What a Blog Can Do for You
It is amazing how quickly time goes by. I can’t believe it has almost been a year since our internal team had a crazy idea to start a blog. Recently I presented to the Orange County American Marketing Association Chapter, “Blogging for Business.” During the presentation I mentioned a number of things that the blog has done for us and I thought I would share our list:
- It helps us keep in touch with industry contacts
- It allows us to reconnect with people from as far back as junior high school!
- We actually recruited one current staff member
- The Blog has led to at least five speaking engagements
- We get lots of suggestions from readers on potential topics
- It has increased company visibility by being mentioned and highlighted on at least twenty other blogs
- We have learned a tremendous amount from people’s opinions and comments
- It brought our internal team a little closer together
- We were requested to promote one of the industry’s most prestigious awards
- Industry contacts have asked to promote open positions
It makes me feel good to get emails or acknowledgement from readers that actually like what we have done and the format in which we have provided.
Mike, Toby what has your blog done for you? What am I leaving out?
To people who are thinking about starting a blog – go for it!
I have been SO surprised at what it has done for us and given a chance you might feel the same way!
September 5th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Merrill - Terrific list of benefits. I’ve found many of the same, although no one from junior high has found me (smile). The biggest surprise, and for me “The Secret” of blogging has been the global relationships that I’ve built that have turned into real friendships and presented business opportunities.
If anyone had told me that I would consider people I met virtually/online among my closest friends I would have thought they were daft. In a business world, especially in the service industry, where relationships are key my relationship reach is critical. Those relationships that I’ve build through and because of blogging are the frame work of an international (including U.S.) network that I would never have been able to develop any other way.
September 6th, 2007 at 6:12 am
First of all, Merrill, I aplaud your ability to post every day. Lately, my writing can be described as sporadic, at best.
I agree with your entire list. Like yourself and Toby, I have met people from around the world through my blog - both from within and outside of the MR industry.
It’s fun to hear from people that agree with the ideas you write about. It’s even more fun to hear from people who disagree!
September 10th, 2007 at 11:27 am
Merrill, you have been an inspiration to me - AGAIN! I’m looking into starting a blog among the chapter leaders for the AMA. I really like the approach you take - not dictatorial, but informational! You get twice as much in return and learn a lot about what affects people in their everyday lives. I like the fact that you cover all aspects of work and personal life - we lose so much if it is all work and no play or few smiles. Thanks - I will let you know when we get it up and running! Thanks!!!
September 10th, 2007 at 11:34 am
Naomi,
That is very nice of you to say. We have a GREAT team in place and learned so much along the way. Please let me know how we can help.
Best of luck!
Merrill
September 10th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Hi Merrill,
I remain so impressed with your magnanimous sharing of information - allowing us all to benefit from your experience and expertise. WOW! Most people guard this kind of thing with caution, paranoia, lack of confidence and all the other elements that contribute to that lack of dissemination of substantive information that might make the competition have an advantage. I was just reading a great article quoting my friend’s dad, Paul Samuelson (the economist) about comparative advantage related to international trade and I think you subscribe to the positive spin on that.
Thanks again for your quick wit and amazing contribution to our industry and to the fabric of our lives.
Miss talking to you…
Rhoda
September 10th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Merrill-
It’s great to read about all these benefits. We’ve been talking about getting a blog going here and based on what you’ve experienced, we need to get cracking! We recently set up partnerships overseas to take our business global, so to read Toby’s comment about how useful his blog has been in facilitating an international network is intriguing and very relevant for our business. Thank you for sharing your insights. Looking forward to seeing you in Vegas!
Cheers, Karen
September 10th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Karen et al - This may sound a bit odd but I would encourage you to also explore Myface - http://www.facebook.com It’s not just for kids any more. In fact, there are several very active groups focused on marketing research which can lead to more global networking. Happy to answer any questions.
September 11th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
I would like to echo the sentiments that Miss Brooks referred to. For those who aren’t aware the term ‘blog’ is short for ‘weblog’. It began initially in an infantile state with blogger.com circa 2000-2001. Now it’s off the chain! Some blogs are indeed informative and helpful, others are downright vindictive and self serving…
I started a website back in 2001. Six years and a few facelifts later I continue to try to keep a fresh perspective on things, usually sports related wth a humorous feel. I did this website to help alleviate being separated from the very thing I enjoyed doing…Radio. The more I opined, the more I blogged. I also got very heavy into photography. The term used these days is ‘photo-journalism’. This will be a labor of love until I die.
My whole life has been a running joke about being good at many things yet still a master of nothing. The mantra that I tell people is ‘Why be a student of everything when you can be a master of nothing?’ The name stuck. Some people blog to inform, or to share. I believe the reason I like to blog is for the hope of getting a better handle on myself in the name of an identity or understanding on the human condition.
I am not web savvy, I am not link heavy or friendly. I understand that linking is the key to making friends and redirecting traffic to other sites and the like. For the moment, Dreamweaver lets me be able to post new thoughts daily and hopefully entertain.
Initially I thought I could blog under the radar in anonymity…Boy was I wrong! The longer I have blogged the longer I realize that without the dynamic of interaction, one merely exists and isn’t living. Being A.D.D and O.C.D. the second challenge is to be able to keep a balance with life away from this computer, and being productive when online.
In radio I was taught that your voice is your fingerprint-never to be duplcated. I discovered a new voice via the blogging process. I will echo Merrill’s sentiment. Jump in! The water is fine. Think of this as ‘Show and Tell’ except that you don’t have to stand in front of a class. Only a screen.
Take care Merrill! Keep the topics coming!
September 12th, 2007 at 6:58 am
Toby,
Good comment - facebook is definitely overlooked.
Merrill