This week started off like most weeks at GBW headquarters. There was writing to do and since we’ve been growing I’ve been working with new writers. So there were some good things on tap for the week.
On this particular Monday I decided to go with my girlfriend at her office (she has a budding web design business and a great location in downtown Eau Claire, WI). Anyway, I went to work with her at her office for the day.
At about lunch time I got a call.
It was a gentleman that is looking to grow his business and wants to get into blogging and content marketing. The first questions I always ask are about the business and the target customer. We had a nice discussion about those items.
At the end of each conversation with new people that call about blogging I try to ask them how they found out about GBW. I asked the question and the guy said he was having trouble writing blog posts. He went to Google and did some searching and found the GBW website. From there he dug into the blog posts and the Business Blogging Beginner’s Guide (it’s free so check it out).
I should actually back things up. The first thing the guy said to me when we started talking was something along these lines and I’m paraphrasing from memory here:
I’m in need of a blogger for my business. I found your website. I’ve been reading your blog posts all morning. I’m sold. How do we start?
Now, I’m not a guru on sales, but I would say that if you get leads calling you with that attitude that sales becomes pretty easy. The content on the GBW website sold this guy before he even picked up the phone to call. That’s the definition of a qualified lead.
This phone call or contact is not unusual. Nearly every client we have at GBW has found us and has been convinced to contact us because of our blog and content like the Beginner’s Guide. We’re working on including more case studies and examples of our work as well to further convince prospects that business blogging works.
Now, it’s true that we invest time creating our blog posts, but it is entirely worth the effort and profitable when we sign on new clients as a result of our blogging. A single new client can mean thousands of dollars in revenue in just the first year of being a client. That’s how business blogging works for us and it’s how it works for our clients too.
We’re selling business blogging, but we also like to practice what we preach.
Recently we published the guide explaining How Business Blogging Works.
The GBW blog led to discovery. This time is happened to be through search, but it’s happened with social and word of mouth. They’re all referrals in some form. From there the content on the blog earns the trust of the new visitor and eventually some of them call or contact us.
And the best part is they are ready to get started. The sale is easy because the leads are already convinced.
Your website and your blog should work as a salesperson. When you’re not there in person your site needs to do the selling for you. When someone contacts you the sale is done. You just need to get things rolling.
That’s an example of how business blogging works for Ghost Blog Writers.
It can work for your business too.
Let us know if you liked this blog post. We’re working on more formal case studies including ones from our clients.
PS – Just last night my girlfriend (mentioned above) got an inquiry from a person that mentioned discovering her through a blog post. It works in a variety of industries.
Image Credit: fdecomite