Marketing Mondays: Build Your Consulting Business by Writing Articles

Michael Zipursky | February 20, 2012 | 4 Comments

The first time I wrote an article for a business publication I got 3 emails from business owners that had read my article and wanted to hire me.

The next article got more inquiries and all I did was write!

Writing articles for your local newspaper or for a popular blog is a great way to increase your exposure, generate leads and build your business.

Writing articles for your local newspaper or for a popular blog is a great way to increase your exposure, generate leads and build your business.

As with speaking, you don’t have to be THE expert to write articles. You just need to know what you’re talking about. You need knowledge and real world experience.

The biggest mistake you can make is talking about something you have no real world experience with.

If you have some credentials and experience in the topic you want to write on you’ll have a much better chance of having your articles accepted.

How to get your articles accepted

Find out who the editor of the newspaper or blog is and contact them.

Pitch them. Tell them how you enjoy their publication. You’ve read it, understand it, know who their readers are. Then tell them that you have an idea for an article, or a series of articles that you believe their readers will find of value.

Be sure to tell them why they should trust you, believe you, and how you’re the right person to write these articles.

Why you must be persistent

You may not get the first editor you approach to say yes. But keep contacting as many as you can, follow up, and don’t give up. You’ll land that opportunity.

Hint: Don’t approach The New York Times or the Economist right off the bat. You’ll get a much better response by approaching your local papers first.

Writing articles that get published, especially in print or in a big blog, will establish you as an expert and build your credibility.

The more you write, the more your name gets out there.

Go on, start writing.

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  • http://twitter.com/TheStrategyDr Bart Zych

    Couldn’t agree more with today’s article, however getting hiring emails after writing your first piece is probably not the norm. Writing is the consultant’s ‘proof of concept’, and it greatly helps in increasing your credibility. I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on writing for online media like Suite101 or Ariclesbase.

    • http://www.consulting-business.com Michael Zipursky

      Bart – thanks for the comment. As with all marketing, I wouldn’t ‘expect’ clients to come knocking on your door as soon as you write articles, though it’s definitely possible, and has happened for me a couple of times in new publications.

      Writing articles for sites like Suite101, article base and other content/article directory type of sites is generally considered good practice for SEO and link building. However, I wouldn’t recommend that as your only approach to building a professional brand image and generating leads. For that, getting publishing on well known blogs, local and national papers are much more effective.

  • Jamie

    This is great advice and thank you so much for sharing it. I will give this a good attempt.

  • http://bizmarketingbuilder.com/ marketing help

    Wouldn’t recognize far more having current document, even so having getting electronic mails soon after publishing ones primary portion most likely are not normative. Publishing would be the consultant’s ‘proof connected with concept’, and it also enormously facilitates with increasing your standing. I had possibly be inquiring to see your notions with publishing intended for on the net marketing including Suite101 or maybe Ariclesbase.