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Hitting the Blogging wall is just like writer’s block, it happens. I am going to give you a few tips to move past the slump and increase your productivity.

1. Take a break. No, seriously, step away from the computer and do something that has nothing to do with your blog. I suggest at least 2 days away from your site and social networks. Humans have a terrible tendency to get tunnel vision while doing the same thing repeatedly. In order to free your mind and allow your thoughts and passion to build up again, you have to step away. I know that it’s hard to let your email go for a day or two, but honestly, if the world is going to end, you will hear about it before you get to your email.

2. Remind yourself why you started blogging in the first place. I started blogging about marketing and the ideas that surround it because I love to problem solve, and I also love to think outside the box. When I approach a problem, I like to look into what is really happening and see if there is a better way to go about it. I have no problems completely scrapping something and moving on if the idea is flawed to begin with. For whatever reasons you started blogging, go back and examine those reasons and see if you simply aren’t just off course. When we get in the habit of doing things we don’t love to do, we subconsciously find ways to sabotage them.

3. Set goals. Goals are a great way to give yourself focus and challenge you to accomplish things you would normally consider out of reach. I love goals and use them all the time to keep me on track (see. Goals are a great marketing tool). The way my brain works, it doesn’t take long before I am off in la la land wondering how I got there. Goals keep me grounded. I post goals for getting out of debt, benchmarks for our blogs, weight, trips, money, moving and just about anything else. Ty’s Blog recently did a post about goals and I couldn’t agree more. I am the number one advocate of goals when it comes to getting things done.

4. Don’t forget your notebook. I just ran a post about the uses and advantage of a notebook, here. I can’t say enough how handy all of those random thoughts and scribbles come when you are stuck for writing. I know all I have to do is open up that notebook and I could make a dozen blog posts from its contents. One of my favorite things my girlfriend Lindsay and I do is while driving we brainstorm blog ideas and topics. Last weekend when we went backpacking, we probably came up with 15 or so different blog posts to work on. When it comes time to sit down and write posts, they are practically done. All you have to do is find pictures and fill in the blanks like ad Libs.

5. Read other blogs. I use Google Reader and probably subscribe to 30 different blogs. Although not all of the blogs are in my niche, I care a lot about them. When I am stumped or feel like I just don’t know what to talk about, I can see the trends others are doing and follow suit. I will rarely blog about the same product or service others are talking about, but I will look at the marketing mechanism behind it and talk about that.

6. Build your network. I am sure I don’t have to tell you about the advantages of networking your blog, but just in case, I will. If there were a blogging 10 Commandments, number 1 would be networking. I am not saying to go out and pick up every new social networking site and widget that comes your way, but use the ones you are already a part of. I was a member of Digg and StumbleUpon long before I started blogging. Make sure you are well rounded in your networking approach such as being a member of forums, blogs you admire, Entrecard or the like. If there are people involved, that is where you need to be.

7. Build your relationships. This is a lot like building your network but with a twist. Networks like Digg and Stumbleupon are pretty impersonal and apart from throwing some love back and forward, they don’t really do much else. Instead, establish relationships with others that are like minded. Max from Zedomax.com gave me some great advice. He told me to visit a number of blogs consistently and participate on those blogs. I bookmarked about 50 blogs that I frequent about every other day. In just a couple days, I gained RSS subscribers, comments, traffic and started building lasting relationships. Now things are getting to the point where guest posts, sharing traffic, promoting, comments and even taking care of others blogs while on vacation are becoming the norm.

8. Listen to music or a motivational speaker. I love techno music and use it to energize me to action. I even wrote a post about it. Listening to techno music isn’t the only way to get motivated. Each person knows what one type of thing really gets the juices flowing, causing a new surge in productivity. For you, this might be a motivational speaker, a book, movie, play, sunny weather or something else. Tap into that power and motivate yourself to action.

9. Bring yourself into your posts. Believe it or not, people really like to get to know the author of what they are reading. This is why we love stories of triumph and conquest so much, because we can identify with the person. Don’t hesitate to talk about yourself and your experiences. People like knowing that there is a human being behind the blog and like to put themselves in his or her shoes. Share a little bit of yourself in each post. You won’t regret it.

10. Ask for input. This is probably one of the most overlooked things in the blogging world. If you are not sure what to do or what angle to take on a certain subject, feel free to ask readers. This accomplishes many things, including establishing a relationship with your readers, opening your eyes to different points of view (yes, people think differently), helping you solve problems or questions and making everyone get involved. Even if your readers aren’t getting involved in an open discussion, they are participating mentally, which will probably lead them to enjoy your blog more.

With all of that said, what would you like to see more of on the Unconventional Marketing Blog?