We spend a lot of time on this blog talking about the nitty-gritty of blog writing. The finer details of SEO, word count and Google rankings can sometimes obscure the entire point of writing a blog in the first place. So, why should you invest time in business blog writing?

First of all, it’s a cost-effective marketing tool. Publishing online can be done at little or no cost across many different platforms, whether you wish to utilise established networks through multimedia sites, create an account with an independent blog platform, or integrate a blog facility into your own website, ensuring continuity of brand identity.

Whichever route you choose, a blog provides an unparalleled opportunity for you to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry, with a potentially massive audience. The instant, and relatively ephemeral, nature of blog publication means you can create and publish unique web content extremely quickly, reacting to industry developments and current affairs almost before they happen; placing you at the cutting edge of your field.

Returning to the golden rule of web content (i.e. it is all about the customer) blogs are an excellent way to provide advice, answering problems that you know are prevalent amongst your client base. This advice can act as a teaser for your own services, attracting more custom. They also provide a fantastic opportunity to interact with clients through a comments section, creating a dialogue.

Talk to Write My Site if you would like to explore business blogging, article PR or SEO copywriting. All work is covered by our Quality Guarantee to ensure you’re 100% satisfied with your content.

Welcome to the second and final blog post examining 10 classic marketing mistakes.

6.  Being a wallflower

If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Be bold and ask clients and former employers for referrals, and give incentives if necessary. Use your testimonials in all of your marketing material.

Raise your profile by speaking in public at networking events. This is a great way to enhance your reputation and to gain practice for when you hold seminars or workshops of your own.

7. Not leaving the office

You may not enjoy making small talk over canapés at business networking events, but nothing beats face-to-face relationship building, even in this digital age. Attending industry networking events and seminars remains a highly effective way to generate business and referrals. In fact, most people you meet at networking events will be referrers rather than clients. Start meeting and getting to know complementary professionals who sell non-competing services or products to the same customers you are targeting. These individuals will prove an excellent source of referrals (though do make sure you return the favour!).

8. Overlooking the potential for repeat business

Too much marketing is focused on generating new business, often at the expense of thinking about how to maximise revenue from current or past clients. Are there any ancillary products or services you can sell to your existing client base? In particular, can you think of any subscription-based services that would enable you to generate a regular, ongoing income?

9. No follow-up system for leads

Establish a system to keep track of all of the people who are interested in your product or services, and find ways to keep in regular contact with them. By keeping track of all of the people who’ve showed an interest in your business, you’ll turn more of them into paying customers.

Getting the lead is usually easier than closing the sale. The hard work starts after someone has expressed an interest in your product or service. Follow-up their interest in detail. If they have asked for specific information don’t send them something generic – tell them what they want to know, and strike while the iron’s hot. Leads invariably go cold if you don’t follow them up straightaway.

10. Not keeping in touch with prospects

Just because someone doesn’t need your services now doesn’t mean they won’t have a requirement in the future. If they consent, add everybody who makes an enquiry – as well as everyone you’ve done business with in the past – to your database of monthly newsletter recipients. That way, you’re still in touch with them and they can contact you - or refer someone else to you - as and when the time is right. As the old saying goes, “the money’s in the list”.

Including keywords in your web copy can be a delicate balancing act: too few and you’re invisible to search engines, too many and you get thrown straight in the spam bin. Add to this the fact that with any given website there are hundreds of keyword possibilities, and it’s no wonder you want to reach for the headache tablets!

Start with the message you want your web copy to convey.  Which words and phrases immediately spring to mind? Remember to keep your audience in mind: how would they describe your products and services?

Once you have your list, you need to check which keywords people are looking for. Google has a fantastic tool, free to use, which gives up-to-date search statistics. Often small changes in keywords can make a huge difference – ‘child’ vs ‘children’, for example. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring localities: many people run localised searches, e.g. “children’s nursery Ipswich”, and it’s the websites that have included local place names in their copy that are going to be displayed in these search results.

If you have website analytics, these will also help you identify which keywords are working for you. Although they won’t help you develop new ones, knowing what has worked previously can help you move forward and build on your existing success.

Talk to Write My Site if you would like to explore business blogging, article marketing or web content. All work is covered by our Quality Guarantee to ensure you’re 100% satisfied with your content.