Business Blogging Pros

Episode 2 of 'Plating a Shoe Tree'

"I Never Read Blogs"

I'm a big fan of David Meerman Scott and his Web Ink Now blog.

David writes a terrific post about the people who - out of ignorance - say that they never read blogs. I always reply that since blogs invariable show up near the top of every Google search, they are undoubtedly reading blogs and don't know it.

David wrote:

When people who are not regular users of social media ask their network for advice, they often do it via email. Frequently the answer that comes back includes URLs to companies and products. And those links from friends, colleagues of family members often include blog posts.

People are using social media sites, they just don't call them that. Forums and discussion boards existed long before blogs. Some of us crusty old guys made heavy use of a thing called Usenet.

People gather in these electronic communities centered around their hobbies or topic of interest. Because each community is populated by people from all walks of life, you can typically find a wide range of topics being discussed there. A huge body of experience and knowledge is available to community members just for the asking.

This is social media.

As a respected member of a Mercedes-Benz forum, for example, you can ask about Weed-Eaters and most likely get a high-quality answer from someone there you trust. These trust relationships are the engines that make social media work. Building trust relationships in these communities is not for those who want immediate results. It takes time, patience, and a willingness to contribute to the community. It does however reap huge dividends.

Markets Are Conversations. The Cluetrain.

Disclaimer: I know Chris Locke - co-author of Cluetrain Manifesto, and I consider him a friend and mentor. Chris wrote Gonzo Marketing WAY back in 2001 in which he discussed this very concept. Chris was way ahead of his time

ROI

Your blogging will have an ROI, even if you spend 10 minutes a week. Of course, the return will be proportional to the investment.

A client who has been blogging for about a year recently emailed me from the east coast. He is on his first very lucrative consulting gig that he can directly attribute to blogging. Tom writes about one blog post a week.

Another client, Mike, who has been blogging about 8 months just landed a consulting contract in Manhattan. He says that he would never have gotten the contact oif not for his blog. Mike writes a new blog post about every other week.

Two examples very close to home that blogging boosts your image, exposure and revenue without giving up your life.

The Potato Chip Thing

Blog Marketing Strategy and Mentoring

I have restructured my service offerings a bit and I thought it might be good to explain some of the rationale behind the change. The Blog Setup Service has not changed. What has changed is that I want to be able to provide more follow-on support for you, my clients.

The Blog Setup Service includes 2 hours one-on-one consulting. The second hour is focused on helping you understand how to use blogging for marketing and PR but my sense however is that for most, that second hour is like drinking from a firehose. I'd like to turn you into an expert blogger in just two hours but unless I learn the Vulcan Mind-Meld technique I don't think I can do it.

My intention therefore is to offer a service that is part mentoring and part 'doing the work for you'. We will meet anywhere from 1 to 4 times per month, depending upon the level of service you engage me for. I'll summarize all those blog posts, discussion boards, and news articles related to your business and deliver them to our meeting in one nice little package (This is a non-trivial amount of research, as you might guess).

I'll make recommendations and suggest strategy for which ones to respond to and how best to respond. And because writing a blog is different than any other form of marketing communication, each session will include helping you craft a good blog post or two.

It's almost like having your own Social Media Marketing Department.

I want to do this because I am invested in my clients' future. I want you to succeed. I know that done well, blogging can allow you to achieve things that big companies with millions to spend on marketing could never achieve. Most of you are not leveraging your blogs to their fullest potential, and I want to help you change that.

The prices you see on my services page for this service are introductory prices. Anyone who signs up will lock in that price for the entire engagement, even if (when) the published price goes up.

suggestions and comments (and criticism) are welcome.