Now that we know the central strategy to a great business blog is dynamic content … let me talk briefly about two tools I think every small business blog should have as part of its core strategy: email newsletters and free offers.
Let me talk generally about their role in your blogging strategy.
First, email newsletters …
The key to most small business marketing efforts are a list of current and/or prospective customers.
The idea here is to create (if you don’t have one already) an email newsletter for your business and blog that your readers can subscribe to.
Think about it: qualified customers. Ones who have “opted in” to your company’s newsletter through your blog.
In fact, one of the first things I do when starting a new blog is planning the email newsletter that will accompany it.
Every good business blog will have an email newsletter sidekick.
Let me repeat it, because it’s worth repeating: Every good business blog will have an opt-in email newsletter.
So, as you’re thinking about your business blog … also be thinking and planning on using an email newsletter.
Second, free offers …
Free offers tie in directly with email newsletters.
In fact, free offers (in the form of a PDF downloadable report on my subject) are the primary way I use to generate subscribers for my email newsletter.
Here’s how this works … you offer a free report of some kind prominently on your blog (mine is 7 Steps to Starting a Business Blog). Your customers can download this free report by subscribing to your email newsletter.
This is how you can give value to your blog/website guest … and also help populate your email newsletter.
I’ll talk more later about how to go about producing this free offer … but this free offer can be a simple checklist on “picking the right home insurance” or “7 steps to eating healthy.”
It’s one of the most affordable ways I know to demonstrate your expertise while marketing to your customers!
So get on the bandwagon … create a value-packed, free downloable report … and offer it through your value-package, pro-customer email newsletter.
