The World Wide Web of Writing
As I mentioned in my previous post, there are a number of great ways to market your business online. It is my belief that providing free advice and writing articles for websites is the best way to grow your online network.
If you have a business profile on something such as Facebook, it is definitely a beneficial way for people to find out about you. The problem, however, is that it is difficult to impact people through this medium unless you are extremely active. If you post on one person’s profile regularly enough to build a relationship, then you will have made one contact. However, if you used those efforts to post advice articles on a well-distributed website, then you would have been reaching hundreds to thousands of people with each effort of contact.
The sky is the limit with online marketing, but it is difficult to be effective unless you are always monitoring your success.
It is important to note that article marketing can be very successful, but it is not built up over night.
In real life you know that you don’t start to trust somebody until you have met them a number of times. It is the same way online. People want to know you before they will fully trust you and become a client.
The information and advice that you give to your readers will draw them in slowly. The more you write, the faster this relationship will grow to the point where your readers are comfortable with you.
Online writing is also an ongoing process. You will find that new readers are always showing up, so each article must be written with the idea in mind that you are making a “first impression.” Always write in a way that you feel is honest in its representation of you. Don’t copy other articles, write your own. Your readers will look for your voice in the article just as much as they will look for what you have to say.
Remember, you aren’t looking to sell people on your products and services - you are simply looking to build a relationship; the rest will develop naturally.
