Blogging for the Local Market
How Writing Local Business Blogs Can Mean Big Bucks For Bloggers
Sep 7, 2009
Yes, the world is a global marketplace, but imagine how much greater a bloggers chances of success would be if they weren't completing with everyone else for a blogging job. If they were to instead focus their efforts on local blogging jobs, then they would remove a large portion of their competition. There are probably very few bloggers located within a local market and, if a blogger lives in a small town, then they could very well be the only blogger in town. This would mean that they would have zero competition. That is one of the things that makes local blogging so great.
Local Marketing Makes Bloggers Trustworthy Due to Proximity
Since they are a local writer they will also have another advantage and that is built - in trust. Local business owners will be more likely to trust a local writer over one located in some far flung part of the world. They will feel security knowing that the blogger is just a phone call away and that, if need be, they can even stop in to the office. That sense of security will do wonders to increase the odds of landing a local blogging job.
Land the Local Blogging Job
So, now that the benefits of blogging for the local market have been discussed, one may wonder how to go about landing these jobs. There are a few ways that one can go about approaching local business owners.
- Send Them an Email - Those who are shy or just hate cold calling can instead send an email to the business owner to offer up their services. The letter better be pretty convincing, however, because it might be quickly sent to the trash or even mistaken for spam.
- Cold Calling - Yes, the dreaded cold call. Most people hate it, but sometimes it really is the best way to go about securing business. Get out the phone book and just start calling local business owners. It is best to go into the phone call with a rough idea of what one plans to say. That will ensure that the phone call is polished and professional.
- Take a Meeting - A blogger looking to secure local business should not, under any circumstances, show up without an appointment. That is a sure fire way to make sure that they don't get the job and, since they are dealing with local businesses, it may sully their reputation in their entire area. Instead, they should should make an appointment to come in and dicuss their blogging services and how what they have to offer will benefit the business.
- Ask Acquaintances - This is where being local can really pay off. A blogger will most likely be acquainted with a few local business owners, so they should approach them about the possiblity of writing their business blog. If they can secure one of these people as a client, then the blogger can also ask them to recommend their services to fellow business owners.
And Here's the Pitch
During the local marketing process, the blogger will have some main objectives. First, they will want to convince the business owner that they need a business blog. They shouldn't be surprised if they have to explain what a blog is to a few people. Once they are convinced, the blogger can then transition into their next objective which is to sell them on why the blogger is the one who should be doing their blogging. It is best to avoid being too heavy handed when selling. It would be a shame to get them interested only to lose them because of going for the hard sell.
The Local market Can Be Lucrative
By focusing on local blogging jobs, bloggers will quickly discover just how much more lucrative it is to be a big fish in a small pond. So, rather than battling the world for blogging jobs, they should start looking in their own backyard. In doing this, they will surely find money that is there for the asking.
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