In the 2nd part of our Business Blogging Series we want to discuss how often you should write a blog and how to find time away from your business to write every post.

Realistically businesses don’t have a lot of time so you must decide how much time you will spend on all your social media strategies. Whether that is Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogging, Twitter etc. Be strict with your time. For example, decide that first thing in the morning when you usually open up new emails and send a few responses, spend 30 minutes of that time going through you social media and updating where needed.

If you are going to have a Business Blog then you need to commit to at least the following:

1) At least one post each week (although some believe in order to really increase traffic on your website, a new article needs to be published 20 times a month!

2) Have a Content Strategy. I cannot recommend this enough because so often we see businesses who have lost interest or don’t know what else to talk about so they stop. Planning, like in any other part of your business, is essential for success. But how do you create a content strategy that works for your blog?

3) To really get the most out of your blog, you should:

a) be committing time each week to comment on other blogs. They should be related industries or topics where you can share your opinion and then share your blog URL or partiular article.

b) notify your other social media strategies that a blog article has been written. Often this can happen automatically with it being tweeted or added to your business fan page on Facebook.

So now what? Once you have a blogging content strategy, alloted time to create blog articles and comment on others, you now need to make sure you understand the platform you are using. Next week find out the pro’s and con’s about WordPress including what to watch out for and what to never forget. 

If you are interested in learning more about how to Build an Effective Business Blog, please attend our full day workshop in Kingston on Thursday, February 9th, 2012. If you are not in the area, please let us know as we are conducting full day workshops across Ontario and will begin offering webinars. To register, go to our Business Seminar and Workshop page.

Increase your Online Business Presence with Blogging

If you’re already establishing yourself as an expert, attracting more customers by consistently communicating your brand and being found online: you’ll increase consumer confidence. Here’s one way to communicate your business brand consistently.

Consumer confidence makes your brand the obvious choice in the face of competition.

The traditional way of creating consumer confidence is to business network. You meet a lot of people and you gain their trust. You can do the same thing online with a blog. Here are 5 Ways Blogging will Benefit your Business and here’s how do you get started with a business blog.

Popular Business Blogs Often Write About:

1. ‘How to’ or DIY articles.
2. Current trends and data.
3. Numbered strategies for solving problems.
4. Case studies or stories about problems that have been solved so that customers can recognize themselves in the examples.
5. Industry trends or news topics.
6. Opinion pieces on a controversial topic.
7. Formulas for success.

But how often should you write a blog and how do you find time in your business to write a blog? Stay tuned for our next blog article…

- a light lunch  will be provided
*Workshop fee is $85 dollars*

Here’s a full day workshop to help you transform your website into a powerful sales tool. You’ll have the whole day to learn and apply 5 strategies to make your website content compelling to prospects. Understand how people read online, discover how to share your expertise, and get feedback on your writing all under guidance of an e-literacy expert and website copywriter.

Learn from multiple examples, asking questions and time to rewrite your website homepage. So you will leave the workshop with:

• A Storyboard of your website content
• Headings and subheadings that work more effectively
• Content focused on your customer (WII.FM?)
• Guidance on language and online writing styles
• A plan of action to start relationships with your website visitors

BONUS inclusions for this workshop:

• Same-day feedback on your business website
• “How to use Twitter for your business” e-book
• The How To Business Blog Handbook
• Register today

Feb 2nd, 2012: “How to Improve Your Website Content and Build Your Business” – CFDC, 26 Chemaushgon Road, Bancroft, Ontario: 9am – 3pm

Need to get in touch with new and existing clients consistently? Learn what it takes to get prospects to respond to your letters and e-newsletters in this full day workshop. Create campaigns online that nurture relationships and keep clients coming through the door.
Learn from multiple examples, practice and time to write your next campaign.  So you leave the workshop with:

• Topics Your Clients Want to Hear
• Essential Letter Components Focused on Your Target Audience
• Campaign Ideas to Attract New Clients
• The Ability to Build Relationships From Your Website

BONUS inclusions for this workshop: 

• Same-day feedback on your existing e-newsletter
• ‘How to Attract More Customers to Your Company in 20 Seconds’ – White Paper
• ‘How to Use Twitter for Your Business’ E-book

*Workshop fee is $10 dollars or $25 for all 3 workshops (subsidized by Ontario Government Grant)*
- Register today or Call 613 961 0590.

Here’s a full day workshop to help you transform your website into a powerful sales tool. You’ll have the whole day to learn and apply 5 strategies to make your website content compelling to prospects. Understand how people read online, discover how to share your expertise, and get feedback on your writing all under guidance of an e-literacy expert and website copywriter.

Learn from multiple examples, asking questions and time to rewrite your website homepage. So you will leave the workshop with:

• A Storyboard of your website content
• Headings and subheadings that work more effectively
• Content focused on your customer (WII.FM?)
• Guidance on language and online writing styles
• A plan of action to start relationships with your website visitors

BONUS inclusions for this workshop:

• Same-day feedback on your business website
• “How to use Twitter for your business” e-book
• The How To Business Blog Handbook

Register before this puppy fills up!

Register your spot.

Finally, a full day workshop to investigate what blogging can do for your business. Don’t expect theory alone: you’ll figure out what to write your business blog about, and implement key techniques for writing online. Leave with a blogging content plan and campaigns you can start right away.

With multiple examples and time to ask questions, you’ll start writing content that attracts your prospects. Find out:

• What Blogging Can Do For Your Business
• Killer Web 2.0 Techniques
• How to Make a Blogging Content Plan You Can Stick To
• Create a Blogging Campaign to Improve Your SEO

BONUS inclusions for this workshop:

• Same-day Feedback on Your Business Blog
• ‘The How-To Business Blog’ Handbook
• ‘How To Fix Your Website Content To Attract More Prospects’ – E-book
• Register today or Call 613 961 0590

• Build a business blog that works for you - January 27th, 2012
• Turn your website content into a powerful sales tool – February 2nd, 2012
• Create better sales letters and e-newsletters. -March 8th, 2012

Register your spot now so you don’t miss out.

Check back at the Tangible Words Blog for more details, or follow Tangible Words on Twitter and Facebook.

Case stories are like case studies–but without the boring details. Instead, they’re a combination of:

• a description of your ideal client
• your client testimonials
• your values and service offerings
• evidence of your work
• AND, the most important ingredient: an interesting story readers want to read.

P.S. If you like to be on top of technology, business, and sales, make sure you’re listening on Twitter and get free issues of Sales Writing Today.

In trying to do something good (communicate with their customers) they could actually be harming their brand. I don’t bring it up as some kind of website copywriter hard sell.

I’m worried about those who do not know about the anti-spam e-marketing laws. So, I’m going to give you a quick summary.

1. You MUST have an obvious, easy-to-use unsubscribe button. Recipients must be given a choice or you’ll ruin your credibility.

2. Use a double-opt-in process to collect your database. You’ll get an authentic list of people who actually want to receive your database, which means you can track results more authentically, and you don’t have to worry about getting tonnes of hard bounces which could wreck your online credibility.

3. Don’t sending out “BCC emails” to a bunch of people. Asking people to unsubscribe by writing to you will make people feel uncomfortable, and can hurt business relationships.

Hot tip: use an e-newsletter software client. They help you set up your permission based marketing, like a double-opt-in program so you follow all of the anti-spam regulations correctly.

Looking for more tips on writing e-newsltters? Ask about our NEW full day business workshop:”Keys to better sales letters and e-newsletters.”

 Related Articles

 The Death Of Social Media

5 Reasons E-newsletters May Hurt Your Brand  

Online Content Dangers For Social Media

Finally, a chance to learn about business blogging (and create one!) in a single session. Here is all you need to know about what blogging can do for your business, and how to get started. Spend time in the workshop figuring out what you would write your business blog about, and leave with the simple steps to create one when you get back to the office.

After this session you’ll know:
- why a business blog is exactly what your customers seek
- your blogging plan so you don’t run out of time or energy
- the simple steps to creating your company blog now
- To register please click here to sign up.