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Writing Articles to Promote Your Business
By Terri Mrosko
Do you consider yourself an expert in your field? Do you specialize in
one or more areas of your career? Do you have something to tell others
interested in pursuing what you do for a living?
Think about writing an article to submit to a publication targeting
readers who are potential clients and customers for your business. You give
away information, hoping to draw in business in return.
The best place to start is to first look into paying markets. Why not
get a little something for your expertise? Check out the pages of the
Writers Market, or visit Writer'sMarket.com
for a listing of topical markets that pay writers for their articles.
Oftentimes, however, the publication you need to target does not pay.
Trade publications and newspapers may only give you a byline and hopefully
a generous tag line to promote yourself. It may be well worth your while to
take them up on the offer.
Consider your marketing expenses. Advertising can run hundreds, even
thousands of dollars. If you enjoy a good return on those advertising
dollars by way of increased sales, great. If spending money to advertise
isn't generating the revenues you desire, you'll definitely want to
consider the alternatives.
If you operate an e-commerce Web site, look to e-zines
and other pertinent Web sites that might draw attention to your own site as
a means of increasing traffic, and sales. If you operate a local business,
look to your community newspaper and any trade publications pertaining to
your industry.
Contact the editor or check out the writer's guidelines to determine how
to submit an article. It is best to pitch the IDEA of your article to the
editor prior to writing the entire article and not having it accepted for
publication. Most editors are happy to give you feedback if you present
your credentials and qualifications for writing the article.
Never blatantly promote or advertise your business in the content of the
article. Your role is to impart helpful information and advice to the
publication's readers. The promotion comes at the end of the article, in
the tag line.
The key is to promote yourself and your
business through the use of lessons learned or examples of how you solved a
particular problem or addressed a particular issue. Be sure to include a
way for the reader to contact you after the article or advice appears.
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