Educate to Readiness: How experts can use blogs to educate and engage
In August 2011 I received a call from a new client who asked me if I could meet with them to discuss a program they were looking at running. I hadn’t met them before so I was well organised and prepared for the meeting. In the past, most of my sales meetings had spent a lot of time on establishing credibility, identifying the unique angle or expertise I would bring and what the program would involve, which was to make over 200 people redundant in an outplacement program.
From there they would usually go away and have a think about it and regroup.
This day was different though. Despite my preparation, when I arrived at the meeting they had already decided they wanted to work with me. In fact, all they wanted to do was to meet with me in person and decide on dates for their program.
I remember being surprised and wondering why this happened, especially when I didn’t know them. What had been happening though was that they came across my blog. At the time I had written over 40 articles on the topic and they had reviewed most of them. So they were already confident I could deliver what they needed. That one meeting secured 6 months of delivery and changed the career direction of over 200 people who either started their own businesses or new jobs by the end of the program.
Blogging is a cost-effective, efficient way to educate people. It engages people with your brand and is essential for establishing your thought leadership.
Think of it as letting your potential clients take you for a test drive. We’ve all come across the stereotypical car dealer who can only think of getting their commission. Before we buy, we need to get to know the car. We can’t be hurried into a decision. We need to know if it’s safe and economical. We need to know if it feels right. How do we do this? We take it for a spin.
Take your audience on a test drive into your world. Show them your insights and perspective. Give them a solid understanding of who you are and what you do. When written effectively, blog posts also act like a mirror: the reader sees themselves and their issues in what you’re saying.
As an Influencer, you can’t afford not to blog
Research shows that marketers who blog receive 67% more leads than those who do not.[1] Furthermore, 81% of US online consumers trust information and advice from blogs,[2] and 61% of US online consumers have made a purchase based on recommendations from a blog.[3]
Regular blog posts are also a fantastic way of boosting your search engine optimisation (SEO). The more relevant content you have on your website, the more likely you will turn up in online search results. By using your targeted keywords in your blog posts and publishing consistently, you’ll have a more viable online presence.
Write valuable content
To generate leads and drive customer action, your blog posts must add value. Your audience must walk away feeling as though they have learned something or gained an important insight. But sometimes when we are so close to our topic, we fail to look objectively at what we write.
How do you know if your content is adding value? According to Forbes, “if people seek it out, if people want to consume it, rather than avoiding it,” then your content is valuable. The idea is to have people coming back for more. You want to create blog posts that people share and comment on.
To ensure the blog posts you write are engaging, educational and valuable, you need to:
Be clear about your message and your audience. It’s surprising how many blogs out there have so much to say, yet fail to deliver a punchline. What’s the point of what you’re saying? What’s your takeaway message? Who is your target audience and what do you want them to walk away with? How would you like them to act on the information you’re giving them? Your message and your audience will also help you determine your tone of voice. Will your message have more impact if it’s written in a conversational style? Or should it have a more instructional tone?
Make it unique. Don’t regurgitate the same message everyone else is making. Offer something new. What do you have to say that no one else is saying? What makes you different to everyone else? How can you get your message across by sharing your unique stories and perspective?
Use images. Enhance your content with photos, illustrations, and infographics. The strategic use of images will not only break up the text and make your posts visually pleasing, they can help you emphasise a point and guide your readers through your ideas.
Have a clear structure. You’re not writing a book, but blog posts still need structure. Without clearly organising your content, your message will get confused and your audience will stop reading. Use subheadings, bullet points, and regular paragraph breaks to help with the flow of your content.
Use links. Hyperlink words or sentences that relate to other pages on your website. This not only boosts your SEO; it encourages readers to linger on your website for longer and consumes more content.
And remember to always proofread your blog posts. Poor spelling and grammar detract from your message and undermine your position as a respected industry leader. A good rule of thumb is to write your post, edit it, then wait 24 hours before you give it a final proofread. This gives you the clear headspace you need to detect errors that otherwise might have gone undetected in the rush to get it published.
Create a call to action
A call to action is the icing on the blog post cake. Essentially, it’s a clickable link, button or image that prompts your readers to act. If you’ve given your readers informative, compelling content, by the time they reach the end of your post, they should feel inspired and motivated. Don’t let them read and run. Ask them to act on their motivation.
Be clear and specific about your call to action. What would you like your audience to do? What is your objective? For example, you may want to build your client database. Provide a button that links to your e-newsletter opt-in form. If you have a book you want to sell, direct your audience to your shop. If you want readers to sign up to a workshop, create a button that links to your registration page.
Make your call to action as simple and clear as possible. Your readers will see it as the next logical step and will be more likely to click that button.
Are you already well underway when it comes to blogging for your business? Just starting out? Share your thoughts with me and what you're looking to get out of it.
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[1] “6 Stats You Should Know About Business Blogging in 2015.” HubSpot, March 11, 2015.
[2] “10 Important Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Need to Take Blogging Seriously.” Huffington Post, July 13, 2016. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-charles/10-important-reasons-entr_b_10964854.html
[3] “10 Important Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Need to Take Blogging Seriously.” Huffington Post, July 13, 2016. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-charles/10-important-reasons-entr_b_10964854.html
Jane Anderson is a communications expert, speaker and the author of 5 books including “EXPERT to INFLUENCER: 12 Key Skills to Attract New Clients, Increase Sales and Leverage your Personal Brand to Become an Industry Leader.” With over 20 years experience helping people step into their personal power, she is obsessed about creating human connection to drive business growth in a world of disruption and automation. To inquire about her working with you or your organisation please contact us here.