Blogs create a face to your business that your customers can identify with and participate along. It has become a valuable part of today’s consumer-generated media, giving consumers a platform to engage actively and participate in dialogs with key personnel within a company.
Companies like General Motors, IBM, Boeing, and Microsoft have set up blogs to market their services or products because it is such a cost-effective way of communicating quickly with their prospects and customers. By providing a blog for their customers to talk about their product, a company can easily find out what their customers really want and tailor their products accordingly. The open-dialog between company and customer has dramatically cut costs and boosted revenue because companies are getting first-hand research information for next-to-nothing! It is the perfect instant feedback mechanism.
The ease in publishing a blog makes it a perfect marketing vehicle for any type of business. Whether you work from home or are the CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation, blogs will make an ideal addition to your marketing strategy.
Setting up a blog can take as little as five minutes (and that’s if you’re unsure of what you’re doing) and you are ready to publish your content. It is that easy. If you can send an e-mail, you are more than ready to start blogging. The real beauty of blogs lies in its simplicity. It negates the tedious process of learning HTML, Web design or coding, otherwise needed to operate a functional website. You can update a blog via any Internet connection, even updating it using a cell phone.
Use the blog to:
→ Provide value-added content
→ Build a relationship with your readers
→ Establish trust with your customers while gaining credibility
→ Create awareness about your product offerings
→ Test ideas and research your market by getting your readers and customers to participate in discussions
If you discover that you enjoy blogging, then take the next step and try the 30-Day Blogging Challenge.