When it comes to business tools, we still say and believe that blogging is one of the most effective marketing tools an entrepreneur can have in his or her arsenal. Whether you’re doing your own blogging or hiring a professional writer, your blogging should be bringing in ROI — if not, why are you doing it? If you’re wondering how to make your business blog work for you we have advice.
If you have a business website, the biggest benefit of regular blogging is that every time a new blog post goes live and Google takes notice. Google loves good, new, valuable content and your blogs can be just that and they could help your business rank and get found online.
How To Make Your Business Blog Work For You
Try these tips for your blogging efforts.
Cluster your topics. If you have a LONG article or blog post, consider breaking it up into a series. Google, and readers, love a series. When you do a series you can specialize on the topic and it truly shows your expertise. When you write a series make certain you’re linking back and forth between all parts of the series and make it easier for your readers to find. Also, when doing a series, make sure you’re not making the reader wait weeks and weeks for the next part — they will lose interest.
Be authentic and yes, personable. Regardless of the niche in which your business is, you can still have a personality, right? Do you have to be so staid that you don’t have hobbies? A sense of humor? A story to share? Readers and potential clients will connect with you more readily if they see that you are a “real person” not just a business name with an unknown entity behind it.
Don’t forget the CTA (call to action). What do you want your reader to do after he or she has read your article? Do you want them to call you? Sign up for your newsletter? Buy something? Follow you on social media? If you don’t ask for or prompt a reader, chances are they will read your article and walk away. Don’t let them go until they have been prompted to action.
Keep in mind where your audience is. Are they at the 101 level or are they more advanced? Why do you think they Googled and found your site and are reading your articles? Do your readers understand complex topics you’re sharing? Sure, they may need that complex information BUT you may want to lead them along before you jump right to the highest level. Meet them where they are and nurture them along.
Whether you want to be found by a hiring manager, want to find a new client or simply want to put forth your knowledge and skills you need to have your online biographies completed filled out. We have 3 tips to writing a professional bio that will help you make a great impression before you even say a word or shake a hand!
A professional online bio and a great headshot are what potential connections will see first and will, honestly, judge you on. If you purport to be a professional, but you can’t find a professional headshot… there is a disconnect.
3 Tips To Writing A Professional Bio
What should go into your bio to make you stand out?
As mentioned, a professional photo. Don’t take a selfie. Don’t have a photo of you in your tuxedo from your wedding. Don’t cut your face out of a group photo. Call a professional photographer and get one taken.
Your name and title (don’t make up a title that is so obscure and clever that someone couldn’t figure out what you do). What do you do in your current role?
Add your branding statement. A branding statement is like your mission or vision statement. It helps someone who is reading your bio to know what you stand for and how you stand out from the competition.
Should you write your bio in first person or third person? The jury is still out on that. First-person point of view would be: I am an accountant who has worked for XYZ Company and I was responsible for… A third person bio would be: John has worked as an accountant with XYZ Company and he was responsible for…
Your bio should be updated and refreshed regularly. If you haven’t crafted your bio or don’t know what your branding statement is, reach out to Rex Richard of Peak Dynamics and talk with him.
Do you know that one person who everyone goes to when they need something? There’s the one handyman that everyone uses, that one swimming pool service pro they can’t live without, that entrepreneur that has the answers? Have you ever wondered how to be a business resource go-to?
Rex Richard of Peak Dynamics, has spent his career nurturing not only his own coaching clients, but his swimming pool clients and other entrepreneurs. He is the go-to for answers or to be pointed in the direction of someone who has the answers.
How To Be A Business Resource Go-To
What can you to do hone your go-to-ability? Rex has compiled this list for your review and implementation.
Talk to your customers. Really talk to them. Get to know them, personally. Dig until you find the reasons why they need to work with you and buy and use the products and services you offer.
Listen to the customer. Keep in mind they are buying your expertise and even your personality as much as they’re buying what you have to sell. If you have two options of a business owner from whom to buy widgets and all things being equal, one of those business owners took time to talk with you and was more personable wouldn’t you choose that person? Of course you would.
Ask question. Remember it is not all about you. It is about the customer. Don’t assume you know what they want. You don’t. Or even if you do, their reasons may be different than the features or benefits you spout off.
Analyze what’s worked… and what hasn’t. Pivot and course correct until most all your interactions are wins.
Ask the customer why he or she would refer you. What experience did they have with you that would make them want to work with you?
Making a sale is great. Making a sale is important if you want to stay in business, but what about building relationships. The better the relationship the more loyal a customer will be to you and it’s much more cost effective to keep a customer than to bring on a new one.
Is your blog working for you? Is it being a slacker and just taking up space in your head and on your website? What can you do to make it earn its keep? Because blogs aren’t dead and because Google loves new, updated content we have come up with 5 jobs your blog should perform; if it isn’t you need to reach out to Rex Richard of Peak Dynamics and discuss a strategy.
Technology and analytics and what makes for “good” and “searchable” content is always changing, but great content on your website via your blog are not going away any time soon. In fact, an updated blog helps your site be found in a search.
5 Jobs Your Blog Should Perform
What should your blog be doing for you?
Helping with SEO. Using the correct key words and key phrases will help your content rise to the top of a search and help more ideal clients find you. Make sure you’re using H2 headers and subtopics, and key words and images with alt tags to up the searchability of the posts.
Authentically you. When you blog — or have a ghostwriter blog for you — you are able to be more real, more authentic and more conversational. Let your cilents get to know you. Show them a side of you they don’t see on a Zoom or a networking event.
New content rules. Google loves new content and when you post a blog you are upping the chances that you will be found in a search. It’s a win.
Your blog can act as a lead magnet. Offer a free download or other goodie to new clients through one of your blog posts. You can even use a blog post page to house/host a freebie aka lead magnet.
Cha-ching! You can monetize your blog either through affiliate links or by having ads placed on your site. You could also offer individuals guest spots on your blog and charge them for the placement. Keep in mind that it’s not easy to charge until you have the traffic to support someone wanting to advertise with you, but creating new and fresh content will surely help with that.
No matter how many new technologies come along, you are never going to replace your blog — nor should you. Don’t put all your eggs on a social media site you don’t own and that could shut you down and shut you out.
What is your goal as a new entrepreneur? To get clients, make money and stay afloat. If you have put time and effort into creating your product or service, the next step would be to get that first client – then more and more after that, right? We have tips on how to get and retain leads to help your business grow.
How do you get those initial clients and how to you keep them with you for the long haul? By staying in touch and raising awareness of all that you do and all the benefits you bring them.
For the attraction phase you need to:
Build trust
Raise awareness
How can you build value when a new client doesn’t know anything about you or your products or services?
Give value right out of the gate. Give them a freebie, great content, a reason to give you a test drive.
Give a free consultation, 15- or 30-minute.
Give access to free video content
How To Get And Retain Leads
You want to entice prospects with content or a product that highlights your expertise in a way that gets a reader to give you their email address – a highly coveted piece of information.
Once your potential client consumes your free lead magnet your hope is that they see your expertise and will hire you or buy your product.
Segment your leads. If your lead only wants to know about dogs, don’t send them content about cats and vice versa.
What can you give that will offer value?
Templates or guides
Free trial offers
Free consultation
Free webinars
Money off a first purchase
A quiz or survey that helps your prospect narrow down or hone in on his or her… XYZ – whatever your niche is
How do you get a prospect to your free offer?
Write an attention-grabbing headline in your email
Drive them to a beautifully-designed landing page
Create the opt-in form
Ask them to opt-in. Make the call to action clear and pointed
List out the features and benefits and how your product or service will address their pain points
