04/ 03/ 2008
by Steve Strauss
Q: Steve: It seems that blogging is here to stay, wouldn't you say? I have been told that it makes sense for a small business to blog, but I don't really get what it would do for my business. Do you?
- Shelly
A: No, blogging is not going away anytime soon.
And I can't say I'm not surprised, because I am. When blogging first made its way into our consciousness a few years ago, I was as skeptical as they come. I could even be heard remarking, "It's the CB radio of our time!"
But, hallelujah! Now I see the light! I've become such a convert that I just launched my own blog, Business as UNusual.
What I get now about blogging is that it is a way to communicate with the world in ways that were unheard of only a few years ago. It is a chance to loosen the ol’ tie and create a more personal, interactive and human communication with your customers, vendors, employees and other people.
Prior to blogging, there were few ways to create a personal bond, especially with active and potential customers. If you did not meet them one-on-one or speak with them on the phone, the only way they hear about you, typically, is through your advertising and marketing.
But those are inherently impersonal vehicles.
A blog specifically gives you an opportunity to show who you are what your business does in an up close and personal way. This, in turn, allows you to you to create more of a bond, and thus more of a relationship, and that should create more loyalty.
So, to answer your question, there really are numerous benefits to creating a blog for your business:
- Blogs build a sense of community. By sharing your expertise in a blog, you connect with a lot more people. And as they respond to your posts you create a community.
- They allow you to plug products and services. But not in an abrasive way. Using the conversational style that is the hallmark of a good blog allows you to share business products in a friendly way.
- They boost your search engine optimization (SEO). By their very nature, blogs incorporate the hallmarks of good SEO: keywords and links. As more people respond to your blog, more keywords show up.
- Blogs help make you an authority. Being published, even if it's on your own blog, gives you gravitas.
- Blogs give you valuable feedback. By seeing what customers say about your posts, your blog offers valuable feedback.
As you can see, the benefits of blogging are numerous. If you want to make the most of your blog, here are a few tips:
- Be frank. People read blogs to get an insight they would not normally have. Check out Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's blog to see an example of how this works.
- Be conversational. People like reading blogs to get a less formal view of the writer or business. The folks at Duct Tape Marketing are good at this.
- Be insightful. Try and give the people some information they would not otherwise have, like Anita Campbell does in her Small Business Trends blog.
So, blog or get blogged down. The choice is yours!
Today's Tip: What was the very first form of human community? Why, the tribe of course. That's why Dave Logan, John King and Halee Fischer-Wright’s book Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization (HarperCollins, 2008) is so great.
As the authors explain, tribes are natural occurrences, even in a business. The trick then is to create or identify your most valuable tribe members (employees, customers, professionals, etc.) and work with them to build your business. What you can do together is greater than what you can do alone. Check it out!
Steven D. Strauss is one of the world's leading small business experts. A lawyer, author and USA TODAY columnist, his latest book is the Small Business Bible. Steve is also a speaker in high demand who has spoken around the world about entrepreneurship, even at places like the United Nations. He has been seen on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, The O'Reilly Factor and many other television and radio shows. If you would like Steve to speak to your group and help your business grow, or if you would like to sign up for his free newsletter, "Small Business Success Secrets!" please visit his Web site, www.MrAllBiz.com.
