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Bloggers and Advisors Seek Ways to Get Discovered

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“Why did you choose me?” That’s a question one California financial adviser asks new clients. Bryce Sanders, in Financial Advisor. suggests nine ways financial advisors can “get on people’s radar”. Since, at Say It For You, that’s the very goal of the blog marketing work we do, I was interested in what Sanders had learned from his advisor friend…

Four of the ways prospects “found” the financial advisor, I realized, involved no outreach or specific effort on his part, evolving naturally out of his ongoing presence in business and social circles and his work with existing clients.

  • word of mouth
  • family connections
  • same faith or beliefs
  • referrals

In the same way, of course, prospective buyers might find their way to any service provider or vendor of a product line. In today’s world, though, a visit to the website will generally come next, as the prospect “checks out” the referral or the community connection. That’s precisely where e recently posted blog information has the power to move the prospect closer to taking the next step.

politely persistent – the advisor treated prospects as friends, “dripping” on them with postcards and informational notes. Staying regular in posting blog content helps both readers and search engines come to “rely” on regular bursts of information.

awards won – “People want to do business with the best,” Sanders says. Although at Say It For You, I remind owners and practitioners that blogging is not boasting, it’s good to offer “credentializing proof”, alluding in blog posts to your years of experiences, weaving into the text mention of your degrees, quoting articles you’ve written – and even citing awards you’ve won.

community involvement – People tend to be comfortable associating with professionals and business owners who give back to their community. Blog content can focus on personal anecdotes and on the personal values of the business owners and of the people delivering professional services. But, taking it further than that, the content should actually reflect and even allude to current community happenings and concerns.

advertising – When your face or firm name is on bus shelters and shopping cards, Sanders points out, when they need a specific product or service, you are the one who comes to mind.. When we bloggers enter conversations that are trending at the time and tie our blog content to current events, that serves the dual purpose of “playing off” already existing popular interest while possibly earning search engine “Brownie points” as well. Did we attend a performance or rally? How does what we heard and saw tie in with our own work in the community?

Like financial advisors, other professional practitioners and business owners seeking ways to get discovered can bring their message to attention through blog marketing.

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Laws of Likability for Bloggers

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In her rare downtime, Michelle Tillis Lederman confesses in her book The 11 laws of Likability, her guilty pleasure is watching TV reality shows. The characters she’s most drawn to, she realized, are being real. Contestants who accept themselves and have a sense of humor about their faults are the most likable, she concluded.

How does that insight apply to networking? Lederman asks. Being authentic is not a permission slip to be rude, obnoxious or inappropriate, but what it does mean is letting your true self show through so that others can connect with you, she concludes.

Can this insight be applied to online content marketing? In-person communication, Lederman explains, is based on three components – verbal (the words you choose), vocal (the tone and animation of your voice), and visual (facial expression and body language). In web-based marketing, we realize at Say It For You, words become our primary tools for transmitting the “true you” of our business owner or professional practitioner clients.

Lederman offers four pieces of practical advice about word-based communication:

  1. Start with the positive.
  2. Choose strong, actionable verbs.
  3. Focus on what can be done.
  4. Translate your own ideas into knowledge and opportunity (for them)

Nothing is more real – and more “likable”, our blog content writers have learned, than citing the real-life obstacles the business owner needed to overcome and the wisdom she’s gained in the process.

A connection is something that requires two, Lederman reminds readers. In the world of blog marketing, it is the visitors who’ve initiated the “conversation” by virtue of searching online for answers to a question they have or a product or service they are seeking. The blog content is there to do what Lederman calls “meeting them where they are – almost”. As bloggers, we’re validating the readers’ “energy state”, showing them we “heard” what they are saying and that they’ve come to the right place.

In relationships, Lederman realizes, when you give freely to others, you increase your likability. Still, you don’t always get something in return. A favor, she reminds readers, is only a favor when someone wants it!

In pull marketing (of which blogging is an important part, you have advice and valuable information to offer freely to all visitors to your site. Yet “what one person finds valuable may be another person’s spam,” the author remarks ruefully. Just be yourself and be there, she concludes. The rest is up to them.

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Rubber-Banding the Information in Your Blog

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“Let’s say you need to drink nine glasses of water a day, wear nine rubber bands on your left arm. Every time you drink a glass, move one rubber band to your right arm…Your goal is to get all of the rubber bands onto your right wrist by the end of the day,” womensrunning.com advises.

Hitting precisely the right “advertorial” note is the big challenge in corporate blog writing.  In fact, one point I’ve consistently stressed in these Say It For You blog content writing tutorials is how important it is to provide valuable information to readers, while avoiding any hint of “hard sell”.  Well, providing practical, actionable tips and helpful hints is a way to accomplish that very goal. 

Networking colleague Beth Stackhouse, owner of Stackhouse Interiors in Columbus, Ohio, offered a practical tip for home décor: To add color (as well as spices for the pantry) use indoor plants. Beth’s own peppermint, basic, and parsley plants add oxygen, color and texture to her living. Large plants make a room stand out, and are a great option for those on a budget who want to elevate their interior design.

Leadership coach and author Dow Tippett offers a practical tip for improving mental health – creating a gratitude ledger.

So, as a business blog writing trainer, how would I advise adapting that “helpful hint” strategy to marketing your business or practice?

1. Find complementary businesses or practices.  Ask the owners (or cite their blogs) for tips they can offer your readers.  Pet care professionals can share tips from carpet cleaning pros – or the reverse! If you’re a carpet cleaning pro, you can share tips from allergists. If you’re an insurance advisor, offer tips from car dealers about accident prevention.

2. Of course, you’re going to want to add some tips related to your own products and services. your own.  Fellow network board member Steve Rupp offers tips on cleaning windows as well as tips for buying a house.  A restaurant’s blog might offer hints on tipping etiquette or the temperature of “rare”, “medium” and “well-done” steaks. Whatever the product or service, readers will be hungry for information that helps them gain maximum advantage for buying and using it.

“Rubber-band” your blog content along with your water consumption. Helpful hint blog writing can be very useful to your business or practice!

 

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Taking a Moment to Introduce Yourself in Your Blog

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The other day, when I opened my Indianapolis Star (yes, I still enjoy a “real” morning paper, not the digital version), the following note, printed on a strip of white paper, fell out.:

Good morning. We just wanted to take a moment to introduce ourselves. We are
Bobby and Jenny…. We have been your carriers since September, and we hope to
give you the best service possible. If you have any concerns, please feel free to call
or text…or you can email at ………. Hope you have a wonderful day. We really
appreciate you..

Wow! What a wonderful reminder of the power of personal communication, I thought. And,
because as blog content writers we are in the business of personal communication, I wanted
to share this story with my Say It For You readers. This note from my newspaper mail carriers,
I think, reminds us of an all-important point: blog content writers must focus on personal
anecdotes and on the personal values of the business owners and the people promoting their
products and services.
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One interesting perspective on the work we do as professional bloggers is that we are interpreters, translating clients’ corporate message into human, people-to-people terms.  That, by the way, is the precise reason I prefer first and second person writing in business blog posts over third person “reporting”. I believe people tend to buy when they see themselves in the picture and when can they relate emotionally to the person bringing them the message.

Personal doesn’t necessarily mean over-casual or informal, however.  In fact, for us freelance blog content writers, getting the tone exactly right for a new client is the big challenge. Crystal Gouldey of AWeber Communications names five different “tones” to consider when planning a blog:

  • The formal, professional tone
  • The casual tone
  • The professional-but-friendly tone

Regardless of the topic, I believe, the blog is the place for readers to connect with the people behind the business or practice. To the extent readers feel there are real people introducing themselves and offering solutions, the material will not be perceived as too academic-sounding or overly “sales-ey”.

Whether you’re doing your own writing or using the services of a content writer, take the time to introduce yourself in your blog!

 

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5 Marketing Strategies Your Business Needs to thrive in the COVID-19 Era

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       Today’s post was contributed by guest Amy Collet, creator of Bizwell.org, a website that helps professionals and entrepreneurs build and strengthen their personal brand. She is also the author of the upcoming book, You, Exemplified: The Role of Personal Branding in Your Professional Life. 

While thousands of companies have had to pause or close their businesses during the COVID-19 lockdowns, many have opened those doors back up. As exciting as this is, there are still a lot of challenges ahead.

Small businesses have been asking: How do I keep my customers safe? How can my business stay afloat if we encounter another round of lockdowns? How can I re-engage my customers now that we are back in business?

Of course, let’s not forget the most important question of all: How can I boost my business on a budget? Even with grants and stimulus checks, many businesses had to tap into their cash reserves to survive. Here are five budget-friendly marketing strategies to keep business flowing during the pandemic.

Hire marketing help.

If your business closed at all during 2020, then you may need to start your marketing efforts from scratch. Say It For You has been providing traffic-driving content and marketing strategies for businesses for years. You stand to benefit when you partner with such a professional — who can revamp your website, deliver quality blog content, kickstart your social media campaigns and engage your customers with paid social campaigns. Keep all these within a smart budget by hiring small businesses, freelancers, contractors, or interns looking to build their resumes.

Be sure your legal ducks are in a row.

A lot has changed with regard to business legality since the pandemic first hit. Sadly, some people have discovered that they weren’t able to apply for grants and loans because their businesses weren’t properly filed. Prevent that from happening to you by forming a limited liability company (LLC). Not only will that give you access to any future COVID-19 relief funds, but it also qualifies you for tax breaks and other benefits. Regulations vary from state to state, so do thorough research or enlist the help of a formation service to guide you.

Reward your loyal customers.

The customers who stuck with you or came back deserve a little extra TLC. Most business owners know that retention and loyalty are the foundation for successful business growth. Customer Service Magazine suggests doing something simple, like delivering loyalty rewards to their email inbox.

You can also go the extra mile by opening up your store for solo shopping or offer them sneak peeks of new merchandise. If you provide a service, offer how-to webinars to help them advance their own livelihoods with your insider knowledge.

Keep your customers confident.

If you have a brick-and-mortar building or meet clients face-to-face, be sure to follow all of the CDC’s guidelines for safety. While COVID-19 is not a deadly illness for most people, it can shut down entire communities if all aren’t careful and cautious. Remember that the sooner we beat this, the sooner we can get back to normal — and we all have a part to play.

Don’t give up.

Things have been hard — that’s an understatement. You may have to act differently or think broadly about what you do and how you do it, but a little creativity can go a long way. The point is to persevere. There are no easy answers these days and the business world has a long way to go to recover. You’ll have to do some long-term planning in the face of uncertainty, which is hard, but not impossible. When all else fails, turn to your customers — ask them how they are feeling and how you can better meet their needs — then go from there.

Small businesses have a long road to recovery ahead, but it’s also very hopeful. Businesses are opening back up and many are thriving from the support of their communities. Take the time to explore some of these tips to launch your business back into success.

 

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