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In my last post (which was just a little while ago) I gave you a great tip on how to make your website easy to update. Go take a look at that and then come back and get the scoop on writing great blog posts that will make a difference to your business.
Once you have your website running like a fine-tuned machine, itʼs time to leverage that simple-to-use platform to add content. Now when I say “content,” I donʼt mean just any old thing that happens to pop into your mind, your favorite quotes from movies, or even your old high school photographs. (Well, maybe every now and then, you can do something random. Especially if thatʼs your personality.) Itʼs time to put on your thinking caps and get strategic with the content you produce.
Now, at this point, you might think that you get a pass because you are landscaper, youʼre not a writer. Or maybe you fix computers and you donʼt have much to say. This is where you have to completely change how you view your contribution to your future customers. Instead of simply viewing your product or your service as the main value you can offer your customers, you need to begin thinking of what you know as a valuable commodity that can serve as your marketing front. This shift in thinking will help lay the groundwork for producing wonderful content that will help you introduce yourself to loyal customers and future fans.
Let me see if I can give you an example. A friend of mine is a drummer. He is an amazing drummer. Normally, I might change the names to protect the innocent, but Iʼm not going to. He deserves your attention. Heʼs John Parker and he has an on-the-side solopreneur business called Phatman Drums. He’s teaching drums and giving away free drum lessons online. John told me he has 4 goals for his business.
- He wants to teach drum lessons to kids 10 and older in the Wichita, Kansas area.
- He wants to get the word out about his availability to gig in the area.
- He wants to be able to promote those events.
- He wants to become THE hub of information about all things related to drumming in his community.
There are several wonderful things to notice about these goals that I think will be instructive for small businesses in all industries. First, notice that John has tried to narrow his focus, or at least identify the most likely candidates for his services. Heʼs looking to connect with young drummers and drumming fans in Wichita, Kansas. This is a critical step in learning how to create content for your website that matters: Identify your audience. Sure, there will be plenty of visitors to his site that donʼt match those profiles, but if he focuses on that sector, he will see much more success than if he forgets his audience. (A quick side note. If John notices a little down the road that his demographic is not what he expected, he can either change his content, or adjust his expectations of his audience. Thatʼs really outside the scope of this little book because weʼre talking serious business principles here.)
Second, if you look at point four above about becoming a HUB of information about drumming, you see that John has already realized the huge power of information. If you can become a trusted source of helpful information, you have been given an opportunity to talk about your services in a way that is not schmaltzy marketing, itʼs just reporting the facts. Thatʼs a pretty awesome position to be in.
Now, you may think, “Wait a minute. If I give my information away for free, why would someone do business with me?”
Thatʼs a valid question. The answer is that what you do with ease, other people can only do with great difficulty, if at all, but they really love trying. Thatʼs where the information comes in. If John can consistently give helpful information about drumming techniques, recording ideas, creative moments, and all of the things that he knows about, those most interested in that topic will look to him as the expert in that field. And who doesnʼt want to work with an expert?
For John, he has already begun exploring the idea of doing video tutorials, and webinars, and live seminars. All of these things are awesome ways to give away content of value so people will become customers and fans.
And this doesnʼt just apply to drumming. Honestly, any business can follow this content-driven model.
See why I said to get an easy-to-update site in the first point? Youʼre going to need to turn out awesome content, so it better be super simple to do.
Here are some tips to keep you going the right direction:
- Keep an idea list. As soon as an idea for some content pops in your head, make a note. I use Evernote (http://evernote.com) which is a free app for making random notes on my phone.
- Ask your current customers about the kind of information theyʼd love to hear.
- Pace yourself, and use the “scheduling” feature of your WordPress site to write when youʼre inspired and schedule it to post at regular intervals in the future.
- If you have an engaging personality, try doing some video posts or audio posts. (You might want to get a trusted friend to tell you whether thatʼs a good idea or not.)
- Try to schedule a little time regularly. Otherwise, it will become a lower priority. Remember why youʼre doing this. Itʼs marketing your business.
Iʼd like to make another point about Johnʼs goals for Phatman Drums. Heʼs aware that his customers are local (In his case, heʼs looking for people who live in Wichita or who could get there easily.) but that doesnʼt lessen the importance of web presence. Thatʼs a huge mistake that some small businesses make. They assume that because their service is only available locally that the internet only serves as a billboard for their business. Thatʼs completely bogus because almost everyone in your community where you serve uses the internet to research and learn. And you want to make sure you are their guide throughout that process.
Have some ideas for blogging that you’d like to share? Put ‘em in the comments!
