Four Reasons Why Blogging is like a Client Magnet

As I was writing a post for my blog this past week, I noticed that it was #500. I was surprised that over the last few years I had written that many blogs. It made me reflect back a bit to consider why I believe marketers need to blog. What is the benefit for small to mid-sized businesses? I can think of four reasons why blogging is a like a client magnet.

I am positive it all comes down to attracting customers toward you – not by interrupting them.

Four Reasons Why Blogging is like a Client Magnet

Blogging allows you to tell stories to open up doors. If you own or work in a small to mid-sized business in a sales or marketing capacity, you need to reach both current and new customers. By writing posts about your work, without being commercial, you are adding value to your community. Your ideas are reaching people who might have an interest in what you offer. Blogging and then marketing the content on social media helps to attract new business.

[Tweet “A blog is like a magnet, pulling clients toward you”]

Blogging allows you to talk about solutions you offer. A startup I am advising needed to explain to potential investors and clients that they have an innovative way to solve a vexing technical problem in security. Traditional methods like advertising failed to engage anyone. But by writing short blog posts about the problem faced by their audiences, they attracted an interested community who was willing to listen and watch a video. The blog became the platform to bring together curious potential clients who struggled with the issues raised in the posts. The people attracted to read the post needed help and were unsure where to turn. They were in search of a solution, but did not have a path to get help. Attracting clients through blogging doesn’t happen over night but by regularly providing help and value, real business opportunities got pulled toward them.

Blogging allows you to work through various approached to solve a problem. By writing and getting feedback from loyal fans, you can help to shape ideas, insights and innovations for your business. A blog post can be like having a bigger team to bounce ideas off of and to get fresh, quick responses. Several months ago, I was wrestling with some challenging marketing issues and through comments and emails I got from a broad swatch of marketing friends and professionals, the best idea quickly came into focus. By improving on my tactical plans, we attracted more business our way. Blogging made the offerings better through crowd sourcing a solution.

Blogging allows you to meet and interview some very cool people. When B2B clients look for ideas, I will advise them that blogging gives you license to reach out to anyone to chat. Do you have a targeted list of prospects you have been unable to reach through traditional sales calls? Why not connect with them and ask if you can interview them for your business (or personal) blog. Don’t make it commercial. Don’t try and sell them anything. Use the interview as a way to get to know them. If you make a strong impression, you may have created an invitation to meet about business at some future date.

Podcasting Works Too

If you aren’t comfortable writing, you could substitute the word podcasting for blogging. A podcast allows you to interview and record a conversation that covers topics to reach a community who has an interest in the subject. If you have the expertise and a business focused on high-performance bicycles, gluten-free cooking, marketing coaching, financial services or selling widgets, consider the benefit of producing content in a blog (or podcast). It can help build a pipeline of opportunity.