Susannah has posted an interesting post on Getting a Big-Picture Person for your blog. She writes:
‘I was just sitting here feeling a bit dissatisified with myself and with this blog. How can I get more comments? How can I be better motivated to write more? How can I know what my readers really want from me?
And then it hit me: I need an editor.
Oh, not an editor in the traditional sense. I don’t need someone to check my spelling or grammar, or to make sure I’m libeling people. I take all that onto my own head. What I really need is someone who is interested in my focus, and who reads my blog and is tasked with thinking about things on a macro-level. Someone who can say, “Hey, you really missed the boat on that one,” or “I’m desperate to know more about X, Y, and Z.” In a sense I need a coach—a blog coach….’
I think a blog coach is a great idea and it is something I’m seriously considering getting more into myself. I’m probably not interested in coaching business bloggers – rather I’m thinking of starting a service for entrepreneurial bloggers.
I’ve spoken about this before but have not acted upon it for a few reasons. Firstly I’m heading overseas for a month shortly and don’t want to start something just before that, secondly I’ve got a couple of months to go on a non blog related project that takes two days per week of my time and thirdly because I’ve been trying to build up a little more credibility and a broader skill set to offer to potential coachees (is that a word?).
So – when I get back from OS in July – expect me to launch something new – a ProBlogger Coaching service. The details are forming in my mind but here is what I do know:
- ProBlogger.net will continue to run as a free blog (as it has been for the last few months).
- I won’t be taking on everyone who asks for coaching.
- I will be charging for the service.
- I am considering a variety of levels of coaching.
I am interested in what people think about such a service. I have a list of things I’ll offer potential clients that I’m not going to go public with yet – but I’m interested in what those of you as ProBloggers (beginners through to experienced) would be interested in being coached on.
Your entries offer a macro view but you’re able to zoom into the specifics so I think you’re service will be a great one.
Things I’d like to be coached on:
1. Getting the best sources – How to sift through all that info, what sources are trustworthy
2. Tone. Is it right for my blog? Can readers relate to it?
Darren … Great idea! I think some people would want proof of your success prior to investing in the service.
Joel, the adsense guy, has the documentation to review prior to engaging him for coaching/consulting.
Great idea! I’d have to get on your list of folks to help. It would be cool to have a “boot camp” type of thing, or a conference somewhere for “pro” bloggers (and wannabes like me). I did this with some folks I work with concerning SEO best practices, and it was a huge success.
Plus, I bet most of the blogging community would be a lot of fun to meet up with in the hotel bar :)
There is definitely an art to it all that I would love to learn
I don’t think you should do this for free.
Perhaps take a cut of ad revenue for the next X months, or charge a flat fee for N hours of your time – but don’t give it away.
Speaking for myself, if I’m paying you, I’ll feel free to spend your time. If you’re giving it to me out of the goodness of your heart, then I’ll feel guilty about it.
If you’re adding value, then you should be able to expect to receive value in return. It’s that simple.
Sounds like a great idea. How many people will be paying for such a service is a different. And, I’ll be interested to find out how you’ll do this. Everyone online often wants things for free. On About.com, I get a lot of requests for “critiquing” their individual blogs and such – tell them how to improve, how to get more readers, etc. – but when I respond by saying that I have a consulting fee for such work, then they disappear. :-)
u got one client waiting.. :-)
A little more credibility? I think you won by a landslide ;))
Darren,
Whenever hiring someone, I always look at their “portfolio” of work. Obviously you more than pass the mark. You are successful in your own right and people want to learn how to become successful too.
If there is a problem, it would be the stampede of people knocking on your door. This is a huge opportunity for those especially starting out. You have a good base of intelligent bloggers out there who can in turn help you out too.
This could be the start of an interesting networking opportunity.
I could see there being a market for this; but who is your customer? How much is your time worth? Can you ever guarentee results when in the end, its up to the blogger? What about “problem clients”? How does coaching differ from “blog consulting”?
I’m not posing these questions because I demand an answer, but rather because sometimes sharing questions is more productive than sharing knowledge.
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