How do you explain this thing!

By on November 20, 2009 in Journal

That is one half. The other half is when I’m building a story. Again with the “How do journalists do it”. I want to try and profile businesses, for example there is a store that just reopened right near where I work and I thought it would be a great idea to write something up about them. What they do, who they are, etc. but I can’t seem to bring myself to ask them and here is what I think is the reasoning.

I am a blogger and I am not ashamed about that. How many other people have the courage to write there life out on digital paper but when it comes to explaining it to people what it is I do, I suck. For some reason, and maybe this is only partially true, I think most people do understand what a blog is. So if I am suppose to sell ad space on one how in the heck do I do that. Sometimes I have to resort to calling YkOnline as a online Newspaper, which it definitely is not. I would love to find an explanation that not only explains to people what it is but also gives them the feeling that this website is worth something. Maybe I should ask the 300+ people who read it daily.

Readers, the few over here, how would you explain YkOnline to someone who doesn’t blog. How do you explain your blog to people? Is it as awkward for you as it is for me?

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  • hjmler

    It’s hard at first – guy gets self-conscious and shy and you wonder to yourself what the hell the buyer’s gonna really get for their money and try as you might you can’t come up with a story that’s good enough to believe yourself much less expect them to believe it… and if you do get some to write a check you feel guilty ?

    What I finally tried was to just level with ‘em… walked into the gas station and found the owner and said, hey Fred, I need your help, I need you to buy a $50 ad and try it for a few issues – hell you spill that much at the bar Saturday night and this could do you some good and get you a tax credit to boot… when I treated him like a guy that might become a friend he met me half way… and sure, there will be folks that’ll look at you like you’re blood-sucking scum but mostly they’ll recognize that you’re out there trying to make an honest buck just like they are. They won’t always buy – even after years working at it only about half the folks you approach will talk to you, but once they engage with you about a third will do business with you…

    As for explaining your blog to ‘em – don’t TELL ‘em, SHOW ‘em. They’ll become curious… and leave a biz card with the URL on it in large type. And call back on the folks who don’t buy – every time you make your rounds stop in and ask ‘em how’s business… you’ll hear lots of bitching cuz everybody loves to do that, but if you sincerely take an interest in them in their times of trouble they might just remember you when things are going slick.

    If they’ve been in business any time at all they know lots of people so if you can really engage they’ll point you to stories you should be writing about.

    You’re just trying to make a living, so are they, and once they understand you’re not trying to sucker them you’ll get some respect … and don’t forget to ask your prospects if they know others who might be buyers – you’ll be surprised how helpful they’ll be… Good luck -and, like Red Green says, “We’re all in this together.”