You want your business to be noticed by thousands daily. Online ezine publishers and webmasters are constantly looking for new, original content. They want and need your articles.
This is a promotion marriage made in heaven. But you will have a much better chance of being chosen if you write an article that solves a problem for your audience. Give each article an angle.
Let’s assume they are business people like yourself who need a problem solved–to stop procrastinating, write a book, promote their business, develop a loving relationship.
What Format Suits You?
1. Write a how-to-article.
Information hungry people want this one! First, open with a hook–something that will entice your reader to keep reading. Then, write a short introduction on the background of the problem and the need for your solutions. Follow with solutions in a new paragraph. You can number these if you wish.
Don’t worry about giving away the store.Readers will judge you by your concise style and content, and will be attracted to see what else you offer.
Make a list of topics you know or that relate to your business. Take one at a time and write a short piece on it. You can write a short article under 500 words or a longer one if you desire.
For solutions to the problem, give information and resources that will assist your audience. Here’s some sample article titles from my clients: How to Procrastinate to Your Heart’s Desires; How to Create Employees Who Can Hardly Wait to Get to WorkEach Day; Promote your Coaching and Speaking Business Through Free Articles.
2. Write tips.
This kind of article takes the shortest time to write and is also the easiest format. Always include an introduction with your thesis– the point you want to prove, or the problem you are about to solve. Usually one or two sentences are enough. Include a one or two sentence conclusion in which you add one more punchy way to stimulate your reader to act. Remember to include your power- packed signature file below each article or tip.
To write a tip:
1. Start with a command such as ” Do this.”
2. Follow that by the consequence of not following the tip.Or, show a benefit of following the tip.
3. Show examples or resources to solve a problem and put the tip into action.
Write an article with 3, 5, 7 or 10 tips in it. It’s best to give a complete tip as listed above rather than just list 29 tips.
Client examples: “Seven Mistakes People Make When they Create a Web Site” or “10 Ways to Organize your Online Office.”
If you keep your numbers reasonable–say around ten, you can use the other tips in other articles. Sometimes you can offer a resource to your reader in your tip as an example of solving the problem.
4. Write a myth and solutions Article.
This kind of article is one of my favorite because myths abound in book publishing and promotion. These keep authors from expressing their brilliance. Emerging authors think that traditional publishes will actually promote them. How about this myth? “Bookstores are a Great Place to Sell Books” or “you need an agent or publisher to write and publish a well-respected book,” or “you need the print media to publicize your products or service.”
After the myth, the book coach then shares the real truth and what aspiring writers can do about it to succeed.
5. Write an interview.
Choose a credible expert or dynamic online personality to interview, and offer not only how-to-solutions, but allow the public to see the personal side of the person. I have participated in several of these. It’s a great way to be seen by thousands of people Online each time the article runs. Interviews are usually done in question and answer format. Always use the specific questions to get more interesting answers. You can also recycle this information for more content on your Web site or in your own ezine.
6. Write your success story.
Author Debbie Allen asked me to write my online marketing success story for her new book. I shared this: Two friends dragged me to the Web–one insisted I set up a Web site–the other introduced me to the concept of coaching via telephone, and using email such as an online newsletter to draw new clients and stay in touch with other ones. Curious, I spent time expanding my teleseminar and ebook business Online. Learning from these information articles, I wrote 4 new books to help others succeed on Online. I’ve never looked back.
Web sales jumped from $75 to $2265 in just five months. In eight months, sales soared to $3000.Consistent sales each month made up over 1/2 my income.
I thought, I need to share this gold with others! And, so a success story is born and shared with anywhere from 1000 to 500,000 ezine readers in cyberspace. It’s also included in Debbie’s print book “Brazen Online Promoters” published in 2002. Three of my articles appeared in the book.
You have ideas for your article format. Now choose an outstanding title and include the largest benefit to solving a challenge in the title. No matter what length your article is, it is well on its way to being a top Online and offline promotion method for your business.
Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people’s lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Author of 10 eBooks including “Write your eBook Fast,” “How to Market your Business on the Internet,” and “Create your Web Site With Marketing Pizzazz,” she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says…and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 145 free articles. Email her at Judy@bookcoaching.com.
