Why I Have (Almost) Stopped Blogging
Anyone who has recently visited my blog site at Fusion Marketing Partners will notice a lack of fresh content. I’ve always preached the doctrine of creating a steady stream of blog content to my clients so why aren’t I taking my own advice? After all, over the past dozen years or so, I’ve produced over 200 blog posts and for the past five years, a more extensive bi-monthly column for CustomerThink.com.
There were a number of good reasons for me to blog when I started so many years ago. First, the marketplace exposure was great for Fusion Marketing partners and for me individually. This exposure led to lucrative, and sometimes, long-term client relationships. Because I was out there, and presumably making sense to potential clients, I usually felt no need to scramble for new business. And the sales cycles were shortened because prospects could decide whether to engage based on their perceptions of my content.
For the most part, I didn’t have to sell potential clients on my marketing and revenue growth philosophies – it was all there in my blog articles, whitepapers, books and videos. As soon as we established the “know, like and trust” factors, we could get to the proposal and in a large percentage of cases, the beginning of the working relationship.
Another great byproduct of blogging is that it kept me on top of my game. When you are public with your thoughts on a subject, you had better make sense and offer new and interesting information – and not the same content they can read, hear or view elsewhere. Just parroting the “top 10 tips to do XYZ” won’t cut it. To stand out, you need to offer fresh and relevant content and you best know how to string your sentences together. Otherwise, someone may read you once or twice, but they won’t subscribe, and will not likely do business with you.
So, what caused me to drop the steady blogging habit after so many years?
The effort vs. reward ratio has shifted. When I led an agency with a team that had to be engaged (and paid) I found what I did in the writing and
social media space to be of great benefit to generating new business. The time and effort of writing articles on B2B marketing and revenue growth had a nice financial as well as psychic payoff. Now that I am for the most part serving as a fractional/interim CMO, I don’t have the capacity to handle much new business.
I don’t have that much new to say. At some point, the proverbial well runs a bit dry. Thought leadership is much easier when you are coming up with new concepts, strategies and tactics, but it does get tougher over time. I have found myself trying to come up with new ways of stating the same things. By the way, my experience as a blogger makes me really appreciate experts like Ruth Stevens, Laura Patterson and David Brock – who come up with a seemingly endless stream of valuable B2B marketing and sales content.
I’m too busy. There is an opportunity cost for everything I (or you) choose to do. Doing the necessary research and crafting in interesting and relevant article can take several hours. If the payoff were large, I would find the time to blog, but for now, there are more interesting and impactful ways to spend my time.
It’s not fun anymore. I used to get a kick out of writing new articles and seeing my name online and (occasionally) in print. This was especially true when people shared or commented on my articles. After a while, the thrill lessened and was replaced with a certain tedium. Although I enjoy writing for my clients, the personal blog thing is no longer appealing.
There are other ways to meet my objectives. Regardless of what I said above, I do want to keep my name and brand active in my niche (B2B marketing and revenue growth). You never know when an online contact can lead to a revenue or investment opportunity, or perhaps a new business friendship. For this reason, I do keep up a fairly steady stream of LinkedIn activity. I’ve got over 3300 connections and about 3500 followers so as long as I post items of interest plus share and comment on what my contacts post, people will not forget who I am and what I do.
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This may be my blogging swan song, but who knows. I try to keep an open mind and if I find something that I believe adds value to those that follow me, like Arnold said, I’ll be back!
Best of success in all your endeavors.
Chris
- Why I Have (Almost) Stopped Blogging - May 19, 2022
- B2B Marketers: How to Win the Trust of Your CEO - December 9, 2021
- Become a B2B Revenue Marketer or Get Left Behind! - October 25, 2021
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