BusinessBlogAngel

New blog at ClaireRaikes.com & 'Follow me' buttons for GratitudeLog

Long time no blog eh? Actually, I have been blogging, just not here. I have in fact got a new blog, an entirely new site actually, and I'm really enjoying blogging there - primarily because I don''t have to limit myself to writing about business blogging over there. I'm free to write about all sorts of thing which fascinate and interest me - I feel free to be me. The authentic me. Check it out, but be warned, the real me may be a very different 'me' from the 'me' you think you thunk I was. :) It's at www.ClaireRaikes.com

I now find myself with 2 blogs to update - not at all part of the plan so let me explain how it's going to work... I am going to continue blogging here, on bloggng and social media for business but all of those posts will also appear on my main blog over there. So... if you follow this blog purely for the blogging and social media content, then sit tight and do nothing. If however, you come here because you get a good vibe off me, we like the same things, you like my style etc, then I suggest you subscribe to the other one where you'll have much variety!  

So first post I'm re-appropriating from www.claireraikes.com is this one which I wrote earlier today. It's about a site called GratitudeLog.com. If you've not yet discovered it, it's a bit like Twitter, but instead of asking 'what are you doing?' it

Business Blog Angel's back from her holidays

Greetings - how are you? I'm good, but I've been a tad pre-occupied this last month - work at first and then a sort of semi-holiday - all good, but I've neglected my own blogging again... So, I'm keeping this post short... just want to let you know what's been going on workwise and what's coming up...

I've been doing some serious thinking about BusinessBlogAngel the business and am now very clear about how I want it to develop and its actually not so much a 'growth' goal I have, as a 'values' goal. I'll explain that more in a follow up post shortly - but suffice to say, it's about letting my own personal brand really shine so I attract the clients and businesses I LOVE to work with.

I've been configuring some really very nice blogsites lately too - and motivating and enabling some brilliant people to tie their business blogging and social networking together with minimum effort for max results. I'll be sharing those with you shortly and if the interest is there, I'll be offering 'how to' instructional product/service as part of a tentatively planned membership club so you can do

Email delivery issues - hey ho!

UPDATE: OK - looks like the issues mentioned below are now sorted. BUT, please do re-send if you've emailed me at my business blog angel address in the last month or so. 

Quick post to let you know that despite everything looking fine at my end, people are reporting that emails sent to claire@ "businessblogangel.com" are being rejected. I knew this was an issue a few weeks back, but thought it was now fully resolved. I thought wrong!

I am on the case, but in the meantime, if you have emailed me within the last month or so, and not had a response, please can I ask you to resend it to hello@claireraikes.com. A bit of a pain I know, but the only way forward right now.

Thanks for your patience. :o)

Personally speaking... getting back in the blogging saddle (again!)

Regular readers will know that I can be erratic with my 'posting frequency'. It's usually because I'm so busy with other peoples' blogs, but sometimes its because I'm in a fug of some kind. It always passes - eventually - and I've learnt over my 3 4+ years providing business blogging help and advice that the best way to get back in the blogging saddle is to 'just do it'.

Having said that, I often feel the need to explain myself. This isn't an entirely self-indulgent or cathartic need, it's also because when I blog, I aim to address each and every reader as an individual or a friend - rather than a group - and so there's a sense of 'owing' you an explanation out of respect. So, here goes...

Since my last post I have been through some major upheavals. I've moved house, ended my relationship of 2 years and given up 'custody' of my gorgeous canine 'son' Tallis. Oh - and launched a new venture Universal Growth - a kind of alternative to Alternatives in Cardiff!

As Denis Campbell of @UKProgressive commented,

"Other than that Mrs. Kennedy how was your trip to Dallas?"

BusinessBlogAngel says Hello S.Africa, Mexico, Paraguay, Brazil & China!

I just spotted some new green spots on my Feedjit Live Traffic Map in areas where I've been wishing there were green spots, so I clicked through and guess what? BusinessBlogAngel just had its first visitors from South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay and China! Yay!

Welcome! Bienvenidos! Bem-Vindo! Huan Ying!
Thanks for dropping by. You've made me very happy. :o)

WillMeOn.com - will you will on Will Maybanks to London 2012?

Before I go 'short and sweet', I have to tell you about one of the projects that's been keeping me busy over the last month or so - www.WillMeOn.com. 

William Maybanks is a talented, British table tennis player with an Olympian goal; to compete for his country at London 2012. Table tennis has had it's funding for 2012 drastically reduced, so if Will is to realise his dream and compete on the world stage at London 2012, he will have to raise the necessary £300k himself. Given the current economic climate, securing a large sponsorship deal from any one business or individual is no longer a realistic proposition... and so the idea for WillMeOn was born! 

I know nothing about Table Tennis, but my 'entrepreneurial spirit', thirst for all things 'personal development' and professional obsession with social media and personal branding meant that from the minute Chris Ogle told me about Will Maybanks and the WIllMeOn idea he was hatching, I was on board.

Are YOU using Social Media to grow your business or brand?

I'm so excited! Last night, I emailed all my clients and mailing list subscribers announcing the new BusinessBlogAngel's Social Media Inner Circle. I wanted to give them a bit of head start before I blogged about it here, but since the Qualifying Calls start tomorrow, I can't wait any longer!  Whether you're already using social media or not, this Social Media Marketing Intensive will deliver tangible results, slash your marketing budget and achieve an unparalleled 'ROI' to boot. Click on the image for the full lowdown.

Qualifying calls Friday 5th, Saturday 6th and Tuesday 9th December.
Click Now for details.

Writing with confidence - project confident writing (reprise)

In my last post, I mentioned that I'd been thinking about Joanna Young... Coincidentally, I had an email that same morning from Karen Swim of Words For Hire with a secret mission all to do with that same amazing lady...

Joanna has just moved house to the west coast of Scotland. As a result, she's been offline for some time. As Karen pointed out, for a prolific blogger like Joanna, a week or so offline must feel like an eternity - and Brad Shorr along with Karen and fellow blogging/Twitter friends Robert Hruzek and Daniel Smith came up with a lovely idea: to welcome Joanna back to the blogosphere with a collection of posts on her various friends' blogs featuring our favourite posts from her Confident Writing blog. I've raved about Joanna on this blog several times and clearly I'm not alone in recognising her greatness. It speaks volumes that virtual friends want to do this for her.

Anyway, I've had a good rummage around her blog and, continuing the 'confident writing' theme, have opted to highlight a 'round up' post she did earlier this month which features a whopping 8 posts from the archives all about what to write when you're feeling stuck. So...

"Welcome back Joanna - we've missed you - we love you - you are the mutt's nuts!"

8 From The Archives To Help You Free Your Words by Joanna Young  at Confident Writing

Liz Strauss' 25 Words of Work/Life Wisdom Writing Project

There is no doubt that Twitter is a seriously powerful weapon in your social media marketing arsenal. Over the last couple of days, I've seen some great examples of how people are using Twitter to not only network, promote their business activities and attract traffic, but also drive more sales.  In the last hour, as a direct response to a couple of Tweets that caught my eye, I've bought a product I didn't know I needed(!) and been inspired by Robert Hruzek to take up Liz Strauss' 25 Words of Work/Life Wisdom Writing Project challenge.   

I'll write again about Twitter, but in the meantime, here's my attempt at those 25 words:

Oh The Shame...

"Do as I say, not as I do";
these words float shamefully around my brain
as I fail
to Twitter, Stumble, blog and podcast
consistently.

Given that I'd not posted for ages - and this is my second today - I'm inspired to do another...

Recent Business Bloggers' Blogs

I can barely believe it's been over a month since our last post! I see I've started a few posts along the way, but they're still languishing unpublished in my Typepad account.  To break the silence, I'm simply going to plug just a couple of business blogs which have recently had the Business Blog Angel treatment. Please drop in on them and leave your comments and encouragement - I know the owners will be chuffed to bits if you do. 

SueTrinder.com

Sue Trinder & Associates

Transforming communication at work.

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Diary of a Property Investor

The PropertyMadeSimple Blog by Peter Stanley

Everything you ever wanted to know about property investing.

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