Dude, Blog Your Business!

I recently attended an interesting webinar by an Internet Consulting company which, for obvious reasons, has to remain nameless. I was sent an invitation by someone who knew I’d find it interesting, and the title “Get Clients at YOUR Doorstep”, was certainly intriguing. What business owner doesn’t want more clients at their doorstep?

The presentation I watched was well done, despite a slightly misleading title. There was no information on how to get clients to your doorstep, but was instead focused on the services they offer. All the fundamentals were covered, touching on the critical buzz words we hear so often, and could stand to do more about. There was discussion on the importance of Search Engine Optimization and Social Media Marketing as components in an effective online marketing strategy, and otherwise created a compelling case for quality design and content, even backing it up with specific examples. I liked the presentation so well that I made a mental note to put together one like it.

Early into the presentation, some company background information was given, and when the number of offices and employees was announced, I was impressed. Astounded, really. 1500 offices? For an internet business? That’s just is not practical. Then it occurred to me….Biz Opp!

I try not to be too cynical, but having seen a number of  “Internet Consultants” in my day, who had no business using the term, I am naturally wary, and as a media professional for the last 10 years, it is a part of my job to be aware of the Psychology in advertising. My inclination is to look beneath the surface, to see what strings inside us all are chosen for pulling, yet, as I could see it, this tidy presentation only had one agenda; to present to company as reputable and effective. Mission accomplished. So why the nagging suspicion of Biz Opp?

I had to dig deeper to find what I was looking for. A bit of research showed that, as well as Internet Consulting, this company is in the business of recruiting franchisees. Suddenly I understood how they could have so many “offices”.  The bottom line is that each and every company out there is trying to make money. There are many ways by which to accomplish this goal, and who would I be to fault anyone for practicing legal, ethical commerce? Franchising is a great idea for many types of businesses, but I found this discovery a big disappointment. Jasper and I care about what we do, and we strive to do it well. To see our services packaged for a “No Experience Necessary” franchisee stings, but to discover yet another company that recruits people to recruit people…well that’s just disheartening.

Call me naive. Call me idealistic. I’m here because I believe in simplicity, and the purity of things. Paying more for a service, only assures that all the unnecessary layers of middlemen are getting their cut. Paying a novice only assures that decisions are being made for you by a distant third party. At Dude, Blog Your Business, we have no middlemen, we have no franchising, we have no “Biz Opp”, nor do we have 1500 offices. Should we ever claim to, do yourself a favor…Run the other way!

A blog is a critical component to any online marketing strategy, and a cornerstone of Social Media Marketing campaigns. We believe in the power of the blog so much that we’ve built a business around it, but as a writer myself, it is important that I discuss, not only the business advantages of blogging, but also recognize the importance of the blog as a journalist’s tool.

One of the fundamentals that we frequently discuss with our clients and with people interested in becoming bloggers, is the necessity of authenticity and approachability.  Our new client, Tom Lindmark, is a prolific writer, and his blog But Then What is a great case study, in that it demonstrates both concepts well.

What may seem like common sense for some, is not necessarily so for others, especially if you are new to blogging, or to writing in general.  For starters, we advise that you write about subjects which you have an interest in, and opinions on.  Why?   Because blogging is a medium which demands authenticity.  If your blog lacks the means to spark an interest, provoke a thought, start a discussion, be informative, or share some knowledge, you have to ask yourself what you’re doing it for.

While I know next to nothing about Tom’s topics of focus (finance, economics, banking) it is apparent that these are subjects which interest him a great deal, and after looking over a few of his posts, I have taken enough of an interest to read more.  As the not-so-business-minded half of the DBYB duo, the content of Tom’s posts is not likely to resonate with a guy like me; so why do I find myself reading them?  You can’t fake the authenticity!   It is good material, written from the perspective of an informed, approachable, individual. I take in what he says, and it stimulates the parts of my mind which rarely see the light of day.  I emphasized the word ‘approachable’ because it leads into my next point.

Blogging is seen as a somewhat informal medium.  People tend to write blog posts in their own voices, and the anonymity of the WWW often empowers people to speak freely when they otherwise might not.  You don’t have to be an English major to be a good writer in this medium, and there is no such thing as right or wrong.  The point is engaging a reader. Good bloggers are authentic because they care about their topics, and they approachable because they write in their own voice.

Tom has even gone as far incorporating a third-party comments plug-in to encourage a better dialogue with his readers. Check it out, and let him know what you think.