This is the second of our case studies on small businesses that blog. This one features Kuhlman Auctions, a full-service auction company that has been in business since 1981. Here is what the owner Ed Kuhlman had to say about blogging. . .

I didn't know what a blog was until about 18 months ago. I was visiting with some guys in a coffee shop and heard about it for the first time. I had been conducting auctions for about 20 years, but until about 3 years ago, I was also occupied with another full-time job.

When I decided to commit myself to auctioneering full-time, I was looking for ways to differentiate myself from my competitors who are well established in my area. I found the blog to be a useful tool to let people know something about who I am and what I can do for them.

The blog has allowed me to become visible to people I would never encounter otherwise. The blog format lets me express myself in a way that would not be possible otherwise. I feel that I am probably better able to express myself on paper better than some of my peers and hopefully this will lead to leads and referrals.

Auctioneering is a very personal business and most of the auctions that I get are from personal leads. My blog allows these potential customers to find out something about our business without making any initial commitment.

If they like what they see in the blog, they will usually follow up. When I have something unusual on an auction, such as the Ehlers auction with the Minneapolis Moline tractors, the blog is a good way to get the word out and build traffic at the auction.