Using Blogs to Promote Your Direct Sales Business

I remember when my kids came to me and told me they have accounts on LiveJournal. I was really concerned about what they described as an online diary or online journal.

Today, blogs have become very popular. People use them as a means of keeping in touch with friends and other family members. They use them to promote their businesses and they use them to post their unique content. Blogs are much more than just an online diary.

There are three ways you can use blogs for your direct sales business. You can create posts and create a loyal reader base, you can read other blogs and leave comments for those writers and you can communicate with those who leave comments on your blog.

When you create a blog, consider your focus. What is it that you want to convey to others? I’ve seen several blogs that were sales blogs and most were only around a month or so, then were deserted. I do not recommend you create a blog with the sole purpose of trying to sell your opportunity and/or products. Think of yourself as the reader. Would you keep coming back and reading a blog that day after day tried to sell you something? The answer is probably not. Instead create a blog with a theme related to what you sell. If you sell nutritional supplements, create a blog with a focus on health and wellness. Offer your readers information and articles on nutrition, exercise etc. If you sell children’s products, create a blog offering information on schools, camps, children’s product reviews etc.

There is so much opportunity to market your business on your blog without the sales pitch. You can put a banner on your blog with a link to your sales site. You can create a list of text links on your sidebar with one of those links going to your business. You can use photos of your products when you are writing on a particular topic. For example, perhaps you are talking about the benefits of reading to young children. Take a photo of one of the books you sell. Or perhaps you are talking about the benefits of taking a glucosamine product. Use a photo of your own glucosamine product. Remember, don’t write a sales ad, but rather an information piece about how glucosamine helps and what the benefits are.

The second way you can use blogs to market your business is by using the comments feature on other people’s blogs. Find blogs that are of interest to you and read them. Leave relevant comments. Leave comments that open the door for conversation. Don’t leave comments like “great post.” This does nothing to stimulate conversation. Don’t make your comment a sales ad for your product. As a blog owner, I delete all comments that say “check my website” or “my product is wonderful” I have met some incredible people from reading blogs and entering into conversations with the blog owners.

Finally, use the comments on your own blog to engage in conversations. I work hard at answering all comments left on my blogs. I not only respond to the comment, I do everything I can to continue communications with the comment writer. Often these comment writers have blogs of their own that are just wonderful. I love reading their blogs and finding posts that are relevant to my own life.

Blogs are a great and free way to find others to connect with. Create a blog and start communicating with other blog owners.

Audrey Okaneko has been in direct sales since 1983. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or you can Become a Tupperware Consultant

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com