Blogging Fame

One topic that Susan and I don’t write or talk about in public is the perks (or doom) of blogging fame. I don’t like to talk about it because I hate listening when people bitch and moan about being successful (hint: you do this to yourself) so I am offering this to those of you that are considering blogging professionally either as an outlet or a marketing move.

First of all, if you have any recognizable skill whatsoever and have a unique point of view and delivery, people will read what you write. Don’t get me wrong, just because you put up a blog doesn’t mean people are going to read it — If your writing skills and delivery are equivalent to those of the 11 year old begging vendors for stuff and free conference passes you’ll be reduced to a misguided Google search audience and people that never removed you from Bloglines / Google Reader when they abandoned those accounts.

But let’s assume you have something to say. Let’s assume that its something thats on the minds of your customers, partners, vendors. Let’s assume your opinion is genuine, that you can defend your point and argue it when people comment on it. Let’s assume all that. Sooner or later your blog, your opinion, your writing and everything else that you seem to do are going to attract attention and you’ll become famous. Congratulations, thank you for everything you do.

But, now you’re screwed.

Now that people know you have somewhat of an influence and an opinion people respect, you’re a marketable commodity.

Expect people to call you and ask you for your opinion. Those opinions used by press are often twisted around and used much later out of context which is the reason I always refuse those calls.

Expect people to offer you book deals. Lots and lots of book deals. You can blog, ergo you can write, ergo it can be edited and marketed to sell books. Plus you’re likely to drive demand for it through your blog so the publisher has little risk.

Expect people to invite you to speak at events. Conferences are the most difficult invites because you actually have to know your stuff. User groups, regional conferences, vendor events and gettogethers are the easiest but also come with $0 pay.

So far so good. Now on to the screwed part:

Expect people to get mad at you when you tell them you have a real job and don’t want to go across the country to speak in front of 6 people for free.

Expect people to be mean to you when you don’t blog for a day or god forbid don’t answer a question they sent you via the blog. After all, what are they not paying you for!

Expect people to not understand why you aren’t press and aren’t willing to be at every event on earth. Even if by some mirracle the ticket to the conference is free the time away from business, plane, food, hotel tend to pile up.

Expect people not to treat you like a business owner but press – “Oh, we can’t talk about that or you’ll blog it” or “What do you mean you want to go to sleep, its just 1 AM”

Expect people to want to cut alliances, strategic focus groups, partnerships and sadly exclusion groups.

Finally, expect people to expect you to work for free. Expect to sit in conference calls, webcasts, podcasts, conference rooms, focus groups and all the other good stuff and make nothing out of  it. Some are pitched as a priviledge, some are pitched as exclusivity, some are pitched as a part of what you do… but expect not to be compensated for your time and skill.

This isn’t a whine or complaint by any means, I love what I do which is why I continue to do it, but you ought to be aware of end game and the need for a very thick skin. It ain’t for everybody, there are many rewards but there is a dark side to it as well.