June 21, 2006

6 Steps to a Branded Business Blog in Record Time

published this at 11:23 am

Branding IS Who We Are

Personal Branding logo

It’s enough to say that a person’s perception is that person’s reality. What a person believes is what that person knows. Most folks don’t think about a difference between the two. Why should they? That’s philosophy. Life works out just fine without having to stop to think about such things, doesn’t it?

What did I just say?

In my own way, I said that customers decide who we are by what they perceive. They are the folks who define a brand. So the best plan is to make sure their perception matches what we want our brand to be, because in their eyes our brand is who we are.

6 Steps to a Branded Business Blog

Whether you’re adding to a website, launching a start-up, or building a home business, a blog can give your brand credibility and depth in record time. Here are the 6 Steps to building a branded business blog.

Business Blogs can help build a brand in record time because search engines love a well-written blog, with relevant content. Readers do too. So as your blog builds your brand, your brand builds your business, and readers are drawn into your business to help both your blog and your business grow even faster. A great brand is its own promotion because customers seek it out on their own.

When was the last time that asked customers how they see your brand?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
6+1: Writing Voice the Sound of Your Brand
Knowing How People Think — As a Business Tool
The Brand YOU and Customer Think series on the SUCCESSFUL SERIES PAGE

Filed under Branding, Business Life, Design, Successful Blog | 20 Comments »


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20 Comments to “6 Steps to a Branded Business Blog in Record Time”

  1. June 21st, 2006 at 12:36 pm
    Keith Dsouza said

    I may start to disagree on the opening statement.

    With regards to what’s perception, what’s belief, there is also a way as to what’s behaviour.

    A person may do these things differently but still be someone no one knows, some people including the closest known people including family and friends may never really know the person closest for lifetime.

    On these terms, a person may be someone else to people, but someone else to themselves.

    I still believe that quantitaive research on human beings do not bring about a realistic approach to individuals as you never know what the person next to you is unless its you yourself.

  2. June 21st, 2006 at 12:41 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I agree with what you’re saying about who you really are, Keith. But what I’m saying here is that who you REALLY are doesn’t matter with respect to branding. What matters is only who customers decide you are.

    I can be the most lovely, sweet, nice lady, but if customers see me as mean and difficult. Then who I really am, doesn’t matter. They’re not going to do business with me, because they think I am mean. Mean is my brand value to them whether I want it to be, whether it’s actually true, or not.

  3. June 21st, 2006 at 12:46 pm
    Keith Dsouza said

    Yes as I said i only disagreed with the opening statement.

    A brand is what you build over a period of time, and I totally agree the 6 steps are a ladder built with an escalator to take you up.

  4. June 21st, 2006 at 12:49 pm
    ME Strauss said

    How can you disagree that your perception is your reality. What else could your reality be?

  5. June 21st, 2006 at 1:00 pm
    Keith Dsouza said

    Percpetions according to me are insights people may have which may not always hold true.

    Some times we percieve more than what can actually be attained which leads to overburdening, so what i do believe in is do what you can do rather than have a hindsight.

    Nevertheless It is only an opinion I hold and not a general perception.

  6. June 21st, 2006 at 1:04 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Even though it’s not true, your perception is still what you believe until you find out it’s not true.

  7. June 21st, 2006 at 1:21 pm
    Keith Dsouza said

    Yea quite true, that’s what i wanted to say perceptions are not always true :) .

  8. June 21st, 2006 at 1:59 pm
    ME Strauss said

    I think we can totally agree on that!
    We agreed all along. We just like debating. :)

  9. June 21st, 2006 at 2:15 pm
    Keith Dsouza said

    I always like conversing with you, its always such a learning experience.

    Maybe I’ll get witty on this and write a blog post on this conversation, I like letting people on interesting conversations.

    Maybe people may have a whole different perception about the perception thing :) .

  10. June 21st, 2006 at 2:18 pm
    RennyBA said

    I came to you’re blog from LinkedInBloggers. I’m a newbie and are just experiementing with my personal blog about Norway and the Nordic to get a more hans on feeling about this powerful tools in communication.
    I can see from your blog that I have a lot to learn – thanks for sharing!

  11. June 21st, 2006 at 2:21 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Maybe people may have a whole different perception about the perception thing.

    What percetive thing for you to say. ;)

    I always enjoy speaking with you also. You brighen my day.

  12. June 21st, 2006 at 2:24 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Renny,
    Welcome. Everyone has a lot learn. Very few bloggers have been doing it very long. We’re all experimenting at something in some way. Have a look around for as long as you like. Make sure you check out the NEW BLOGGER PAGE.

    There are snacks and beverages in the sidebar and chairs all around. So relax and enjoy.

    You’re not a stranger anymore. You’re a friend now.
    Liz

  13. June 21st, 2006 at 2:31 pm
    Jason Boog said

    Today Chartreuse discussed a Canadian blogger who initiated a firestorm when she criticized a wine cooler ad in a magazine.
    http://chartreuse.wordpress.com/2006/06/21/the-better-than-beer-morning-remix/

    This blogger usually stuck to progressive political debates between literary adults, but that post stuck her in the middle of a debate with everybody from rabid right-wing bloggers to angry college kids. It was not a civilized debate anymore, just a room full of angry people

    The whole debate degenerated pretty quickly, and the blogger said she never expected that result. She should have listened to Liz’s advice about her brand–she posted out of usual character and opened a can of nasty worms.

    Sorry I missed the open mic last night Liz, it looked fun…

  14. June 21st, 2006 at 4:29 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Great comment Jason.
    I’ll have to go checkout Char’s post to see what’s happening over at his house.

    Real people can misbehave in ways that politicos cannot believe, I guess.

    Thanks for adding this to the discussion.
    Liz

  15. June 22nd, 2006 at 3:17 am
    Bloggers Buzz said

    [...] The full article is available at Successful Blog    Posted in Blog Content     [...]

  16. June 22nd, 2006 at 8:35 am
    ME Strauss said

    Thanks Bloggers Buzz!

  17. July 1st, 2006 at 7:48 am
    Tammy said

    I’ve been reading your blog(s) for a bit when this post is a perfect way to say “hi” because my personal and professional motto has been “perception is everything” because just as you say – it doesn’t matter what is fact to other people, they stand on their perception of life. I could be the most stand up person but with a slip in front of someone else – I’ve altered their perception of me. It works in life and especially in business.

    Tammy

  18. July 1st, 2006 at 7:55 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Tammy,
    Nice to meet you!
    Boy do I know what you’re saying is true. In one job that I had I might have been playing and being funny 10% of the time, but it seems that every time I was, the President of the company would come around the corner to witness it. I’m sure in his mind I was a 90% goof off for a very long time. It took me months to change his perception to one that I had a solid brain and a midwest work ethic. :)
    Now that you’ve said helo, remember you’re no longer a stranger. You’re a friend. I hope you’ll stop in and say lots more about what you think.

  19. July 1st, 2006 at 9:38 am
    Marketing Basics » Blogging Basics - A blog doesn’t exist in a vacuum said

    [...] Liz Strauss has a great post on 6 steps to a branded business blog My take on Liz’s talk of branding is that we always stay aware of how we present ourselves and our business with our blogs. Keep “branding” top of mind when you design and launch a blog. I myself have made a million mistakes with my blogs which means I’ve screwed up in a public way but the blogging community is very forgiving. Visitors that come via search engines may know less about the rules of blogging – use your business style and you will do fine. [...]

  20. November 5th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
    Frosted Mini-Wheats Design that Hooks Readers - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] Articles 5 Sure-Fire Ways to Break the Promise of Your Brand 6 Steps to a Branded Business Blog in Record Time [...]

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