mike barzacchini communication

Bring Your Business Blog Back to Life

Is business blogging dead? Not likely. But your own blog may be on life support if you aren't keeping content fresh and relevant. Here are some tips to keep your blog off of the endangered list...

Do you blog local?

Blogs now clog the World Wide Web. According to Wikipedia, "In May 2007, blog search engine Technorati was tracking more than 71 million blogs." Chances are your neighbor blogs, your coworker blogs and even your dog probably blogs.

So why should you consider starting a blog for your small business or local non-profit organization?

Because targeted tightly and written well, a blog can provide a strategic and effective way for you to dialogue with your customers (call it a "dia-blog"), while building awareness of and interest in your product or services.

Here's the other reason for starting your local blog: While it can be a complex endeavor to keep your Web site stocked with fresh content, there are a variety of easy-to-use blog publishing tools available, many at a low or no cost.

If you already have a Web site, your regularly updated blog can give your Web visitors a reason to keep coming back. And if you've been too busy to get on the Web, a blog provides an easy, low-cost entry to the Internet for your business.

Here are three keys to success for your local blog:

1. Choose a narrow topic. Don't blog about anything and everything. If you own a fine-dining restaurant, you may choose to publish a "chef's blog," allowing your customers an exclusive peek into your secret kitchen. Or your wine steward may blog about new and intriguing additions to your list or your latest wine pairings.
2. Blog about something your customers care about. Your high school academy may publish a blog with regular tips on preparing parents to work with their students on making the best college decision or providing practical tips to help them apply for financial aid and scholarships.
3. Update your content regularly. While no one expects you to blog every day -- hey you have a business to run, after all -- you should plan to update your blog two to three times each week. You may even want to let your audience know when to expect fresh content, for example, "This blog is updated every Tuesday and Thursday." Even twice-weekly updates can take time and attention. You may want to enlist someone in your organization to help you keep your blog content fresh, or work with a service like mine.

So don't think about starting a blog to reach the wide world of the Web. Instead, blog local to reach your best customers and more like them.

Stay tuned for more information about developing your friendly neighborhood blog, including how to make sure people read what you blog.  In the meantime, contact me if I can help you get your blog launched or assist you with any other communication projects.

Test your offer: Three fundamentals

1. Keep it simple. Your customers should be able to tell in one quick read how the offer will benefit them. Before you drop that first piece of mail, read your offer and ask others to read it too. Is the benefit clear? If not, rewrite your offer before you launch your campaign.

2. Set an expiration date to create a sense of urgency. Even your best customers procrastinate. Prompt them by clearly stating when your offer will expire. "One week only," or "Offer expires July 15." are examples of expiration statements.

One client clearly stated on his post card invitation to a sales event that the first 200 people to attend would receive a free clock-calculator. He combined a benefit with an expiration date and attracted more than 350 people to his event in the first hour!

Or, combine your expiration notice with a price benefit to have a big-time sales impact. For example, "Buy before December 1 and save $45!"

3. Track and measure. If you go to market with multiple offers and want to test what works best, be sure to include a unique tracking code, response phone number or e-mail for each offer.

Typically, try to test no more than three different offers at one time so that you can get a true idea of what works best. And remember, the market changes quickly. What tested well today may be a dud tomorrow. Make testing a part of your ongoing direct marketing plan.

Conduct a grassroots direct mail audit

Small business owners or nonprofit marketers will often complain that they don't have the time or funding to conduct market research. But there are some small, practical steps you can take to help you learn volumes about your marketing and your competitors' efforts.

For example: Follow these four steps to conduct a grassroots direct mail audit.

1. Recruit a dozen volunteers from throughout your service area. These could be friends, neighbors, your best customers or even prospects you hope to serve in the future.
2. Ask them to keep three shoe boxes or similar-sized containers by their door.
3. In one box, ask them to keep direct mail they receive from your business. In the second, ask them to collect direct mail from your competitors. In the final box, ask them to keep direct mail that they like--for whatever reason, color, size, shape, message.
4. Check in with your direct marketing volunteer team members every two to three months to evaluate what they've received. You may also want to invite your volunteers to a breakfast or lunch meeting as an incentive or reward. This also gives you the opportunity to see their collection of samples and hear their thoughts about what they've received.

This low-cost, high-impact exercise can help you evaluate your message in the marketplace, its competition and what type of direct media just might be cutting through the clutter.

When was the last time a postcard moved you to act?

"I need to send a postcard."

Clients often start a conversation with this statement.

It might be a postcard, a brochure, a calendar, or a letter. The key point is they feel the need to mail something.

But look what's missing from this request:

• Mail what? Do you have a relevant offer worth the attention of your audience and the time and money of a direct mail campaign?
• To whom? Who's your target? What's their level of interest in your offer?
• What's your goal? What do you hope will happen after your mailing is received?
• What tactics will support your direct mail effort? Or what campaign will your direct mail tactics support? Relying on direct mail alone is often like killing many trees in an empty forest. But it can be an effective part of a campaign that includes radio advertising, PR, e-mail, event marketing or personal follow up.
• How will you know if you've succeeded? Do you have procedures in place to track or measure your efforts and gauge ROI?

Instead of immediately scratching their itch to send mail or frustrating them with the full series of questions listed above, I'll often ask one simple question:

"When was the last time a postcard moved you to action?"

This can often be a real conversation stopper. But here's the point: Consider how much direct mail you toss, ignore or don't even realize you receive in the course of a month. Is there an exception to this mess? What distinguishes the one bright and shining postcard from the rest of the muck?

Chances are it's:

• a great offer
• for a product or service you want or need
• that hits you at the right time
• in a unique way
• that's clear and easy to act on

So you need to mail a postcard?

Before you lick that first stamp, consider how your direct mail will move your audience to act?