By: Doug Caverly

More and more people are finding blogs to be an effective business tool. Blogs can generate helpful feedback, solidify a customer base, and even draw in new clients. They are an especially cost-effective tool, as they can generally be maintained for little or no money.

“If you don’t know where to start, go with one of the big names, [such as] Yahoo! Small Business. Also, for experimenting with a blog, there’s nothing more simple than setting up one on Blogger.com.” Such is the advice of Rex Hammock, owner of Hammock Publishing.

James Governor, a technology analyst with Denver-based RedMonk, suggests using a tagging service such as Technorati.com as a way of building traffic to your blog. “A tag is basically a label you give your blog-say ‘professional services.’ Anyone who uses Technorati and has subscribed to that tag will receive a notification of your new blog entry on that subject,” he said.

Some businesses form blogs in conjunction with several other businesses. In instances where they offer complimentary services, this is mutually beneficial, resulting in increased recognition for all without any competition from within.

Ruth Bielobocky, president of Ion Design, offers both words of support and caution. “A blog can be a great part of your marketing effort, but it should be planned appropriately with strategy in place . . . . Don’t forget the true needs of your target audience. If the information from the blog doesn’t directly help them solve a problem or address their wants and needs, it will not work.”

Any blog, but particularly a business blog of which something is expected, needs to be updated regularly. It is generally considered best to have one dedicated writer, or at least a consistent voice between several contributors. And companies shouldn’t hesitate to solicit feedback from readers-that is a large part of what business blogs are all about.

Via WebProNews

As a marketer who also writes about self-improvement and spirituality, this article instantly resonated with my values. I hope you enjoy it too.

Why One In Six Billion Is A Simple Marketing Formula
By Hirini Reedy

In today’s’ world, new markets are opening up all the time. With six billion plus people scattered across the globe, cross cultural marketing is vital to business success. No longer can dominant marketing practices apply globally. What works in the USA may not work here in New Zealand. And vice versa.

What works in Europe might not work in Asia. It comes back to our parent culture. Our mother tongue. Whether we speak English or Mandarin as our first language. Whether we follow Cartesian logic or Confucius thinking. Whether we use a knife and fork or chopsticks to eat our evening meal.

Smart marketing must tap into these cultural differences. Now stupid marketing is when you show photos of cheap silver cutlery to a blind Chinese person. Yet you and I know that blind people can sense vibrations. Even if they cannot see you, they can smell your energy.

Ask yourself, how many marketing messages do you believe 100% at first glance?

Not many huh? Again it comes back to a feeling. You sense either integrity or something less. You might not know all the facts and figures yet you have a funny feeling that something is not right. Perhaps a gut feeling.

Even in cross-cultural situations, your senses can pick up on subtle vibrations. These initial feelings can dramatically influence final business decisions. Here are a couple of ways to raise your energy and market yourself as totally unique.

1. You Must Find Your Soul Vibration.

You need to be selling something that resonates at a soul level. It lifts up your vibrations. It is about selling something that you believe in. It serves a greater purpose. It makes you feel good. You can sleep easy at night.

You are not ripping people off. Most of all, you are not ripping yourself off. Each time you do something lesser, you eat away at your self respect. Let your selling be noble. Come from a higher vibration. Most of all, be yourself. You are ONE in six billion.

2. Be The Greatest “YOU” In The World.

Marketing is an extension of who YOU are. Whether you are a one-person business or a 1000 person business, who you are defines your world impact. So be the greatest you that you can be.

There is no other person exactly like you in this world. For better or worse. For richer or poorer. You are absolutely 100% pure you. So start celebrating your uniqueness. Identify all the unique things that make you who you are.

For example, I am a Maori from New Zealand. Big deal. No one really knows or cares where New Zealand is? Or who Maori are? Yet what if I told you that there are only 400,000 Maori people in a world of six billion. This might interest you. That my name Hirini sounds female yet I am a male. Hmmm that’s weird.

That I come from a proud warrior race in a small country that is environmentally clean, green and free of venomous snakes and large hairy predators. That I teach Maori spiritual concepts yet most of my clients are non-Maori and all live overseas.

All these contrasts and contradictions might interest one or more people from out of six billion. Yet I must still be who I am. The more I believe in who I am, the more energy I am able to radiate. The more people I am able to attract. You can do the same as well.

So start being the greatest YOU in the whole world. Remember who you are as person speaks much louder than a lot of marketing hype. It communicates across cultures. It communicates around the world. Someone right now is waiting to hear your message.

Hirini Reedy is a Maori metaphysicist, former military officer, martial arts founder and personal coach. He combines ancient Maori wisdom with modern insights at http://www.maori-secrets.com