I think one of the most undervalued channels for building a compelling trusted, genuine BOLD brand is blogging. A strategic, consistent (at least 2 x a month or more) blog article is part of my three pronged marketing system I mentor to help clients deliver a brand and make an impact.
I know how challenging it can be to make the time to write or even get the inspiration! As if we have extra time to add THAT to our plate, right?
Today I am pleased to bring you one of my favorite blogging experts who will give you three important points why blogging is key to a bold, compelling genuine brand. Allison Volk of The Blog Babe. We met at our eWomen Network monthly meeting a few months ago. She is also a “ghostwriter” for small business owners – so reach out to her! No more excuses why you don’t have time to write. 🙂
I love featuring smart, savvy, vibrant women in my social media channels – so enjoy this quick-to- point helpful article and let us know how it helped by commenting at the bottom! We love engagement!
Welcome Allison!
Here’s what I love more than anything about the Internet: you don’t have to wait for anyone else to “choose” you.
It used to be that getting published was a game you played with magazine, newspaper and book publishers. The qualifying questions that run across the minds of these journalists and publishers could be – do you have enough followers on social media? Would you increase their readership? Most importantly… do you know the right people? Or we also can lean on the expert talent of a publicist.
The Internet changed this game, in a big way. No more regulations. You can now let your creative spirit run with your ideas, opinions, and expertise. Anyone in the world with a computer and access to the Internet can publish content online and share it with a global audience. It’s excellent for your brand to strategically position yourself as the go-to-expert.
In today’s marketplace, it’s more important than ever to be publishing your own quality, consistent content if you want to be perceived as a legitimate expert in your field.
Here’s three important points why blogging is key to a bold, compelling genuine brand.
Blog to Establish Credibility
Like it or not, one of the first things a potential client will do when they think they might work with you is look up your business online. Before they make a transaction, they want to know that you’re the real deal – and the easiest way to sniff out a fake is by looking them up on the Internet.
When you pop up with a professional website, great. When you have excellent branding that matches your personality, even better. When you have current, relevant content that’s already answering their questions before they even know they had them? That’s when you start converting your content into potential clients – phone calls, emails, and opt-ins.
Consistency is key, however, to publishing a blog. When a potential customer stops by your website and sees a blog post from 2012, you’re sending a message. That message sounds something like, “I’m not with-it enough to keep my blog up to date, and I might treat you the same way.” Three seconds later, you’ve lost the lead – and you didn’t even know it!
What message are you sending with your blog?
Blog to Establish Trust
People have problems, and they need solutions. If you offer solutions (which I already know you do, or else you wouldn’t be in business for very long), you must be blogging. It would be a disservice to your audience and to your business to skip this vital marketing tool.
Think of your blog as a free advice column. If you sit down every week and write 500 words about a problem or question that your clients constantly ask, you’ll be well on your way to establishing trust with your audience. They’ll think, “Wow, if this expert is giving so much great information away for free, what could I get if I actually paid her?”
Generally speaking, if you spend about 75% of the time offering value (i.e., giving away free content and advice) and 25% of the time making an offer, your audience will be ready to buy. After all, you wouldn’t propose on a first date, would you? Give, give, and give before asking for the sale. This is how you build your know, like and trust factor.
Blog to Draw In Your Audience
Perhaps the biggest struggle for small businesses is bringing in new clients. Unlike big corporations, we simply don’t have the resources to spend a bundle of money on advertising.
In this respect, Google is your friend and blogging is your best friend. When someone sits down to search a phrase like, “Physical Therapist in Southern California,” the results that pop up will be organized by Google. They’re ranked by relevance (how many key words match up on the web site?), timeliness (how long ago was this posted?) and popularity (which of these websites gets the most hits on average?).
Those three factors all point to the importance of posting regular content that is relevant to your industry.
Blogging is an awesome tool that can make a huge difference in your business. To learn more about how blogging can work for you, visit www.TheBlogBabe.com.
Allison Volk is The Blog Babe: she helps entrepreneurs be seen, be heard and be found online with excellent blog content and marketing. She is also an actress and screenwriter in Los Angeles, California, and loves sailing on the weekends. Find out more at www.theblogbabe.com.
