I have a confession to make! Every mistake I see small businesses make, I have made myself in my own businesses. Not only that, I should have known better! Why? Because I worked in the field of newspaper advertising for 13 years.

Even so, I have made the same mistakes. They included: trying to get the attention of the ‘masses’, spreading ourselves too thin by having too many simultaneous marketing messages, and the big one, wasting way to much money on costly advertising, thinking that is was going to bring in the return, only to be bitterly dissapointed with the results!!

One of the most common questions I get is “should I advertise”?

The answer is, well….”yes” and “no”. Advertising can be effective if you can get a return on what you invest (immediately and directly), and connects specifically with your target audience. The truth is, you have to be very savvy to get an immediate response from your audience, before they turn the page, or take a toilet break. For an advertisement to work you need:

1. To capture the immediate attention of your audience with a good headline
2. To clearly communicate what the benefit is very specifically, and
3.  To have a compellling offer so that they take action.

The reality is that, although people are constantly seeking out services, that there is so much ‘noise’ out there that it is getting more and more challenging to attract the necessary attention we need to make ends meet. Now don’t get me wrong, I am pro-advertising, but for the small business owner, the cost often outways the benefit.

Enter article marketing…..

We are living in the information age, and seeking credible sources of information that can:

1. Answer our questions
2. Solve our problems
3. Make our lives easier

My question to you is, what do you know that can, solve peoples problems, answer your clients questions and make peoples lives easier?

If you reacted positively to that question with thoughts of how things you know could assist others, then article marketing is may be what you have been looking for. The beauty of article writing is that they cost nothing to produce but your time. Even if you pay someone to write articles that can be easily shared in various places, they are excellent value.

Where to begin with article writing….

The easiest place to begin is with the most common questions you currently receive from clients and prospects. If they have asked them, then chances are there are many others with similar problems and concerns that are looking for answers, ones that you can readily provide. Don’t let them go elsewhere, make sure they come to you! It is much easier to demonstrate your value with a 500 word article, than it is with a small block of advertising space, and costs far less.

Creating articles around your area of expertise is an excellent way of building crediblity, being seen as a specialist, and sharing the value you are able to provide. This attracts clients to you without you having to hunt them down.

Articles can be added to your web site, incorporating your key words, so that your site is more easily found by Google. Be sure to include your geographical area, if you wish local clients to find you easily.

Blogging is a great way to share your articles. These can also be shared on social media, to quickly increase the number of potential prospects seeing your message.

Stay in touch with newsletters using articles, to remind your existing clients why they should use them, and to make it easy to refer others.

That is just 3 ways to begin, but the reality is that there are hundreds of places you can submit articles to if you know where to look, including press, online and offline.

Krishna’s 3 top tips….

1. Write with your specific audience in mind
2. Use a compelling headline and subheadings
3. Make sure it is easy to find you if they want to know more

I will be holding a half-day article writing workshop on the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday 2 March, in Maroochydore. Visit here for full details and to book online: www.healthymarketing.com.au/workshops

See you there!

Krishna