Welcome to Spark an Idea Thursday. Each week we’ll be sharing some great ideas for a topic of interest to our readers. We invite you to grab our image and carry the tradition through to your own blog! If you do, please link back to this post so we know where you were inspired! Today’s topic? Spark an Idea about a Favorite Blogger.
I read a lot of blogs, mostly about marketing. I love Chris Brogan, and quote him often. I also read Small Business Trends religiously, as well as Drew McClellan’s The Marketing Minute.While I get tons just from reading these blogs, sometimes I want more.
I’ve met Chris in person a few times. We’ve chatted (when he’s not super busy, which is always), and he even gave a great testimonial for my new book, Internet Marketing for Entrepreneurs. I’ve found a way for us to mutually help one another. I ask him for small favors and I pump what he says on my blog and Twitter.
Anita Campbell, who runs Small Business Trends, is another great resource. I keep an eye out for her announcements when she’s looking for marketing pros to offer advice on social media and I get great book read ideas from her blog.
Other bloggers can be great resources to partner with, get ideas from, or learn from. Make a list of the bloggers you love and think about ways to expand what you’re already doing on your blog:
- Offer to guest post for them
- Ask them to guest post on your blog
- Connect with them on Twitter and Facebook to keep up with them
- Ask for case studies if you’re writing a book or ebook
- Share their blog posts with your audience
It’s also fun to meet bloggers in person, so attend blogging conferences like BlogWorld to network in person.
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Susan Payton is the Marketing Eggspert, and owner of 
If you are uncomfortable or unsure as to how to initiate communication, I find that asking questions is a good ice breaker. People love to help other people. You can tell that person how much you admire their work and that you would be extremely grateful if they’d be willing to offer you some advice or insight.