Working out a strategy for their blogs is one of the first steps I take with the small businesses and professionals that have hired me to help them market their business on line.
They are all in that in between place where they want to continue with their business or profession but not the way they had been operating.
They also recognize that the Internet will be their primary tool for taking their careers to a path that will fit their lifestyle in middle age and as they get older..
The purpose of the blog is not to sell a product or a service.
Instead, your blog is a tool that positions you as the expert in your field.
Your blog is where you begin to develop a relationship with your readers by telling them a little about yourself, your aspirations and values.
This is where your readers first learn to trust you as you provide them with information that is reliable and helpful.
At first you will not have many readers but ignore the numbers and keep writing those posts.
You may not receive any comments either but keep posting.
Keep in mind that not every reader likes to make a comment on a blog.
After all, how many comments have you made on other blogs? This leads me to your next step which is posting comments on other blogs.
Search for other blogs that relate to your niche and post something meaningful such as your opinion on an issue or a piece of information that may be helpful.
Each time you comment you sign your name and include your blog URL.
Bloggers like to see what others are doing so it is highly likely that the blogger you commented on will check you out.
If they like what they see on your blog, they may mention you in their posts and have a link for you.
Some of their readers become your readers.
Follow these next steps to get your blog off to a good start.
You need to have a subscription form for your blog clearly displayed at the top.
You may give them a choice of subscribing by e-mail or through FeedBlitz.
I use FeedBlitz more often because like most people, I do not surf the blogosphere daily and I need to be notified when a new post or an article is published.
Send an announcement about your blog to your friends, colleagues, and professional groups.
Write the URL of your blog under your signature along with the URL of a website.
This is a simple and efficient marketing step.
Create a landing or Opt In page for your blog subscription offering your prospects a free special report if they will sign in for the subscription with their first name and email address.
The topic for the report should be about something in your area of expertise.
For example, one of the free reports I give away is titled How to find reliable health information Online.
It gives the readers tips that I have learned about researching on the internet for the health articles I am writing.
If you have a newsletter, invite those readers to visit you blog.
And put a link to your blog on every page of your website.
Include a link to your blog as a standard part of your correspondence such as sales letters, reports, and invoices.
Post often so that more people come back and refer your blog to others.
Make sure the link to your blog is on your business card.
They are all in that in between place where they want to continue with their business or profession but not the way they had been operating.
They also recognize that the Internet will be their primary tool for taking their careers to a path that will fit their lifestyle in middle age and as they get older..
The purpose of the blog is not to sell a product or a service.
Instead, your blog is a tool that positions you as the expert in your field.
Your blog is where you begin to develop a relationship with your readers by telling them a little about yourself, your aspirations and values.
This is where your readers first learn to trust you as you provide them with information that is reliable and helpful.
At first you will not have many readers but ignore the numbers and keep writing those posts.
You may not receive any comments either but keep posting.
Keep in mind that not every reader likes to make a comment on a blog.
After all, how many comments have you made on other blogs? This leads me to your next step which is posting comments on other blogs.
Search for other blogs that relate to your niche and post something meaningful such as your opinion on an issue or a piece of information that may be helpful.
Each time you comment you sign your name and include your blog URL.
Bloggers like to see what others are doing so it is highly likely that the blogger you commented on will check you out.
If they like what they see on your blog, they may mention you in their posts and have a link for you.
Some of their readers become your readers.
Follow these next steps to get your blog off to a good start.
You need to have a subscription form for your blog clearly displayed at the top.
You may give them a choice of subscribing by e-mail or through FeedBlitz.
I use FeedBlitz more often because like most people, I do not surf the blogosphere daily and I need to be notified when a new post or an article is published.
Send an announcement about your blog to your friends, colleagues, and professional groups.
Write the URL of your blog under your signature along with the URL of a website.
This is a simple and efficient marketing step.
Create a landing or Opt In page for your blog subscription offering your prospects a free special report if they will sign in for the subscription with their first name and email address.
The topic for the report should be about something in your area of expertise.
For example, one of the free reports I give away is titled How to find reliable health information Online.
It gives the readers tips that I have learned about researching on the internet for the health articles I am writing.
If you have a newsletter, invite those readers to visit you blog.
And put a link to your blog on every page of your website.
Include a link to your blog as a standard part of your correspondence such as sales letters, reports, and invoices.
Post often so that more people come back and refer your blog to others.
Make sure the link to your blog is on your business card.
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