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Marketing Your Blog

This post was most recently updated on May 24th, 2014

https://www.donnamerrilltribe.comI’ve been marketing products and services online for quite some time now.

My gosh, there are so many aspects to it, doesn’t it just make your head spin sometimes? It doesn’t have to be confusing, though, you just need to get the right strategies to move you forward.

 

My husband David, used to be the only marketing pro at casa d’Merrill. He got me interested in too, though, about two years ago. I went on a trip with him to Washington D.C. where he was spending some intense time with Daegan Smith learning some ninja marketing stuff. I stayed in the hotel because I wasn’t ready to get into the marketing aspect of my business and that time. Plus, it was August and just too darn hot for me! While David spent long hours with Daegan, I started reviewing some of the marketing strategies he was in the process of implementing.

 

The hours he spent were so long that when he got back to the hotel, he was too tired to even talk about everything he was learning. But on our road trip home, I heard all about it! That’s when I got the light bulb on top of my head (image not included).

 

You see, I had been leaving the marketing part of our business to David because it all seemed so complicated, and I just wanted to concentrate on content development. My interested was piqued, though. It wasn’t as geeky and weird as I had imagined. In fact, it was fascinating, especially from the perspective of human behavior. I became obsessed with the wide variety of marketing methods that we could put into action.

 

I started attending marketing webinars, reading online marketing books and becoming a bit of an expert myself. I even got all caught up in the statistical aspect of it. Wow… I failed that subject twice in college! Now I found the math fascinating and still do.

 

So you may be wondering “Why is Donna telling me about her online marketing journey?”

 

Well, if you have a blog you need to have a marketing plan. And you need to put it into action. Now, that either means spending a lot of money having others do it for you, or figuring it out for yourself as you go along. The latter is always the best way to start getting a firm hold on your business.

 

If you’re a blogger, you already have a business. You may not be treating it as a business, but you have one. You need to be creating a structured goal for marketing your blog. That includes the marketing of a variety of products and services particular to your niche. They could be your own products and services, or affiliate products or business opportunities. It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you create a structured goal for marketing your blog, or else it will never develop as a business.

 

I know you’re thinking… “Well, I have an optin on my blog to build a list.”

 

That’s fine, but it’s only a bare, bare beginning. First of all, you can’t just put an optin on your side bar and call your blog a business. True, you’ll get a slow drip to your email list that way, but you need to get a lot more aggressive in your marketing mindset. You need to build your list using a variety of methods.

 

You need to rotate those methods so they don’t get stale. You need to test them to see which ones are working, and then scale those up. And we haven’t even begun to talk about what to do with the list you’re building. That creates a whole other set of marketing objectives and strategies.

 

Do you need to be marketing your blog? You do if you want it to be a business instead of a playground.

 

You may be a writer and are trying to sell your books and services. You may have a network marketing company you want to recruit, or you may have your heart set on affiliate products. Hey, you may even have your own information product, or WordPress plugin that you want to market.

 

Whatever the case may be, you need to start marketing your blog to the point that people will find out whatever it is that you’re selling and promoting. That’s the main function of your blog, and the main reason for marketing your blog.

 

Your structured marketing plan must include some essential elements:

  • Have a clear, concise idea of what products or services you want to provide.
  • Organize them within some sort of a sales funnel.
  • Develop related and higher-end products and services in the back-end of your funnel.
  • Build a list of folks who are likely candidates for buying your products/services.
  • Guide your subscribers deeper and deeper into your sales funnel as you give them greater and greater value.


That’s just the beginning.

 

The point is, that you can’t view yourself as just a blogger. You must grow into becoming a marketer, too. That may be a difficult shift of mindset for you, but it is absolutely necessary for marketing your blog

 

So what does this mindset shift involve?

  • Learn how to turn passiveness to aggressiveness.
  • Stay on top of the newest online marketing trends. We know how quickly things change in the internet world. It is imperative that you keep up your knowledge on the newest marketing trends.
  • Understand the difference between writing narrative and copywriting. This may not be easy but it makes all the difference in the world when it comes to marketing your blog, as opposed to simply writing blog posts.
  • Plan on spending money. OUCH…you didn’t want to hear that, did you? In truth, you are going to need a budget in order to market. There is only so much you can do on the “free way” but what is really going to get you going is having a good marketing plan and budget. That’s a mindset that keeps many people in the amateur ranks, and making their blog a hobby center instead of a business.

 

Marketing your blog starts right here and now, at this very moment.

This is the moment for you to stop and think… what am I worth? If you are a blogger and not marketing anything, my question to you is why not? You are spending endless hours writing, syndicating, being on social media. Don’t you realize you are sitting on a gold mine?

 

Now, I am writing this because I made the effort to learn how to market my blog. I took this knowledge and put it into action. I created a product and am marketing it successfully. I want to share with you that you can do this, too.

 

It’s a process. It never ends, but it must begin.

 

I’m just rolling into a new phase of my own marketing. Let me show you how I’m moving into a cutting edge marketing technology right now. I hope you enjoy it. I made it myself and am pretty darn proud. Yep, I didn’t know I could be this creative. But I’ve got that marketing mindset going. Hey, I just like to share what I love.

 

(Note: This is a sales video for my “Blogging Magic” course. If you’re interested in learning more about it, just sign on at my sidebar “Blogging Fever” optin box.)

 

By the way, if you’d like to learn to do some cool things with your own marketing like using video, getting involved in Facebook and Twitter ads, rolling out a solo ad campaign and so many other cutting edge strategies… I’ve just started (with David) a new training group that combines ongoing training with extensive one-on-one assistance. Check out my WhirlwindSuccess VIP Club. Wouldn’t you like me to help you achieve your marketing goals, too?

 

Blessings,

-Donna

P.S. As usual I would love to hear what you think! Are you marketing yet? If so, I encourage you to share how you are doing it.

 

Donna Merrill
Donna is a well known blogger and creator of "Blogging Magic" - an intensive guide to blogging. "Blogging Magic" is for beginners who are trying to figure out how to bring their blogs to life with tons of visits, comments and social media interaction. It's even for advanced bloggers looking to reach new levels of authority and engagement with their audience.

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63 Responses to Marketing Your Blog

  1. Balazs Hende
    Twitter:
    July 11, 2014 at 5:44 pm #

    Hi Donna, it’s very difficult to start a self-marketing as a blogger. You concentrate on your car and you don’t think about the fuel. Then the machine become exhausted and you leave the market. Thank you for your post, marketing is essential!
    Balazs Hende recently posted..Are You Sick? Write a Blog and Get Better!My Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      August 6, 2014 at 4:20 pm #

      How did I miss this?

      My apologies for not answering you promptly. But here I am! I like your analogy. But with patience and persistence one can stay in the market.

      It’s not for everyone, but it sure is exiting for me!

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Create Your Awesome AuthorityMy Profile

  2. Donna Merrill
    Twitter:
    June 17, 2014 at 7:08 pm #

    Hi Mi Muba,

    This is one of my favorite topics also. Marketing is one of my greatest passions. If we blog, we must have a marketing plan in back of our minds. We have to craft the information in our blogs with a marketing plan that is already in place.

    Now, this took me a while to catch on to when I first started blogging. I was not turning my opt-ins to a free product into a sales funnel.

    Better late than never! Once I realized that it was all about marketing, I shifted gears, started writing purposeful blog posts that would lead into sales at the back end.

    Our blogs are social proof of who we are and what we do. Add that to a marketing plan and business starts to boom.

    Glad you liked this post.

    -Donna
    Donna Merrill recently posted..4 Essential Steps Of Affiliate BloggingMy Profile

  3. Mi Muba
    Twitter:
    June 17, 2014 at 10:14 am #

    The topic of this old post brought me here because it is one of my favorite topics.
    Once I heard somewhere a few years ago that in this age of info revolution those who know how to sell will never be poor. They just need to be clear on what to sell, whom to sell and how to sell. These are the three basic questions of marketing.
    You well mentioned the importance of marketing plan. Without it one can’t even market slight impression of his blog. Getting publicity with a purpose is called marketing if you have a product or service than the purpose becomes generating revenue to earn profit.
    Thanks a lot for sharing this wonderful post which I got little late but enjoyed a lot the opinions of your blog community in comments here.
    Mi Muba recently posted..How to create money making infographics?My Profile

  4. Karen Peltier
    Twitter:
    June 16, 2014 at 1:30 pm #

    Hello Donna.

    I agree that marketing your blog is essential to its success. I have been slowly learning about marketing strategies over the past several months and started putting together a marketing plan of sorts, but it definitely could be improved. So, your “Blogging Magic” class sounds like a great resource! It’s nice to know there’s a place to go for help for those of us who are a little “marketing challenged.”

    Thanks!

    Karen Peltier
    Karen Peltier recently posted..DIY Green Tea Sea Therapy Mask to Detoxify and Rejuvenate SkinMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      June 16, 2014 at 2:49 pm #

      Hi Karen,

      Our “Blogging Magic” course is designed for those who need to learn how to blog effectively. When it comes to marketing, our blogs are a good tool. There are so many marketing strategies that need to be applied to our blogs.

      What we do with our list is the first thing. Starting a sales funnel, advertising and on and on we go.

      It does take some know how, but once you catch on, marketing does become a fun thing to do.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..4 Essential Steps Of Affiliate BloggingMy Profile

  5. Melanie Young
    Twitter:
    June 9, 2014 at 4:22 pm #

    Great info Donna. Now that I have more time to myself during the day, I have more time to work on my blog. My marketing does need some work and I will always be looking for great ways to do it.
    Melanie Young recently posted..Here Come The Pink TuTu’sMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      June 9, 2014 at 10:57 pm #

      Hi Melanie,

      Glad to know you will be having more time. As for marketing ….there is always a constant learning curve because things change so quickly out here!

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Taking Time For Your SelfMy Profile

  6. Rebekah Radice
    Twitter:
    June 2, 2014 at 11:52 pm #

    What a great post Donna! You shared so much insight into how to make that transition from blogger to blogger that actually makes a living off your passion.

    It’s been so exciting watching you walk through each phase, including the launch of your product. I know “Blogging Magic” will be an enormous success!
    Rebekah Radice recently posted..3-Step Fix to Any Social Media #FailMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      June 4, 2014 at 4:16 pm #

      Hi Rebekah,

      I so appreciate your kind words! Thanks so much. As transitions are made with business, I like to share them with my readers. Kind of leading by example!

      Blogging Magic is doing fine so far and we do have more to come!

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Taking Time For Your SelfMy Profile

  7. Chery Schmidt
    Twitter:
    June 1, 2014 at 11:43 pm #

    Hello Donna. Awesome Post Awesome Video!! Yeppers You are just Awesome today!!

    Quite the learning experience HUH! Of course we all want to make money as bloggers
    and yes marketing is part of it..

    Oh Yeh Work and More Work You got that right!! Thanks for the wonderful article.. Chery :))
    Chery Schmidt recently posted..Helping Others On Their Journey To SuccessMy Profile

  8. Leanne Chesser
    Twitter:
    June 1, 2014 at 10:47 am #

    I like the point you made about learning the difference between writing narrative and copywriting. That’s an important distinction. Writing anything online is a learning process and copywriting is no different. To answer your question . . . yes, I market. I do the basics right now and I’ll be adding some fun joint things to the mix soon that I’m excited about.
    Leanne Chesser recently posted..How Being You & Living Your Purpose Impacts Your BusinessMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      June 2, 2014 at 11:45 am #

      Hi Leanne,

      Absolutely, when writing anything online it is a learning process. And yes, there is a huge difference between narrative writing and copywriting. I find copywriting something that takes more time than narrative. Sometimes it give me a headache he he he.

      So good to know that you are marketing and will be adding some fun stuff to your mix. Keep me posted.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Entrepreneurs Have Holidays TooMy Profile

  9. Donna Merrill
    Twitter:
    May 26, 2014 at 12:28 pm #

    Hi Erica,

    Oh boy, do I know what you are talking about with all that training! Yes indeed it takes not only takes good training, but a good deal of money and of course, work!

    You said it all here with the example you have given. Plus the key to success is taking the knowledge we have and putting into action. It surely will pay off over time!

    -Donna
    Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  10. Dr. Erica Goodstone
    Twitter:
    May 25, 2014 at 11:47 pm #

    Donna,

    In a comment by Sue Bride, you both talked about the value of spending money for good marketing courses. I have taken many marketing courses, worked with some top millionaire coaches, read a lot, watched a gazillion webinars. The bottom line, for me, is setting up the sales funnel, writing the sales letters, autoresponder messages, creating the products, advertising the products and services. It not only takes good training and a good deal of money, it also takes good old fashioned work!

    For example, I just created a short video for a colleague using a special new software. But when she asked for a few edits, I was unable to edit the video. I had to recreate the entire video – took me hours and hours to do that. This is often the case. I start on a project and it takes hours longer than anticipated.

    The key to online success is to not just attend seminars and work with coaches but to actually implement, take action and do the work required. It will pay off exponentially over time.

    Warmly,

    Dr. Erica
    Dr. Erica Goodstone recently posted..When Stress Takes Over – Where Does Love Go?My Profile

  11. Marquita Herald
    Twitter:
    May 24, 2014 at 10:50 pm #

    Well said Donna and great job on the sales video! I love marketing – one of the biggest struggles I see people going through is defining exactly what their business IS.

    I love writing and the whole business of being an author so learning that business and doing a bit of coaching to help other new authors was enough for me the past year or so and I’ve done well with my books and related products sold through my list, but I have a bigger vision for the future – I want to be a successful “residual income” entrepreneur. A lot of my work recently has been laying the groundwork to that aim by launching the new blog, developing a new brand and doing the work to establish myself as a “go to” person in my niche, writing a new book – actually I’m working on 2 at the same time at the moment, publishing a digital magazine, and developing residual income products. Like most of us seeing results motivates me so all this foundational work does feel draining at times, but the effort I put into the front end of creating this transition plan is finally starting to paying off as I see myself moving through the phases in preparation for a major launch in July. Little scary, but SO much fun!
    Marquita Herald recently posted..In Life Design There are No Mistakes, Only ExperimentsMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      September 21, 2014 at 11:43 pm #

      Hi Marquita,

      I can see that you have an excellent marketing plan. I know darn well you will be successful at it.

      You are a great writer and help others to do so. Yes, it takes a while to do the foundational work. I know that well lol.

      But once that is done, then things start to grow.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Take The Next StepMy Profile

  12. Geri Richmond
    Twitter:
    May 23, 2014 at 10:45 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    Love that video! You did a fantastic job on it.

    This is a wonderful post because you are describing what marketing is all about. If you have a blog it should be a business unless, you don’t want a business.

    That is something everyone has to decide for themselves. This whole business is a process and one thing builds on another.

    You asked me to let you know when my new product was released.Guess what? It’s here!!It’s been a long time coming and a lot of hard work but, it was all worth it. Things have been crazy around here for awhile and I haven’t been very good in coming around to comment.

    Hopefully, things have settled down and I can get back to my normal routine.

    Love your attitude, Donna! Kudos to you for a great post.

    Have a fantastic day! 🙂 .

    Geri. .
    Geri Richmond recently posted..Why All The Uproar About Disqus?My Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 26, 2014 at 12:39 pm #

      Hi Geri,

      Most bloggers out here do have some kind of business going on and I wanted to touch upon the marketing aspect in this post.

      Oh yes, having a new product does take so much time and energy. Hey Congrats on accomplishing that Geri. I’m glad you stopped by to let me know.

      Yes, it does take you away from your normal routine doesn’t it? I’m going over to check it out right now!

      Whoopie!

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  13. Tim Bonner
    Twitter:
    May 23, 2014 at 3:47 am #

    Hey Donna

    Marketing’s not my strong point but I do intend to start offering services from my blog, so I need to get with the program!

    I will eventually bring my own products out too but I’m not quite there in terms of time at the moment.

    I’ve started to combine my blogging with email marketing rather than treating them as separate entities and that’s paid off.

    Before I did that, I was just treading water when it came to email marketing.

    The last few weeks have been my least productive in a while though because of offline stuff. These things happen though and I’ll get back to it all soon.
    Tim Bonner recently posted..Where Is The Ideal Opt In Form Placement?My Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 23, 2014 at 1:26 pm #

      Hi Tim,

      It does take a while, but it seems to me you have a plan! You know, when I first started producing my product, I decided to move. My husband thought I was crazy at that time, but we took 4 months away from our production schedule and bounced right back into it.

      As a blogger, we tend to get used to all the things we need to do to pump up our blogs. But then comes that shift whereby we need to make money from our list. Then take the next steps to get our marketing hats on.

      Best of luck to you!

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  14. Susan Cooper
    Twitter:
    May 22, 2014 at 12:52 pm #

    Donna, I love your new video for your Blogging Magic course. So cute. I still have a lot to learn when it comes to marketing my blog too, but want to increase the traffic to my website and take my blog to the next level.
    Susan Cooper recently posted..Nugget Markets: Not An Ordinary MarketMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 23, 2014 at 1:22 pm #

      Hi Susan,

      I having so much fun with that video program. I just sent that particular one out to my list and received a good response.

      I find that focusing on my customer base, and sending them emails can get a bit tedious, so when I sent them this one I had great feedback!

      I think the first step when it comes to marketing on your blog is your mindset. Sit down with yourself and take that old fashioned paper and pen with you. Start writing down what you essentially want to accomplish….you know, that thing you visualize yourself being.

      Take that One idea…then work backwards to think about all the steps you need to take to get there.

      Hope this helps ya!

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  15. Arleen
    Twitter:
    May 22, 2014 at 12:31 pm #

    Donna- Great video. When I started blogging seriously last year I realized the importance of marketing my blog. I have been doing that on my main website and really didn’t think the blog was that important. I am working on a survey on my main site and one of the questions is how did you find my site and we are using as one of the selections blog site. I am seeing an increase in traffic since I started working on the blog. Facebook I still have to work on.
    Arleen recently posted..How Mentally Strong People Run the WorldMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 23, 2014 at 1:12 pm #

      Hi Arleen,

      Your blog is so awesome! I think you made such a wise decision to ask that question. I see a lot of visitors coming to your blog.

      As for Facebook, it is a hot market right now. But you know how things go with the rapid change of trends in marketing on the internet.

      Engaging more on your Facebook Page will get you a better reach in that platform. Boosting a post for $5 is worth it to get the word out.

      Marketing on Facebook as of this writing has been increasing many peoples ROI with their products and services.

      Just a thought!

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  16. Jens-Petter Berget
    Twitter:
    May 22, 2014 at 12:16 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    Very interesting post. It makes you think. I have been blogging for a fairly long time, and I have asked myself the question many times. How should I be marketing my blog, and what’s my business? Sometimes I just want to write and connect with people, other times I’m thinking that I need to focus on developing a business that stands out from the crowd. I need that marketing plan.

    I still don’t have a clear focus on marketing, even though I’m writing about marketing 🙂

    -Jens
    Jens-Petter Berget recently posted..My Favorite iPhone AppMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 23, 2014 at 12:52 pm #

      Hi Jens,

      I remember that feeling well. It was not until I changed my mindset FIRST…that I started getting a clear vision of what I wanted to market.

      So I made my first product “Blogging Magic” because I was getting clients that were new to blogging and teaching them. I found that I was pretty good at that, so I made a product out of it, for newbies and also for bloggers. Essentially showing them the how-to’s with blogging and social media.

      I realized then that you cannot only make one product….That lead me to creating a membership site so that if everything falls apart on one place on the internet. My clients would have a place to go with ongoing trainings.

      Once you get an idea of what you are good at, you can create your own paid product. Then from there, you need to know all about how a sales funnel works.

      So Jens, think of the end goal FIRST! Work backward to achieve it. Just put your thinking cap on. Take a good look inside yourself and see what feels best to you. Then go on from there.

      I hope this helped!

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  17. Sue Price
    Twitter:
    May 22, 2014 at 4:28 am #

    Hi Donna

    This is a great post. Now you flawed me for as well as i think I know you I did not know you were not marketing until a couple of years ago. I knew you used to say David was the one who knew it all but to me you have an innate business sense.

    Awesome tips and I can see you will help many bloggers. I love your video ad for your Blogging Magic it is cute and at the same time very clear in the message.

    Great information Donna.

    Sue
    Sue Price recently posted..5 Tips for Success in Your BusinessMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 23, 2014 at 12:45 pm #

      Hi Sue,

      Funny how I “flawed” you! Yes, I would always say that David was that marketing part of our business, and still is. But I got my grubby little hands on it a while ago. It was too darn interesting to me.

      I was resisting for a while because I just thought that as a couple, we could split the work. But every day we talked about marketing ideas.

      As we worked on our first product, I knew somehow I had to change my mindset to marketing because it all starts there.

      I find it so fascinating since I stepped out of my box and now out of my marketing closet lol.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  18. Mark
    Twitter:
    May 21, 2014 at 9:24 pm #

    Awesome Donna!

    You must have read my mind!LOL!

    Because as I was watching (and thoroughly) enjoying your video, my first thought was, wow, how do I make one of these really cool videos and I sure hope they’re going to offer some type of training on it!

    I’m a big fan and advocate for your totally excellent course “Blogging Magic.” Now regarding your extremely generous price of just $17 dollars.

    Is that how much it cost per month to be a member? Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I’ll definitely share this post as well!
    Mark recently posted..Where You Go Dreadfully Wrong When Marketing Products And Services!Part ThreeMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 23, 2014 at 12:40 pm #

      Hi Mark,

      Thank you for loving my “Blogging Magic” course! I so appreciate your kind words always. I also am a fan of the way you teach marketing so well.

      As for my membership site, it is in beta form and you can sign up to be “grandfathered” in. We will be doing Q and A’s every week. Once a month when we roll out with a new paid webinar, it would be free to the members in this membership site.

      Yes, the price will go up as more people come in, but for those who sign up now, while still in beta, the price will stay at only $17 per month. We didn’t even start advertising yet… I wanted to share it first with those who read my blog and are members of “Blogging Magic”

      So, If you would like to join, hit the Press the link above, press the “buy now” button and you are in. If you have any questions, please contact us.

      Blessings,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  19. William Butler
    Twitter:
    May 21, 2014 at 8:03 am #

    Hi Donna,

    Well, I must say, I got a good laugh when I saw Bill in your video. I certainly have work to do in the marketing area of my blog, and I think that is the takeaway for everyone who reads this, unless, of course, they are already at the top of their game.

    Kind Regards,
    Bill
    William Butler recently posted..What Can We Learn From A Blade Of Grass?My Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 21, 2014 at 12:18 pm #

      Hi Bill.

      Isn’t that video a hoot? I use it for my list within my sales funnel. Sometimes you just have to make your followers laugh a little!

      Since I have done that, I got some good responses. When we engage with our list, we do have to give them something amusing sometimes!

      I also have posted one on my Facebook Page and folks loved it!

      Thanks so much,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  20. Nanda Rahmanius
    Twitter:
    May 21, 2014 at 2:12 am #

    Hi Donna,

    I don’t know if I’ve been marketing my blog or not. But, I just focus on the good blogging. I want to build a strong foundation for my blog, and then, perhaps I’ll market it as well when the time comes 🙂

    Thanks for sharing this great post, Donna,
    Nice share from you.

    Nanda
    Nanda Rahmanius recently posted..11 Off-Page SEO Techniques That Will Increase Your RankingsMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 21, 2014 at 12:16 pm #

      Hi Nanda,

      I started that way too. But now I have made the “big shift” and it’s about marketing. I too was focusing on good blogging and still do.

      My mindset has changed and what I write leads into what I want to market.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  21. Mi Muba
    Twitter:
    May 21, 2014 at 12:09 am #

    Hi Donna Merril
    Ours is an age of marketing. Even it is an age where you may do less but must not get its credit lesser. The age of selling features has gone. Now this is the era of marketing benefits of your products.
    Thanks a lot for sharing your awesome views to guide your audience.
    Mi Muba recently posted..4 provocative investing options to make your own blogMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 21, 2014 at 12:25 pm #

      Hi Mi Muba,

      Welcome. Thanks for your comment because it is the age of marketing. And let us never forget that there is an effective ethical way, and then that spamming way.

      When we play by the rules we get much farther with our business. There is so much to learn, and it is always continuous learning on those social sites when marketing.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  22. Corina Ramos
    Twitter:
    May 20, 2014 at 10:00 pm #

    Love this post Donna. It truly lit a fire under my seat. I have a an ebook I’ve been sitting on for some time now and you’re right, I can’t rely on list building and promoting affiliate products.

    You reminded me while I’m a mom blogger, I’m a blogger about the telecommuting industry and that is my business.

    Thanks for sharing those elements and how to shift the mindset with me. I have to remember I have many hats and I have to take time with each of them.

    I loved the video Donna! That was really creative of you girl…I wouldn’t know where to begin :).

    Thanks for sharing this us! Wishing you all the best with Blogging Magic!

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 20, 2014 at 10:35 pm #

      Hi Corina,

      You have so much to offer. Making a product is one thing and it does take some training and time. But marketing is the key. Shifting your mindset into marketing will do wonders for you.

      I’ll be rolling out WhirlwindSuccess VIP Club soon. It will be an ongoing teaching of more advanced training than blogging. Right now I’m in Beta and folks can be “grandfathered” in at a low price.

      Starting in June, I will be doing webinars on marketing. There will be a charge for that, but joining the VIP Club, all stuff will be free. If you are interested, or have any questions, contact me.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  23. Kumar Gauraw
    Twitter:
    May 19, 2014 at 11:24 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    Wow! What an awesome video! I loved it. And now I am wondering how did I take so long to see this post. I mean look at me, I am #18th to comment!

    But then, it’s better late than never and I am glad I made it here before I could become #56 or something like that 🙂

    You have done a tremendous job with this video and I know people who are participating in the Blogging Magic course, are going to tremendously benefit as well. Your content is awesome and with stuff of this high quality, you are just taking this course to the whole new level. Congratulations!

    And yes, what you said through your story, makes a perfect sense. Bloggers need to take their marketing seriously and they need to invest in educating themselves.

    Regards,
    Kumar
    Kumar Gauraw recently posted..How To Ensure A Pleasant Experience To Your Website VisitorsMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 19, 2014 at 11:45 pm #

      Hi Kumar,

      The video is my new toy. I like to use it sending it on my sales funnel list for some fun and a different flair. Getting nice response from it. It’s only the second one I made. But writing to my list I like to add some fun, so if they didn’t opt in to one thing, the do another.

      Yes, Bloggers need to take their blogs seriously as a business. No matter what we are writing, we have to have that business mindset on.

      Lately doing ads, I’m having a blast! Tweaking is a bit challenging but I love a challenge.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  24. Barbara Charles
    Twitter:
    May 19, 2014 at 10:16 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    I’m so glad and so sad I read your post. Glad because I now know I need to do a marketing plan and learn more. I feel like such a dope. I’ve got all the pieces but just don’t feel like I’m doing it right. You’ve laid out quite a few things that have cleared up quite a bit for me.

    I need a marketing plan and although I have a list, I need a more detailed approach to building my list.

    Awesome tips and I may be reaching out to you to help me with your new found info on marketing to get some additional information and insight.

    Great job Donna and so glad for success.

    Barbara
    Barbara Charles recently posted..13 Ways To Engage Twitter FollowersMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 19, 2014 at 11:17 pm #

      Hi Barbara,

      Oh no, don’t feel like such a dope he he he! It is all about making that decision from being a blogger to being a marketer.

      It has been a long journey for me to learn the many aspects of marketing, but once I had a plan in place, I took action on it.

      Then stepping way out of my comfort zone, I created my marketing mindset. Then all fears melted away.

      It is not only marketing to my list, but going beyond that. Now advertising: setting up a budget plan, testing testing and more testing.

      It’s ongoing but so exciting. Sometimes I feel like I’m playing the stock market. lol. Watching the click through rates, the opt ins, etc. Testing one campaign against another…Phew!

      But that’s how I spend most of my time these days and I’m fascinated.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  25. William Amis
    Twitter:
    May 19, 2014 at 9:04 pm #

    Donna,

    You have it right. The only way anyone would know what the heck you do. Is for you to market yourself. Your blog is your voice, as a real business person. You have a company to get the word out, about.

    Taking your time and having patience, are the key.

    Well done Donna! I look forward in learning each time I read your articles.
    William Amis recently posted..Dream, Imagine and get it done!My Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 19, 2014 at 11:12 pm #

      Hi William,

      Our blog is our business and we do have to treat it that way. Of course, as we write we give the best value we can for our readers. But beyond that, we do need to market our products/services.

      Now this is not easy, but with patience an persistence as with any business, we can do it.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

      • William Amis
        Twitter:
        May 25, 2014 at 5:09 am #

        Yes Donna,

        Marketing yourself as the product. Selling others products and giving services. Those, are done on your company site? I would suggest to all in doing just this one thing. Will make a heck of a difference.

        You have one location, as your voice. That, being your amazing blog. Sharing your passions and life experiences. Allow, people to interact with people. Now, your company site. That, is the place where all the ads, and self-promotion happens. You just pile it on about your abilities. What you company has to offer. That, is the one place you promote the heck out of, for making money.

        When one gets focused. Then, apply general experience in making a difference the right way. You will see more prosperity. Having a place to be a person makes allot of difference in being known.

        Keeping borders between your company and self. Makes a huge difference in future years. I can attest to this on a huge scale.

        Thank you Donna. You life and business experiences. Will always guide us to the right perception. Thank you for the dedication, to have us get it right.
        William Amis recently posted..Dream, Imagine and get it done!My Profile

        • William Earl Amis, Jr. III
          Twitter:
          June 17, 2014 at 4:10 pm #

          Yes Donna,

          Those names of all the people piling on our list. That was created by our great blog (WordPress format saves contact information). We have to start connecting with those people. They desire a special attention base on they joined our RSS feed.

          They are the ones to build with and be yourself 100% without all the sales pitches.

          Thanks Donna for bringing this to light.
          William Earl Amis, Jr. III recently posted..Establish, Look and Be A Company!My Profile

          • Donna Merrill
            Twitter:
            June 19, 2014 at 1:23 pm #

            Hi William,

            How did I miss your first comment? Blaaaa Thanks for visiting again.

            Indeed those who have joined us do need special attention! Once someone opts in to something, they go on our mailing list where we can further engage with them.

            As long as we don’t follow them around and annoy them with selling all the time, the “trust” factor begins.

            Once we build trust and gain a relationship with others, it creates a great following on both ends.

            But whenever we blog, we must keep our mindset focused on the business end. No matter how much valuable content we share, we can also share a valuable product or service.

            -Donna
            Donna Merrill recently posted..4 Essential Steps Of Affiliate BloggingMy Profile

  26. Donna Merrill
    Twitter:
    May 19, 2014 at 1:22 pm #

    Hi Adrienne,

    I’m sure you are learning so much with your B-School. One has to have something structured to follow when learning how to market.

    Funny, because I thought I had my bases covered too, but then another learning curve ball comes at ya. I don’t think the learning will ever end. There is so much to it, as you know, but it is fun.

    Once we have a product and sales funnel in place, it is only the beginning. Then comes applying all we learned and test test test.

    Plus we have to pick our poison so to speak. When running ads, we have to choose which platform to take, then put it in front of a target market and test. Maybe they will like it, maybe they won’t. Then comes the tweaking.

    As I’m doing this, I find that the tweaking is the most fun of all.

    Cheers to marketing!

    -Donna
    Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  27. Adrienne
    Twitter:
    May 19, 2014 at 12:46 pm #

    Hey Donna,

    You know I went through this same thing recently with B-School. I thought I knew about marketing but wanted to be sure I had all my bases covered and I learned so much more about it that I wasn’t really clear on before.

    There is so much more to it than most people realize. It’s not all that hard though when done properly and the results can truly be amazing. But it’s test test test everything because we never know what will work until we put it all into place right.

    I would love to be partnered with someone who only had to take care of certain parts of the business instead of having to know it all. I think that would be amazing but I’m glad that David got you interested enough in it so that you now have a better understanding of what all is involved. It’s kind of fun right!

    Oh and I love your video, too cute and you did a fabulous job with that. Love it.

    Thanks for sharing this with us and here’s to marketing!

    ~Adrienne
    Adrienne recently posted..Walking On The Blog (Wild) SideMy Profile

  28. Sylviane Nuccio
    Twitter:
    May 19, 2014 at 12:24 pm #

    Hum, excellent post, Donna,

    I’m glad you emphasized that marketing takes actions and the bad word “work.”

    Indeed, just putting a little optin-form on your blog won’t bring you tons of business at all. Marketing means you getting out there. There’s no way around it.

    When marketing it’s a good idea to have a plan with actionable steps as you are giving examples here.

    I can’t listen to the video here, but will do later and see what Blogging magic is up to.

    Have a wonderful day head!
    Sylviane Nuccio recently posted..Subconscious Writing How It Can Help You Write Better And FasterMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 19, 2014 at 1:17 pm #

      Hi Sylviane,

      Yes, just an opt-in form won’t do so much good. We have to have that call to action for our visitors to opt in to it.

      But marketing strategies do take a lot of work! First the learning curve, then the application, then the investment. Well, that may sound simple, but it is work.

      If anyone tells you it is Simple to do….run! he he he.

      Thanks for coming by once again,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  29. Donna Merrill
    Twitter:
    May 19, 2014 at 12:17 pm #

    Hi Kyle,

    I’m so happy to know that this has inspired you to take more action! Word of mouth is great, but only goes so far.

    Having a landing page to offer your services is a great idea Kyle! Start there…read all you can about marketing and I’m sure you will start growing like crazy!

    -Donna
    Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  30. Kyle Nelson
    Twitter:
    May 19, 2014 at 11:13 am #

    Hey Donna, I recently have really thought about marketing my services online. I do A LOT of freelance work through word of mouth and fiverr.com and have decided to market it on my blog. I am about to redesign my site and have a landing page that offers my services. You post has inspired me to really take the step and push needed to make a marketing plan to offer these services.
    Kyle Nelson recently posted..A Strong Future For Infographic MarketingMy Profile

  31. Atish Ranjan
    Twitter:
    May 19, 2014 at 1:16 am #

    Hi Donna,

    You are right, even we have a blog but we don’t consider as it as a business which we have to. Marketing something which generate leads for your business. Without marketing any business cannot survive so it is an important task. Building list or something else is not just one thing we can do but we can do a lot of different things to market our blog. Many things might not work, many things would work well. So we need to keep on trying different strategies to find out which are methods working for us.

    I am glad that you started taking interest into this particular subject. Enjoyed reading! 🙂
    Atish Ranjan recently posted..Full Time Blogging Vs Part Time BloggingMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 19, 2014 at 12:15 pm #

      Hi Atish,

      Absolutely! We need to keep on trying different strategies all the time when marketing. Our blog is our business and we do need to have that in our mindset.

      We cannot just depend on our readers of our blog so we do have to get out there and test the market to find what is working for us.

      Of course we all have our offer on our sidebar for something free to start an interest for our list. But how far can that go?

      I am glad you enjoyed this topic,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  32. Sue Bride
    Twitter:
    May 19, 2014 at 12:35 am #

    Hi Donna, I was “just a blogger” for years and did not consider marketing my services. Any WordPress work I picked up came from word of mouth, but I only needed part time income then.

    When I started marketing I wasted money on various ineffective affiliate programs, rather on marketing my own skills. I didn’t spend on the tools and services I really needed. That definitely did require a mindset shift for me.

    I tried to learn marketing skills by myself, for free, not realizing how many bad examples exist online. I now know that I should have invested in a good blog marketing training program. Spending money then would have saved me money AND earned me money.
    Sue Bride recently posted..Best Free Social Media Sharing ToolsMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 19, 2014 at 12:01 pm #

      Hi Sue,

      I know what you mean by trying to learn marketing skills for free. I just doesn’t work. Sure, there are always free things we can find online, but when it comes down to it all, you really need a good mentor.

      Time is money to me, so dabbling in the free way wastes so much time. Yes, spending money would have saved you money and earned money.

      I’ve also joined some affiliate “training programs” in the past, but it did not serve me well at all.
      That is when I made the decision to get really serious, create my own products, sales funnel and shift my mindset from blogger to marketer.

      Truth be known it isn’t easy. But what is? As long as we have the passion for it, it will work.

      You have so much to offer Sue, I would love to see you skyrocket with marketing.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  33. Harleena Singh
    Twitter:
    May 19, 2014 at 12:03 am #

    Hi Donna,

    Inspiring post indeed 🙂

    Why I said inspiring was because it inspired me to start something of my own! Don’t ask when, or what presently, but I’ve been thinking about it all lately.

    Well, you know being a blogger and writer, marketing isn’t something I’ve ever thought about, nor am I much into sales etc. But having such wonderful friends like you and others who are into the marketing niche – I know you need to start doing something differently to grow from a blogger to a marketer or have your own product, whether an eBook or course, or anything, for which you do need to know how to market your product – so I am learning it all from you – right here.

    You surely got me thinking, and I already had some plans in mind, so this post surely helps give them further shape. And it’s good to see you make such progress and shift your mindset more towards marketing now, which earlier was mainly David’s domain. That’s the beauty of working together as it helps us to learn so much from each other too, isn’t it?

    Thanks for sharing this motivational post with us. Have a nice week ahead 🙂
    Harleena Singh recently posted..Why Your Blog Is Not Making MoneyMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 19, 2014 at 11:55 am #

      Hi Harleena,

      I’m glad I got you thinking because you share such valuable information on your blog all the time.
      I can easily see taking all your knowledge and putting it into your own product to market.

      Creating a product is one thing…a lot of work 🙂 But….marketing is a huge learning curve when going from blogger to marketer.

      No matter how much I’ve learned in the past, I do spend time each day on the latest ways to market. It is life in the fast lane. I’ve developed some tough skin to do so, but like anything else we do, it is all about persistence and mindset.

      A strong understanding of marketing peeked my interest while David was taking the lead. I just had to jump in! Together we are doing ad campaigns, checking out all the stats, and best of all having fun while doing it.

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

  34. Ryan Biddulph
    Twitter:
    May 18, 2014 at 10:34 pm #

    Hi Donna,

    Smart! Plan, or fail. Tweak that plan. I check my branding before moving forward, appealing to my core market in all I do. Work off of your plan to stay on course despite any obstacles you’re likely to face.

    Thanks Donna!
    Ryan Biddulph recently posted..7 Proven Tips for Prospering with Cash GiftingMy Profile

    • Donna Merrill
      Twitter:
      May 19, 2014 at 11:49 am #

      Hi Ryan,

      That was a little example of the “entertaining” opt-in to a squeeze page with my branding. It is for folks I don’t know as I market to them.

      Marketing has become one of the passions I have. There are many ways to do it, and many avenues I’m taking right now.

      Test test test……When testing and tweaking my ads, it has become one fascinating journey for me. Yes, I’m staying on course and have hit obstacles along the way, but it hasn’t effected my journey. It’s all about tweaking.

      Thanks for coming by,

      -Donna
      Donna Merrill recently posted..Persistence For Online SuccessMy Profile

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