Do you know what the most common thing I get asked is?
‘I have no idea what I would blog about.’
Do you know the second most common thing?
‘I’ve run out of things to say about my business!’
It’s almost a daily occurrence (when I go out and see people that is), because most people go through this pattern.
You start a blog and are all gung-ho, excited and full of ideas. You might even blog every few days – after all there’s loads to say about accountancy/building/mortgages! At first, it’s easy, you sit down and talk about all of the great products and services you offer, the different types of problems they can solve, boast about your best clients and promote some special offers.
But then it starts to get a little harder. You notice that each of your blogs feels very ‘samey’. People aren’t engaging with them or reading them the way they used to. So why should you keep bothering?
But you do, until one day you sit down to write your next blog, but nothing comes out. You just stare at a blank page for a long time, your mind blank. You’ve run out of things to say. So it’s time to stop now, right?
WRONG! You’ve simply fallen into a classic blogging trap.
What’s The Problem?
All that time, you were blogging for the wrong person. You’ve been blogging for you, and not them. Here, them is your target audience, your readers, your market. Because blogs aren’t just about promoting yourself. In fact, they’re almost not about that at all. Instead, blogs are for showcasing your detailed knowledge by answering the questions your audience is asking. It’s about attracting and engaging the right kind of people. The ones you want to work with.
Now, ask yourself this. Does your target audience want to read about what you did in your day, how great you are, and what new things you’re doing? I’ll give you a hint – no! I’m afraid even your mum wouldn’t want to read that all day.
So flip the script. Think about your target market. What is it that interests them? What information are they looking for? What are they talking about? What questions are they asking?
That’s how you should approach blogging. If you start from that point, then you’ll be promoting yourself by default, and in a better way.
So How Do I Blog For Them?
You might still be asking what sort of things you could write about, even if you’re blogging for your audience. So, let’s look at the examples I used earlier:
Accountant
- Can I Claim X Expenses Against My Tax?: The first rule of blogging is to answer the questions your clients are asking. Give something away for nothing. This type of question is always being asked, and anyone who Googles it can find a lot of answers. So use that, and make sure people are finding YOU. The more good advice you can give, the better.
- Tax Year Calendar: Compile useful dates, deadlines and a timeline of when people should be doing what. You can even go a step further and make it into a downloadable PDF or get them printed into actual calendars – who doesn’t love a freebie?
- The Budget in Plain English: When that time of year rolls around, all business owners are talking about is the budget, wanting to know how it affects them. So, let them know! Use all of that knowledge to decode the budget and filter out what affects your target market
Builder
- What Planning Permissions Do I Need?: Free advice. This costs you absolutely nothing to give away, but can cement your reputation as that builder who goes above and beyond, who helps with things that aren’t just cementing bricks in place.
- How To Spot Cowboy Builders: A lot of people are afraid of being caught out by a cowboy builder. They don’t want to spend a lot of money on something that might not get finished, or might be done to a low quality. They need to be sure of who they’re buying from. So give that reassurance and show them what the red flags are.
- 5 Questions to Ask Before You Get An Extension: If you do a lot of extensions, then your ideal prospective clients are people who are thinking about, perhaps even planning an extension. Giving them tips on what they need to know and what they should ask along the way is invaluable, and shows you’re honest and approachable.
Mortgages
- What Type of Mortgage Do I Need?: There are a lot of different mortgage options out there, and it can get confusing! It can be helpful to break down what all the different types of mortgages are, and how to know which one they will need.
- What Lenders Don’t Want To See On Your Bank Statements: There are a lot of things in the mortgage industry that are kept ‘behind the curtain’.Bring some out. Things like, what lenders are looking for when they do affordability checks, and what types of things could damage your chances if it’s seen on your mortgage. Show that you care about your customers.
- Hidden Costs of Buying a House: There are all sorts of hidden costs in a house purchase. Don’t let them be hidden from people who read your blogs. Tell them what to expect, what to ask the people they work with, and how much extra they might need to save.
All of these are pretty generic, but you get the idea. It’s about what interests them, and what they want to know. As harsh as it sounds, it’s really not about you!
And if you really have run out of ideas, my blogging services might be exactly what you need.