it for a bit to reach this point.
The I’s Don’t Have It
Using the voting phrase, the I’s actually don’t have it because I Itis promotes blogging failure.
Address any remnants of this blogging sickness in your mind.
I have been there. Guilty as charged.
Many of us bloggers have been there over the years.
Promote yourself. Market your business.
But spot I Itis tendencies related to incessant business self-promotion void of publishing useful blog posts.
People will not go off of your word via a personal guarantee until you prove yourself, your skills and your knowledge.
Blogging is perhaps the most powerful way to prove yourself, your skills and your knowledge.
Happy, trusting readers freely invest money in your courses, eBooks and coaching based on passive selling, courtesy of your blog.
Sure you put in significant time and work to build a trusted blog.
But the investment pays exponentially increasing, passive returns over the long haul.
Conclusion
Focus less on yourself.
Stop bragging.
Stop making promises.
Help others. Publish long-form, targeted content for readers.
Let your blog do the selling for you.
