|
Your EnterQuest Bulletin - Issue 267
 |
| Thought for the week: "Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought." Albert Szent Györgyi |
|
In this week's issue:
What makes a good business blog?
The word blog is derived from 'weblog' - a web page with some clever formatting software behind it so that anyone (including you) can update it without being a technical whiz. In short, you become the chief editor of your own online magazine or resource.
In a commercial context, a business blog or 'b-blog' has powerful marketing applications which can provide the astute business with a fast and informal way to disseminate information to staff, clients and the media.
So what makes a good b-blog?
Whilst there are 80,000 blogs launched every day, a good proportion barely last three months. The reason: people don't effectively harness their power and quickly lose heart. You need to ask yourself a few key questions before you start:
-
Have you got the time, energy and focus to keep a b-blog going?
-
Who is your target readership?
-
Are you prepared to integrate blogging into your marketing strategy?
-
What do you want to communicate?
-
When will the business see results?
-
What do you want to achieve with a blog?
All valid questions which can help put you on the right road. Let's look further at the final question. Understanding what you want from your b-blog is crucial - do you want to demonstrate the business's expertise, or perhaps your own? Promote your products or services? Provide customers and prospects with news, announcements, updates? Build a community? A b-blog can do all of these things, and more!
So what makes a bad b-blog?
Whilst b-blogs can catapult a business to great success, they can also have their downsides if implemented poorly. Things to avoid are:
-
Infrequent and uninspiring content - it won't get you anywhere. Blogs are only as good as the content you can upload onto them.
-
Regurgitating old news.
-
Using language your target audience does not understand.
-
Using a blog as a 'hard sell' tool.
-
Treating your readers with contempt.
-
Telling porkies!
This tip is an extract of an article from EnterQuest's sister publication, BETTER business magazine. Subscribers to the magazine can read even more articles to help them run a better business, including:
 |
- Prepare for stormy weather. In times of economic pressure, businesses can not only survive but thrive. Bruce Townsend explains how you can grow your business with careful merchandising, good customer service and cost-effective marketing. (Issue 157)
|
 |
- Create your own checklist for success. If you are struggling to win sales, maybe it's time to look again at your approach. Robert Ashton offers some checklists to help you sell more and sell smarter. (Issue 152)
|
To receive a free copy of BETTER business magazine simply send us your name and address to enterquest@cobwebinfo.com, putting 'EQ magazine offer' in the subject box.
Each week we provide you with summaries of some popular or emerging business ideas in the UK and elsewhere around the world.
Regularly improving your vocabulary is not just about learning a new word and its meaning. It will improve your general knowledge and make you feel and act smarter in all sorts of personal and business situations.
Do you know the meaning of the word 'reprehensible'?
a) inexcusable
b) not sensible
c) beyond salvation
d) difficult to understand
Answer at the end of the Bulletin.
The following topical business issues have been recently reported in the media. Did your radar pick them up?
1) Small businesses are bracing themselves for the credit crunch biting harder, according to trade credit insurers Atradius. Some 73% of businesses believe that what financial concern will have the biggest impact on them during the crunch?
a) customers failing to pay up
b) soaring fuel costs
c) rising overheads
d) passing costs on to the consumer
2) Consumers are looking for promotional deals when they shop, according to promotions business Valassis. What percentage are more actively looking for deals than they were 12 months ago?
a) 10%
b) 15%
c) 30%
d) 45%
3) Business Secretary John Hutton has challenged the passing of new laws in which area of red tape?
a) tax
b) employment
c) health and safety
d) data protection
Answers at the end of the Bulletin.
Planning permission portal
The Planning Portal website has a useful planning permission tool for businesses. You can find out more about the planning application process, discover how to make a planning application, check out a glossary of planning terminology and calculate the volume of your existing workspace to see if you need planning permission.
Free anti-virus tool from Comodo
Anti-virus solutions firm Comodo is offering a free anti-virus package. The 2.0 beta version provides daily automatic virus updates, detects and wipes out viruses from laptops and PCs, and blocks malware from running. A big bonus is that there are no licence fees to pay.
Lean manufacturing tool from MAS Central
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform's (BERR) Manufacturing Advisory Service is offering a lean manufacturing diagnostics tool to help small businesses cut down on wastage and ultimately increase their bottom line. You need to register before you take the test.
Small business opinions needed on public sector contracts
The Government wants the views of small businesses on ways in which small firms can win more public sector contracts. The opinions of business owners will be used in a review of small business access to public sector contracts. Anne Glover, CEO of Amadeus Capital Partners, will head up the review. If you want to submit your own views, go to www.ogc.gov.uk/SME_Consultation.asp. The consultation closes on 8 August.
Win one of four copies of Business Plan Pro
EnterQuest had teamed up with Palo Alto to give readers the chance to win a one of four copies of Business Plan Pro Premier which is ideal for creating a business plan.
Business Plan Pro Premier software automatically customises your plan to match your business type. The software automatically creates all the spreadsheets, charts and graphs that you and investors look for, including cash flow, breakeven and profit and loss. It also comes with over 500 business plan examples to give you inspiration.
Palo Alto is offering four lucky readers the chance to win a copy of Business Plan Pro Premier. To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question:
Q. In which area of red tape did John Hutton challenge the passing of new laws?
E-mail your answer, together with your name, address and daytime telephone number, using "Business Plan Pro Competition" as the e-mail subject line, to enterquest@cobwebinfo.com.
All entries must be received by 30 June. EnterQuest and Palo Alto will use the information you provide for their own marketing purposes only and your details will never be shared with any third parties (except to arrange delivery of the prize). Competition rules are available on request.
Author Eamonn Butler looks at the concept of the 'free' market and argues against Government attempts to regulate and control existing markets. The book also touches on the subjects of competition, cartels and monopolies. Check out:
Just one word answer
The answer is a).
Reprehensible means inexcusable.
The MP's decision not to meet with the small business focus group was reprehensible. |
Visit www.enterprisequest.com to access all back issues of the EnterQuest bulletin. If you have any feedback or suggestions for us to make this service more relevant please e-mail your comments to enterquest@cobwebinfo.com.
If you wish to discontinue your subscription to EnterQuest please click on the 'SafeUnsubscribe' link at the bottom of the bulletin.
Remember that we guarantee never to sell or give your e-mail address to anyone else.
Good luck
The EnterQuest Team
This information is meant as a starting point only. Whilst all reasonable efforts have been made, the publisher makes no warranties that the information is accurate and up-to-date and will not be responsible for any errors or omissions in the information nor any consequences of any errors or omissions. Professional advice should be sought where appropriate. |
