Why You should Blog for Your Small Business

Own your local business market online by taking action, finding your audience, and unleashing your small business expertise via blogging.

As a small business owner, you understand that to ?keep the lights on,? you need prospects. [Check]

You understand that having a presence online is mandatory for every business (except maybe that nice older lady that makes hand-woven bookmarks out of yarn.) [Check]

You frequent WPMU to stay up to date with the latest WordPress news, plugins, and developments regarding the world?s greatest blog and content management system. [Check +]

You head over to your business blog to begin the day with a new post and? [Crickets]

Hey! When is the last time you posted something new on your blog?

If it?s been a while since you cast your blog line into the proverbial online waters, keep reading to rediscover why you should blog for your small business consistently, plus a few refresher ideas how-to engage your prospects online.

Be sure to comment and follow through to visit other blogging resources for your small business.

Blogging expands circles of influence for small business

The best way to get the most out of your business blog is to take action and responsibility for marketing your product and services online consistently.

Remember that a small business blog allows you to:

• Create your own platform to raise product awareness, and generate leads by becoming the obvious solution to your customer?s problem.
• Curate a collection of photos, videos, and links to online resources that help to speed up your prospect?s decision making process.
• Share information that illustrates a unique selling proposition offered by your company.

?Small Business Blogging Tip 1: Start slow, finish smart daily.

Take it one step at a time, email or call your associate contacts and ask for feedback before posting your next blog post. Ask plenty of questions, and seek friendly advice on what information potential clients may be looking for.

Locate the online audience for your small business

International leadership expert John C. Maxwell is known for saying: ?A leader that has nobody following him, is just someone taking a walk.?

Take a quick peek at your social media efforts? are others following you?

Remember blogging was the first (and still the best) form of social media.

For your business blog to be most effective in reaching prospects, it must nurture a vibrant virtual network of friends, fans, and followers.

• Friends are established relationships that connect with you personally and are interested in your success, and serve an excellent referral base.
• Fans are those whom may share like-minded dreams and are often interested in a common subject. Speak their heart?s language, and they will likely be your future prospects.
• Followers can be 3rd parties who benefit from knowing you online and sharing the knowledge you have provided. These may be similar professionals who serve the same target audience with a complimentary service.

Small Business Blogging Tip 2: Never do harm.

Speak to your customer?s needs first, and often without expectation of a quick return, there are no profitable short-cuts in blogging.

Blogging creates authority for your small business

Everyone loves a winner, and you can be known as the local industry expert when you dominate online search results. Grab the attention of your customer when they need you the most, and a well written small business blog will do just that.

• Search engines share timely and unique blog posts which makes your business ?Google friendly.? This equates to online credibility and garners trust for a future sale.
• Join the conversation, and leave comments on other business blogs. No need to make a sales pitch, if what you say is interesting, others will click through to investigate you.
• Discover your target market, then show them who the local expert is. Opinions run free, yet nobody knows everything. Pick yourself first, be unique, then others will pick you too.

Small Business Blogging Tip 3: Pick up the microphone.

You shape lives every day by delivering your fantastic product and service to the local community. No one knows more about your small business than you. Direct the conversation online, and you will invariably lead your local customer right to your doorstep.

Now that you?ve had a refresher? don?t just sit there! Log in to your WordPress blog, and post an update worthy of gaining your prospects trust and attention. [Check!]

You may also be interested in these additional blog resources for small business owners:

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Source: http://wpmu.org/why-you-should-blog-for-your-small-business/

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