Goal of the day: 403 words. Written: 557.
Is it clearer now why you are going to work?
OK. The second step is to figure out the basis of your business.
Yes, you heard right, business. Even if your mission statement doesn't include a single mention of money, careers or barter - blogging is a hell of a lot like running a business.
In fact, it's a bit like writing a good book, creating a training course or finding a gift for a dear friend.
How will you benefit your customers?
(And what do you want back from them? But we'll talk about the latter later, let's not get into that now.)
How will your blog visitors benefit? Your readers, viewers, browsers, commenters, all sorts of other -ers?
There are three types of money that any creative work can generate:
a) Provide new knowledge;
b) To make you laugh and to make you happy;
c) Getting closer to the author.
And, let me give you some examples.
First and foremost, it's about creating new knowledge. It's the kind of work that is closest to my personal heart (but also the kind that requires the most work in terms of research and so on). It's the kind of work you'll find in at least half of all the literature sold these days: textbooks, encyclopaedias, all kinds of "lazy manifestoes" and blogs (like Valtininkas.lt).
This creation brings knowledge to the user. Does the user have a question? You answer it. The user is happy!
Second, work that makes people laugh and otherwise has fun. It's the kind of work you can usually find on Facebook. Personally, I get to create this kind of content by accident - I'm not good at it on purpose. It's the kind of stuff you find in the rest of literature - novels, all the Iron Foxes on Facebook, colouring books.
This creation gives pleasure to the user. Does it make the consumer feel bad? You make them feel good. The user is happy!
The third is the most friendly, author-friendly work. I'm working more on this one, because it's still difficult for me to open up and show my true thoughts. But it is paying off! This is the kind of work you'll find on Facebook, Instagram, in some of the best books and blogs.
This creativity helps the user feel like they know you. Lonely consumer? You interact with him/her like a friend/student/child. He feels a sense of community!
Do you see any links with creators in Lithuania?
a) Beata Nicholson, Algimantas Čekuolis, Rokiskis Rabinovičius.
b) Iron Fox, Robot Bear, Jonas Jonka.
c) Beata Tiškevič, Alex Monaco, Monika Šalčiūtė.
...And do you notice that these authors could be classified in more than one category? After all, Beata Tiškevičić is not only a friend, but also funny sometimes! And Algimantas Čekuolis not only explains clever things, but is also quite friendly!
This is not my fault.
(By the way, if it were my fault, would I say that? Oh. Che, che, che.)
This is the reason why these authors are so interesting and enjoyable, why they are read and followed for a reason. Even if you, personally, don't like any of them.
Good creativity, like business, is not just one thing. You can open a "Just give me something to eat" canteen, but I guarantee that visitors will gradually prefer to go to a canteen where they don't just "give you something to eat", but also don't call it "food", and where they are served in a friendly manner. 🙂
And, at the same time, good creativity is as good as business, must deliver benefits for its users.
A canteen that will simply provide nourishing food and nothing else - it will survive! A blog will also survive if you know how to write in a useful way, but are neither charismatic nor open about personal secrets. But no canteen and no blog will survive if you don't give anything to it.
No one will visit your blog if you are not helpful, funny or open.
I look at those long-running blogs that never attracted an audience of more than 100 visitors. 🙂
So, your second task. Take the same piece of paper and write below in just a few words, which of the three benefits will be the main one.
Don't try to write all three or even two! As you develop, you will be able to expand into other areas of benefit. But first you will only need one.
I, for example, started with the benefits. I wanted to share my knowledge with my friends. What is one benefit you would like to give?
A tea picker,
Daniel