On Becoming a Professional Blogger
Instead of simply waiting for a blogging gig to come along, here are some ideas that you can put in to action to get you on your way to becoming a professional blogger.1. Invest in your own blog first.
It is the best "resume" you can have. How else do you prove that you can write with style? You also need to prove that you can write constantly and consistently.
2. Create and maintain the kind of blog you like.
Think about what kind of blog you would enjoy creating and maintaining. Do you want to entertain? Inform? Persuade? Influence? Before you target any potential client, make sure you understand what kind of writing will keep you engaged for the foreseeable future. Because a blog has to sound authentic and you gotta write a lot!
3. Target a specific market.Target a market segment, just as you would in a traditional marketing analysis. In my case, I decided to focus first on a world I know very well. It's where I have some contacts and a network, and it's also where my services would be something completely new. Look for your own niche.
4. Don't be afraid to propose a concept to anyone.
When a friend said "work something up," I took her at her word and created a Concept Proposal, just like Iwould have in my traditional marketing job. She was a little taken aback that I actually followed through. But, after providing her with professional information and research, why wouldn't she be intrigued? And, I also got the column in the Metro because I emailed the editor with my column idea (pointing her to my blog to get a flavor of what i was talking about.) It took her 5 months (!), but eventually she called and offered me the column, just as I had pitched it.5. Stay professional.
Blogging may be cool and on the cutting edge, but most employers or business owners don't get excited by being cutting edge for its own sake. Be professional before, during and after you work on a blog deal. I can still wait for the creative muse to strike on my personal blog, but I've committed to blog at a certain rate for these businesses, and blog I do.
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