To Blog or Not to Blog ... Why Not?

So, this is my maiden voyage into the world of blogging. I’m staring at my glowing computer screen and am about to impart the greatest wisdom ever typed on these “blog thingies.” Well, no, not really.

It seems I have not kept up with the times. My good friends at Thornley Fallis and Hill & Knowlton here in Canada jumped on the blog wagon long before your humble scribe. To tell you the truth, this "dear diary" entry-like blog world still confuses me. I’ve asked myself questions about who’s going to care about what I have to say and whether someone will comment on my entries. What if someone who I don’t even know links back to my blog? Now that would be some impressive validation.

According to my endearing staff and a certain number of clients, there are plenty of people out there who will be interested in what I have to say and might actually hunt this stuff down. I’ve done my research and my understanding is that if you are about to blog, you should have an expert opinion about something or at the very least inform and entertain your readers with a compelling personal perspective. Oh, I’m definitely in on this blog stuff!

With that in mind, I’ve decided to treat my blog not so much as my personal foray into a meeting of the blogosphere minds but rather, I’d like this to be a virtual scratch pad for those ideas that wake me up in the middle of the night. When I read something in the news that incenses or inspires me, I’ll treat it as fuel for my blog. More importantly, if I have a thought or two that might be of value to someone out there, I’m going to use this blog as an opportunity to share it. As I understand it, this is exactly the right place for it.

Now that I have my modus operandi established, I suppose I should share a thought or two….

I am not a boastful person, anything but. Every ounce of self-promotion I had was beaten out of me by narcissists I reported to at one time or another. That being said, I do believe I possess a degree of “expertness” that allows me to blog on two distinct but interlaced areas near and dear to my heart and soul.

First off – public relations. Throughout my career I’ve focused on nothing else but this “not so understood” marketing discipline. For years we were cast off as the “folks who blow up balloons and throw fun media parties,” but we’re now firmly within the inner sanctum of most marketing programs because our efforts offer authentic ROI. And if we’re not there, we get “the call” pretty fast. We’ve earned our seat at the corporate table and we’re not budging.

For more than 18 years I’ve been a constant student of this exciting area of marketing. When I met famed Harold Burson for the first time in the early nineties, I was in the midst of questioning my career choice, he put my concerns to rest with a few simple words, “Everyday is different and you’ll be on a lifelong path to education.” He turned 85 recently and I’ll bet ya he is still learning everyday!

Entrepreneurship. Next to giving birth to my wonderful daughter, the most exhilarating experience in my life so far is the continual joy I get from giving life to my own company. From incorporation to promoting my first employee, my experiences provide a rush that keeps me jumping out of bed in the morning. Being a woman entrepreneur in these socio-economic times is even better. Running a high-octane PR firm is one thing, calling it your very own, is beyond Pluto or UB313, pick a planet.

Like all bloggers, I want to hear from you. Good, bad, indifferent, irreverent or abusive (no name calling please). We all have opinions, and Lord knows you’ll get mine. I hope to blog weekly so stay tuned.

Maiden voyage now complete. I’m now a blogger. That wasn’t so tough!