{Necklace from Bookish Charm on Etsy}

Do you wish you had more time to devote to your blog? Do you wonder how other people run online businesses, blog, and send out newsletters? Do you make excuses about why you don’t blog regularly?

What if you could get an entire month’s worth of blog posts written in one day? If that sounds appealing, follow these 6 simple steps:

1. Write down blog post topic ideas as they come to you.

I don’t know about you, but I get blog post ideas when I’m in the middle of creating, in the shower, in the grocery store, and in the line at the post office. If I don’t write those ideas down, I tend to forget about them.

I carry around a pocket-sized notebook that I use to jot down my ideas as they come to me. Each time I sit down at my computer and open up my Google calendar, I check that notebook. If there are new ideas, I add them as tasks to be written and scheduled.

This one simple change keeps me from running out of ideas. And, I don’t waste time brainstorming and picking a topic when I sit down to write. It probably saves me an hour every week—and I can write and schedule a blog post in less than hour. This frees up an extra hour to spend creating—love it!

2. If you’re running low on topics, spend 30 minutes brainstorming ideas.

I’m going to give you my secret for coming up with a long list of amazing blog post titles whenever I’m running low. If I spend 30 minutes brainstorming ideas, I can come up with a month’s worth of posts. And here’s how I do it: I swipe headlines from magazine covers.

Think about it. Magazines have already done the hard work of figuring out what types of headlines grab your attention and get you to buy. If you use their copywriting skills and plug in your own topics, you’ll have kickass headlines.

Want some examples? Let’s say that you sell eco-friendly, handmade organizational products. You probably blog about recycling, reusing, and organization to attract your target market. If you used the above issue of Good Housekeeping, here’s what you might come up with:

• Change 15 Best Foods to 15 Best Organizers for 2011
• Change Get More Done—Faster to Get More Organized—Faster
• Change Dr. Phil’s 4 Secrets to Real Change to My 4 Secrets to Recycling with Ease
• Change Get Richer Without Risk to Get Organized Without Causing Harm to the Environment
• Change Cozy, Healthy Comfort Food They’ll Love to Chic, Decorative Desk Organizers Your Coworkers will Envy
• Change Scary New Superbug that Targets Kids to Scary New Documentary that Shows Our Planet Is In Trouble

3. Write Your Posts in Advance

I try to write my posts at least one week in advance, and I also like to have a few stored up in case I get sick or need to take a couple days off for a family emergency.

If you’re running a small business, you might not have the time to post more than once a week—and that’s fine. You should only post valuable content, so if you can only commit to providing valuable content once a week, don’t try to post more than that. If you can, I suggest posting more in the beginning to build up your library of great content.

If you’re posting once a week, you have four blog posts to write each month. Set aside one day each month where you sit down and write all four posts. If you already have the topics scheduled, this shouldn’t be too hard. It’ll probably take one full day of work—but then it’ll be done for the entire month. That means you’re only writing blog posts 12 days a year. If you say you can’t commit to that, you probably don’t want to hear what I’d have to say to you.

4. Before scheduling your posts, wait one day.

After writing for a full day, it’s best to take a break and revise them the next morning. You’ll be looking at each post with fresh eyes, and it’ll be easier to find mistakes.

Read each post out loud. Delete anything that’s redundant and change any sentences that are awkward to say. This will make your posts more enjoyable to read.

5. Schedule each post for the day you want it to go live.

When you schedule your posts, add pictures. If pictures of your art or products complement the post, use them. Remember to always add a link when you show a picture of your stuff, so interested readers can buy. If none of your own pictures or products complement the post, you can find creative commons photos you can use on Flickr.

6. Check back on the day your post is scheduled to be published.

You want to make sure it gets published, and everything looks good.

Plus, you may want to respond to comments and promote your post on social media sites.

That’s it. Six simple steps to writing a month’s worth of blog posts in one day.

If you got something out of this post and you want more information on blogging, you’re in luck. I’m about to launch my Inspired Blogging for Creative Entrepreneurs program at the end of January, and if you sign up below, you’ll get the first month for free {and have the option of buying the rest of the program at a discount!}:

{Print from MadeByGirl on Etsy}

Successful blogging takes work, patience, practice, determination, and persistence. It’d be easier to solely concentrate on building your online shop than to add regular blogging to your to-do list.

Before I tell you why I believe creative entrepreneurs should blog even though there aren’t many short-term rewards and it takes away time from creating, I want to make one thing clear: blogging isn’t for everyone.

Blogging can increase your business success, but that doesn’t mean that you should blog. In my honest opinion, if you’re not going to treat your business blog as an extension of your business and put effort into to it, it’s not worth starting. In fact, I think a crappy blog could actually hurt your business. I know I make impressions about a person’s business from her blog, and if the impression isn’t good, then I’m less likely to buy.

If you know that blogging will become a thorn in your side and you won’t enjoy it at all, don’t do it. Your readers and customers won’t enjoy your posts if you don’t enjoy writing them. And, it’ll probably just end up being a waste of time.

Now that I’ve gotten that out, let me share why creative entrepreneurs should blog:

1. It gives your customers a way to get know, like, and trust you.

People buy from people and businesses that they know, like, and trust. That’s why you buy the name brand cereal instead of the cheaper store brand. That’s why you ask your neighbor for a referral for a dry cleaner and you turn to a trusted friend for a referral to a local vet.

When you blog, you give your potential and current customers an inside look into your business and personality. It gives them an opportunity to get to know you better which then leads them to like and trust you. And, that leads to more sales.

2. You can build a community for your readers, customers, and fans.

People like to feel that they are a part of something. If you build a community for your fans to interact with you and other fans, they’ll feel that they’re a part of your business. This will make them more likely to become repeat customers.

Building relationships can seriously skyrocket your business success. For real.

3. You separate yourself from your competition.

If you sell your products through an online handmade marketplace like Etsy, you’re competing for views and traffic with thousands of other sellers. For instance, if someone searches for knitted baby booties on Etsy, there’s a lot to choose from—and the chances of that person picking your products out of all of them depends on how recently you listed or renewed that item and how she compares your product to the others.

But, if she reads your tips for new mommies blog on a regular basis and knows that you sell baby booties, she might not even consider the other sellers. Instead, she’ll probably click from your blog to your Etsy shop—not search the entire site.

4. You’re doing more than a lot of your competition.

How many creative entrepreneurs put the time and effort into building a successful blog? Not enough. Why? Because, it takes a lot of time and effort, and people don’t want to do it. There are plenty of blogs, but the key isn’t blogging. The key is to have a useful, entertaining, personality-filled blog.

If you put the time and effort to post one or two useful blog posts per week, you’ll be doing more than most of your competition. Potential customers will notice.

5. It’s inexpensive marketing.

Even if you buy your domain name and pay for web hosting {which I highly recommend}, it doesn’t cost much. I constantly talk to creative entrepreneurs who want ideas on how to market their businesses for next to nothing, and this is the best option.

You get to decide on the content, how often you publish, what you’re going to promote, how it’s going to look, and so much more. If you provide your target market with useful content, they’ll link to it, retweet it, and send it to their friends. Basically, if you do it right, you’ll target market will start to market your stuff for you.

Have I made a case for blogging? Are you ready to put time and effort into your blog? If so, sign up below to receive the first month of our Inspired Blogging for Creative Entrepreneurs program for FREE. You’ll get it delivered to your inbox in just a couple of weeks.

Does your blog need a makeover? Maybe just a little touch up? In this video, I’ll tell you how to give your blog a face lift in 10 minutes.

If you liked this video, you’re going to love our newest program that we’re launching in January: Inspired Blogging for Creative Entrepreneurs. If you sign up through the form below, you’ll get the first month of the blogging program for FREE! Plus, you’ll get juicy blogging tips delivered straight to your inbox leading up to the launch.

Related Posts:

Does Blogging Lead to Direct Sales?

45 Tips to Rock Your Art or Craft Blog

How to Create Useful Content for Social Media

You probably already know how I feel about focusing on relationships. I believe that building relationships is the most important piece of your business and blogging success puzzle. I can trace every big success I’ve had since starting Blacksburg Belle back to relationships.

So, it should come as no surprise that I’m a fan of membership sites such as The Creative Empire, BlogcastFM Premium, and A-List Blogging Bootcamps. These sites give you so many opportunities to build long-lasting relationships.

During a Skype conversation with Christina from A Closet Writer, she asked what the benefits are of joining a membership site. Once I told her my opinion, she asked if I’d write about this topic for her Blogging Mavens blog series. And, I thought it would be a great topic to cover—because I’ve gotten a lot out of membership sites.

Here are the top 5 reasons that you should join a membership site:

1. You can make strong connections with other members.

Most of the people who join membership sites share similar goals. For instance, most of the members of The Creative Empire are looking to build successful creative businesses. If someone has a question about pricing her products, selling at her first craft show, or keeping financial records, there are members who’ve already dealt with those problems who can offer specific advice.

You can connect with others who know exactly what you’re going through. Have you ever tried to explain to someone who’s not in the blogging world that you landed a huge guest posting opportunity or that you finally reached 100 subscribers? They look at you like you’ve just spoken Japanese. But, when you share this on a membership site filled with other bloggers, they can join in on the conversation.

These connections can help you get to the next level. When you make strong connections with other people in your niche, those people will help you promote your stuff. They’ll cheer you on and celebrate your successes with you.

2. You can get specific advice from experts.

When you join a membership site, you get access to the big names who own the site. For instance, I can ask a question on The Creative Empire and get feedback from Tara Gentile who just had her first $10,000 month in October. Usually, when you want her help, you need to pay for a consulting session. But, if you ask a question in her membership site, you’re likely to get lucky with a response from her.

3. You’re paying for information, so you’ll be more likely to use it.

Let’s be honest. When you pay for something, you’re more likely to take it seriously. If I read an amazing blog post, there’s less than a 50% chance I’ll put the advice into action. Why? Because, I’m super busy and I forget about things unless I include them on my calendar.

But, if I’m paying for something, I try to get as much out of it as possible. Even though I’m only paying $15-20 per month for my membership sites, I use them more diligently than I do free stuff.

4. You have a place for creative brainstorming.

When you have an idea for a new line of products, an ebook, or a series of blog posts, wouldn’t you love to get feedback from people you trust? And, from people who actually know your niche?

When you join a membership site, you’ve got a place to do some creative brainstorming. Before posting your new product, you can get feedback on your pictures, product description, and marketing. Your peers can help you make your stuff even better.

5. The information you get will go far beyond the basics.

One of the main reasons most people join a membership site is to get access to material they can’t find anywhere else. For example, there’s an entire section in A-List Blogging Bootcamps covering the topic of making your blog pay the bills. In this one category, there are 32 resources—videos, articles, worksheets, interviews.

If you’re ready to get to the next level with something {like blogging or building a creative business}, think about joining a membership site that will give you the tools to reach your goals.

{Image from Nic McPhee on Flickr}

Have you ever been overloaded with so many good ideas that your head spins? This past weekend rocked my world. I’ll be sharing more about it throughout the next week, but before I move on let me just leave you with this: I danced on stage with Marie Forleo and Laura Roeder. Yep, danced.

Back to blogging.

While I was away, I received a comment/question from Audrey that I’ve been asked over and over, so I thought it would be super helpful to write up my answer as a post.

Audrey’s Question

I have a question….I had a blog when I was in real estate, and it did not really help. Do you see direct sales as a result of your blog? I don’t want to be discouraging, but I want to use my time wisely.

Thank you for your incredible counsel. Well appreciated. Take care, Audrey.

My Short Answer

Yes, I’ve seen direct sales as a result of my blog.

And, My Longer Answer

Blogging is not a short-term answer to getting more sales. It’s a long-term game.

If you want to use your blog to increase sales, you first have to build your readership. While you’re building your readership, you have to develop trust. You also have to figure out how to monetize your blog.

If your real estate blog is still up, I could look it over and give you more specific feedback on why it didn’t work. Here are some reasons why blogging won’t lead to sales:

1. You don’t write for your target market.

I don’t know much about real estate, but I do know that you’d want to write for an audience looking to buy a home. This would mean articles on finding a real estate agent, what to look for when you first step into a new house, how much money you should have saved before you even look at homes, and how long it takes to close on a home when you’ve found one you’re in love with. You’d also want to write locally based articles. For instance, if you’re in Blacksburg, Virginia, you might write a blog post on the best location to live with small children or areas to stay away from if you want to avoid the college scene.

You want to position yourself as the expert in your field. And, you also want to give your audience a way for them to get to know you, like you, and trust you.

I see this mistake over and over in the handmade community. An artist wonders why her blog doesn’t lead sales. I’ll take a look at it, and the majority of her posts have nothing to do with art. The readers she’s bringing in to her blog aren’t coming there art. Therefore, they aren’t going to buy it.

2. You don’t provide useful content on a regular basis.

You don’t have to blog every day to build up a readership that’ll buy from you. You just have to provide your audience with useful content consistently. This could mean you publish one kickass article a week.

Many creative entrepreneurs think that they must have a blog, so they start one without any real direction or goals. They blog every time they add something new to their Etsy shops, and wonder why no one comments or cares. They’re just adding noise to the internet. They’re not adding anything valuable.

If someone wants to see what’s new in your shop, they’ll look in your shop. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t blog about your new products. But, it shouldn’t be the majority of your posts.

For instance, if you sell jewelry and blog once a week, one of your posts per month could be pictures of your new products and writing about the inspiration behind those products. The other three posts might cover a basic jewelry tutorial, pictures of your work space, and a post on tips for buying jewelry on Etsy.

3. You don’t provide your readers a simple way to give you money.

Someone shows up at your blog and loves your posts. She takes a minute to look around for a way to get to your shop or find your products. She gives up after looking for a couple minutes, because she’s busy and has other stuff going on in her life. And, she didn’t see the small link to your shop labeled, “sunshine lovelies” on your sidebar.

You have to make the buying process crystal clear for your readers. If it’s not easy, they’ll give up and move on.

4. Your location isn’t obvious.

If you’re a local business, I need to know where you’re located as soon as I click on your blog. It should be obvious to me. Like I mentioned above, you also need to write blog posts for your local, target market.

5. Your blog looks unprofessional.

Your website/blog is your online home. You’ve got to take good care of it.

If someone comes to your blog and it looks a hot mess, they’re much less likely to buy from you. Amp up your professionalism by:

• Getting your own domain name. Anything with .blogspot.com or .wordpress.com at the end doesn’t look professional. It’s a great way to start blogging, but if you want to take it to the next level, you need your own domain name.

• Cleaning up your blog. If something looks funky, don’t keep overlooking it and saying to yourself, “I really should figure out why my newsletter opt-in form doesn’t line up with my sidebar.” Figure it out now. Also, make sure your blog is easy to navigate. If you have a five page blog roll, blog badges, and tag clouds on your sidebar cluttering stuff up, get rid of it.

• Consulting with someone. Even if you think your blog is easy to navigate and you make your location clear, someone else might not think so. I recently had my website/blog reviewed by Laura Roeder, and it was eye opening. She spotted things that I had overlooked, because I see my website/blog on a daily basis.

6. You don’t generate traffic.

Even if you’re providing useful content, you have to get that content in front of people. And, I believe that you need to focus on relationships in order to do that. I’ve already written a post about that topic—you can check it out here.

7. Your blog isn’t spicy.

Personality people. When your blog lacks personality, it’s vanilla. And that’s so not good. Your personality needs to shine through in your blog posts. Give me a reason to hire you by standing out from the crowd.

Don’t Expect Miracles Overnight

With my first blog, it took six months before I saw any results as far as a direct link to sales. I needed time to learn how to write for my audience and to develop trust with my audience.

When I started Blacksburg Belle, I already had close to three years blogging experience under my belt, so it only took me two months to see direct sales from blogging. But, I see it as three years and two months—not two months. If I hadn’t learned all that I have from blogging in the past, it would have taken me much longer.

Many bloggers give up within a few months of starting, because they don’t see any results. If you continuously provide your readers with useful content without giving up, you’ll see results. It might take six months or a year, but you’ll get there.

Eventually, Blogging Can Lead to Lots of Sales

If you do it the right way, a long-term blog can generate a lot of sales. Even though there are a lot of blogs, many creative entrepreneurs still don’t blog. And many people who do blog, put out crap—not useful content. So, if you publish useful content, it’ll stand out in your niche. When you stand out in your niche, your sales will automatically increase.

Bottom Line

I whole-heartedly recommend blogging. But, it’s not for everyone. You have to decide if you’re willing to put in work for months without any gain. If you do, it’ll be well worth it. The internet opens up many opportunities to handmade entrepreneurs that they never had before if they’re willing to accept the challenge.

Highly Recommended

If you’re ready to make money from blogging and take things to the next level, I highly recommend BlogcastFM premium {affiliate link}. You can listen to interviews from some of the top bloggers to learn how they gets loads of traffic and monetize their blogs, and then get actionable worksheets and mindmaps to coincide with the interviews through the premium membership.

Whenever a new BlogcastFM interview is published, I make time to listen to it. It’s one of the ways I’ve been able to grow my blog in such a short amount of time. The information in these interviews is out-freaking-standing. Check it out here {affiliate link} if you’re sick of spending hours blogging without any return.