HOW TO ATTRACT MORE IDEAL CLIENTS WITH EVERY BLOG – PART TWO

Hello again! I’m back with part two of my blog, all about blogging! But more specifically it’s all about how to attract more ideal clients with every blog. Now, as I said previously, your blog plays such a key role in helping you to engage and connect with your ideal clients. However, most of you, will know by now that I’ve been right where you and having started two of my own businesses, I know just how much needs doing, on top of blog writing.

It would be so easy to ignore them, and not really bother to share. But you simply can’t afford to do that. You need to find a way to make the time to not only start one but maintain it too. I mean not only is it great for business, it’s also a great place to develop and craft your tone of voice. Why? Because as you become more confident with your style, you’ll start to create a voice which makes your ideal clients want to come back for more. In part two I really want to help you with those finishing touches and extra elements that will take your blogs to the next level. Annnd, I’ve even included a full checklist of tips and techniques covering both parts at the end at the end. Anyway, that’s enough of an intro, let’s get started.

TIP #6 – ADD VALUE

One of the ways to differentiate yourself from your competition and really grab your target audience’s attention is to give them something they can’t get anywhere else. So how can you elevate your blog with an additional bit of content? If you can answer that question in a simple, easily accessible way then your ideal client will keep coming back for those touches.

So what are we talking about here? Well, it could be as simple as a downloadable checklist (you’ll find one for this blog at the bottom of the page), which your clients can refer back to simply and easily whenever they need it. But it could also be a podcast recording of you deep diving into the topic more. Or it could be a Q&A on Facebook if you run your own group. The fact is, whatever you decide to do, by adding value you will not only be sharing your opinion on pain points or trends, you’ll also be providing practical, actionable advice that helps your ideal client push their business forward. And who doesn’t want that?

TIP #7 – WORDS AREN’T EVERYTHING

So, blogging is all about writing, right? Wrong. Always, always, always keep in mind how you want to use images, or designed elements to break up that text. There is nothing worse than wall to wall words. It makes people switch off immediately, because they can’t be bothered, or simply don’t have time to read it.

So make designed elements your friend. For my blog I use photography and I always recommend my clients set up a brand shoot as part of their journey. Not only for their website, but also to capture on-point imagery for social, and their blogs, which they can use and recycle throughout the year depending on the topic. I also design pull quotes, as a way of grabbing my client’s attention and breaking up the paragraphs, which is another interesting visual technique to bring your blog to life. And I know what you might be thinking, quotes are words, but by displaying them in a more graphic, designed manner they can have a huge impact.

TIP #8 – GET SEARCHABLE

When you have all of your content in place, ready to upload it is time to get thinking about the ways that your ideal client can find you. And you can do that in two ways.

Firstly, by using something called an ‘alt tag.’ Essentially, they’re key words for your images, so when your audience is searching terms on Google, the only way your graphics will appear is if you’ve used the relevant ‘alt tags.’

The other thing to consider is the massive subject which is SEO, which uses key words to help you become more visible on Google. So make sure you build key words into each post, without making it completely unreadable of course! You can do this right from the title, just by thinking about the sorts of things you would search for, or that your ideal clients might search for when it comes to the specific topic, or pain point you’re focussing on.

TIP #9 – POST AND PROMOTE

I always try to time block when it comes to blog writing, so I have time each week to craft and fine-tune what I want to talk about. So then when it comes to posting (I normally post on Friday or Saturday) I have everything lined up and ready to go. I’m not rushing, I can proof read once again before hitting the post button and know that what I’m sharing is on- point. It was tough at first, but the more I do it, the more of a routine it becomes and the easier it gets.

The moment it’s shared, it’s time to drive traffic to it. And there’s a couple of ways to do that. Firstly, use your social channels. Whether it’s Instagram or Facebook posts, an Instagram story tease or a Facebook Live covering the topic in more detail, all of these touchpoints will enable you to reach your ideal client and get people reading what you have to say.

Secondly, use your mailing list. And I don’t just mean send the link to everyone. Craft an email that touches on the content in the blog, how it’s helped you and why it would be relevant for your ideal client. Creating that authentic, regular connection with your clients and subscribers is the perfect way to build the know, like, trust factor and get them talking about you, or recommending you to other potential clients.

TIP #10 – MAKE IT YOUR OWN

Finally, I want to leave you a short, but super important tip. The best blogs sound like the person behind them. They are also a great platform to share your opinion. So, if you go down a VA route, do everything, and I mean EVERYTHING to make sure they get YOU. They have to know your tone of voice, understand the topics that are relevant, and be able to put your spin on them. There will be nothing worse than paying someone to write off brand blogs, that don’t sound anything like you and contradict your brand values. So while you know what is right, make sure they do too.

So there you have it. My top tips for attracting more ideal clients with every blog. I’ve created a handy checklist for you to refer back to below and I hope that this blog helps you take your own up a gear. I can’t emphasise how important a tool it is if you want to make it happen for your business. And I’m a firm believer that my blog is one of the central reasons why I’m now on the first page of Google if you search for ‘modern branding.’

You know that I’ve been right where you are, and if I can do it I am absolutely certain that you can too.

Now, go out and smash it.

Nicki x