e-newsletter – Neil Sagebiel

I hope this doesn’t come across as false humility, but I was surprised to learn that I made the 2009 Big List of B2B Marketing and Sales Blogs. The list was developed by Proteus B2B Marketing, a top B2B agency according to BtoB Magazine.

So I’m giving myself a fist bump. I did not expect it.

I started this blog a little more than a year ago with a few humble goals. I would blog as a way to share with the marketing and communications community—some of whom already knew me through my e-newsletter (sign up at right) and LinkedIn, and others who might find me through organic search or inbound links. I would attempt to post a few times a week. I would allow the blog to grow organically.

I had already learned from my ARMCHAIR GOLF BLOG that blogs can grow into something and lead to new connections and opportunities. There are many things one can do to grow a blog. The problem, for most, is time and focus. I decided early on that I would do well just to add regular posts to this blog.

I’m glad that some have noticed my efforts. And I’m thankful to all who have stopped by.

(Image: The Urban Mermaid/Flickr)

Early this morning my September e-newsletter was delivered to email inboxes across the land. Unfortunately, even with three or so proofreadings by yours truly, I discovered an omitted word. It happens.

Mistakes are one of the pitfalls of being a solo professional. Everyone needs another set of eyes. The other set of eyes for my e-newsletter (which would have caught the omitted word) is my ex-neighbor in Seattle. I’ll call him Michael because that’s his name.

Michael is a brilliant mathematician and computer guy, as well as a copy fanatic and strict grammarian. That’s exactly what you want in a proofreader. (He also has a warped sense of humor, which I enjoy.)

I’ve been grateful to have Michael pick my copy apart until the other day when he said I would have to work without a net. He’s even more busy than usual. It’s my loss.

“I’m a little worried that you’re going to eliminate my position,” he wrote me in an email this morning.

“Not a chance,” I wrote back.

As I again learned this morning, I need that extra set of eyes whenever it’s available.

Read my tips on minimizing mistakes.