That’s the questions I kept asking myself as I was listening to Seth Godin and Marie Forleo talk on Marie TV.

I’m a fan of Marie and Seth. These are two marketers who make marketing look sexy. Until I discovered these two fabulous people, I used to think of marketers as… the spawn of the devil or something. I remember, several years ago, I was chatting with a friend who was a business major at that time, and he was telling me all about how to manipulate people into buying something even when you know it doesn’t serve this group of people. Basically, he was talking about marketing in a way that made me think of con artists.

I don’t know about you but I never thought of conning people as a dream job.

I’ve been skeptical of anyone and everyone who identifies as a marketer ever since.

But then, a couple of years ago I discovered Seth, and soon after I discovered Marie, and these two people changed the way I look at marketing myself and my services.

Where am I going with this? Well, I’ll make my point shortly, but I need to tell you about me and this a bit first for it all to connect.

You see, when I started this blog, I had big dreams. I wanted to make money, of course. I didn’t start this blog thinking “I don’t care about money, I just want to help people!”

No. That would be a lie.

Money was at the forefront of this blogging endeavor.

However, I wanted to make money in a way that was ethical. I wanted to make money by serving. I wanted to be true to my values and beliefs, and I decided early on that I’d put my audience’s needs first and foremost, and then, if I’m worthy of it, I hoped that my audience, or my people as I like to think of you,  would buy from me.

But somewhere along the line, I think I got lost in all the chaos around me. I stopped thinking about you, and I only kept thinking about me.

That’s what happens when we stop centering and realigning ourselves with our values on the daily.

I knew it, but I neglected my own formula for success.

How stupid of me!

So, this morning, as I was listening to Marie and Seth talk about marketing and what it truly means to serve someone, I realized that I have digressed.

So, I’m here today to apologize to you wholeheartedly for forgetting about you. You may not have noticed, or even realized it, but the truth is that I did. I forgot about you.

At some point, I started to think how to get more email subscribers, not because I want to serve my subscribers, but because more subscribers = more money.

Again, money is important, in fact, it is essential!

But not the way I had started to think about it.

You see, there are two ways to think about blogging as your business.

One, you can think of how to make the most money, and then serve your audience in a way that lures them to buy from you.

Two, you can think of finding your people first and then serving them in a way that blows their minds away, so much so that they will, willingly, invest in you, or help you by buying from you.

I don’t know about you, but I think the second option sounds much more humane and ethical and… right!

And that’s exactly what Seth and Marie were talking about in this episode of Marie TV.

I’m ashamed that I lost sight of my vision somewhere along the line, even if you couldn’t tell.

You see, you’re my people. I’m here to serve you. So today, please let me know either in the comments or by email if you do not want to leave a public comment, what I can do to serve you better. For reference, here’s what I have to offer, and if your expectations are outside of these, then it’s possible I’m not your person. If that’s the case, I’ll be happy to direct you to someone else who will better fit your needs.

So, without further ado, I’m here, and I’m your person, and you’re my people, if you’re needing help with:

1. Starting a blogging business on the side. Nothing huge, but a smallish blog that will start to make you some money, a few hundred to a couple of thousand, in about 6 months to a year. I can help you with figuring out how to start a blog, how to start an email list going, how to attract the right people to your blog, etc. Basically, things that are blogging related.
2. Websites! I’m a WordPress designer and developer, and if I may say so myself, I’m quite good at it. If you need help with your WordPress blog, whether technical or tactical, I’m here to help! feel free to email me if you need advice figuring out things such as which theme to use, or which email provider works best with WordPress blogs, etc.
3. Design. I’m a great aficionado of all things graphics and print design. I’m self-taught, but I’ve spent many, many, MANY hours worth probably weeks and months, learning about good design. So, if you need help, advise, or just a pair of eyes to look at things for you, I’m only an email away!

Today, I’m centering myself and my blog once again with my service to you at this blog’s core.

Next week, when I’m back with my regular blog posts, your needs and wants will be at the core of my content creation and curation. That’s a promise!

Also, don’t forget, I’d appreciate your advice on this blog. Let me know what’s working, what’s not working, what you like, what you don’t like, and anything else you think I should know, either in the comments or via email. My email is contact@thesideblogger.com.

Thanks for being patient with me, guys! I really, really appreciate you!

And now, here’s the Marie TV episode with Marie and Seth. I strongly suggest you watch this video if you identify yourself as a marketer. I’d also suggest you read Seth’s blog and give his podcast — Akimbo — a listen. They’re full of so much wisdom and value, it’ll blow you away!

It's time to grow your blog already!

Sign up for weekly tips on blogging, branding, design, business, and monetizing your hobbies and skills + Subscribers get access to the library of epic freebies! 

Name

Email

Subscribe

Your email is safe here; no spam, like, EVER! You can unsubscribe at any time.