Many business owners are aware of the influential power of social media and are accepting the fact that blogging is one of the best ways to expand the reach of their business.
Unfortunately, many of them also see it as free advertising and end up producing sales pitches that do nothing more than alienate visitors.
They often don’t realize that the best way to use a blog is to present themselves as human beings and make themselves more accessible to potential customers.
When done effectively, it also brings customers in closer contact, making it easier to appeal to their needs.
Even if you hate writing, you can still manage a blog in a way that benefits your potential customers if you allow yourself to be a little creative and take the time to plan ahead.
You can do to turn your blog into a magnet that draws potential customers to you instead of chasing them off with blatant advertising. People have become immune to advertising, but that doesn’t mean you can’t talk about your product or services at all.
I love watching those shows on the Travel Channel that feature local business owners – why? Because they are not ads. They show people experiencing fun and food in a way that appeals to the senses and makes them want to jump up and go to Philidelphia or somewhere and get one of those mouth-watering hotdogs. Despite the fact that there are no blatant sales pitches, I’d bet you that each one of those business received a spike in sales as a result.
A blog can do the same thing for a business.
Here’s some blogging ideas:
If you hate to write
1. Create video posts -
- Introduce yourself and your company (discuss your passions and goals).
- Interview customers or other related business owners.
- Create a humorous mini-skit for your product or service
- For more ideas see 5 Ideas for an Engaging Video Blog Post.
2. Create photo posts -
- Take pictures of happy customers with your products.
- Take pictures of your products that show off the benefits, not just features.
- Take pictures that tell a story about your product (how it’s made, how it solves problems).
3. Create podcasts -
- Record interviews with customers
- Record podcasts that reveal little known tips
If you love to write
4. Write engaging blog posts that go beyond information -
- Write personal experience stories – about lessons learned; about a time when you really helped a customer; how your product or service changed someone’s life for the better.
- Write about customer testimonials or case studies.
- Write a post that highlights every way your product or service can benefit others.
- Write a post that tells the story of how and why you started your business.
- Write fictional stories/scenarios of how your product or service can make life easier.
- (use your written posts as a script to create videos and/or podcasts).
These are just a few ideas. As long as you aren’t making a blatant sales pitch and you are allowing your readers to decide for themselves whether or not they want to click to the sales page, the limit for blog post ideas is out of this universe. In fact, the more creative you get, the better chances you have of getting notice.
So what tips would you add?
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Kiesha is the author of We Blog Better and Christian Blog: Highly Favored. She’s a technical Writer, former writing instructor, and blogging consultant for small business owners. If you’d like to know more, read her extended bio. Connect with her on Twitter, Google and subscribe to her newsletter for blogging tips & tricks.
Hey kiesha,
Awesome post. These are really awesome ideas.
Hmm Videos and Podcasts are really great way.. !!
Btw. I just subscribed to your newsletter.
Thanks for sharing this awesome ideas.
~Dev
.-= Dev | Technshare´s last blog ..How To Professionally Conduct a Interview? =-.
Hi Dev!
Thanks for subscribing – I truly appreciate you doing that. If you try out any of these tips let me know how they work out for you.
.-= Kiesha @ We Blog Better´s last blog ..Don’t just blog – Create an Experience! =-.
Hi Kiesha,
Thanks for the tips to help us get creative with our sales pitches. You have a lot of great ideas here that I haven’t tried.
I really like the idea of finding creative ways to get the same information across. I think it will deliver much better results.
Hi Jazz,
I encourage you to be as creative as you want to be – if you have fun with it your potential customers will notice.
.-= Kiesha @ We Blog Better´s last blog ..Don’t just blog – Create an Experience! =-.
Nice tips there Kiesha,
I definately need to start using more variety. Suppose it’s down to time and commitment.
Videos, picture mosaics, podcasts all ad viariety and can be so effective.
Thanks for the reminder and gentle kick in the pants.
.-= Robert Bravery´s last blog ..Blogging is About Realtionsips =-.
Hi Robert,
– but I totally know what you mean about the time factor.
Sorry about the kick in the pants
.-= Kiesha @ We Blog Better´s last blog ..Don’t just blog – Create an Experience! =-.
You should always continue to focus on being you. After all, that’s what people want when they come to your blog in the first place.
Having proof of something and sharing the experience is what can make all the difference. You don’t need to go all out and say buy this because. You can always say what you like about it, how it helps others, what it can do for you and how it can improve your life and get extremely creative with real results.
I feel that if you do that, if people are truly interested and have spent any amount of time looking over your product, they ultimately will decide on the sale for themselves and if they feel they’re getting a good deal, it’ll happen.
Being yourself kills the competition which is why it’s so crazy that so many people try to copy each other. Take advice from one person and add your own style to it. That’s how it’s done, in my opinion.
Great post here!
.-= Eric´s last blog ..Three Powerful Reasons To Never Start Blogging =-.
Hi Eric,
That’s excellent advice. I don’t understand why people don’t get it that they can use their unique perspective to their advantage.
.-= Kiesha @ We Blog Better´s last blog ..Get Featured on We Blog Better =-.
excellent points eric. Yeah, no high pressure sales required. If they like you and trust you…they will want what you have to offer.
Brandon
Really great and in-depth ideas, Kiesha. I didn’t have them in mind at all, now I’ve got an addition of knowledge to my mind
.
Thanks again. Preciate it
.
.-= Shirley Osei-Mensah´s last blog ..10 Keys To Success – My TEDxTalk At TEDxYouthInspire 2010 =-.
Hi Shirley!
Glad I was able to help
.-= Kiesha @ We Blog Better´s last blog ..Don’t just blog – Create an Experience! =-.
Love your work Kiesha, it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Just this week I finally convinced my boss about a business blog. Once he gave me the thumbs up, I set it up and started writing.
It’s fantastic! So far I’ve just been writing about product releases but everyone is starting to get on board.
We plan to do highlights of our customers. Show the ‘behind the scenes’ at work, how we create products and whose behind the business. We also will do how-to posts to get the best out of our products
Thanks for these ideas, I’m certainly going to pass them on.
.-= Murlu´s last blog ..How To Make An Extra $20 Online Today =-.
I agree Murlu…that is a fantastic post.
Great job Kiesha.
B
Hey thanks, guys! You’re making me blush! I’m glad you enjoyed the post – I’m glad it came just in time to give you some fresh ideas for work.
.-= Kiesha @ We Blog Better´s last blog ..Don’t just blog – Create an Experience! =-.
Hi Keisha,
I think I need to mix it up a bit more. I think video is certainly what a lot of people seem to be doing now, but personally I read quickly and video seems to labour the point too much.
Also, video / podcasts are difficult to use in a RSS reader on say an iPhone.
.-= Matthew Needham´s last blog ..How Outsourcing Can Make an Entrepreneur a More Productive Business Person! =-.
Hi Matt,
I personally haven’t done videos either, but it’s a great option for people who don’t enjoy writing. Some people are just overwhelmed by the thought of writing – but that doesn’t mean everyone should start doing videos. I see it as a way to create variety, but it’s definitely not a must.
You’re right about the accessibility issues when it comes to RSS and mobile users, so yeah, there are disadvantages.
.-= Kiesha @ We Blog Better´s last blog ..10 Ways to Reduce Blog Bounce Rate – Community Spotlight =-.
I think that a lot of small businesses, freelancers, websites, etc. have decided to jump onto the social media bandwagon without really knowing where to start. A lot of them wind up starting a Twitter account but doing nothing more than tweeting links to their own site. It seems like total spam, and they’re confused as to why Twitter isn’t “working” for them.
Sometimes the right mix of things are just what it takes to get going, so thanks for sharing your ideas!
Hi Steve,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You’re right about them not realizing what they are doing as spam – they don’t know that’s what they’re doing, but once they learn, they are usually very happy to change their ways. It’s the deliberate spammers that get me.
.-= Kiesha @ We Blog Better´s last blog ..10 Ways to Reduce Blog Bounce Rate – Community Spotlight =-.