PPB October 2019

by Danielle Renda Blogs—A Mix Of Personal, Professional Or Both? Transparency is on an uptick across all sorts of industries. Should I be transparent in my blog? And, if so, is there such a thing as “too” transparent? Q A DISTRIBUTOR ASKS: I recently started writing a blog, which is accessible through my company website. In my blog I discuss issues relevant to the promotional products industry, but I was wondering whether I should be more transparent. I know that users today like to see the “human” side of a business apart from the strictly professional side, but is it possible for too much transparency to backfire? I was wondering how other distributors structure their blog content and the feedback they’ve received. As a seasoned writer and promo products distributor, I would encourage you to be personal in your writings. Most distributors stay focused on the “stuff” and people can buy the “stuff” anywhere. The key is to share enough about you, your company culture, your values and strengths, so they have a reason to buy from you. In our FreePromoTips. com industry resource program, we share photos from hiking, running or cycling and mention the products we use (apparel, water bottles, headphones, cooling towels—whatever). Pets are always a hit. We just launched a new feature, “Pet Tails,” spotlighting pets. People are passionate about their pets. Your clients may appreciate being featured, which could lead to other opportunities. In a noisy marketplace, a good blog can be helpful in telling your brand story. JEFF SOLOMON, MAS Principal All American Marketing Group Powered by HALO Branded Solutions Santa Clarita, California I try to avoid anything that relates to politics or religion. I think it’s important to provide your readers with something of value that can be read quickly. I try to ask myself before I complete my daily blog, “How will the readers benefit frommy content?” The best advice I was ever given is to just be you—the rest will fall into place when you do. DAVID J. HAWES, MAS+ Brand Architect Geiger Lewiston, Maine Great question. In the speaking industry, if presenters establish themselves as competent 12 | OCTOBER 2019 | INNOVATE