Biznik Blog

A month ago I asked a question on Biz Talk: What topic would you like to see more events on? Blogging was the overwhelming answer. So we’re happy to announce a fantastic event on July 31 featuring local author and blogging expert DL Byron, “Publish and Prosper: Blogging for your business.” Byron recently co-authored a book by the same name, which was published by New Riders on June 1. He’s an entrepreneur in his own right, the inventor of Clip-n-Seal, a bag clip that keeps food fresh, which he’s marketing through a blog. And he’s one of the people I credit with introducing me to blogging. Let’s find out more about him, shall we?

Q: Blogging has become a big deal over the past couple of years, and many businesses now have blogs. Why?

Because it’s a marketers dream! You can target a niche, or large audience, and mostly just have a conversation with your market. For a small business, like we did with Clip-n-Seal, we’re able to communicate with new customers and reach new markets. Back in the day, a storeowner built connections with customers by getting to know them in person, face-to-face, as a member of the community. Now businesses can have customers around the globe and never meet them. A blog is like a corner store in a global village. The blog is your personality. I’ve never met most of my customers.

Q: How did you get started blogging?

I started like most of us did just writing a personal journal before it was called blogging around 1997. Blogging grew out of those personal journals when tools became available to automate the publishing and make it more like a simple content management system. Before the tools, we did it all by hand including permalinks and RSS. Imagine updating an RSS feed by hand everyday!

Q:Woah, reminds me about my mom having to walk three miles to school every day. Only, much more recent. How have the tools have evolved so quickly, and is blogging here to stay?

They’ve matured very quickly, especially Movable Type and TypePad, and are now easier than ever, as well as much more robust for larger businesses. Remember that a blog is really a fun little CMS just publishing its heart out. Of course they’re here to stay.

Q: In your blog at texturadesign.com, you blog about all kinds of things - biking, computers, family, as well as more specifically work- related topics. Do you mix business and pleasure this way intentionally? And is that an approach to business blogging that you recommend?

It’s less intentional, more personal, and about passion. It’s my blog and my business and me. So, I do what I want there. I have more targeted blogs, like Bike Hugger for cycling enthusiast or Pug Blog for pets. Textura Design started as a started as a group of creative professionals exploring art and technology and the site has morphed a few times. Now, with clients seeking us out, we’ve tuned it to be more agency like, but it’s still very personal and very much a blog. As a blogging evangelist, I’m there living blogging. That entire site is a published as a blog (blogs are CMS). What I recommend is blog your passion and that’s what I do there.

Q: Congratulations on the publication of your first book, Publish and Prosper: Blogging for your Business, which was published last month. Tell me a bit about writing that, and what’s on your plate now.

Thanks! That was a ton of work and I’m very happy with it and New Riders, our publisher. It was written as a practical guide to business blogging, which is what we do. I’m now focusing on client work and Bike Hugger. I’d expect a follow-up book about to start in the fall.

Q: You’ve worked with a lot of large clients like Boeing. Is the material in your book applicable to indie business people too?

Absolutely and we focused the book on small, independent business. The voice is written to be casual, informed, and demystifying.

Q: What’s the future of blogging? Are there any big trends in motion that will affect the way we converse with our markets coming down the pipe?

Blogs will just blend into company websites and not stand apart as they mostly do now. Social media and creating communities will continue and your Biznik blog is perfect example. Hopefully many of the ridiculous Web 2.0- dotcom-style tech companies will shake out. Like, do we need 14 social networks for cell phones or a phone that doesn’t drop calls when I drive across town?

Q: Why should someone pay $25 to attend to your event on July 31?

Dude that’s cheap!

Yeah, it is actually - I paid more than $200 to attend a blogging conference last year in which Byron was one of the featured speakers. So what are you waiting for? There are only 33 seats at his July 31 event, and they’re going fast. RSVP today.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 10th, 2006 at 6:48 am and is filed under Interviews. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.