Wanted: Purpose and Direction
The proverbial ‘They’ say that honesty’s the best policy. Whoever ‘They’ are, I doubt they work in business marketing. Because, after all, it would be damaging to business if the customers knew Director Bob has his financial plan sketched on a crumpled napkin, or that he dances naked and covered in red ink under every full moon. Customers like it when they feel secure. They like to know a business knows what it’s doing, and they’re not inadvertently funding dubious habits with their payments. Director Bob needs to put on a professional smile, say nothing of dancing, and exude confidence.
I don’t dance. At all. So I have nothing to admit, there. But for me to admit I’m in the midst of a professional identity crisis, putting this website in a tailspin, would be considered bad marketing strategy. The fact it happens to be true tells me there’s either something wrong with my plan for the website, or with its implementation.
This website had been intended as a sort of ‘showcase’ of my writing ability and achievements, the same in graphic design, and with blog entries to make me more personable. A customer or headhunter will be more drawn to a portfolio accompanied by personality, than to a portfolio with a token ‘Please leave a message after the beep’ invitation.
One of the features of a successful blog is topic focus. That’s not to say all entries have to be about the same thing, but there should be a general trend. In my plan for this blog, I’d expected the occasional off-topic entry — daily encounters such as being ill or moving house — but the general focus would be in support of my two professional avenues: design and writing. Perhaps you’ll notice there’s been a gap of over a month between this entry and the last. (By the way, that’s a characteristic of a NOT successful blog strategy.) Evidently, that’s what happens when I wait to have something to say in accordance with my Blog Plan.
Circumstances have changed from my previously established norm. I used to be able to say confidently that my primary occupation was graphic design. That was how I defined myself, because that’s what I did for a salary. It was complemented by my English language skill, which helped with copywriting and email communications. I was comfortable with that niche, and didn’t imagine it changing anytime soon. (Ah, the short-sightedness of youth…)
But this is reality now:
- I work part-time at the local library, issuing books, putting returned books back into circulation, and shelving books.
- Graphic design and creative writing have both shifted to Hobby status.
- I have my first child expected in less than two months, which is a guarantee that life circumstances will have new definitions for a while.
Despite it not being in my expected career direction, I do enjoy my job at the library. And I’m happy about the impending arrival of a family addition. So I should be clear that I’m not unhappy with my circumstances…but they don’t accommodate my plan for this website very well, do they? I’m no longer a graphic designer, or a writer. I’m a Library Circulation Assistant with a history/background in creative industries.
My Blog Plan doesn’t fit the current, or foreseeable, reality. Ergo, it needs to change.
So what’s this blog to be, then? It needs a purpose of some sort, even if only to have a reason to exist. In my very first entry here, I’d stated this blog would be more reserved than the typical diary-esque personal blog. That’s why, so far, I’ve carefully avoided posting entries about my challenges from a developing pregnancy, or any baby-related issues. Such things aren’t professional. Unless one is in a parenting-related business, which I’m obviously not.
If I’m now revisiting the Blog Plan, anything and everything becomes open for negotiation. Will this be a Creative Industry blog? A Parenting blog? Something else?
Oh, for some direction!
Google is usually a helpful friend to me, but this time when I asked him to give me some direction, he took me to Yahoo Maps.
He’s a masculine friend.
No Comments Yet.