Series posts aren’t for everyone. I think they would probably work best for a well read, popular blog, that has lots of visitors who return on almost a daily basis.

Isn’t it amazing how your company blog has generated more interest in your business? I think your “forfeits” is part of it, and you all admitting you want to receive “all greens”. That was an ingenious idea. (Maybe a great blog post on your personal blog???-a teaching lesson)

I realize we are totally off subject, but I think sometimes people are assessing us when we’re “off”…not selling to them. If they like our personalities, and see that we are genuine, they are more apt to give us a chance. Just like the potential customer of yours from years ago, who is now reassessing his existing IT company and thinking of coming over to you.

I think your company blog shows that you are transparent…and you are not trying to hide anything. Customers love that.

And then, as we say, if you walk your talk, you have no where to go, but up.

Isn’t it amazing how you have figured out that by not “selling”, you are gaining more business. Are you onto something?

Sounds like another blog post in the making…you think?

Barbara’s last blog post..Does Your Blog Resemble A Soap Opera

I’m still interested in the 3rd blog idea, but feel as though it’s too early.

I do worry about dilution. I’ve had a number of periods now where the blogging side suffers when things get busy in the business.

But I suppose that’s because the site/blog is generating directly and indirectly new enquiries.

Recently, it’s been fascinating to see some very old prospects coming back to us. I can only put it down to the site/blog.

I did two surveys recently with a prize – not selling at all and not directly receiving an enquiry.

But over the last week, I’ve had a number of blasts from the past – people we quoted a few years ago suddenly asking for a fresh quote.

And the guy who won the prize from the second survey rang up on Friday to say he wants to switch his IT support company! And that’s someone else my colleague Steve remembers visiting a few years back, but who never came through back then.

So I’ve now got a counter-argument which could justify the time!

I’m having fun using blogs as a very indrect method of marketing a company. I’m not in-your-face selling, just writing stuff, emailing people and asking for opinion, and then getting traffic from local people via the circulars.

So there’s a very good argument for generating another “not selling” conversation-starter.

“Not selling” has been written on the whiteboard behind me in red letters. And I’m going to focus on that for a while. Just starting relevant conversations with absolutely no sales spin in it.

Ian Denny’s last blog post..For Blog Addicts Only: Putting Pictures In A Blog Post

That’s quite fine if you want to “hijack” my comment section for awhile. I would rather have you feel you can “have your say”, then to make you edit your comments and keep them to a certain number of words. I want all of my commenters to feel “at home” on my blogs.

In the blogging community, we can all help each other. You are giving others a great opportunity to share their opinions with you.

As far as a third blog, that is something I, too, have been considering, but time restraints are currently my biggest concern. Although I have a domain name registered, I have yet to go public. It’s a tough decision as I want all of my blogs to provide valuable information, however, if I can’t find the time to keep a constant blogging schedule, I worry that #3, may fall flat on it’s face, or….my other two blogs will suffer. And….I feel I have too much invested to let that happen.

I really admire those who can maintain a lot of good blogs at once. It’s a lot of hard work, and something most don’t see, or realize.

Catherine,

I’ll have to come by and dig up that post you are talking about. Now you have me curious.

You must have been torn as to whether you should approve her comment, knowing you had the rest of the series ready to go. That would be a tough call. I would have to believe your readers “saw through her”, as you do have a group of very smart individuals frequenting your blog.

Hi Opal,

Thank you for sharing your success with series posts. It’s not often readers will initiate a series, but when they do, you know those loyal readers will be back to read “the rest of the story”.

Like you, I don’t always follow a series. I would be more apt to read the whole thing at once.

Barbara’s last blog post..Does Your Blog Resemble A Soap Opera

I think Ian – remembers which post it was! It was going to be a series on chasing up debts. I posted it one Saturday morning so not everyone saw it. Now, Ian gave his input which was good and very much appreciated. But, a so called business coach suddenly turned up at my site also wrote a long comment on chasing up debts.

She did get up my nose. When I started my new business I paid her over £5000 ($10,000) for only a few hours work – an initial meeting then 4 one hour meetings. She was part of a franchise and I made it clear to her that I needed someone who had a lot of business experience, as I particularly wanted help on my areas of weakness – eg: recruitment and training.

Well she made out she had heaps of business experience but it soon became apparent that the only experience she had was this so called coaching. It was a complete waste of money, and I really should have asked for a refund. So, when she turned up at my blog – I was quite unhappy.

I really appreciate the contributions people make on the blog, but not that woman dropping by to try to scam a few more people.

CatherineL’s last blog post..20 Things I Wish I’d Known About Business And Life When I was 20