TALKBACK

CSA Members Get Blogging Advice

Diane Taylor -- Tradeshow Week,02/15/2008

The Convention Services Assn. of Las Vegas called on one of its own, Andy Ebon of EBS Virtual Communications, to explain how important what for many of its members is still a new phenomenon.

At the CSA’s Feb. 13 meeting, Ebon’s topic was improving a Web site’s ROI with blogging, and it appeared to strike a chord. The Ruth’s Chris Steak House on Paradise Road was packed with attentive attendees.

“I’m not much of a techie, but I found the information very useful,” said Clendon Snipes of Mammoth Transportation. “I’m going to look into this (blogging).”

For some in the audience, the essentials were in order. Blog is short for Web log, Ebon explained, and describes a user-generated Web site where entries are made in journal style. 

He went on to describe the basic operations and advantages of blogging, as well as available software and host sites. According to Ebon, the next big thing in blogs will be podcasting them.

Turning to its sales and marketing value, Ebon warned against testimonials that just report what a customer says. More effective, according to him, would be a scanned copy of a customer’s letter, and most effective of all would be a podcast of the customer’s own words.

The hardest part of blogging, Ebon added, is maintaining a rhythm and momentum.  “Post once or twice a week,” he said. “If you are prolific one week, schedule your blogs to post later. Don’t pin yourself down to more frequent updates and, surely, don’t start and run out of gas.” 

Another tip: Make sure what you write is at least two-thirds business-related and one-third or less about yourself. “A big mistake is a blog ‘all about me,’” he said. “And take time to write compelling headlines.”
Ebon said he considered Google Analytics and Mybloglog.com important adjuncts to track who visits a Web site or blog and what interests them most.  

Borrowing from a common refrain among creative writing professors, Ebon urged aspiring bloggers to start by reading the blogs of others. He pointed to Google’s all-blog search as a way to find topics of interest. 

The next CSA-supported event, Shredding for Dollars, is scheduled 7 a.m.-1 p.m., March 5 at HELP of Southern Nevada, 1640 E. Flamingo Road. Businesses can donate $10 per 30-gallon bag of items to be disposed of by American Shredding, with proceeds going to HELP, a group that assists individuals and families to become self-sufficient through direct services, training and referral.

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