For a while now blogging has been marketed as the 'blue-eyed-boy' of online business development. But just like a trip into deep space, it can be pretty lonely out there and visitors sometimes non-existent. So is there an alternative? OH YEAH...

Do you need a blog?

I'm going to talk about Coaches, Speakers and Trainers in business, but many of these principles are adaptable to any business.

Let me kick off by saying that I don't believe EVERY Coach needs a blog. So do you need to read this?

If you're a coach and want just a small number of clients to work with, and you don't speak or train then you don't need a blog or to read this - the best way to fill your practice quickly is to simply network the good old fashioned way i.e. go to lots of parties, gallery openings, business groups etc.

BUT, if you are a coach, speaker and/or trainer then as you know, blogging is increasingly the marketing norm ... READ ON!

INSIGHT: A blog alone won't grow your business, you need to an entire social media strategy that creates a following and readership, and then you're talking (to millions!)

However, this article isn't about that ....

Let me introduce COLLECTIVE BLOGGING

Collective blogging is simple:

• The blog isn't yours, but you're an author on it
• Your articles sit along-side articles by other authors
• Someone else deals with growing the audience and the social media side of things
• You have less online marketing headaches - Yippee!

Benefits of COLLECTIVE BLOGGING

But why blog this way? How does it make a difference?

1. FREES up your time from managing the blog
2. If the blog is big enough, your articles have an instant audience
3. Notification of your articles BEAM across the blogs social media network (which could be bigger than your own)
4. With the right set-up, it'll feed traffic back to your own site
5. PLUS ... post an article on a collective blog and your own blog site, chances are it'll get more viewings on the collective blog

Want an EXAMPLE?

Simple, you're reading this article on a collective blog right now, and if somehow you are not, go here:

• NZ Coaches: http://www.beamazing.co.nz
• Australian Coaches: http://www.zingabeam.com

Rules of the road for COLLECTIVE BLOGGING

• Only add articles to a blog which is relevant to your business
• Be consistent, add an article between every week or every four weeks so that followers get to know you
• Make your articles value adding and not a sales pitch
• Hook into the blog sites Social Media network (facebook etc) and become a follower
• Like and Tweet your own articles to share with your own social media network
• End you articles with your web address

Follow these tips and your articles will work much harder for you, PLUS in contrast to deep space you could find yourself on the super-highway of new enquiries!

About the author

David Savage is a well known New Zealand Coach, operating since 2003. He's Coached in large government organisations at all levels including CEO. He's also helped train over sixty new coaches with one of the worlds largest Coach training companies. He's a Director of two coaching companies in New Zealand and the creator of THE EXPERT COACH program, dedicated to helping Coaches grow their business http://www.expertcoach.co.nz