As I mentioned in my previous post, two different articles on blogging appeared in my in-box just as WIC was preparing to launch its new blog. One was from RainToday.com, covered in Part I of “To Blog or Not to Blog;” and the other came from the Silicon Valley WebGuild, the topic of this posting.

Americans Expect Companies to Have a Presence in Social Media
The WebGuild’s article focuses on a new survey conducted by Cone, a strategy and communications agency. Among other things, the survey showed that:

• 93 percent of respondents believe a company should have a presence in social media
• An overwhelming 85 percent believe a company should not only be present but also interact with its consumers via social media
• 56 percent of respondents feel both a stronger connection with and better served by companies when they interact with them in a social media environment

So What Does this Mean for Consultants? Get Blogging…
…or at least be aware of its impact. You may not be a big company, but chances are, your clients are every bit as influenced by genuine, open communication — the bread and butter of the blogosphere — as the people Cone surveyed. A blog may be the best way to reach your clients and keep you top of mind.

One way to know for sure, is to take Michael W. McLaughlin’s advice (Part I of “To Blog or Not to Blog”), and “ask your clients if they read blogs and, if so, what content they prefer to see. You’ll find some clients don’t read blogs at all and have zero interest in them, [while] others have RSS newsfeeds for all their favorite blogs.” From there, you can decide if blogging is right for you.

And even if you don’t want to join the conversation, your clients may be forced to do so — whether or not they actually want to participate. So, it behooves you to educate yourself on the ins and outs of blogging, and even connect with other consultants who specialize in this area — two things that WIC is well-known for helping consultants to do. That way, you can help your clients decide their next steps and maybe even find them a good resource, if it’s not something you yourself will handle.

Check out “Do You Have a Web 2.0 Marketing Strategy” (WIC’s September Teleseminar)

Coincidentally, as the women of WIC worked to launch our first blog — to coincide with WIC’s 10th anniversary celebration on October 16 — two different articles on blogging reached my inbox. One was from a favorite e-newsletter of mine, the Rainmaker Report by RainToday.com, and the other came from the Silicon Valley WebGuild.

Look Before You Leap (Aka Plan Before You Blog)
Michael W. McLaughlin, contributing editor at RainToday.com, urges consultants to ask some key questions before they commit to starting a blog. Very practical advice, actually; and thankfully, we (WIC) answered these questions before we took the leap.

One in particular resonated with me, because it cuts to the heart of what WIC is all about — collaboration and support: “If your practice includes other consultants, could you tap them for help with blog content? Would you be able to rotate the writing assignments for your blog with others?”

As WIC’s director of marketing and PR, I was charted to get this puppy off the ground. And the first thing I did was tap my fellow WIC board members to help generate content. That’s how we tackle everything at WIC — together. And I’ve found that this approach carries over to our businesses as well.

In fact, we believe community is so key to a consultant’s success that we’ve devoted an entire category to the concept of successful virtual teams. So, if you’re thinking of starting a blog, I can think of no better way to get your toes wet than to collaborate with your fellow consultants.

Blogging Easy? Not Exactly.
Another five little words from Michael also captured my attention: “It’s easy to get started….” On that, I have to disagree — a little. Sure, it’s easy to set up a blog in WordPress. And, yes, it just takes a computer, a bit of writing skills, and virtually no capital outlay. But easy? Not exactly.

To launch a successful blog takes some planning, which Michael clearly suggests in his questions to ask. But if your blog is truly going to be a marketing tool and you want it gain traction, there’s some other upfront work that’s well worth the labor.

Determining the keywords you want to target, assessing whether you can gain traction in those areas, limiting yourself to a handful — yes only a handful — of beachhead categories, and uncovering all the various alternatives to include as subcategories under the beachheads takes time. And it’s time well spent. Oh, and it’s interesting, too. But, I thank God that we’ve the talents of Celeste Bishop on our side to guide WIC through this process.

And the keywords are just the beginning. After you launch the site, you want to continue to refine your keywords. At the same time, you need to scope out the ecosystem in which your blog lives, taking the time to comment on other people’s blogs as well. That’s what blogging is, one big conversation. And to be heard above the din requires you to not just talk at your house, but others’ as well.

So Should Consultants Blog? You Bet!
None of what I wrote here is meant to scare you off from blogging. It’s just a bit of guidance — from someone currently going through the process — to say think it through and be prepared. It can be a very successful component to your overall marketing plan, whether you’re starting a consulting business, running a consulting business, or looking to grow your consulting business.

Oh, and make sure to follow one of Michael’s other pieces of advice: “You often hear bloggers say that blogs invite informal writing, and that typos and grammatical errors come with the territory. Maybe that’s okay for Max the Golden Retriever [read his article to understand this reference], but it’s the kiss of death if you are marketing a high-end professional services business.”