The Correct Way to Blog About Your Business
Why do I keep seeing people leave posts on their Marketing Blog just to post about it?
If you are adding content to your blog "just because", you are adding an extra chore for yourself, you are preventing yourself from actually getting real work done, and you are missing out on a lot of the opportunities having a blog can give you.
As you probably know, Google loves blogs. And that means if you blog about one of your products, or about your niche, or about something that you are doing, it is going to be ranked highly in the search engine, especially when that is brand new.
That means that if you just blog about any old subject, you are going to get ranked highly for no reason at all. But if you are about to come out with a new product or are about to re-launch an existing one, you should be blogging about it - that way it shows up in the search engines. And when you send your list to that blog, you are already overcoming many of the objections they are going to have when it comes time to buy. Plus your subscribers now feel that you are giving them value and not simply hard-pitching them.
The next time you make a blog post, stop and think for a second: "What can I talk about that will get people ready for my next product launch or re-launch?"
There is also nothing wrong with recycling your auto-responder content. And this can go either way. If you have an auto-responder broadcast or follow-up that got a lot of response, there is nothing wrong with expanding that into a blog post, or even just posting it as is.
Likewise, if you had a really good blog post that got tons of response a year or two years ago, but people simply can't find it now, there is nothing wrong with scheduling that as an auto-responder follow-up.
We all need more follow-up emails in our auto-responder sequence. You should definitely start off with ten - but you have less than two years' worth of an auto-responder sequence, you should add a little bit to it every month.
And finally, while it is great to make a blog post about an upcoming product, it is even better to blog about that once it is now live. I don't do this as often as my pre-launch posts, but every now and then I will create a blog post and disable comments, and make the Call to Action at the end of that blog post via a link to whatever it is I am talking about: I hard-sell people directly on the blog.
Most bloggers seriously underestimate the power of the Call to Action - whether that is to get comments for social proof, to make your upcoming launch look even better, or just to promote something you have just launched. Or even to re-launch something you launched in the past.
And that is the correct way to blog about your business. Frame people and pre-launch them for whatever solution is coming up from you. Recycle your auto-responder follow-ups - and even use those blog posts as auto-responder follow-ups. Market the stuff you already have. And deliver a strong Call to Action to get people to take action and do something at the end of your blog post.
Which of these three items are you missing in your blog? Please share this with me in the form of a comment below and let me know what you are going to do better in your blogging business next time you make a post.
Filed in: Blogging • Product Launches
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Good thoughts, Robert.
But even though I agree it’s a good idea to link up to launches or re-launches, then I equally believe it’s also a good idea to write about current events and things that relate to whatever is on your mind.
You’re quite right that it might not be something people are searching for on search engines, but there is such a thing as maintaining high quality for regular readers. You end up losing people from your RSS-feeds if things become spammy – so it’s a dual challenge.
There is no “do-this-but-don’t-do-that” list that is trustworthy, so blogging about whatever we are passionate about seems to be the most reliable path. Both on a long-term and short-term basis.
My 0.02$ anyway. 🙂
Excellent point, Robert!
I never really gave that much thought, but it does make sense that using a marketing blog to…um….MARKET, is a very sensible idea.
Sometimes the simple concepts escape most people. Thanks for makins sense!
~Tim
Okay! I will add to my auto- responder every month. Thanks for the ways I can make that happen easily.
This post reminds me of this definition of “Hard Sell”:
Caring enough about the person, not being reasonable with stops and barriers and getting him fully paid up and taking the service.
People want to be told what to do. Then they are not off wondering around buying stuff they don’t need and won’t use. If you have something of value you owe it to your readers to give them a strong call to action.
I know that I have seen emails and blog posts about what the promotor is doing with the family, “just came home from Johnnie’s visit to the pediatrician” etc. that just bore me to death. But not sure I see anything wrong with occassionally blogging about something you are passionate about. You might be able to show the readers how to find other niches. Or it just might make you feel like more of a real person they like listening to.
Yep, adding a little bit every month to the followups works great. I like splitting long blog posts into smaller pieces for the followups.
What’s missing: a little more call to action on more tightly focused material. I’m getting better, and faster too.
I have occasionally made a blog post about my info-product.. and placed a link to my sales page in it.
I mostly pitch using my auto-responder.
I’m glad you posted a blog article today… because now I can comment to tell you that “I MADE MY FIRST SALE!”
This is a big deal to me, because it was all your tips and plugins, and http://www.timemanagementoncrack.com that helped me get there.
Who was my first customer?? Someone who liked what I had to say in the forums I regularly post to.
Thank you Robert! You ROCK!
Never thought about using blog posts in my auto-responder.
I feel it is important to provide value to my visitors with every post I make to my blog. Even if the blog is primarily a product pitch it should also contain actionable information that they can use even if they don’t buy from the pitch. This gives them a reason to return for more of the same.
Robert,
In the service I spent a good deal of time just standing in lines, mostly because our leaders weren’t organized. They wanted us under their control but left us thinking they had poor leadership skills. We used the phrase “mill around smartly, hup”. Thanks for giving us the pointers to make it appear that we are at least organized enough to give good directions and a call to action.
I’m new to blogging. Without readers during initial start-up, how can I make it seem that I both have the experience to benefit my readers AND get them to leave a comment on a practically new blog?
Dan
Good reminder Robert, Thanks
As always, I learn a lot from you, Robert! 2 years of autoresponders??? I barely have a few days worth, and doing more is on my list. Thank for the tip to shortcut the process.
I like the idea of a CTA at the end of a blog.
I have this long-haunted culprit inside me:
the feeling that people won’t click Call-2-Action
as they assumed my products or services would be ‘the second class’ comparing the existing same products or services available on Net.
sometime I feel I underestimate my stuffs as well.
One line or two advices would be great in return of my comment 🙂 and thank in advance.
Thank for the post, Rob.
Regards,
Sudarmaji Lamiran
I’ve got about 2 months of autoresponder content. Working up to 2 years could take some time…but of course, I just need to add a little bit at a time.
IMPS & TMOC should help, in that regard!
Thanks Robert!
Great Post, it is so hard to slow down and do the important, not just the busy.
I have a website that I am considering adding a blog to. Thank you for the great insight.
Hey Robert,
Good stuff. As I learn more and more about this business that’s the main reason for your blog; to promote products. Whether they be your own or affiliate products.
Each post should be leading your reader to a specific point, whether that be to sign up for your list for more info or to pitch whatever product you are talking about.
Keep up the good work.
Hi Robert,
You have provided some great ideas in this post! I have not been using a “call to action” as I should and will start to do that now. Thanks for all the great suggestions. I will follow your advice and use my content in both my blog and in my auto-responded messages. Thanks for your help!
Best Regards,
Alice
Hey there Robert,
Yes, I agree about the part about putting in the Call To Action in a blog post. Whether you want to gain more comments or attention to click on a link to your product page, everything you can think of marketing wise, you can do on a blog.
I think we lose track of the many ways to market on our blog once we get into it for several years!
Thanks for the reminder…
Yeah… blogs are really powerful and I know it from my own experience… sometimes I wish I had more time to update it – but I’m better and better 🙂
Thanks for the useful post!
Putting the Call to Action inside your blog
is a piece of cake but to put people click on it
IS another thing.
The main problem is: why in the world people SHOULD choose to click your CtA amongst others.
That’s THE question!
Hey Robert,
I have noticed that I am really wimpy in my calls to action, and even wimpier in selling.
I am seeing that what’s underneath is is a wimpy, wishy-washy commitment to my own business, and to what I claim I want to teach.
Over the past weekend I got really clear that I have been inauthentic in claiming I want to teach this and that in business.
I really want to cause transformation for people, personally and in their businesses, but not telling the truth about that got me wimpy participants that just like me are wimpy about their commitment to their business and their success…
So all the wimpiness is what’s underneath the wimpy or non-existent call to action.
Thank you for letting me dig for what’s the truth about my blog, about my business and about my life.
Only what I can see can I transform.
You never disappoint.
Sophie
Always love your posts, but I still think you are a write-a-holic and a workaholic. Keep it up for us though
Hi Robert,
I can understand if you have a blog about your products, you want to post often. However if you blog is not focused on your products, how do you put a blog post about a product without looking like a hard sell?
Similar to your site. You don’t sell products on this site, nor have I seen a blog about a product here.
Thanks.
Much appreciated.
Warren
Hi Robert,
Great reminder! I have been ignoring my blog while I write books, publish books and learn about webinars from you and Lance.
Your Call to Action advice should be incorporated into EVERYTHING we do…even if it is writing a book. The reason we get noticed and paid is for changing people’s lives in some way. The Call to Action is a HUGE step toward some change.
Thank you again…and a belated Happy Birthday!
My best,
Ann Schilling
2 years of autoresponders is a lot of work, but you give me a fresh idea for my blog. Thank you!
Hi Robert,
I am learning that I need to get more aggressive at promoting my products and getting visitors to take action based on the information I post. As always Great Information to help us expand our business.
Robert
Gee, Robert, based on these comments it looks like we need a “call to action” course, as well as a follow-up autoresponder section. Which of your existing courses do you recommend people get in order to achieve these two objectives? Sometimes all it takes is someone to remind us of what we “should” be doing.
Jeanette
Jeanette is right, I have done all your courses, and I teach autoresponders and I am still largely clueless.
But who the heck wants to teach autoresponders, right?
Robert,
“two years’ worth of an auto-responder sequence”, I must have moved right past that the first time.
Two years at once-a-week vs daily… that could be quite different. Are you still recommending we do daily blog posts?
Robert,the biggest takeaway for me in this blog post is focus.
The second takeaway is to end every blog post with a call to action.
Focus means you lead your readers and yourself in every sentence toward a specific course of action. Focus on the end goal of immediate action helps you and you readers to stay on track from beginning to the end — and then to take action.
Scheduling blog posts in advance is definitely the way to go. I’ve started scheduling, but only a month ahead so far. It will take a while to reach two years of advance posts, but I’m heading in that direction.
A focused call to action is probably scary to a lot of people, but without one, you’re not in business. And the more times you end with a call to action, the easier it gets.
Combining scheduling with a focused call to action is a winning formula for consistently increasing sales.
Great article, Robert.
As always, excellent information, Robert. Here are my thoughts:
1. You must give to receive. You do a great job of getting things off your chest on your blog. Part of the purpose of a blog for many companies is a central location to direct social media. Give them a little on social media than give them a lot on the blog. Building your credibility to so they will know and like you enough to buy.
2. Blogging around your pre-launch and post-launch and re-launch are great ideas. I agree it helps to prepare folks to buy.
3. Honestly, never thought about a hard sell for a product on the blog. Could also be accomplished with a video on the blog, too.
So what do I need to do? Now that I’m back from a long planned vacation, it’s time to get consistent . .. consistent producing new products and consistent producing blogs (and everything else . . .LOL). I’m making my list of 4 things to do each day and getting them done.
Theresa 😎
I have a blog I started in 2005 that at one stage had a PR5 rank. My biggest mistake was to stop posting to it on a regular basis. I focused on building Squidoo lenses (100+)and blogged only intermittently. I am now motivated to get back to blog posting (as well as creating some more Squidoo lenses). I like the idea too of building up my autoresponder messages over time – another task for my priority list!
The point is – you have to have a point. There should be some reason behind every blog post you make. Not only should you be offering up something of value to your customers/readers – but you should also have a lead in to your product(s). Good wake up call Robert – too few people do this and just blog because they feel that they have to.
Howdy Robert,
Another great post. This one really got me thinking about all of the content that I have written (re-purposable) content.
Recently I was in my php admin on the server trying to clean up some of the junk in there. I needed a data base. Inside I had two blogs on my main domains. The reason for 2 blogs on each domain was one for the main blog and another to use for testing.
Any way I accidently deleted my main blog. The one I have been blogging on for the last six years. I have all the content on my hard drive, so I really didn’t lose anything besides all of the time it took to add plugins and such.
This could have been a subconscience thing, by deleting the blog. I was already thinking about taking it down and just starting a newsletter.
This would give me more time to write ad copy for clients and spend more time with family.
Any way I decided I can do all of things I need to do and keep the blog too. I am going to take a diffrent approach and use the blog for two purposes.
1.Use it as a blog to get more copy writing client
2. and two help others to write there own ad-copy and market on the internet and through direct mail.
Planing on taking the three fields that I love copy writing newtwork marketing and writing and merge them together.
We will see how well it does in the next year.
Thanks for the ear, Robert and friends.
Hey Robert,
I am kind of new to all of this. I have had a blog for a while but have not really done anything with it. The only reason I even put one together was because everyone says you need to have one if your interested in IM. This article kind of put things in a new perspective for me.
Yeah I have been guilty of not being consistent and I need to do something about that. I better schedule a day and then blog. Sometimes I feel like why blog? No one even knows I am here anyway but maybe I should get in the habit for that time when people do find me.
Thanks for the tips,
Pete Bass
Robert,
I must be honest and admit I do not have a business blog. Don’t ask me why. Brain dead, I guess. I have a personal/political blog and a daily devotional blog but not a business blog.
Guess that is one more thing I need to add to that to do list you said I should not have.
Many Blessings,
Clyde
Two years’ worth of autoresponder messages.
I admire you for your focus, Robert.
Thanks for the tip on recycling. Will make some adjustments right now.
Consistency….thanks for the reminder…
Being new to Blogging is no excuse, not new to sales.
But did miss the “Call to Action” as a blogging sales technique.
Very clever idea to get people to post, JUST ASK. 🙂
Recycling your emails and post is such a simple but overlooked idea. Thank You.
You are so right
Another thing to add to the list of things to do…
Hi Robert!
Great insight into proper blogging practices. Blogging doesn’t have to be as complex as some make it out to be. Our blog also makes the content more readable by including images and organizes it in such a way that’s easy on the eyes. We also follow-up with a CTA that leads to a case study.
Do you think simply providing a link would also be just as good of a practice?
Those are great ideas. Repurposing content is always a huge time-saver and if you get really creative, you can always segue off previous posts or comments.
Thanks!
Back to say I added to my auto responder. Each list now has 3 new automatic emails. Each one has a call to action.
The more emails I write the easier it gets. Thanks!
1. Been blogging more regularly – thanks to one of your tools that auto-schedule posts for me 😉
2. Been autoresponding more but will crank that up.
3. Been using CTA’s to get comments – my list is not as warm as I’d like but I was chuffed today to get 2 comments.
Future actions
1. increase consistency in posting and emailing
2. better integrate posts/emails/cta’s
3. rewrite plr articles beng posted
4. what I really need to focus more on is selling – I’m focussed on community building.
Gee, there’s 4 – how about that! 🙂
Such a great post — your focus is inspiring!
When are you just going to go ahead and write the Internet Marketing Bible so that generations to come will be inspired?
Great post as always – so simple Robert…
Hello There, Robert
Your great blog tips were refreshing. It helped me
to learn about right organization for my next blog post later today.
What’s on my plate is an active Launch in day 2 online.
If your Internet Marketing Cliches is free then I would want the list, otherwise I’ll wait until later for money reasons.
Thank You for nudging me in the right direction for correct online marketing methods…
Great post, Robert
Some of my blogs are Danish, and one of them is dedicated to tips about the computer, the Internet and home pages. When I write blog posts on that blog (5 per week), I seldom have another purpose than to give away a tip. Oh, yes, to get a click on one of my AdSense blogs, of course.
Once in a while, the blog post is related to one of my ebooks or video courses, and in that case, I’ve started to add a box at the end, telling the reader that it’s a great idea to get that ebook or video course.
It works! I’ve sold a lot of copies, just by doing that.
I still have to implement some cool arrows to my comment section though 🙂
You have that funny ability to be both brilliant – and sometimes so bloody annoying. Mostly brilliant though. 😉
The annoying part is the waiting for comments to fill up to 100 comments. I like your blog posts, and therefore the long breaks before comments add up to 100 can be rather tedious.
The brilliant part is that we keep coming back – and buying your products, because you ARE the number one authority when it comes to PHP, and implementing it in various forms on both blogs, salespages etc.
Finding topics to blog about has become ever easier as we blog even more while waiting for some new golden nuggets from your pen. 😉
Keep up the good work – and stay well. And don’t be a stranger in my RSS-feed anymore, as I am sure many await your next blog article just as much.
Sincere warm regards, and best wishes for a good weekend to you, Robert. 🙂
If your goal was as low as fifty for this article, I’ll kick in an extra comment – and hope someone will agree, so we can break the fifty barrier. 🙂
I agree the called to action is essential, if you don’t have it people won’t know what to do. And often some people need that little extra push.
My site has a unique problem so I cannot use a list to promote. But like I said the problem is unique so..
So this makes me 50th comment?
Thanks great blog by the way, awesome tips too!