Sadly, many small business owners are leaving so much potential on the table without even knowing it. Then there is also a category of a business owner that knows that there’s dollars spread all over the table but is too lazy or too busy to reach out and claim their stake. Perhaps this topic is a little confusing and had it been chewed up for them, they’d jump right on and start a blog of their own.
Selling a service or a product takes energy and effort, and blogging is not a get-rich-quick scheme, it requires work. Fact is, this type of marketing should be probably a number 2 or 3 on the priority list of ways to market a product. In many cases, it barely makes it as the last item on the list, if it even makes it on there at all.
Lets take a look at 7 ways blogging can be used by your business to market your product or service.
1. People Buy When You Tell Them To
“Call to action” is a buzz-phrase that’s been around longer than the Internet it self. Nevertheless, it stays true, if you don’t tell them what you want them to do, they won’t do it. Writing a blog post promoting the service or product directly and telling the reader how to make them the proud owner is an easy way to drive extra sales.
Using a blog to do this takes a couple of minutes, while doing the same on a regular website can take days, waiting while the web designer gets to creating the new page. That is issue one and the second is trying to tell the world about this new page is a whole other project. An active blog has regular and new readers that will see the new blog post within minutes to hours without any extra costs.
2. People Buy Better Products
Just like toys to kids, new toys get old real fast. When a new toy comes out or a better version is released, people flock to get theirs like there is no tomorrow. What better way to announce an upgrade or a launch of something better than writing a blog post about it. Just like above, it will take a few minutes to realize and it will be in front of lots of eyeballs very quickly.
Announce an upgrade and tell them why the new version is the new cool and why they can’t continue to breath without owning it right now. Yes, remember to apply item number one from above and give them a call to action. As a bonus, add an urgency technique to it by adding a time limit or limited offer of some kind.
3. People Want To Buy From An Expert
Blogging regularly on a particular topic, while providing useful and accurate information in the blog posts builds the authority of the writer. This in conjunction with other publications like ebooks and white papers will make a writer an expert on the topic and the readers will “eat out of their hand” if you will. What an expert says will be considered law and by recommending a product or service will drive significant sales.
A place to start though is to create a schedule where you can add new useful content on regular basis. Build the readership by interacting with them on social media sites. Another little thing that I already mentioned before is to write a short ebook (or a long one) or a paper on the topic and offer it to your readers for free. Don’t forget to ask for their email in exchange for it, which will give you access to your readers through an email list.
4. People Buy From Those They Trust
Don’t cut corners, give 110% every time you write a blog post, do you research and provide the most useful information in your topic category.
Trust comes from continually delivering on expectations of your readers. This can be achieved by adding new useful blog content on regular basis. Keeping their knowledge increasing any time they read anything you publish. Being the source of all this information will make the readers think of you every time they need to know more. If there is a product or a service related to what you are teaching them, guess what? They will run and buy it.
5. People Buy If They Know How To Use It
Teaching the readers what they can do with the product or service you offer and showing them how to use or achieve the desired results will take yet another barrier from the potential customer becoming a customer.
Tutorial video and audio posts can go a long way once created. They keep producing results, on and on, without you having to create them over and over. Teach them how exactly to benefit from your product or service and they will buy.
6. People Buy From Those That Take Care Of Them
Customer service and availability may be the only thing different between you and your biggest competitor. This tiny aspect can mean the world to a shopper that is looking for a product that you offer. Using a blog, you can stay active and show the readers that you are here and ready to answer questions if they have any. Actively answering questions in the post comments will signal to the potential customer that in case they ever have an issue or a question, they can always find you on the blog.
Regular posts and comment replies is key for this one. Don’t neglect this important part of blogging and you will reap the rewards.
7. People Buy Brand New Shiny Things
Announcing a launch of a brand new product on a blog will reach your immediate audience as soon as you publish your launch post. Add a FeedBurner email subscription form on your blog, those subscribed will know about your launch even faster because they will receive it in their emails.
Adding pictures and videos of the product or results from the service you offer will make people visualize what they are missing and will appeal to them which will produce sales.
BONUS: People Buy When There Is An Incentive
Add a bonus to the offer. If you’re selling something that others are selling too, make yourself stand out by combining some extra bonus that is only available from you when they buy this product.
Create some really useful blog posts and hide them behind a password and offer them as a bonus to anyone that buys your product or service.
With all this information in your toolbox now, you should be convinced that blogging is not something that teenagers do when they’re borred, it is a powerful tool that will drive lots of sales for a business. In fact, some businesses make 100% of their income using this marketing method. Ignore blogging and you will lose in this fast moving economy.
Are you blogging for your business? How would you say it’s been affecting your bottom line? Is it worth the trouble for your business?