Why bother blogging anyway?

I have to put my hand up on this one! I'm not a techie or geek. I use the web to read the news and buy stuff, and inspite of the fact of running a pure play dotcom at the height of the boom and bust of the internet back in the 1990s, I just see the web as a means of getting things done.
Professionally I now advise a range of organisations on their communications - eveything from PR to web design to old fashioned direct marketing.
However, increasingly I am being asked by many clients and friends about blogging and how it can help them communicate better with customers and potential customers.
Now, I think I am fairly well informed on most matters but I considered blogs just another fad. Having had my fingers - and wallet - badly burned in the last internet frenzy I was sceptical about blogs as much as I am about Web 2.0 (more of that later).
However, having researched the whole issue of blogs over the past six months and how clever organisations are using them the scales have fallen from my eyes. As a professional hack I am naturally cynical. I always ask what's the angle? Or what's in it for me?
Now after looking at how individuals and some smart businesses are harnessing the blogosphere - Stormhoek, English Cut - I have been converted. So much so that I decided to start my own blog. This is not wholly for altruistic reasons, as if anyone gives a fig what I think.
My main point is how can I look any client in the eye and tell them to develop their own blog if I don't have one myself. Hence these rambling thoughts.
My company will shortly launch it's own blog (look out for later postings) which my business partner, the creativity guru, Andy Green (no relation), myself and other members of our team will use to talk about our business and the good things we do.
I accept I am a blog novice and I hope you do too and will forgive me if I trample over any blogging etiquette at least in the early days.
All comments welcome.