Your Blog – Another Building Block for the New Year – Part One

It’s February, and for most of you, it’s still the “slow season.” I hate that expression because too many of you think the slow season means it’s time for you to kick back. You’ve accepted that revenue is going to be on the light side, and maybe even adjusted to the lower income for the first quarter…but doing nothing for your business is NEVER a good option.

The slow season is about sales, not about the work you should be doing to build a stronger presence. This is the perfect time for you to work on your blog. I’ve written dozens of posts on the topic, but there’s no such thing as too many reminders.

Your website is about what you sell. Your blog is about what’s in your heart. Your blog gives you a chance to build trust with your clients, who, for most of you, is “Mom.” That means you need to share content she can relate to and find helpful.

At least a dozen times over the last few years, I’ve shared one of the best lessons I ever learned in marketing. It’s thanks to Ed Foreman, a motivational/marketing speaker based out of Texas:

“If I can see the world through my client’s eyes, then I can sell my client what my client buys!”

It’s different from “put yourself in their shoes.” You have to understand what’s relevant to your target audience. You have to know what makes them happy as well as sad. You have to know what they’re worried about, where the stress is in their lives and how you can build trust and start a relationship with them.

That’s a lot to expect from a blog post, but it all starts with listening to what’s important in their lives. Your goal is for each post to be helpful, while at the same time show you empathize and understand a little about their needs.

Next comes consistency. Listening and understanding your audience can help you build a list of topics to write about. Plus, being consistent in a presence for your readership keeps you on the map. If you’re only posting once every full moon, give up your blog – it’s hurting you more than helping!

No one post can cover the topic – Part Two coming up will hit on topics and get into the logistics of how to maintain your blog.