Thoughts on Marketing…

Have you avoided blogging because it seems like a lot of nonsense? If so, you’ve been reading the wrong blogs, and getting the wrong impression.

It’s true that a whole lot of people write about nonsense. They blog the details of their lives that are best written in a diary or a personal journal. That’s not what business blogging is all about.

A business blog is a tool to stay in touch with your past, present, and future clients and customers. It’s a tool to show a bit of your personality so they know you’re a real person, and to show your knowledge and expertise. It’s a way to let people know that you, through your business, can help solve a problem or provide something they want in their lives.

It can also be a way to demonstrate what your products can do. Many business people hire ghost writers to keep their blogs populated with articles and information that help their customers. I write blog posts for a few clients, just for that purpose.

If you’re in real estate or some other profession that revolves around the benefits and features of your community, it’s a tool to let people know about the things to do and see in your community – or about changes taking place. That not only promotes the community, but demonstrates your knowledge of the community.

If you’re in non-profit work it’s a tool to let your supporters and would-be supporters know about your challenges and successes – and to alert them when special help is needed.

Because I’m interested in natural health, I have a blog that passes on interesting information I’ve come across. I write about everything from the benefits of cinnamon to warnings about the side-effects of common prescription drugs.

This blog, on the other hand, discusses things like why a particular ad is effective or not, and gives tips on writing good copy and reaching out to new customers.

No matter what business you’re in, you have some kind of knowledge that you can pass along to your customers. It could be anything from how to take a grease stain out of the carpet to how to install a shim to make the closet door hang straight, to what kind of fertilizer to use to make roses bloom.

I don’t think you need to worry about giving away too much information. The things you know took years to learn, and giving your readers a few tips isn’t going to mean they’ll never need your help.

Remember, your posts don’t have to be long. They just have to be interesting to those people who are interested in the subject matter you offer. If people aren’t interested, they aren’t going to read your blog no matter what you write about.

So get started – and once you do, make it a point to post a new entry at least once a week.

Here’s to prosperity,

Marte