You just don’t get it do you?
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Billy the Dog lashes out on the lack of understanding of the blog as a selling tool.
At a recent lecture in the famous Toppled Bollard public house, Corby, Billy the Dog McGraw, keyholder to the saloon bar and head of the vodka division of the Russian Horticultural Association , bemoaned the fact that so many firms are utterly refusing to embrace the technology of the blog.
“I was commissioned by Hamilton House to undertake some research into the blogsphere, two years ago,” announced Billy before the appreciative applause had wound down, and with only one foot on the stage.
“I have to admit I started with a limited awareness of what blogging was all about, and started by reading a few blogs to get the feel. Some were useless, but some inspired me. And in a few cases I thought that what the writer was doing was so good I started telling my pals from other parts to read them. In other words, I was doing the advertisers’ work for them!
“So I got the hang of it all, and then my chums at Hamilton House set me up a blog, and off I went. And here I must point out that there was no mention of our beloved sponsors anywhere on the blog, because I wanted to prove I could do it from scratch rather than have anyone say to me that I was just using the Hamilton House name.”
There were murmurs of applause and nods of appreciation. Billy, we all know, was not one to cheat. Unless it was his round.
“I chose a subject I could write about – my football team. One can argue that football has a lot of followers, what with it being a popular sport, and it is not a business – but I will come to the business application shortly. What was against me however was the fact that this is a hugely crowded market with thousands of blogs covering the same territory.
“Day one came and I found I had one reader. Me. On day two there were five readers – me and the four guys in the office.
“But over time I began to get the hang of it, and through finding the right way to work we now have approaching a quarter of a million readers a month.”
There were gasps from all around, but Billy brushed them aside.
“Not a quarter of a million hits, I should add,” he added, “but approaching a quarter of a million individual readers.” There were more gasps and drinks were ordered.
“Once we had got to 100,000 readers a month and were starting to sell product from the blog, Hamilton House began to offer blog writing services. Many were curious, but few were able to take the plunge. Some said that only they could write their own blogs because only they knew their business – so they didn’t need our help – but then they never did get going. Others said ‘its not really right for us.’
“But I battled on, and the customers came along. My team and I now write for several firms selling to schools, a printing company, a company that sells office equipment, and so on.
Billy then went on to give an example of the technique he uses. “I will give you an example of the technique,” he said. “I was asked to sell steel cabinets for use in the office – so I said in the blog – ‘What cabinet would you like to be stuck in, if you had to be stuck in a cabinet all night? In answer to this question,’ (I continued in the blog), ‘there were many comments about it depending with whom one was stuck, but I let this go, looking for suggestions relating to the cabinets and their contents. Eventually I chose the winner: Suzie in accounts. She said she would opt for the cabinet containing the industrial sized jars of Nescafe. “One sniff of those,” she announced, “and I would have so much adrenaline running through my body I would be able to kick the door down”!’
“The blog ended with a comment to the effecte that the cabinets could be found on page 248 of the catalogue, and the giant Nescafe jars on page 38.
“Now not only did people buy – some of them thought the story amusing, and sent it on to others, who would not normally read the blog. The readership went up. Sales went up.
“In another case a publisher asked me to explain to his customers the meaning of various technical terms like ‘bleed’ in the world of printing. I related this to Shylock’s speech on the subject of being pricked with pins in the Merchant of Venice, proving once and for all that Shakespeare’s play was in fact a secret message to future generations on the issue of how he wanted his plays printed. Within half an hour the publisher was receiving messages congratulating him on the quality of his advertising, and either promising or booking in work.”
There were cheers and a waving of pint glasses in the audience as Billy concluded his speech.
And all it leaves me to say is that if you would like to see what a blog look likes, well, look no further, because you are looking at one.
If you want to see more, here’s a couple of contrasting pieces… but if you want an explanation, or help, call Tony on 01536 399 000
The Hamilton House blog which remains fairly serious and straightforward www.blog.hamilton-house.com
The original blog that Billy set up is still running, and expanding. www.blog.emiratesstadium.info
The Schools Blog – which contains nothing but advertisements we send out for our clients, but which still gets 30,000 readers a month, who find it through searching for key words. www.blog.schools.co.uk
The Admin Blog – how it is possible to use a story as a blog. This extract is part way through an adventure that lasted a year, and drew a huge audience. After we finished the story we had calls and emails asking for it to start again, and one from a person who wanted to dramatise part of the story as a leaving present for a colleague. http://www.blog.admin.org.uk/?m=200807
Believe me, blogs is good!
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