| 2. |
Help sell others' products. Here is another
click-through opportunity. Affiliate programs enable your
blog to serve as a conduit between readers and online sites
offering various goods and services. One popular choice is
Amazon.com. If, for instance, you offer book reviews or even
just mention a book in passing in your blog, an affiliate
program provides a means for your readers to click directly
from your blog to Amazon to obtain further information about
the book. If they break out the checkbook or charge card,
you get paid as well. |
| 3. |
Solicit contributions. Not every blog-related
income opportunity involves hawking goods or services. As
Blanche DuBois did in "A Streetcar Named Desire," consider
relying on the kindness of strangers. Ask for contributions.
If, for instance, your small-business blog supports a cause
or issue in some fashion — say you repeatedly mention tax
reform, health care or some other topic — you can always ask
for reader support. |
| |
Even if you've attracted a group of regular followers
who simply enjoy reading what you have to say, they may be
willing to underwrite their loyalty with a little financial
help. Programs such as PayPal make it easy to establish a
simple on-site contribution collection button. "There are
lots of worthy 'cause' blogs that would qualify for
donations from grateful members of the blog community," says
Las Vegas communications consultant Ned Barnett. |
| 4. |
Market your services in your blog. Many people
associate blogs exclusively with a cyberspace-based soapbox
— a place to shout your opinions and little more than that.
Granted, blogs are an ideal venue to share your thoughts
with others, but don't overlook their capacity to generate
new business as well. When appropriate, work in references
to what you do and, in turn, what you may be able to offer
any would-be client or customer who may be reading your
blog. That can spread your opinion and your business moxie
at the same time. "Instead of short commentaries that
begin a dialogue with readers, as many blogs do, I write the
equivalent of journal articles that demonstrate my
abilities, strategies and perspectives on specific issues,"
Barnett says. "When it resonates, it means money. Since
starting this approach, I have generated three new paying
clients and brought in about $10,000 on revenue — directly
attributable to specific blogs." |
| 5. |
Use a blog to deepen your existing customer
relationships.
Nor does any marketing material inserted in blog content
have to be limited to bringing in completely new business.
By using a blog to regularly communicate with existing
clients as well as other readers, you can take advantage of
the opportunity to fully inform them about everything your
business does. That may expand your readers' understanding
of the full scope of your products or services. "My blog
has helped existing clients determine the range of my skills
and services," says Ted Demopoulos of Demopoulos Associates,
a Durham, N.H. consulting and training concern. "One client
who had only used me for training in the past was surprised
at my range of expertise and is now using me for a
consulting project. Another who only used me on technical
projects is now considering me for a more business-oriented
project."
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