Motivational Speaker for a Business Conference - Google Pointed to ME!

Today I spoke on the phone with a potential client who is interested in having me to speak at her company meeting in 2010. We had a delightful conversation, and I am a good match for the needs of the firm.

At the end of our talk I asked her how she found me, as I always like to know who is referring me business opportunities. Her response was; "I did a Google Search for something like 'motivational keynote speaker for a business conference'. It was Google that took me to your blog, and I liked what you had to say".

I searched the term she mentioned and could not find myself in the mix. While I do not know what exact words she used to find me, I do know that having my blog as a Google destination for search has paid off several times. Two weeks ago I got an inquiry on a similar search for "motivational speaker for a professional services firm", and with those words I did show up in the few pages on Google.

The purpose of sharing this is that I often consult with professionals who question why I write a blog and participate in other social media activities. These intelligent and motivated business leaders claim they could never dedicate the time to a blog, as they are too busy. But in the past two weeks I have received two inquiries about my services as a keynote speaker from this exact activity... so I wonder how why in the world I would NOT blog.

Having online real estate that is searchable is necessary for business development. The hardest part is to realize the time frame involved with creating a recognizable social media persona can take several years. I started blogging in 2004 and have never stopped. Only recently has the blog begun to produce financial results (although it has paid off many times over in other ways).

If you want the advantages that come from blogging or other social media platforms, you must get started now. As if it takes two years to build up the momentum... and you wait two more years to start, then you are four years away from the success you desire.

There are no shortcuts to building an authentic online reputation. Content, consistency and longevity are all needed to make search engine optimization work for you.

Have A Great Day.

thom