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So, here we are at the 12th and final week of "Increase Sales with these 12 Sales & Marketing Strategies." Each article has focused on a different way to improve or create a solid sales and marketing plan. This final strategy is simple, but one that many people find is the most challenging for them: writing on a regular basis. I realize many people thought they would never have a writing assignment after graduating from high school or college, but writing about your business is a very important task – especially with regard to your Internet marketing plan. Writing and getting published is what establishes a business owner or sales professional as the expert in her field. There are many ways to accomplish this. 1) Write a blog on your business website discussing anything about your business or industry. This not only establishes you as an authority in your industry, it also helps to draw more traffic to your site and assist with any search engine optimization you may have implemented. 2) Write articles and submit them to online article directory sites such as EzineArticle.com, Buzzle.com, etc. This is also another way to create relevancy for your SEO strategy and allow more people to read about you and your business. 3) Write for an industry publication. Are you a member of your industry association? You may be able to write for their newsletter, magazine or online publications. If you are published in print, be sure to frame it and hang it in your office for visitors to see. Once again, you are establishing yourself as a recognized authority. 4) Don't want to write the articles yourself? Look for opportunities to be interviewed. This may involve working with a PR firm that can establish the press contacts looking for resources in your field. You can also pay a professional writer to write articles and blog on your behalf. For most business owners (especially those who do not enjoy writing) this is one of those tasks that makes sense to outsource. 5) Contact your local newspaper and business magazines. Especially if there is something significant happening within your business or area of expertise, this is an excellent opportunity to be quoted either in a major metropolitan newspaper or a smaller, neighborhood or township publication. 6) If you want to get REALLY ambitious, write a book! This is a phenomenal way to establish credibility and generate online revenue from your website, at speaking engagements and industry conferences. You may even have an opportunity for wide distribution in bookstores and on sites such as Amazon.com. Be sure to send me an announcement when you make it to the New York Times Bestseller List! When you write, it's important to pay attention to all of those grammar rules you learned in school, but don't be intimidated about what to say. Just write about what you know. Remember – you are the expert in your field so surely there is something you can write about that is noteworthy or valuable to people who may buy from you at some point. Don't worry about 'giving away' information for free. The more you can educate your readers and help them to understand more about your industry, the more they will perceive and recommend you as the expert. (To read the original list of all 12 ideas for Increasing Your Sales & Marketing, click here .) |