Need Help Starting a Business Blog?

I have been writing about what blogs can bring to business this week. Recognizing the business potential in blogs, a number of IT, publishing, and online learning consulting firms are starting to offer help with blogs as part of their service offerings. Here are three that Amanda Watlington and I interviewed for our book, Business Blogs: A Practical Guide.

The Norwich Group, run by Anne Stanton, is located in Norwich, Vermont and provides business consulting focused on the professional firms specializing in IT consulting, technology or accounting services. Depending on the client’s needs, The Norwich Group can offer a variety of capabilities. Some of these capabilities have been developed into packaged solutions. One of these is help staring your business blog.

Windsor Media Enterprises is an author services company in Rochester, New York, with a focus on helping new and existing authors write, produce, and market their books. Its founder, Yvonne DiVita has also published a nice book on online marketing to women, “Dickless Marketing: Smart Marketing to Women Online. She recently started Business Blogging Boot Camp with Tom Collins to help businesses get into blogging.

If you need to go beyond an individual blog, Kathleen Gilroy of The Otter Group in Cambridge, Massachusetts has recently created Pingware, a Blogware-based platform for developing communities. The Otter Group provides custom designed online learning programs and online communities. Pingware integrates a newsreader, as well as blog publishing capabilities and can be custom designed for your organization. It is based on a common vocabulary and a unified view of the capabilities. The Wellesley College Alumni Association is one of the first adopters.

Comments

[Gerald]

When starting a business don't forget to file a doing business as. This will allow you to...

-Open bank accounts under that business name.
-Write and cash check under name.
-Mention name in contracts.
-Legally publish name in advertisements, including phone books and business cards.
-Discourage competitors from using your business name.
-Establish name recognition and have a name that reflects goods sold or services provided.

A dba is also commonly referred to as a fictitious business name, assumed name or trade name .

Also, think about filing an LLC or incorporation for your business.