You wouldn't normally think of looking for blog content writing tips in a book on exercise, but, hey – "Reading around" means being alert for ideas wherever you can find them.  Okay, okay, so I didn't buy best-selling author Jorge Cruise's book "Inches Off Your Tummy" for pure business blogging purposes, and I hope that even a week from now, it'll be a leaner, trimmer me offering corporate blog writing training.  Still, there's so much about the content and organization of this book that's relevant to blog writing, I've decided to "curate" the insights in this week's Say It For You blog posts.

One thing I train business owners and professional practitioners to do when they're just beginning to blog is to start with a "Why a Blog About…" post.  Jorge Cruise does the same thing in the book, which he introduces by saying "I know what it's like to struggle with excess weight – I've lived it…Many people don't realize it, but I spent my formative years as the heavy kid in school."

Once the blog is up and going, of course, not every reader will be steered to that opening post, and in every post, the first two tasks of the content writer are to a) assure readers they've come to the right place to find the products, services, and guidance they were looking for, and b) show that the business owner is passionate about her field and that she care about them.

The opening post, though, needs to be there to introduce the subject.  In promoting the new blog to existing customers, the owners can send an email, including a link to that opening blog post.

Jorge Cruise ends his intro to the book by inviting readers to "share your story".  "I want to hear," he says encouragingly, "why you've decided to take proactive steps to change your life." I like that statement a lot. 

First, I recommend allowing reader comments on a business blog.  Worried about spam attacks? Set up the platform to require administrative approval before comments "go live".  Worried about negative comments? Think of those as a blessing.  In fact, business blogging is the ideal tool for you to respond quickly to complaints.  Many business owners report that solving a customer's problem resulted in those customers becoming loyal fans.

From the very first pages, we know why Cruise is writing his book. Telling readers shy you're starting a blog is a great way to make friends and create customers!

Whoa, was I glad to see Robby Slaughter’s “Failure: the Secret to Success” newsletter come back from the dead!  I love the book, and the blog about the book is a great monthly treat.  

One post I particularly want to share with my own Say It For You blog readers is “The Failure of Anxiety Affects Celebrities, Too,” because it brings out a point every business owner, professional, and freelance business blogger ought to keep in mind: Writing about past failures is an important factor in the success of any business or professional practice’s blog.

Blogger Alyssa Puglise uses actor Harrison Ford as an example.  While the characters Ford portrays in movies are smooth talking and charismatic, she explains,Ford himself is actually afraid of public speaking!  Because he has embraced this failure, though, speaking around the world to benefit various charitable causes, he turned his weakness into an enhancing factor for his career, vastly increasing his popularity.

When it comes to blogging for business, true stories about mistakes and failures are very humanizing, adding to the trust readers place in the people behind the business. What tends to happen is the stories of failure create feelings of empathy and admiration for the entrepreneurs or professional practitioners who overcame the effects of their own errors.

As a business blogging trainer, I stress that, in addition to providing information, blogs have a damage control function.  When customer complaints and concerns are recognized and dealt with publicly (there’s nothing more public than the Internet!), that gives the “apology” – and the remediation – a lot more weight in the eyes of readers.

Yes, in business blogs, failure really can serve as the secret to successful content writing!