Chris Brogan had some great ideas about using the innate abilities of the blog:

- use the comments for lead generation – get involved & respond (we are in a time of permission marketing)

- establish yourself as a thought leader – and help others

- write for your customers – be them, not you; what’s in it for them?

- SEO – use many links to encourage others to link; and use keywords that others would search for

- potential for affiliate marketing – $12 billion industry

Jeremy Wright of B5 media

- think less, plan less, do less stupid things – be consistent

Rob McNealy said that he’s low tech but has had success with small business online:

- convert your business to an online model

- the reason that most businesses fail is because people don’t consider if there’s a market for their product

- it’s hard work -some work full time jobs & blog so they end up spending 80-90 hrs per week working

The most outstanding question was a young man who is moving to Whistler, BC. He wants to create hyper local blog. His question was – will it succeed because he doesn’t want to invest the time if it won’t. The panel’s response was that it’s like any entrepreneurial effort. It will take hard work to make it succeed.

What questions do you have about taking a business online?

1. Create a blog account with Blogger or WordPress.

2. Create 3 posts to start.

a) Why I started this blog

b) About you or your organization

c) Something informative and useful to your audience

3. Register your blog with Technorati and mybloglog.

4. Register your blog at twitterfeed.

5. Post a short video related to your core topic at YouTube or Viddler and embed it into your blog.

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Danielle has a great start on her blog, Reconnecting the Circle with Native Americans. That is the first hurdle. Deciding on your focus & setting up the blog can seem daunting. The next step is to start writing.

My prediction is that all of your great ideas will disappear & you’ll experience writer’s block. Or you’ll experience an intense fear of sharing your thoughts with the world. I wrote a post awhile ago about overcoming your fear of blogging.

Here are some ideas to get you writing:

1. Write about what’s on your mind.

2. Just write & let it flow. When you’re done do a light edit. It doesn’t have to be perfect (that’s the point of a blog & it’s tone will be casual).

3. Start a notebook on ideas for your blog. This will help when you can’t think of a thing, then you can refer back to it.

4. Talk with friends & ask what they’d like to read about. Ask on your blog.

5. Do a series – share how to do something that you have an expertise in

6. Have a goal of writing 3 posts per week. Create an editorial calendar if that helps.

7. Establish a routine so that you post something on a certain day every week. For example every Tuesday you could offer tips. Your readers will come to appreciate that & look forward to that day of the week on your blog

Other ideas for your new blog:

1. Close posts with a question. Ask readers what they think? They may not answer, but it’s definitely more interactive.

2. Write in a conversational tone that invites your readers to feel as if they’re a part of the conversation.

3. Respond to each comment personally. I send mine an email & post a response on my blog. Many times this will open a conversation. It’s a great way to get to know your readers better.

Congratulations, if you’ve started a new blog! And if you are an experienced blogger what ideas do you have for those just getting started?

Before you make your web site live you should fill it with content to make the site inviting and your purpose apparent. Every visitor is a potential customer. As you work on this ask friends to review your content.

Variety of formats

Content can be in a variety of formats. In addition to text articles, you can add images, videos & podcasts (audio recordings) and even polls. Adding white papers or e-books for customers to download provides value to those visiting. It serves as a sample of your work.

Images, videos & podcasts make your content more interesting. Don’t be afraid to explore them. As you find what works for your niche you’ll get comfortable with what is most effective for connecting with your customers.

Make it easy to share

When you create materials for your site consider where they can be put so that they can easily be shared. For example videos can be hosted on YouTube, images on Flickr, etc. When these materials are found they can ‘grow legs’ & be used on other sites which further promotes your products or resources. YouTube offers 13 ways to share videos.

Add fresh content on a regular basis

When you create a web site consider adding a blog. This is the easiest way to add new content. If you post an article 3 times a week or so it will greatly improve your SEO as well as provide your customers a reason to return frequently to your web site. Make sure that you make it easy for your readers to sign up by email or RSS. This will ensure that they’re aware as you add new information.

Make it interactive

Your customers will want to participate. Everyone is getting involved in social networks & they expect that on web sites too. If you have a blog make sure that comments are enabled. Offering your customers the opportunity to vote for articles that they find helpful & leave comments on them. If you have frequently asked questions provide a list of the most frequently read ones. If you have a product consider creating product forums for your customers to share ideas. If you’d prefer to use an outside service take a look at GetSatisfaction.com. It’s free. Your customers can ask questions, report problems & share ideas.

Content is more than just providing information. If you want to create an effective business online it will take more than just a static web site. People online now expect to have an experience & interact with potential purchases. Be creative & utilize the many methods of providing interesting, interactive content for your customers.

Comfortable with technology for business and marketing use, Pat decided that creating a “Hiban Tells the Truth” blog would be a timely idea where he could self-publish his perspective and market conditions to a local audience. So he called me. Actually, a new Facebook user himself, he sent me a message via FB and asked for a meeting.

In my assessment, Pat is an excellent candidate for becoming a blogger. Here’s why I think this.

He has been journaling daily for over 15 years and is accustomed to writing regularly and in a personal tone
He wants to be open and transparent about the market.
He already has a functional company website.
He has a support team for admin, tech and marketing
He has an aptitude with technology and new media. (He’s already using YouTube for some fun marketing.)
He’s committed, focused and goal-oriented.

These words are not just fluff, not just PR stuff. I’ve done blog projects for clients that have flopped because my clients didn’t share the attributes and inclinations Pat has. And I didn’t know enough back then to steer them away from doing a blog. But that’s another story for another day.

Anyhoo. I felt I could help Pat and that creating a blog was a smart next action for him. Typically, I offer an hour of social media coaching for $250, and my clients can select either 1) 30 minutes of coaching plus a wrap-up document articulating suggested next actions or 2) an hour-long conversation where they are responsible for taking their own notes. Pat opted for the 30-minute session and patched in his assistant, Rosie, to be on the call. They both agreed to let me record and post the conversation, which is offered here.

The recorded conversation.(approx. 34 minutes).
Listen to the recording here. FYI: As we’re talking, Pat and Rosie are looking a local blog I write called Hometown Columbia. There’s a point when I’m talking about the pages vs. posts, it’s a bit confusing because one of my “pages” is called “Comments.” And I inaccurately call the pages, “categories.” Unscripted, live text. It is what it is
Sequential action recommendations.
This doc articulates my recommended next actions for Pat to take to get his blog launched.
Hey, thanks to everyone — individuals and businesses — whose openness and forward-thinking is allowing this information to be made available, free, to others.
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Jessie Newburn is a social media coach, generational consultant, speaker, hula hooper and Iconic GenXer living in Columbia, Md.