Few people realize how powerful a blog can be when it comes to projecting an image to the public. Words have a power all their own and the wrong ones may sink your company’s reputation. Before you even start your own corporate blog it is very important to first come up with the image you would like the public to have of your company. Then, figure out how you want to get that image to come across. Here are some hints to help get you started.

1. Honesty is always the best policy.

While full disclosure of a company meltdown may not be the best idea, it is always important to be honest in your blogs. Never try to stretch the facts, pad your accomplishments or make your company look like something it is not. The blogosphere as it is called is an incredibly small little micro-universe and news, both good and bad, travels fast. It only takes one small slip up to tank your company’s image.

2. Be engaging and never dull.

Most people think of companies as being grey, lifeless and without any character. You can dramatically change that perception by having a blog that is engaging, fun to read and exciting. However, you have to walk that fine line between getting people interested in your company and becoming unprofessional. If necessary, try to take a few courses in creative and persuasive writing. It will definitely pay off.

3. Avoid the sales pitch.

There is a way to move products on your blog without having it sound like an informercial. Today’s blog readers don’t want to read a commercial – they want news and they want it now. Instead of blatant sales pitches, find a way to integrate your products with what you are talking about, or what is in the news right now. This way, you’re actually providing your readers with help instead of hawking your latest product in their face.

4. Be friendly and cultivate blogging relationships.

The whole point of blogging is that it is very social in nature. The whole point of corporate blogging is to bring that element into your business to help increase your customer base and build a stronger brand. By inviting popular guest bloggers in your niche, or just developing some great friendships with other bloggers, you can build a strong network between each other, and everyone wins.

It is also important to remember to be very friendly, but professional, when dealing with your readers. Never get dragged into a flame war on your blog or stoop to picking fights with readers that leave comments on your blog. In the end, you’re going to be the one that looks bad, and that is not the image you want to project for your company.

These are just a few hints to get you started on the path to presenting the right image of your company. Sometimes it helps to have a professional walk you through these initial phases and we highly recommend hiring a blog management service to do just that.

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Originally posted 2008-08-14 05:00:10. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Although writing for a blog is a bit limited in many cases, that does not mean that your posts shouldn’t invoke some sort of emotional response from your reader. This is the true key towards developing a devoted readership and sadly, many blogs fail to pass this test. While it can be tough to figure out what is going on in your reader’s minds, you can use a few clues to determine which of your posts accomplishes this. Once you have a better idea of what is working for you, you can emulate that same style in your other posts.

One of the best ways to determine whether or not you are creating an emotional response in your readers is to look at your comments section. If you barely get any comments at all, then you have failed to provoke an emotional response. These posts may be falling on deaf ears, and you may not be using your time as effectively as you could. A blog post could take you thirty minutes, but if it provokes an emotional response, then it was well worth the effort. Conversely, a post that takes two minutes but delivers no emotional impact is a waste of your time.

You can also gauge your posts effectiveness by how many other sites refer to it, and how many new subscribers you get after each post. If that spikes, then you know you have struck a chord. If it doesn’t then it is time to go back to the drawing board. Above all, you can always use traffic to help you determine if you are indeed striking a chord with your readers.

So, now that you know what happens after you write a post that provokes this response, how do you go about getting to that point. If you are already trained in persuasive writing, or even persuasive speaking, this should come naturally to you. The rest of us have to work at ways to strike that emotional chord.

Whenever you write a post, first and foremost it needs to be conversational. Even if you are imparting serious news, there is a way to do it in a conversational tone. Readers never liked to be “written at,” they want to be “written to.” By tweaking your style so that it it flows more naturally and reads more like a conversation than a dissertation, you can be well on the path towards that emotional response.

Remember, an emotional response can mean many things: Happy, Angry, Riled Up or Inspired are just a few emotions that can be imparted through the written word. You can practice the art of persuasive writing simply by reading some truly great speeches. Find the ones that evoke these emotions in you and then try to learn from that style. Over time, you will be able to naturally write in a persuasive manner, without even having to think twice about it. In the end, it is definitely worth the effort.

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Originally posted 2008-12-04 05:16:06. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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