Recently, I bought a 1991 Mazda Miata convertible. It's red too. While some have accused me of having a mid-life crisis, the real reason I got it was because my old car was wearing out (falling apart if the truth be told) and I needed something to replace it. A co-worker had this one for sale, sooooo I bought it and got a good deal!

I'm having a lot of fun with it. I can dart in and out of traffic, park in ridiculously small parking spaces, get good gas milage in spite of how I drive, and travel at speeds that guarantee a traffic ticket if I'm ever caught! The car reminds me of a fighter plane -- quick, agile, and very manuverable.

Blogs are like that!

Blog posts aren't necessarily meant to be long diatribes or feature length articles. They're meant to be agile, up-to-the-minute riffs on, as Flip Wilson put it, "what's happenin' now!" A publisher can go to his trusty blog application, jot down a few quick thoughts, push the button and publish his ideas for all the world to see.

The fact that before Dan Rather got through talking bloggers were already debunking the ideas being presented is evidence of that truth.

Blogs are quick, easy to use tools that keep your reader up-to-date on the happenings of your business in an instant. Some have used the term "lightweight" content management systems. As a rule, typical website can't do that. They are more like huge SUVs. They require more resources and are much less manuverable.

The point here is don't fret over commiting to blog routinely. (Two or three times a week is a good rate.) You don't have to be a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist to write for your blog. Heck, look at some of the stuff I've written! If I can do it, surely you can.

What you do have to have is passion! Passion about your business. If you do, it will spill over into your blog posts.

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that blog posts always have to be like fireworks on the Fourth of July either. Sometimes they can be mundane. The main thing is that you communicate routinely in an authentic tone of voice. Once you start writing, you'll find it getting easier.

If concern over writing is holding you back from starting a small business blog, don't fret a second longer. You never know when your competitor might start blogging, and you surely don't want to see him go whizzing by you in a blaze of red!

(If you have questions about small business blogging, or if I can help you in any way, contact me.)