2010 June

10 Tips to Make the Blogging Process More Efficient

When you started blogging, you probably had no idea of the time that it would take. You wanted to make content that was easily readable and distribute it to the world. Writing 300-500 words a day sounds easy, but it takes a lot of time and planning to do it efficiently. Here are ten tips that will help make the process more efficient.

1. Keep a list

Carry a memo pad with you to capture the moments when you say, ‘I should write a post about that,’ or ‘that’s pretty interesting.’ When you sit down to write a blog post, you will have a ready-made source of ideas so that you can spend your time writing instead of daydreaming.

2. Schedule posts

Most blogging software allows you to schedule your posts. With scheduling, you can get ahead of the game and pre-write posts that are fascinating or important to you and still keep the schedule that you’ve set up. You can also back-date posts in case you miss a day.

3. Stay focused

Writing in a Notepad window with your browser closed is the best way to stay focused on what you are writing. That way, you are not distracted with the latest and greatest events which are occurring in the world. Turn your phone off for a few minutes, and put your hands on the keyboard.

4. To-Do lists

There are plenty of things for you to keep track of. To do lists act as reminders of what needs to be done for that day and the coming day. Throughout the day, keep a list of the things which need to be done to keep your blog running. You won’t be suck for something to do.

5. Use Pen and paper

Hand writing is a wonderful way to disconnect from the fast-paced internet world. You write slower and have more time to think about what you’re writing down. As a result, the quality of your posts will improve. If you type too many words a minute, the meaning can be lost from the brain to the keyboard.

6. Develop Recurring Series

Inspiration can often strike to write a series of posts about one specific subject. These posts often build upon one another and are written concurrently. Give your readers bite-sized posts which tackle a specific topic. Write a story and separate it into parts.

7. Create time limits

Working under deadline produces some amazing results. Set yourself a time limit for how long you will work on the blog post. Make sure that it is a hard limit, and your brain will soon conform to the schedule that you’ve set. This is a great method that can be used for people who are constantly running.

8. Don’t worry about SEO

A lot of time gets wasted in discovering how the proper keywords are going to be put into a post. Writing the post naturally will make it more entertaining to read. You will save yourself a lot of time by eliminating the SEO restrictions.

9. Use your passion

Passionate writing makes for fast writing. There is little time spent for the research because your topic has already been studied. Readers are much more interested in hearing what you have to say if you’re writing from the heart.

10. Don’t edit your content away

Editing often removes the passion from a piece. Bloggers sometimes spend hours working on a post, crafting it so just the right words are used. Sometimes a post can be edited away to nothing. Stick with only one or two editing passes and your readers will be thankful.

Blogging efficiently takes focus, inspiration and practice. When you sit down at the keyboard, you should have something which is itching to get onto the page. Good luck, and happy blogging!

Filed Under: Blogging

10 Tips for Making an Effective Sales Pitch

Sales Pitch
Source: Muffet

Your landing page should provide a clear and compelling reason to buy your product. That sales pitch should turn your passive users into active customers who interact with and enjoy the merchandise that you sell. Here are some tips to create a more effective online sales pitch.

1. Tailor the pitch to the customer

The product that you’re selling should provide a solution to a customer’s problem. When they find you, they want to know what you can do for them right NOW to solve their problem. Prepare a message that addresses the reason that they came to your site.

2. Be engaging

Your sales pitch needs to be interesting and entertaining to the reader. Use action verbs rather than passive ones and that will get their attention. Customers don’t want something that puts them to sleep any more than you do.

3. Offer case studies

Customers want to know how your product helped others in similar situations. Present problems to the customer and outline ways that your product or service eliminated them. Unlike testimonials, this is content written by you.

4. Break your content up

The average reader doesn’t want to be faced with a dissertation when they get to your landing page. Break your content up into a list format or short paragraphs. Your customers want a fast and accurate breakdown of the benefits of your product.

5. Create a pitch with integrity

Customers want to know why you are passionate about your product. Be completely honest about why you enjoy using that product over similar products in the field. Your passion and integrity will shine through.

6. Offer testimonials

Having someone else tout your product is one of the most important forms of organic marketing. Honor the customer who took the time to write by including their testimonial on your site. That feedback is valuable.

7. Pitch one product at a time

Too much information about too many products dilutes your message. You don’t want them to have any opportunity to be confused about what you’re offering. Instead, you want them to have an intense focus on buying the one thing that will satisfy their needs.

8. Let the readers know what’s in it for them

Use an effective headline to dramatize the solutions that you offer. Customers REALLY want to know what’s in it for them. The primary question your site’s visitors ask is, ‘What can YOU offer ME to make MY life better?’ An effective answer to that question creates more conversions.

9. Include a call to action

Your readers have made it to the bottom of the pitch. What should they do now? Provide them links and a call to action to guide them to your sales page. Make it as easy as possible to buy your products and services. Close the sale as you would in the brick and mortar world.

10. Proofread and grammar check your pitch

Typos and grammatical errors are unprofessional. They show that you do not care about your work. They distract your readers from the content of your site and can potentially turn them away. Proofread your pitch. Read it aloud to see how it flows. Look for grammatical errors.

Making an effective sales pitch is the key to converting online prospects into online customers. Your presentation should be short and sweet, addressing the customer’s needs. The attention that you pay to your sales pitch can lead to conversions.