Today's task is to create a call to action for readers. Many of us are very passive when we visit blogs, and sometimes even just asking people to comment can snap them out of that passive state and get them more involved. Other ways to call readers to action are to post polls, ask them to subscribe, point them to another website or to a product you'd like people to check out.
I admit that this is one of the harder tasks for me to come up with an idea for. Of course I love comments just like anyone, but it seems so simple to just ask you to leave a comment after reading this. But, as Darren points out in his article "Calls to Action - 12 Tips to SNAP Readers out of Passivity" on the Problogger blog, sometimes the simplest actions are the ones that get us somewhere we want to go.
So, I am curious. I always wonder where other people are from, and what speaks to them in that place. Today I am asking you to leave a comment telling me where you are from, and a little about one of your favorite places there. Where do you go in your town or city that really just embodies the spirit of the place for you? I'll start...
I live in Bellingham, WA. It's a city about 1.5 hours north of Seattle and only about 30 minutes from the Canadian border with a population of about 80,000. We have a college here, Western Washington University, so parts of Bellingham are quite college-towny. One of my favorite places in Bellingham is a particular block of Railroad Ave. downtown. On that block you will find The Bagelry, one of my favorite places to have breakfast or lunch. They make their own fresh bagels, the staff is mostly young artistic-seeming types, they have a huge wall of fliers and posters for upcoming local events, and always have art from a local artist on the walls. On the same block you'll find Mallards Ice Cream. They make flavors like Yrba Matte and Earl Grey and Hibiscus Mint Leaf Ice. Mmmm... Across the street you'll find Avalon, a CD store that sells music, posters, and... glass art would be a proper way of putting it if you're put off by pipes and bongs. Next door is Hohl Feed and Seed where we often go to peek at the rats, the biggest guinea pigs I've ever seen, bunnies and baby chicks. Also on this block, you'll find a taco store, a burger joint, a coffee shop, a candy shop, a couple of secondhand stores and a large gift shop where they sell things like jewelry, cards, and photo frames. It's eclectic, it's fun to look at, it's tasty, it's artsy and it's comfortable. Bellingham.
Okay... your turn. Don't feel like you have to be as long-winded as me... :-)
