Since blog writing for business is all about marketing a company’s branding and corporate identity, when I heard the Farm Credit Services radio ad, it made me stop and think.

The tag line started out, "When you’ve seen one farmer…".  Of course, I expected to hear the sentence conclude "..you’ve seen them all."  But instead (and this was the whole point of the ad), the sentence went, "When you’ve see one farmer, you’ve seen one farmer." The message here, as the announcer went on to explain, was that each client of Farm Credit Services has different needs, and that therefore, in dealing with Farm Credit, you could expect to be listened to and to receive individual care.

It occurs to me this "you’ve-seen-one-farmer" idea could be powerful stuff when it comes to corporate blogging training. I’d start by having blog content writers make lists of ways their business individualizes and personalizes services to customers and clients. Sure, it seems as if every business says it offers personalized services, but if ever there was a concept to drive home to readers in a corporate blog, this one’s it. Drill down, I’d say to everyone offering blog writing services, to actual cases of clients’ personalized customer service, recalling times when unusual problems got solved, and when standard procedures were put aside to get the job done for that one customer..

Now that I think about it, the very best business blogging assistance  – or professional ghost blogging – I could ever provide to any business owner would need to be in the area of getting this one-farmer concept woven as a "leitmotif" into the fabric of the business blog posts. Even the calls to action in the blog should convey the message that readers may have different needs, offering lots of choices for interaction. 
 
True, the reason readers found your blog in the first place is that what you offer is a match for what they typed into the search bar on their computer. Now they’re here, it’s crucial to convey a two-part message:

• You’ve come to the right place to find what you need.
• We plan to treat you as an individual – we know you’re unique!

In other words, the message is: we’ve seen many customers, but we’ve never seen you!

Today’s Say It For You blog post is contributed by my friend Cindy Hartman, blogger and business owner.

Networking is one of the best methods for entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners to introduce – and create visibility for – their businesses. As the owner of a personal property inventory service, I have found networking, and the resulting referrals, is the best method to grow my business. Referrals and connections gained through networking are key to the growth of Hartman Inventory.

So if networking and referrals are the preferred way to build a business, why spend time blogging when I can be networking? Because a blog can be a virtual referral! As a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), which gives me the opportunity to meet women throughout the country, my true reach through networking is still local.

Since it is impossible to meet everyone face-to-face, my blog provides the introduction I might never have received. The posts explain why people and businesses need an inventory, provide some insight to who we, as owners, are and share knowledge gained throughout the years. You then determine whether you have an interest to learn more, at which point you can visit our website. The blog has now become the referral source!

I also write a blog for Hartman Inventory Systems, a turnkey business package. It allows me to reach out to those nationally who are ready to start a business. The ability to have access nation-wide through a blog is essential when seeking connections outside of your local market. Those interested in starting their own inventory company can meet me and learn about our company through these articles.

Our customers have stated that reading my business blog helped them decide to work with us. What did they learn through these articles? They found that we have a very high level of knowledge of the personal property inventory industry, what type of people we are, that we provide a great deal of support and assistance as they start and grow their own business, but that we are less costly than a franchise. It was the blog, and what they learned by reading it, that encouraged them to contact us!

So when asked why I spend my time blogging, I have a very solid, convincing answer. Blogging brings visibility to our inventory service (local) and our turnkey business package (national). It provides credibility within our industry and familiarity with potential customers. Blogging serves as a virtual referral source.

Corporate blogging for business has become the centerpiece for business’ marketing strategy and tactics development, around which an entire social media management package can be built. As a longtime blog content writer, iI heartily agree with Cidy that blogging can serve as a virtual referral source, helping businesses reach further than they otherwise could.  Rhoda