The Growth Guide

So, you’ve jumped on the blog train and decided to start producing exclusive content for your business. Great choice! However it can be tough to bear when it doesn’t go as planned.

Are you struggling to get your clients book through your blog, or do you feel your posts just aren’t strong enough to captivate your audience? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many brands have trouble engaging their audience members with long-form content.

From picking an engaging headline to writing an eye catching opener, writing a compelling blog post can be tricky! On top of that, it’s time-consuming to consistently provide new and engaging visuals to go with the right caption.

So, what’s the solution to this problem? While there’s not exactly a science behind it, there are some best practices to help you crank out compelling posts that are sure to get your clients to book almost every time.

Let’s look at the top eight tips to produce blog posts that make clients book!

Know Your Audience

Before you start writing anything, you have to know who you’re writing for! Understand your audience and what would attract them to do business with you. Ask yourself about your ideal client and the kind of problems and challenges they face.

Once you find this out, speak to their situation and offer them solutions that will help them. How can you make their lives better?

A great way to do this is by creating an audience persona. For example, if you sell custom hand-crafted jewelry, your audience persona may be women between the ages of 18-40 who appreciate accessorizing with one-of-a-kind details. They may feel frustrated to see others wearing the same jewelry or might not be able to find exactly what they want in a big box store.

Or, say you’re a business coach for retail startups. Your audience persona might be men and women between the ages of 25-45 who have a storefront but have only been in business for 1-3 years. Their key frustrations relate to standing out in a noisy marketplace and establishing brand offerings that cultivate a relationship with their customers.

Your audience persona will be unique to your brand and who you target, but you can see how much this kind of information helps!

Write Compelling Headlines

Headlines matter! Think of your headline like the cover of a book. We’re told never to judge a book by a cover, but let’s be honest, many of us do. Your clients do the same thing. If your headline is boring or doesn’t make sense, your clients are sure to pass it over and move on to the next exciting thing.

When writing your headline, make sure it is unique, ultra-specific, and useful. It should also build urgency for the content inside. For example, let’s say you’re writing a post on the most beautiful honeymoon destinations. I’m sure there are dozens of posts similar to this topic, but you want yours to stand out. Opt for something like “10 Breathtaking Honeymoon Destinations Everyone’s Raving About” vs. “10 Beautiful Wedding Destinations.”

Include numbers and data into your headline if you can. According to neilpatel.com, headlines with numbers tend to generate 73 percent more social shares and engagement.

If you’re not entirely sure if your headline is compelling enough, use tools like The Advanced Marketing Institute’s headline analyzer to help you tweak your headline.

Make Your Intro Count

You’ve hooked your reader with the headline, but don’t forget to keep them interested with a compelling introduction. Your first paragraph should make your readers want to read more. You can start with an interesting question or memorable story.

Once you state the problem, promise them the solution they’re looking for can be found in your blog. Also, remind your reader that the answer to their problem is simple and won’t require a whole lot of work on their part.

For instance, let’s say you are a lawyer that works exclusively with new online businesses. Your first sentence might say, “Not sure if your contract is sound? You’re not alone — but I’m here to make sure that you and your business are protected in every direction. Read on to see what elements your contract may be missing.”

Since your clients (new online business owners) can relate to this problem, the intro will draw them in far better than a generic line, like “Here are five things to include in your contract.” Yawn.

Offer Something Valuable

People find blog posts more compelling when they know they will receive something valuable from reading them. Giving your clients tips and how-to information will encourage them to come to you for more, but you don’t need to give away the whole shebang. Share just enough to show them how much value you have to offer, but let them see how you can improve their lives so they don’t have to figure it out themselves.

Producing valuable content puts you in a position as an industry leader. Whether you’re a fitness trainer, restaurant owner, event planner, or software provider, clients will come to you to find information that will help them. If your blog posts are such a big help, how much more will your services provide?

Be Personable

Avoid using a corporate voice when writing blog posts and, instead, opt for a conversational tone. Most importantly, use a voice that is unique to you and your brand. Your clients will feel more comfortable with a tone that feels like they’re communicating with a close friend rather than a large corporation that seems to be out of touch with their clients’ needs.

Use Images

Humans are visual creatures, so images are your best friend when communicating with the masses. If you want to make your blog post more compelling, use vibrant (and related) images to draw your clients in. According to vennage.com, colored visuals increase people’s desire to read content by 80 percent.

The great thing about images is that you don’t have to use only static photos. You can use infographics, quote graphics, or blog title graphics. If you want to make your own, sites like Canva or PicMonkey offer easy-to-use programs to create all kinds of images.

Just be careful not to use images that may be copyrighted. To make sure you’re completely free to use certain photos, download some from sites like Unsplash or Color Joy. Using images from these sites will help protect you from using copyrighted material, but the best way to stay safe is always to take your own photos!

Make Your Post Easy to Read

Using a large and long text block is the fastest way to deter anyone from reading your post. The best way to make your post easy to digest is to break it up. Use section headers and short paragraphs and sentences (like in this post!). Bullet points and numbered lists also help to break up your text.

Write in a way that your audience would understand. Keep it easy to read, avoiding technical jargon and replacing big words with simple ones.

If you need help making sure your post is easy to read, Grammarly will give your text readability score to tell you what level of education someone would need to understand your text. This is also great for helping you write in a more conversational tone!

End With a Call to Action

Once your clients finish reading your post, they should feel excited about booking with you! The best way to reel them in is to simply ask them for their business. Make sure your call to action is clear and lays out an easy next step.

For instance, let’s say you are a real estate agent and wrote a blog post about the key considerations when shopping for a first home. Ideally, your blog post will drive first-time homebuyers to contact you to help them find their dream house!

Your call to action can be something like, “Ready to take the first step towards becoming a homeowner? I’m here to answer all of your questions and put a set of keys in your hands! Schedule a call today.”

The call to action is clear, direct, and easy to do – all your readers have to do is schedule a call and voila! They’ve taken the first step to purchasing a house and settling down in a comfortable home to start a family.

That’s it! You’ve taken a great first step by starting your own blog. Now is the time to maximize your content and get those clients to book! If you don’t see results right away, don’t be discouraged. It may take some time to get a good rhythm going, but the hard work will pay off.

Remember to stay consistent and post regularly to give your clients something to look forward to. Be personable and always post content that your readers will find to be valuable.

Looking for help to maintain a consistent blog presence without the pressure of writing? We’re here to help — check out our Custom White Glove service to get started!