–Hi Taylor – I run a little tutoring company—just myself and two other people, so it’s a very small business. Someone mentioned the idea of having a blog as a promotional tool, and my first thought was that blogs are a little dated. Am I wrong? Are blogs a thing of the past or something I really ought to have?

–Hey Alexander – You’re right about blogs being dated, insomuch as they’re not the new hot trend. However, the fact that people have been using and making money off of blogs for over 20 years means this tool is no passing fad. Whether or not you need a blog depends on you, your business, and your career goals. I will say a good blog can be as useful as any other online tool, so let’s talk about how it could work for your company.

  1. Promotion. A local tutoring company doesn’t need a broad outreach campaign, but it still doesn’t hurt to have a website that can build up traction and make you more visible. In your situation, it could also be a good way to get information to your clients. Posts can cover the basics of what you want to teach in person and expedite the process while giving potential clients a window into what they’d be learning. It’s also a great way to keep all the info future clients need on one URL. If people are choosing between different tutoring options, many will go with whatever path offers the least resistance, and that’s often the company with the most function website.
  2. Show your stuff. In my experience, both as a business owner and a customer, blogs provide an excellent way to show you know what you’re doing. Even if your site is only getting a few visitors a week, if you have articles you’ve written that show you’re intelligence and your teaching philosophy, that will make clients more confident in your abilities. Don’t write blog posts in hopes of going viral or getting a ton of hits, but rather as a means of showing your expertise. You can make posts as frequently or infrequently as you like, just do your best to keep the quality high and you’ll be creating a very useful resource for yourself and your clients.
  3. To each their own. Does every business need a blog? Of course not. Does your company have to have one? Only if you want one and can see the potential benefits. If you end up spending 10 hours each week managing a blog you don’t like when you could have been tutoring and making money, that’s not a great setup. Alternatively, you could find you really enjoy it, it helps your business, and there’s no reason you couldn’t monetize a blog if you write consistently. With steady output, you could develop an online branch of your business, making money through your articles and affiliate links.

Don’t feel obligated to launch a blog today, but don’t write them off as a tool of the past. Let me know how it goes, Alexander!

 

TAYLOR J KOVAR

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™