Small business owners are routinely encouraged to follow the advice of marketing folks like me about growing your business. Using blogs, etc. Of course, SMBI (Small Company, Big Image!) and its cohorts live and breathe this stuff. I mean, why to blog (my previous cases are made here and here) and other new media (so called social networking) tools.
You would think we would just let you get on with running your small company—a mammoth job in and of itself. But then there is that pesky problem of finding prospects and customers. And having conversations with them about solving problems and improving their lives and businesses. But I digress.
So, just when I have admonished you one more time, enter Bari Lee! Bari was one of the many insightful people, speakers and experts we met at the hugely successful Blogworld Expo recently. Bari is the voice of SEI design group blog. SEI is an architecture, planning and consulting group and Bari is one of the founders of the group based in Rochester (burr), Albany and Syracuse NY. SCBI has actually been to Rochester and it is a lovely city with charming people.
Small business owners can learn many things from SEI design group blog award-winning blog. Here are just a few blogging practices SEI design group has perfected. SEI design group, the blog:
- Makes frequent—usually 5 to 6 posts per week
- Covers a variety of topics, in addition to key industry events in the region and elsewhere
- Mixes the personal fun posts along with business updates—here is an “Unusual Things Contest” Post (items found at their clients’ sites)
- Congratulates regional organizations on decisions made in SEI’s industry
- Shares helpful consumer tips, here
- Uses photos often—and does a bang-up job of placing them in small thumbnails (Note to self:learn this technique)
- Shares key tools with other business bloggers, such as Podcast.com
Clearly, I am a huge fan of SEI blog. Brief, extremely well written posts. Lots of eye candy photos. Easily scannable to let me quickly see what’s new and what I want to read. Tons of interesting books to browse in the sidebars.
The most important accomplishment of SEI blog is: potential clients can get a good indication and authentic view of who SEI design group is from the blog. Based on the wide-ranging blog posts, you can tell something about its culture, interests (a School Foundation they support in Syracuse) and capabilities.
Soon, I will conduct an interview and persuade SEI blog to share its business blogging secrets.
I agree. Blogging has become an extremely useful and important medium of communication. We launched a mortgage portal, http://www.myepricer.com , a web based service designed to streamline the loan process by simply reducing the required hours it takes a Loan Officer to “shop” a loan and for an wholesale Account Executive to find more business.
Given the current market conditions where mortgage banks are closing their doors on a daily basis, blogs have become increasingly important for mortgage professional to find out which lenders are still out there. Myepricer.com was created with that in mind.
If loan officers and mortgage brokers are not sure which lender can fund their loans or if they would like to comparison shop, they go to MyEpricer.com. With one quick Loan Scenario submission, they can comparison shop rates and rebates among a large pool of lenders within minutes. We connect loan officers and brokers with mortgage banks.
MyEpricer.com is a unique tool that simply reduces the number of hours it takes a Loan Officer to “shop” a loan and for an Account Executive to find more business. In addition, it introduces mortgage brokers with new lenders. Account Executives and Lenders benefit from connectivity and exposure to a large number of loan officers and Brokers located nationwide.
We are trying blogging to get the word out. The results have been great. Furthermore, its helping the lenders and brokers who are usually small business owners, survive this rough business environment.
http://www.myepricer.com
I have been trying to decide if a blog would be useful for my office furniture business. I not sure I can dedicate the resources to create a daily dose of content for such a business. Any thoughts on how to use a blog for my business would be appreiated.
Thanks for your thoughts, Deb. And big kudos to you for using blogs to get the word out! You may be finding that the blog route is not fast nor easy–but I am so glad you are getting great results. Also thanks for sharing how blogging is not only helping you get the word out about myepricer.com, but how it’s helping the small business lenders and brokers during your industry’s rough time.
I sent your link to my stepson who runs a netbranch. He will check it out. Have you thought about hosting a private online forum for your lenders and brokers to share ideas, tips and challenges? Could be another way to boost your brand and get Myepricer more known. BTW: what is your blog address?
Best of luck!
–Cynthia
Mira,
I think a blog would be excellent for your business. Given that you seem to sell over the phone, a blog will put a human face and communicate your firm’s culture and personality to prospects. A blog will set you apart from competitors.
I would start by asking your most loyal customers about the kinds of topics they would like to read about–what’s missing for them? It might be holding effective meetings, recruiting and retaining employees–topics not only about selecting the best office furniture. Work to develop a blog that will spread the word about your business. You could invite well-known experts in each field to guest blog for you. Just make sure the content is conversational. Also, invite some of your customer service reps that are good writers, to share funny things that happen with customer service–or how you have helped them solve problems. Just keep the blog topical and focused on your prospects and customers.
Thanks for your question. Let me know how you progress.
–Cynthia
In addition to all the positives with clients and potential clients, we have found that the blog is a great way for employees to check us out and get a feel for our culture. It is referenced by candidates in most of our interviews.