The same conversation takes place. The same question asked each and every time.
The Scene: A small business owner and myself, sitting at a table or desk in their place of work. I am telling them how important blogging is. They just can’t get over the word itself. Blogging. Sounds so childish, so foolish. As if teenagers had performed a sit-in at Merriam-Webster and decided to play a giant prank on our language. Blog. Blawg. Blawg. Yech!
They: Why should I blog? What am I going to blog about? How do I even do it? Is it hard?
Me: You should blog because your current and future customers are reading blogs. They want to hear about you, about your business, about the going’s on here. They want to know who you are. They want to know if they should spend their money with you, tell their friends about you, evangelize on your behalf. They want you to give them a reason to patronize your business.
Me: What are you going to blog about? Anything you want! What do you love? What music do you listen to? What books are you reading? What motivates you? Where are you from? Where did you learn to do what you do? What is great about what you do, what no so great? What are your problems, your concerns?
They: Should I blog about my services, my products, my food?
Me: No! Blog about anything else. Tell your story, who are you, what motivates you? Just be honest and authentic, don’t try to make it sound professional, give them that human voice, warts and all. Let’s see the person behind the business. Blog about anything BUT your services. At least for awhile.
They: Sounds risky.
Me: It is risky!
They: Get out
Me: err. OK! good luck
They: Wait….
Me: err, yes?
They: Tell me more…
Me: (Cheshire grin)
Image Source: teamstickergiant on Flickr
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Zachary
Thank you thank you for this post!
Having just finished doing a presentation to a direct farm marketing group about exactly the same issue I know what you mean by the reaction, but judging by the questions afterwards people can see the value.
For me, as a writer, the issue usually comes down to convincing people that they have stories to tell – that they ARE the story!
Hope you won’t mind me sharing this post with my next audience.
Regards
Angela Lovell.
Angela Lovell´s last blog ..War is not a video game.
Angela
Thanks for stopping by. Absolutely feel free to share with your audience. People are beginning to see the value. It is happening slowly but surely, which i suppose is a good thing. Would love to know more about your presentation and what you have in mind for the group.
Z