Set Your Small Business Apart from Your Competition

A “blog” is a website (or section of a website) that makes it easy to post new articles.  It can also be syndicated to post to Facebook or a news reader.  A blog should be an easily visible part of any company’s website.

Here are 10 things you can do to make that blog a valuable resource to clients and potential customers.

1. Post regularly

Use the Walking Maverick Marketing Calendar Excel sheet  to schedule articles around the “seasons” of your business.  Publicly commit to your posting schedule.

2. Teach people

If you intent to be come a credible expert in your field you can use your blog to educate people.   Remember: Teach not pitch.

3. Use your team

Creating great content (articles, videos, white papers, etc.) is such an important part of a good online marketing strategy.  Enlist the help of your team to keep the new website material regular and effective.

4. Write great headlines

Research the keywords that people use in Google to search for businesses like yours.   Use those words in short, snappy headlines to draw people in. (Walking Maverick Consulting clients receive a list of important keywords as part of their EVO [Evaluating your Vision Online] assessment).

5. Make it worth sharing

People will share your blog with their network if you make something that is useful and easy to understand.  Video or visual blog posts that are creative or funny get passed around from friend to friend on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.

6. Make it easy to share

Add buttons to your website that encourage people to share your content on the websites Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Stumbleupon, Digg and Delicious.

7. Show off your staff

The people within your organization will all be experts at something.  Have them write, make podcasts or shoot videos about their passions.   Reward your employees for their volunteerism in the community by showing some pictures of their volunteer projects.

8. Show off your clients

Some of the best currency in online marketing is sharing.   Use your blog to highlight a cool product or neat program at one of your clients’ businesses.

9. Use lots of video

Keep them short and do them often.   Many more people will watch a video than will read your big block of text.  Video is a great vehicle to be a teacher to your potential clients.

10. Be human

Remember: As Duct Tape Marketing guy, John Jantsch always says – marketing is a process of getting people with a need to know, like and trust you.  A blog is the perfect vehicle to show that your organization is like Soylent Green: made of people.  Tell your stories.

Do You Need a Hand with Your Social Media or Blogging Strategy?

Hire A Walking Maverick Consultant.