Coaching Your Clients To Great Content
When it comes to getting your client to hold up their end of the work load which is often times to generate content for their blog and website, I often times feel like a 4th grade teacher. “Susie did you do your homework”? The problem often times isn’t necessarily all with the client but how we as SEO consultants structure the workload for our clients. As opposed to our client’s unwillingness to do their homework.
Ok Jane(client), your website has got great onsite optimization now we just need some content so we can develop links and a better user experience. So I need 3 blog articles a week”. This is around the time they stop responding to your texts, emails , and calls.
A lot of times we try to take the easy way out and convince our clients to hire out writers for their blog or content. Well that costs money and with specialized niche clients like Naturopathic Drs, Acupuncturists, Chiropractors, engineering firms, etc, hiring a “writer” whose going to know up to the minute nuances of that field is going to be expensive. And if it’s someone outside the particular field, even with quality research, the content quality is iffy at best.
Secondly, have you ever handed over to someone written content about their industry done by someone else? It turns into a witch hunt of the facts, arguments over tone and details and a business owner who doesn’t want to pay a writer because he thinks the writer is a dip shit. Yes, I have some special clients.
The best content will have to come from people within the company. The business owners will tell you emphatically that they are the worst writers but when you see them out at happy hour, they can’t stop flapping their mouth about their business. You just need to help them get that verbal persona onto a written platform.
First problem is that lots of business owners and their upper staff aren’t the best writers. They can talk an ear off an elephant, but ask them to pen a five sentence coherent email, and simple grammar alludes them. Mix in writers block and you get a lot of voice mail answers when you call them. Having a professional look over the writing, and most times that can be someone within the company, I typically assume that at least one person at the firm has good written skills. Otherwise I offer my clients proof reading services which cost a lot less than writing something from scratch
Give them structure, I break it down for my clients into 5 easy groups to write about
The past: How did your industry, product, service or company start. How did it develop into what it is now? What are some fun facts or stories from the evolutionary history of your product?
The Present : What are the present issues for your product or services? What are some of the challenges whether it’s business, political or social? What is the current state of your industry?
The Future: Where do you see your company, product line or industry in the future? How will the products or services compare with today’s versions?
Top Ten lists: But don’t make them top ten. Do top 4 or 7 or any random number just not ten. They are great and easily digestible articles. You can easily write several for just about any industry.
From the Streets: Share personal experiences that you have with your company and business. Struggles. Victories. Nothing sells or makes those connections like personal stories.
So when your client is dodging your calls or insisting they have writers block, give them these few pointers and hope for the best. It’s always going to be a wild ride.
