I was thinking the other day about why some of the old big time bloggers and online marketers are disappearing from the business. I thought, “What makes one blogger have continued success while another doesn’t?” Then I realized the answer is really basic, these guys are forgetting something that as humans comes naturally.
The blogging market is huge and I’m definitely not the top guy out there but that’s why I continue to learn and educate myself in this field. Don’t get me wrong, I have a nice and respectable list, but it’s not as large as Big Chris’s  or my buddy Bill Phillips . My traffic is impressive, but there are other bloggers that are flying by a lot of us.
One of the reasons I do well on my blog is because I have faithful readers. I am told on a daily basis how people read my emails and blog posts, enjoy them, and learn from them. When I get an email back from a customer telling me how great the content was it reminds me just how important this part of the business is. (By the way, thank you to all my faithful and satisfied readers. I appreciate you.)

I know I’m doing some things right because my sites appear in the top ten lists on Google. I was recently told by some top fitness marketers that I’m a guy who “gets it”. I’m someone who understands how all this works to benefit more than just me.

So what am I “getting”?

Honestly, the key here is not that I “getting” something but more that I haven’t forgotten.

What’s important to remember is our viewers are PEOPLE. Real live people, not just a number on the email list. Our viewers want valuable content. They have opinions, views, and ideas just like we do. They like the opportunity to speak their minds. Isn’t that in a way what we are doing as bloggers?

So what’s my point? Blogging is a form of communication and to have effective communication you need feedback from others.
In the blogging and marketing business it’s easy to get accustomed to one way communication. Remember in high school or college when all the teacher would do is lecture for an hour and you had to sit and listen. How long did it take before you lost interest and began napping? In the online business, it’s easier to monitor email open rates or how many “likes” you get, or the number of sales for the month than it is to converse.

But the problem with these things is they are not personal. I’m not saying they are bad. You need to monitor numbers, but they lack the personal touch.

We are humans and we need two way communication. Again, that’s why straight lectures cause us to sleep. What makes the person lecturing better than us? Why should we have to sit and listen and not respond? To be a successful blogger, you want two way communication. Don’t just lecture your viewers.
One way communication is the reason why some of the big guys are dropping in the online business. They got greedy and stopped offering value to their viewers; it became all about sales. They stopped interacting and now many of these big shots don’t exist!

Pushing sales may work for a while but eventually customers become leery and sales start to decline.

So, how do you avoid this? Again, encourage feedback – two way communication.
When a customer emails you, respond. And don’t be afraid to request a reply back from them. At the bottom of all my posts I ask for comments.

And when they respond to your blog, you better comment back.
Be inquisitive by asking questions. It’s amazing what you can learn about our industry by asking customers basic questions.
Do more than just blogging. Provide videos or webinars and get your readers involved. Make it personal for them.
Transparency is important. This doesn’t mean you have to reveal every detail about your life; just be real. No one is perfect and your viewers like to know you are human just like them.

Be a good listener.

These acts create loyalty from your viewers, not just boring numbers.

And because you listen, communicate, and respect them, they will give you the same in return…And this will keep you WINNING!