How to Use Your Blog to Tell a Story about your Business

Your business website isn’t a stagnant marketing tool like a business card. It doesn’t just sit around looking pretty [or it shouldn’t if you want to make the investment of a website worth your effort]. A business website should be used to breathe life into your business and brand. The most affordable and effective way to build your brand online is to blog on a consistent basis and use your blog to tell a story about your business.

First things first. You must be clear about who your target client is or no marketing (blogging, social media, website, etc.) will work effectively to build your business. You have to know who you want to reach so you can create and share content related to that particular audience. Otherwise you’re throwing spaghetti at a wall to see what sticks. Over time, the spaghetti method gets tiresome, boring, and stressful.

Before you begin blogging, ask yourself:

• What do you do?
• Who do you help?
• What problem do you solve?

This will guide you to tell a story about your business that not only speaks to current clients, but attracts prospects. It will also help referral partners guide qualified prospects to you.

1. Answer questions asked by customers. What are your clients always asking you about your business? Write down those questions. They make for engaging and effective blog content. Having the answers on your blog will also save you time; you can refer people to your blog rather than typing the same answers over and over.
2. Share a client story. Prospective clients want to know how you can help them. Demonstrate this by sharing client stories. Why did they come to you? How did you help? What were the results? If they read how you’ve helped someone else with a similar problem, they are more likely to call you. The Portfolio section of my website contains client stories.
3. Give away information. Seems counterintuitive but you’ve got to be willing to give some secrets away to attract your target client. An auto mechanic can blog about how to change oil and you might even try to change the oil in your car. More than likely you will try, see how much effort it is, and call the expert auto mechanic the next time. While the mechanic has told you how to change your oil, they’ve not lost your business. By establishing themselves as the expert, they have in fact attracted you, their target client. And you can do the same on your blog.
4. Solve a problem. Teach people how to solve the problem your business solves. If you’re a professional organizer, blog about simple ways to organize your home. When we get tired of trying to organize our chaos, we will probably call you to help because you’ve established yourself as an organization expert.
5. Write conversationally. Blogging isn’t like writing an academic paper. That’s not to say you can use hip slang and get away with it (unless your clients are hip and slang-y). A business blog is the voice of the business and could be the first contact a prospect has with you. Make it conversational so the reader wants to find out more about the services you offer.

Blogging is an affordable and effective way to reach your target audience. Creating and sharing consistent, relevant content is key to having a business blog that attracts your target client.

If you’re struggling to find time or ideas for your business blog, please contact me at 480-206-6452 or [email protected].