Linda Dessau – Page 43

Spreading the Seeds of Your Blogging Tree

June 18, 2012 By Linda Dessau

One of the most common questions I'm asked about blogging is, "Once I've published something new to my blog, how do people know it's there?"

There are three ways to spread the seeds of your blogging tree so that you can grow your audience and your business.

1) Wind

You can set the wind in motion by spreading the news that you have valuable information to share.

One of the simplest ways to do this is through social media. Social media – isn't that just for keeping in touch with your friends? Yes, that's one purpose, but social media is also a powerful tool for growing your business.

In an earlier blog post that provides ten reasons (and ways) to share your blog posts on social media, I discussed how blogging can turn social networking into business networking. Plus you can automate or outsource part of this process so it doesn't take over your day.

You can also share links to a specific blog post whenever a conversation leads you there. Let's say you meet someone at a Chamber of Commerce event. When he finds out what you do, he says, "That's funny that I should meet you today. I just had a situation come up where . . ." Since the purpose of networking events is make connections, not necessarily have in-depth conversations, let him know that you wrote a blog post on that topic and that you'll email a link to him later.

Following up after networking events can be challenging, which is why some people don't do it. These same people tend to comment that networking doesn't work for them. In the example above, following up was a lot easier. There was no selling, no "cold call" and nothing to be uncomfortable or nervous about.

You can email blog post links to other people as well. You can add a personal message and send it to individuals who might have a special interest in the topic, and/or you can email it to a group of people who have agreed to receive regular updates from you (and only people who have agreed). (Click these links for more details about email service providers and automating your blog post emails.)

You have plenty of other opportunities to invite and remind people to visit your blog. One is to mention it in your introduction or bio every time you do public speaking. Another is to add a blog link to your email signature, business card or QR code.

2) Bees

When you share your new blog posts with people in your network, in turn they can share them with their own contacts. Some call this "going viral" – when a piece of content gets quickly passed around the web. On your blogging tree, your contacts are the bees that buzz around from tree to tree, sharing the latest and greatest news. (That's why it's so important to be consistently publishing high-quality content!)

Make your content easy to share by posting permanent links via social media, and by including sharing buttons right on your blog.

You'll have the strongest relationships with people you have a genuine connection with, starting with those you already know. You also want to expand your network, and specifically seek out industry leaders who could potentially introduce you to many prospective new clients. Show your respect and admiration for them by sharing and commenting on their content, and then build on that starting point to make contact.

3) Fruit

When your readers indulge in the delicious fruit you have produced, you're planting seeds not only for them to become prospective clients, but for them to become prospective referral sources. They'll likely start by sharing your content via social media, and then eventually, someone will ask, "Do you know anyone who . . ." and they just might think of you!

Another way that your readers help you spread the seeds of your blogging tree is by sharing their own thoughts and comments. Depending on your audience, they may do this on the blog or by email, or they may just wait until the next time they speak to you by phone or in person.

Regardless of how you hear from them, listen carefully to your readers' comments. These ideas can be the seeds of your next blog post, whether you answer frequently asked questions or just focus on topics your audience cares most about.

If you work consistently to spread the seeds of your blogging tree, over time you will grow your relationships, your ideas and your business.

Linda Dessau, CPCC, is the author of Write Your Way to More Clients Online and the founder of ContentMasteryGuide.com. She offers ghostwriting, editing, training and consulting.

How to Decorate Your Blogging Tree to Attract Your Ideal Clients

June 11, 2012 By Linda Dessau

In the forest of online content, along the vast landscape of social and promotional messages we all constantly receive, how will your blogging tree stand out enough to attract your ideal client?

There are three elements of decorating your blogging tree so that it stays fresh and appealing:

1. Twigs – Connective content

I recommend that service-based business owners aim for one new blog post every week. You don't need to reach that goal perfectly (I certainly don't) or immediately (it often makes sense to plan a gradual transition from a monthly newsletter to a weekly blog).

You may be thinking, "Every week? How am I supposed to add blogging to my already busy schedule, and still keep up with my business's primary activities?"

My weekly blogging method is designed to systemize and simplify the blogging process for you. Once you've written your monthly feature article (designed to help your readers and meet your business and blogging goals), you can build on that topic over the following three weeks with fun, creative content that comes naturally to you, whether that's:

Audio (we'll cover video below), e.g., an interview with a related expert
Storytelling, e.g., a client success or an interesting experience from your life or business that relates to the topic
Reviews and recommendations, e.g., for a website, book, product or service that would be helpful to your reader and is complementary to what you offer

2. Leaves – Illustrative content

For those who would rather talk than write, video posts seem like the perfect solution. Be aware, though, that a certain percentage of your visitors (myself included) prefer to read content. When I visit a blog I rarely watch videos or listen to audio, as I explain in this post about why audio isn't enough. So be sure to include a synopsis of the key points you cover in the video – otherwise readers like me will never experience your brilliance.

Whichever type of connective or illustrative content you use, write something about why you're sharing it, how you found it and/or how your reader might use it. This brings you back to the forefront as the expert and host of the blog, even if you're sharing content someone else created.

Other forms of illustrative content include slide shows (or slide show videos), comic strips or the wildly popular infographic (I recently shared one about content marketing).

3. Flowers – Images

Images create visual interest on your blog, connect with your readers at a different level, and break up the text on the page, making it easier on the eye. Choosing the right image can also help drive home the point you're trying to make.

Here's a tip from an earlier post: Start your image search by naming the emotions you want to capture – i.e., the pain of having the problem you're trying to solve, or the joy of solving it. Then add another search term that's more descriptive or literal.

According to Facebook expert Mari Smith, including photos in your blog posts also makes them more appealing when you share via social media sites such as Facebook.

My favourite resources for blog post images are iStockphoto (paid) and stock.xchng (free), along with PicMonkey (free) for resizing or editing your photos.

You've got three weeks every month to play with these techniques and choose the decorations for your blog. You can get into a routine (e.g., do a new book review in the second week of every month) or be spontaneous (e.g., turn on the video camera and talk about a question that customers have been asking this month).

With so many options for connective content, illustrative content and images, there's no excuse for a bland or boring blog. Show your ideal clients who you are and why you're the right one for them.

P.S. After you've done all this work to attract the right people, don't repel your readers with typos or bad grammar. Before you publish, walk away from your work for a while, then come back and read it out loud to catch any mistakes. Ideally, you'll have someone else who can look it over for you (hey, we do that!).

Linda Dessau, CPCC, is the author of Write Your Way to More Clients Online and the founder of ContentMasteryGuide.com. She offers ghostwriting, editing, training and consulting. If you want better results from your online writing, contact her today to learn how she can help.

Branching Out on Your Blogging Tree with Blog Categories and Feature Articles

June 5, 2012 By Linda Dessau

In a series of blog posts, we've been exploring the parts of the Blogging Tree, which are all the various elements of a successful blogging practice. If you've been following along, you've already clarified your business (and blog) goals and mapped out your blogging plan. Now that you know what you want blogging to do for your business, let's look at what your blog will do for your readers.

Naming your blog categories

Your blogging tree will have 5-7 large branches, which are how you'll start to reach out towards your readers. These branches are your blog categories (I pared mine down to eight before I published this post). Your category names are an important way to organize your blog, plan your writing and guide your readers to the information they need most.

When considering your categories, identify the most pressing problems of your prospective clients. Consider topics that are broad enough to give you some variety and options, but specific enough that they'll be relevant to the exact people who are your ideal clients.

Blogging will be most enjoyable and sustainable for you if you find the intersection between the biggest concerns of your readers and the topics that interest you and that you know the most about. By writing about those themes in your own authentic voice, you will attract your perfect clients.

Balancing out your feature articles

Once you've named your categories, plan feature articles that will cover each topic. With my weekly blogging method, you're only writing one feature article per month – that means you only need to come up with an article for each category once or twice a year!

In the first post of this series, I told you how to match different styles of blog content with your particular business goal. For example, if one of your goals is to establish yourself as an expert in a particular field, write some "how to" articles that teach your reader something they can do on their own. They'll remember who to come to when it's time for professional help!

If you're also trying to educate your clients about what you do, share some of your clients' success stories and describe your role in their success. You'll find more sample goals and corresponding article styles in the original post.

Are you starting to see how your blog will come together? In the next post, we'll dress up your tree with more attractive features that will draw in your prospective clients.

A Blogging Plan You Can Wrap Your Arms Around

May 27, 2012 By Linda Dessau

“Reduce your plan to writing. The moment you complete this, you will have definitely given concrete form to the intangible desire.” – Napoleon Hill

If you’ve decided that blogging makes sense for your service-based business or wellness practice, you need more than the desire to do some blogging and get some traffic to your site. You need a blogging plan.

On your blogging tree, your plan is the trunk. It grows up from the roots (your business goals) and supports all of your blogging efforts.

Before you create your own plan, search online for 3-4 blogs in your industry (sometimes it’s wise to go outside your field as well, as long as you can apply the learning). Identify the elements that you admire and would like to model on your own blog. Also make a note of anything that you think detracts from the blog.

Seven elements to include in your blogging plan

Goals: What are the ultimate business goals you are trying to accomplish with your blog? The first post in this series has some examples. Make sure that some of your goals are measurable (e.g., every month you want to book two speaking gigs, sell six books or receive eight emails from prospective local clients via your blog’s contact form).
Categories: What are the broad themes that cover the most pressing problems of your prospective clients? Choose 5-7 categories for your blog. We’ll get into this task in detail when we “branch out” in our next post, and we’ll cover the others in the following weeks.
Feature articles: Plot out one feature article per month for the next six months. Aim to write about a different category each month. If you’re stuck for ideas (and even if you’re not), try the Top 10 article approach.
Connective content: Decide how you will build on each feature article with fun, creative content that comes naturally to you, whether that’s audio, video, storytelling or reviews and recommendations.
Social media: Consider in which social media environments you and your ideal client are most comfortable and active. Where and when will you be willing to spend some time?
Schedule: When will you publish your new posts each week? How will you shift your schedule to get your blogging done? What are your best times of day for creative work, detailed work and social connection? Who else’s schedule do you need to consider (e.g., a blog editor, hint, hint!)?
Editorial calendar: Put it all together and you’ll see how your blog could take shape over the next six months. At any moment, a quick glance will tell you which topic you should be focusing on as you brainstorm and collect ideas throughout your daily adventures in business and life.

Blogging takes time, and so does planning. If you don’t have time to plan, are you sure you’ll have time to blog? If not, then maybe you should wait. Otherwise, your blog is at risk for becoming a ghost town.

If you are willing to use these tips, I guarantee your blog will be better for it. It may even hug you back.

A Strong Blogging Tree Starts at the Roots

May 19, 2012 By Linda Dessau

If you're just starting out both in business and in blogging, then your blog might be an excellent place to start finding your audience, get feedback about your business ideas so you can hone your service offerings, and plan events that meet the needs of your audience.

If, on the other hand, you already have a solid foundation and clear goals for your business, then all that's left is to determine how blogging can help you accomplish those goals.

Here is a list of the five most common benefits of blogging. Do any of these match your goals for your business?

Demonstrate your expertise in a specific industry or specialty – By writing blog posts that answer your clients' most common questions, you show that you're a knowledgeable and trusted authority in that particular area. If this is your top goal, focus on writing "how to" articles. [Update June 8, 2012 – Thought pieces also position you as a leader and authority in your area.]
Educate your clients about what you do and why they need you – A blog allows people to research you and your business before taking the next step to contact or hire you. By writing authentically about the topics that matter most to you and your clients, you give them a clearer picture of who you are and what they can expect from you and your services. If this is your main goal, provide a combination of client stories and personal posts, with the occasional theory or manifesto added in for good measure.
Add value to what you already offer your clients and broader network – Your generosity and goodwill speak volumes about who you are as a person, while the quality of your information continues to solidify your credibility. Through your blog you can reach and help more people. If this is your main goal, combine "how to" articles with connective content that adds interest and variety to your blog. There are even ways that blogging can help you give back to your community.
Gain wider exposure for your business – When the people in your network like and pass along your blog posts via email and social media, they simultaneously provide an endorsement and introduction to other people who are interested in your specialty area. If this is your primary business goal, be sure to blend all types of content so that you reach people with different interests and learning styles.
Keep your website fresh – Your network will keep returning to see what's new, and Google and other search engines will reward you with higher ranking. This continues to reinforce the perception that you're an expert who is up to date, and your blog is the destination for trustworthy and helpful information. Use my weekly blogging method to stay consistent and get into the blogging habit.

Before you get too far along (though you can stop and do this any time), fortify the roots of your blogging tree by clarifying the goals of your blog. The good news is that you don't have to look any further than the goals for your business!

Continue reading the next post in the Blogging Tree series –>