Be There or Be Nowhere

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (remember those?) I was very, very pleased indeed yesterday to see the best ever visitor numbers (ever!) for my cycling blog.

Each day on that blog, I post a cycling tip, aimed at getting an inexperienced (or at least unfit) cyclist to the start line for a big ride or tour in about a month or so. I do this partly because I've set myself a challenge to ride over 120 miles on 6th April - for a very good cause. Every tip is written from personal experience, not just theory or accepted wisdom. That means people might disagree with some of the tips, but that's fine.

But the point is, if you blog daily, or email your list daily, or even just update a Facebook page or twitter account regularly, you need to 'be there' in the content you share. Useful tips are perfect blog or newsletter material, but they're even better when you can include some of your personal experience, character and opinion along with the facts.

If you're worried about people disagreeing with your opinions, don't be. Only you can write about what you know from your experience. And, since you're the one taking the trouble to write it, it's your opinion that counts.

The same goes for any communication.You know what you know.

And when you share what you know, you both contribute and benefit.

Roy

Don't Take it From Me

Hello again,

One of the most powerful marketing tools you can use is one that requires very little from you (apart from doing your job conspicuously well). That tool is the word of other delighted customers and recipients. These testimonials work best when they are most authentic. That is, when they come from people you don't know personally, and without any prompting.

Here's an example of just such a testimonial that I received by email today:

"I have been receiving your fantastic and very informative newsletters for a while now and felt I had to write!

I run an independent PR business ... I often pass your info to my clients to stress the importance of communication ... Hope you don't mind me writing, I will look forward to your next installment.

Many thanks and best wishes,
Sophie"

Sophie runs a PR agency, called Bizari Promotions, so she knows about the value of communication in promoting your business. So do we, which is why we publish the regular newsletter Sophie is so enthusiastic about. You can get your copy, delivered directly to your inbox, by just leaving your name and email address. Plus, you get a free chapter of our new manual, The Complete Marketing Manual, and two other bonus reports as a thank you.

Until next time,

Roy Everitt, Writing For Results

PS. If you ever get any letters, comments or emails complimenting your business, or even verbal compliments, make sure you use them, with permission, at every opportunity. One word from a satisfied client or customer is worth a hundred from even the best copywriter.