Strategy is what defines a winner in the long term. All these web 2.0 techniques are only tactics. The new and important tactics therefore, but it can vary from business to business.
When I say “every business should have a business blog” I do not mean that every business should have an internet site with blog software installed and posts appearing there.
What I mean is the mentality of openness, strategy, leadership, stream of useful information. Personally delivered message of the strategy. The new web 2.0 technologies opened a very new way to reach buyers or prospects and it is foolish not to use this channel. But this can be achieved in different ways than a formal business blog.
Yes, your business blog can look not exactly like a blog
Sometimes conversation with customers can be a little bit different from “real” business blog. Nice example is Red Oxx, a Montana based manufacturer of travel bags.
No, there is no formal business blog on their webpage. But anyway they have done a nice job not only in strategy, not only in manufacturing of travel bags, they have created a good example of a great website with great content.
First of all, consider the story about roots of the company. This is excerpt from their website:
When a paratrooper leaps out of his airplane, his life’s in the hands that rigged his chute. There’s no margin of error. Every suspension line that makes that canopy open must be perfect. After 15 years of military parachute rigging experience, Red Oxx owners Jim and Perry focus that attention to detail in everything with a Red Oxx label.
Starting with tough-as-nails raw materials, Red Oxx uses the best manufacturing technology available. Red Oxx Luggage is built to last for a lifetime of travel adventures under the keen eye and supervision of experienced parachute riggers. Every stitch on every product gets the same close attention as those thousands of parachutes that have landed our troopers.
Nice story. And best of all, all products confirm this “there are no second chance” approach. All bags are rugged, with Life Time warranty, constructed really tight.
Entire website is created like a business blog
The all Red Oxx website is created in conversational, unformal style. When you browse it you feel like browsing something familiar rather than cold corporate webshop.
Yes, there is no formal business blog on their website, but all principles of business blogging are applied and work well.
Adventure stories, customer reviews (where great stories are told too), stories about supporting the village in the highlands of Guatemala – all content is not only fun to read but also supports main idea of Red Oxx bags – focus on usability and durability. “Toughest bags on the planet”
The main theme still is the strategy of Red Oxx
Yes, the best thing in all Red Oxx website is consistency in delivering the main message of the company. In other words – the strategy.
The strategy and ordinary conversational style of website create nice, conventional environment where you feel comfortable and if you prefer to travel with carryon, if you are a little bit different from the general crowd – you can’t find any place better to buy travel bags than there, in Red Oxx store.
So, thank you, Red Oxx not only for great travel bags, but for showing what a good and comfortable website can be. For readers, I encourage to go there and look not only to bags but to read all material – you can learn a lot about good business blogging that looks different from usual business blogging. If you read carefully you can learn a lot about the strategy and execution of it.
What do you think about Red Oxx way of conversation with customers?
Disclosure: I own some Red Oxx products.
Reginald Jackson says
2010.11.11 at 07:07Thanks for giving us a different and refresh way at looking at business blogging. Nice post.