In the book Good To Great, Jim Collins discusses The Stop Doing List.
The idea is that great companies have a list of things they need to stop doing along with a list of things they don’t feel fit their business model in the future. I really like the concept of a Stop Doing list for business and I think it can be applied to business blogging.
It’s early in the year so let’s create the official Stop Doing List for Business Blogs in 2013.
1. Stop Doing It All Yourself
This is something I struggle with even hear at GBW. I still write for clients, but one of my goals for the company in the New Year is to move all new work to the other great writers on the staff.
The long-term plan is for me to do none of the client writing so I can focus entirely on the business. This requires me to stop doing the client writing. I enjoy it, but it takes time away from what I’m trying to accomplish with the company.
It’s hard to give up control of something like a blog, but you can only grow once you give up some control and let others succeed. A blog can be something good if one person is contributing, but it can be something great if multiple people are contributing.
2. Stop Over-Writing
Again, this is one I struggle with. I tend to be verbose with my writing. It seems to have worked as a style for five years, but I’m always looking to improve and it’s time to stop doing this.
Get the point across and move on.
3. Stop Covering Non-related Material
This is always a big one. I’ve done it myself. We all fall into the trap of writing about something that is not related to the topics our readers want to read. The posts are fine to entertain ourselves, but they really provide no value to the reader and that’s what the business blog is about. You have to give your ideal customers what they want and if you do a good enough job they’ll turn into customers.
Fight the urge to write about something that doesn’t accomplish that goal. It’s a hard, but necessary test to ask, “Does this really fit the mold of what the reader wants?”
Ask that question every time before writing.
Conclusion
The Stop Doing List is a great item to have for your business and business blog. Use it this year. I’ve found that a stop doing list actually liberates you in a way. You feel like there is a weight off your shoulders. It gives you time to focus on the things that really matter to the success of the business and the business blog.