Last week, we continued the discussion about how consumers are now expecting and demanding a two-way conversation. I suggested that a blog is an ideal way to initiate and invite that sort of dialogue with your customers and potential customers.

At a novice’s first glance, blogging seems like a foreign land with its own language, customs and landscape. When I first began exploring the possibilities of launching a blog, I didn’t know where to turn for information. I knew what I wanted to do, but I had no idea how to get it done.

And then I discovered that Des Moines plays home to one of the country’s top-ranked business blog experts, Mike Sansone. As a blog coach, Mike was set up to teach me the nuts and bolts I needed to get started and then support me as I launched Drew’s Marketing Minute. Like any good business coach, he saved me a significant amount of time and no doubt prevented many mistakes as I ventured into the new waters of blogging.

I’ve asked Mike to create a special link on his blog just for this column’s readers. This link will give you an overview of blogging basics. Visit www.Converstations.com and I promise a fascinating and practical tutorial.

But don’t jump out of the gate too soon. Before you start talking on your own blog, you need to listen. Explore other blogs. Get a sense of how companies are exploring and exposing their brand promise via their blog. To find blogs in an area of interest, check out www.technorati.com and use its search tools.

Your homework this week: Listen. Look. Learn. Next week, we’ll close this conversation by exploring how you should use blogs to keep track of what others are saying about your organization.

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and the author of “99.3 Random Acts of Marketing.” He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com.

© Drew McLellan