August 13, 2012

Story tell like an expert in five easy steps

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, Established business, New business, Selling, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Why it's vital to become a good storyteller

Storytelling is an age-old tradition that we have been brought up on since being children. It has been the centre of many celebratory and social events for centuries. Whilst a truly great storyteller is blessed with a unique gift, it is possible for anyone to gain these skills and become competent.

[box]“Everyone loves to hear a good story, but the story is only as good as the storyteller.” TWEET THIS[/box]

Being a good storyteller is a vital part of what we do as entrepreneurs. Why? Well, when we do it well we get people’s attention and we gain their trust. And, when we have this, we make more sales – simple! We all love stories and we can all relate to people through them. So whether you are writing, video blogging or speaking you need to know how to communicate through stories because it’s a better way to engage with your customers and pull them in.

Here are 5 tips for storytelling:

1.   Include dialogue. It’s the key to successful story telling as it far more engaging than just telling someone what to do.
2.   Act it out and become the person you are telling the story about. Take on their persona, their tone of voice or accent. Put some performance into it. You become more believable. Put yourself in the moment. It’s so powerful.
3.   Use your words and paint the scene so you can understand who it is that it’s being told about.
4.   Passion – when you’re passionate about something you have something to say and will be more engaging and therefore believable
5.   Practice – you know what they say – practice makes perfect so start by writing daily – 1000 words and even better still – video blogging!

In the comments below, let me know your top tips for telling stories. Let me know what action you'll take as a result of watching and reading this post too. I'd love to hear.

Thank you, as always for watching, reading and contributing here. If you found this useful, please share it with your friends!

With love and gratitude – as always,

August 5, 2012

What everyone ought to know about pain

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, Established business, Lifestyle, New business, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

The real truth about pain

Most people know the saying ‘no pain, no gain’ and right now I feel like some sadomasochist when I write and tell people that I like pain! My reasoning is because I know that it is actually my friend and ally. It tells me when I’m injured, it makes me hungry (for success) and it forces me to take action. Pain is not pleasant, it can keep you up at night and make you angry but believe me when I say that in the end going through pain is beneficial for you.

Often when you try something new, you’re not very good at it. If you’re a high achiever, this means experiencing the pain of discomfort and sometimes failure. What you’re essentially doing is stepping outside of your comfort zone. But, rest assured, everything that happens to you, as a result of doing this, serves you in some way. Pain can be both feedback that something is amiss and it can also signal great growth. Sure it hurts and it’s not welcome, but it’s unavoidable for the successful entrepreneur.

If you ask a champion in any field of endeavour about pain, you will find that rather than avoid it, they embrace it and accept it as part of the game they must play to win. Champions realize that pain equals growth and the benefits far outweigh the discomfort. Look at what these three champions said:

Arnold Schwarzenegger: “I realized that pain could become pleasure. I was benefiting from pain. I was breaking through the pain barrier and shocking the muscles. I looked at this pain as a positive thing, because I grew.”
Cyclist Lance Armstrong: “Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit however, it lasts forever.”
Muhammad Ali: “I hated every minute of the training. But I said to myself, bear the pain now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”

Achievement expert Brian Tracy says, “90% to 95% of people will withdraw to the comfort zone when what they try doesn't work. Only that small percentage, 5% or 10 % will continually raise the bar on themselves; they will continually push themselves out into the zone of discomfort, and these are always the highest performers in every field.”

Studies at the University of Chicago by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, back this up too. The findings concluded that the highest achievers are those who consistently push themselves out of their comfort zones. Instead of withdrawing to their comfort zones when they don't get immediate positive results, they force themselves to stay at this awkward, uncomfortable and painful (but higher and better) level of performance until the pain finally subsides and they become comfortable at the new higher level.

So, what I’d like you to do is to take a moment and think about the sum total of everything you’re currently doing to improve your business. Think of every detail you can – the sales, the marketing, the admin, the technology, the operations, the management, the HR and recruitment, the level of effort, the sweat, the time that you put in – everything.

Now grab a pen and draw a small circle in the centre of a sheet of paper. Imagine that all the work you’re doing is contained in that small circle. Inside your circle, write the words, “where I am now – my comfort zone.” Next, take your pen and draw another circle outside the first one, and write, “the pain and I suck zone.” Finally, draw another circle outside of this and write the words, “where the magic happens and the kick ass zone.” This outer larger circle represents personal growth, increased performance and positive change.

If you’re not seeing the changes you want – a frustration that so many of us experience at some time in our life – it means you’re staying completely inside your comfort zone most of the time. In order to make a positive change in your life, you have to expand your boundaries by moving outside of this circle.

So, go do it! And, when you've done it, remember, this is too: expanding your comfort zones is a life habit. Each time you grow and step outside of it the pain subsides, the benefits are realized, and the pain is forgotten. You’ll have reached a higher level of achievement that will eventually become your new comfort zone! When this happens it’s time to press on again.

Tom Hopkins, a sales trainer and one of the world’s top motivational speakers, taught me this lesson recently when I read his book, ‘How to master the art of selling', “The pain of every change is forgotten when the benefits of that change are realized.”

[box]““The pain of every change is forgotten when the benefits of that change are realized.” TWEET THIS[/box]

In the comments below, tell me how you deal with the pain that results from expanding your comfort zone and what methods or techniques you use to combat it. Let me know what action you'll take as a result of watching and reading this post too. I'd love to hear.

Thank you, as always for watching, reading and contributing here. If you found this useful, please share it with your friends!

With love and gratitude – as always,

July 29, 2012

Why failure is an entrepreneurs best friend

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, Established business, New business | 20 Comments

You are going down!

When you’re new to business, the last thing you expect to hear is that failure is your best friend, but I have to tell you it is! Furthermore, that it's good to fail, and that it’s even better to fail as fast as you can. In some cases too, the more often you fail the sounder an investment you'll make! Let me explain why.

Fail your way to the top!

Failure is good. It’s like fertilizer. It makes you grow faster and stronger, but only if you commit to not quitting.

[box]“Failure is good. It’s like fertilizer. It makes you grow faster and stronger.” TWEET THIS[/box]

Many people sadly become overwhelmed at just the thought of failing in business, so they never try, or they give up at the first hurdle. That’s not a problem as being in business is not for everyone and unless you’re going to accept this and work to overcome it it’s probably best you don’t even start.

Failure sorts the wheat out from the chaff. The fear of it is very real and must be overcome otherwise it will take control and limit what you accomplish.   Success is often hatched out of adversity or what is perceived as failure; therefore it’s crucial to get things into perspective. It’s not a question of if you will fail; it’s only a matter of when. Failing does not make you a failure, for we are all human, however, not learning and growing from it does. So the most important factor is how you respond to that situation. The only people who are excused from failure are those who never try.

I can think of so many famous entrepreneurs who have failed in business but the example I want to give you, and the one most often used, is of Thomas Edison. When a reporter questioned him about his many failures in perfecting the light bulb, he replied, “I did not fail a thousand times, I learned a thousand ways that it wouldn’t work.”   It is this defiance of failure – this entrepreneurial attitude – that of a champion, that truly captures the essence of what so may deem as failure. Invaluable lessons are always learnt through what is thought to be failure. And, such learning experiences will continue to be essential to success.

The following ideas may support you through failure or help you change your perspective towards it so that you are able to embrace it as a means of growth in your personal pursuits.

I never see failure as failure, but only as a learning experience.
I never see failure as failure, but only as the negative feedback I need to change course in my direction.
I never see failure as failure but only as an opportunity to develop my sense of humour.
I never see failure as failure but only as an opportunity to practice my techniques and perfect my performance.
I never see failure as failure but only as the game I must play to win.
I am not judged by the number of times I fail but by the number of times I succeed, and the number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I can fail and keep on trying.

Everyday we make a decision about our attitude to failure. We can take it personally, have it destroy our day or our business, or we can brush it off and keep going. Remember, failure is not the end unless you allow it to be – just as Zig Ziglar said, “Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street.”

I hope you'll watch the video and review these attitudes to failure. Use them every time you take a risk, or make a move that results in less than a win. In the comments below, tell me how you deal with failure and what methods or techniques you use to combat it. Let me know what action you'll take as a result of watching this video and reading this post too. I'd love to hear.

Thank you, as always for reading, watching and contributing here. If you found this useful, please share it with your friends!

With love and gratitude – as always,

July 22, 2012

What everyone ought to know about being an entrepreneur

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, New business, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Do you have what it takes to be a real entrepreneur?

Ok, so now you've quit the job, started your own business, are master of your own destiny and a real entrepreneur. Or are you? Are you a real entrepreneur or a wannabe i.e. an opportunity seeker? Would you know how to tell the difference? Well, I'm going to help you out here and give you the heads up by explaining the traits of both types. I’ll start with the wannabe or opportunity seeker.

A wannabe is someone with a business opportunity mindset who is merely ‘acting’ like a business owner. They're not actually applying business principles to what they are doing and, because of this they are doomed to fail.

A real entrepreneur achieves success because they take responsibility for their success or lack of it, and they work on changing their attitude. Learning is key to this and self-development and growth will ensue. It’s an exciting time! Whilst other people can help by teaching the real entrepreneur and furthering their growth they can’t instill in them the necessary drive needed in order to make use of the knowledge. The real entrepreneur has to be hungry for it all, and be consumed by an obsessive burning desire inside.

Real entrepreneurial success has to come from the fire you have inside you. It cannot be extinguished by anything. You see starting your own business is not like working a job. It’s competitive and requires a multitude of skills. For example:

It takes 10x more time, energy and effort than working for someone else.
It demands from your spirit a relentless persistence.
It demands from your intelligence an unwavering application.
It demands from your emotions courage, patience and growth.

A business opportunity seeker gets involved with a business and hopes they will be successful. They fantasize about what it would be like to have all this money. They spend more time in fantasy land then in actual reality learning how others who make tons of money actually do it.

Anyone who’s making a lot of money is not sitting around hoping or fantasizing about what their future might be like. They are implementing as a real entrepreneur.

A real entrepreneur is marketing their business and much of the time learning new skills and developing new talents to do this. They are increasing value and studying under successful people. They are practising, persisting, failing, modifying and growing ALL the time.

The real entrepreneur looks at a challenge and thinks out-of-the-box. They think laterally and figure out a way. They see competitors as a good thing for they highlight the differences between both providers! They seek the real information that they need in order to move them closer to their goals. And they stop at nothing to get there.

Nothing can deter them. No event or failure can extinguish their fire. No negative person can persuade them any differently of their sheer power to create the reality they want for themselves. They are like something possessed and cannot be stopped. The real entrepreneur mines the gold from the ground where the business opportunity seeker stands on.

So I ask you, which one are you, or which one do you want to be?

The road to success lies in front of all of us and your success will be a direct result of how serious you are about growing a real business. It will be the result of how much energy you put into learning and developing new skills, talents, and abilities that will make you money. Your success will be the result of how dedicated you are to growth in all areas of your life – business and personal.

So the choice is yours.

In the comments below, tell me what you think about your being an entrepreneur and others that you've met including the wannabes. Let me know what action you'll take as a result of watching this video and reading this post too. I'd love to hear.

Thank you, as always for reading and contributing here. If you found this useful, please share it with your friends!

With love and gratitude,

July 16, 2012

Meeting the notorious Laura Roeder of LKR fame

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, Lifestyle, New business, Uncategorized | 11 Comments

An informal ‘interview' with Laura Roeder

Last Saturday, I met Laura Roeder, the well-known American social media entrepreneur who has built a formidable online business. I’m a big fan of Laura, and in my opinion she’s doing a lot of things right. She is a social media, marketing expert who teaches small business owners how to get to grips with social media in their business, and become known as the leading expert in their field. She is the creator of Creating Fame and Your Backstage Pass to Twitter, and has over 500,000 subscribers. Her business turns over millions each year, which considering she’s less than thirty years old, and there's a recession on, in my opinion isn’t bad going! I have to say, it was a memorable encounter if only just to see how well grounded and down-to-earth she is.

The event started at 2:00pm at Waterstones bookstore in Piccadilly, London. London was abuzz, despite the rain; the Olympic visitors were in town. High up on the 5^th floor, though, about 30 attendees had made the effort to join her and were networking. I made my way through them to a seated area where I could see Laura sitting, chatting and drinking coffee (or was it tea?). She was deep in conversation with several other enthused entrepreneurs. For some strange reason I approached introducing myself and shaking hands, instead of my usual continental cheek-to-cheek kissing! How very British!!!

If you've not come across Laura Roeder before I'll fill you in. Laura earned a degree in advertising at The University of Texas. Whilst she continued to teach herself about the web and online communications she graduated at 20 years old and moved to Chicago to start her professional career.

When she was 22 years old, she left her first and last job as a designer at an ad agency to start her own business as a website designer to small, local businesses. With her first major hurdle being scale, in 2009, she ‘fired' all her web design clients and switched over to the business model that she has today. So, this business really started from behind a video camera, where she taught potential clients how to get comfortable online. How cool!

Getting back to the day itself, in person, Laura is quietly confident, refreshingly honest and as you can see from the photo above, smiles a lot! I didn’t go to the event to interview Laura, but I was keen to meet her and have a chat. Based on that I wanted to share with you my experience, plus some of the questions I asked, and the answers she gave.

Is it easier to do business in the US as oppose to the UK?

Having spent some time in the UK, I was curious to know whether she thought that it was easier to do business in the US as oppose to the UK. At first she said she thought there were no differences, but having spent some time in the country, she was now beginning to wonder. For me, I was interested to hear how business owners in North America were far more used to having mentors and coaches. This was insightful. Having been a business owner for 15 years I hadn't really come across personal business mentoring. In Britain I believed this to be far more unusual than for our friends across the pond. Of course I'd experienced business owners who had attended training courses to develop their skills, but more often than not, I'd only experienced those who hadn't – let alone any who'd engaged with a mentor!

Any advice for a ‘newbie' starting out?

I was curious to know what advice she'd give to any ‘newbie’ starting out or whether, if she could turn the clock back, she'd have done anything differently. She said she’d been asked that question quite a few times, and that in all honesty she said that there was nothing she’d do differently. No regrets – I liked her style!

Growing a business, outsourcing and delegation

We also spoke about her team and delegation. She stressed how important it was not to do everything yourself and how vital delegation was. We shared the same opinion i.e. to do it as fast as the money permitted! If you didn’t, it would only hamper your business and set you back. You only have 24 hours in a day, so the only way to grow your business is by adding more hours, and the only way to do that is by adding more people that have their own 24 hours to add to your 24 hours! Simples!

[box]“The only way to grow your business is by adding more hours” TWEET THIS[/box]

Obviously when you’re starting out, unless you have considerable savings or investment you’ll have to do things yourself, but as soon as you can – outsource or delegate. Laura practices what she preaches and employs a small team – less than ten. Aside from being talented, they are tight-knit, family focused and share her values. Trusting them allows her to travel, which having shared her recent visit to Italy with us, she clearly enjoys!

Networking and events

Being a people person and someone who loves networking, one of the things I found interesting about Laura and her company, LKR, was the host meet-ups for small businesses. I wanted to know why Laura had decided to start doing them. That then lead us onto our experiences of networking. You see, when you serve small businesses, they are desperate to find other small business owners to network with. They need support in addition to finding business. Many of us, who were by now chatting, had our own far from ideal business-networking stories to share. Typically we'd been met with pushy business owners forcing their cards upon us in the hope we'd do business! As a group that valued developing value and genuine relationships, we were striving for something more. So we came up with the idea of hosting regular meet-ups for our own group and other like-minded entrepreneurs. More on this later…

Partnership or going it alone?

Having formed a business with another I was interested to know if she’d recommend going it alone or in a partnership. Being a current student at B-School, I had to ask her about forming this venture and her relationship with my teacher, Marie Forleo.

Laura talked about the relationship and business opportunity candidly and positively. She described it much like a marriage, which having been in business with a business partner I could totally relate to!

She spoke how she hired Marie originally as her mentor and how the idea for B-School was born. Whilst she expressed great gratitude for everything that had happened with B-School, including her adoration for Marie, she said at that time, it was right to move on, to listen to her heart/gut and to concentrate on LKR.

It’s exciting times again for Laura as she changes her entire business and relaunches on 17 July 2012. So, mark your calendar because she's making a huge announcement, and in true Laura style she's having a big fat party to announce it!!! The party is online so everyone can join in. She's promised awesome prizes every 15 minutes. You can ask-her-anything e.g. behind the scenes Q&A and much, much more, and it's all being broadcast LIVE from Blighty (the UK)!

Here are the details for Laura's event:

Tuesday, July 17th
9 AM Pacific
12 PM Eastern
5 PM UK

She”ll be broadcasting live for three hours, so hop on whenever you can but remember you'll have to be there live to win one of her delicious prizes! And here's a hint: if you've ever wished for a private consulting session with her to get feedback on your biz, do not miss this opportunity!

On 17 July 2012 at 9AM Pacific be sure to visit the live link

And, watch out for more information on our networking event!

In the comments below, tell me how you've got on with business networking groups, what experiences you've had of business partnerships and of doing business in the US and UK. Let me know what action you'll be taking as a result of reading this post too. I'd love to hear.

Thank you, as always for reading and contributing here. Thank you to my friend Camila Prada, who makes the most amazing pottery, for taking the brilliant photo of us too! If you found this useful, please share it with your friends!

With love and gratitude,

July 15, 2012

Six tips to make networking at an event easy and enjoyable

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, Established business, New business, video | 5 Comments

Networking is the key to success in business

I recently attended an event and was inspired by Claire Brummell from Feminine 1st when she spoke about networking. Her presentation reminded me that for some people networking is second nature but for others it’s hard work, tedious and nerve racking. Both parties, however, recognise that networking is the key to success in business. So how can you enjoy it and master it if you’re feeling overwhelmed when attending an event?

1. Look approachable and smile

This is such a simple, basic rule, yet so many people don’t even think to do it. I’m not going to give you a hard time, for if you’re anxious it’s probably the last thing on your mind. However, in order to succeed at networking you need to overcome this and look approachable. No one warms to a scowling, serious face. A smile, on the other hand is incredibly welcoming.

2. Use body language and mirroring

Let’s be honest here, joining a group can be awkward even for the pros. One of the best ways to do this is by quietly approaching the group and standing on the peripherals. I wouldn’t recommend introducing yourself immediately unless asked to. Rather, I would suggest listening attentively and mirroring the group’s body language. What you’ll find is that soon enough the group will open up and invite you in to participate.

3. Use the event facilities as your aid

Coffee and tea areas are a perfect place for striking up conversations, and mundane conversations are usually good to get a dialogue going. Once you’ve struck up a rapport you can then ask more pertinent questions, for example, why are they at the event, what do they hope to get out of it, what do they do etc.?

4. Ask for an introduction

Asking someone else to make an introduction is probably the easiest way to network and I’d thoroughly recommend it. Let someone else do the legwork! Obviously if you’re at a large event then this probably isn’t practical, but for smaller events it is.

5. Ask interesting questions and be interested

Asking interesting questions is one of the fastest ways to build not only your credibility but also rapport. Furthermore, it’s a lot easier than bargaining with an opinion.

Most people love to talk about themselves. If you can get people to discuss their experiences and opinions and listen with genuine interest, giving them your full focus and attention you will build immediate rapport and trust. Be authentic, share your passions and help other people feel good about themselves.

6. Be generous and helpful

It’s incredibly refreshing to have someone offer to make an introduction or connection or share some useful information at an event. Remember, if you do this; follow up, as you’ll be seen as an action taker, dependable and a person of their word.

In the comments below, tell me how you get on with networking and what methods or techniques you use. Let me know what action you'll take as a result of watching this video and reading this post too. I'd love to hear.

Thank you, as always for reading, watching and contributing here. If you found this useful, please share it with your friends!

With love and gratitude,

July 3, 2012

Dealing with a time management objection

By JaneFrankland | business start ups, Established business, Lifestyle, New business, Selling | 7 Comments

Excuses: I'm time frazzled!

Excuses, excuses, excuses – I've heard my fair share of them and I have to say that time is often top of the list. So, how do you deal with this when someone gives it to you as a reason for not doing something? This short blog answers that question. I've written it with the aim of providing you with some useful tips and also to help you see things from the point of view of the time frazzled person that you're dealing with.

Understanding the time management problem

So, firstly, let’s get honest here about not having enough time. Who feels like there are never enough hours in the day to get it all done? I for one often do, and I know that I’m not alone. Most of us regularly feel overwhelmed as we’re increasingly leading hectic lives.

Whilst technology may have become our ally on many levels it’s also made things a lot worse. Being the ‘devil in disguise’ to a certain extent, mobile technology advancements have meant that we’re now expected to be contactable (and in some cases working) all the time, whether we’re in a job, running our own business or just being a parent.

The top reasons why things don’t get done

We procrastinate
We get distracted
We can’t say no
We don’t delegate or outsource
We can’t let go as we’re perfectionists
We take on too many commitments and spread ourselves too thin
We can’t accurately estimate how much time something is going to take
It's not important enough to us

How to reclaim control and deal with the no time objection

So what can you do to help yourself and combat this time management challenge? How can you reclaim control and deal professionally with the ‘I've got no time' objection?

Well, one of the first things you need to be aware of is that this is an excuse. Time is just a statement of priority. We all have 24 hours in the day to get done what we want/need to get done. I for one find this incredibly exciting as it really does put all of us on a level playing field. What this actually means is that what we do with our 24 hours is simply up to us! We have to own this and take responsibility for it!

Like everyone else, we prioritize. We choose to do whatever we want to do with our time. Time is like currency – we trade it – choosing to give something up in order to do something that is more of a priority to us, our business or our family. If something is important to us, we will always make time.

I'm hoping this is all making sense to you by now. The final thing I want to say on this subject is simply to encourage you to be honest with those that you’re speaking to. If they are struggling, or getting stressed be there to help. We all need it sometimes!

In the comments below, tell me how you deal with the ‘I've got no time' excuse. Let me know too how you prioritize your time and overcome your time management challenges. Is there anything that you regularly choose to give up or sacrifice in order to get something done that is more of a priority to you, your business or you family? And, finally let me know what action you'll take as a result of watching this video and reading this post too. I'd love to hear.

Thank you, as always for reading, watching and contributing here. If you found this useful, please share it with your friends!

With love and gratitude,

June 17, 2012

How to blog and write an outstanding blog!

By JaneFrankland | Established business, New business | 2 Comments

Guest blog, by writer Chelsea Haden

For a while people have been asking me, how do you write a blog, and where do you start. So, I asked my friend Chelsea Haden, who's a writer, editor and frequent blogger as to whether she'd do a guest blog for me on it. Thankfully she agreed!

Understanding the basics of blogging

We’ve now entered the age of the blog and according to a survey done by HubSpot websites with blogs are more likely to get 55% more visitors than those without. For those in business, that means a lot more potential new customers and the reason why so many are doing it. There's no accurate estimation of just how many blogs are on the World Wide Web, but recently I read that there are over 450 million English language blogs out there. Now that’s a lot of information – don’t you think?!

With all this information floating around it’s becoming even more essential that your blog is the best version of itself; and for this to happen there are a few things that you need to take into consideration.

What blog platform should I use?

Choosing the right platform is essential and there are so many out there, for example BlogSpot, WordPress, Flickr, Tumblr, and Pinterest, are to name but a few. I’ve worked with all of these platforms but WordPress comes out on top – all of the time! This platform is like having your own website. You have an option to upgrade and go for a self-hosted site if you desire or use the free version which is just as good. You can use a range of themes that are majorly customizable – from colours, layouts and widgets. You’re never alone as it has a large community where you can gain technical support and introduce your blog to rest of the blogging world.

You can have as many blogs as you like and across different platforms. However, I would suggest having one blog on each topic that you write about as this gives each topic the attention it deserves, rather than duplicating content which Google now penalizes you for – by lowering your ranking.

What do I blog about?

Finding your blog purpose is probably one of the most important factors that you’ll have to think about. Are you blogging for personal reasons or for your business? If you're blogging for your business then it’s wise to use your content to let your customers know: company news and updates, any new services and products, how you feel about certain topics etc. Blogging for business is an ideal way to show your customers that there is a human in the heart of your business! Remember your posts should reflect the person that you are.

How do I get my blog ‘out there?'

The good news is, if you're using WordPress then this platform allows you to write your own ‘tags.' Tags are keywords and phrases that people are likely to search for, and when they do, your blog should come up. Essentially you're SEOing your own blog so that it can be found. There are ways to increase your likelihood of this:

Social media – ideally you should be using platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to promote your blog.
Directories – there are a wide range of directories to submit your blog to, for example, 24 great blog directories can be found at: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/20-essential-blog-directories-to-submit-your-blog-to/5998/
Six degree rule – shout about your blog! Someone knows someone, who knows someone, and so forth.
Interact with the blogging community – have a read of blogs that you think will compliment yours; read their content and get involved with the conversation: comment! Get people to guest post for you, and guest blog wherever you can as it will attract a whole new readership.

How do I make my blog stand out?

Take into consideration representational skills: people have different ways of taking in information – some through sound, others through pictures, videos, and specific language. These learning means are known as visual, audio and kinesthetic. A wise blog takes this into consideration and incorporates them all – to build rapport.

Personalise it: A great blog should have some form of branding whether it be a logo, specific colours, and/or a memorable name.

Content: This goes back to relating it to your blog's purpose. What do you want your blog to be known for: inspiration, worldly goings on, industry updates etc. I find that most of the blogs in the world are covering the same information, but it’s their take and perspective that makes them interesting and readable.

Make it easy for people to follow: Always provide an RSS subscription. Also consider offering your readers a newsletter, and make sure your subscription boxes and social media buttons are easily seen.

Remember, blogging is easy providing that you consider the above, and content is always KING. Whilst a few blog for the SEO benefits, your readers won’t stay or follow you if your content is meaningless, so instead aim for vibrant, relevant and informative!

About Chelsea

At only 21yrs, Chelsea Louise Haden, is an exceptional young entrepreneur. She works as a freelance writer and editor. In her spare time she's addicted to social media, has a passion for all things inspirational and aspires to cook every vegetarian recipe that's ever been thought of! She blogs at www.clouisehaden.wordpress.com and www.bloggerforyou.wordpress.com.

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With love and gratitude,

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