Use this blog scheme as a local referral tool.

Duct Tape Marketing offers up one idea for running a blog as a local referral tool:

Blog networks are all over, but few local businesses are taking advantage of this play. If the right referral partners got together and contributed the occasional post to a blog focused on a local target market, they would own the search terms for their town and generate lots of leads for each other. Think about the power of a plumber, electrician, lawn service and heating and air company creating a local blogsite aimed at providing tips for local homeowners. That group would dominate the local home repair searches that have become the norm for homeowners frustrated with trying to find good help.

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This tip could easily apply to other professions as well, and could lead to additional opportunities, such as the creation of workshops or seminars using your “pros.”

Check out the Duct Tape Marketing article for a variety of Wordpress plug-ins and themes to get started with your multi-author blog (they recommend using Wordpress).