In my last article I discussed the top 7 ways how to get referrals fast. Perhaps your current system for generating referrals is not working well enough to pay the bills. Many times small business owners get busy with new clients then cut down or forget to promote their products or services. Suddenly they have no work after completing the project they’ve been working on leading to anxiety and frustration. Solo entrepreneurs and business owners can’t afford a marketing team so they have to promote their business themselves. One of the ways to get more referrals is to evaluate what is already working then ramp it up.
Example
Article marketing has become one of the top ways to get new referrals for my web design business. When I stop writing and publishing articles the amount of business I receive declines. In order to get more referrals I simply ramp up my article marketing efforts.
What is article marketing?
This refers to the process of writing a 500+ word article in my niche and submitting it to online publications to get referrals. Online publications may include article directories, online newsletters, blogs, forums and social media websites.
Why article marketing works
People are always looking for information to help build or market their business. If they receive advice from an expert in their field they’ll want to read the information and use it themselves. If you continuously produce great content you’ll be the first person they contact when they want work done that they can’t do themselves. Writing an article is more effective than an ad because you have the ability to convey in-depth information.
How to get more referrals through article marketing
1. Create a list of topics you know a lot about
To build a large list of topics enter your main keyword in the Google keyword research tool. It will generate hundreds of related topics to write about. Other methods include asking questions in forums, blogs and interacting with your target market on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook. If you don’t know a lot about subject take time to do some research upfront so you become an authority on it.
2. Create new content every day
If you’re just starting out this may be difficult to do however make this your goal. Set aside at least 30 minutes each day to create new content. If you don’t get the article finished within 30 minutes complete it the next day or if you have time just keep writing. Sometimes you can write several articles in one sitting if inspired. With practice you’ll be able to write faster and produce higher quality content.
3. Structure your article correctly
Spend time on your headline because this will determine whether a visitor will read the rest of your article. Your introductory paragraph should outline a specific problem your potential customer may have then provide several solutions in the main body of your content. Complete your article by including a resource box at the end. This is where you provide a call to action and a link back to your website.
4. Publish your article on high-profile websites
This refers to websites that currently attract millions of visitors every day. Getting your article in front of this traffic will guarantee the article gets read by lots of people. High-profile websites include the top article directories, online newsletters (ezines), online magazines, blogs and forums. One of the best ways to syndicate your articles is to become a guest writer for a popular blog or ezine because they already have thousands of loyal readers. An article on one of these sites will also generate high-quality back links and boost your search engine rankings.
Tips
Get into the habit of writing and publishing articles frequently and consistently. It will be difficult in the beginning however just as exercise builds muscles you’ll develop article marketing muscles overtime. Make it your goal to become an excellent writer so people will look forward to reading your content and doing business with you.
Whenever you need to get more referrals write and publish more articles.
Related Articles
7 Simple Steps to Writing an Article
Write 100 Articles in 100 Days – the 10 lessons I learned
How to Create a Highly Effective Resource Box
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