Better Business Blog Posts Emphasize the Positive

“The tape guns are not for customer use!” was the headline on the poster my National Speakers Association colleague Todd Hunt saw in his local UPS store. There was more text on that sign, Hunt reports: “For liability reasons, it is prohibited for customers to use our industrial tape guns.  If you need something taped up, please either purchase a tape dispenser from our retail wall or just ask us to tape it up for you.  We’re always glad to help.”

In his e-newsletter,Todd (who’s been described as “funnier than a business speaker, more informative than a comedian’) uses this UPS sign to teach his readers a couple of lessons all of us business blog content writers can use:

• “They (UPS) offer a great service, but they’ve buried it in the body text!”  Come right out with your message (I call this   the “pow’ opening line). “Need your package taped? Just ask!” is the starting statement Hunt would’ve put on that sign.

Be purposeful about your opening lines, leaving no doubt in searchers’ minds that they’ve come to the right place to find the information, products, and services they need.

• Todd Hunt suggests deleting the sentence about the liability – too negative. Just stash the tape guns behind the counter out of sight, he recommends, if there have been so many problems with customers using them! Emphasize the positive.

In business blogging I advise taking the high road in marketing strategy. In other words, don’t put down your competition.  Instead, simply emphasize your own expertise, products and services. “Accentuate the positive and latch on to the affirmative,” as Bing Crosby used to croon.

• Offer your customers different options, Hunt suggests. We’re happy to tape your package closed for you at no charge.  If you prefer to do it yourself, we have tape dispensers for sale on our retail wall.

Communicate the fact that you and your staff have the experience, the information, the products, and the latest technology to solve problems and meet needs, yet offer choices of action to help readers feel they are in control.

Better business blog posts accentuate the positive!