By: D. Denay Davis
Website owners are now aware that writing articles to get their message out to customers is an effective and inexpensive marketing strategy. It adds new meaning to “power in the pen.” Customers need to know you are the expert providing information, services or products that will address their needs and “grow” their business.
Writing articles allows you to advertise your business by:
- Addressing issues your customers experience on a daily basis
- Explain in detail the products and services you provide
- Address industry challenges and showcase your level of experience
Today, many online articles are used by business owners to showcase their area of expertise. Website owners should write at least one or two articles per month. Writing articles and submitting them for publication is one way to enhance your online visibility. The byline or resource box offered at the end of the article allows the writer to provide contact information including a website, telephone number and a sentence or two about the business.
Writing and publishing articles is also one of the best ways to gain credibility. Many customers are much more likely to seek credibility in written text than in word of mouth. It is not necessary to give away all your trade secrets or consult for free. Letting your customers know you are aware of their everyday dilemmas and addressing solutions to those problems can make you an invaluable resource.
If you do not have time to write articles, hire a ghost writer who will commit to writing a specific number of articles so your name and company stays first and foremost on your customers mind. Other forms of text that will provide a medium for dispersing your expertise might include blogs, e-mail newsletters, contributing to RSS feeds, writing articles and writing e-books.
Have you every considered writing an editorial? If the industry you work in has an association, consider writing an editorial that addresses some common issue of interest to most of the association members. It is easy to sit in your office and have an opinion about how your trucking company is dealing with the high price of gas. It is quite another thing to write an editorial in the local newspaper.
The next time you have a burning opinion about an issue consider writing an article, or two or three. Let your voice be heard, your peers and your potential customers will respect you for it. There is power in your pen too.
