7 tips for creating a lead-generating blog
Reginald Gardner has a new age solution to the age-old business problem of generating sales leads: blogging.
While Gardner provides valuable advice on his blog, “Corporate Leadership in the 21st Century,” he also uses it to increase sales. “The objective was to plug my book,” he says.
Readers — who double as potential customers — are attracted to the blog because of Gardner’s expertise. He is the author of “Corporate Leadership Selection,” has a Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership and is a business instructor and campus college chair of the School of Business at the Columbus Ohio Campus of University of Phoenix.
Gardner says blogging can be relatively inexpensive, since there are no-cost sites that will publish your blog. However, keep in mind that time is money: “When I was blogging, it would take two or three hours per week,” explains Gardner, who cautions against allowing your blog to become a distraction from your primary responsibilities.
Still, he believes blogging for business is an effective marketing tool. “It’s an opportunity to get your name, your services or products in front of others with buying power.” Here, how to use a blog to generate sales leads.
1. Create a compelling voice.
Your blog should be written in your own personal style and give the reader insight into your personality. Don’t try humor if you aren’t a naturally funny person; but if you are creative then show that off in your blog.
2. Establish your authority.
Let the viewer know why they should turn to you. Gardner passes on important and specific information: “Here are the things that corporation XYZ or this manager has done in the past that was successful.”
3. Provide a service.
Give the reader information they can immediately act on, like productivity tips and new developments in management science. “I would blog about succession planning in a business,” says Gardner, a topic that naturally pointed to his book on corporate leadership.
4. Fact check your own work.
Make doubly sure your information is correct, as this will indicate integrity in your services, advises Gardner.
5. Stick to an established schedule.
If you start a weekly blog then don’t skip a week here or there. Readers need to be able to count on you. One of the most important things in business is consistency, says Gardner. Potential customers need to know you are dependable.
6. Drive traffic between your website and your blog.
Use the blog to advertise your website, and the website to point people to the blog. “I would do both,” says Gardner.
7. Start a dialogue with your readers.
Be sure there’s a way for the people viewing the blog to interact with you. It can be something as simple as a contact box where people can respond to the blog.
