WHAT??? It’s not really an infection, Pete, but it’s a worthwhile message.

Remember the old Tarzan movies? When Tarzan needed to get a message out, he’d climb a tree and do that crazy yell. How about all those westerns? The Indians would outdo the cowboys because they could communicate with smoke signals. FDR used to have “Fireside chats”. Dear Abby and Ann Landers had their columns (That one’s for you, Mom!).

If you’re passionate about something, you probably feel the need to tell the world about it. Not everybody could yell like Tarzan (nor swing in the vines for that matter), so that never really caught on and smoke signals don’t work with the “No open fire” laws. But think about how many people have used radio to get their message out or have newspaper columns. They have a passion. They get a forum. They go.

Is it as Pete says “a natural evolution for blogging to become a tool for local business”? We’ll see. I’m reminded of a seminar that I attended in the 70’s. The speaker opposed the use of the phone to make appointments because nothing happened until you got face to face anyway. His advice was to just walk in. Although I’ve done it, I was never fond of the “walk-in cold call”. So, that tool has gone the way of Tarzan’s yell for me. In 1994, I switched my business phone number to a non-published number because I didn’t want anyone to call me unless they were referred to me by someone that knew me. So the yellow pages went the way of Tarzan’s yell for me. To me, “it’s all about the buzz”. Creating word of mouth. Writing my blog…That’s OK. Talking about your blog…That helps. Reading other blogs and commenting and linking to them….That creates the buzz! Ask Pete.

If you want to comment, feel free. If you want to be a guest blogger, use the link at the top of the page to send me an email. If you want a sales lesson today, read about Dave’s vacation.