Business Blogging

We all picture a flamboyant actor flailing their hands in the air chanting these words, “what’s my motivation?”

How often do you feel like you are the actor and those words just left your mouth?

The press is stopping short of actually using the “R” word in open forums or in print, but they are sure throwing it around via innuendos and in the form of predictions and expert opinions. As business owners we are faced with two competing points of viewing a recession. Oh my god or Alright!

In times of recession, cash is king and customer loyalty fades in favor of price. It may be that you have build very strong relationships with your current client base, but how far will loyalty take them if your customer is faced with an ever tightening budget?

During a recession, in addition to ALL the other marketing endeavors you are already doing, you must re-prove your worth in the eyes of your customer. If done right, you can gain new customers (who are unhappy with their current service provider) and build even stronger relations with your existing customers. How you ask? What is this magic business bullet that will kill two birds with one stone?

Join the East Portland Chamber of Commerce. As a member, you have access to publishing on our Chamber Blog site, meeting with new business owners (and consumers) in your local area and have influence in local politics. (Like this Wednesday when the Governmental Affairs Committee is bringing in a brave politician to face our Q&A).

Why is the chamber blog so important? Well, simple, because google said so. Blogs already have a special place in the eyes of the search engines, but google also values community based organizations, so the Chamber sites get an extra kick that your site just can’t achieve.

Second reason for blogging is publishing links back to your site with relevant content pertaining to a specific keyword on your website helps improve your businesses search engine visibility. Think of it this way, another link from a website that is not yours is like a vote in a popularity contest. The only difference is in this contest you make money if your site is ranked higher.

Starting your own blog on Blogger or WordPress, (inserting a shameless plug here) I can help you with that task, will give you similar results along with increased access to your customers.

How does blogging help re-build customer loyalty? Does your customer like it when you call them? Of course, and you should be talking with your customers every month; but how much is too much? How many phone calls before your customer considers you a pest? Does that mean they don’t value your information? No, it just means they don’t have time to sit down on your schedule. However, if you had a blog where you told the world about recent additions to the employee ranks, new products or services, tips and tricks on using the XYZ Widget, or any other relevant information that would be of interest; your customers will read it.

Tell me if this conversation is plausible. “Hey Ed, I saw on your blog that you guys are now offering a business blogging service, it sounds interesting, can you tell me more?”

Ok, look beyond the second shameless plug and tell me if your customers wouldn’t do the same thing for you? The conversation could just as easily be, “I saw your posting on the East Portland Chamber of Commerce, tell me more.”

Membership matters, to learn more about becoming a member in the East Portland Chamber of Commerce, visit one of our Good Morning East Portland events or visit our website.

Ed Bejarana East Portland Chamber of Commerce Blog Editor