Blogging the Recession

The recession has really turned the business world on its head, as well as conceptions about employment, and unemployment. Recessions shuffle the deck because they reveal inefficiencies. When times are good, even a poorly functioning company or a low-quality product can enjoy some level of success because there is so much money circulating that at least some of it trickles down. When the economy tightens, consumers pay more attention to what they are buying and from whom.

As such, this is the time for many small businesses to gain ground. Why, you ask? Because most small businesses compete on quality, so they are already set up to compete well in a quality-oriented environment, like a recession. The real question lies in, “How do I let people know the quality my small business offers?”

Often overlooked, this is one of the integral functions of a blog. Consider this: Who is more likely to have a blog: a dollar store, a growing consulting firm or specialty store, or a multinational corporation? The consulting firm or specialty store. They are competing on value and the development of relationships with their consumers- two things that a blog can do better than any other avenue. The issue lies in relevance.

Successful blogging during a recession requires that the blog and its postings be relevant, not mere afterthoughts and not sales pieces. Consider the following as you write or construct the blog for your business. What concepts can you apply?

-                INFORMATIVE: Good blogs provide information to consumers- information about the industry, the supply chain, unique/alternative uses for the product, etc. They do not act as sales vehicles.

-                PERSONAL: Good blogs have personality. If the consumer wanted to read a news piece, he would go to a news website. If the consumer (or potential consumer) clicks on the tab that says “Blog,” he is intending to read writing that fits his concept of a blog- personal, witty, and relevant.

-                RELEVANT: Good blogs are relevant, meaning that they talk about things that matter to the reader. For example, if you have a store that specializes in bath towels, your readers may care about the fibers you use, where the towels come from, the use of dyes in the towels, the availability of dyes, a tip for washing them, interesting uses for old towels, an upcoming event, etc. However, if your blog only talks about the products you have available and the personal life your employees (i.e. Holly is pregnant.), it is not relevant.