Blogging for Business and Inspiration
By Mary Klest, IWPA Member

“The new economy requires new products.” Columbia College Professor Barbara Iverson started the panel discussion on blogging at the IWPA September meeting. Iverson explained that the new economy is based on abundance rather than scarcity. Anyone with a honed message can build an audience on the Internet.

Blogs have become an integral part of the media ecosystem with 95 percent of top US newspapers showing reporter blogs on their Web sites.

During the meeting three bloggers and the professor shared their personal and professional experiences navigating the blogosphere. Cindy Kurman Barrie, owner of Kurman Communications, a public relations firm, splashes all sorts of business talk about clients on her blog. She believes it gives media members easy access to information. “You have to know who your audience is and drive people there.” She gets email addresses and invites clients and media representatives to join her blog. Her email service automatically sends each new post to those on her list. She also links her site to related blogs and asks for a return link to her site. “Every business should have a blog. It’s a great way to know your customers,” she said.

Positive personal rewards and publication of her first book caused author and retired English professor Marlys Styne to take the leap. She felt challenged by technology and baulked at paying a pro to develop an author Web site. She discovered the three-step process at bloggers.com. She customized a template and published seniormemoirs.blogspot.com to inspire seniors to write. “I write about everything except politics, religion and sex,” she said. “It’s not about selling books.”

Blogging is what inspired Mary T. Wagner, assistant district attorney for Sheboygan County, Wis., to create her recently published book Running With Stilettos. The book

Our Members Share Lydia Rypcinski speaks out about the Sept. meeting: “A very good presentation on blogging last Saturday; thanks to IWPA's program committee for offering it! Here's a link to a story that appeared on slate.com on how bloggers make their money, courtesy of mediabistro.com: http://www.slate.com/id/2201325/ ”

 

 

 

is a compilation of her blog posts on living a balanced life. She started blogging on other Web sites asking them to promote her book.

“Each of the sites had some marketing muscle behind them. I was sure to include a photo of my red stiletto shoe which appears on the book cover. Link sharing is at the heart of blogging,” she said.

“Enhancing my reputation is like making money to me,” said Professor Iverson, whose work includes consulting and speaking engagements. Her blog at currentbuzz.org covers on-line publishing issues. She says the easiest way to start a blog is to send an email to post@posterous.com. Whatever is put in the subject line becomes the blog name.

There are other reasons for creating a blog. It can serve as an easily searchable archive that doesn’t require space on a personal computer’s hard drive. “It’s a database with a pretty face,” says Iverson. Using a blog to teach someone is a good way to increase one’s own knowledge. Using a learning pyramid, Iverson showed the audience that ‘teaching others’ enhances the author’s knowledge.

Panel members warned that the blogosphere is a new and sometimes wild frontier. It may not matter if intentions are good and ethical, professional conduct is adhered. Smears can spread quickly and bloggers should be ready to protect their reputations. “Hang out before plunging in,” suggested Iverson.

To learn more about blogging, Iverson invited the audience to join Meetup.com and search Chicago bloggers for the location and time of the next meeting.

Mary Klest is a communications strategist, freelance writer and columnist.

From Left: Cindy Kurman, Mary Wagner, Marlys Styne and
Dr. Barb Iverson. (Suzanne Hanney photo)