One good rule to keep in mind when blogging for business is to provide information that’s actionable. After all, isn’t the whole idea behind all the effort to provide relevant, frequent action to win friends and customers?
 
Like all rules, even good ones, though, it’s meant to be broken every once in awhile. Sometimes, if the facts you present in your blog are intrinsically interesting, even if they are things that are actionable by readers right then, it may be worth including them. For fun. To add variety. To demonstrate your own curiosity and knowledge in your field.

And, speaking of including fascinating, if not immediate actionable, material in your blog at least once in a blue moon, what’s the origin of that expression “Once in a blue moon”?

Lunar mechanics may not seem related at all to what you do or what you have to sell in your business, but everybody can relate to the expression “once in a blue moon.” Just the other day an acquaintance remarked on the fact that my Say It For You professional ghost blogging business address starts with the number 1313, saying it’s fitting for a ghost to be situated at such a location!

Here’s the scoop: In most years, there will be one full moon per month, three times for each season of the year. Seven times every nineteen years, though, there comes a year when there are thirteen full moons during the year. According to the now-defunct Maine Farmers’ Almanac, “this was considered a very unfortunate (hence “blue”) circumstance, especially by the monks who had charge of the calendar…..it upset the regular arrangement of church festivals.”

What’s more, we learn, in each season, the first full moon was called “early”, the second “midsummer” (or midwinter, midspring, or midfall), with the third being called “late”.  So as not to upset this system, a different term needed to be found for the “extra” moon, so they chose “blue moon”.

This type of “so-now-you-know!” material can add interest and variety to business blogs. Yet, in order to make the details relevant to the corporate blog “mission”, as I teach in my blog content training sessions, It’s a good idea to establish a tie-in to your own topic.

• Landscaping company – using blue formula to enhance the look of ponds
   
• Dry cleaners or laundry appliance company – bluing white garments
   
• Pet care company – whitening dulled hair on a pet with bluing
   
• Lighting company – The wave lengths of different colored lights and which colors of light are most appropriate for different uses
   
• Electronics store – Blu-ray technology

But, since frequency is one of the criteria for winning search, please – don’t blog just once in a blue moon!

I was absolutely delighted with the enthusiastic response to my corporate blog-writing challenge revolving around song titles.  (As a blog content writer, I posed a challenge to business owners to explain some aspect of their business by referring to a song title.) The many comments and emails were topped off by Cindy Hartman (Hartman Inventory), who devoted an entire guest blog post to thanking me, using various song titles.

So, why did this zany idea of mine about writing for business catch on so well with my Say It For You blog readers? I’m going to use today’s blog post to share the four reasons I came up with.  Each of these is something I’m going to try and do more of in future business blog writing, and hopefully, you will do the same.

1. The blog offered a challenge (readers were challenged to think about something familiar, namely their own businesses, in a whole new light, yet it was simple enough for anyone to try.
    
2. The idea was very specific, but had broad appeal:

•            You could choose any kind of song, from rap to rock to country Western.
   
•            The idea could be applied to any kind of business or professional practice
   
•            Anyone, including employees and customers, not only the owners could relate to the challenge (it is an idea that a business blogging service  or freelance SEO copywriter might use)

   Searchers use our business blogs in individualized ways. Some will scan quickly, verifying they’ve come to the right place, then hopefully click through in response to one of our Calls to Action.  Others might follow our links, meandering through pages of material, perhaps returning to tie it all together. Still others might make note of what we have to offer, filing that information away for a later time.
  
   3.   The challenge allowed self expression.

           4.  The blog post introducing the song title idea offered free, valuable advice to 
              business bloggers.

As relationship strategist Ron Sukenick teaches, sharing ideas, information, and resources with others increases your own influence and impact in the business world.

Speaking of song titles, I’m so glad I thought of that business blogging challenge.  As James Brown might say, "I Feel Good!"