You can fill a room with 5,000 manikins.
And you won’t sell a thing.
That’s the problem.
Even if you follow a solid blogging strategy, promote your content on a regular basis and capture leads via email campaigns, how do you make sure you’re attracting people who are actually likely to become your customer?
Attracting qualified leads is crucial to getting customers online – here are the 3 essential ingredients you need to make that happen while blogging.
Educate Readers On What You Do
If I land on your homepage, I might understand that you’re a raw food nutritionist that focuses on proactive wellness. But if I arrive on your blog, will I know that?
Neiman Labs shows us people are “coming in sideways” more and more. That’s fine. It shouldn’t matter how people discover your blog, only what happens when they get there.
Even your loyal readers might not know what you do.
So help them out.
Add a small profile on your sidebar with a photo of yourself and share who you are and what you do. This isn’t a chance to get your readers to sign up for your email list. It’s a chance to introduce yourself.
Remember…
Be Specific
Just like we talked about when creating a Twitter bio that converts customers, be as specific as you can with your profession.
- Are you a lawyer? Or are you a “Commercial real estate lawyer focused on property rezoning.”
- Are you a nutritionist? Or are you a “Nutritionist specializing in weight management through raw food programs.”
- Are you a dentist? Or are you a “Dentist that focuses on full mouth reconstructive surgery.”
Someone might be looking for a lawyer, a nutritionist or a dentist, and they might land on your blog. But if they actually need a criminal lawyer or a high protein diet or a filling for a cavity, they’re not true prospects, because that’s not what you specialize in.
If they know who you are off the bat, they’ll save time by not reaching out and seeing if you can help them (only to discover someone else is better suited to solve their problem), and you’ll save time by not “courting manikins.”
And more importantly, you’ll be able to use that time to focus on nurturing leads that are more likely to turn into customers.
Show How You Can Help
It’s all about your fans.
For example, instead of writing “I’m a real-estate agent” in your side profile, you can say, “I help elderly couples find their retirement homes in Victoria, BC.” Our friend Chris does a fantastic job of this on Vero’s blog, as you can see below.
p.s. If you’re stuck on what to say, create a mini version of your blog author bio.
Don’t have one?
Check out this resource modelled on popular blogger Chris Brogan’s approach.
Write For Your Audience’s Pain
Imagine you’re a mechanic.
You may love cars, and every once in a while you might write a post on your favourite model, but if you’re creating content to attract potential customers, you want to be targeting people who have problems with their cars.
Not people who want a car.
It’s about getting quality visitors who are interested in what you offer, whether it’s selling a service or a product. As a small business, this may mean your blog won’t have high traffic.
That’s okay.
As Amber Osborne and Sean Smith kept emphasizing during their talk at Social Media Camp last week: “It’s better to have 100 customers than 100,000 likes.”
Focusing on your customer’s pain point will help you create relevant content, which is key to attracting qualified leads. If you’re not sure how to write relevant content, or you truly want to understand the motivators of your target customer, check this out.
Showcase Your Success(es)
Even if your blog clearly indicates what you do, and you write relevant content that targets your customers’ pain, how do your potential customers know you’re any good?
Specifically, how can you create enough trust through your blog that gives them the confidence to either buy a product or book a session? Or at least reach out to you, and take the next step towards becoming a customer.
Showcase your success from past customers.
Proof and validation will go a long way to helping you create trust. So, try adding testimonials to your blog. You can include them in your sidebar or at the bottom of your posts, as long as they’re visible to someone who’s engaging in your content.
If you have a case study from a customer, feel free to highlight it too.
The key to leveraging testimonials is to include a photo beside them, as they help people visualize who that happy customer is. You’ll notice more websites are adopting this strategy, like Unbounce, who has a headshot beside every customer testimonial on their website.
As Social Trigger’s Derek Halpern shows us, having a photo beside a testimonial makes the comment more powerful because potential customers feel you’re telling the truth.
p.s. Blog Tyrant’s Ramsay Taplin wrote one of the best posts I’ve read on how to leverage testimonials to get customers. If you have time to check out one more post, I strongly recommend this one. You won’t be disappointed.
Want To Attract Qualified Leads From Blogging?
Don’t obsess over traffic.
Obsess over leads.
And once you get them, make sure you’re doing everything you can to convert your leads into paying customers.
Not sure how to do this?
Check out our The Complete Guide To Lead Nurturing For Your Small Business.
So, what are you favorite tips to attract qualified leads from your blog?