Blogging like it's 2003, or for 2010 recovery
30 September 2009 17:33
So, I have to send off an invoice today, have correspondence to respond to, filing and other housework and and an apparent infinite number of tasks (103 according to THL) in running my business, yet, according to Julie Hall who this morning enthusiastically presented a workshop I attended for small business on Business Blogging, I should be updating my blog/website at least one to three times a week.
Sheesh!
At the event, hosted by Merton Chamber of Commerce, Julie did a fine job in presenting the benefits to a cross section of local businesses in Wimbledon, who at least think thy should be blogging and want to know more. A tough task considering the diversity of expertise and business types.
According to Julie, small businesses should blog at least one to three times per week to:
Or, maybe more so in a depression when other businesses maybe cutting down on promotion, and the cost advantages of the web over other means weighs even more favour of blogging (dread word). Thinking about it, last week I attended a drink product launch where the PR entirely revolved around giving away lots of drink and other freebies to hundreds of self-selected people with an eye for... freebies!
I'd hope the nuggets Julie has passed on maybe of longer term value, and only slightly less intoxicating. Er, note to self, take this foray back on the blogging saddle easy now...
OK - my point is it pays to be smart with budgets and blogging must be a cost-effective tool, and more thoughtful. My personal feeling from talking with other attendees is that sometimes it takes something of a cultural shift to implement, and maybe could be better started not by bolting it on but using it as part of an existing workflow. Julie suggested an easy way in could be by signing up as an anonymous blogger to get the writing bug, advice I'm not so sure about, but she's a writer so one can see her keenness in encouraging a softer launch for those out of practice with the written word.
There were plenty of other business owners and employees in attendance keen to implement blogs or know more - some perhaps feeling overwhelmed by the jargon and culture shift involved. But I found it was refreshing to re-think something I'm so interested in, and spent so many hours getting immersed in and become knowledgeable about, now becoming more mainstream.
Let's hope so since Julie's advice, although perhaps only partially suited to some is well worth paying attention to for businesses and brands to promote themselves profitably. But then as a promoter Julie looks like she has the ability to effectively communicate her enthusiasm for whatever she is enthused about. Strangely, however, Julie hasn’t linked to her blog from her business website ;-)
So, I feel renewed with some fresh arguments for promoting blogging as a tool for small business, and have hopefully renewed the habit myself
Hey, I've got plenty to write about and promote.... I'm due to have an article published tomorrow, I'm off the Spain at the end of the week to visit the Nou Camp, Lloret de Mar and photograph the Challenge in Calella, plus the art and other meterials I’m selling to raise funds for Nightingale House Trust. Perhaps of more important and long term interest I should mention Peter Winters of Haddock Research has started a blog on Global warming issues.
Yes, that wasn’t so hard...
Julie did a great job in dusting off my jadedness and encouraged me to think of ideas to promote my business. This space could do with a springclean, so with Julie from Springmedia's help hopefully I'll post here more often from now onwards.
Sheesh!
At the event, hosted by Merton Chamber of Commerce, Julie did a fine job in presenting the benefits to a cross section of local businesses in Wimbledon, who at least think thy should be blogging and want to know more. A tough task considering the diversity of expertise and business types.
According to Julie, small businesses should blog at least one to three times per week to:
- Become the expert in your field
- Build your personal Brand
- Become the thought leader
- Create conversations
- Provide fresh content
- Build presence online
- Keep people coming back
- Lead the pack
- Enhance search engine optimisation
Or, maybe more so in a depression when other businesses maybe cutting down on promotion, and the cost advantages of the web over other means weighs even more favour of blogging (dread word). Thinking about it, last week I attended a drink product launch where the PR entirely revolved around giving away lots of drink and other freebies to hundreds of self-selected people with an eye for... freebies!
I'd hope the nuggets Julie has passed on maybe of longer term value, and only slightly less intoxicating. Er, note to self, take this foray back on the blogging saddle easy now...
OK - my point is it pays to be smart with budgets and blogging must be a cost-effective tool, and more thoughtful. My personal feeling from talking with other attendees is that sometimes it takes something of a cultural shift to implement, and maybe could be better started not by bolting it on but using it as part of an existing workflow. Julie suggested an easy way in could be by signing up as an anonymous blogger to get the writing bug, advice I'm not so sure about, but she's a writer so one can see her keenness in encouraging a softer launch for those out of practice with the written word.
There were plenty of other business owners and employees in attendance keen to implement blogs or know more - some perhaps feeling overwhelmed by the jargon and culture shift involved. But I found it was refreshing to re-think something I'm so interested in, and spent so many hours getting immersed in and become knowledgeable about, now becoming more mainstream.
Let's hope so since Julie's advice, although perhaps only partially suited to some is well worth paying attention to for businesses and brands to promote themselves profitably. But then as a promoter Julie looks like she has the ability to effectively communicate her enthusiasm for whatever she is enthused about. Strangely, however, Julie hasn’t linked to her blog from her business website ;-)
So, I feel renewed with some fresh arguments for promoting blogging as a tool for small business, and have hopefully renewed the habit myself
Hey, I've got plenty to write about and promote.... I'm due to have an article published tomorrow, I'm off the Spain at the end of the week to visit the Nou Camp, Lloret de Mar and photograph the Challenge in Calella, plus the art and other meterials I’m selling to raise funds for Nightingale House Trust. Perhaps of more important and long term interest I should mention Peter Winters of Haddock Research has started a blog on Global warming issues.
Yes, that wasn’t so hard...
Julie did a great job in dusting off my jadedness and encouraged me to think of ideas to promote my business. This space could do with a springclean, so with Julie from Springmedia's help hopefully I'll post here more often from now onwards.
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