A Professional Rep's Blog

A couple of months ago I started following a blog written by sales rep Carrie Farmer which you can find at http://carriefarmer.wordpress.com. In my series on innovative reps, I think this is a good example to illustrate extra efforts a professional sales rep can offer to their clientele. For that matter, this is an extra bit of marketing that any business including designers, small or large retailers can also offer to keep in touch with their customers.A blog is simply an online website that is a personal journal where you can communicate with your customers and other followers. No special software is needed to put it up or to read it online. If you can use Microsoft word, you can put up a blog.

I do not sell high end or design oriented product so I can read Carrie’s blog for a flavor of what is going on with reps and businesses that cater to the upper end. But this isn’t an advertisement for her blog as much as a shout out to all reps to see what can be accomplished by any rep to communicate with their customers.

Wordpress blogs like the one Carrie set up are very inexpensive and easy to put up. Carrie did a little extra and figured out how she could get her posts syndicated so every time she posts something it goes out to all her subscribers. This is a great way to make sure your customers and clients receive all your messages.

If you don’t have a blog you might want to consider adding this to your arsenal. And if you want another sample of an individual blog, you can take a look at www.MikeRoot.com. Whereas Carrie’s is a little more serious, mine has a tendency to reflect my marketing personality which is a little lighter in nature. This week I talk about my dog Huey wanting to set up his own Fan Club.

And one secret strategy that all businesses should know about blogs is that Google loves them. So if you want to rise in the search engines, a blog is a great way to work your way up to the first page. In Carrie’s case, if you Google her name Carrie Farmer you will see that she is on the first page for her name two times because of the blog. In my case, if you Google my name Mike Root you will also see that there are 6,890,000 results for the term Mike Root (who knew I was so popular). My name is the third listing on the first page and my picture is on the first page of Google all because of my blogging. So as a marketing strategy, a blog is an excellent way for Google to move you to the head of the pack.

Whether you want it to show your professional personality or your more whimsical nature, a blog is an excellent tool to help you stay in touch cost effectively with your customers. So make this one of your best years ever with a blog.

I am continually looking to highlight reps that are doing innovative stuff. If you would like to be considered or if you know a rep who is doing good things for their customers or for the industry, please drop me an email at meroot@mikeroot.com.

Thanks and be sure and give me your comments below.