Business blogging 101
I was thinking the other day that we, as a Internet enabled generation, spend a good deal of time online. Whether at home, at the local Wi-Fi hangout, or even on our phones, we spend a lot of time reading what others are saying about their business. Stop it! At least long enough to make sure your business is being seen too.
Businesses now have an incredible means of developing loyal customers online. Even if your core business is offline, you can take advantage of getting the word out through social media and blogging. It amazes me how many businesses just don’t get it (which is why I host social media and blogging workshops). And here’s the problem I’ve found:
Small businesses tend to be limited in their budgets. They are many times run by persons who may not have had larger business marketing experience, and they tend to have to focus on day-to-day issues that arise and don’t feel they have the time to blog, or promote their blog through social media. Not true.
Setting up a blog can cost as little as $10 per month, if you use all the default setups and templates of Wordpress (free, if you use blogging websites, although I recommend using your own domain. You want to build your brand, not someone else’s). And, if you use a professional, it can cost as little as $350 (which is what I charge - shameless plug).
Also, I teach people how to blog in only fifteen minutes per day. Granted this tends to be unrealistic, but only because people aren’t generally prepared to speak about their business, so it takes them awhile to figure out what to write about. However, in the ideal situation, where a business owner has, or they have hired someone who has, the ideas and ability to write about those ideas, one can spend only fifteen minutes per day on a blog post (I have spent about four minutes writing this post so far).
Why do it? Well, blogging allows people to see what’s happening from day-to-day in your business. Through your blog you tell them about specials they might not otherwise know about; you give them incentive to come into your establishment to take advantage of specials or coupons you posted in your blog; you build a network of customers who are informed and will be loyal to you because you keep them informed; and, you are able to get real-tome feedback when someone wants to express themselves about your business, the service they received, or the products you carry. All of this contributes to your being a better business.
Blogging and social media are the new forms of communication online. You need to make them part of your marketing plan, and if you can’t maintain the content, then hire someone who does. There are plenty of people who will professionally write for your blog or social media sites on a pay-per-post agreement. Get started now so you are not left asking why you didn’t, later.