Guest Article by Dr. Rachna Jain
If you’ve been marketing online for any length of time, you will know that the more “YOU” that exists in your site, the better. Marketing online is about building relationships. It’s difficult to build a relationship with anyone unless you’re truly being yourself. Aside from this, there are other professional and personal reasons to put more YOU in your site. Let’s tackle the professional reasons first.
If you are running a blog, you, presumably, are doing it for one of three reasons. Either you want to get known in your field (fame), you want to make money from your knowledge (fortune), or you want to build relationships with others in your niche (friends). Sometimes, you are seeking all three. It is easier to build your fame, fortune, and friends when you are being yourself. If people like what you have to say, they will read it. If your customers like what you can do for them, they will buy it. If you want to create alliances, it’s easier to do when the other party knows who you are and what you stand for.
From a personal standpoint, it’s easier to develop your content when you base it on yourself- your own experiences, your own preferences, your own suggestions. This doesn’t mean, of course, that you write a blog which is only self-focused. One method that I’ve found to work very well for building fame and friends (and the beginnings of a fortune!), is to blog about something I’m experiencing in my own life or business, but in a way that allows the reader to learn from it too.
So it’s the difference between writing a personal diary “I did this… and this… and this..” to writing a personal account- which your reader then benefits from. (This is very important–don’t skip this part!)
Think of how your life experiences could be a teaching tool for your ideal clients. If you sell professional consulting services, as I do, part of building expertise and credibility in the niche is sharing how you’ve solved the very same problems your clients are facing. By sharing your solutions through your blog or other marketing, you help attract clients who are seeking those solutions too.
So by putting more YOU in your blog, your clients, business alliances and joint venture partners know exactly what they’re going to get. When people understand what you’re offering, they can easily opt in. With understanding and opting-in, your sales and marketing process becomes almost effortless.
So if you’ve been hiding yourself in the name of being professional, it’s time to rethink this approach. By sharing your own insights, suggestions, and ideas, your blog (and bank account) will benefit.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Dave0 07.04.07 at 5:25 am
Rachna,
You have the voice of a true professional with deep understanding. The pertinence of your article is all too often apparent in all too many sites. It always makes me feel suspicious if someone is hiding
Or at best, I am looking at someone in a very grey suit.
Dave.
Life Samadhi Avatari 07.04.07 at 9:13 am
Nice post Jack and I agree with you to a certain extent.
I’m still a newbie to blogging and your blog has helped me tremendously with all the priceless info but what I have learned is posting a personal diary works as well. You can talk about your life and what you did in a way that benefits others…such as how you overcame a certain emotional block you faced that day…or how you overcame an obstacle in your business, etc…
So writing a personal diary “I did this… and this… and this..” Does work if you add your advice…”in a way that allows the reader to learn from it too”
Plus it makes it even more YOU and personable with even less “marketing and seller talk”
Just recently my blog was getting no subscribers until I ran out of paper in my Gratitude Journal and decided to post it in my blog…that’s when the subscribers started flocking in. Just to read my Gratitude Journal although I do write in a style that helps and promotes others as well.
Dreams Are Real and Inspirations Jus’ A Breath Away!!!
~Life
andrew goulding 07.07.07 at 3:02 pm
Rachna,
I’ve certainly found that a personal approach works very well when I create a site or review a product.
I’ve found tome and again that people are after a genuine opinion rather than a sales pitch…and SOME personal details can really help paint the picture for you.
ADG
Elizabeth Potts Weinstein 07.13.07 at 10:44 am
Yes, I totally agree, and this is something that is missing for many solopreneurs, who are trying to act like a corporation, and are afraid to show that they are actually one person (or a few people).
Since I changed my main website, eZine, and blog to have my picture, and share stories about my family and personal issues with money and debt, I find that I convert more people to buy, and get a TON more viral traffic.
If you can get clients and customers to buy YOU first (for free), then selling them your stuff is easy.