Alphablogs

Quality contacts – that’s what we’re after when we network, isn’t it? Contacts are all about communication. So let me tell you a bit about how I see blogging works as a communication and networking tool, one that can help you build and nurture contacts and also help you reinforce your brand.

“You have a blog? How interesting!”

Many Canadian businesses don’t have blogs yet, and the blogs of those who do are often a little underdeveloped. This means that when you do have a good, lively blog, it becomes part of your branding. I’m a writer and therapist, and I’m quite well known in my community as “the blogging psychotherapist.” I have corporate colours, I have a tagline – and I have a blog.

“Let’s link”

When you look at it, the connection is obvious: Linking is networking. And just as in networking, I do my best to make organic yet strategic decisions about who to network with, I do the same with linking. Almost every sentence in a blog has a potential for linking to another site. But let’s be selective – most blog posts are fine showing just one or two links; so let’s be smart about them.

One strategy is to find out who the blogging industry leaders in a closely related field are, and link to them. If you’re in advertising, for example, linking to someone like Problogger might be valuable. Of course, it’s the same as in face-to-face networking: If you only connect with that person (or blog) with the eye to gain advantages to your business, it won’t be a quality connection. Instead, think about what is of mutual benefit. And again, who you link with is part of your brand. Try to emphasize links to website whose vision harmonizes with yours.

“I read it on your blog!”

Where does the best networking happen? It’s not when you give your 30-second spiel at a networking function. It’s when you meet for coffee for the third or forth time; when you go to a fundraising event together; when you discover you have common personal interest (“Really? You write haikus, too?”)

There are two important things here: Continuity, and a strong personal element.

We connect with people who we know are going to stick around, and people who will let us have a glimpse of who they really are. Blogging is perfect for both. In the end, there is no better branding than just showing who you are, with your little quirks, your likes and dislikes, and bits of your personal story (”Ran late for my meeting with the new client because my dug finally had her puppies!”). It doesn’t get more unique and “niche” than that – and that’s what branding is about, isn’t it? A good blog will let your unique personality shine – a natural way of attracting and nurturing quality business relationships.

(This entry was included in the Carnival of Network Marketing)

Communication strategies for the 21st century are all about the individual and communities. Now more than ever the mainstream media has acknowledged the blog as something much more than “cat photos on the web.” A valid medium in its own right, the blog is now accepted in most corporate venues as a valuable aspect of any company’s communication strategy. Blogs are now included in many of the web templates offered by hosting services, such as realtor’s site packages and other content management systems. But the direction of development of the blogging software and uses now mean that there is no longer even a need for a standard website. It is possible to simply create your site via WordPress, for example, and use it as your content management system as well as blogging vehicle. It is more than “just a blog.”

When people talk about harnessing the power of web 2.0, what can that mean to an individual entrepreneur such as a realtor, a financial manager, or a consultant? It means that you now have the ability to individualize your communications as if they were one to one. It also means that you can truly target specific areas that otherwise you wouldn’t have the resources to reach and affect. It can mean that you reveal more of yourself, and your opinions, offering clients a more transparent and personal approach to your work. It means that clients can interact with you on a whole other level. It is a revolution.

You may already know that whether for business, or for your own archival purposes, the blog medium can adapt to your needs, and present your work to the world. You may wonder, “How do I get in?” You may feel the time has come to take the plunge, but, as you look into it for yourself, issues like time concerns and technical barriers naturally arise. That is where our blogging service comes in. We act as a bridge between the technology and the messages you wish to send out, and we can also guide you in the process of creating community around those messages.

Marketing guru Seth Godin has said the next wave of communication will feature ubiquity, connectivity, and identity. Blogging can be your first step toward functioning in this new world of interconnected identities, and we can help you find your way.