Archive for Information Marketing
Having Trouble Creating Content For Your Blog or Newsletter? Change the scenery
Posted by: | CommentsYesterday morning I was sitting in my home office after getting my son off to the bus. My cat, Nemo, was rolling around in front of the computer while I checked my email (he likes a morning cuddle before he gets down to some serious napping for the day).
I read my email, read some blogs, played a game of solitaire Hearts. Generally, I was wasting time. I had lots of writing to do – a blog post, a new e-book, and my ezine. But I just couldn’t get started.
In an unusual move for me, I packed up my trusty laptop, grabbed a notebook and headed off to my favorite coffee shop. Other than the distraction of Nemo, my home office is wonderfully suited for work. I have a full-sized keyboard and mouse for my laptop, high speed internet access, every business book I could possibly need. It is quiet, well-lit with natural light and the beverages are free.
The coffee shop, on the other hand, is not. It’s a busy place, with lots of caffeine junkies coming in to get their morning fix. There’s tons of seating for people to catch up on gossip or to have meetings. There is a steady stream of interesting people walking by the floor to ceiling windows. Funky jazz is playing on the speakers. And the beverages are decidedly NOT free. It’s a very busy place.
I walked to the shop – a leisurely 20 minute stroll in the sunshine – ordered my coffee and muffin and set up my laptop. Words started pouring out of me. Great stuff – if I do say so myself – and quick. Work that would normally sweat out of me in about two hours took 30 minutes. Ideas flowed. It was great. It was magic. Why had I never done this before?
So, the next time you’re stuck, try packing up your laptop and finding a change of scenery. What have you got to lose? You’re not getting anything done anyway. Maybe the new locale will be just what you brain needs to jumpstart your creativity.
Andrea J. Stenberg
When you have these lack of motivation moments, what gets you out of your funk? Leave a comment and share what works for you.
Seven ways to get more traffic to your website without using SEO
Posted by: | CommentsIn the movie Field of Dreams the ghostly voice told Ray “If you build it they will come.” But that’s not necessarily true of your website. Once you build it, it takes work to get them to come.
1. Include your web address in all printed marketing materials.
It may seem simple but you’d be surprised how many businesses forget to include their web address on their yellow pages ad, letterhead, newspaper ad, or brochures. If it has your name on it, the web site had better be there too.
2. Include a live link in all outgoing email
It’s easy to configure your email software to automatically include a link to your website as part of the signature. How many emails do you send in a day? Make them work for you by including your URL.
3. Post comments on related blogs and include a link to your website.
Not only will you have another link to your website, but if the readers are your target audience they may decide to click over to your website.
4. Write articles on topics related to your business or industry.
Whether you are writing for the local newspaper, and industry magazine or someone’s newsletter, you are usually given space to include a brief bio as part of your by-line. Make sure your web address is part of your bio. Approach any associations you belong to, local newspapers, industry magazines about writing for them.
You can also send article to online article directories such as www.ezinearticles.com. Others can use your article in their newsletter as long as they include your bio – with URL.
5. Use a call to action in your off-line advertising to give people a reason to visit your website.
Use your off-line advertising to offer the download of a free report, the sign-up for a free newsletter, the use a free tool, a free teleseminar. Even though it’s free, make sure you sell the benefits of this freebee. You have to motivate people enough to make the effort to get to your website.
6. Send snail mail
Do you have physical addresses of clients or prospects? Send a mailing – a letter, postcard – promoting your freebee. The freebee they can only get from your website. And don’t forget, don’t give a way the freebee without collecting email addresses first.
7. Use talks to promote your site.
Whenever you give a talk, mention your website – several times if you can work it in. Tell them about the free report and how it expands on the talk you just gave. Make sure the URL of your site is on any handouts you give.
None of these methods will drive huge numbers to your website. But used in combination, as part of your overall marketing strategy, you should see a steady increase in traffic to your site.
Andrea J. Stenberg
Ten Ways To Get Ideas For Your Blog or Newsletter
Posted by: | CommentsAs a writer I write daily blog posts, weekly newsletters plus comments on other blogs and social networking sites. And that’s just for my own business. Never mind the writing I do
for clients – newsletters, websites, articles and more.
With all this writing I need to do in any given week, it’s not surprising that occasionally, even as a professional writer, I get writers’ block. I sit down and don’t know what to write.
But because I’m a professional writer, I don’t have the luxury of letting writer’s block stop me. I don’t have any other tasks to do for my business – until someone figures out a way to make a living from Solitaire.
So today I’m going to share some tricks of the trade; things I – and other writers – do to keep the ideas flowing.
1. Use Questions From Customers
Keep track of questions you get from clients and prospects about your industry. If one person is asking you, odds are there are many more who are wondering the same thing. Write an article answering the question.
2. Read other blogs and newsletters in your industry
No, you don’t want to copy what they write – that’s plagiarism. But you can summarize another article – with a link to the original. Even better, you can add your own perspective on the subject.
3. Read books and magazines in your industry
An interesting fact my spark your interest and you can start an article with it. Or you can write a review of the book, letting readers know if it’s worth their time.
4. Use a quotation
I have a copy of Forbes Book of Business Quotations
5. Use LinkedIn Answers
LinkedIn Answers is a great way to get ideas for articles. You can see what other people are asking and use those subjects as topics. Or you can plan ahead and ask a question of your own and use the responses you get in your article.
6. Interview an expert
Interview an expert in your industry and then write about it. If you’re lucky, you’ll get several article ideas from one interview.
7. Use current events
Look at current events and try to connect your industry to them. For example, a public relations expert could use the protests over the Olympic Torch Relay to talk about how to manage negative publicity. A business coach could use the Ottawa Senators failure in the playoffs to lead into a talk about team building.
8. Use Google Alerts
Set up Google Alerts for important keywords in your industry. Check your most recent Alerts for ideas. Often just the headlines of what’s on the internet will spark an idea.
9. Do a case study
Write a case study of a success you had with a client. Focus on the problem your client had and how things changed for them after you solved this problem.
10. Create a list
Create a list of ways to do something your audience needs to know. A list like this one is quick and easy to write. The number of items on the list depends on how much information you have.
Summary
If every time you sit down to write you run into writer’s block, consider carrying a notebook where you can jot down ideas as they occur. Then the next time you need to write for your blog or newsletter, you just need to pick one from the list.
Andrea J. Stenberg
What Makes a Blog a More Powerful Marketing Tool than a Website
Posted by: | CommentsLast night I interviewed blogging expert Yaro Starak about blogging for business as part of my Build Your Business Teleseminar Series. I asked him what makes a blog different from a regular website.
Blogs are more interactive than a static website
The interactivity of a blog is one of the most important differences between a blog and a static website. When you write a blog post, your readers don’t just passively consume your content. They can leave comments – agreeing, expanding on or disagreeing with what you have to say. They are starting a conversation with you and with other readers.
Additionally, other bloggers may comment on what your write with a link back to your original post. This expands the conversation beyond your readers and out into the blogosphere.
From a marketing perspective this is important for two reasons. One, by engaging your readers in a conversation, you are creating a deeper connection. They are beginning to know, like and trust you. These are the keys to turning someone from a prospect into a customer.
A second reason this conversation is important is “social proof”. When new readers visit your blog, they see that others are already involved in a conversation. This gives them the message that what you have to say is well received by others and they have an increased level of trust before they’ve even started sampling what you have to offer.
Blogs use a more casual writing style
In the early days of blogging, blogs were more like personal diaries. As a result, people used a very casual writing style. As businesses began jumping on the blogging bandwagon, they tended to maintain this conversational tone.
From a marketing standpoint, this casual writing style helps create a deeper connection with your audience. They feel like they know you better than if they are reading polished marketing materials. They will enjoy the content more and keep coming back.
Blogs are updated more easily and frequently
Blogs are easier to update so they are updated more frequently. Changing a static website may mean learning html code or placing a call to your webmaster. Even if you are using templates and software from your web hosting company, changing or adding new content to your website is a cumbersome process.
With a blog however, it’s really just a matter of entering your article and hitting publish. Even better, you can set up your blog to accept new posts via email.
As a marketer this means you can always have fresh and up-to-date content on your site, encouraging readers to keep coming back. And every marketer knows that frequent, regular contact is key to turning a prospect into a customer. Out of sight, out of mind is doubly true when it comes to marketing.
Because blogs are updated more frequently, search engines love them. Blogs tend to dominate search engine rankings so having a blog is essential if you’re looking for search engine traffic.
This has been my experience. I’ve had my copywriting website up for almost three years and it doesn’t get anywhere near the traffic my blog does. Additionally, Google found my blog after only a month, whereas it took my website almost six months to appear on Google, even if I was searching for my own name.
If you are thinking about starting a blog but are a little leery of the technical side of things, check out Yaro’s becomeablogger.com site. This site has tons of information about the basic skills you need to start a blog. Also check out Yaro’s Blog Profits Blueprint. This free guide is what motivated me to start this blog.
Andrea J. Stenberg
If you missed last night’s teleseminar with Yaro and would like to hear what he had to say, it’s not too late – he call was recorded. Just register for the Build Your Business Teleseminar Series and you’ll get the recording of my interview with Yaro and have access to the other five upcoming calls.
What is a Podcast and Why Not Knowing Can Hurt Your Business – Part 3
Posted by: | CommentsBefore you head out and start recording your own podcasts, you should spend some time listening to what other podcasters are doing. If you don’t have an iPod, don’t worry. You don’t need to head out and buy one. If you are running Windows on your computer, Windows Media Player should be able to play just about any audio file you download.
To find podcasts to listen to, Google “free podcasts” and you will get more than enough to give you an idea of what works and what doesn’t. Refine your search by adding a keyword about your industry.
You can also try searching for “free teleclass”. Many business to business entrepreneurs conduct “teleclasses” either for profit or as a lead generation tool. Many teleclasses are free and are very informative.
Other ways to use audio on your website
Many coaches and consultants use free teleclasses or teleseminars as a lead generation tool. If you are selling a high priced product or service, this can be a great way to overcome any objections your prospects may have. By giving them a free taste of what you do, they’ll feel more comfortable working with you. And if you record these teleclasses and offer the audio as a download from your website, it gives one more way you can attract customers.
You can also try recording testimonials from satisfied customers and have the files on your website. While not actually a “podcast,” audio testimonials can be very powerful. One study found that sites with audio testimonials had a 40 percent higher conversion rate than identical sites with text testimonials.
I’m not going to go into the nuts and bolts of how to create and audio recording to post on your website or distribute them via RSS or iTunes here because its too complex and I’m still learning this stuff myself.
If you want to know more I recommend The Podcasting Bible
Andrea J. Stenberg
