Thursday, June 21, 2012

How To Use Your Blog to Advance Your Business | Business 2 ...

Most businesses (brick and mortar or online), whether they?re run by an individual or a group of people, have a website or a blog these days. The point of the site is not just to show the public what your business is about. It?s mainly to introduce them to who you are, how you can help solve their problem, enrich their lives, or teach them something new. Many business blogs fail because they don?t really know what information to include when they put the site together. The following shows you exactly what to do when you?re using your blog to advance your business.

Use pictures of yourself on your business blog

Have a picture so that when people land on your blog they can instantly meet you. In your brick and mortar business (whether you have one or not) you will dress to impress, and put on your best smile when meeting clients. The last thing you will do is be anonymous. Your online clients will wonder why you?re hiding, and if you have something to conceal if you do this on the Internet. Anonymity in business is tantamount to receiving a spam email about improving your blog addressed to, ?Dear Blogger?. Names and pictures are important for online businesses.

Be personal in your mission statement

Have a mission statement, an ?About? page and/or the purpose of your business in a prominent place. People who?re looking for services on the Internet look for people to do the job. They?re not interested in a remote company or an automated website or plugin ? they want to interact with someone. If potential clients know you can help them solve their problems, it won?t matter so much that you?ve got fewer Facebook likes than your competitors. They?re looking for help and you?ve just spelt out on a very accessible page that you can provide this help to them. They?ll hire you.

It?s beneficial to put figures and social media proof on your business website, but as people hire people, they want to know what these people are like, and what they can do for them. So always say this up front and give potential clients a reason to hire you.

Share what makes your business stand out

So you have a picture on your business site. People know who you are and what your business can do for them. You?ve researched your niche and you know where your business is coming from. Now you have to make them aware of why you?re the best business to hire for the job. Believe it or not, this doesn?t necessarily mean you?re the best at doing the job (there are a lot of people out there with your specific talent ? perhaps doing a better job than you do).

This is exactly why it?s important to find a very personal hook as to why you are the person to hire. This is where your personal touch comes in. Be professional, but always be yourself with your clients. Here are some ways in which you can stand out to your clients:

  • They should know your name and a little bit about you. This makes them bond with you as an individual.
  • Go out of your way to solve their problem.
  • Send them a follow-up email when the job is done.
  • Give them a discount if they recommend you to a friend, etc.

Other businesses may be able to do the same job you do, but the one thing they can?t beat you at is ? being you! So use this as your hook and your business will start getting personal recommendations.

Author Bio
Guest post contributed by Alan Rita on behalf of BoilerJuice

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