Not So Much The Blogs In Your Life As The Life In Your Blogs

I'm just back from a sortie to Edinburgh - a sortie in this case means it was only a quick visit to pave the way for a much larger invasion; and by 'larger' I mean without the 'r'.

Edinburgh is a global phenomenon.  I was on BBC5Live last week trying to explain why and of course I didn't do it justice after seeing it once more in the flesh.

And what's interesting is how technology and social media has really caught on.  Gone are the days when you could re-write a rubbish review....eh, not that I...eh, never in a month of Stella's.

(there is a rude joke here about one going down very well but Scatter the Patter would like to distance itself from such Festival Fringe ribaldry)


There's no hiding space once audience members have a bad time and hit Facebook, Twitter and review related sites.

However I wasn't supposed to go into specifically Edinburgh but it's perfect for smartphone technology and the world of apps.

Check out............

http://www.pleasance.co.uk/iphone

and

http://www.theatreninjas.co.uk/

...............................................to name but 2.  There's a massive visiting transient population who will only carry a wallet, keys and a phone, so in my book the smartphone market at Edinburgh will rocket.... and yes, we are working on something we speak!

Anyway, I was wanting to talk about blogs!  Edinburgh  made me think of the incredible amount of work and effort each performer has put into not only creating/performing their show but also in marketing it as well.

Yes it is easy to write a lot off as rubbish but they have brought a product to the world's biggest arts festival which is not unlike you bringing a product to market - some will work, others won't and not all for just and fair reasons!

I think we can all take a bit of lesson for any blog writing/marketing you may want to undertake.  For me, too many blogs and quite a lot of Facebook writing is devoid of anything of interest.  If your going to write something, write something that someone else may want to read.  I'm talking about business here by the way.  However it applies to general writing too.

Get what you want to say across early doors - don't prattle on like I've done above on an almost unrelated matter.  Here's some Dallas Do's!!!!


Do give your blog some oomph.  There's nothing worse than fence sitting in a blog.  If your worried about how you may come across and 'fence sit', then DO GIVE UP!  I could have censored my rude joke about the 2 Stellas but I have have written for the extremely sensitive Rangers website and the extremely insensitive Off The Ball radio show.  Most business people will realise writers can turn styles on and off...what you don't want is BLAND...BLAND IS BAD.


Do be a person and a personality so write in the first person about things that interest you!

Do try and tell us something we didn't know last time.

Do try and supply some links, maybe even some media to enjoy and don't worry about people leaving your blog because you've supplied them a link to leave.  We're in the 21st century.  If people want to leave they will, regardless of your link.....so entertain and don't worry about supplying escape routes!

Be funny, sad, happy....be something!  This isn't the FT, this is you.  If you're selling something remember you are the brand at this stage so yes...be something your product is....reflect it in words.

Do have fun.  I think humour sells, especially in blogs and on the social networks.  So go for it!

About the author;

Gordon Dallas suffered horrifically at the hands of Festival reviewers being called a 'googly eyed midget' in one national newspaper.  He writes a blog for the company he started called Scatter the Patter where he's trying to bring some light relief to the serious world of social network marketing.  He's written for Vernon Kaye, Keith Duffy and a host of stars while writing for CBBC - some say he's never actually got out of this child mentality, ( especially his wife).  He's co-founder of DallasCreek productions with Gerry McDade and is involved with Smarfonefootball, a new soccer app coming to market in September.  He's currently Social Media Manager for iSuperfan and has just signed up a local restaurant chain to have their Patter Scattered.  He's done a runner from a pub in Berlin, got booed off in Paris, chased a dodgy promoter who stole the box office through the 'Lanes' of Brighton, appears regularly on 5Live, and is ghost writing a book for a famous footballer.