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Mediation Marketing: build your practice through blogging…
9 October 2006It’s not new news any longer, the fact is that since 2005 blogging has really exploded on the internet scene as the latest and greatest way to connect with current and potential clients.
I recommend to all mediators that are serious about using an internet strategy to build their practice to start a blog. Once you are clear on your niche, start blogging about topics of interest to your potential clients.
Here is an excerpt from my Mediation Business & Marketing Success System ACTION PLAN where I discuss blogging…
Blogging is a great business development and marketing tool for several reasons:
1) Search Engine Optimization – blogs that are updated frequently (by you!) will get indexed by search engines must faster than traditional web sites. Further, updated content is one of the criteria that many search engines are using to rank sites.
2) Blogging is a great, informal way for people (potential clients) to become familiar with you, get to really know you and hopefully become inclined to use your service. Blogging is an informal writing style and is known for its honesty and candor. People really get to know you by reading through your blog and what you’re all about. People hire people not businesses. When they know you, like you and trust that you could help them… by revealing some of who you are in your blog, you can begin building the necessary trust necessary to form a business relationship.
3) Blogs are a great way for you to provide value (information and insight) to your chosen clients.
4) Blogs are FREE (just the cost of your time and intellect in writing).
5) Blogs are instant. You can set up a blog with one of the blogging templates in minutes with no need to hire a web designer.
6) Once you start getting traffic, wordpress for example, will show you your stats – the number of people reading your blog and where they came from (e.g. search terms) which will help you continue doing what is working. Typepad also gives you stats under the control panel. There are services that you can get code that will track who comes to your site and from where as well (e.g. www.feedster.com).
Ready to start blogging? Getting Started:
1) Choose your Blog Title and Blog Subject – base these on your niche/specialty;
2) Focus the content on information and insights that will be useful to your chosen clients (remember to provide VALUE). For example, if your focus is divorce mediation, why not a blog devoted to useful information/issues relating to divorce mediation, legal updates, cutting edge strategies, and even the most basic stuff like tips for divorcing couples, things to look for in a divorce mediator etc.
3) Choose from the free blog services: www.typepad.com; www.blogger.com or www.wordpress.com. I personally use wordpress and there are pros and cons to all of them. I have also used blogger but I prefer wordpress. Wordpress allows you to password protect some of your entries.
4) Get started! Focus on action not perfection!
Some tips on getting readers: (Remember, you want targeted readers)
· Use your key words in your posting title. Key words are the words that people will use when doing internet searches, e.g. divorce mediator in San Francisco.
· Post Often – no need to go crazy but newer content will rank you higher with search engines.
· Add your blog to the web ring of ADR blogs at www.adrblogs.com.
· Link to other blogs and other web sites.
· Blog about a current event of importance to your readers and it may get passed along (good ol word of mouth advertising again).
· Encourage people to send your link to a friend (ask for referrals!)
· Have a sign up box on your blog, so readers can get notified when you have a new post, e.g. feedblitz.com is one such service that I use. (another one is feedburner.com and there are many others).
Have you started a new blog?
The legal field has tons of new blogs (often called law blogs or blawgs) and legal blog directories.
Now, through the excellent work of Diane Levin of the Online Guide to Mediation, there is a directory of ADR blogs (www.adrblogs.com). Once your blog is up and running be sure to list your adr or mediation blog at her site.
And spread the word! Let people know about this blog and others!
NEVER GIVE UP!
Your partner in peace,
Kristina Haymes
ps If you haven’t got your copy of the Mediation Biz & Marketing Success System, what are you waiting for? go to www.mediationmarketingsecrets.com today!
pps be sure to go to www.mediationmarketingtips.com and sign up for my free newsletter!
March 19th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
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