If you happen to be in Omaha on Wednesday, April 18th, 2007, and have some time to spare between 2:00PM and 3:15PM, try to visit Qwest Center where Infotec 2007 is in progress. I will be presenting on the topic of “Business Blogging as a Marketing Tool”. Here is what you will learn:

What is a Blog?

• Definition

• Blog Defined
• Business Blog Defined

• FAQ Blog
• Company news and Press release Blog
• New Product sneak-preview Blog
• Consumer Input and Education Blog
• Client Case Study/Success Story Blog
• Brandmaker Blog
• Product pre-launch Marketing Blog

• IDEAS – Feedback on ideas from the readers.
• PRODUCTS – Fine tune products by asking readers what  they want.
• VISIBILITY – Converts single interaction marketing campaign to a multiple experience campaign by encouraging reader participation.
• TEAMWORK – Creates opportunities for company staff members and readers to interact, thus allowing exchange of ideas.

• Current Customers.
• Potential Customers.
• Internet savvy.
• Decision makers.
• Research oriented  - who research  before  they buy.

How Search Engines work?

• Search Engine Robots

• Complex algorithms
• Freshness of the content
• Relevance of the content

• Crawl
• Index

Marketing

• SOLUTION - How appropriate is the solution to the customers problem/need
• INFORMATION - Does the customer know about the solution, and if so how, who from, do they know enough to let them make a buying decision
• VALUE - Does the customer know the value of the transaction, what it will cost, what are the benefits, what might they have to sacrifice, what will be their reward?
• ACCESS - Where can the customer find the solution. How easily/locally/remotely can they buy it and take delivery.

Connecting Marketing and Blogs
Business Blogs as

• Solution
• Information
• Value
• Access

Pros and Cons of Business Blogs
Discussion and Q & A