How to get your blog seen, loved, read and creating sales!
You’ve written your first blog and now you need to work out how to get it read. If you spend hours writing your blogs its frustrating that no one comments on your social media posts about it. That no one shares it. And don’t even following the link in your newsletter. Gutting right?
Over on the Insiders, I’ve just shared a blog article in the Knowledge to help you get your blog seen and loved, followed and shared! And bear in mind I actually feel very confident to say that I know what I’m talking about here. It’s led to me being asked to write a book for the UK’s leading non-fiction publisher, which continues to be one of their top 3 sellers for travel reading, being asked to be a featured blogger for 2 international publications and lots of clients for my coaching, courses, BWN events and books as well various great speaking engagements too. So I know this works, you just have to actually do what I suggest.
If you are an Insider head to The Knowledge or the secret confidential Facebook page now for the full story. For those not signed up yet, here is a very abridged version of how to get your blog seen and loved to get more lovely sales.
Where is it?
It needs to be on your website (those reasons are on the Knowledge) but if that’s not an option for you WordPress, Blogger, etc is better than not having one.
LinkedIn also has a useful feature that enables you to blog within your profile.
Obviously, talk about through your social media platforms but if you are the equivalent of selling your blog at people stop it, it’s not going to work.
If you have a mailing list, don’t share the whole thing, just put something like “A client had the issue ………. so I shared this great solution and so I thought I would share it with you too. To read more…….”
Remember in this fast paced world everyone wants instant answers so sharing little useful titbits makes you a very useful golden nugget to keep in touch with – what’s that going to do to your sales and business growth?
Tell people about it in every form of your marketing in a useful relevant informative way ALL OF THE TIME. People make the mistake of assuming you can tell someone once on Twitter and that will get you a thousand hits – it won’t! You need to be consistent.
And don’t make the mistake of writing in a different style to your normal on line voice, it puts people off.
These ideas will work, I have a ton more to share but get this right for starters, be consistent and you will see positive results and a great impact on your business.
I will also share a webinar on this subject of what to write, how to write it and how to get it seen on The Insiders too. If you have personalised questions you wish to ask, just say.
Professional Power – Are you risking yours?
I’ve thought often about writing this article, and always shied away from being a bit controversial. (If you read my articles before either here or on www.mandieholgate.co.uk you will know I tend to be about empowering, sharing top tips to make life, business, success and confidence just that be easier.) However I felt that I’d seen this happening too many times not to say something.
And the reason I say something now is because I can’t believe something that I thought was a given, an obvious expected standard, just doesn’t always exist, and not only is it not particularly pleasant to work in that environment, if you are doing this, then you could be damaging your success too! (So this article does come back to what I normally write about after all!)
The more I get asked to speak at events the more I naturally end up attending a variety of events aimed at personal and professional development and business success. And whether I’m attending a local business show a national one or a special all day event it really shocks me how many people that just don’t turn up!
What’s the big deal you say? It’s a free event, there’s no cost, so?
The big deal is that I personally think it impacts on your professional brand and what people think of you.
Think about it. You posted all over social media you were attending. You said you will be there. And then something came up, right? No big deal. But although there’s 500 – 2000 people at that event and you figure no one will miss you right?
They will, because there in reception when we all arrive is your lanyard with your name and business on, and then at the end of the day its still there!
Sorry did something better come up than what you thought was going to be an awesome day?
A client maybe?
I have a real issue with this, because firstly it shows a high level of disrespect to the organisers. It may seem like just a lanyard to you, but it’s not for the organisers. An organiser of an event need to ensure for every name that turns up there is adequate parking, adequate refreshments, adequate seating, someone has to take the time to print off and make your lanyard. As the numbers for the event increases the organisers think “wowsers we’ve got xxxx people booked for this, we should slow down on marketing, we may have to turn people away, our maximum capacity for safety is xxxx” So you greatly impact on the organisers.
Secondly if you’ve posted you are attending and don’t show, what does that say to those that do turn up? Is it a bad event we shouldn’t be at? Have we wasted our time? It can create unease in the delegates (I do not jest!)
More worryingly those that do turn up know who hasn’t arrived and think “Do they ever turn up to what they say they will?” What does that say about you, your professionalism and your business?
Can someone be trusted if they can’t even turn up to what they say they are going to?
If you don’t know if you will be too pressurised to attend then don’t fill in the form saying you are going. Leave your status as interested.
And if you worry about giving up a day to this event over on the Insiders I’ve shared top tips on how to get the most out of your day and double the usages of your time. As always as an Insider, I’m sure we will have some discussion, ideas and advice for each other on our confidential Facebook group too!
(I always worry about sharing a view that I’m sure some will disagree with, but the fact is that many people end up discussing the people and businesses that aren’t at these events. And my attitude has always been that if its good for business, and you need to know about it, then I will tell you. That also goes for the stuff that I see happening that damages your success. So with much love and respect for your success, I share. Best wishes Mandie Holgate, Founder of The Business Womans Network.)
Even Our Corporate Photographers Love Us!
We work hard to support our business women and that is why we created The Insiders so we could keep that level of motivation, support and assistance every day. We also do our best for our venues, speakers and our photographers.
Check out this gorgeous testimonial from Caroline Horne.
Thank you Caroline!
How to look like you are everywhere (And get known as a thought leader)
[/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid”]You are everywhere!
You walk into an exhibition room or networking event and those are the first words you here. And then people feel like they already know you. Guess what that leads to?
An instant connection, no need to do the nice weather, general chit chat, that ice breaker stuff has already been done for you. You can get straight on to the lead building, sales funnel, let’s do business stage. Cool right?
But seriously how can that happen?
Well I walk into events and that is what people say to me. And the irony is that my illness means that I’m either with a client at a BWN event or resting so I really am not “everywhere” as people think I am. However thanks to savvy marketing. It can look like I am.
So if you are looking to gain new business, and new leads and opportunities (even when you are very busy) you need a marketing strategy that will allow for that. And mine does. I can be on a beach, watching Downtown abbey, or with a client and still be picking up all of the above. I don’t dress it up, it comes down to My Marketing Production Line. You can download your copy here. And if you are utilising 8 to 10 tools, effectively, regularly and with interesting and relevant content to your target audience according to your ultimate goals (ask me about them sometime) then you will get the known as the thought leader you want to become. And you will grow your business.
Heck I even got head hunted to write a book for one of the UK’s leading non fiction publishers. And yes you guessed it that was without doing anything other than I suggest here.
And if you want to know more. Then sign up on my Facebook page to my newsletter there is a sparkly new website coming soon to www.mandieholgate.co.uk with some new courses starting from £14 and one of those is my Mandie’s Marketing Production Line teaching you how to be everywhere and gain new business even on a beach.
But for now start by asking if you were to be very busy, what actions are automated for you?
Is your online presence working hard for you?
If someone stalks…..sorry explores your online presence what are they likely to find? Is it likely to engage them? Be a fountain of knowledge? Interesting and fun? Useful and worth returning to? Worth signing up to a website? Good for business, health, life family holidays, entertainment? Does it make them want to learn more or make them want to go and watching dogs bouncing on trampolines?
If its the latter, its about time you invested a bit of time on your online presence and I’ve got plenty of ideas on how to make that powerful. Just pop in on a Tuesday afternoon to my Facebook page for a free master class and ask any questions and I will happily help all I can. As Founder of The BWN that is what I’m here to do. Learn more here.
I do hope you can make my book launch this Friday. It’s free to attend however you do need to have a ticket to attend. Book here.
The benefits of the BWN
Here our Founder Mandie Holgate shares a lesson that she has learnt about The BWN…
When people get in touch about attending the BWN they assume it’s going to be about increasing sales, confidence and success…. well our tagline is “As passionate about your success as you are.”
And we have cut a path for ourselves as an organisation that offers networking that gives you coordinators that go out of their way to learn more about you and your business so that they can help you get the results they want. (As a member we get you to answer 5 questions that we then post on our blog about you too)
And put you in front of some of the top speakers in the UK, that is why we know that our networking genuinely delivers. However more and more over the last few months I’ve become aware that the BWN does something just as powerful.
The BWN was founded by me in 2009 after my coaching practice saw me working predominantly with business women and regardless of what they brought to the table I realised we needed an environment where we could ask any question, say anything and get the results we wanted to succeed, overcoming fears and striving for success.
Creating an environment where you could confidently say anything and not feel stupid or self-conscious about it has had a knock on effect. I’ve heard story after story of life long friendships being created.
Of business women dashing across the UK to be there for one another, why? Because they met at the BWN many years ago, and that’s what you do for friends right?
Whether it’s a bereavement, , illness, a divorce, a poorly loved one or just a lousy week, these business women know that whether you need to be able to turn up on a doorstep and have a hug or just talk in a direct message on Facebook, BWN are there for each other.
This is a whole new level to our network and one I for one had not foreseen but I’m immensely proud to hear is happening.
If you don’t want to be a part of this, you would never know it was happening, because I’m so adamant there will never be any clickiness to our events. Why?
Because I was on the outside of that as a young girl! Hearing girls giggle and making the ridiculous assumption that they were laughing about me, regardless of what the laughing is about, it’s horrible right? We need to work together to achieve success, however it’s all too easy to slip back into that negative mindset when you hear laughter at an event and think “What are they laughing at?”
So if you are looking for events that could help you gain new business, increase your confidence (because as a coach I see this play such a critical role in people’s success) and increase your success AND gain some team members that will be there no matter what. I highly recommend the BWN.
I too have found myself on the receving end of love, kindness and caring. Now when you consider that also comes with buckets of sales and new skills, that’s definetly a win win situation and all with no membership!
(The BWN is growing fast with new locations launching in September in October. If you don’t see a venue in your area, have you considered getting paid to network? Learn more here, or get in touch.)
How To Get People Buying
As a business womans coach I’m often with a client who has fabulous products and services and yet for some reason people just aren’t buying from their business.
When I run Business Growth Training Programmes at some stage this question will come up and my Sales Mountain helps business owners ask questions like “How can I help people be more aware of our products and services?”
“People aren’t buying our products that really generate profit, how can I turn that around?”
So if you would like to increase sales at the top with the flag flying high for your business success and profit margin, ask yourself how do you get people buying at all levels?
Want more advice like this? I’m at every Essex BWN event and happy to talk about your business. You can also work with me from £8 here or invest £750 + VAT and become one of my Growth Accelerator clients. Learn more here.
The Power of People – A Cosmetic Counter proves the Do’s & Don’t’s of Marketing.
Yesterday because our children had deserted us for a day of kites flying and eating E-numbers with grandparents my husband suggested a leisurely stroll around the shops. As we walked through a rather glittery department store (don’t you just love those? I feel they are like toy shops for women!) We walked through the cosmetic department.
That morning Hubby had watched me scrape the sides of my moisturiser and so as we strolled through he said “Why don’t you buy some products?”
What a stupid thing to say to a woman amongst so so so many pretty bottles.
But how to choose?
I spent an hour walking around each counter, being introduced to all manner of products and it got me thinking.
When we chose to buy, what is it that makes us buy?
What is the thing that tips in one companies favour over another’s?
Well yesterday sums it up nicely.
You see, there was not going to be a single product in that store that would not brighten, reduce wrinkles or make your skin glow. Every product would promise things like that.
So how then do you decide which is best?
You could look at price – but a) hubby was intent on spoiling me (and who was I to argue!) and b)I wanted products that were right for me – price was secondary – and that dear readers is true of most people, with most purchases.
So price is ruled out, they all claim to do amazing things to make me look like a sprightly teen. So now what?
I chose on this.
As I walked from counter to counter. 3 people had stood out at 3 counters of gorgeous glossy bottles.
Woman 1 because every time I went to ask her a question she went into her spiel and wouldn’t allow me to finish. How many of you know someone that in their marketing concentrates on what THEY want to tell potential clients as opposed to what the potential client ACTUALLY WANTS to know?
Woman 2 because she was insistent that I love the cute bottles and the fact that their products were the best. Everyone on the planet thinks their product is better than their competitor (otherwise why be in business?) But the fact is that is not what matters to the customer, so stop bleating on to me about how amazing you are, people like to work that out for themselves. Otherwise they fight it and run away – which is exactly what I did – note here – these products were actually the cheapest, but I was completely turned off by the experience. I was on her agenda not mine. mmmm another analogy about marketing me thinks.
Lastly Woman 3 – I even remember her name, Lauren. Lauren listened to what I wanted. Lauren answered my questions directly. Lauren engaged with me. Lauren did not try and tell me I had to clear an hour in the morning to clean my face and moisturise. She LISTENED to the fact I had 10 minutes before I legged it to 412 other jobs (a lesson Woman 1 could well do with learning!) And on top of Lauren’s genuine interest in supplying what I the customer needed. Lauren had beautiful skin. (Woman 1 and 2’s makeup and skin were nowhere near as naturally immaculate as Lauren’s)
The fact is Lauren ticked all the boxes to make the sale;
She listened to what the customer wanted.
She answered the questions that the customer wanted answering.
She matched the needs of the customer with their products.
She acted like she cared about the customer.
But most importantly she gave the customer a really pleasurable experience that I will remember and I WILL go back – now who would like customers that automatically come back?
And lastly she was congruent to everything she said, and this gave her credibility.
Mmmmm amazing what a cosmetic counter can tell you about marketing.