Blogs As A Marketing Solution

Why Should Your Business Blog?

Hi, I'm Eric Romer, Business Development Manager at Compendium Blogware. Every day I talk to CEO's, business owners, and marketing directors about how to grow their business with new communication channels. Business blogs are the perfect way to start a conversation with potential customers.

People want relevant information based on specific needs. It's your job as a business (small, medium or enterprise) to provide solutions with fresh, engaging content.

A little bit about me: Born in New York City...Grew up in Columbus, OH...Graduate of Butler University...Worked in radio industry for 3 years...No longer buy hair gel products...Habitual over-quoter of movies, music and TV shows...Enjoy traveling.

Why Your Business Should Consider Content Marketing

Thursday, November 20, 2008 by Eric Romer

Traditional marketers tend to shy away from new communication or marketing channels, and may not care to understand why blogs and business are mentioned in the same sentence.

Don't let this happen to your business or marketing department.

As much as I am an advocate of business blogging, I also understand the difficulties that Marketing Directors face when internally selling a new concept, or misunderstood technology. I think the answer may be to focus on the term "content marketing" instead of "business blogging" or "corporate blogging." Our marketing department (which is a talented bunch) would probably fight me on this, but I think the word blog can push people further away from the results that a blog actually drives.

I read a press release today from the Blog Squad today, and co-founder Patsi Krakoff said it perfect.

“This new style of marketing is becoming extremely popular on the Web because it focuses on the reader, either by informing them, entertaining them, or by creating community relationships,” states Dr. Krakoff.

“The key is authenticity. Readers aren’t interested in the hype you see in TV commercials. When a business or professional publishes on the web, they must connect with customers in a way best done through writing valuable content that rings true,” she adds.

Content marketing allows you to relate with customers in a more meaningful way. People have grown more and more cynical to mass advertising messages, or clear PR spin. In a Web 2.0 world, it's never been more important to listen to customers, and join the conversation. What makes them tick? What are the problems they are facing, and how can you help them? Whether it's a small business blog, or a Fortune 500 blog like Southwest Airlines, content marketing digs deeper than a display ad.

Don't put something flashy in front of my face. Chances are you'll annoy me more than you'll get my attention. Instead, provide me with interesting, compelling content that builds my trust and interests me enough to explore your organization's products or services.

Blogs Directly Affect Purchasing Decisions

Tuesday, November 11, 2008 by Eric Romer

Are blogs a valid source to drive prospective customers?

It's one of the ongoing discussions when approaching a corporate blog. Many companies view blogs as a way to tip their toe in social media, or to "get our name out there." Therein lies the root of the problem -- businesses aren't blogging with a purpose. The focus is not Search Engine Optimization or new customer acquisition, but rather because it seems like a good idea to stay relevant in a Web 2.0 world.

eMarketer just put out a study that re-enforces Compendium's stance: blogs directly influence purchasing decisions.

These stats are very revealing, and take some additional interpretation. This survey is talking to "US blog readers", and doesn't discuss how consumers found these blogs. Based on the following quote, it seems the assumption is that people found blogs from a website, or some other method (but not Search).

“For a portion of Web users, blogs rival search as a navigation tool, which has really interesting implications for advertisers,” said Rob Crumpler, CEO of BuzzLogic, in a statement. “Blogs are becoming trusted guides, steering users who are seeking very specific information to places of interest online.”

Now think of blogs as benefiting search, not rivaling it. Roughly 90% of adult Internet users use search engines to find information. With Compendium's proprietary solution, blog content is automatically organized in strategic keyword-driven blog pages, which creates scalable, highly niched content about different aspects of a companies products, services and employees.

Are consumers doing more than just reading or subscribing to blogs?

Yes. The eMarketer study found "four out of 10 blog readers surveyed had taken action as a result of viewing a blog ad."

People are searching. They are trusting information found on blogs, and 40% of them are taking some sort of action, whether downloading a research study, signing up for a newsletter, or clicking through to an e-commerce page. There couldn't be a better example of why it is important for a business to blog.

Create compelling content, and optimize it to be found for search, with clear calls-to-action directly from the blog. It's a simple forumla.

Politics and Marketing: Motivating the committed

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 by Eric Romer

Is it more effective to persuade the uncommitted, or motivate the committed?

This question came to mind while reading Seth Godin's insightful post "Marketing lessons from the US election". He approached the election from a marketer's point of view, not from a partisan perspective. There were lessons learned, and new techniques used in this year's election that will be studied for years to come. However, I just want to focus on his concept of "motivating the committed" as a marketing strategy.

It reminds me of an exercise that marketing consultant Gerry Tabio took me through while I was working in radio advertising sales. His point was that traditional "demographics", in which most agencies and big national advertisers base their buying decisions (Adults 18-34, Women 25-54, etc.), are too broad. An 18-year-old and 35-year-old are two very different people, with different behaviors and buying patterns. You can't talk to them like the same person, which is why niche marketing and permission-based marketing are more effective.

He also pointed out, similar to Seth, that you can't persuade the uncommitted. And if you can, it's a much harder battle than motivating those that are interested. One of my favorite examples of this is sushi. We broke a group of 18-34 year olds into three groups:

Eat sushi at least once a month
Eat sushi rarely
Never have, never will

If you ask someone in group #3 who does not like sushi, or never intends to try it, what would motivate them to eat it regularly? The answer would be "nothing". No promotion, or pricing, or special offer could resonate with them because they have an inherent disposition for eating sushi.

So, stop wasting time on persuading the uncommitted's. You'll work twice as hard, and have a lower return. Strategic business blogging allows you to target niched groups based on the way they are seeking information. You have the ability to work smarter, not harder. By giving humanized, relevant content to people that are interested in specific information, businesses and organizations can drive tangible actions at a higher success rate.

Blog: A Next Generation Website

Thursday, October 23, 2008 by Eric Romer

After listening in to Debbie Weil and Chris Baggott's Webcast on Tuesday, I learned some new things, re-enforced some old things, and overall felt really good about Compendium's solution for business blogs.

Debbie reveiwed her recommendation for the first steps a company needs to start a blog.

First Steps to Blogging Success:

Have a goal
Focus on a topic or issue
Get contributors (plural)
Choose a platform
Be committed

It's a simple list, yet very accurate. Both Chris and Debbie went into more detail about each item, agreeing on about 95% of each others opinions. I'll summarize some of that in a later post, but I really want to focus on one statement Debbie made early in the Webcast.

One of the opening questions posed was simple: "How do you define a blog?"

Debbie's answer struck a chord with me because I'm a huge proponent of banning the "b-word". Talking with so many SMB's, or companies that are a few years behind on new technologies, it's clear that the "b-word" creates some fear. It makes sense. People fear things they don't understand. People fear change. But as Debbie answered, "a blog is just a next generation website." It's easy to update, more engaging for the end-user and incredibly friendly with search engines.

I predict that in 5-7 years, blogs and websites will be a hybrid of sorts. We will

experience fresh, engaging content that can be easily updated by employees across the board.

I've never actually seen Star Trek: Next Generation, but I did some Googling, and found the intro before every episode. Oddly enough, it was quite fitting for companies that are new to any type of non-traditional marketing.

"Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before."

Blogs: The Next Generation of Websites... to seek out new customers and new relationships, to boldly go where no company has gone before.

Yes, I went there. Hopefully my cheesy analogy resonates with you. Otherwise, I've just sacrificed being called a nerd around the office.

How To Profit From Blogging: Exclusive Webinar with Debbie Weil & Chris Baggott

Tuesday, October 14, 2008 by Eric Romer

I'm really excited about next week's Webinar, How To Profit From Blogging. Both Chris and Debbie (author of "The Corporate Blogging Book") are experts in blogging and social media, so I imagine an insightful session with these two thought leaders.

I've seen Chris speak at several events and conferences, and keep up on his blog, Chris Baggot's Guide To Blogging. Debbie Weil's blog, BlogWrite for CEO's, also gets a weekly, if not daily visit from me.

And I realized a huge oversight from my last post about the economic crisis. Debbie has a much more in-depth explanation (with really useful links) about the top corporate blogs and their coverage (or lack thereof) of the current economic situation.

Read her post HERE.

Sign up for the 10/21 Webinar HERE.

Corporate Blogging's Role In Crisis

Tuesday, October 14, 2008 by Eric Romer

I read a very interesting article today in B2B Magazine, titled "Corporate blogs fail crisis test." Clearly, the writer is not impressed with the communication on corporate blogs during the Wall St. meltdown. There are some good arguments from both sides of the fence, but overall I agree with B2B:

"A time of crisis demands leadership, and a blog is the most direct path between business and customer. Nervous investors watching their retirement savings shrink by 25% or 30% needed reassurance, or at least perspective, from the institutions they trust."

Company blogs are an opportunity to have a conversation with both potential and existing customers. Showing the human side of an organization, and distributing real-time information is a large part of blogging success.

Our whole model at Compendium is simple: Create compelling content, organize the content for optimum search engine results, and have a clear call-to-action for readers to take.

Compelling content... what is that? Well, in a financial crisis, it's important to assure prospects and customers that you understand their pain, both professionally and personally. One of my best friends is a 2nd year professional athlete. Yes, he makes a lot more money than I do, but talking on the phone last night, he's also lost a lot more than I ever imagined. My father is seeing his retirement dwindle daily. A local business owner in the home improvement industry saw his phones go dead for almost an entire week. These are real problems across the board, from small business owner to professional athlete.

Every business needs to look at their spending very closely. Every dollar spent should have tangible solutions attached, and Marketing Directors have to be more focused on driving business than ever. As our CEO said in a recent blog post, in tough times, you better be easy to find.

But Can You Explain It To Your Mom?

Thursday, October 9, 2008 by Eric Romer

That's my mom. ------------------------------->

Hopefully she doesn't take offense to the title of this post. I doubt she will. She'll be the first to tell you how often we discuss new media and technology.

My mom teaches advanced Performing Arts to high school students in Ohio. She has a unique perspective, hearing about Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other new media from her students.

I get frustrated sometimes because she sees the pitfalls associated with new technology (students gossiping on each other's walls, text messaging in class, etc.) I remember when I was starting to work at Compendium, and trying to explain what it is we do.

"Ma, we're an easy to use blogging software company. Get it?"

Of course she didn't... at first. Her initial connotation associated with a blog was the "talk-back" function of an online news article. Blogging, to her, meant disgruntled people sounding off their opinions, most of the time without regard for accuracy or truth. This simple observation is SO important to how we approach blogging for businesses and organizations. Most "normal people" don't have time, or care for that matter, about RSS feeds, Friend Requests, or how many comments are on your blog. They may not even know what it means to blog.

Why should my mom care about blogging?

Chris Brogan had a great post today titled "People in the Real World" that focuses specifically on this topic. Brogan is an internet celebrity and expert in social media. In today's post, he addresses tech-savvy readers: "Believe in how these technologies make the world different, but always seek ways to tie it all back to the current world."

There couldn't be a better explanation of why someone like my mom can benefit from Compendium's blogging software. She doesn't need to commit time to learning blogging secrets, or best practices in blogging, nor does she have the time. With Compendium's turn-key solution, she can focus on what she knows best: playwriting, choreography, stage blocking, dialect training, and a million other things I know very little about.

For her, the benefit is educating parents and students in central Ohio that are looking for the best training in performing arts. She can tell those stories, projecting them in a way that people can easily find them. They can read about projects that prepare students for professional careers in theater. They can see pictures from performances. They can hear from a set designer about what they learned from opening night. More in-depth, human, recent and frequent than a website.

Anyone can acheive blogging success - not just the Chris Brogans and Gary Vaynerchuks of the world. With the help of a Software-as-a-Service provider, assisting with design, keyword research, and ongoing consulting, normal people like my mom can focus on what they know and are passionate about. Let us worry about the rest.

No One Likes To Be Sold To

Tuesday, October 7, 2008 by Eric Romer

Ok, maybe some people do. But I'd say it's a small percentage of people that genuinely enjoy being "sold" something, unless they are ready to buy.

Think about it.

Everybody knows that person who only calls when they either need something, or want to sell you an idea/product. You see their number pop up in caller ID, and quickly ignore it. (**no one has ever screened one of my calls in this manner, for the record... I'm sure of it)

The point is, it's annoying. I hate when people bother me in a department store. I hate when someone starts "pitching me" when I'm at a bar. Don't do that. Talk to me like a human being, ask me some questions, and try to be genuine about it.

Now think about Google. It's a similar concept. Use your own searching habits to prove this point. How often do you click on a sponsored link? Does it seem like someone is selling you something? You're right. According to MarketingSherpa, 75% of clicks happen in the organic results (the ones people can't pay for).

You have to earn your customers, and most blogging problems start there. People don't want to take that extra step past their website. Start telling stories! Compel me with a reason to be interested, let me find you, and stop selling to me when I'm not ready.

Have A More Meaningful Conversation With Prospects

Monday, October 6, 2008 by Eric Romer

So, a month has gone by and I haven't posted anything on this blog. I'm not impressed with myself, especially since our President flagged me as one of the more frequent bloggers at Compendium (no pressure, right?). The Business Development team was trying to close out a strong quarter for Compendium, but that's no excuse for a lack of business blogging. I haven't been practicing what I preach, but I'm back on it.

September was eventful, to say the least. In my world, these were the top three events that took place:

The Colts kicking off their 2008 regular season (not as strong as I would have hoped)
Witnessing a devastating financial crisis in the midst of a historic election (or is it "an" historic? I'm a grammar sherriff, and I don't know this one)
Compendium attending several conferences & events (Funeral Care Marketing Symposium, Exact Target "Connections", TechPoint Summit, and Blog World)

Our CEO Chris Baggott was a featured speaker at Blog World in Las Vegas, and I was able to attend with a fellow colleague, Jim Hyslop. It was a great trip, and I'll be posting some thoughts later this week looking back at what we learned from the conference.

In my month hiatus from creating content, I've had some time to think about the value our blog hosting software is providing clients. Yesterday, doing my own research, I came to this simple conclusion:

We help businesses and organizations have more meaningful conversations with prospects.

I was searching for a provider of a specific medical procedure in Google. I changed my search terms several times, but all I kept getting were directories, or at best, an outdated website. It was really frustrating.

If I would have found a blog, hearing from a human being, an expert on this procedure, he would have earned my business. Or at least a phone call. It's such a simple concept, but because it's new, some people are slow to adopt.

As a consumer, not a Business Development Manager for Compendium, I'm asking you to start having more meaningful conversations with your audience. What separates you from competitors? Dig deeper than your marketing messages on your website. People will be happier, more engaged customers... myself included.

Washington Post article on Business blogging

Tuesday, September 2, 2008 by Eric Romer

I read an article in the Washington Post last week titled "Marketing Moves to the Blogosphere: Business Model Shifts to Engage Customers Online." I had it bookmarked and went to comment on the article today, but the functionality was disabled. I sent an email to the writer, and am anxious to hear the reasoning behind that, but I doubt I'll get a response. This article was originally published on Aug. 25th... only 8 days ago. I assume that happens after an article reaches a certain point of "untimeliness", but I'm not even sure if I agree with that. Why wouldn't you allow user feedback 6 months after an article was written - is it no longer relevant?

Anyhow, I found the same article republished at the Hartford Courant, under the title "Businesses See Blogs As Good Public Relations", and they had their comment function active. Here was my comment to the article:

I'm a big fan of Debbie Weil's blog, and her insights on corporate blogging. However, I have to disagree with her statement that "using a blog as a business strategy is that usually you cannot connect the dots directly from blogs to revenue."

That is absolutely true with traditional blogging platforms and strategies. However, with a platform that is designed for corporate blogging, allowing multiple people within an organization to create content, and organizing that content for Search Engine Optimization, it is very much a tangible, measurable marketing method.

Like Mr. Williams stated, blogs are a great way to put a human face to a brand or institution. However, a corporate blogging strategy can have a clear ROI just like a website, Pay-Per-Click campaign, or other digital marketing activity. My company, Compendium Blogware, specializes in corporate blogging solutions, and has several case studies and Whitepapers that prove this with real client data.

I encourage anyone interested in exploring the tangible "connecting of dots" from blogs to revenue, to visit www.compendiumblogware.com or read my personal blog at http://blogging.compendiumblog.com/blog/blogs-as-a-marketing-solution.

Eric Romer
Business Dev. Manager
Compendium Blogware

Dear Dancing Ann... Indianapolis misses you

Thursday, August 28, 2008 by Eric Romer

Compendium is based in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, overlooking Monument Circle. We love this city. Our CEO Chris Baggott often talks about how he was here for some time, then lived in Chicago and New York... but found his way back to Indianapolis, and he's here to stay. This is his home, and Compendium's home.

As a Software-as-a-Service company, we can service clients all over the world, but it's always great to build strong relationships with our own neighbors. We have several clients here in town that use our blogging software, but I want to highlight one of our newest partners, the Indianapolis Conventions & Visitors Association (ICVA). They are a great group of people, and their blog covers all kinds of things to do around town.

I went to lunch with Karissa and Jeff from the ICVA, and we started to talk about the Public Art Project... particularly "Dancing Ann", who was removed from her brick base on Aug. 20th, apparently to fix one of the LED screens.

Jeff and I debated a little, realizing that Dancing Ann was not the same as Sara Dancing, formerly located at Illinois and Maryland. Both were designed by Julian Opie, a British artist contracted by the Arts Council of Indianapolis. Jeff and Sara had a close relationship, as did Ann and I (I live in the area where she was permanently placed).

So, Dancing Ann, if you are listening... please come back. When I walk to and from work each day, there's a piece of me that feels empty inside without your unique style of dance. Now all that is left is this brick foundation. Luckily there are other great art projects, events and things to do from the ICVA blog that I can take my mind off this tragic loss....

Lucas Oil Stadium - Measuring Success

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 by Eric Romer

Pictured: Eric Romer, about to catch a touchdown pass on a slant route in the end zone? Suit him up, Dungy.... he looks ready.

So, I had the opportunity to tour Lucas Oil stadium last weekend, and it was a pretty amazing sight. As a Colts fan, this is like Christmas. The excitement in Indianapolis has been building ever since Lucas Oil broke ground. Despite some disputes about funding of the project, this beautiful structure has a serious allure to it.

One of the things I kept hearing during the public tour was people referring to the stadium as "The Luke". I must admit, it was pretty catchy, and fans love putting their own nickname to personalize their city's new baby. But as you would imagine, the sponsor is not so happy about the nickname.

I've always been curious how you measure the worth of a stadium sponsorship. Spending $122 million on naming rights for 20 years is no cheap purchase, even for a large manufacturer of oil products. I hear about the ROI of advertising dollars all the time, but this I think stadium sponsorships in general fall into what Corporate Blogging expert Debbie Weil describes as "Return on Influence". It's next to impossible to measure sales that directly result from Lucas Oil Stadium, especially when people refer to it as "The Luke". Forest Lucas was quoted in an IBJ article saying:

"Calling the stadium 'The Luke' doesn’t sell a dime’s worth of products for us. This will be a place we intend to show Lucas Oil to the world, so we’re eager to protect the integrity of the name.”

I get Mr. Lucas's frustration, but there's not a whole lot you can do when something catchy spreads with fans, especially as sports columnist Mark Rosentraub stated in the article, "exposure through the Internet can spread the nickname and entrench it in people’s minds even faster than traditional media."

My suggestion? You can't beat 'em, join 'em. Find a a way to ride the "Luke" wave, and join the conversation. Social media, affordable blogging software and other web-based tools allow you to be present, and help drive those internet trends.

Despite the nickname concern, the sponsorship "engagement" (2008's buzz word) that occurs inside the stadium, interacting with the Lucas Oil brand experience, the dragsters, race-car simulators, etc. is very creative and sets a new precedent in sports marketing.

Search Engine Optimization spending increases

Friday, August 15, 2008 by Eric Romer

A new survey from the Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization (SEMPO) shows that both advertisers and agencies are ramping up their spending in Search Marketing, particularly organic SEO. This shouldn't be shocking news, as Search Marketing has steadily grown, and will continue to grow as less and less people use destination websites.

It's not rocket science. If I am looking for a particular brand of jeans, or a specific tea pot my mom was talking about, I search. I Google "cast iron asian tea pot", and start my research.

As the survey shows, advertisers are increasing their organic SEO by 28%, and agencies by 73% (the highest increase of all the categories!). So what does this mean? It means companies are trying to optimize a traditional website to be found on many different keywords. The only problem is a website will only be able to capture a handful of keywords. There are hundreds, thousands of different ways I can search for that tea pot. As a business who sells that product, I need to cast a wide net and be found on as many of those terms as possible.

Don't believe me? If you have 5 minutes, check out this Whitepaper that discusses how traditional SEO efforts pale in comparison to a corporate blogging solution when it comes to organic search.

MSNBC talks about Corporate blogging

Friday, August 15, 2008 by Eric Romer

I saw this video over on Debbie Weil's blog, and it apparently aired a couple weeks back on MSNBC. They do a pretty good job highlighting the value of a "blogger-in-chief".

I like that Bill Marriot handwrites his blog posts -- there's something nostalgic about that in a technology-driven world. But at the same time, that can be limiting. Relying on an extremely busy CEO, and someone to transcribe his notes, is a bit tedious.

Free up the employees to create content. They're communicating everyday with potential customers on phone and email, why not a blog?

Corporate blogging is like gardening

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 by Eric Romer

Or traveling to Florida for vacation.

Or throwing a party.

Or building a house.

OK, so my point is, you can fill in just about any analogy and it would work. The desired outcome is an award-winning garden, or arriving in Florida, or having a fun party everyone talks about, or seeing the house in its final stages. How you get there is by using the proper tools or tactics.

This is mostly inspired from reading a great post by Shel Holtz, co-author of "Blogging For Business", along with other communication-focused books. (Not to be confused with Shel Israel, co-author of "Naked Conversations", another book on corporate blogging)

Gardening Tools
I've talked about the issue of time in several posts on this blog, and you can count this as another. My biggest issue with that argument related to business blogs is that it's an excuse, not a valid reason.

If all of the sudden, there was a revolutionary new tool that could improve the way I garden, I'd probably want to know about it. I would never say "I have no time to use that tool." Take the picture above. There are a lot of different tools that a gardener can use to achieve his/her end goal - to make it the most healthy, attractive garden around. (if that's not the goal gardeners, speak up) The end game is the same, but the tools are up to each individual gardener.

It's the same thing with business. Any business has to communicate with it's shareholders, employees, existing customers, and most importantly potential customers. To drive business, you need leads. You need to introduce your business to a qualified prospect, build trust, prove value and convert them into a happy customer.

Blogging is just a tool. A simple, easy tool that scales content and allows you to communicate more effectively.

Shel writes:
Blogging is a new communication channel. Before blogs became widely available and accepted, executives made do with the channels available to them: one-on-one phone calls, conference calls, speeches, road shows, letters, email and so on. I have heard from a number of CEOs that blogs are more effective than any of these tools for a variety of communications. Therefore, they have replaced the use of such channels with blogging. In aggregate, though, they’re spending just as much time fulfilling their role as the company’s chief communicator.
And he's just highlighting an executive's reason to blog. We at Compendium preach to allow employees, not just C-level exec's, to blog for your business. As the Edelman Trust Barometer shows us, an employee blog is "five times more credible than a CEO blog." Shel also has some good tips on time management, group blogs and ROI. Read the rest of his post HERE.

Google ramping up YouTube ads

Thursday, August 7, 2008 by Eric Romer

I came across an blog post from Saul Hansell in the New York Times' Bits blog that highlights what most of us regular YouTube users have noticed lately: an increase in ad-supported videos.

The author points out that the ads are more reminiscent of "the gaudiness of MySpace than the sterility of Google," and describes how the Kings of Search are trying to get a return on their $1.65 billion investment when they purchased YouTube last year.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of behavioral targeting when done properly, and not intrusively like Facebook's Beacon nightmare. For example, the image above has a text ad in the top right corner for Obama's book, which is probably relevant to a person watching a video about the man. But, like Saul said, it's a little harder to justify "enhancing user experience" with a Nissan ad that pops up on the bottom.

As online video grows (which it will), I'm sure this model will be tweaked and improved. However, right now, it's very much a "shouting" method of marketing. The first time an ad has no relevance to me, I stop paying attention. This only needs to happen once or twice (Myspace is a prime example), and then I tune out.

For businesses trying to reach their target audience, corporate blogging software allows you to create very relevant, personal content for those in the market to buy. The best "behavioral targeting" is to deliver highly relevant, recent information to those seeking it. As the digital shift continues, every organization will have a company blog in the next 3-5 years.

Startup Weekend - Indianapolis Sept 12-14

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 by Eric Romer

Through an interaction with a potential client today, I was introduced to an intriguing event: Startup Weekend. The basic premise is a group of highly motivated developers, marketers, entrepreneurs, and business-minded people gather for a weekend to pump out ideas for companies and projects - and they actually develop them from start to finish. Wow.

This immediately made me think about the 48 Hour Film Project which was recently in Indianapolis. I've had a couple of friends who've participated in the past years, and I always thought, "what a cool concept!" You have a set period of time to start from scratch, and end up with a finished film project. Well, now there's something similar for those with entrepreneurial minds (by the way, I just spelled entrepreneurial without the red-underlined AutoCorrect feature popping up - I was very proud of that)

So, this is event is coming to Indianapolis September 12-14, and I'm planning to participate. It's been an incredible experience transitioning from a global corporation with thousands of employees to working for a small startup software company of 25 people. And I love it. The startup atmosphere is contagious, and our blogging software company in Indianapolis is no exception. Being on the front lines of an ever-evolving and rapidly growing company is like nothing I've experienced before.

I encourage you to check out the event if you have an interest in this type of thing. If it sounds boring, check out GiggleSeed, one of the companies born from Startup Weekend Columbus.

Boating... and business blogs

Monday, August 4, 2008 by Eric Romer

I had a great weekend at a friend's lake house, which consisted mostly of relaxing, boating and eating. However, I managed to sneak in some talk about business blogging as well.

One of my biggest struggles with being on the cutting edge of a new blog software is how to break it down to layman's terms. In any form of communication, you have to speak the language of your audience. If I'm talking to a business that is well-versed in SEO and Paid Search Advertising, my discussion will be more granular and technical. However, some people don't want to know how the engine works, they just want the car to run.

Our host for the weekend, Harry, was intrigued by Compendium's solutions for business, but needed a quick explanation. OK... so what's the best way for me to describe what we do, cocktail in hand on the boat, so it's relevant to Harry? I got it... his hip replacement surgery next week.

Me: So, before your surgery, did you do any research?
Harry: Well, yeah, of course.
Me: Did you use a search engine?
Harry: Like Google? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I did.
Me: Well, what we do is provide software to businesses, and in this case it would be a doctor/surgeon/health care provider, to tell relevant stories about hip surgery and recovery. So, when you, the potential patient, goes to do research, you find a human being giving you up-to-date, relevant information. It looks similar to a website, but with more of a conversational, personal communication.
Harry: Sounds like it makes sense...
Eric: (pulls out iphone) Here, let me show you...

Then I went on to do a Google search of a Compendium client. If you want to hear how this process works from one of our clients, Tampa Bay Convention & Visitor's Association, click HERE to sign up for the Webinar Thursday, Aug. 14th.

Reach Retail Shoppers With a Company Blogging Solution

Wednesday, July 30, 2008 by Eric Romer

A recent article in eMarketer, a leading source for Internet market trends, highlights retail shopping statistics that show consumers hit the web first... before talking to family & friends.

This is great data that really drives home the importance of a blogging solution for retailers.

I'd be interested to see the breakdown of how many people start with a search engine in that 58% . It's probably a conservative estimate to say it's at least half, which would be about the same amount that visit local stores. Think how much effort is dedicated to in-store displays and hiring smart, capable employees to service needs of shoppers. Based on this data, why would a retail business not provide that same experience online??

Blog for your business. Show consumers you are in tuned with your industry and the needs of your customers. You will be found in search engines more often... on a wider range of keywords. And, with a measurable blog strategy, you will convert those visitors into paying customers.