A few weeks ago I returned from a wonderful three week European Vacation.   One of the challenges of travel is sharing special memories and experiences with family and friends without boring them (it is the cold hard truth.)  The same thing applies to discussing the day to day of your business with your fans and followers.  Use these tips from my travels to help you find the best methods to highlight your business effectively while keeping your audience engaged.

Create Content that Resonates with your Reader

Writing a blog for business is much like writing a personal blog when you travel.  You have something interesting or new to share and readers begin to rely on you for relevant information and advice.  Understand your audience and fill your blog with content that will resonate with them.  Just as your foodie friends will want to know about the great waffles in Belgium, think about what your potential clients want to hear from you. You should be the expert in your field that is sharing trade knowledge with the eager consumers of your content. This is the foundation of social media marketing and content marketing. 

Pick Your Platform

An inspired Tweet from this micro-blogging platform allows you to share your experiences quickly and concisely, appreciated equally by business contacts, potential clients and Cousin Jed. In fact, Twitter is an excellent place to generate leads for your business. Regular sharing of valuable content will result in frequent traffic to the referenced content. Make that content exist on your blog. This simple step will see you generating leads from Twitter that are valuable, qualified and interested in your expertise. 

Go Visual for Maximum Impact

Post compelling visual content to your site without self-promoting.  Get creative with your photos.  Save the traditional tourist photos for your personal memory book and share the unexpected with your friends.  This applies to business too.  You will keep your friends and followers interested and coming back for more.  If they love what they see they will share it, increasing your reach. In fact, according to Facebook the ability to gain virality on posts is directly related to the aesthetic of the visual content. Beauty wins in the world of social media marketing.

Dish Out the "Trade Secrets"

Give away your knowledge!  My travels have given me some unique insights on hotels, restaurants and attractions.  Talking about the good, the bad and the ugly has real value to others.  Use this approach in your business marketing communications to establish yourself as an authority in your industry. You are operating in a world with the most educated base of consumers in history. Be the business person that delivers the truth, trade secrets disappeared when Google was invited to the party. Operate in the honesty economy and watch your content generate a new level of respect and attention to your business.

The ability to promote and connect using social media and technology works just as well for your business brand as it does for sharing your personal experiences. Using your website and social media tools to deliver these messages is the new marketing.