If you’re writing blogs, press releases, and other content to promote yourself online, you may fall into the trap of writing like a reporter. As the old cliche goes, reporters ask “Who, What, Where, Why, When and How?”

The next time you sit down to write a post for your blog, instead of thinking like a reporter, think like an owl. Owls only ask one question – “Who?” No matter how much media changes, you can rest assured that people will always care about the “Who” in any story.

I can think of no better example of this than the Summer Olympics. For a week, everyone is suddenly fascinated by the sport of swimming. Then for four years, most people won’t watch a single event. Why is this? People are fascinated by the personal stories that are covered so excellently by the networks. Very few people out there are dedicated swimming fans. But many people are captivated by the stories of Michael Phelps and all of the other interesting and dedicated people who participate in these event.

Your business is a lot like the Summer Olympics. You might have a small group of dedicated fans; these are your best customers and evangelists. Everyone else doesn’t have a strong feeling one way or the other. But they do like a good personal story. So give them one. When you talk about your company, don’t talk in terms of facts and the bottom line. Talk about your story, the stories of your employees, and the stories of your customers. Think like an owl, and talk about the “Who.”

I’m a writer at heart, and I’m a strong proponent of the written word as marketing tool. Even though the Web is filled with Flash animation, online video, and amazing site designs, text content remains a very powerful way to market yourself online.

Text is also easy to create. It doesn’t require a design degree or a wealth of technical knowledge. However, all too often people are afraid of writing. These people convince themselves that they are not good writers, and in fact, they worry so much about their writing, it ends up not being very good. So today I’m here to tell you to stop worrying, and start writing naturally.

Nothing should be more familiar to you than your native language. You’ve been hearing and reading it all your life. Don’t get hung up the finer points of grammar, just convey your message in the clearest, most powerful way you know how. No one is going through your blog posts with a red pen. No one expects you to be a brilliant author. They simply want to hear what you have to say, and how you can make their lives better. Don’t keep them waiting.