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While there are many of us who are enthusiastic business bloggers who have seen tangible business benefits from our words on the web, I often say to businesses that blogging just might not be for them, but they can still connect to the blogosphere to help build buzz about their business.

It’s all about getting to know the blogging community and starting to build and nurture relationships (see this previous article about connecting to bloggers).

I was therefore really delighted to receive an email from Sherry Nugent of IrishQuilting.ie who attended a workshop I facilitated recently about building buzz through word of mouth and word of mouse strategies. I have Sherry’s permission to share her case study with you.

Hi Krishna,

I just wanted to drop a line and say thank you. I attended the Wicklow County Enterprise Board workshop you led on the 21 January 2009. In that meeting I took away some great ideas and practical actions I could take and immediately I put to play the Google Alerts as you suggested.

We publish a quilting magazine – Ireland’s first. We export to Europe, America and now Australia. Quilters blogging have become a big presence on the web.

Since your talk I have set up Google Alerts and extended marketing my business with huge impact among bloggers.

When I am alerted to a blogger who may have just bought our newest issue and/or is mentioning us, ‘Irish Quilting’, I comment and thank them with the latest issue after asking for their snail mail address. It has amazing results.

Specifically for our demographics it is a real win-win. Most bloggers are in US or Australia, and because we must ship magazines by sea, these bloggers then receive a preview issue not yet available.

Thanks very much for the inspiration and guidance.

Sherry Nugent
Editor, Irish Quilting

So what is Sherry doing?

1. She has set up Google Alerts for her business name

2. She is reading and engaging with bloggers who are writing about her product (Irish Quilting magazine)

3. She is rewarding them with something of high perceived value.

Do you think she is building a growing band of brand advocates? I am sure she is.

So remember you don’t have to author a business blog, but I do recommend you listen to the blogosphere – you never know who might be talking about you!