More customers thanks to business blogging: 12 techniques & examples
Are you going to blog business, then you probably do that for a commercial purpose. You want to reach new people - potential customers. You want the right people to see and find your company. And you want your blog readers to be able to convert into paying customers. But how do you manage that? In this blog, you will find 12 proven techniques, plus a number of inspiring examples!
1. Write for your target group, not about yourself
To turn blog readers into paying customers, you naturally need blog readers first! And you get that fastest by writing in a targeted way. Many blogging entrepreneurs write about themselves. They share information about their company and products. They tell what they are experiencing, share their vision of the profession, tell how they have helped their customers. And there is nothing wrong with that in itself.
It is even an excellent way to ensure that people in your existing network get to know you and your company better. And perhaps proceed to a (repeat) purchase. So keep doing that. But unfortunately, it is very difficult to attract new customers with that strategy. With new customers, I mean people who don't know you yet. They usually don't find you through blogs like that.
Your reader's issue is central
If you want to reach unknown people, and therefore want to blog for more customers, then preferably do not write about yourself and the things that bother you. You write about the other person. You share solutions to problems that your ideal customer is struggling with. Of course, you can share your vision of your profession in your blog articles, mention your own experiences & examples, be nice and personal and show pictures of yourself.
Very gladly! After all, that makes your story more unique, more credible and therefore stronger. Plus: your readers get to know you better and that strengthens your bond. But remember: are you blogging to reach completely new people? Then the question of your potential customer (and your answer to it) must always be central.
2. Consider the latent needs
If you want to attract more customers by blogging, you must know very well which problems your target group is struggling with. And also what latent needs there are. Suppose you sell blog workshops to entrepreneurs & companies, just like me. Then you know that very few of your potential customers are actively looking for a workshop. Even if it would all benefit them!
They may not even know what the use of blogging is. Or don't believe it's something for them. Let alone that they have a specific interest in your workshop. But that does not mean that there is no latent need. Or rather: that the problem that you help solve with your workshops does not play with them. Perhaps such an entrepreneur googles for example 'how do I get more visitors to my website?'. Or 'how do I get more subscribers for my newsletter'?
What problems do you solve?
In both cases, a business blog can help the user with that. Quite a chance he didn't know that yet! And of course, you can also share other tips. For questions & problems that match these types of latent needs, you must therefore also produce content. That actually applies to every phase in the customer journey.
For example, if an entrepreneur is already actively blogging, but unfortunately has not achieved very good results, then he may be looking for the question 'how do I turn blog readers into customers? or "how do I get more customers by blogging?" That is exactly why I am writing this article! Later in this piece, by the way, I share an example of a company that knows how to apply this principle super well.
3. Write blogs about pain points
The best blogs pick up on issues. By pain points, I do not mean literal pain, but something that people really struggle with. Consider the need to earn more money, experience more peace, save time or costs. Or the need to feel healthier, to be happier or more confident.
Blogs that address these kinds of issues work like a timelier and generate more customers. Why? Because you add a lot of value when you remove this kind of pain. And because people are willing to pay for that much sooner! Do you want to turn your blog readers into customers? Then focus on the pain points of your potential customers.
4. Keep your reader curious
Don't give everything away right away. I still find this tip difficult to apply. I like to give extensive answers to questions in my articles and to give lots of practical tips & examples. But if you want to blog for more customers, then there must, of course, be some 'leftover' to sell.
Explain in detail in your blogs what your reader must do to solve his problem and how he approaches it. But at the same time, don't just give away all your knowledge. Otherwise, the need for information is satisfied and your blog readers will be gone again. Consider very consciously what information you give away for free and which 'secrets' you keep. So that your reader always remains curious about more.
5. Offer even more (free) help
The best way to draw your blog reader closer to you is to actively offer your help. Tell them specifically what else you can help with. Name recognizable problems for your reader to help you solve them. You can call your services 'casually' in the text and you can promote them around your blog articles.
But please note; direct promotion for a product that costs money does not always work. Usually, people need a little more time to pull out their wallets. That certainly applies to freelancers and entrepreneurs, I know from experience ;-). One way to hold your reader longer and deepen the 'sales funnel' is to offer even more 'free' help. For example in the form of a free intake interview, an introduction, focus interview, webinar, trial lesson, trial or demo.
6. Make practical downloads (freebies)
Do you want to get more customers through your blogs? Then invest in making a free download (a freebie). This also works very well to draw your potential customer closer to you. Think of a white paper or a (mini) ebook, a checklist, a step-by-step plan or guide. In short; a document that adds even more value than your blog post already did.
A document for which the reader is only too happy to leave his details. Make sure your freebie - just like your blogs - provides answers to pressing questions from your potential customer and addresses those important issues.
7. Keep your leads warm
Okay, and then what do you do when people have downloaded your freebie? You can, of course, approach your leads personally, by emailing them with a question or proposal. Or maybe even calling. It depends a bit on your business and your customers if that works. It is often perceived as too commercial.
But it's a matter of trying. Most companies choose to put people on their email list in exchange for that valuable download. And to continue there to build that important bond, claim their authority and prove their worth.
Email Marketing
I have also received all my newsletter readers with this principle. If you subscribe to my newsletter, you will receive my free ebook Business Blogging with no fewer than 25 practical tips. Or my free 'Blog Checklist' for writing really good business blogs. It just depends on where you register.
The advantage of this technique is that there are only people on your mailing list who are actually interested in the solutions that you offer. I mail my subscribers every month with even more valuable blogging tips so that hopefully they will never unsubscribe. And in those emails I naturally not only share knowledge, but I also promote my services.
8. Don't be too promotional
You can, therefore, promote your services in your blogs. But beware, don't be too promotional. You know that the purpose of your blog post is commercial. As a reader, I know that of course. But it must not be too thick on top. The bulk of the text must really add value. The content of your story is therefore NOT commercial.
After all, people buy from companies they trust. And that is precisely what you create by giving away your knowledge and advice for free. You thereby show that you are an authority within your field. And that you are willing to share your knowledge. As a result, people - once they are ready - go to you sooner for help or to buy your product than to your competitor.
Good example: Knab
A company that has a good grasp of the above principles is online bank Knab. Knab sells mortgages and has written super valuable blogs about finding and taking out your mortgage. But they go one step further.
Because before you are ready for a mortgage, as a house seeker you must first view a lot of houses, bid on the house of your choice and then get it. You can also find useful content for all these phases in the online library of Knab. There are blogs that answer questions such as:
What should I look out for when viewing a house?
Do I prefer an existing house or a new-build home?
What should I look out for if I bid above the asking price?
How does valuation work?
What are the benefits of a purchase broker?
During our search for a new house, we regularly came across the Knab site. Why? Because we typed questions like this on Google. And then because Knab really gives good answers. Knab also promotes various handy downloads in and around these blogs that you receive in your mailbox when you leave your details.
Such as a super handy checklist for viewing houses. We have benefited a lot from that! And I also noticed that they will only call or e-mail you about their mortgages when you state that you are bidding on a house when you leave your details. Not before! Logical too: because as a house seeker you have no need for a mortgage before.
A super strong example of content marketing
When I finally got a call, the phone call didn't feel commercial or pushy at all. I could ask all my questions, got really good answers and they didn't force me. Not interested? Then they leave you alone. A super strong example of content marketing!
Small side notes: in the end, we did not become a Knab customer, because we were somewhat stuck with our current bank. And are also satisfied with that. But if that ever changes, then Knab is at the top of my list!
9. Write really good business blogs
It sounds obvious, but I still see bad business blogs too often. Fast written articles with a lot of crooked sentences, so that the message does not get across well. Or blogs that are not well designed and therefore practically unreadable. And what about super short blogs with only open doors that add little value.
That's a shame because you really achieve the opposite of what you wanted! Do you want to get more customers with blogging? Please take the time to write your articles. Rather write one good valuable blog per month than 4 liflafjes. If your pieces are not qualitative & valuable, then you are also not considered qualitative or valuable. And then all your work has been for nothing!
If you want to make clients of your blog readers, make sure your articles are well written and legible, add real value, offer sufficient depth and are practically applicable.
10. Create other content (such as video)
For me as a copywriter, this is a point of attention. I write and I like to read! But that does not apply to everyone. Some people are not readers. Therefore make sure that your blog is easy to scan and that the most important points are easy to find.
So that the 'scanners' also understand your message. You can do that by writing good headers that give quite a lot of information. But also by not making your sentences and paragraphs too long. And by using images with text between your paragraphs. Because, strangely enough, non-readers often read those texts on pictures.
Blogging therefore certainly helps to get more customers. But it is not a bad idea to also offer other forms of content in your knowledge. For example, make a podcast so that people can listen to your story while they are in the car or on a bicycle. Or record a short video in which you explain the most important points in your blog (and of course promote your product or service at the end). You can embed that video in your blog if you want.
11. Retargeting on Facebook & Instagram
I have said it many times in this article; the chance that someone will immediately become a paying customer after reading one of your blogs is rather small. The more often they come in contact with you, the greater that chance becomes. You, therefore, prefer to approach your blog readers more often. That is possible with e-mail marketing, but there are even more ways! Did you know, for example, that you can show ads on Facebook and Instagram to exactly those people who have read your blogs?
This is called retargeting. If you place a so-called tracking pixel on your site, Facebook can show your ads to people who have visited your site during the last 30 days, for example. This way you can approach blog readers - people who already know you - and ask you to follow you, for example. Or you try to convince them again of (the added value of) your service or product. Handy, right?
How do you turn blog readers into customers?
12. Immerse yourself in-browser notifications
Another technique that is increasingly used today is the so-called browser notification. When people come to your site, they will see a pop-up asking if you can send them notifications. If your readers agree, they will see a pop-up in their browser every time a new blog goes live. If they click on it, they will go to your blog.
You can 'design' this pop-up message yourself. You can change the title and even add a picture for some browsers. For my summer blog summertime, I tried out this method using the free OneSignal plugin. At first, I was afraid that people would find the notifications a bit spammy, but that was not so bad. Below some figures & experiences at a glance!
Browser notifications for your blog: figures & experiences
After two months, 6500 people had registered for the notifications, of which only 150 unsubscribed. The average click through rate was 3.3%. For example, in November I posted 44 messages, so that translates to nearly 10,000 repeat visitors in one month.
I received a total of 15 complaints from people who did not understand how the notifications worked and how they had to unsubscribe. You can also send people with one signal notifications if you have an offer or a new product, for example. With that, you might be able to convert your blog readers directly into customers. Very interesting! I want to test this technique for the coming Summer season.
Business blogging for more customers
Of course, I am also curious about your experiences. Have you made a freebie for your customers and is it being downloaded properly (or not)? Or, for example, do you offer free telephone calls and does that work for you? Maybe you use another technique that makes your blog readers into customers? Share your experiences please below in a comment. I love to learn from you again!
So, and I don't have anything else to say today. Soon I will have a new list of tips or a practical step-by-step plan for you. Miss nothing? Then follow me on Steemit. I share all my blogs here, including the personal non-knowledge blogs that I occasionally write.