Timelines in the Say It For You Magazine Challenge

For my third pick out of the People Magazine Style and Beauty Extra, I chose “10 Beauty Breakthroughs from Cosmetics Historian Gabriela Hernandez”, because that article reminded me of the important place “history” has in blog content writing for business. (Since business blogging demands consistency and frequency, every so often I offer a “magazine challenge” to myself and to other writers to scan some popular magazine in order to be reminded of new ways to present familiar information to readers.)

I like the way “Beauty Breakthoughs” is organized by date, beginning with 1915 and going up to 2011. I think using a timeline format every so often in one of your business blog posts would be helpful in several ways:

• Helping readers navigate through and digest your material. (In 1915, we learn, rouge was first packages in a sliding metal tube, paving the way for lipstick.  From our blog writing point of view, this would be a good spot to insert tips and information about current product offerings.)
   
• Sharing stories of struggle. History-of-our-company background stories have a humanizing effect, engaging readers and creating feelings of empathy and admiration for the business owners or professional practitioners who overcame adversity.
   
• Calling attention to the modern solutions that grew out of those past attempts. (In 1965, we’re informed, Flori Roberts offered the first full range of makeup for black women.)

I’ve said it before, and it’s worth repeating: people relate to stories about people, more than to facts and statistics, and particularly more than to sales pitches..  As a business blogging trainer, I realize that's one lesson we bloggers all need to tape to our computer screens: Let the history of your industry and the history of your own business do the selling. A timeline is one way to let your company history “say it for you”!.