If you have a business, a blog (short for web log) is a marketing tool that can further position you as the expert in your industry. Your prospects and clients want information about your products and services. They are hungry for it! And a blog gives you the opportunity to share your expertise with people across the globe.

Once they are set up, blogs are easy to update. The typical blog entry is short and informal, making it easy for you to write - and easy for your customers to read. Because blogs are filled with a bunch of little blurbs, your readers are more likely to visit on a regular basis to read your latest commentaries. They also feature a search function, which your readers can use to find blog entries on a specific topic.

But like every form of marketing, a blog requires you to lead it in a strategic direction. Before you start your blog, make a decision about the blog’s theme and “voice.” Once you determine your goals, stick to the topic. You can weave your personality and stories into the blog, but always keep these relevant to your target audience. Make your blog a tool that provides helpful advice, tips, and musings to your readers. A blog that is really a sales pitch or advertisement will NOT garner a wide audience.

Here are some examples of the types of business blogs and the various types companies that might benefit from them:

1) Consultant Blog: This type of blog is widely used by a variety of service-based companies including marketers, interior designers, event planners, financial advisors, and so on. In fact, this is the type of blog that I write. The Consultant Blog primarily features a single person writing about their advice and observations. It is a way of highlighting your expertise in an area and building an active readership who trust your opinion to guide them.

Consultant Blog Example: Seth Godin’s Blog. Seth Godin is a bestselling author and entrepreneur.

2) Tourist Blog: Every Bed and Breakfast can benefit from this type of blog. It features the local area with pictures of surrounding vistas and updates about upcoming events. It can feature links to local weather and favorite places to visit. The Tourist Blog can help sway people to use your business services over that of a competitor, as well as keep in touch with them until they visit your city again. It can also save your business time by providing people the answers to frequent questions. Other businesses that benefit from this style include rafting companies, ski areas, fishing guides, festivals, and so on.

Tourist Blog Example: Maine Stay Inn Blog. An Insider’s Guide to Kennebunkport

3) Industry Blog: There are a number of companies that specialize in a very narrow area of their industry. For example, many manufacturers are highly specialized in what their company produces. These companies often sell to other businesses. In this case, it is often helpful to blog about new products lines, materials, trade shows, equipment innovations, industry news, and shipping news. Examples of industries that would benefit from these blogs include fabrication, machining, printing, engineering, insurance, and stamping.

Industry Blog Example: The Plastic Spork Blog. The Plastic Spork provides an inside look at what it takes to remain a market leader and offers some inspiration for considering plastic distribution as a lucrative career choice.

4) Specialty Blog: Many businesses, associations, and hobbyists enjoy this type of blog. It focuses on a specific subject. Examples include golf, sailing, stamp collecting, dog breeds, wedding planning, weight loss, and so on. The Specialty Blog can be written by one or multiple contributors. It is a wonderful way to build an online community and encourage comments because the readers share a common interest.

Feature Blog Example: Singletracks Blog. Interesting and entertaining mountain bike news to you on a daily or semi-daily basis

5) Feature Blog: I primarily see this type of blog being used by people who are in a creative type of business. It incorporates lots of pictures of recent projects and how-to entries. Sometimes there are video posts or audio recordings. It often has links to an online store where a visitor can purchase the project or sign up for an event. A Feature Blog is very useful for artists, designers. musicians, performers, illustrators, quilters, and writers. Another type of business that could benefit is one that produces custom products such as a furniture maker or a bike builder.

Feature Blog Example: Claudine Hellmuth Blog. A mixed media collage artist, author & illustrator.

When you are writing a blog, don’t be bland. The key is to be yourself and to reflect the core personality of your company. If there are things that make you mad or get you excited, your blog can be a place to post these things. If you don’t keep your blog on topic, lively, and engaging, your readers will quickly get bored. Write in your blog regularly - I recommend at least once a week or more.

To drive traffic to your blog, list it in blog directories such as Technorati. You should also incorporate keywords in your entries to help people find you via search engines. For example, an insurance company in San Francisco should incorporate the terms “San Francisco insurance” into their posts with a link back to their website. In this way people can easily get more information. Be sure to set up an About page with your contact information so people can get in touch.

MAVEN TIP: So, ready to start blogging? You can set up a blog easily with Blogger, Typepad, and Wordpress depending on your marketing goals and level of technical knowledge. This week, sit down and decide on your Blog Type, who in your company will write it, and how you will schedule regular blog updates. When you are ready, contact a designer to create a blog header and set up your blog. Then…Blog Away!!!

Hugs and success, Wendy Maynard, Your friendly marketing maven
Maven Marketing Strategies

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For the longest time in running my business, I thought there was some secret to being a super salesperson. With enough training and reading the right books, I just knew a day would dawn when I would eventually figure out how to be that slick businesswoman who was perfectly at ease with being schmoozy and charming and salesy. I can still picture her image in my head. Ewwww…

Well, guess what? That day hasn’t dawned yet. Instead, something even better occurred. I had a big aha! moment when I realized I could never, ever be that woman in my head. I can’t pretend to be someone else whether I was with my friends, family, or clients. I can only ever be myself. Anything else would come across as a facade.

When it comes right down to it, marketing is about forming relationships with other people. And, authenticity is a great sales tool. What I’ve found is that the more I settle into being me, the easier it gets to do business, make sales, and interact with other people. So, I encourage you to let your personality shine through - with all of your quirks and idiosyncrasies.

This applies to everything that you do to market yourself including your article and blog writing, the public speeches you give, and how you network at events. If you are funny, tell jokes and use your humor as a tool to get to know people. If you have a southern accent and love grits, don’t try to cover it up. Instead, play it up! Tell stories about the south and use expressions like “When I was knee high to a grasshopper.”

I get a lot of ezines in my Inbox and I visit many blogs and websites. The ones that really get my attention are the ones where the author isn’t afraid to let his or her personality show. I am much more likely to buy from that person because I feel like I know them.

Your customers and prospects want to get to know YOU. They want to know who you are, what hobbies you enjoy, where you go on vacation, your pets’ names, and how your kids are doing. People will be more engaged and your customers will be more responsive.

I encourage you to put more of YOU into your website, articles, blog, mailings, and so on. How can you do this? It’s simple!

Here are a few tips:

1. Tell ‘em what’s going on. What happened to you this week? Tell a funny story about your pet. Did your kid get a new tooth? Did you have an epiphany in the shower this morning? Don’t be afraid to share these things. Your customers will appreciate it.

2. Ask your customers and readers. Is there something in your life you are working on? Ask your customers for their opinions and recommendations. For instance, are you thinking of offering a new product? Ask your customers what they really want. You can send an online opinion poll to them using Survey Monkey.

3. Take a stand. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion. Make a statement for or against something and your readers will take notice. Reader comments, debates, and opinions can add a lively element to a blog, forum, or your inbox! Ask for feedback.

4. Pictures speak a thousand words. Pictures immediately draw people in. Use your newsletter or your website/blog to post a new picture of your latest hairdo, your dogs Halloween costume, or your newest business team member.

5. Tell a story. Describe a challenge and how you solved it. Mention a customer you helped and what his or her results were. Describe a recent event you attended or sponsored. Talk about your staff and what is going on with them.

There are many ways to draw your readers into your communications with them. Once you start infusing your marketing materials with YOU, you will find your customers are engaged and give you more feedback and comments. Over time, your sales will go up and your customers will be more loyal. This is because they have a relationship with you - a real, live, authentic person.

ACTION ITEM: Take a look at your current mode of operating. Are you truly yourself when you interact with your customers? Or are you trying to play someone else? Let your guard down a bit. Let your true self show to others. It may feel scary at first, but over the long haul, you will feel better and your customers will respond.

© 2007 Wendy Gray Maynard

Ready to learn more great success tips? Then it’s time to get a copy of the Maven Marketing Home Study System! It’s everything you need to know to attract the best customers for your business. You’ll learn how to describe what makes your business remarkable, how to get new customers calling YOU, and lots of other valuable strategies to help you fill your sales pipeline quickly. (Why struggle with your marketing anymore?)

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On Sunday, July 1, 2007, the Maven got hitched!

Yes, I married the love of my life, Nathan Riddle, and couldn’t be happier. It wasn’t a traditional ceremony - we didn’t have bridesmaids and groomsmen. We did have Nathan’s niece as the Flower girl though. She is 6-years-old and was beautiful. We also had a big ‘ol party. I could not have dreamed of a more perfect wedding. Here are a few pictures so you can see what the Maven and hubbie looked like!

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My design and marketing firm, Kinesis, has a few clients who are in the financial industry. This morning, one of my clients sent me an article that appeared in the Journal of Accountancy. The article discusses the websites of accounting firms. And for many firms, the issue is not only attracting and retaining clients, but also a deficit of talent in the industry. Here is an excerpt:

“We all know crucial first impressions are formed quickly, but researchers say people tend to judge a Web page in just one-twentieth of a second. Thus, potential recruits may be sizing up your Web site — and your firm — in less than the blink of an eye. Do they like what they see? And will young job seekers who linger there be rewarded with insights about prospective employment at your firm? The question isn’t just academic, given the well-known talent shortage accounting firms have been grappling with for years.

We surveyed 10 CPA firms in the northwestern United States about the state of the recruiting marketplace. They all said the market is very challenging. One respondent said conditions were “as tough as I have seen in my 20-plus years involved in trying to hire people in this region.” And the demographic reality of retiring baby boomers will only compound the need for new talent. Yet despite all the soul-searching within the profession, most accounting firms overlook how the Internet can host friendly introductions and convey favorable impressions.”

In working with many professional firms - including financial, legal, and financial sectors - many companies are relying on how they’ve always done it. They often have many years of relying on “word-of-mouth” advertising and referrals. And, while this is a powerful component of a marketing arsenal, it does nothing to address future threats such as encroaching competition, recruiting shortages, and an increasingly sophisticated and choosy client base.

Many professional firms simply do not focus on creating a distinctive brand. Beware! This will lead to problems. Especially if the firm has a lackluster website. Here are some common problems that I see with websites:

• The website is based on a template and has nothing to help differentiate the company’s brand.

• Websites frequently lack pertinent information that would interest the visitor - whether it is a prospect, client, or potential recruit.

• The website content is often boring, written in “academic speak” and not targeted to the audience. There are often phrases that mean little since they have no examples to back them up such as “one-stop shop” or “You are more than just a number.”

• Content is not dynamic. The company is not updating anything. There is nothing to entice visitors to return. News sections often have articles that are over 2 years old.

• Websites are challenging to navigate. The company did not plan the website and it has been poorly thought out in terms of its usability.

• The website is ugly and looks like your nephew designed it (because he did). It you are expect to attract clients who will pay you tens of thousands of dollars in business, hire a professional design company to create your website and your brand! This is NOT the place to save some bucks.

Take the time to develop a professional brand and a website that is created FOR your clients, prospects, and recruits. This will help to protect the fortress that you’ve built from competitors. It will also enhance client loyalty and help attract the best people to work at your company.

Hugs and success,
Wendy Maynard, Your friendly marketing maven

P.S. If your professional firm is interested in learning more about my company, Kinesis, please visit our website: www.kinesisinc.com

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