Archive for category: the Say It For You blog

The other day I read something really thought-provoking about how email, social media, and blogging relate to each other when it comes to attracting business. Regular readers of this Say It For You blog will recall that I advise business bloggers to read ten articles or other blogs for every blog post they write, and I try to follow my own advice on that score. Chad Richards, Social Program Manager at Firebelly Marketing obviously follows that advice as well, because he shared a comment he’d read during the past week by social media maven CT Moore.

Moore had made the point that "search isn’t great for creating awareness of something that people don’t know exist.  With search, users have to request it." Social media, then, Moore went on to explain, is better for creating the initial awareness.  Once that awareness is raised, he says, search is good for reaching users who are already aware, but who want to learn more and become more engaged.

After sharing Moore’s observations, Chad Richards ended by reassuring his own readers that he wasn’t bashing email, only sharing his own observation that email works best when it is integrated with social media.

Blogging for business, of course, is part of "search", which means being introduced to strangers (you don’t know their name; they don’t know yours) because the solution you describe in your blog appears to be a good match for the needs those online searchers expressed. As Chris Baggott, CEO of Compendium Blogware notes, "The Internet has now surpassed the print yellow pages and newspapers as the primary local resource for consumers looking for products and services."

Since, as a professional ghost blogger and business blogging trainer, I become part of each client” marketing team, I like to describe blogging, social media, and email as the "Three Musketeers" of the business’ online marketing.  Blogging is the hub, as Baggott puts it, because that’s where you’re adding fresh content about your business, using the keyword phrases that lubricate the search process.  

Moore was right about searchers having to want what you sell, what you do, and what you know in order to be directed to your blog site. However, when you think about it, the same holds true for Twitter and other social media (you receive social media "awareness alerts" based on whom you’ve chosen to befriend and on which groups you’ve chosen to join). To me, then, marketing often begins with someone finding your blog. (Their awareness might have been created through a Tweet or LinkedIn or Facebook "lead", or they might have simply keyed a description of their need into a search engine.) Later, once a client relationship has been established, email (again, along with social media) is going to be useful for staying in touch.

Remember the motto of the Three Musketeers,Athos, Porthos, and Aramis? "All for one and one for all".  With the Three Musketeers of online marketing – blogging, social media, and email – it works the same way!

For the article "Tips From The Inside", Inc. Magazine interviewed the purchasing agents of several mega-corporations, asking how each preferred to be sold to by suppliers and vendors.  I was fascinated by the answers, realizing that every one of those tips should be helpful for business bloggers in converting online searchers to customers and clients.

Three of the agents stressed the importance of vendors gaining an understanding the needs of their companies before making the "pitch":

From Valero Energy:
"It adds some credibility when you’ve invested time researching Valero and learning what role you might play in it."

From Intuit:
"Show you understand what our pain points are and then try to address those."

From Coca-Cola:
"The first time we hear from you should not be at bid time.  ..Come in, spend the time with us…"

Researching and understanding your target market is one of the ABC’s of all selling, and blogging to a target market is crucial to success in engaging readers.  Read, read, read is my best advice as a professional blogger and business blogging trainer. From local business newspapers to your competitors’ blog posts – it all helps hone your own message.

From Dell:
"We always tell people that, if they want to compete, they need to support customers regardless of geographic location."

One observation that I read in a white paper from Compendium Blogware really stuck in my mind. CEO Chris Baggott explained that, at the end of the day, all search is local.  In other words, each customer needs to find value "where they are" (both geographically and in terms of their unique needs). From an SEO standpoint, one tip Baggott offers bloggers is to, whenever possible, mention locations in page titles. "Location is one of the most important signals your blog provides to a "crawler", he explains.

From Northrup Grumman:
"Be as specific as possible when describing what you can do for us.  Don’t be shy.  If you have a capability, highlight that capability."

One concern business owners express to me is they don’t want to come across as boastful or self-serving in their blog. At the same time, it’s crucial for the blog posts to outline compelling reasons for prospects to work with them rather than with the competition. Being very specific and highlighting your unique capabilities (whether in the realm of above-and-beyond service, the product itself, experience, or specialized expertise) – being specific is a way to let the facts do the boasting!