Why Would Anyone Want to Read My Blog? (or My Book?)--Trusted Advisor Blog

As I work on editing this blog for publication I ask myself, "Why would anyone want to read this blog or my book?"  What value have I added in the 243 posts that make up this blog to date?

When I first started the blog I wanted the discipline of writing a daily blog to create a book I could publish.  I've worked on several books ad went to a Book Expo in Chicago in 2001 with the intention of publishing and marketing a book.  To date, the only book I have published (in 1992) was my 502-page dissertation.  (Very few people read it, by the way.)

I have several books started and have a goal of writing some fiction targeted for young adults.  I've been an avid reader in that literature for the last six years to build-up a better understanding for the authors, the books, and the genre.

What is this blog about?  That's a challenge.  The blog is about many things.  Wikipedia.org has this to say about a blog: 

A blog (a contraction of the term "web log")^[1] is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic.  Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog.



This blog reflects what I was thinking about, "top of mind," on the day I wrote each post.  I have gone through the blog in the course of preparing it for editing and publishing and have identified categories that have related posts.  These are still "across the board." 

My primary role is as a "trusted advisor" and many of my posts contain information to be shared from that point of view about the topic included in the post.

This still a challenge for readership.  I'm adding posts each day to the blog and to the book until the day I publish it.  Blog posts made after the publication of the first book will be saved for a follow-on book.  I have a few friends who read the blog often.  (They should, many of their ideas and our discussions find their way in to the daily posts.)  I also have two subscribers to the blog--and I am one of them.

I've explored with other friends in the publishing and bookselling business to see how I can edit the content in a way that will make it compelling for others to read.  I'm still developing those ideas.

Another editing challenge I have is to make the links show-up in the published document.  On the website and the blog, the links work.  In print, they need to be spelled out.  Many of my posts include related links for more information and for examples.

What are your thoughts?

Amazon Associates--Affiliate Marketing

In an earlier post addressing Lynn Pierce's Success Blueprint Radio, I mentioned that I was renewing my association with Amazon Affiliates.  They have developed a relationship with Google's BlogSpot.com, host for this blog.

I have now gone back and edited the links to Amazon books and movies in my earlier posts.  The purpose of affiliate marketing is to generate an income stream by sharing about quality products and services I use.  Affiliate marketing makes it easier for readers of the blog to access the recommended products and does not add to the price they pay for these products and services.

Part of my work at reinventing my services and websites is to add affiliate marketing whenever it appears to be a value add for all concerned.  I've started with Amazon.  I've been using Amazon products and services since it began and was an affiliate for many years in a former business, MetaLearning.com.  It is good to renew affiliation with my up-to-date business of DrM-Resources.

Expertise in the New Economy

The New Economy I refer to is the economy of the USA experienced in 2010.  We still have double-digit unemployment and are experiencing a "jobless economic recovery" (whatever that means).  Aging baby-boomers have reached the age of 62 or more.  With few jobs and thousands of job applicants for each available job, many older workers find themselves on the sidelines.  Their education, expertise, and experience makes them too highly qualified and too expensive for the businesses to hire them to fill open positions.

Younger workers have more recent college degrees and have worked with new technology.  Recruiters rely more on computer programs to sort through the thousands of job applicants.  The technology programs are not geared to work with the experience of older workers and frequently eliminate these workers from further processing.

Social networking and other technology is beginning to make a bridge which will allow older workers to leverage their education, expertise, and experience while remaining independent of other companies.

These areas require more research and development to see how aging baby boomers can continue to remain productive while earning sufficient income to enjoy a quality lifestyle.