golf handicap

Marketing With Blogs - Part 2
By Priya Shah, Sat Dec 10th

Copyright � 2005 Priya Shah

In part 1 of this article series on marketing with blogs, Idiscussed the reasons why blogs are excellent tools formarketing.

In this article I outline some tips on using your blog as a goodvehicle for your marketing communications.

Tip # 1: Choose The Topic Of Your Blog Well

Make sure you are targeting the right audience for yourproducts. You might love golf, but you can�t use it to sell yourproducts unless they�re meant for golfers.

You generally wouldn�t write about something like golf on amarketing blog, unless you�re using it as a metaphor.

Pick the topic that will attract the right audience � people whoare looking for your products, but more importantly, people whoare willing to actually spend money on them.

If you�re not an expert on your topic, but are learning aboutit, blog about your learning process. There�s no shame in beinga learner, in admitting that you don�t know everything.

In fact your journey could even teach others who are learningand help them relate to your experiences. Products you recommendwould then be easy to sell to this group because you�veestablished the emotional connection that makes selling easier.

Tip #2: Spend Some Time Learning The Basics Of Blogging

You need to learn how to use your blogging software, and whichblog engine or service will give you the results you need.Decide how much time you want to spend on your blog.

Hire a blogging coach or buy a blogging tutorial. Spend sometime learning about trackbacks, pingbacks, keywords and how touse them, linking, blogging etiquette.

When you know how to use the tools that are available to you, itbecomes that much easier to focus on your goals and save time inthe actual process

of blogging.

Tip # 3: Don�t Sell

When you start writing a blog, forget about selling. Too manypeople use their blog like a sales letter. Those people justdon�t �get it.� That�s not what a blog is about at all.

Blogs are about communicating � connecting with your audience.Use your blog to build relationships with your audience. Stateyour opinions whether they are popular or not.Politically-correct or not.

A while ago I wrote an article on this titled �It�s a Blog, Nota Sales Letter� in which I recommend using your blog forbranding yourself, building your reputation and communicatingwith your audience - and not just for making a sale.http://www.blog-maniac.com/blog-sales-letter.htm

As marketers we aim to sell. But when you blog, you have toforget about selling and focus on sharing.

That doesn�t mean you give away all your secrets on your blog.But it does mean that you should not use your blog forin-your-face marketing.

Your readers will be very put off if all they read on your blogis one sales pitch after another. People are not stupid. Theyknow when they�re being sold.

The most unobtrusive way to sell is to write reviews aboutproducts and link to them, mention products in passing, writearticles or tips and recommend products (yours or otherpeople�s) and services on your blog.

Part 3 of this article series discusses more tips on using yourblog to market your products and services online.http://www.blog-maniac.com/marketing-with-blogs3.htm