About two years ago, my mentor and colleague Bill Farquharson asked me that question. At the time, I was working for Canon Business Solutions, selling digital production equipment to commercial printers in the south suburbs of Illinois. I had never thought about blogging, but after noodling it over for a month or so, I began to look into it. I went to BlogSpot, because other people I knew who had blogs used it, and within 10 minutes I had a blog. I was a blogger. I was “one who blogs.”
So why aren’t YOU blogging? Here are four reasons that you should be.
1. It’s FREE! I don’t think I have so say too much more about this, do I? As for return on your investment, you can’t lose. All it takes is some of your time, and a little creativity.
2. It will show your customers that you understand newer technologies. There are a lot of print reps out there that fall under the category “seasoned.” And I am not talking about sea salt like the new Wendy’s fries (Which are AWESOME, btw.). Age does NOT matter here— look at some of the geezers that are blogging here for Printing Impressions (Just kidding guys. You don’t look a day over 35!).
Age is not relevant here. Experience is not relevant here. If you have something of value to say, your customers will read it, and value YOU. Which brings me to my next point...
3. You have your customer’s ear...what do you want them to know? This is a great opportunity to have a one-way conversation with your customers and prospects. Whether it is new technology, some unique service that you offer, something special about someone that you work with, or simply an observation that you made while out on a sales call today, if it is well written and has some relevancy to a reader, people will read your blog. What a great differentiator.
4. Creativity breeds creativity. When you sit down to write your blog, something magical happens. When you start exercising the creative part of your brain, a whole wellspring of creative ideas just might start bubbling up. You might just come up with a brilliant new marketing plan. An idea for how to appeal to that humongous prospect might hit you like a bolt of lightning. Or, you might just sharpen your communication skills overall, and become a better listener, a stronger solver of problems. And you just might win more business.
I am a big fan of the question, “Why not...?” When I took fencing classes, and people asked me, “Why are you taking fencing classes?” I said, “Why NOT? What if Chicago came under siege by pirates? Who would be sitting pretty then? ME!”
So why not blog? What have you got to lose? Not much, just a little of your time. And what do you have to gain? New customers, new experiences, and a chance to polish up the old brain.
Give it a shot. And when you do, please tell me how I can read it, too. Cause I LOVE to read! And I especially love to read well written, creative blogs!
Join me and fellow PI blogger Bill Farquharson next Wednesday, January 26, for a Webinar on beating voicemail. Visit www.getprintsales.com to register for this and other awesome print sales related webinars. And use the coupon code GPSJanuary to save $10!
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Blogger, author, consultant, coach and all around evangelist for the graphic arts industry, Kelly sold digital printing for 15 years so she understands the challenges, frustrations and pitfalls of building a successful sales practice. Her mission is to help printers of all sizes sell more stuff. Kelly's areas of focus include sales and marketing coaching, enabling clients to find engagement strategies that work for them and mentoring the next generation of sales superstars.
Kelly graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Political Science and, among other notable accomplishments, co-founded the Windy City Rollers, a professional women's roller derby league. She is also the mother of two sets of twins under the age of ten, so she fears nothing.