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Lead Generation: Write on Purpose to Get the Leads You Want
The document discusses how writing blogs and content can help build name recognition, authority, and trust in order to generate leads and attract potential clients. It emphasizes defining the ideal lead, writing content for the leads you want to attract, qualifying leads based on offerings, budget, and availability, and including a clear call to action. The overall message is that consistent blogging and content creation can help reduce the need for cold calls and instead bring in qualified potential clients.
Lead Generation: Write on Purpose to Get the Leads You Want
- 1. @CDILS #WCSD WRITE ONPURPOSE LEAD GENERATION
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- 3. @CDILS #WCSD WHEN YOUWRITE (OR BLOG), YOU’RE…
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- 5. @CDILS #WCSD ▸ Name Recognition ▸Authority BUILDING:
- 6. I’VE NEVER HADTO DO A COLD CALL AND I ATTRIBUTE THAT LARGELY TO MY BLOG. Tom McFarlin @CDILS #WCSD TOMMCFARLIN.COM
- 7. @CDILS #WCSD ▸ Name Recognition ▸Authority ▸ Trust BUILDING:
- 8. I’VE HAD POTENTIALCLIENTS COME THROUGH MY CONTACT FORM AFTER READING THAT SERIES. THEY SAY IT RESONATED WITH THEM - THEY UNDERSTOOD IT. AND THAT MADE THEM COMFORTABLE ENOUGH WITH ME TO WANT TO HIRE ME. Michelle Schulp MARKTIMEMEDIA.COM MARKTIMEMEDIA.COM
- 9. @CDILS #WCSD THE LEADSARE COMING!
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- 11. @CDILS #WCSD BOOK YOURSELFSOLID MICHAEL PORT
- 12. @CDILS #WCSD WRITE FORTHE LEADS YOU WANT
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- 19. HELP CLIENTS QUALIFY THEMSELVES BASEDON: YOUR OFFERINGS
- 20. HELP CLIENTS QUALIFY THEMSELVES BASEDON: THEIR BUDGET
- 21. HELP CLIENTS QUALIFY THEMSELVES BASEDON: YOUR AVAILABILITY
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- 23. @CDILS #WCSD LEAD YOURLEADS WITH A CLEAR CALL TO ACTION WEB-SAVVY-MARKETING.COM
- 24. @CDILS #WCSD NUTSANDBOLTSMEDIA.COM LEAD YOURLEADS WITH A CLEAR CALL TO ACTION RAINMAKERPLATFORM.COM
- 25. @CDILS #WCSD WORDPRESS.COM LEAD YOURLEADS WITH A CLEAR CALL TO ACTION
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- 27. @CDILS #WCSD YOU ANDYOUR CUSTOMERS BE LIKE
- 28. @CDILS #WCSD THANK YOUWCSD! CARRIE DILS CARRIEDILS.COM @CDILS
Editor's Notes
- #3 Before we dive into to the tips, I’d like to step back and ask the question WHY. Why is writing or blogging important? Why does it matter and what does it have to do with lead generation? Well, when you write there are 3 things you’re accomplishing beyond the fact of just publishing an article. Let’s talk about those 3.
- #6 Tom McFarlin is a great example of this. Another prolific writer in the WordPress space, he regularly publishes tech tutorials and thought-pieces. Same as Sridhar, he’s got that name recognition piece and after reading a few of his articles, it’s clear that Tom is very smart, well-informed, and writes with authority. How does that help you with leads? Well, who doesn’t want be perceived as an authority or expert in their field? While authority is not something you can build overnight, you can build it with time. And when you, you’ll find that leads come knocking at your door. Tom says....
- #8 Here I want to point out Michele Schulp, a designer and one of the WC Minneapolis organizers. Michelle wrote a series called the Good Client Guide to help educate clients on what to expect when working with web professionals, what the process is like, some of the WordPress vocabulary they might come across. It’s wonderful! What she’s done, in addition to showing herself an authority, is demonstrating her reputation for quality and communication - when a client hires Michelle, they already know a little of what to expect.
- #9 When you build that name recognition, trust, and authority, you’ll find that the leads are coming to you. They’re seeking you out. People want to work with you.
- #10 Now that hoards of people are coming
- #11 Just because someone wants to hire you does not mean that they’re the kind of client you want to do business with. You need to answer the question Who is your ideal customer Who is it that you want to attract? For me, this process has taken some soul-searching. I do know that Not every customer is right for me and I'm not right for every customer. If you haven’t thought about this before or maybe feel like your definition of the ideal custom could be tweaked a bit, here might be a starting point for who you want work with Small owner/operator-run businesses Agencies looking for subcontractors Large corporations Non-profits Local (or not!) As you refine who your ideal client or customer is, you’ll want to start writing content that targets that audience. For instance, an audience I target is web designers and developers who want to make the leap to full-time freelancing or thye’re already full-time freelance, but maybe are newer in their journey. I write a lot of content specifically with that in mind. In that case, I’m not trying to sell them on anything - my goal is to introduce them to my podcast. Don’t write for everybody. And you may thnk that the wider net you through, the more potential leads, but not so. quote? If you have zero idea who your target or ideal is, I would HIGHLY recommend picking up a copy of Michael Port’s Book Yourself Solid.
- #13 When I started blogging regularly about WordPress, in 2012 or 13 I think, I had zero strategy in mind. I wrote tutorials as a way to cement my knowledge and a way to maybe help someone else who had the same issue. At any rate… My audience was largely a DIY crowd. People who didn’t want to hire me. DIY Now, not all was lost with that. What I did find was that writing, even though it wasn’t for my ideal audience, I was gaining name recognition, authority, and a reputation in my space. I’ve even had a client tell me, I have no clue what your blog posts mean, but I hear other people talking about you and read the comments on your posts and I can tell that you’re good at what you do. At this point I still write some tutorials for the DIY crowd, but as I mentioned earlier I’ve also adjusted my content to reach freelancers or would-be freelancers. It’s okay to have different audiences, but know who you serve and make sure you’re providing clear information based on each audience. Rebecca GIll does a great job of this.
- #14 She has three user personas, or audiences, she’s catering to. People who need custom site design or development SEO services People who need WP themes Point out - not WP design and dev, and not Genesis child themes. For the audience she’s going after, she’s not narrowing down leads only to those who’re technically savvy enough to know what WordPress is or what the GEnesis Framework. She’s highlighting who she serves without focusing heavily on the technology her shop uses.
- #15 It’s time to ditch the corporate speak. If you’re a single person shop and you’re not using contractors, you’re an I, not a we. Be who you are. Add a little personality to your site. This doesn’t mean you have to put al your personal business out there. But, like Michelle’s done, the easier you make it for your prospects to feel connected to you, the easier it becomes to build relationships that turn into projects. You want to attract clients who are a good fit, and the best way to do that is by being you.
- #19 We already know we don’t want to do business with anybody and everybody. Just because they land on your site, like your content, or even want to do business with you means they’re a fit. Serve your potential customers helping them qualify themselves. There are 3 straight-forward ways you can do this
- #23 Your CTAs don’t always hvE TO be front and center on your home page or in your navigation. It could be in the middle of a blog post or at the end. For example, I’ve started offering free extra content in some of my posts in exchange for an email address. I’m leading people to download the PDF. So ask yourself, what action do you want your site visitors or leads to take and then write content that points them toward an action.
- #27 Make it easy for your prospects to engage with you.