Hi there, I'm Brian
Brian MillisMy name is Brian Millis. As a Business Development Manager,  I get to learn all about the vast and varied business world and help companies tell their story, generate new leads, and acquire more customers.

Do you have employees who love your company?  Customers who love your brand?  Do people within your company communicate with your customers and each other through email and social networking?  Great! Let these people advance your business. Compendium Blogware allows your organization to connect to prospective clients, customers, donors, partners, students, and volunteers through humanized business blogs. Keep reading to see how a blog could enhance your business. 


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Make fans, Drive more business
Posted Tuesday, December 23, 2008 by Brian Millis
DISCLAIMER: I do not support Tucker Max or his views.  However, I was surfing around on social media and blogging entries on YouTube and this clip popped up. Check out this short Fox News coverage about Tucker Max at this link.  They have not allowed for embedding it for some reason, so you'll just have to click the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk_p3-4jM-Q

 I think his story, however distasteful it may be, is a testament to the power of social media marketing strategies and blogging.  Basically, Tucker Max was a jokester who started a blog-like website to tell his tales that his friends thought were so funny.  His site became very popular and Tucker Max is now a best selling author. 

Make Fans for your business with a blogWhat does this have to do with business blogging? Well, if you start a business blog that helps you build a fan base for your company, brand, product, or service, marketing becomes much easier.  It's like having an army of marketing or sales people who sell your company on a daily basis simply because the like it.  Compendium Blogware is an easy blog software that allows a business to open the blogging up to a wide range of content contributors within an organization.  This conversation and increased visibility on search engines and within social media help turn prospects into full blown fans. 

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Making a great blog better
Posted Monday, December 22, 2008 by Brian Millis
So I just noticed on the Content Ideas feed in my Compendium Blogware platform a great article about a corporate blog;  http://blog.seniorcaremarketer.com/business_of_aging/

This is a great blog for many reasons.  It uses time relevant information and is kept up to date very frequently.  In fact, Wellsphere has named it one of the Top Health blogs online.  http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/12/prweb1782194.htmcompany blogger

It took me about 10 min. to figure out that this blog is one of the corporate blogs for a company called Fisher Vista LLC.  I couldn't help but think, Wow!, why is it so hard for me to figure out who is responsible for such an engaging blog.  I sure wish I could easily find a company that promotes this great blog, because I would be very likely to recommend them to some of the other health organizations that could benefit from their PR and marketing tactics that seem to work so well on this blog. 

One thing that would make this great blog better is if I could easily navigate my way to the company associated with it.  With Compendium, this same blog could come up in the search engines under phrases like, geriatric nursing, assisted living market research, etc.  It's great to find strong blogs online that give me the information I am searching for.  I wish the SeniorCareMarketer blog was done on Compendium so more searchers could find this fabulous page!
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Real Estate Blogging
Posted Friday, December 12, 2008 by Brian Millis
Recently, I've noticed an increase in home builders and real estate companies reaching out to Compendium for an easy blog software to help combat these difficult economic times.  It's no secret that the housing market is a major catalyst in the downturn of the economy.
real estate blogging
Because few people are buying new homes, and the ones who are now do far greater research before buying, real estate companies are rethinking how they put themselves in front of their market.  $500,000 newspaper advertisements that are ignored throughout the year will not sustain many of these companies. 

That is why search marketing and blogging for SEO is a much better avenue for these companies to commit their limited resources; both time and money.  A multi user blog software allows agents, corporate marketing offices, and other real estate employees to help with content creation, which will drive the online visibility.  By putting the properties and messages in front of this immense online traffic, real estate companies can stop suffering and be ready  when the buyer seeks them out. 

Plus, Compendium's blogging platform is so simple to use, anyone can join in the effort.  Our client success team will help track the ROI so that the company has more control in these unstable times.  It's time for these companies to re-think marketing strategies if they want to weather the storm. 

You know what, if real estate companies start a business blog with Compendium, they not only weather . . . . they prosper.
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My new blog crush.
Posted Thursday, December 11, 2008 by Brian Millis
Ok, so I'm promise I'm not going keep referencing my new blog crush,
http://www.n2growth.com/blog/the-mystery-of-search-engine-marketing

Don't know what a blog crush is?  get your own blog crushIt's a blog that you look forward to reading.  A blog you want to talk about with your colleagues.  A blog that is so much better than your own that all you can do is quote it in your own blog and comment . . . . Right On! That's what I'm talking about!

Here's the snippet I wanted to reference from Mike's blog today: (then, I promise I won't reference for at least 3 posts)

"In talking regularly with many senior executives, marketing professionals and entrepreneurs one thing is clear…they are clearly not fluent in the area of search engine marketing. While these professionals understand the potential that search engine marketing holds for their businesses, they do not understand how to capitalize on it. In fact, many of the people I have spoken with are extremely frustrated at the amount of money they have invested in search initiatives without being able to develop an understanding of the medium such that they have not yet been able to develop a consistent winning strategy in this space."

So why do I like this short paragraph? Well, it's simple.  I talk to people all day who don't necessarily understand search marketing or how to make it work for their business.  And they're so sick of wasting money on SEO products that aren't working for them.  Some people really want to know why and how it all works, and others just WANT it to work.  They could care less about HOW it works. 

Everyone searches for answers to their problems, which is why it's search marketing is so important for businesses that want to be found as the answer to these millions of questions, problems, and topics. What I love about Compendium is how we make blogging simple; both as a thought leadership platform and as a powerful search marketing tool that simply works.  Blogging on Compendium is not just an empty promise about how to increase search rankings.  It's an easy to understand and easy to use tool that puts more of the marketing control into the hands that are paying for it.
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The best blog platform for agencies
Posted Tuesday, December 9, 2008 by Brian Millis
You know what is so confusing to me?  Why are marketing agencies so reluctant to be innovative for their clients?  It just seems to me that agencies would be the ones out there scouring the internet looking for a better way to help each client reach a new online audience during these difficult economic times. 
feeling full?
As Seth Godin mentions in his blog post from today, "The internet isn't full, but we are."
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/12/warning-the-int.html

What I like about Seth's sarcastic post about the internet getting too full is that it points to the real problem.  People are overwhelmed by the amount of choices available to them.  That is why search engines are so great and why blogging for SEO can help drive your business.  It puts you in front of a highway full of potential customers who are telling you exactly what they want to know.  So now all you have to do, is be there, waiting to be found on those phrases. 

Hello. . . . Agencies, this is exactly what your clients want you to help them do.  Help get them found by offering a multi user blog software that will drive new business and fill the pipeline with qualified leads.  A good corporate blogging strategy should be in every marketing package that agencies offer their clients.  I'm looking forward to showing how a marketing agency can monetize a blog platform for each client.  With Compendium, this include recurrent billing, design work, and gives another reason for that client to stick with their innovative agency. 
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great blog. . check it out!
Posted Tuesday, December 9, 2008 by Brian Millis
I just read this blog and it's amazing! Get the RSS on this blog if you can and heed the advice.

http://www.n2growth.com/blog/innovate-or-perish

What I like about this corporate blog is that it tackles many of the issues I see every day when discussing Compendium with C-level and decision makers who want to start a business blog.  Here is one quote that struck me:

"You need to believe that one of your top priorities is team building and consistently seek out greater numbers of people to champion your cause and scale your efforts."

This is exactly what a multi user blog software like Compendium offers businesses.  It's a way to have the C-level thought leadership in a conversation that the even the intern can chime in on.  In fact, the more the merrier and the greater the content creation, the better the SEO for that corporate blog.  Then, even clients and future clients can get involved in the conversation in a forum that is managable by the business. 

As Mike says in a previous post:an innovative company blogger

"If you continue to do the same things that you have always done in today’s current market environment you will see your market share erode, your brand go into decline, your talent and customers jump ship, and your potential never be realized. Remember the definition of insanity is continuing to do the same things while expecting different results. Bottom line…change, innovate, disrupt and prosper."

That is amazing advice that I'd like to have every person on the other end of the phone understand.  Free up all levels in your company to blog and contribute to the momentum and innovation that will make your business prosper.  Blogging is a great way to heed this advice!
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Salt n' Peppa . . . and blogging
Posted Friday, December 5, 2008 by Brian Millis
So this morning one of my colleagues, Jim had the song Push It, Salt n' Peppa stuck in his head.  After a couple play throughs during our morning meeting, he passed on this blessing to me.  However, I've tried to turn this catching line; Push It. . . Push it real good, to how i can help our clients start a business blog that will allow them increase their revenue stream.  It all comes down to blogging on an easy blog software that opens up the voices of a company.  By having this multi user blog software, you can 'push' more content, and get 'it' on the appropriate key phrase blogs that will show up in search engine results. 

Just as I was thinking about it, our intern Jason came by with enticing candy in hopes of getting me to blog.  Well, Jason, here you go.  Sometimes it just takes a little 'push' to get 'it' going here at Compendium.  Just goes to show that anyone can 'push it' and push it real good'!

My thanks go out to Jim for showing me that even a catching hip hop line can translate into building your business with a great business blog.
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It's about the blogging . . . . Baby!
Posted Thursday, December 4, 2008 by Brian Millis
I was demonstrating the power of the Compendium corporate blogging software today for a prospective client who wants to blog with a business purpose.  The woman I spoke with knows how to blog, but can't seem to organize her content that will allow her to blog for SEO.  As I we got into our discussion, I could hear her excitement build about our easy blog software that allows a company blogger to not worry about the marketing of each post.  Let Compendium do that part for you!  Just get on, and blog about what you know best . . . . your business. 

Here is a comment I just read on one of our client's blogs:

"We have found that many parents-to-be visit our website as a direct result of Internet research of learning in the womb."
http://blog.babyplus.com/blog/infant-growth-assessment

In this post, BabyPlus asks their online customers to send them questions to be answered on the blog.  What a great way to get your revenue stream engaged in your marketing effort!  Nice work BabyPlus, nice work.
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Wikipedia Brown
Posted Tuesday, November 11, 2008 by Brian Millis
I recently saw BJ Novak, co-writer of one of my favorite shows The Office, do a stand up comedy show at Butler University.  Here is one of my favorite clips from the show that he calls the story of Wikipedia Brown:



Although this is a satire about how the usefulness of Wikipedia can be distracting to a user, the message is very relevant to a business blogging.  When you search on Wikipedia, you find great information that is relevant only to the topic you are interested in.  Linking connects all kinds of articles within this "encyclopedia" and you can often times get distracted by other topics. 

When you blog with a purpose on Compendium Blogware's business blogging platform, you build relevant content on a specific keyword blog that is easy for a searcher to find.  When a searcher finds the blog they want, they can then take the next step by clicking on a call to action, visiting a website, or linking to another relevant blog.  This engages the searcher in the conversation within a more relevant network of blogs.  I think a good business blog engages enough to offer that linking flexibiligy (like Wikipedia), yet is simple enough to encourage the searcher to take the call to action and not get distracted.  This is how Compendium will help turn visitors into customers. 

Don't be a Wikipedia Brown for your future customers.  Get them engaged and then convert on that intererst!

 
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Average Customer for Business Blogging
Posted Wednesday, October 29, 2008 by Brian Millis
One thing that I've learned since working for Compendium is that the average customer for a business blogging strategy can come from any sector of business.  I first heard about Compendium Blogware during my time as a college recruiter.  I wanted to give students at my University the ability to tell there individual stories, yet still blog for a purpose.  As a recruiter, my overall goal was to use blogging as way to humanize the college search process.  Prospective students don't want to hear all about facts and figures, stats and rankings. They want to know what life on campus is really like.  
Just as high school juniors and seniors are turing to Google to find answers to their college questions, people are searching every kind of business imaginable. Not for profits, huge corporations, agencies, small businesses, consultants, retailers, service industries and more can benefit from a business blogging strategy. Therefore, there is no "average customer" seeking out Compendium Blogware.  That's what makes my job exciting each day.  I get to learn all about different businesses, understand their marketing objectives, and help them harness a successful organizational blogging program.  
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business blog? Give the searcher what they want!
Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 by Brian Millis
So our office started a blog club where we each follow a blog and report back some interesting information.  In the process, I ran across this great blog by Guy Kawasaki.  He not only offers great tips on how to blog, but he gives solid information about how to please the blogging community.  In his most recent post: "How to Suck up to a Blogger" his #7 tip reads:

"7. Use a rifle, not a shotgun. Any company that carpet bombs bloggers should be shot. The effect is the same as sending two dozen people the same email requesting help. Not only will this approach fail, bloggers will conclude that you're a bozo to boot. Your job is to find out exactly who you are relevant to. It is not the blogging community's job to sort through your bull secretion."
http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/02/how_to_suck_up_.html

This is excellent advice!  Not only is this a good idea for sucking up to bloggers, it's a great business blogging tip as well.  If I'm a searcher on Google and I type the exact phrase relating to a problem I have, I don't want to be carpet bombed by useless advice from unrelated areas.  Give me my answer in a relevant, specific, and frequently updated blog.  I might just take the next step and become a cusomer. 

Wouldn't it be nice to have a blog platform that could help you accomplish this?
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Naming my blog
Posted Wednesday, October 15, 2008 by Brian Millis
Today was the first time I had a chance to meet with both of the co-founders of Compendium Blogware in individual meetings.  Through both of these meetings I gleaned an deeper insight into why blogging for business is so advantageous from a marketing standpoint.  Oh, and it also ignited more excitement about working for a company that is truly helping businesses solve the bottom line question;  what is the most effective way to acquire new customers and generate more profit?

Much of what I have learned over these past two days with Compendium is complex and at times confusing. What I'm happy to report is that the business blogging platform that Compendium offers companies strips much of the confusion away and helps answer that all important question.  This is great, because some people (like my Mom) get confused as soon as you mention the word blog.

The reality stands that blogging is not just a fun, free-flowing interenet space for people to connect with other people.  Blogs are also powerful tools that can help a business deliver the most relevant, most specific, and most frequently updated information to people (customers) who are searching for solutions online. When blogging has a purpose, it can solve problems, build awareness and trust, and work with search engines to dish up the best answers to my problem. 

So how did a blog save business?  A Blog puts a human face on a company and gives customers the ability to learn about how one company or product could help find the answer.  Then, when they're ready to do business, and only when they're ready, they know exactly where to spend the money.  It's a cheaper, more effective way for companies and customers to connect and work together.  In this current economy, corporate blogging might just save business. . . . and make many searchers smile!
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