Content Mastery Guide

Editor and Ghostwriter

5 Ways to Lead Local Clients From Your Blog to Your Clinic

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Local client at wellness clinic
© romankosolapov – Fotolia.com

If you’re new to the concept of content marketing, it may be difficult to imagine how publishing an article on your website could help bring clients into your local clinic.

After all, if you give people home-care tips to solve their problems, won’t you be blogging yourself out of new clients?

Actually, the opposite is true! Effective wellness blogging will lead local clients from your website right to your clinic. Here are five ways:

1. They see and think of you often

It makes sense that the more content you post on your blog and on social media, the more people will see and think of you. What’s most important is what you’re posting.

Sales promotions and ads can feel intrusive and give a negative impression of your business, even subconsciously. If, on the other hand, you consistently send helpful, interesting, and entertaining content that people appreciate and enjoy, that positive association will permeate every interaction.

From blog to business: As you promote each helpful new blog post in email and on social media, you create positive feelings and establish trust.

2. They start to associate your business with a specific topic or area, and see you as an expert

You don’t only want people to see and think of you often – you want them to think of you in relation to a particular topic or set of topics.

On your blog and on social media, I recommend sharing a combination of high-quality original content that your company produces, and equally high-quality content from other sources.

The key is that all of this content is centered around key topics that reinforce the expertise you deliver with your products and services.

From blog to business: When your network sees you consistently post high-quality content about a particular set of topics, you will be the first one they think of when they or someone they know needs your service or program.

3. They start to rely on you as a resource

When the tips and suggestions you provide are relevant and get positive results, you become a trusted resource in the minds of your readers.

By giving advice about the issues they most care about – related to your topic areas – you connect with your readers on different levels and become a bigger part of their lives.

From blog to business: People may wonder, “If they give away this much great information for free, I wonder how much more they could help me if I hired them!”

4. They feel like a part of your business

Aside from sharing information that helps prospective clients solve a problem, you can also use blogging to invite them behind the scenes of your business to meet your other clients, your suppliers and vendors, your partners, and your staff. These backstage tours create a sense of comfort and familiarity before they even walk in the door.

You can also turn the tables and offer people a chance for you to get to know them. Invite them to submit questions, recipes, tips, photos, stories – the sky’s the limit!

From blog to business: Familiarity breeds trust, and so the more often you connect with people in meaningful ways, the more comfortable they will feel approaching you to do business.

Bonus: As people join in public discussions with you and about you, they can soon turn into customer evangelists who help others discover and trust you.

5. They know exactly when to come in

Building onto that sense of familiarity and community, your blog readers and social media followers can enjoy a sense of privilege and exclusivity. While you’ll mainly use your blog for information and not promotion, occasionally you can directly promote your business and something that’s going on there.

Your loyal readers and social media followers will be the first to hear, and will want to boost their own online reputation by passing on these great opportunities to their network.

From blog to business: Because of the trust, familiarity and goodwill you’ve built by sharing helpful, relevant information, people will be much more open to your sales offers, and more likely to say yes if they’re the right fit.

How to Manage a Multi-Author Wellness Blog

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calendar tools multi-author blog
© djvstock – Fotolia.com

You’ve worked hard to create a team of qualified wellness professionals who deliver a range of services to your clients. But does your clinic blog reflect the unique wisdom and experience they each bring to the table?

Giving your team of practitioners a voice on the clinic blog has five key benefits:

  1. It lightens your load as the clinic owner to produce all the content.
  2. It gives each practitioner the chance to develop and express his or her own individual identity (brand) as a wellness professional.
  3. It demonstrates the depth and variety of the services and approaches available at your clinic.
  4. It helps your practitioners, clients, supporters and friends promote your clinic by sharing links to practitioners’ posts on social media.
  5. It cultivates a sense of teamwork, belonging and pride amongst the blog contributors.

Starting a blog and posting consistently can be challenging, and having more bloggers can mean there are more ways for things to go astray. Let’s go through some concrete tips for how to manage a multi-author wellness blog for ultimate success.

Before you start a multi-author wellness blog at your clinic

Long before publishing your first post, create a clinic or team blogging plan so that everyone is on the same page (here are the five things to include in your clinic blogging plan).

How to keep your clinic blog going

Once you have your plan and you’re ready to start, here are some helpful tips to stay consistent:

  • Create a shared calendar for editorial topics and timelines. Make it easy for writers to plan ahead, and for you or your editor to follow up as needed. Try Google Calendar or blogging-specific WordPress plugins such as CoSchedule, Edit Flow, or Editorial Calendar.
  • Hold regular meetings for the blogging team, where you can brainstorm ideas, troubleshoot problems, and celebrate results. If you keep restating the blog’s purpose and goals, it will boost motivation and enthusiasm for the project.
  • Offer alternatives for reluctant writers. Some of your practitioners may not have the time, patience or skill for writing, but with a little creativity, everyone’s voice can be heard. For example, let them talk out their ideas as a video or audio recording. Then have an editor or ghostwriter turn those ideas into a written post or a bulleted list of highlights published along with the video or audio message.

Promoting your wellness clinic blog

Readers will not remember to visit your blog, so you have to invite them back to read every new post. Ask everyone on your team to share links to the latest blog post – on social media, in their email signature, or in response to a question related the post’s topic. You can even supply pre-written social media teasers that will get readers curious about the post.

Give readers an easy way to share your posts on social media by installing social sharing apps and plugins (ask your web developer for help and recommendations).

As well, show your appreciation to your blogging team by spotlighting your contributors in your clinic communications on social media, in emails and/or newsletters, and in flyers posted at the clinic.

What can go wrong with a multi-author wellness blog

Here are some of the most common issues that may arise for multi-author blogs, and my suggestions for how to overcome them:

  • Maintaining quality – When writers are feeling pressured to finish a post on time, or just unsure of how to write an effective blog post, quality can vary. Share examples of the types of posts you’re looking for, as well as a style guide or simple checklist for writers.
  • Running out of steam – Things start out well, but then begin to fade. Eventually, posts get less and less frequent and in some cases they stop completely. Sometimes it’s because contributors aren’t seeing clear results so they have no motivation to put in the effort. Hold regular meetings to discuss concerns and celebrate results. Work as a group to brainstorm topics and reignite enthusiasm for the project.
  • Losing contributors – If one of your prominent bloggers or even the blog manager leaves the clinic, gets an influx of clients, or has a personal situation, the blog can flounder. Head back to the drawing board and make sure all five elements of your blogging plan are in place and still relevant, including someone to take ownership of the blog.
  • Competing priorities – There are many moving pieces in the day-to-day life of your clinic, and sometimes blogging might need to take a back seat. Do what you have to do, whether that’s stretching out the frequency of posts or taking a break. Get back on track as soon as you can. Always start with a fresh blogging plan so everyone has clear guidelines and the same goals in mind.

A clinic blog can give your practitioners more visibility and credibility to potential clients, current clients, referral partners and other supporters. Use these strategies to ensure your blogging team’s success.

P.S. How healthy is your wellness clinic blog? Join me for a personalized review and free advice.

12 Cures for Blogging Overwhelm

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© utoimage - Fotolia.com
© utoimage – Fotolia.com

Busy-ness is a common theme for wellness clinic owners and wellness practitioners. You always seems to have more things you want to do than time in the day to do them. And now you’re supposed to blog, too?

Whether blogging is a job requirement or one of your own marketing goals, when it’s piled on top of a full load it can be tough to muster the the motivation to follow through.

Yet an abandoned blog will wave a red flag about your credibility every time a visitor lands on your website. And if you’re not blogging yet, you’re denying prospective clients the gift of discovering your expertise in the very area they need help.

Before you give up on the idea of blogging for your business, consider these 12 soothing truths for overwhelmed bloggers:

1. You can miss a post

You can remove the word deadline from your vocabulary. For most of us, very little that we do in a day is a matter of life or death. We make plans and schedules, and then we do our best and recalibrate when we must. The world won’t end if you veer from your editorial schedule. Reset the delivery date (isn’t that a nicer term?) and move on.

2. Inspiration always returns

When I sit and agonize over a post that’s not flowing, I find that I can turn my attention to something else and trust that when I come back, I’ll be given the inner or outer resources I need. If that means a blog post isn’t done when I hoped (or never gets done – link to when to scrap), that’s okay, I just refer to Truth #1.

3. No one is reading every word

In an interview with Tema Frank of Frank Online Marketing, I was reminded of the humbling fact that even though I review every single word of my blog posts several times, that’s not how people are reading them. They’re much more likely to skim the headlines, as you may be doing right now, honing in to read only certain sections.

4. There is no perfect

Though my attention may be drawn to industry giants who blog beautifully and brilliantly on a regular basis, in the grand scheme of things there are far more businesses who blog less frequently and definitely less perfectly. Depending on your niche, you might already be the one who’s farthest ahead, and you’ll be improving with every new post.

5. Everything improves with repetition

The more you write, publish and promote blog posts, the easier and more effective you will become. You can also use your published posts to measure your responses, do more of what’s working well, and experiment with things that may work better. Josh Kaufman claims you can get noticeably better at any skill by applying 20 hours of focused practice (that’s 40 minutes per day for a month). Writing every day doesn’t mean you publish every day, but it will do wonders for your confidence and skill.

6. Mistakes can be deleted

You can go back anytime after a post is published and correct a typo. If you’re adding new content or correcting misinformation, I recommend you clearly label that new information. Yes, people who subscribe to your blog will get the original version in their Inbox, but you can still take comfort in knowing the corrected version is the one that will live on forever.

7. You can let go of something else

Take an honest look at the time and money you’re currently spending on promoting your business. If something isn’t delivering results, can you funnel that investment into your blog? Be just as honest about your personal time. If you watched one less episode of a TV show or were more efficient with your errands, couldn’t you find a few minutes for blogging?

8. Blogging gives way more than it takes

Your blog posts can do double duty as content for social media, email newsletters, presentations and more. And as I mentioned in Truth #6, blog posts live forever on your site for new people to discover.

9. More isn’t better

Very few businesses need to be publishing a new blog post every day, and once a month might even be enough. It’s better to spend a few minutes each day working towards one really solid post, than to force yourself to eke out more frequent posts that aren’t well thought out or effective.

10. It’s okay to split

A clinic blog can have multiple personalities, topic areas, and even audiences, as long as they’re clearly defined and organized so the right people can find the information that’s for them.

11. If you can help, you can blog

Your wellness clinic exists to help people, and that means you already have everything you need for a terrific clinic blog. These days we often turn to the Internet first when we have questions – if you can provide answers that help people begin to solve their problems, they’ll come back for more. When it’s time to get expert help, you’ll be right there on their screen.

12. There is help for blogging

Whether it’s planning a blog strategy that incorporates your marketing goals, coordinating or interviewing subject matter experts, writing and editing blog posts, posting them to your site, or promoting and sharing them on social media, there are people with those areas of expertise.

For an overwhelmed blogger, the most soothing solution of all may be to share or pass along the task. That way everyone on your team can do what they do best, and you get to concentrate on running your business and serving the new clients your blog will attract.

P.S. If you liked this post, you might enjoy the Blogging Tips newsletter, delivered weekly to your inbox! Sign up here.

Three Ways to Turn a New Blog Post Into a New Local Client – Without Google!

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woman-reading-interesting-blog-post-text

When you deliver a personal service such as a wellness treatment, it can be challenging to explain what you do in a 60-second introduction or a three-minute conversation in the buffet line.

Prospective clients need more time to learn about you and decide whether to trust you with their wellness care. A frequently updated website is a key marketing tool, but how do you get people there?

Would you be relieved to hear that you don’t need to be on the first page of Google in order to attract new local clients? If so, you’ll want to keep reading.

Here are three ways that your blog can help you reach, teach and draw in prospective local clients who would be ideal for your wellness practice:

Scenario #1: From one friend to another

Your current clients will always be your best source of referrals, so be sure to make it easy for them to tell their friends and family about you. For example, if you’re looking to attract more clients with sleep problems, write a blog post with some sleep hygiene tips.

Follow that up with a case study about how you helped another client to sleep better (here are some more tips about how to write a client story). Be sure to link the two posts so your readers can get from one to the other.

You may be concerned that blog posts about very specific conditions and treatments may not appeal or relate to everyone. That’s absolutely true! That’s why those posts will do such a great job of reaching the exact people who need your help – and those who care about them.

Your current clients want to refer you, they may just be unsure of how to describe what you do. Your blog post will help them do it!

To be sure your clients see them, insert blog post links (use the permalink for each specific post) into your email signature line (WiseStamp does this automatically) or even into your client invoices. If you’re on social media, share links there as well.

Scenario #2: From one expert to another

If you stay active in your professional community, you’ll build a rapport with other practitioners. You’re bound to have different approaches, specialties and personalities, so some clients will be a better fit for them and some will be better for you.

Watch for opportunities to keep in touch (e.g., congratulate someone for moving into a new space or launching a new service), and/or schedule it in your calendar every three months or so. As part of this email, share links to your best blog posts.

Just as in the first scenario, your blog posts will help these other practitioners identify who might be a good client for you AND it will give them an effective and low-pressure way of introducing you.

Scenario #3: Getting checked out

Whether you’ve met at a networking event, through a personal connection or in the checkout line at the grocery store, it’s common to pass along your contact details – including your website address – to prospective clients. And if they’re like most of us these days, they’re going to check out your website before they consider doing business with you. What will they find?

If you’re blogging, they’ll find evidence and examples of your specific expertise. Whether that’s a fit for them or not, you’ve just gained trust and esteem in their eyes. They’ll also see how generous you are with your information, and how conscientious you are about keeping your site and blog up to date with the latest relevant information.

If they’re not ready at the moment, but they want to stay in touch with you, they can subscribe to your mailing list or the RSS feed of your blog. When they are ready, you’ll be in their Inbox and on their minds.

Just be sure to blog consistently so you can build on the good impression you’ve made.

P.S. If you liked this post, you might enjoy the Blogging Tips newsletter, delivered weekly to your inbox! Sign up here.

9 Most Illuminating Ways Blogging Can Spotlight Your Wellness Clinic

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© VILevi - Fotolia.com
© VILevi – Fotolia.com

People are searching for health information online, but so many of them get stuck in the research phase because they don’t know who to trust.

This was quantified in a study called “The Power of the Purse: Engaging Women Decision Makers for Healthy Outcomes,” which found that while 53% of women think the best health information is online, only 31 percent of these women trust what they find.

Here are nine ways that blogging helps your wellness clinic be both found and trusted as a reliable resource for online health seekers.

  1. Credibility – By answering customer questions and demonstrating your knowledge, you and your practitioners are seen as experts in your industry.
  2. Comfort – People will see that you understand their needs and want to help; you’re not just pushing sales messages at them.
  3. Searchability – Companies that blog have 97% more inbound links (source: Hubspot via Writtent). Provided that you stick to the core categories your ideal clients care about, these links will generate visits from exactly the type of people you’re trying to attract.
  4. Recognition – As people read different blog posts on your site, they will gain comfort with your online presence and be more likely to come back the next time they see a link from you. The more time they spend on your site, the more they may see or seek out information about your services.
  5. Service – How you take care of your readers is how people will assume you take care of your clients. By blogging you can show your commitment to consistency, quality, generosity, helpfulness, and excellence.
  6. Passion – By each writing authentically about what’s important to you, you and your practitioners can reveal your passion for what you do. The clinic blog then becomes a vehicle to share that passion with clients, prospective clients, and other health seekers around the world.
  7. Visibility – Promoting your blog posts on social media brings you into the online conversations people are already having about your areas of expertise.
  8. Familiarity – When you have well-crafted bylines and bios on your clinic blog, readers get to know individual practitioners and other people connected with your clinic. This can jumpstart relationships with prospective clients.
  9. Generosity – When people see you are willing to give away your expertise and be helpful without expecting anything in return, it cultivates goodwill and fortifies the long-term, trusting relationships that lead to repeat client visits.

Blogging is a very effective way to attract positive attention for your wellness clinic. Once they discover your blog through a web search or someone in their network, it becomes a portal through which prospective clients can evaluate whether you are well-matched to meet their wellness goals.

P.S. If you liked this post, you might enjoy the Blogging Tips newsletter, delivered weekly to your inbox! Sign up here.