In a recent post, Bob Stewart asked the question:

How are you using your blog to enhance your existing relationships with clients and prospects?

My blog is enhancing ALL of my relationships.  It's a source of communication in both my business and my personal life.  Sure it started out as a form of marketing, a way to get my website recognized by Google.  But it has developed into much more than that. 

My blog is posted to Twitter and Facebook which, in addition to helping create business connections, has become a great way for family and friends to stay connected to me.  There are people who only read my blog for the "family/personal" posts, but each time they do...they are reminded of my business. 

My clients and prospects are sellers and realtors.  Their primary reason for visiting my blog is for advice on preparing a house for sale.  Clients find information on home staging in my posts, but they also get to know me on a personal level.  I also write about my life and family, local happenings, creative ideas and favorite recipes.  Even after their house sells, many clients still follow my blog to see what is going on in my life and to continue getting creative and helpful ideas they can use in their life.

I use my blog to establish a connection with people.  I want them to feel like they know me and, even if we have never met, I want them to consider me a friend. 

I use my blog posts in my monthly Newsletter.  Each month I incorporate at least one post linking back to my ActiveRain blog.

Bob's question about using my blog made me realize that I am not using my blog to it's full potential.

Once the posts are written and read, they are history.  I wanted a way to use the posts again, recycle them, or reintroduce them in another format.  I've been wanting to create a second monthly email of some sort and until now haven't been able to come up with an idea for one. 

So, thanks to Bob, I have my idea.

I created an index of all my past home staging posts, grouping them by subject.  I included the date they were posted so I know where to find them in my archives.

My current Newsletter goes out the middle of each month. 

Two weeks later, at the end of each month, I'm going to send out a mailing entitled: 

  "In Case You Missed It The First Time" 

with links to three or four past blog posts. 

 I've also got another idea to use past blog post links in follow-up correspondence to realtors.  I'll post more details on that as it develops.

  Bob's question really got me thinking, and I am excited about the results! 

Make friendsin the Rain!