How to find inspiration for your blog

Blogs are a great way to tell the world your news as well as sharing your thoughts and knowledge. They are a great way of attracting interest in what you do as well as demonstrating how well you do it.

So how do you know what to blog about?

You could just write about what you feel like, whenever inspiration strikes.

That's all very well, but it can look rather disjointed and will discourage people from actively following you if they can't see regular postings that will interest them.

The best way attract more business through your blog is to have a semi-structured plan of what you are going to talk about and why.

For example, if you are blogging to become known as the expert in home gardening and sell garden designs to homeowners, give tips and advice on what to plant, how to prune and top tips when planning a garden.

On the other hand, a blog aiming to attract more clients aged 25-40 to a clothing store would discuss fashion trends and how to put together the outfits worn by famous people who are the same age as its target market.

Top Tips!

Decide WHY you are blogging and WHO you are aiming them at. Imagine sitting down for a coffee with one of the people you'd like to read your blog. Then, think of all the topics of conversation you could have with them if you have never met them before, but want to demonstrate who you are and what you do.

Be yourself. People buy from people, even on the internet. Develop your own style of writing, be friendly and don't be afraid to give away advice. After all, if people gain a benefit, they will keep coming back.

Ideas are like buses; they will all come at once... so keep an ideas notebook and write your ideas down, so you never run out of things to write about.

If you are in the mood for writing, create several blog posts in one go, then schedule them to be posted at regular intervals. This is also a good tip before going on annual leave or if you know your schedule is busy over the coming days and weeks.

The Unwritten Rules of Social Media - part 1

So you want to use social media, but like any community, there are unwritten rules. In this series we unravel what these are and how to use them to your advantage.

Unwritten Rule #1 - Use the Right Profile Picture

Profile pictures or avatars are important on social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Myspace as they show others who you are. Mine is shown here.

Admitedly there aren't many other people called Hannah Sookias in the world, but a profile picture is important even when there is little chance of mistaken identity.

Ultimately, people like people. Your pages will seem much more personable to the reader and encourage them to connect and interact with you.

A nice, close-up photo is best and if you are using the profile for business, avoid ones that involve you partying!

Top Tip!

I am often asked whether to use logos or people photos on sites such as Twitter and Facebook business pages.

If the business page is for a large organisation, or several people maintain its updates, then I suggest you use the company logo. However, if it is your own company or a smaller enterprise, I'd still recommend a photograph.

Next time: Unwritten Rule #2 - How to write updates

There's more to proofreading than spellchecker...

Have you ever had the situation when you have sent something, only to spot a spelling mistake?

For everyone who has, here's a fun reminder of why it is important to have someone else proofread your information, rather than just relying on spellchecker!

SPELL CHECKER

I halve a spelling checker,
It came with my pea see.
It plainly marks four my revue
Mistakes I dew knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait aweigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the era rite
Its rarely ever wrong.

I've scent this massage threw it,
And I'm shore your pleased too no
Its letter prefect in every weigh;
My checker tolled me sew.

With thanks to Vicki for sending this to me...

Hannah

Hannah Sookias
The Write Solution
Tel: 01283 808460
http://www.copywritingandpr.com/
Digital PR - Website Text - Blog Writing - Social Media Training - PR

How can social networking help my business?

Let's start with another question:

What do most people do first when they are looking for information?

Yes, you guessed it – they search the internet using sites such as Google, Yahoo and AOL. Using blogs, social networking sites, digital PR and e-marketing in your business will give you:

• More opportunities to be found on-line by potential customers when using search engines


• Additional links and entry points into your website


• The ability to give useful information that can be used in their decision making process


• The opportunity for third party recommendations and reviews


• The ability to engage and converse with customers throughout their buying process and life as a customer.

Social networking (using sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube) allow you to converse with people interested in the products and services you offer and help you to answer their questions, increase your brand awareness and build their trust in your company.

They can also help to boost your search engine rankings as you will be piggy-backing on the social networking sites’ search engine optimisation (SEO) activities.

For example, uploading a video onto YouTube, then embedding it onto your own site helps people to see what you do as a company as well as giving them more opportunities to find you (because YouTube is checked more regularly by Google than your own site will be).

A mention of a new video on your blog, Facebook page and Twitter feed will also encourage people to take a look.

Best of all, you will be able to see which social media sites are best at attracting business, by looking at your website’s analytics to see how people are accessing your site.

It is important to remember that for digital PR to be effective, it must be planned into your marketing mix, just like any other form of promotion. That way, your messages will be consistent and more effective as the traditional and new media promotions will boost and build upon each other.

Want to know more? Please feel free to call me on +44 (0)1283 808460 or email me for a copy of our Beginners’ Guide to Social Media.

The Write Solution provides digital PR packages, social media consultancy and training to help you identify which sites to use, how to plan social media into your marketing and enable it to work for you.

I look forward to speaking with you,

Hannah

Hannah Sookias The Write Solution Tel: 01283 808460

http://www.copywritingandpr.com/

Digital PR - Blog Writing - Social Media Training - Articles - Features - Public Relations

Why the words on your website are important

Did you know...?

• You have just 3 seconds to grab a visitor's attention when they visit your website



• The first sentence is paramount - if you don't interest them here, they will hit the back button



• Your information should clearly state the benefits of what you do and why they should buy from you.

For example: which would you prefer to read:

"Thank you for visiting our website. XXYZ Company has been established for 40 years and we are committed to giving our customers excellent service and value for money.

We pride ourselves on the quality of our products and services so please call us if you think we can help you."

or

"Eye catching designs at affordable prices. Now that’s something to smile about.

At XYZ Company, we are all about happy clients. So, we understand that you want an outstanding creative design agency that gives results and who understands the importance of your budget, however large or small."

Top Tips!

1. It is really hard writing about yourself and your company. So ask trusted clients why they use you time and time again as this will give you a useful insight into the benefits they value.


2. Use a professional business writer (also known as a copywriter) to help you write your website text. The Write Solution for example, will help you to:

• understand who you are targeting


• clearly state the messages and benefits you want to get across


• write interesting, punchy, to-the-point text


• weave in search-engine friendly keywords and phrases

Want to know more? Read our article, 'Why Use a Copywriter' or give me a call on 01283 808460 - I look forward to hearing from you.

Hannah

Hannah Sookias The Write Solution Tel: 01283 808460

http://www.copywritingandpr.com/

Digital PR - Website Text - Blog Writing - Social Media Training - Features - Public Relations

5 Top Tips - Attending Business Networking Events

How often have you been at networking meetings where everyone you meet is all about 'me, me, me'?

They start the conversation trying to sell you something and quickly move on when it becomes apparent that you are not currently in the market for what they are offering. I personally think that these types of people are really missing a trick. Here's why:

Don't dismiss someone just because they won't buy from you personally
Even when someone is unlikely to buy from you, it is worth spending a few moments getting to know them and their business... after all, they usually have at least one contact within their business and social circles who will be in the market for what you are offering. And you never know, they might just have a contact who you've been trying to connect with or who is looking to place a substantial order.

Give rather than receive (use a 'how can I help you' approach)
Having a giving approach rather than a taking one can reap massive benefits. We've already established that people like talking about themselves, so turn their habit into useful information for you.

By asking this question means that people are more likely to tell you the types of clients they are looking for and which industries they sell into, which means you are more able to pass on their details to your contacts.

When they have finished, always say whether you have any contacts they are looking for and thank them for giving you such useful information. Continue by telling the types of clients you are looking for and ask them specifically if they have any contacts in those fields.

You'll be amazed at how much more productive your meetings will be by trying to give rather than receive.

Other people are your best PR
Being recommended is the best form of public relations (PR). People are much more likely to believe someone else that you and your products are brilliant much more than they will believe you. Getting to know people at networking events means they are still able to promote you to their associates and clients, even if they don't buy from you.

Find out what people remember you for
I always find it fascinating to discover how people remember me. At many of the networking events I attend, I give a 60 second pitch about who I am and what I do. By listening to how people introduce me to others is an interesting insight into what people remember from these and the types of topics they are interested in. I then use this information to develop other one minute promotions to build on their interest.

Research and follow-up is important
If there is a delegate list published before the event, do use it to prepare for the meeting. Go with 5 people in mind that you would like to talk to. Ask other attendees you talk to if they know any of them and ask to be introduced.

Always try to follow up meetings with emails, tweets or other social media messages to the contacts you have spoken to. These needn't be all work related - in fact if you can weave a social conversation, it is all the better. How much nicer it is to sign off an email saying. "I hope your son's team has a good game on Saturday" or "Good luck in the Great North Run at the weekend"? It shows you are interested in them as a person as well as their business and something you can build on next time you meet.

Hannah
Hannah Sookias
The Write Solution
Tel: 01283 808460
http://www.copywritingandpr.com/
Digital PR - Blog Writing - Social Media Training - Articles - Features - Public Relations

A Beginner’s Guide to Social Media

What is Social Media?
Social media is the group name for websites that offer interaction between users.
They include blogs, message boards and sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

Why should I bother?
Social Media is a way for people to talk to each other in a way that has never been possible before.

Here are some facts:

• Over 100million videos are viewed every day on YouTube


• Facebook has over 250 million active users


• 3,000,000 messages are sent each day via Twitter


• Over 1,000,000,000 links to blog posts, web links, news stories, photos and notes are shared on Facebook each week.

Even if you think you’ve never used social networking, you probably have by reading a blog or watching a video from a Google search...

How Can Social Media Help My Business?
Social media gives you the opportunity to build your brand. It gives you interaction with your existing clients and potential customers. Most importantly, it gives you a way of talking with them, rather than at them.

It’s like networking, but on-line.

You’ll discover new ways to promote your business and the opportunity to increase your ranking on Google and other search engines. It can help you with PR, customer service, loyalty-building, collaboration, networking, thought-leadership and customer acquisition.

The Rules1. Listen
Just listen and observe. Research who is out there and who you want to reach. Join sites you are interested in but sit on your hands and resist the urge to start straight away. Good news travels fast... bad news (or comments) travel even faster!

2. Plan
Decide how you are going to use Social Media and work out the time and resources you will plough into it. If you need help, ask for it...

3. Engage
Think conversation not sales pitch. Even on the internet, people buy from people. Let your prospective clients get to know you and your thoughts and don’t start shouting your sales pitch as it just won’t work.

4. Measure & Review
Like all marketing, you need to know it is giving you a return on investment. Analyse website traffic, enquiries etc to see what works and don’t assume that social media will be the answer to everything!

Summary
Social media is here to stay, but without a plan of how we are trying to use it within our marketing mix, it is easy to waste our time and money. However, by putting together a clear plan of who we are trying to target, with which medium and defined messages can help you to interact with clients and potential customers to strengthen your brand and grow your business.

Many businesses I know have begun their social media experience by 'dipping a toe in the water'. And with training in how to plan their use of the different sites appropriate to their business (and in some cases, help writing blogs and posts) have grown its use so that it is now an integral part of their marketing.

If you would like any further advice, do give me a call for a no-obligation chat about using social media in your business - I look forward to hearing from you!

Hannah

Hannah Sookias
Sookias Media  Tel: 01283 808460 www.sookiasmedia.com
Digital PR - Blog Writing - Social Media Training - Articles - Features - Public Relations