One of the first questions I get asked by small business owners who don’t have a blog is: “But what do I blog about?” This same question goes to Twitter, Facebook – or any platform.

The “what” question is uppermost in their minds.

I tell them it all comes down to their inventory: what’s selling now, and the conversation inside their own business about what’s selling. It’s not like these conversations aren’t happening already inside the four walls of most businesses.

It’s the stuff of everyday “shop talk.”

You can think of the word “inventory” as just the total collection of what services and products the company sells. If your company has been in business for more than a year, you probably already know that there are changes in customer demand. Some of these may purely be seasonal, some may be based on consumer whim – or current economic conditions.

The point is, you already have these conversations about what’s selling and why internally: a blog is just an opportunity to put these thoughts in front of your customers. And customers and the curious love to hear that internal conversation.

I’ll give you a great example: a local real estate company’s blog consists mostly of the business owner’s observations of trends in real estate inventory. He gets that info from his own access to a multiple listing service. He compares sales data from certain areas to the prior year. The result? Lots of other brokers comment on his blog (increasing his credibility within his peer group), and customer’s get to hear some of the brokers’ own musings about the market.

What real estate buyer doesn’t want to listen to the “shop talk” of real estate agents to pick up useful buyer information? And who are you likely to trust — the realtor sharing his knowledge openly, or the one with an impersonal contact form?

That’s the main benefit of a blog from your customers’ or prospective customers’ point of view. They want to hear that internal “shop talk” conversation when they can. By sharing your knowledge, you are building trust and awareness.

And trust + awareness = sales.

This can be translated to other types of businesses easily. Let’s say you own a small, boutique-style clothing store. You probably know every single piece hanging on the racks. And you know what’s selling now – and what you’re thinking of buying more of to keep up with demand.

Would it really be that hard to write a 100 word note to your customers a few times a week on what’s selling now? With a picture of the garment/product?

It doesn’t even have to be your inventory either. Many businesses notice interesting and related sales trends in their line of business. Some are good trends … some may be not so good for consumers. Chat about these trends on your blog, and your customers will increasingly see you as a trusted source.

All this “shop talk” is in your head already. Get in down in a blog tied to your company , and you’re on the way to web marketing success.