The most effective strategy that I've used to date to
promote myself online, establish my expertise, and develop
a following has been to write at least one quality "how to"
article weekly and get that submitted to online article
banks and directories. I love writing these "how to"
articles in a tips format, i.e. 7 Secrets to...or 5
Strategies to Help You...or How You Can Do (something) in 6
Easy Steps. Why? Because people browse the Internet for
free information, and the easiest way to convey that
information is a step-by-step "how to" article providing a
number of tips to help someone accomplish a task.
I find "how to" articles the easiest format for a website
visitor to read, as the numbered or bullet format enables
the reader to quickly scan your points, and then return to
those that interest her for a more comprehensive review.
Quite frankly, they're also the easiest to write.
Here's how I write my "how to" articles. In fact, I wrote
this article in this very fashion.
1. Determine a topic. What would be most valuable to your
readers this week? Is there an issue or a problem that
you've recently helped a client solve? A common question
you routinely answer for people via email? A current event
that ties in perfectly to your service? Remember, you
don't have to tell everything you know in the article --
you only have to hit the most relevant points and provide
enough content so that the reader believes the article to
be of value.
2. Write down 5-7 "talking points". These talking points
are a 5-7 word description of each of the points I'll be
making in the article. As you can see in this article,
I've succinctly described each talking point at the
beginning of each of the numbered segments. How do I
determine my number? That's easy -- it's completely based
on the number of points I wish to make in an article. If I
can only come up with 5, then it's 5. Sometimes I have
much to say and end up with 10, or occasionally even as
many as 15. However, my average is somewhere between 6-10
points per article.
3. Fill in your talking points. Here is where you
elaborate with a bit more information about each of your
talking points. Don't let this step overwhelm you, even
though it is the one that will take the most time. Just
visualize yourself speaking to a client about a particular
point and simply write in the same way that you would talk.
Don't try and imitate someone else's style -- just be
yourself. If you speak better than you write, you might
find it helpful to record what you're saying and have it
transcribed and edited. For recording, you can use
Audacity.com, which is a free recording software, or use a
telephone bridgeline service that records calls, like
TheBasementVentures.com, and then search on freelance sites
for a reliable transcriptionist.
4. Create an opening paragraph. After completing the
number points in my article, I then create 1-2 opening
paragraphs that lead into my topic and tell the readers
what I plan to tell them. Usually I tell a short story
about what has led me to write this article based on either
my experiences or those of my clients. The more you
personalize this and make it your own, the better rapport
you develop with your readers and the better they get to
know you.
5. Write a closing paragraph. Just as in a speech, your
closing paragraph should summarize what you've said in your
article. Some article banks will not accept an article
without a closing paragraph when you use the tips format,
so wrap up your article in 1-2 concluding sentences.
6. Create a title. This is when I go and do a bit of
research on Google and try out article titles to see what
else is out there and to assess if I'm using popular search
keywords in my title. The general formula that I use for
my article titles is a number and a problem that most of my
target market has or a number and a solution to a problem
that they have. Make sure the terms you use in your title
are ones commonly used and referred to by your target
market.
7. Proofread and publish the article. After you complete
the article, walk away for 30 minutes and then return to
proofread your article. If copy editing isn't in your
skill set, have a friend or colleague or your assistant
proofread your article, checking for spelling, grammar, and
punctuation errors. Then, have your assistant set up the
article for distribution through an article submission
service or individually to article banks.
Don't let the thought of writing an article completely
overwhelm you. If you follow these simple steps, you'll
discover that you can write an article much more quickly
than you might have imagined. In just a few short months,
you'll have the makings of a growing bank of expert
articles for your target market.
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Online Business Resource Queen (TM) and Online Business
Coach Donna Gunter helps independent service professionals
learn how to automate their businesses, leverage their
expertise on the Internet, and get more clients online. To
claim your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing
Toolkit, visit her site at http://www.OnlineBizU.com . Ask
Donna an Internet Marketing question at
http://www.AskDonnaGunter.com .
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