9 Quick Steps to Writing a Business Plan for Your Blog

Does your blog have a business plan? Or you are blogging without a plan? Of what importance is a business plan to a blogger? Well, I will advice you read on to find the answers you seek.

Research shows that over 70% of businesses are operating without business plans; in fact, the statistics is even higher when it comes to online businesses, blogging included. I bet you are also guilty of this. It is an established fact that a requisite for success in business is a plan. Now if a plan is a recipe for business success, why are most bloggers blogging without it? Well, I think that's a question you should answer yourself. Drawing up a plan for your blog is not compulsory but if you are serious about treating your blog as a business; then I will advice you put up a plan for your blog.

Just recently, I completed the process of selling a portion my blog. What I am trying to say in essence is that I just concluded the process of raising capital for my blog. To be sincere with you, I don't think I would have achieved the feat without a business plan. Now aside from raising funds for your blog, a plan can help you in the following ways:

3 Ways a Business Plan can Add Value to your Blog

a. A plan will keep you focused
The first and the most critical way a plan can help you is in the area of focus. When it comes to running a business, there are definitely a lot of issues fighting for attention; and this may lead to distraction. Nothing is more common than the story of bloggers who are jumping from one money-making scheme to another. The primary reason why these bloggers are so easily distracted is because they have no plan. The reason I stayed focused on one blog for three years was because I had a plan; I knew where I was going, I also knew my end point.

A plan can also help keep you in check even after you succeed. One reality about success is that it tends to make you arrogant. I know a lot of bloggers that started from scratch, grew big and forgot the initial purpose why they started blogging. A plan will help you avoid being among these set of arrogant bloggers. Regularly evaluating your plan will keep your effort in focus.

b. A plan is the key to developing a blogging strategy
A plan can function as a benchmark for you while crafting a short and long term strategy for your blog. Most bloggers only plan short term but if your blog is going to be relevant in the near future, then you must start planning today.

c. A plan will prove to investors that you are competent
What if you decide to sell your blog tomorrow? What if an investor shows interest in your blog? What will you do? A good way to show an investor your competence as an entrepreneurial blogger is to grant him a sneak preview at your business plan and other financial records of your blog. Doing this will prove to the investor that you know your business like the palm of your hand; and this can boost the value of your blog.

Now since I have taken my time to explain why your blog needs a plan, let's go into the details of how to write a business plan for your blog.

9 Quick Steps to Writing a Business Plan for your Blog

1. The executive summary
The executive summary is what familiarizes your blog with any individual reading your plan. It includes a concise overview of the idea backing the establishment of the blog, your purpose, objectives and overall strategy.

2. Blog Details
This is where you highlight the notion behind the blog's conception and how you came up with the idea to create the blog. In this part, you have to describe specifically the idea, research result, niche analysis and your targeted audience.

3. Your blog objectives
In this section, you need to describe the aim of your blog, its short and long-term goals, its vision and mission statement; and the blog's growth strategy.

4. Your Bio
This is where you highlight your blog management team and what their purposes are. Are you the sole owner of the blog? Or you are just a partner? In this section, you will need to explain the blog ownership structure; and the faces behind the blog. Information needed here include the names and backgrounds of members of the management team and their tasks. Also to be added is their area of specialization, prior accomplishments, strengths and weaknesses, etc.

5. Your Monetization Strategy
Are you running a non-profit blog? If no, how do you plan to generate revenue from the blog? You have to explain that in this part of your business plan. Will you monetize your blog with affiliate programs, advertisements, donations, product sales or services? You have to put it down in writing here.

6. Your market potential
This is where you highlight in details the fundamentals and outcome of your research.

Why did you target the niche your blog is situated in?
Is the niche small or huge?
Is the niche a growing trend or a declining one?
Is the niche narrow or broad?
What is the local and global search volume of your keywords?
How many percent of the total search volume can you pull to your blog?

These are questions you must answer before even creating your blog.

7. Your marketing strategy
How will you broadcast to the world that you can satisfy their needs? How do you intend to attract traffic to your blog? How much is your intended budget for publicizing your blog? Will you promote your blog in print media, television, on the Web or all of these? Will your marketing tactics focus more on search engine optimization, joint ventures, free campaigns or paid campaigns? What marketing tools will be needed and at what cost? Who are the major competitors in your niche? How do they attract traffic to their blog? How did they monetize their blog? What percentage of market share do they control? All these need to be listed out in your plan.

8. Your financial projection
This is where you compile a summary of your projected financial earnings. This is actually the part that interests investors more.

9. Your exit strategy
This is the section that most bloggers don't want to talk about. Most bloggers think they will live and die with their blog but in reality, it's not possible. You must relinquish control of your blog someday; whether you like it or not. So instead of leaving your blog to fate, why not plan for it in advance? A good plan must include a part that lays out the yardstick with which you will use to decide when to call it quits. Even if you don't intend selling your blog, just prepare an exit strategy. An exit strategy is a sign of financial intelligence; it is also a contingency plan just in case things don't go as planned.

In conclusion, I strongly believe this outline will be of help when writing your own business plan and just before I drop my pen; I want to ask a question. Do you really think a business plan can add value to a blog? I would love to hear your opinion in the comment below.

And just before i drop my pen, I am giving you a once in a lifetime opportunity to download my Master List of Best Startup Business ideas and learn How to Make a Million Dollars Fast in less than a year.

Make Things Up to Truly Engage Your Online Visitors

Once upon a time there was a website visitor who started reading a blog post about making things up. The reader sat in his office surround by books and files gripped by the words scrolling past his eyes. Surely, it could not be true, he thought. The blog post was telling him not to tell the truth on his own website. The website visitor sat their stunned, staring at the screen with his mouth wide open in amazement. How on earth could it be worthwhile making things up instead of telling people the truth, he thought.

You might be thinking the same as our blog reader - surely I can't be advising you to make things up on your website. But I am. Honest...!

New research shows that when people read fiction they become much more emotionally engaged with the subject. The researchers used fictional accounts of voters and gave them to people who were due to vote in elections. The people who read stories where the main character was very similar to them actually voted in higher numbers than people who read stories where the characters were remote. In other words, when people read fiction with which they identified it changed their behaviour.

Story telling is an essential component in all communication. Indeed, news media call everything they do "stories" and when you watch TV shows like X-Factor you get the story behind each contestant, which often looks at their triumph over adversity. And what do the judges do? Well they ensure there is conflict - an essential component of a good story. The show may parade itself as a talent contest, but in reality it is a series of stories - and that's central to its success.

This new research adds to the massive amount of material available which shows how fundamental the concept of story is to communication. It suggests now that by using stories you can change behaviour. If you want your website visitors to do certain things, then telling them fictional stories about what other people have done could help. Of course your stories must be realistic and you need to identify the fact that they are made up (otherwise you'll generate mistrust once you are found to be lying). But if you use stories then you can increase engagement and produce behavioural changes in your website visitors.

So, for example, imagine you are a business consultant offering management advice. A set of fictional tales about managers in certain situations could well help engage people. Similarly, what if you are an SEO company? You could produce a set of short stories about people desperately trying to get better placings on search engines. Think of them as case histories you make up. Just as long as you make it clear that these are fiction, you can engage your readers and make it likely that they change their behaviour - such as taking that trial of your SEO software or booking an appointment with your management consultancy.

Stories are important, whether fiction or fact, but too few websites use the concept of story telling - much to their detriment.

Graham Jones is a psychologist who investigates the way people use the Internet and how people shop online. His research can help you make the most of the Internet, particularly if you are hoping to make money online.

Going Public

At some point and time, and if the stars align most business owners dream about going Public. They want to offer an initial public offering (IPO) because they want their company to be publicly traded. However, there are some companies that decide that being a privately held company is good enough for them. So do you think that individuals should Go Public also?

At some point you are going to have to live your passion. You are going to have to strap everything on your back and ride with the waves, and you are going to have to declare that you are going public with whatever it is you are doing. As an aspiring professional blogger, Network Marketer and Entrepreneur I have dreams of finally going public and I know exactly what that is going to look like, do you? Or better yet, how would you go about going public?

Well to me its all about Application. How do you apply the necessary skills that you are learning to the process? I will tell you this its absolutely not going to be easy when you do decide to go public. Most of us are aspiring to take our dreams and goals to the next level which I consider Public domain. We sit and we study, we practice, we teach, and we apply what we learn.

Here are two thoughts to remember;
Application is everything.Its what you Do that matters.

Everyone knows that my blog is focused around the Network Marketing industry and Leading with purpose in an industry that has so many misconceptions. So many people believe that there is something negative associated with the Network Marketing industry, but little do some know that more successful and well rounded individuals belong to the industry.? My goal is to shed a positive light on the industry and show people that the Network marketing and Direct sales industry birthed many individuals like Jim Rohn, Les Brown, Randy Gage and more..So why is it that more individuals don't go Public with their decision to help others? Truly its all Network marketing is, helping others see themselves better than they see themselves and in turn they can make a generous living by helping people. I believe the reason why I was drawn to the industry was because I felt that there needed to be positive changes made and it was my way to help so many people that are struggling now to make ends meet. The questions that popped into my head were;
What if I can help a single mom earn an extra 1k this month, how would that affect her?What if I can help the dad that works over 80+ hours a week and don't get to see his family as much?What If I can help the school teacher that is under paid and over-worked to earn some additional income?What about the Church organization that is going Bankrupt because tithing is down?What about being able to generate enough income so that we could feed the homeless and buy more clothes?

I still feel that this is the best way to create a passive residual income stream that can help a Family monthy stay afloat. Did you know that the average household could have used just an additional $300 to stay from foreclosing on their home? Imagine if they only knew that they could start a business for little to low cost and earn potentially more than they make on their full time job, would that not be so fascinating? So how can that person that is surrounded by negativity Go Public / Break free?
Make a public declaration of a new association - Now is going to be the time when you are going to draw the line in the sand and break ties with all Negative things and people. Now you need to start making new associations with people that are like minded individuals.
Make a personal declaration of association - This means you have to be so fed up that you personally decide that you can't stand your current situation any longer and now is the time to change. You must take it upon yourself to want to get better and help others.

So now is the time if you are working on something Big, something HUGE that is going to change lives you need to Go Public with it. Others need to feel your passion and they need to know your cause.

Question: Have you already gone Public? Have you taken the necessary steps to succeed?

My Vision: As a Professional Networker, I help my team and other Individuals market themselves online to build GOD focused Network Marketing Organizations. It's all about Creating a tribe of Entrepreneurs that love the Lord, their families, and seeing others succeed.

If Your team Does Not Have a Step-By-Step Blueprint For Success, Check This Out (Unless You Already Have Too Many Leads)Visit: http://www.m5networker.com/

Planning an Organized Marketing Strategy for Online Business Development

The key to creating an organized online marketing strategy is planning. If your only business isn't developed using a streamlined approach to planning, you'll soon find yourself overloaded with stuff you didn't get done and don't have time to do. Worse, you'll be in that predicament with not enough profit to hire it done.

By using these simple, step-by-step procedures to plan your business online, you'll grasp a handle on your business quickly with plenty of time to enjoy your business profits.

1. Schedule time to plan every week and follow your plan. You may choose to use an online calendar, a notebook, or a 30 day file, the method you choose isn't as important as the process of using it.

Check it frequently.Add everything to the calendar.Include time for yourself in your schedule.Make all appointments stand out, so you don't forget them.Make time for admin and writing duties, they are important too.

2. Generate a ToDo List and keep it handy. This MUST be on paper. The sense of completion you will feel as you check off each item and cross them off your list is worth the extra paper activity each day. Don't pass up this opportunity to recognize your accomplishments.

NOTE: Each morning, before you get started, cross three things off your list that you know you're not going to get done that day. THIS IS IMPORTANT.

3. Spiral notebook. I'm going to say it again, because this is important. SPIRAL NOTEBOOK. Get a thick one with some folders and keep some paperclips attached. Write absolutely everything in your spiral notebook, because it's your record for the time you've got it. Notes, ideas, suggestions, names, addresses, contact information, goals, projects, discussions, topics for writing, information you MUST keep, and anything else you happen to want to jot down. Write it in your spiral notebook. This is your book, dated from beginning to end. Write on front and back pages, nobody will read it but you, and you want all the details.

There are so many pieces to planning your business online, you're going to want everything written down, organized and completely strategized. I always recommend new business owners find a business coach or consultant to help organize a business start up, because without one, it's like running blind into a mine field. The results of a well planned business from the beginning are immediate profits.

Nobody can guarantee those immediate profits on the front, but you're far more likely to have them, if your business is well planned.

With all the duties of a new business to line up and organize, you'll find more ways to procrastinate if you aren't ready with instant answers to your key problems of management. Get focused, get organized, and get to profits with our organizational strategy.

(c) 2012 - http://janverhoeff.com/

Are You Working Yourself to Death Throwing Nets Into the Sea, Hoping for Customers?

When I was a kid, I would go fishing with my uncle at the local lake. To be honest, I didn't know anything about fishing. I just wanted to get my hands on that shiny fishing rod. I remember when he gave me the rod....I threw it into the water "just hoping" to catch at least one fish. I was so desperate to catch anything.

I went to the top of a rock thinking, "maybe I'll catch something right here." I laid down on the dirt thinking, "maybe I wasn't close enough that time." I even stepped into the water "hoping" I would get closer to the fish. "Maybe they didn't see me that time."I did everything I could possibly do to catch a fish.

By the end of our fishing trip, I was dirty, wet and disappointed. Oh, guess what? I didn't catch a thing!

See, my entire strategy was off and the more I became desperate...the more I took desperate actions. I didn't really have a plan and all of the adults were doing their own thing. No one told me about fish bait to entice my fish. No one told me about certain techniques that I could've used to catch my fish.

All I knew how to do was to throw my fishing rod into the lake, hoping to catch a fish.

My friends, if that's what you're doing to get clients then, STOP IT NOW. You are going to spread yourself thin and you'll be stressed out. That's not a strategy and certainly not a solution. You need to connect with your clients on the level they're at now so they can trust you enough to buy from you. No one buys from someone they don't trust. You have to build rapport and earn trust.

Do you know the #1 reason that people buy products and services?

People buy based on their emotions. Are you connecting with your prospects and clients emotionally? I don't care what all the "gurus" have told you and all of that other foo foo nonsense. If people do not connect with you emotionally, they WON'T BUY FROM YOU.

So, how do you connect with them emotionally? How do you connect with them on the level they're at now?

You can do this by doing "listening research." This is one of the most important things you should be doing every single day. This step alone can either make or break your entire business success. Some take it lightly and I can guarantee you they're probably broke.

Moving on...the way you do listening research is by "listening" to what your ideal clients have to say.

Ask yourself these important questions:

What are they struggling with?

What do they need help with?

How can I make their life easier?

What can I do right now to help them?

One of the #1 ways to do listening research is by doing surveys. It's so simple yet so brilliant. You are going to ask them, through Facebook, Twitter, Webinars, Teleseminars and even by email.

If you don't have any clients, no problem! You are going to do a Google search and type in your niche market and the word "forum" after. So, let's say that you want to do some research on jewelry makers and you want to find out how to better serve them. You would type in jewelry makers' forums. You will find TONS of information!

You need to pay attention to what people are saying. What are they struggling with? Are they struggling with trying to string the jewelry together? Or maybe they're trying to find out where they can get a better price on loop rings?

Then you're going to go on over to your competitor's website and review their blog posts. Pay close attention to what their clients are saying in the comment section. What do they need help with? What are some areas they just haven't mastered yet?

You see where I'm going with this? Then you're going to use those EXACT same words in your copy throughout your entire website/blog, sales pages, emails, phone conversations, videos etc...to connect with your clients on the level they're at.

So, how do you know the level they're at? Because they told you! Your clients will love you because you have taken the time out to listen to their needs and wants. This will help you to serve them through your products and services. This will also help you to build your list and make running a business so much easier.

Remember, it's not about you. It's not about what you want for them or what you think they should have. You have to listen to what the marketplace wants and needs. You will know what people want because they will tell you.

Spend 21 Days With Me to Make More Money With Your Blog! Let's inspire, transform, and build relationships while making bigger profits! Register NOW! Class is starting soon! http://www.my5starservice.com/21-day-making-money-blog/

Some Basic SEO Blog Tips

Blogging is something which has taken the online world by a storm. The concept of blogging has been popular ever since its introduction. It not only helps in online recognition but also may help you to earn a lot of money. The following are some of the basic SEO blog tips that will be extremely useful in writing quality blogs.

Any blog revolves around the keywords. However, you need to devote a decent amount of time and effort in finding the right topic and keywords for your blog. The keywords should not only be popular but should be relevant to your blog as well. It is recommended that you try to put the keyword in the domain name as well. This will help to establish credibility and relevancy to your website and will also improve its search engine rankings. If you already have too many topics on your blog then you should try to re-label or regroup them. There is absolutely no point in putting too many topics in one blog. You should also avoid copy/pasting content on your blog as it may get your blog banned or penalized. The language should be easy and reader friendly. You need to ensure that the visitor enjoys reading your post. Another good SEO tip is that you make use of the title optimization widget on your blog. This will definitely help a lot in improving its ranking in the search engines. The layout of the blog should be nice, well designed and user friendly. It should be able to create a brilliant backdrop and impression in the mind of the viewer. Using AdSense is also a smart SEO blog tip, which will further popularize your blog. Also, you should encourage others to sign up for RSS feeds for your blog.

SEO is all about the content. You should be able to write quality content. That's not all; the content should contain the relevant images, pictures, etc in the text. Once your content is ready and published on the blog, you need to also check the loading time of the blog. If you feel that the loading time is simply too much then you can always make modifications to the widgets and codes and make them even simpler. Also, wherever possible you should provide links to your earlier posts with the help of anchor text. By doing this, you will improve the internal liking of the blog.

SEO blog is a hot topic of discussion these days. Try to learn some really good and effective SEO tips.