Blogging and Relationships

In some ways, marketing professional services hasn't changed for hundreds of years. Ultimately it's still about relationships. It's about who you know and who knows you.

What has changed is the way those relationships are developed.

The technology has changed. Printing started it all in 1440, followed by desktop publishing in 1984. The Internet, with web sites and email, took things to a whole new level in the 1990s.

You can now be in touch with more people, more quickly, than ever before. Instantly available information and ease-of connection now builds relationships exponentially.

And then along came blogging.

Blogging is certainly a way to get more information out more often to more people. But did it really help businesses attract more clients?

I wasn't hearing many success stories.

But that all changed for me when I interviewed ace blogger, Pamela Slim last week and learned how she attracted ALL of her clients through blogging. That intrigued me. What was her key?

When I understood, it was both an "ah-ha" and an "of course" at the same time. The secret to blogging is building relationships, just like any other kind of marketing technology.

Blogging requires a whole new level of interactivity and give-and-take. It's about freely sharing information and resources (the InfoGuru Principle) with and about others, which in turn results in others sharing information with and about you.

It's all out interlinking. Not just to anyone, but to others in the blogoshphere who have real value to offer. It's not about vainly and egotistically posting every idea that crosses your mind. It's an interactive conversation (in thousands of different domains) that dynamically connects everyone in that conversation.

Some of the key activities of this interlinking include:

Listing other favorite blogs on your blog (they'll often reciprocate): commenting on others' blog posts; posting ideas, resources and links from other bloggers and the Internet; sending thank-you notes when someone gives you a link.

Blogging is electronic networking on steroids.

And even if you don't like in-person networking, you can be successful at blogging. If you have some good business ideas, can express your ideas coherently and are willing to share generously, blogging can work for you quite unlike anything else.

As a result of doing this audio interview with Pamela, I finally "GET blogging." And it's not the technology that's the big deal. It's the possibility of building great business relationships with thousands of people that gets me excited.

I'll be expanding my blog from the weekly eZine post to blogging a few times a week. And finally I'll have a place where I can connect with all the people I couldn't connect to before.

Some of my plans include:
Providing links to valuable marketing-oriented web sites and blogs, posting information and mini-reviews on books (people send me books now and I don't know what to do with them!), discussing more of the outer and inner fringes of marketing... and that's just for beginners.

I've often said my biggest problem regarding my eZine is that I had too many ideas for a weekly eZine. With blogging, I can now post any good idea or resource as it pops up.

I invite all of you to jump into the blog world. It's the place to be.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: Blogging is the next and most dynamic form of relationship building and information sharing. If you don't get into blogging, you are missing out on connecting with a whole new world of business. Learn more about the blogging program here.

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What kind of results have you gotten from blogging? Please share on the More Clients Blog.

http://www.actionplan.blogs.com

Comments

[Free Chat]

I found this blog on a google search and boy am I glad I did. I thought I heard someone mention it in a free chat room.
Awesome read!

[bid on airline tickets]

booking airline flights rgrthetwefrgt

[Irene]

I actually didn't recognize myself in the posts. LOL Amazing how much I've morphed in the 1.5 months since I started blogging. I love the freedom of being able to post information I feel useful that meshes with my sites but I can update & supplement more frequently.

[Lea Woodward]

Hi Robert,

As a L.I.P (Location Independent Professional - yes, there is a blog at lipliving.com!!!), I have found blogging an invaluable tool.

Not only because it's the primary means by which I now get all my new coaching clients but also because through blogging I have a much bigger network of blog 'friends' who have recommended restaurants in NYC, interviewed me, written articles about me, pointed me in the right direction when looking to hire a VA and many more useful things that I am quite sure would have required much more of my time, had I not had my blog network looking out for me.

It's great to read your blog - and a welcome addition to my feedreader!!

Thanks for the posts...

Lea Woodward
@ www.lipliving.com

[Robert Middleton]

Reply to nu2bloggin:

What to name your blog? Name it something simple and memorable. Something that reflects the core marketing message of your business. We tend to get too clever with names and it doesn't help us much. However, some are pretty smart: "Escape From Cubicle Nation," Pamela Slim's blog is brilliant and tells you exactly what it's about. Do some research. Run the name past your colleagues, etc. until you come up with something that works.

[nu2bloggin]

Hi Robert. I'm trying to "join the blogosphere" so I bought your (excellent) product on blogging. One question: What (how) do I name my blog? There are tons of "cute" titles for blogs out there but is cute good? Some seem to say "who we are" other say "what we do" and yours says "how you benefit" (More Clients).

How about a blog post on this topic?

[Irene Orkin]

I've been an avid reader of Robert's ezine for some time now. I'm glad to see he's joined the blogoshpere. Not only will his posts be informative, I'm looking forward to reading his feedback. After months of thinking about it, I finally took action yesterday & got my blog up & running. I intend to blog my way to my first million and incidentally establish myself as an expert in my industry (corporate on site massage) From what I've seen so far, massage practitioners don't seem to blog much. Hopefully I'll start a trend here.

[Dating Goddess]

Hi Robert:

You don't know my nom de plume, Dating Goddess, but we share the same initials!

I started one of my two blogs about a year ago as a way to write my next book, this one on dating after 40. I found it an amazing way to get feedback on my thoughts, build a fan base and mailing list, and get media coverage. I don't think I'll ever write a book the old way again (having written 8 books the old way).

I made a commitment to write every day because my goal was to write the manuscript. I had enough postings in a few months to compile them and send them to my literary agent. He's shopping the manuscript to NY publishers. I now have enough content for 3 books!

The media also found me thorugh the blog. By using SEO, I come up at the top of one of the most searched terms for my topic. This has garnered interviews on TV, radio, and newspapers, including two quotes in the Wall Street Journal! I'm hoping this press will yield a bigger advance from the publisher.

And I am beginning to monetize my content in other ways.

All the things you shared that Ms. Slim said are important -- linking to other like-contented blogs, thanking those who link to you, thanking commenters, encouraging comments, etc. I've had people link to my blog who I've never had contact with! I've been invited to be the featured dating contributor to 5 midlife sites. I'm now the "go to" gal on relationships for the San Jose Mercury news, being quoted for the 5th time on Tues. in less than a year by 3 different reporters.

All of this in an area i had no credibility before I started the blog.

Dating Goddess
Adventures in Delicious Dating After 40
http://www.DatingGoddess.com

[Philippa Kennealy]

Robert

I am a HUGE and RAVING fan of blogging. I spent 5 years trying to figure out how to market my coaching services. Once I picked a new niche and started afresh with a blog-based website (open for business last August, webiste built per the Website ToolKit - yay!!), I have been able to accomplish more in less than one year than I ever did before.

My blog has created tons of conversations, largely through emails as my target market of physicians is more inclined to email than comment, and it has truly helped establish me as an expert (in the last month, I have been approached by 4 medical publishing companies to write guest columns for them).

My blog has also positioned me in an unanticipated way with a new target audience - people who provide services and products to physicians and who are struggling to communicate with them. I am beign percieved as a resource consulting to these companies. What a great surprise!

I cannot imagine accomplishing any of this without my blog being at the core of my marketing activities.

I am delighted to see you embrace blogging and I couldn't imagine a better source of inspiration than my dear friend and trusted colleague Pam Slim!

[Blogging Coward]

I am a blogging coward. I am concerned that it's going to take up my life. I look at the last 2 entries here and notice that they were posted in the wee hours of the morning - when I treasure my sleep. Am I just older than y'all and all this technology is moving too fast? Any suggestions for tip toeing into the blogging world? Actually I guess I am doing that here. There I did it - my first blogging interaction! Thanks!

[jezblog]

Hey Robert don't forget to put the odd image in your blog.... its so much more appealing to us visual types..... you know its even possible to run an entire blog around images.... i run one separate from my own site and my agents site.
Cheers Jez Coulson
Photojournalist and Reportage Artist
www.jezblog.com

[Carole DeJarnatt]

I have been blogging since January. In the beginning it was more like a hobby but the more I read about them the better I understood the value of giving out information in a Web 2.0 environment. I had to switch blog formats due to limited html capabilities with the first blog and now am adding all the little widgets and stuff to help increase awareness. I try to have an entry daily and make sure I feel it is something of value. I have not gained business from it yet but hope to keep improving it as I keep trying. Feel free to check it out at http://allianceadvisors.blogspot.com.

P.S. I have mentioned your name in my blog a couple of times as being a source of information for me and also have a link to your blog. Thanks for the help and being a needed source!

[Chris Garrett]

It's great to see you finally embrace blogs Robert! :)