Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

In Jakob Nielson’s latest alertbox, he advises businesses to write in-depth articles rather than short blog posts that have a little or no value. He provides several diagrams to support his claims. However, one factor not shown in his diagrams is the magic of blogging. In-depth articles may better demonstrate your expertise in your field and increase your credibility, but they typically don’t promote interaction between the author and readers, and amongst readers. Oftentimes, that interaction is as valuable, if not more so, than the original article or post.

Within that interaction is where the magic of blogging occurs and, sometimes, it can be quite amazing. Allow me to share three stories to illustrate my point.

First story: Last Wednesday, Darrell and I had the pleasure of meeting with Norman and Dru from Sheffield, England. They have a daughter with cerebral palsy and have faced the all-too-common struggles in accessing the necessary services for her. Ten years ago, along with a group of other parents, they established the Paces School for Conductive Education so their children with cerebral palsy may receive what they need to thrive and succeed – to reach their full potential.

In preparation for his Winston Churchill Travel Fellowship study tour to Canada, the United States and Sweden to study the education of children with cerebral palsy, Norman found me in the blogoshpere and was impressed with my autobiography. We arranged to meet while they were in Vancouver. My book tour came to me – how amazing is that! I can see trip to Sheffield in the near future.

Second story: Last month, I listened to Patsi Krakoff and Denise Wakeman of The Blog Squad interview Allan Voivod who was talking about re-purposing content. Being a one-thumb typist, I’m all for getting the biggest bang possible from my typed word! I emailed him a question, which he kindly answered on his blog, giving my blog more exposure.

Apparently, my left thumb made quite an impression because, last week while sitting on the beach with another couple, watching their young sons play in the surf, my name happened to come up in conversation (I’m never sure how that happens, but it does!). The other fellow David happens to be the lead attorney in Burke & Eisner’s Cerebral Palsy and Pharmaceutical liability practice. He was also quite impressed with my blog. Thanks Allen and David for your support!

Third story: This morning I received a follow-up email from Nicole. This past school year she was the one-on-one assistant for a young boy with cerebral palsy in second grade. He worked hard this year and made much progress. He likes to do things by himself. When he does he says in his strongest voice, “I DID IT!”

Nicole made him a scrapbook to show his journey over the last year. In researching inspirational quotes and stories about having cerebral palsy, she came across my blog and asked me to write a note for his scrapbook, which I gladly did. Inspiring young people to keep trying and to do their best is why I’m “in business”.

The scrapbook, with my story and note featured on one page, has been viewed by everyone in his school, his mother, his grandparents, home health workers, and friends. They all loved it. How magical!

Touching the father of a girl with cerebral palsy, a lawyer representing parents and children with cerebral palsy and a special education assistant – my target market – is why I blog the way I do. If today’s business is built on relationships – on the “liked, known and trusted” factor, then, surely, this interaction found in the blogoshpere is as valuable as lengthy, in-depth articles that people may not have time to read.