Guess what my fast-start recommendation is? You got it -
write articles for other publishers. Why is this such
a common suggestion? Could it be because - it works?
This is the fastest and easiest way by far to get
a following of people who recognize your name and listen
to what you recommend.
When I was newly online and learning about online business,
clicking on the links in articles, forums, and discussion
groups signatures was my primary method of finding good
information.
I reasoned that if the person was published, odds were that
they were somewhat of an expert on that subject. And, if they
were experts, the products and services they sold or
recommended were likely to be good. Those were the people
whose products I bought and whose lists I joined.
If you include a signature with each article, including
a line or two about your business and your website URL
and/or email address, you may be very amazed at the traffic
it will generate for you - the best kind of targeted traffic,
too!
Are you having trouble just getting started? I understand.
And I can't tell you that writing isn't hard work.
It certainly is for me. But once you write the first article
it gets much easier. In fact, you may discover, as I did,
that you have a hard time stopping!
Here's a "jump-start plan" to get you going:
1. Get a notebook and pen, or if you are a "cut and paste"
writer like me - a word processor or computer, and just
brainstorm ideas for articles. If you are at a total loss,
go and read some articles in other's e-zines or websites.
That may spark an idea for a different approach to the same
subject or remind you of your own experiences in that area.
Think about what You need or want to know. What have you learned
from experience that might help others? Once you get started you
will come up with many ideas. Write each one down. If you think of
a good title for that article, write that down too. Make it "catchy."
2. What you should do next depends on you. There are several ways
writers work, depending on their personalities. You may like to order
and organize your points first by making an outline of the information
you plan to include or the points you intend to make. Then all you have
write articles for other publishers. Why is this such
a common suggestion? Could it be because - it works?
This is the fastest and easiest way by far to get
a following of people who recognize your name and listen
to what you recommend.
When I was newly online and learning about online business,
clicking on the links in articles, forums, and discussion
groups signatures was my primary method of finding good
information.
I reasoned that if the person was published, odds were that
they were somewhat of an expert on that subject. And, if they
were experts, the products and services they sold or
recommended were likely to be good. Those were the people
whose products I bought and whose lists I joined.
If you include a signature with each article, including
a line or two about your business and your website URL
and/or email address, you may be very amazed at the traffic
it will generate for you - the best kind of targeted traffic,
too!
Are you having trouble just getting started? I understand.
And I can't tell you that writing isn't hard work.
It certainly is for me. But once you write the first article
it gets much easier. In fact, you may discover, as I did,
that you have a hard time stopping!
Here's a "jump-start plan" to get you going:
1. Get a notebook and pen, or if you are a "cut and paste"
writer like me - a word processor or computer, and just
brainstorm ideas for articles. If you are at a total loss,
go and read some articles in other's e-zines or websites.
That may spark an idea for a different approach to the same
subject or remind you of your own experiences in that area.
Think about what You need or want to know. What have you learned
from experience that might help others? Once you get started you
will come up with many ideas. Write each one down. If you think of
a good title for that article, write that down too. Make it "catchy."
2. What you should do next depends on you. There are several ways
writers work, depending on their personalities. You may like to order
and organize your points first by making an outline of the information
you plan to include or the points you intend to make. Then all you have
to more information.
Or, you may be a natural teacher, and write just as though you are
explaining the subject to the reader in person. Either method is fine,
just do what is comfortable for you. One method may work best for one
kind of article and the other for another kind.
3. In either case, don't forget to add "personality" to your writing. Share
some of yourself with your readers, make your writing uniquely your
own. It's fine to read e-zines and others' articles to see what
people may be interested in and spark your own ideas, but don't pattern
yourself after someone else. People want to feel that they know You -
Your knowledge and personality. This is what builds loyalty.
If it fits with your subject, don't be afraid to mention your product or
service and give the URL or email address, but DON'T write a
"glorified ad" and call it an article! That can offend a publisher so that
they won't even consider articles from you in the future.
4. After you've finished writing your article, read it through aloud,
preferably to someone else who will ask questions if they don't
understand some point.
5. Run a spell checker! If you own Microsoft Word or something similar,
run the grammar checker also. Have someone else proofread it for you.
Even professional proofreaders will tell you that they try to have
someone else proofread their own writing, because it is next to
impossible to catch your own mistakes.
6. Once you finish your article and make any necessary changes,
you will need to submit it to as many websites and e-zines as you can.
Search the web for "article directory" and you will find many places to
submit your article for free. There are also, of course, paid services and
software that will do the submissions for you, but you may want to wait
until you have successfully written a few articles before you choose to
pay.
As I said earlier, writing is hard work for me, and I reworked my first
article many times before I was satisfied. But if you persevere you may
discover that it can be loads of fun as well as a great promotion method
and a quick path to "web-guru-ness."
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