Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Blogging for absolute beginners

Here are a few FAQs about blogging. Fortunately lot of people ask me a lot of questions about blogging and I thought it would be best if I can point them to a single post that deals with some of their concerns. Here it goes…

What is a blog?
Blog is a simple web interface where a person can add text, pictures and videos and share it with others. Various websites like blog.com, wordpress.com and blogger.com provide free and paid options to host your blogs. 
 
Why blogging? 
There are plenty of reasons for why people blog. Here is a quick take on why all infopreneurs should blog.  
 
What to blog about? 
That is one of the basic questions that every newbie inspired to blog asks first. I have tried to compile a few suggestions that will help you get some direction in this regard. More…
 
How much to blog? 
Now that seems like a personal choice, and it is indeed(for some cases), but being effective and regular needs you to write pithy posts. More… 

 
Who should and ’should not’ blog? 
If you are not getting enough motivation to blog, you perhaps should just stop blogging for a while. Starting from square one, it is great idea to rethink your perspective. Why do you think you need to blog? When you say it is a personal choice, put some thought before deciding. Read this. 
 
How to create and launch the blog for maximum benefit?
A lot of people would start worrying about readership from day one. I put one of my favorite creations on the blog and I expected a whole lot of readers. Yes there were a lot of visitors, but I could not convert them to readers. I learnt the lessons the hard way. But you can start in a much easier and more effective way.  
Posted by Ujjwal Trivedi at 17:26:16 | Permalink | No Comments »

Monday, August 3, 2009

How do I motivate myself to blog?


If you are asking this - You Should Not Blog!

Because you don’t have your basics right yet. It’s neither your social duty to blog, nor a religious obligation and certainly doesn’t affect national interests. So don’t bother about it. Just know that it can help you in variety of ways:

1. If you are sick of your job and want to do something that you Love-to-do, Blogging can help. It’s Free and Easy. Even if you are not sure of what your passion is, Blogging can help you find that. Just try out a few things, first and observe your interest levels. Keep taking feedback from your friends and colleagues.

2. If you do not know what you love to do, blogging can help you find your passion. Blogging is a simple mode of expression. When you start expressing, you are bound to get better at it. 

3. If you want to build a brand of Yourself or your Organization blogging is an effective way. 

4. If you want to establish a business that needs you to connect with a lot of people. 

5. If you want/need to connect with people with certain specific (may be rare) skills. 

When you’d understand the importance of blogging, you’d definitely get the motivation to do it. Just like every other thing, you have to do it to learn it. And just like every other thing, the more you do it the better you’d get. You neither need heavy investment nor a huge plan. Just do it, start it now and launch it to public in a way that it helps you and your readers.    

If Playing Sports is what you love-to-do - Go out in the sun and play. Blogging is not for you. 

Posted by Ujjwal Trivedi at 11:39:21 | Permalink | No Comments »

Friday, July 31, 2009

Evolution of a blogger!

[Evolution of one of the most influential personalities online]

I followed Seth Godin’s posts from the blog since 2002. Yes, I read most of them. And here is what I observed - 

1. Quality - Seth’s blogging has evolved from being mundane chronicles to interesting ideas to inspirational sermons. And that simply signifies that the more you do it, the better you get. I had been looking for one-liners from his blogs for Sethisms. And to my wonder it was extremely difficult to find them in his earlier posts. There wasn’t the charisma. Infact (God save me!) I am daring to offend the god-in-seth, many posts are plain boring.  

2. Style - Those of us who admire Seth’s typical pithy blogging style should visit his March 2002 archive. One of the posts is over 4500 words. Yes you read it right. A full ten page report on a blog post. Impossible says I’m possible. 

3. Quantity - I have been wondering how does Seth manage to blog daily. That is another habit he has created over time. He used to be inconsistent (ranging from daily to fortnightly) and infrequent in his initial years.   

4. Followers - I have no stats for this one (can someone provide?), but I reckon, from the traceback counts that He didn’t start as one of the most influential blogger online. He has built it over these 7 years. 

This should take a lot of load off rookies (like me) and teach them some patience. Phew!

What we can learn from this is that the Best that we see in the world is not made in a day. Blogging is like farming. You sow the seeds of valuable content, you connect with people and nourish your readership, you protect it against spams and it’s then that you’d be able to enjoy the harvest. Happy Blogging!
Posted by Ujjwal Trivedi at 08:21:50 | Permalink | No Comments »

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Sethisms - from the God-in-Seth

One liners have always been thought inspiring and helpful for me. I’ve been following Seth for about an year now. I just thought, it would be great to share his pithy power packed thoughts with everyone. So here is Seth on various topics: (taken from his blogs)  

Startups: Being the dumbest partner in a room of smart people is exactly where you want to be.

Excellence: So, if there’s time for an emergency (Jello), why isn’t there time for brilliance, generosity or learning?

Work: When you’re gone, will they miss what you do? It’s not too late to change the answer…

Marketing: The only way your organization is going to make an impact is to market in the way only you can.

Buying: “..people end up buying the thing they want, not the thing they necessarily need.” - 

Customers: If you don’t like the way someone is acting, understand you can’t change his behavior, you can only change his circumstances.

Marketing: It’s not the data that people seek, it’s the mood.

Aim: If you have no wish, how can it possibly come true?

Boss: Trying to convince a CEO of anything is a little like trying to convince a cop not to give you a ticket. It’s possible, but rarely worth the effort, given the odds.

Humility: “You are right. I screwed up. I’m sorry.”

Organization: Transparency works if it’s authentic.

Performance: Interesting business lesson learned on a bicycle: it’s very difficult to improve your performance on the downhills.

Change: Change is a bear, but it’s better than death. 

Marketers: all marketers are now on an island

Marketing: We market to friends very differently than we market to strangers.

Marketing: Big marketing breakthroughs always come from doing something that everyone else says is off the table.

Psychology: We notice what we choose to notice.

Focus: Do you have an agenda? 

Mistakes: Retractions let your marketing (and your entire organization) move forward even after you’ve made a mistake. 

Decisions: A knife usually cuts through the clutter better than a spoon.

Recruiting: If you want to hire a copywriter, do some copywriting.

Outsourcing: Safe is Risky.

Permission Marketing: Permission is like dating. You don’t start by asking for the sale at first impression. You earn the right, over time, bit by bit.

Success: If there were shortcuts, people smarter than you and me would have found them already. 

Sales: Every bad sale costs you five. 

I’d hang it on my desk. If you happen to print them on your T-shirt, send me one too. :-)

Posted by Ujjwal Trivedi at 10:22:02 | Permalink | Comments (3)

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Being Tribal (On Triiibes anniversary)

Being a part of the tribe is human nature. At this instant, unknowingly you are a part of several tribes. Some of them are perhaps led by you. And there is certainly an awesome lot of people waiting to be a part of your tribe, waiting to be led by you. 

Did you realize this before? 

If it sparks some ideas in you, you should grab a copy of Seth Godin’s Tribes. 

Seth himself leads a Triiibe of over 6500 leaders and marketers from around the world. And I am proud to be a part of this closed networking group. I have met some wonderful, inspiring people at Triiibes. People who already had big tribes of their own, but were still caring enough to ear my voice. People who had no business with me but were enthusiastic enough to guide me, introduce me to more awesome people who could help me. People who valued my suggestions and confided their problems and vulnerabilities with me. People who I hardly know but are ready to share business strategies and ask suggestions. 

Isn’t that wonderful? If you are leading a tribe and wanna be a part of triiibes, you can request Seth. He listens.

On anniversary of Triiibes this post is dedicated to all triiibesters, Thank you! you all are wonderful people.
Don’t miss: Ed Brenegar’s comments on this occasion.


Posted by Ujjwal Trivedi at 01:20:49 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

UVTimes gets a mention!

Just post it’s anniversary, UVTimes has been able to find a place as a guest in Conor Kenny’s blog. Conor Kenny is a business advisor and workshop specialist in Ireland. 


He recently started an initiative of inviting Guest bloggers from all round the world and has now got a great compilation. Do checkout Conor’s blog.   


Posted by Ujjwal Trivedi at 15:11:51 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Blogging success stories!!!

I took a series of interviews of a few businessmen who took to Blogging. They are not Big names, they are people who are trying to make a mark. Here are excerpts of the feedback they gave about blogging - You’d be able to see how blogging has helped them in their pursuit:

+ Jodi Kaplan : Her blog started out focusing on fixing broken small business marketing, and now, she is concentrating on creative businesses serving the trade show industry (such as exhibit designers, video producers, graphic designers, and web developers). Jodi says “It has helped me to reach more people, attract more prospects, and create trust and authority. I’m building regular readers and a list of subscribers for future marketing projects.”

+ Greg Digneo :  Had a passion for small business and marketing. Over a period of time he became focused on blogging about marketing small technology companies. For him “It’s been great for PR, for getting new customers, and for meeting a variety of different people, some of whom I partner with – many of whom I keep in touch with on a monthly basis.”

+ Sue L Canfield : “It’s another tool I use also to promote my clients and their services.My focus is to educate prospects and clients with the information found at my blog and directing them back to my website. One prospect did become my client because she liked the way I wrote on my blog and that was a turning point in her deciding to use my services.”

+ Tony Blei : “I’m a photographer. Few know who I am. I thought I would write a blog that, should an agency Google me, would let them know who I was and give insight into my creative personality. But it doesn’t end there.
I’m on Twitter. I try to post relevant tweets. I read the tweets of others and one day read someone else’s blog and left a comment. The owner of the blog liked what I had to say and I referred them to my blog. They read a few things and now I am a guest blogger for Black Star Rising. By doing all of this I feel that my presence is being elevated and people will become more aware of what I can do for them.”


Have you taken up blogging yet? What’s your story?
Posted by Ujjwal Trivedi at 20:25:28 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Social Media Marketing Plan for IT companies

Here are a few ideas on how an IT company can involve employees and generate content that can take Branding to another level. Use of social media tags an organization as progressive and tech-savvy. Also, it brings an organization to the notice of potential clients, potential employees, and increases credibility among both.   

1. Technical training videos on youtube: Will it hurt you if you record your internal trainings and upload the videos online. Yes, even for the use by your competition. What if they too upload a few?     

2. Blogging by all employees on Official Blogs. Blogging should be encouraged by management, everyone wants to be a CEO, and they like to do what a CEO does, so what if a CEO starts blogging?

3. Twitter and Facebook - regular updates on all new technical achievements & events. 

4. CSR - Initiatives that organization has taken up as corporate social responsibility should be highlighted via official website and blogs. Press release is no more effective as compared to blogs that are read, commented upon and trackbacked. 

5. Rejuvenate your website - If it has lots of static content that you updated an year back, you may take a call to Bring it to life. 


Posted by Ujjwal Trivedi at 14:36:11 | Permalink | Comments (4)

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Don’t waste your hen!

[How freshers/ job-seekers can help themselves]

Having satisfied myself with a plan I stumbled upon this extremely informative and encouraging article. I just wondered if I can set a plan for the freshers looking for a job. I can see every job seeker carrying a Hen (An MBA, MTech, B.E. degree, partially completed Academic projects, out of the world ideas and A lot of enthusiasm). I am sure that a hen can be put to various uses. 
  1. Create a poultry farm, 
  2. Sell eggs, 
  3. Sell omlette 
  4. Barter Hen with something else
  5. Cook and sell it as a chicken dish
  6. Sell Hen
  7. Consume eggs.
  8. Cook and consume the chicken dish
What are you doing with your Hen?

  1. Have you started a blog? See why? and Start today. 
  2. Are you actively building a tribe? Stop worrying, start doing - Start today. 
  3. Do you have a network(social/professional) that can really help? Build your self-brand - start today. 
  4. Are you working towards your business idea, the one that stole your sleeps in college? Make a plan, start today. 
  5. Are you looking for an idea to start your own work? Here is big list of ideas, if you still can’t find one ask me. 

Posted by Ujjwal Trivedi at 21:23:18 | Permalink | Comments (4)

Using emails!

[How to Win Friends and Influence people through emails?]

As I stressed in an earlier posts that Emails are extremely useful tool and should be used wisely. Here are a few ways with which you can win friends and influence people through emails. 

1. Take emails seriously. Do not write lousy ones. People often are quite conscious about their oral communication but they take emails pretty casually! An email can be as short as only the subject line. But write it effectively. Here are a few examples of subject line emails:

  Casual: ’please come to my desk asap’

  Impressive: ’NNTO: Please come to my desk ASAP’ OR 
                         “Please come to my desk ASAP.[eom]“

If you are attaching an image/ file please make sure to list the attachments in your mail (if it is not a routine one). Format the emails properly (at least use a consistent font), use subject lines, use signatures. 

2. Use emails for gathering information, getting approvals and sending information. Specially for all those things where you think a written record will help. I have seen Emails being used to track communication, years later. Sometimes it can really save your a-s-s. 

3. Use emails for networking. You can send a “Thank you”, “Birth Day”, “Seasonal Greeting” to long lost friends, foes, bosses, colleagues and potential friends, business partners, clients. Apply a little common sense to guess what email should be sent to whom. One size may not fit all. Be different in contents, looks. When someone opens your email, they should find something new (pleasing, if possible). 

4. Value addition: In oral communication it is difficult to provide value addition, they ask - you answer. In emails though, you can add a lot of value. Add an image that bolsters your content. Add URLs for reference and links for further details about the subject. Add files. Present properly, bold, bullet, highlight important points as required. 

These can go a long way in helping you present yourself as an excellent communicator. And you know very well that for any business communication is the key. It’s one of the surest way to establish yourself in the eyes of seniors/clients and of course impress a few colleagues.   

Posted by Ujjwal Trivedi at 13:00:10 | Permalink | Comments (4)