Let’s start with a question to answer this question…

How often do you buy a service from someone you’ve met for the first time?

I reckon the percentage is pretty small. And usually it’s because:

1. It’s not the right time OR
2. You don’t know, like or trust the person enough.

However, I find that many small businesses owners get really frustrated that their ad hoc press ad or leaflet drop hasn’t worked. For sure, advertising and marketing can be expensive, BUT you have to set realistic goals and understand how your target customer makes their buying decisions. And more often than not, you’ll need to make contact with someone a lot more than once before they open their wallet.

Despite this, many small businesses continue to rely on “buy now” marketing. Their enquires run dry, they panic and address the problem by launching an advertising campaign designed to attract some hot leads.

And sure, this reactive approach will get results – but if it’s your main form of advertising, you’re missing a HUGE trick.

That’s because proactive marketing can be far more effective at attracting a constant stream of fresh enquiries to your business. And the way to do that is to use relationship building or content marketing.

Let me explain…

Buy now v slow burn

Buy now advertising usually relies on traditional interruption marketing techniques – for example, PPC ads, leaflets and billboards.

The problem is, as consumers, we’re more immune to this approach. After all, people don’t want to be sold to – they want the freedom and space to make informed decisions in their own time.

In comparison, content marketing is non-invasive. And most importantly it doesn’t rely on a one-off, desperate attempt to close the deal! Instead it promotes the regular publication of useful, relevant and interesting content to build a relationship (over time) with the right type of person.

Sure you’ve got to be patient. BUT here’s what happens. Instead of your marketing efforts heading for the bin, you’ll find you can open discussion with people. What’s more, if you can solve problems, entertain and enter the conversations already happening in your prospects head you’ll draw people to you through choice.

And yes, it can take longer to convert someone BUT it works. And here are three reasons why:

• You become a welcome guest. 
• You’ll build your know, like, trust factor.
• And, when your customer is ready to buy, (hopefully) you’ll be front of mind.

This approach is NOT new…

Very rarely is a one-shot approach enough. And this understanding is nothing new. Check out this great article written by Thomas Smith way back in 1885. Yes, it may be 120 years old, but it’s highly relevant now and sheds some light on why content marketing is such a great strategy to adopt.

1. The first time people look at any ad they don’t even see it
2. The second time, they don’t notice it
3. The third time, they are aware that it is there.
4. The fourth time, they have a fleeting sense that they’ve seen it somewhere before
5. The fifth time, They actually read the ad.
6. The sixth time, they thumb their nose at it
7. The seventh time, they start to get irritated by it.
8. The eighth time, they start to think “here’s that confounded ad again“
9. The ninth time, they start to wonder if they may be missing out on something.
10. The tenth time, they ask their friends and neighbours if they have tried it.
11. The eleventh time, they wonder how the company is paying for these ads.
12. The twelfth time, they start to think that it must be a good product.
13. The thirteenth time, they start to think the product has value.
14. The fourteenth time, they start to remember wanting a product exactly like this for a long time
15. The fifteenth time, they start to yearn for it because they can’t afford to buy it.
16. The sixteenth time, they accept the fact that they will buy some in the future.
17. The seventeenth time, they make a note to buy the product
18. The eighteenth time, they curse their poverty for not allowing them to buy this terrific product.
19. The nineteenth time, they count their money carefully.
20. The twentieth time, prospects see the ad, they buy what is offered.

To summarise, the underpinning message is make more contact, follow-up more times and increase your chances of a prospect becoming a customer.

How to apply this in practice?

The key to making this approach work for you is to look at the different stages of your sales funnel – and then figure out what content is needed to move people further along. For example, you could:

1. Attract your ideal customer with compelling blog content.
2. Capture prospect contact details with a free eBook.
3. Stay on their radar, follow-up and nurture the relationship with an auto responder.
4. Convert prospects to customers through direct mail containing a “no-brainer” offer.
5. Encourage repeat business by staying in touch with printed newsletters.

In truth there is stacks you could try. You simply need to take a fresh look at your approach. And whilst content creation can be hard work, you’ll find that, done well, you’ll create a framework that makes the selling much easier.

What do you think?

How do you focus on attracting the right customer?  How have you used content marketing to grow your business? What strategies have worked for you? Please let me know in the comments below.

Clients buying habits are changing.

But has your business responded to this new trend?

As a result, content marketing is becoming an essential tool in your marketing toolbox. And if you’re not sure what content marketing is, here’s a quick definition:

Content marketing involves the creation and publication of FREE quality information which your target audience finds useful, relevant and interesting.

So what’s changed?

Before a client picks up the phone to call you, they are likely to have done some research first.

This probably involves finding out a bit about you (it’s why your About page, linkedIn profile, twitter timeline is so important). But perhaps most interestingly, they will also have done some research in and around the service they are intending to buy.

Let’s say you’re a coach, a hypnotherapist, a massage therapist or a reflexologist.

Before a customer decides to book a treatment with you, they will probably search the web to discover answers to their questions. Things like:

• How can coaching help me build my self esteem?
• Can hypnotherapy really help me to quit smoking?
• What are the advantages of having a weekly massage treatment?
• Will reflexology help me to manage my stress?

And if they find quality information that answers their questions that’s been published by you, suddenly your chances of getting selected over your competition increase – significantly.

Sounds good?

Then read on and I’ll show you how to use this powerful marketing technique in your own practice.

What should you publish?

Content marketing can take many forms. The key is to let your creativity run loose and then test your idea against the needs of your perfect customer. Here are 7 ideas to get you started:

1. Write a regular blog.

A regular blog is a fantastic way to drive traffic to your website, find more customers and establish authority in your niche. But to achieve tangible results with your blog, you’ll need a strategy and a calendar of topics to write about.

Here are ten headline ideas to get you started:

1. Ten Top Tips For Tackling The day-to-Day Stress In Your Life
2. 5 After Care Tips To Help Maintain The Effects Of Your Reflexology Treatment
3. Simple Ways To Boost Your Chances Of Quitting For Good
4. Warning: Is Your Self-Critic Undermining Your Chance Of Success?
5. 20 Heartwarming Quotes That Leave You Uplifted On A Bad day
6. The Zen Of Quitting Smoking With Hypnotherapy
7. The 7 Warning Signs You Really Need To Manage Your Stress
8. How To Take Charge Of Your Internal Critic Once And For All
9. 10 Surprising Reasons Regular Massage Could Improve your Wellbeing
10. Revealed: How To Spot A Fake Coach / Therapist

2. Create a free download and grow your subscriber list

With a free eBook, download or a series of videos based around a topic that appeals to your target audience, you’ll have a powerful incentive to grow your email list. If you don’t have a capture form in place to collect email addresses of people who have visited your website, you are seriously missing out.

Fix it today and brainstorm topic ideas for your freebie. And if you’d like to see an example, simply click here.

3. Script a video for your home page

People are more likely to work with you once they get to know, like and trust you.

This is even more true with complementary therapies where you’ll be working quote intimately with an individual. Treatments such as massage involve physical touch whilst during hypnotherapy, NLP and coaching, an individual is likely to let go and reveal their inner thoughts and feelings.

In order for the client to feel comfortable, they have to get a good feeling from you.

A short introductory video where you introduce yourself, talk about the treatment you offer and answer some common questions is a really powerful and effective way to showcase your whole personality. Through a video, potential clients can pick up on your body language, hear your tone of voice and get a far better impression of what you would be like on a 121 basis. It could make the difference between a phone call and a look elsewhere.

4. Create an auto responder sequence

In some cases a client may have demonstrated an interest by signing up to your email list, but they are not yet ready to buy. This could be for lots of reasons. Perhaps they don’t have the cash, or maybe they lack the confidence to get in touch.

But once you’ve collected someone’s email address you can start to interact with them and build a relationship. An email autoresponder is a really effective way of doing this. An autoresponder is simply a sequence of emails that a person receives once they’s set the trigger (for example when they sign-up for your free download).

It means each new subscriber receives your sequence of emails in exactly the same sequence and time as anyone else.

Autoresponders do require some work up front, but once they’re created they ensure you stay on potential client’s radar.

The secret is to figure out what to say, you could:

• Reveal a bit more about you
• Encourage them to follow you on Twitter and like you on Facebook
• Invite them to tell you what they’re struggling with right now (great for market research)
• Send them a special offer
• Offer some top tips related to the treatment you offer that only subscribers receive

The key is to set your autoresponder up as a sequence. And if you’d like to see an autoresponder in practice, simply sign-up to my mailing list.

5. Write a guest blog

If you’re looking to grow your audience and establish the authority of your website, writing a series of guest posts can really pay off. Identify the key sites in your particular niche and start to establish a relationship with the blog owner. You can do that through social media and by leaving comments on their blog. Then think of a cracking article idea and pitch them.

If your article is published, not only will you benefit from tapping into a new audience, but in terms of SEO, you’ll also benefit from the link.

6. Chicken Soup For The Soul

Have you read the heartwarming Chicken Soup For The Soul by Jack Canfield?

Stories of success and accomplishment against the odds appeal to human nature and fill everyone with hope. It’s true to say that within your practice you’ll have powerful anecdotes and stories to tell of people who have overcome obstacles and experienced better health as a result of your treatments.

The real stories of your existing clients will directly appeal to your target market – and hearing from a satisfied customer is infinitely more powerful than anything you could say.

So subject to client confidentiality and client permission, could you create your own heartwarming book of success stories?

7. Create an amazing, out of the ordinary aftercare “pin up”

After care advice can add value to your treatment. So why not invest some time and creativity and develop something that little bit special to give to clients after a session. It could be:

• A series of your favourite uplifting or motivational quotes
• Affirmations and a calendar to tick off smoke free, stress free (etc) days
• Top ten things to do at home to stay calm and relaxed after a reflexology or massage treatment
• A journal for clients to record their thoughts and feelings containing little nudges and reminders

Ensure you brand whatever you choose to create because you never know…

As well as adding value to your client, these little extras could be just the type of thing they talk about with their friends. And as you know these type of conversations are a hot breading ground for referral business.

Over to you

How do you use content marketing in your alternative health business? Which of these ideas could you use to attract new clients? Please let me know in the comments below.

Have you noticed there’s a new tone in todays business?

In this new age of social media, content marketing and the internet explosion, the way people buy services has changed… for good.

These are challenging times. But for those smart micro business owners who adapt and respond to the new world where the customer is firmly in charge, the rewards are plenty.

But how do you do that?

You need to think like a publisher.

In short that involves creating and curating quality content that’s relevant, engaging and helps your prospective customer at the place they’re at.

This may be a scary thought. The idea of being a publisher may take you out of your comfort zone and you could be left wondering how on earth you can fit that in along with everything else you currently juggle.

But dismiss the opportunity at your peril.

You see, customers now demand a whole lot more than a simple description of your services.

They expect information, advice and knowledge to inform their decision making and to help them decide who to work with.

In this new age, your target customer will research before they enquire, and if you don’t provide the information they are looking for,  you’ll miss out.

So let’s take a closer look at what becoming a publisher actually involves…

Tie it to your business model

Your customer can afford to be more demanding.

They are less likely to respond to traditional interruption marketing. In fact, it can actually be a big turn off. Instead the customer wants information and solid proof that you know what you are talking about.

They want to work with an expert who talks their language, who understands their needs and and who has the know, like, trust factor.

Here’s how content can contribute to your business model:

1. Content attracts customers – they’re researching anyway long before they buy. Be in it to win it
2. Offer free content – see it as your marketing, not just waste of time freebies. After all the right content can be a powerful front end hook for the services you provided.
3. Build your brand and authority status – Customers want proof before they buy that you know their stuff. Use well placed content to prove your expertise.
4. Generate income – publish the right content, and you’ll make it easier for customers to choose you over your competitors.

Publish content that stands out

For sure this simple statement conceals a very tricky act.

Publishing content that hooks and engages your target customer is not easy. It takes time, attention and commitment. Unfortunately many micro businesses mistake quantity over quality. They pump out anything and put a tick beside their content strategy.

But here’s the issue. The Internet is swamped with “quality” content. In fact, if you post something new today you’ll compete with over “1.5 billion new pieces of content, more than 200 million tweets and 1.5 million new YouTube videos” (source: Jeff Bullas).

If you want to stand out amongst that lot you have to:

• Get close to your ideal customer so you say the right things
• Grow a passionate audience of fans who want to read your content
• Build the authority of your website through quality links
• Be interesting, relevant, useful, engaging, different…

Publish the right content

Again this isn’t easy. And I can’t give you a straight answer here because what you create depends on who you customers are and what they are looking for.

It goes back to getting intimately connected with your target customer. In addition to knowing their age, gender, occupation and lifestyle, you have to figure out what motivates and drives them? What keeps them up at night? What they are looking for? And to do that you have to ask. Set up interviews. Search social media. Trawl blog comments. Listen at networking meetings. I can’t tell you just how important this stuff is.

That said here are three strategies you can use to get you started.

1. Blog. Pick the five most pressing problems your customers face and write a series of blog posts that solves them. List and how to headlines work well.
2. Create an incentive such as a free eBook or download that entices potential customers to subscribe to your email list. Email subscribers are like gold dust. They enable you communicate to prospects through their inbox and build stronger relationships.
3. Create an autoresponder.This is simply a series of emails that gets sent out in a prescribed sequence. Use it to build contact with people who have shown an interest in your service and turn a warm lead into a hot one.

Read this before you take action

If you are to become successful with publishing you need to do it with strategy.

Please don’t rush off after reading this post and create a random blog.

You see if you don’t have direction, you’ll soon run out of stream and get frustrated that your efforts didn’t pay off.

If you are to benefit as a publisher, you have to be in it for the long-haul. It takes time to:

• Figure out the type of content you need to publish
• Lay down a network of quality information
• Attract a readership to discover you
• Convert an audience into paying customers

But if you do, your business will reap the rewards.

Careful planning prevents (um) poor performance

Careful planning of your content will pay off in the long run. Don’t rush into publishing blind. Instead figure out your approach first. These questions will help.

1. What do you want your publication strategy to achieve (e.g. more email sign-ups, more followers, comments, customers?) Get specific with how you will measure your results. That way you can monitor your progress and figure out what you need to tweak along the way.
2. Decide how often will you publish and plan time into your schedule. And if you don’t feel you have enough time, read this book.
3. Research the topics your customers want to learn about.
4. From this identify themes and topics and turn these into blog post titles, eBook ideas, email letter themes etc.
5. Plan a publication schedule. Don’t make this haphazard, instead figure out the journey you want your reader to take.
6. Take action. You won’t see results until you actually get stuff out there and learn from how your audience responds.

What do you think?

I get it. Becoming a publisher requires a new way of thinking about your business. But increasingly it’s becoming a necessity.

So what’s putting you off? What benefits can you see to this approach? Please let me know in the comments below.

P.S: If one of the turn-offs is you have no idea where to start or you don’t have the time, skill or inclination to create content, I can help. Why not contact me to discuss my copywriting, content marketing consultancy or ghost blogging services. I’d love to hear from you.

Why did you start your business blog?

• Were you seduced by the promise of lucrative benefits?
• Did you see it as an opportunity to position yourself as an authority in your niche?
• Perhaps you understood that one of the best ways to make a sale is by helping.

Whatever your reason, if you want results from blogging you must hone your technique.

If you don’t, you won’t attract visitors, you’ll feel like you’re wasting your time and eventually you’ll abandon your blog as a lost cause.

Scary stuff…

The alternative is to ensure you’ve thought about these seven factors each time you publish.

1.    Nail your headline:

Your headline is the most read part of your blog.

• It’s the words a potential reader will use to decide if they’ll take a closer look.
• It’s your tactic for getting noticed in that accelerating Twitter timeline.
• It’s the detail that determines the extent to which influencers and followers will share and link back to your content.

If your headline is dull, contains no real benefit and doesn’t incentivise your reader to click through, you’ve had it. Worse still, regardless of how good the actual post is, if the headline fails so will your hard work.

2.    Write for your audience:

A blog that doesn’t understand its target audience is doomed.

Who are you writing for?

• What age, gender, occupation, lifestyle etc.
• What are your readers looking for?
• What problems are keeping them up at night?
• What social media channels do they use?
• What do they want to achieve?

3.  Be useful, relevant and interesting:

People will audition your blog to discover “what’s in it for me?”

They expect ideas, insights, inspiration, knowledge and possibly entertainment.

And that means you have to write about the things that interest and matter to your audience. If you don’t, you’re wasting your time.

So as well as getting really good at writing a blog. You have to get good at researching for your blog.

Try these 7 proven ideas:

1. Search social media platforms and discussion groups to get ideas about what your audience are struggling with.
2. Google a keyword or phrase followed by “FAQ” or “top problems”.
3. Delve into your comments to see what readers are saying (alternatively if your comments are slim, visit other blogs in your niche and see what readers are saying there).
4. Ask your audience. You can use a blog post, or email subscribers for feedback or to request interviews.
5. Read widely in and around your subject area to stay inspired. That’s books, blogs, magazines, news etc. It will help keep you sharp, relevant and current.
6. Check out question sites like Quora.com for insightful questions which you could answer on your blog.
7. Keep your ear close to the ground when networking and hone in on the questions and problems your peers are tackling.

4.  Show your personality:

People will read your blog because of you.

Your personality and individuality are two of your biggest advantages because there is no one else who does what you do in exactly the same way. So milk it

Be a shade braver. Don’t hide behind a faceless brand. Instead allow a little more of yourself to shine through.

Here’s how…

• Display your picture in a prominent position
• Give concrete examples of how you have helped
• Convey your unique tone and tell your story
• Help readers to like you

5.  Have intention:

Whilst your blog should be designed to help your readers, it should also link into your overall content marketing strategy.

Think about:

1. Why are you writing this post?
2. How will this post benefit your business?
3. Will this post help grow your authority?
4. Does it have the potential to entice shares?
5. Will it help you learn more about your market?
6. Does it help generate interest in your products and services?

If your posts are random and lack strategy, you’ll confuse readers and end up with a messy, untidy, undirected blog that’s difficult to navigate.

The best blogs are those that add significant value to readers whilst helping you grow and develop a successful business. What does yours do?

6. Entice a response:

One of the most exciting benefits of a business blog is it offers you the chance to engage in a 2-way conversation with your audience.

So don’t perceive your blog as a one-directional marketing tool. The magic happens when readers get involved and take action and your job is to actively encourage it.

1. Entice comments by asking questions and encouraging replies.
2. Proudly display a selection of social share buttons and ask people to spread the word if they liked what they read.
3. Boost your email subscribers by offering a tasty free download or other incentive.

7. Promote

You can’t rely on simply publishing “great” content to get your blog noticed.

The Internet is drowning in quality information which means you need to take action if you want to attract more readers. Here are three ideas:

1. Use Twitter to promote your posts. Tweet your link at intervals during the day to maximise exposure, and explore a different lead each time.
2. Get connected. Build a network of supporters around you who will help promote your posts. It’s the quickest way to get more readers.
3. Guest blog on relevant authoritative sites and use the opportunity to attract more readers back to your blog.

What have I missed?

Blogging is a super smart tool that micro business owners can use to create traction with their business. The only downside is it takes time, attention and a lot of hard work.

But when you get it right – the results are well worth it.

What do you think is most important when writing your blog? What aspects of your blog writing do you give the most attention to? Please let me know in the comments below.

And if you’d like a hand getting your blog on track, simply click here.

Do you want to find new customers?

I meet many business owners who say this is the thing that most concerns them. After all, finding your next customer is not always easy. It’s hard work attracting new leads and encouraging someone to give your business a closer look.

Now if your advertising budget is limited, regular blogging is one of the best things you can do. Not only does it spread your message, it also builds your authority, attracts organic traffic and helps you engage up close with potential customers.

These 7 benefits explain how a business blog could attract your next lead:

1.  Build relationships:

Blogging works exceptionally well if you’re selling a service or targeting other businesses owners.

If you’re a small business who’s selling a service, you are also selling yourself. And that means you need to convince potential customers to know, like and trust you. After all, in business we buy from people.

Through your blog you can establish your authority, gain like-ability and earn credibility by delivering examples of how you have helped others. What’s more, because B2B relationships frequently develop over time, regular blogging allows you to stay on the radar of target customers without appearing pushy.

This strategy has worked well for me. In fact I’ve attracted a number of customers who have decided to work with as a direct result of reading reading articles I’ve written.

2.  Stimulate 2-way conversations:

To be successful in business you need to be able to listen. It’s no good assuming or second guessing what your customers want. You need to know for sure what they want.

The comment functionality of a blog is a brilliant tool. Always invite blog readers to comment. Ask them specific questions. Sow the seeds in the body of your post. And always reply. Some readers will add to the discussion. Others will ask questions. Either way it’s an invaluable social listening tool that will allow you to learn more about your target customer and find out what they want.

3.  Attract organic traffic:

It follows that the more web traffic you attract, the more leads you’ll generate.

Search engines like Google love blogs. Blogs are frequently updated and deliver lovely fresh, relevant content.

Did you know around 55% of B2B professionals use blogs to locate information? Chances are if you want to find something, first thing you’ll do is Google it. Now if you’ve written posts that closely answer the questions your customers are asking, and you’ve naturally used the keywords they’re searching for, Google could send traffic your way. Cool

4.  Gain social proof:

Have you noticed how humans gravitate towards popularity?

If you have social proof that your content is worthy of a read, you’ll attract more attention. Make it super easy for readers to share your content by placing social share buttons on your blog and encourage readers to tweet out or “like” your stuff. It seems authority through popularity is going to feature more heavily in Google’s algorithms which means if you succeed with social media, your search engine rankings could receive a boost too.

5. Grow your authority:

Customers don’t want to buy from peers. They want to buy from an authority.

So use your blog to grow yours.

As an specialist business owner you’ve accumulated knowledge that is uniquely yours. No one has the experience and insights you’ve acquired. Don’t be afraid to harness your personality and your uniqueness. After all it’s what makes your business special. Place a smiley picture in a prominent position. Tell readers a bit about you. Use conversational language, not business gobbledygook. Be real and approachable. It works.

6.  Build your brand:

Information is now so readily available you don’t need to be fearful of giving away your trade secrets in a blog.

In fact, the more information you share, the more attractive you’ll become.

If you commit to helping and serve up useful content, who do you think your customer will turn to when they need your service? They won’t go to your tight-lipped competitor who’s made no effort to demonstrate what they know. Instead they’ll come to you.

So tell stories. Weave in case studies that showcase how you’ve helped customers who are similar to the ones you are trying to attract. Make your brand synonymous with the type of information and service your target customer expects.

7.  Find that customer:

No it’s not a paradox!

Yes you should blog to help and share information for free. But in doing so you are also subtly soft selling. As you drip feed information to customers over time, you will find yourself providing the information your customer needs to make a sale easy.

And once you’ve built your authority, you’ll find customers naturally look to you for more detailed advice, and this is where you can offer paid for information product alongside your portfolio of services.

Is blogging guaranteed to deliver results?

Unfortunately not. There are some caveats. You need to:

1. Know your customers – intimately: Create a customer avatar. Get clear on what they want to read. Don’t second guess. Find out. Ask questions, use research tools such as the Google Keyword Tool and question sites like Quora. Then use this insider information to deliver answers to the questions your customers are asking.
2. Write smart content: Don’t be salesy. Solve problems. Entertain. Provide relevant content. Engage your target audience. Be helpful. Be useful. (You get the picture
3. Create an editorial schedule: Avoid the temptation to post erratically. Give your posting continuity. Take your audience on a journey. Write content that supports your key products or services. Stay on task.
4. Define your blog’s purpose: Get clear on your blogging goals. Are you driving sales? Making connections? Nurturing leads? Growing authority? Establishing brand? It could be a combination. Your purpose is important as it will influence the style and content of your blog as well as outlining how you will track it’s performance.
5. Add value: You can’t perceive blogging as lazy writing. And I urge you against starting your blog if you don’t have a clear strategy. A poor blog can actually do damage to your business and your brand so if content creation is not your thing, consider outsourcing.

Now over to you.

How has blogging worked for your business? What do you do to make your blog stand out? What has stopped you starting a blog? Please join the conversation and let me know in the comments below.

P.S: Need a hand with your blog?