Blog.  Even the word sounds unappealing.  So, why would any self-respecting business want one?  Well, humbug, let's take a look at 5 reasons why NOT to invest time and money into a blog:
1. Not everyone knows what they are. 

2. You already have a website. 

3. You love spendng lot's of money to get more business.

4. Only Teens use Blogs 

5. Ignoring blogs can't hurt you.

 1. Not everyone knows what they are
That's right, and I bet you are glad you didn't waste money investing in that fledgling little company called Microsoft when they went public years ago.  Or, remember back in the 90's when websites were the "new" thing?  Everyone said they were just a phase.  Not really needed.  Pretty amazing that the web has now taken over as the main place people go for travel information.  Putting the Travel Agent Business on the endangered species list.  Kind of like what blog's are starting to do to email or direct mail.  Here's just a small list of companies that have already started blogging:
Apple, General Motors, Google, GreenPeace, Republican National Party, Democratic National Party, CNN, NASA, Microsoft, and about 86,400 other people each day

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Survey:

    * 11% of net users have read blogs or 12 million American adults
    * 2-7% have created blogs (2.4 – 8.4M blogs)
      2005: One new blog created just about every second, every day (86,400 seconds in a day)
    * Blog readership was up 58% in 2004 (27% of all Internet users)
    * 12% of Internet users have posted comments or other material on blogs

2. You already have a website
A website and a blog are actually two completely separate tools.  A website kills conversation.  It says, “here’s the info, take it or leave it”.  A traditional website is rarely updated.  Why?  Because updates are expensive, costly, and take what seems like an entire department (sometimes two) to get done.  Websites involve bureaucracy and are built to "sell".  They are about the company, the "collective".

A blog on the other hand allows discussion and networking.  It puts a face on a company and enables "real time" marketing since you can update and change a blog anytime, anywhere, even by anyone with a correct user name and password.  A blog is about the people behind the company.  Since blog software was built for non-technical people, it's small and streamlined.  As easy as creating or changing a Word document.

One of our clients had a limited budget.  He knew he needed a website but was not quite ready for a WONDER site yet.  We were able to set him up with an inexpensive and flexible website for his current needs and a blog which allowed him to upload before and after pictures of his company's work with a few clicks of a button.  The blog also enabled him to get feedback from his customers without all the extra programming needed on a regular website.  The results: the website ended up being the perfect place to "sell" new customers on his business.  The blog became the place that his regular customers went for new project ideas, ask questions, and handle basic customer service concerns.

To visit our client's website, click here http://www.jtpaints.com
To visit our client's blog, click here http://jtpaints.blogspot.com

3. You love spending lot's of money to get more business.
Some people really like all the attention and perks that come from spending lot's of money to advertise.  Radio and TV stations give away tickets and trips as perks to big advertisers.  Me?  I'd rather keep the money and pay for my own trip.  The money I save, I can re-invest into more intelligent ways (like a blog) to get out and stay out in front of customers and potential customers.  Let's do a comparison shall we?

Blog: spend about $500 tops to have my message broadcast to millions of people 24 hours a day. 7 days a week, 365 days of the year.  Change my message as often as I want without additional design or technical costs.  Get immediate feedback from customers that I can use to generate sales, solve a problem, or just chuckle at.  People can spend as much time as they want on my blog and come back as often as they want.

Radio/TV: spend up to $10,000 (or more) to produce the spot.  Spend about $5,000 minimum to have the spot run in one market for the agreed upon target demographic (usually a few days), that may hit a few thousand potential customers.  If I want to make changes, I need to make another spot.  If I wanted to run in other markets or more than a few days, I might need to take a second mortgage.  Oh yes, and if you miss my 15 or 30 or 60 second spot, too bad for me.  Maybe you'll be around the next time it runs.  If you're not listening to your iPod or Satellite radio.

4. Only teens use blogs and they aren't my customers.
I'd like to introduce you to Bob.  Bob fits in the age range of 30-39 years old.  He's college educated.  Has an Executive role at work.  Makes over $60,000 a year.  Uses the web regularly on the job.  And guess what?  He's not only the number one blog demographic but he also see's a blog as his soap-box and your heaven or hell.

If he loves you he will tell the world through his blog or your's if you have one.  He will sing your praises.  If you've crossed him, he'll let the world know it in spades.  He could ride you out of town on a rail.  If you have a blog you might just be able to tell your side of the story and try to win public opinion back to your favor.  Blog-less?  Bob gains a voice regardless of whether he's right or wrong and you as a business are powerless to do anything about it.

The good new is that there are many more "evangelists" out there than vigilantes.  So, if you can engage then through relevant, informal blog dialog and show them you care/listening, you could have a customer for life.

5. Ignoring blogs can't hurt you.
CBS news and Dan Rather thought they could ignore blogs.  Back in September of 2004, Dan Rather went on live TV and said he backed his story about President Bush.  And if anyone doubted him, too bad.  That kind of thinking cost him his career and put egg on the face of CBS execs.  How?  From bloggers "Rathergate" was born.  Click here to see the full story http://www.rathergate.com/?m=200409

The "Rathergate" scandal involving Dan Rather of CBS news where memos were used on the show 60 Minutes about President Bush.  Within 72 hours bloggers had built a case that the memos were forgeries.  The force of the group made CBS address the situation and make an apology for their bad reporting.  This is viewed as the final acceptance of blogging by the mass media as a news source onto itself.  It showed how blogs could keep the pressure on established news sources.

Then there was the Kryptonite 2000 bike lock.  After just ten days of bloggers Internet chatter the $25 million dollar company posted losses of $10 million dollars when they were forced by bloggers to do a free product exchange.  For more details of the story and to see the video that started the downfall, click here http://www.engadget.com/entry/7796925370303347/

Want to see what the blogosphere is saying about you?  Check out these sources (I guarantee your company is listed, email me if you need help finding where):
http://www.technorati.com/
http://www.blogpulse.com/
http://buzz.yahoo.com/
http://www.feedster.com/
http://www.pubsub.com/
You know what they say, "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em".

If nothing else, remember this about Blog's...

• A blog can give you (no matter what your size) the ability to connect with your audience (customers, employees, media) on a personal level.
• Content is king.  Start with a sincere wish to provide value in terms of engaging content in the form of information, help, discussion, or ideas.
• Blog’s can promote you through PR, search engine rankings (links), and direct traffic.
• The most successful blogs build a blog strategy-who, what, where, when, how.
• Your customers are watching.

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a) Check out our free marketing templates and tools on this site.  There's ton's of them.  You might want to bookmark the site now, you could be here awhile.
b) Have someone do it for you, check here for options http://www.mymarketingguide.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=25

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