If You Blog, You Are In Sales
You might be wondering why I am reading a book on sales (Secrets of Closing the Sale by Zig Ziglar - see my sidebar).
Well, if you are blogging, you are involved in sales. Even if you don’t sell anything on your blog, you are selling yourself and you are selling your blog. You want people to come back to your blog, right? So you have to sell them on why they should come back again.
One of the things Zig Ziglar stresses in the book is that a salesperson needs to have integrity and be trustworthy. No one is going to buy anything from someone that they don’t trust. Similarly, no one is going to spend a lot of time on a blog if they don’t trust the blogger.
How do you become trustworthy? You do it with every post you make. You build trust by being consistent, by being human and letting people get to know you, by caring about your readers. People are reading every one of your posts with the idea in the back of their minds, “Do I trust this person?” Remember that, and try to be someone they can trust.
Another thing Zig Ziglar feels strongly about is that a salesperson should buy the product he or she is selling, if at all possible. In order to sell something, you need to believe in it very strongly. You need to use it yourself, otherwise how can you recommend it to others? Remember that when you try to promote your next affiliate product.
Even more than one product, people can tell if you are passionate about your blog’s topic, and they will respond accordingly.
Yes, I have created sites about topics I am not passionate about. That’s ok if you just want to get some easy AdSense clicks. But that kind of site will never grow large and have a devoted following.
A blog where the blogger is passionate about the subject will have a better chance of growing into something big. Your passion will attract others. Your integrity and trustworthiness will show through. You will be selling your site and yourself to your readers, and they will keep coming back for more. They will also be more likely to link to your site and tell others about it.
Which kind of site do you want to create?
- Pat Doyle
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Zig is one of my favorites too. I had a chance to meet him briefly at a motivational conference back in the 80’s. If you’re not excited after reading his books you should check your pulse.
Yes, his book is really helpful. Even though it is mostly about direct sales, I am getting a lot of useful info. Cool that you got to meet him!
that is tru - your like selling your brand because you are you and your brand is you!
[...] One of the first blog carnivals I joined was Pat B. Boyle’s #1 Make Money Online Carnival. Since then I have been reading her blog and on top of her joining the ranks of those who have fired their bosses, she is telling you that If You Blog, You Are In Sales. [...]
You couldn’t be more right and I like your Zig reference.
If the reader buys you, they will trust your recommendation.