How Blogging is Like Marriage

Last night Jason and I got sucked into watching the movie, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, on FX. We turned on the television, and there it was – one of our favorite movies – just begging to be watched. Usually when a movie we own is on television, one of us will actually get the DVD out and watch it. Not only is it more time-efficient (i.e. no long commercial interruptions), but it is always interesting to see how quickly we can “beat” the television version by watching the DVD. I know … it is those little things that amuse us.

But this version of Mr. & Mrs. Smith was different from our DVD . It was the director’s cut – and we quickly found ourselves entertained by the scenes that weren’t in the final version of the movie. As an added bonus, we also got snippets of the direction and methodology behind making of the movie – something that, yes, totally made the commercials worth it.

In one of the “behind the scenes” snippets, Director Doug Liman explains that one of the fun aspects of directing Mr. & Mrs. Smith was showing how difficult marriage can be – and the commitment it takes.

Which also makes me think of blogging.

Like marriage, blogging can be difficult. It certainly takes a commitment and does have its ups and downs, too. Every day, you have to be dedicated to the process and do the work. This does not mean that you have to blog every day, but it does mean that your commitment has to be unwavering 365 days a year – whether it is by responding to comments or thinking through the next blog post that is due. But just like in marriage, a commitment of this magnitude also provides rewards that are unmatched.

Check this out …

I am reading a great e-book by Marcus Sheridan called “Inbound and Content Marketing Made Easy.” What I like most about his book thus far (I am only about half way through it now), is that he is a pool guy, yet he saw the value in committing to blogging  - and his steady commitment SAVED his pool business. He is extremely candid about his “why” and provides (practically) a how-to guide to blogging that consumers will latch onto, appreciate, share with others, and most importantly make their purchasing decisions because of the information provided.

Yes, I am particularly interested in his story because he is one of us. He is in the contracting business, and he was committed to making it work. He turned his floundering pool company into a top contender in his market (Virginia and Maryland) – all during this recession.

Now Marcus may have been a little unique from other contractors in that he loves to write – so blogging came naturally to him. For some builders and remodelers, this simply isn’t the case. They just don’t like to write, want to find the time to write, or feel comfortable with the pen in hand. I get it.

For those people who know the importance of a blog but for whatever reason, you aren’t blogging, as I see it, you have a few options.

1. You can get over it and decide to write. Be committed to the process. At first it may feel foreign or even uncomfortable, but over time, it will get easier.
2. You can hire someone to write the articles for you. This is called ghostwriting and there are hundreds of writers out there willing to write content for you (BTW – I am one of those writers and developed my Custom Article Drafting Table for just such a reason).
3. You can go home. That may sound harsh, but if you aren’t willing to steadily and consistently commit to blogging, then you might as well pack it up and find a different approach. Just like a marriage, you can’t half-ass it.

Blogging is here to stay. It helps contractors gain trust with potential customers, overcome price objections and blow away the competition. Do yourself a favor and read Marcus’ book. You can download it FREE here. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

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