Eric Butow - Blogging to Drive Business: Create and Maintain Valuable Customer Connections (vQue Biz-Tech Series

A great read! If youre looking to start a blog for your business, this is the book for you. Its well-written and comprehensive, including case studies and examples of real companies to make the concepts easy to understand.

Dee Barizo, performancing.com

Blogging to Drive Business does an excellent job at educating the market on the critical elements required for success in the digital economy. After all, businesses only gain market share when they communicate in a way that enhances relationships. Blogging to Drive Business provides the roadmap for success!

Jay Deragon, Social Media Strategist

This book provides business owners and entrepreneurs hands-on advice on starting a blogwhy planning is important, who should be contributing, what tools are available, and where to find additional resources and content ideas. The authors make good use of case studies to address many of the commonly asked questions about blogging. If youve been on the fence about starting a blog, this book will help you draw an action plan.

Valeria Maltoni, Conversation Agent

Butow and Bollwitt have assembled a practical guide for any company to follow as they develop a blogging strategy. Their approach is firmly planted in driving business success without overburdening executives with impractical advice or ideological mantras. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to take advantage of a blogging strategy to promote their business and connect with prospective and current customers.

Jeff Nolan, Venture Chronicles

If you are looking for a practical guide to show you exactly how to use a blog to drive business, look no further, youve found it. As a practioner myself, I know there are some skills that can only be learned by doing. These authors know what theyre talking about because theyve done it. Save yourself some time and invest in this book.

Michelle Price, CEO, A Third Mind Digital Media

If you get blogging right, it can be a major benefit for you business. This book helps you get the strategy and planning right upfront, and then talks you through the steps you need to make your blog a success and to grow and develop it.

Matt Rhodes, FreshNetworks

Blogging to Drive Business is a no-nonsense and practical guide for those who have yet to embark on the road to enhanced corporate communications. It explains why, who, what, and how to start and maintain a valuable connection with your customers via this engaging medium.

Hayden Sutherland, Ideal Interface (UK)

Create and Maintain Valuable Customer Connections

Eric Butow & Rebecca Bollwitt

800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240 USA

Blogging to Drive Business

Create and Maintain Valuable Customer Connections

Copyright2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Nor is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

ISBN-13: 978-0-7897-4256-8
ISBN-10: 0-7897-4256-X

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is on file

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing: January 2010

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Eric Butow is CEO of Butow Communications Group (BCG), a Web design and online marketing firm in Jackson, California. Eric has written a wide variety of computing books since 2000, and his latest titles include User Interface Design for Mere Mortals, How to Succeed in Business Using LinkedIn, as well as custom For Dummies titles for F5 Networks and Hewlett-Packard. When Eric isnt writing or running his business, youll catch him reading and enjoying the weather of the Sierra foothills.

Rebecca Bollwitt is the co-founder of sixty4media, which specializes in WordPress design and development as well as social media consulting in Vancouver, British Columbia. Rebecca has been blogging since 2004 on Miss604.com, and podcasting about music and hockey since 2005. Miss604.com was voted Best Vancouver Blog of 2009 in The Georgia Straight and in 2008, she was listed within the top ten Most Influential in Canadian Social Media by Profectio.com. She has organized social media conferences and charity fundraisers, including Blogathon Vancouver, Twestival Local, and the Best of 604 Awards.

From Eric:To Katie Sullivan: You have the whole universe ahead of you, and youll have fun exploring with your wonderful parents, Laura and James.

From Rebecca:To John, you are my best friend and my motivation. For my mother, sister, and Oma; three of the strongest women Ill ever know.

From Eric: Thanks to my coauthor, Rebecca Bollwitt, for being such a pleasure to work with. Ginny Munroe and Michelle Newcomb at Que made the editing and authoring process really easy. And I want to give a big shout out to the best literary agent in the worldCarole Jelen of Waterside Productions. To all of you and to everyone at Que responsible for making this book a reality, thank you.