Building a Stronger Business in 2022 - Part II

by Skip Cohen

I shared Part I on Marketing Monday this week, but like a dog with a bone, I'm not letting go of my quest to help you focus on what's most important to your business success...NOW!

Yes, it's the slow season, but only as it relates to some of you in terms of incoming revenue. However, it should be anything but slow when it comes to the building blocks you need to make 2022 one of your best years in business.

Let's start thinking about your blog...and if you're not doing a blog, then think of this as a good use of your Facebook page as an extension of your marketing activity. ​

Your website is about what you sell.
Your blog is about what's in your heart.

• Consistency: one key to success. If you're blogging every full moon, then give it up. My suggestion is to blog at least twice a week. When you go for long periods not sharing new content, you lose the momentum and interest of the readers you're trying to reach.
• Build a stash: Everything you share doesn't have to be written in real-time! Take the slow time right now and put together a couple of dozen posts. Then use one a week from your stash. On the other day of posting, tie in something you're doing that's recent and maybe even community-related.
• Content is King - Pay attention to who your readers are. You've got to be relevant to their needs. For most of you, if your focus is on the portrait/social side of the business, that means "MOM." She's your target audience. So, take a few minutes and think about where she needs the most help. And remember, the good side of the pandemic is the renewed sense of family in this country, perfect for children and family photographers.
• Timing is essential: Post on the same days each week and at the same time. 
• Don't write term papers! Keep your posts relatively short - ideally, 200-500 words is the max; you can go over that if the topic is relevant, but if that's the case, then use bullet points. This post is going to be around 600 words.
• Cut too many English classes when you were a kid? Use spellcheck and Grammarly. However, with Grammarly, read every suggestion out loud. Grammarly doesn't always know what you're talking about and often gives recommendations that aren't accurate for the meaning you want to convey. 
• Hate to write? Find yourself an English teacher from the local High School or an "A" student who loves to write. There's nothing wrong with having a ghostwriter who will listen to what you want to say and then put it together in a blog post. Finding a teacher or student who'd like to moonlight a little is an inexpensive way to get some additional support to supplement your weak spots.
• Adding photographs: Include at least one relevant photograph with each post.
• Links: Don't go crazy with too many links in a post to other locations within your website or outside to other sources. 
• Share what's in your heart! A blog gives what you sell credibility, like publicity supporting advertising. Everyone is frustrated these days with the limitations placed on us because of Covid. You don't need to get overly personal, but share some of your own challenges readers can identify with.

More coming with topics to write about - you're all sitting on a goldmine of ideas but just don't realize it!