The coaches I know are inherently creative people and often resist things like publication schedules. However, your group coaching blog can benefit tremendously from having an editorial schedule, just like any successful publication.

In my experience, the frequency is actually less important than the consistency. Whether you post once a month, once a week, or every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, see if these reasons can help you stay motivated to publish on a schedule.

1. Blogs that publish on a predictable schedule get more traffic and who doesn't want more traffic? You could extrapolate this point to mean that bloggers who publish more frequently get even more traffic. That's true, too, particularly if you use social media to promote your posts when they occur.
2. Blogging regularly pushes you to keep generating innovative and timely content. Your blog gives you an ideal testing ground for ideas that can seed your group coaching programs. Use your blog to try and test ideas for relevance within your community.
3. Ever heard the phrase "A body in motion stays in motion?" Your blog can benefit from the same kind of momentum. By having a publication schedule, you are much more likely to continue updating your blog even when other things are distracting. One of the worst things that can happen to a professional's blog is for it to become obviously out of date. Site visitors will assume that your business is not operating effectively when your blog is not being updated.
4. Writing a blog requires commitment and inspiration. Your clients may sometimes benefit from your inspiration but they will always benefit from your commitment. A regularly updated blog is a clear demonstration that you are a committed coach.
5. Publishing on a schedule forces you to dig deep and develop your expertise. A blog provides an opportunity to become recognized as an expert in your field. Take advantage of the research opportunities that blogging provides you. You may be pleasantly surprised by how quickly your regular blogging creates a substantial body of work which could be translated into a book, workshop, or new group coaching program, all of which build your authority.

If you're still struggling to commit to a schedule, consider finding a blog buddy or an accountability partner or group.  Or just go public with your commitment! You and your blog have everything to gain.

image credit: comedy_nose

Laurie Foley, Blogging Expert

Laurie Foley has been helping people and organizations thrive online for more than 15 years. Resourceful and intuitive, she's an online business coach and dedicated guide for those who want to create meaningful work and amplify their message. Besides writing as Group Coaching Mastery's Blogging Expert, you can find Laurie at http://lauriefoley.com and on Twitter as @lauriefoley.

Anchovies?!?

Did that make your mouth water? Then you know what it feels like to want something that is a little outside the mainstream. People who like anchovies on their pizza crave the unusual flavor of those tiny, salty fish. Sure, they might order one without anchovies, but they're much more likely to enjoy their favorite pizza along with other people who enjoy anchovies.

And isn't that what we're after with a strong blog for your group coaching program - writing that makes people crave a focused, beneficial experience?

Any coach can offer a life purpose or a career improvement coaching group - but what about a life purpose group for atheists? Or a career development group for people who are retiring? These combinations might even sound a little contradictory, but I can guarantee you that there would be eager participants in both groups.

Your blog can reflect your "anchovy" by featuring articles that appeal to the special needs of your group. Do the atheists need resources for life purpose that don't have a religious tone? Perhaps, they need meditation techniques that are void of spiritual overtones. Do the soon-to-be-retired need information about careers that offer flexibility for travel during retirement? They may need ideas about how to combine caring for older parents with juggling work.

Here's the great news about appealing to a special group: the blog posts are MUCH easier to write! Your group's needs are obvious and specific when the anchovy is the priority. The first suggestion I give any blogger is to learn how to "write tight." That means you should make one strong point per post and make the intention of the post clear. It can be very difficult to do that when writing about broad topics. Writing about your anchovy helps you jump that first "write tight" hurdle with ease.

image credit: roland

What's your anchovy? What makes people crave your group coaching experience? How can you imagine "writing tight" about your anchovy?

Laurie Foley, Blogging Expert

Is your online presence energizing you or overwhelming you? Laurie Foley is an online presence coach who helps people and organizations thrive online. With more than 25 years of technology experience and 15 years as an entrepreneur, she is a resourceful and intuitive guide for creating a strong personal brand. Besides writing as Group Coaching Mastery's Blogging Expert, you can find Laurie at http://lauriefoley.com and on Twitter as @lauriefoley.

Who says you can’t run a business from a mobile phone?  When a major winter storm knocked out power to me and a few hundred thousand neighbors, I was left with no technology except my trusty iPhone – the modern day “Swiss Army Knife” for solopreneurs.

Even though I had no electricity, phone or Internet, I stayed connected to the outside world and – more important – my clients, solely via my iPhone.  In fact, using my iPhone web access and various apps, I barely missed a business beat!

I was not only able to check email and surf the net, but my Facebook app and TweetDeck for iPhone kept me connected to and communicating with colleagues throughout the 5 day power outage.  I could “tweet out” my tale of woe and, better yet, shoot video with my iPhone of the damage and destruction, then upload the video directly to YouTube – no computer required!

I could also check my projects in my “Highrise” project management software using my “Bungalow” iPhone app, and even track an order that came in via my PayPal app. (How cool that I could still earn some passive revenue online, even though I was in the dark at home!)

What about rescheduling that conference call?  There’s an app for that!  I used my “Tungle” for iPhone to reschedule meetings that had to be postponed due to the power failure.  I could still make my travel arrangements for an upcoming trip with my “Kayak” app on the iPhone, and then use my handly Flashlight app to find my way around my darkened house.

These smart phones may be smart, but they don’t run forever.  I had to venture out by car once a day just so I could charge the iPhone and maintain some battery power.   All in all, it’s probably not the best way to run a business, but it’s nice to know you can keep your company going in a jam just by using one tiny, but powerful, gadget.

Which just proves that given today’s technology, you don’t have to be powerless just because you lose power!

Lou Bortone is a long-time marketing consultant and branding coach who helps entrepreneurs build breakthrough brands on the Internet.  As an online video branding specialist and award-winning marketer, Lou provides services such as video production, brand development coaching, creative support and video coaching.

Lou is a former television executive who worked for E! Entertainment Television and later served as the Senior Vice President of Marketing & Advertising for Fox Family Worldwide, a division of Fox in Los Angeles. Lou is an author and ghostwriter of six business books, a Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach and a Book Yourself Solid Certified Coach.  His website is at: http://www.OnlineVideoBranding.com.